Green Roof on PS 41 in New York

The only space was on the roof. PS 41 felt very vertical to me. I climbed up and down the four flights of stairs about fifty times during our interviews. But I grew to love that climb. I climbed up to one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited. When I reached the top and looked out at the green roof, it was the smell that surprised me the most. It smelled wonderful—like a meadow. Even though the plants there are very tiny, they gave the most wonderful scent. Most of the plants are succulents, or plants that live without much soil or water. There is only about four inches of soil under those plants. The architects had to minimize the weight of the green roof components because the roof wasn’t built to hold all those plants and people. A green roof was likely not on the agenda when they built PS 41 decades ago.

Only forty adults can be on the roof at one time, which adds to its tranquility, if you ask me. I wish my video diary could convey the smell, but just imagine you are in a meadow, and hopefully the visuals will transport you there:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In the coming weeks, our plan is to share stories about the amazing people who made this green roof a reality. As a parent, I can’t imagine signing up to such a project – so much work, fundraising, engineering research. But my co-workers scoffed at my skepticism. They said, “Carla, can’t you see? When you have such a big dream, you are magnet to amazing people, and they help you get it done.” Big dreams – I’m familiar with that. I know these folks inspired me with my big dreams and I hope they do the same for you. In the meantime, consider registering your school as an Eco-School and join our big dream today!

Kindergartners congregate on PS 41′s Greenroof Environmental Learning Laboratory in Manhatten. Photo by Carla Brown.

Me in my crate playground quite a few years ago

I grew up in downtown Philadelphia, where sidewalks and concrete abound.  I was a lucky kid too – I went to a school that took us out to a retired farm once a week and set us loose to explore after a hands on science lesson.  It was amazing, but it was just once a week, we had to leave the city, and most kids I knew didn’t have that opportunity.  That experience inspired me to work to ensure that all kids have the chance to fall in love with nature right in their own schools and communities. Stepping out onto the roof at PS41 affirmed my commitment to this work.

Already PS41’s Greenroof Environmental Literacy Laboratory, lush with native plants, serves as a haven for migrating birds (check out this gorgeous Northern Parula that found its way there for a rest while migrating South for the winter just days after the roof was completed!) and a calm and beautiful oasis of hands on, experiential environmental learning.  The 804 students who attend the school are already using the site to enhance their science, math, literacy, and art knowledge and skills.

A Northern Parula spotted on the green roof of PS 41. Photo courtesy Vicki Sando.

Rather than paving the way for the future, they are greening the way!

All kids deserve such great teachers, school leaders, and such great opportunities.  Right now, your school can register to become an eco-school to create a better future for your students and celebrate the great work that is underway. Already in New York City 44 schools have signed up.  What is your school doing to green the way for your students?

P.S. Stay tuned for stories of some of the inspiring leaders, like Vicki Sando in the pic below, who made this dream a reality!

Vicki Sando, a teacher at PS 41, reads from The Curious Gardener on the schools green roof.

Her science teacher, Ms. Marple, said she would love our help setting up recycling centers around the school. Ms. Marple registered our school, Armstrong Elementary, as an Eco-School – a program by National Wildlife Federation to reward green schools.

The grade three classes made the recycling bins, set them up around the school, and designed promotional posters. They made announcements about recycling on the morning TV show. Each week, they gathered and weighed the recycling. Ms. Marple took cans and bottles home to her residential recycling. I took the plastic caps and juice pouches for craft projects.

For the plastic cap recycling, we were inspired by this article in Ranger Rick magazine about plastic cap Fridge Flowers by Michelle Stitzlein. She works with schools to make large plastic cap mosaic murals. If we got too many plastic caps, our back-up plan was to bring them to Aveda’s plastic cap recycling program.

For the juice pouch recycling, I have collected them for a few years now, and I sew them together to make bags. But what I really wanted to try was sewing trash clothing so we could have a trash fashion or “trashion” show. We were inspired by the Eco-School trash fashion show at United High School in Armagh, PA. If we gathered too many juice pouches, our back-up plan was to send them to Terracycle.

Check out this video about our project:

Click here to view the embedded video.

So this year we successfully set up the recycling centers. The grade three classes learned how to gather the recyclables as part of their weekly routine.

There was a natural competitive aspect, where they wanted to say that “if we gather the most recycling of all the classes, then we win!” But I cautioned them by saying that when you gather lots of recyclables, that’s not necessarily a good thing. It means you are choosing to eat things in packages rather than making food that doesn’t require packaging. Choosing options without packaging is called “pre-cycling” and it’s the best option.

This kids were very enthusiastic about the project, especially when I showed the first trash fashion items. I am also developing new trash crafts that allow the kids to design their own trash fashion. My family attended a trash fashion show that was part of Alexandria’s Earth Day celebrations for many ideas. More on that in a future blog!

Thank you to Ms. Marple and the grade three classes for taking on this recycling project. Thank you also to the administrators for allowing the project to happen, and to all the students at Armstrong school who recycled.

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of 10 NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in California, Wisconsin, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.

Credit: Library of Congress

South Dakota’s House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for “balanced” teaching of global warming in the state’s public schools. The 36 state representatives who supported HCR 1009 believe that “carbon dioxide is not a pollutant…Many scientists refer to carbon dioxide as ‘the gas of life’”.

A lot of our planet’s substances are beneficial in moderation but harmful when there’s too much exposure. Take for example a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas called oxygen. Oxygen is essential for sustaining life on Earth. However, breathing elevated concentrations of this gas can cause oxygen toxicity, a poisoning that may lead to cell damage and death.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the biggest global warming pollutants, is harmful and disruptive to ecosystems when there’s too much.

As originally introduced in South Dakota’s House, HCR 1009 stated “global warming is a scientific theory rather than a proven fact.” Public schools were urged to teach, among other methods, the astrological dynamics that affect the world’s weather patterns. As in astrology. I’m a Taurus…and?

South Dakota’s state Senate intervened on February 24 and amended the resolution to remove the reference to astrology. The record of the legislature’s concurrent resolution HCR 1009 can be viewed here.