Posted by Ethan on Thursday, February 3, 2011,
In :
No GMOs
Hey Neergs--
I read an article by Jeremy Bloom on the Red Blue and Green website this morning. Jeremy suggests that the White House, along with the GOP/Tea Party put the pressure on Tom Vilsack of the USDA to okay the deregulation of GE Alfalfa. The word is the White House, readying itself for a new election, doesn't want to appear as though they are thwarting business growth during a recession, especially this big biotech business. The sad thing is I really believe the President cares about t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, February 2, 2011,
In :
No GMOs
Hey Neergs--
Hope you had a chance to read our post yesterday here on Green Kids Rock. I could not tear myself away from the PC yesterday, learning more about this serious threat to the safety of our food supply. The more I read on this issue, the madder I got. How is it that one company, Monsanto, is allowed to control and contaminate our food supply. You should do your own research by "googling" stuff like "Monsanto," "GMOs," "GE" and "GE Alfalfa." Those should get you some good results. I... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, February 1, 2011,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs!
Ever heard of GMO's--Genetically Modified Organisms? Probably not. Unfortunately, most families in the the U.S. don't know either. GMO's are found in all kinds of food you eat everyday like milk, meat, cookies, crackers, juice--the list goes on and on! America is only just learning about a company called Monsanto and it's very special relationship with the USDA. Monsanto is a biotech company that produces 90% of GMO seed in the world. They allege that their biotechnology can produ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan Poole on Friday, January 28, 2011,
In :
Toxin Free
Happy Friday Neergs!
Joshua Kors of the Huffington Post brought our attention to a great film you should all know about. We've discussed "fracking" before at Green Kids Rock--a controversial natural gas drilling operation. Now you won't want to miss GasLand. I know, documentaries can sometimes be a snooze, but Josh Fox isn't an Oscar Nominee or a Sundance Film award winner for nothing! In May of 2008, Fox was offered $100,000 to lease his land to a natural gas company. $100,000? No-brainer ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan Poole on Thursday, January 27, 2011,
In :
Global Warming
Hey Neergs!
Do you remember "Climategate?" That was the bruhaha where hackers stole files from legitimate climate scientists in an attempt to discredit the reality of global warming right before the climate summit of 2009. Unfortunately, the lazy media embraced the controversy without representing this smear campaign for what it was--an attempt to mislead the public into believing global warming is not an immediate and very real threat to our lives. The Republican party has used "Climategate"... Continue reading ...
Green Kids Rock is back and ready to take on 2011 with exciting new partnerships, stories and a fun, fresh look ( to be revealed over the next few months). So stay tuned and check back often. We'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on our GKR Forum.
In the meantime, we would like to introduce you to Andrea, Neal, the founder of Blue Ocean Sciences. Andrea is crossing the Atlantic Ocean as we speak! She and her Blue Ocean Sciences team "BOS" are collaborating with the Schmidt ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, December 2, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs--
So have you been following the Climate Change Conference in Cancun--COP16? I knew going in that the best we could hope for would be some momentum--anything to keep the ball moving in the right direction. It appears that everyone else but the U.S. seems to get it, including China. Well, we've sent our representatives to this critical conference to help solve a crises that has rightly alarmed the world... and then we just sit back and wait for others to do the hard work? Do we even ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, November 29, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Welcome Back Neergs!
Hope everyone had an enjoyable and "green" Turkey Day. If you didn't have "tofurkey" maybe you celebrated with an organic, free range bird, or at least made the vegetarian dishes a bigger part of the feast. Well now that you are well fed, it's time to get back in the swing. I'm hoping a few of you Neergs are aware of the United Nation's Climate Change conference happening in Cancun now. For two weeks, the UN will attempt to ink agreements that would give billions of dolla... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Friday, November 19, 2010,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs!
Yesterday we talked about fracking--a technology that allows natural gas to be extracted from beneathe the earth using what some environmentalists would say are dangerous chemicals. If you'll recall, a company called Halliburton did not disclose what chemicals it uses in its fracking fluid. It turns out, Halliburton has recently disclosed the ingredients--at least some of them for the state of Pennsylvania (and more information coming soon supposedly). Halliburton may have been st... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, November 18, 2010,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs--
Don't know if you watch 60 minutes with your family--a very good show--but last Sunday reporter Lesley Stahl covered a very important topic you need to know about. The segment researched the race for Natural Gas as the new, cleaner alternative to Dirty Coal and Oil. Natural gas used to be too costly to extract, but two new technologies allow the industry to drill cost-effectively through shale, a very hard rock below the earth's surface. One technology allows companies to drill si... Continue reading ...
Posted by Wendy Wercion on Monday, November 15, 2010,
Hey Neergs!
Senator Tom Carper wants us to celebrate "America Reycles Day" and for good reason--recycling industries account for one million plus jobs in the U.S., and over $236 million in revenue every year. Yes, it's good for the earth and our oceans, reducing pollution and emissions. But we need to do better--much better. According to Senator Carper, we recycle only 33% percent of our waste--just 7 percent of our plastic and only 21% of our aluminum and glass. Pretty pitiful really. In fact... Continue reading ...
If you don't know, EPA stands for Environmental Protection Agency. Their mission is to protect human health and the environment. Unfortunately, Big Oil, Dirty Coal and conservatives that align with them don't always see eye to eye with the EPA. The good news for us is that the Supreme Court actually made a really good ruling in 2007 giving the EPA the power to act on harmful gases like carbon dioxide emissions as provided under the Clean Air Act. The Republican party isn't happy ab... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, November 11, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs--
Remember what cap and trade is? It's basically a carbon trading system that allows government to set a limit on carbon dioxide emissions and allows companies who use more than they should to buy "credits" from those who have extra to spare. Companies that use less actually make money selling their extra credits--a pretty attractive incentive. It's a concept that has been debated at the federal level, and now looks pretty dead there as a result of the recent election. The Republica... Continue reading ...
Hey Neergs! Thought we should take a break and celebrate some of the positive stuff going on in our country. Instead of making you feel warm and fuzzy, these stories should make you feel green and fuzzy inside! Kind of weird, but nice just the same, LOL. Okay, so I was reading my very favorite green news section on the Huffington Post, and I found all kinds of awesome good stuff mixed in with the usual doom and gloom stuff--necessary to know, but sad still the same. And yes, I just had to boo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, November 8, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs--
Enough is enough! I was so excited to read the headline on the Huffington Post today, "Scientists Fight Back." And I'm not talking about a headline on the green section--this is on the front page!! Two separate initiatives are being organized to combat the newly elected Republican officials proud to be labeled "climate deniers." One initiative involves the American Geophysical Union; they are planning to announce that 700 climate scientists will unite in speaking out on man-mad... Continue reading ...
Posted by Wendy Wercion on Wednesday, November 3, 2010,
In :
Vote for Green
Hey Neergs,
I know, the election results are very disappointing. Total bummer, the Dems lost the House of Representatives, which is where most new legislation happens. But we need to keep our eyes open and understand our current position in order to take meaningful action. What do we know?
The Republicans are bent on winning both houses and the presidency two years from now.
To do just that, they will focus on fixing the bad economy at any cost--including the sacrifice of clean energy and c...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, November 2, 2010,
In :
Vote for Green
Hey Neergs!
Okay, I admit it. I just don't get it! Why isn't our congress doing more to stop global warming? Climate science is irrefutable at this point, unless your are a "flat earther." And why aren't the voters (our families) holding our elected officials accountable? I was listening to NPR radio on the way to school today and was alarmed to hear that the Republican party is likely to grab a majority of seats in the House of Representatives as a result of today's election. A Huffington Po... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, November 1, 2010,
In :
Vote for Green
Hey Neergs--
Hope you had time to join us last week as we learned more about Esben and Karsten's amiiko website. We were amazed by the statistics and the impact of consumerism on our planet. We learned that voting with our wallets and buying green is not enough--we need to kick it up a notch and research "fair trade" products. It is the socially responsible thing to do. We also learned that real sustainability is about zero waste. A new model for businesses called "cradle to cradle" is a ver... Continue reading ...
Happy Halloween! Have any of you ever gone to a Halloween party and had a scavenger hunt? It's where teams of kids compete to find a list of stuff before the other teams do. The items are usually silly--a spool of thread, a candle, a safety pin--you get the idea. It's usually everyday stuff that suddenly has value because your team needs it to win! Well, there's an exciting concept called "Cradle to Cradle" that does something very similar. Stuff that someone else doesn't need a... Continue reading ...
Well I hope you have had a chance to check outwww.Amiiko.com, a very cool website being developed by my new friends, Karsten and Esben in Copehagen. If you've investigated the website, you might have noticed that the Amiiko vision includes "2 Steps of Consumer Empowerment." That means you vote with your pocketbook. The first step focuses on being aware of what we choose to buy and how our choices affect the environment. The second step is about actively making good choices--a m... Continue reading ...
We spend a lot of time here on GKR discussing the issues and
advocating for legislation that will make a difference in the United States and
the rest of the world. I don’t know
about you, but sometimes I get frustrated trying to make an impression on
someone who still denies climate change or is just too busy to care about the environment.
If I was only quicker on my feet, I’d
tell them all kinds of statistics to jolt them into awareness and action! Well, now I don’t h...
The election is right around the corner and while polls seem to indicate that voters understand the deception of Proposition 23, we don't want to cut it close, so continue spreading the word if you or your family have a social media account on Facebook or My Space. The great news is that Care2.com reported that Bill Gates and President Obama have formally announced their support against Proposition 23. We can use all the help we can get!
He's educated on the issue, motivated to kick some butt and ready to advocate for his principles! His name is Joel Francis, and Green Kids Rock anoints him "Neerg of the Day." And you know we don't just bestow this honor on just anyone. Joel has teeth. He means business; he issued a video debate challenge to Charles Koch, one of the billionaire Koch brothers responsible for getting Prop 23 on the ballot. Goes to show you, money isn't everything. Joel Francis, a student at Cal State... Continue reading ...
Posted by Wendy Wercion on Thursday, October 21, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs--
I know I'm going a little crazy about this Proposition 23 ballot issue, but I need to make sure everyone knows this isn't just about California. This is a precedent setting vote. All eyes are on the outcome of this issue. Please see our homepage video with Al Gore. He breaks it down very simply. Big Oil is funding Prop 23, and this is all about stopping California's Global Warming Solutions Act. Big Oil wants to win in California and then move on to attack similar clean energy pl... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, October 20, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs--
Yesterday we learned how big industry won the "freedom of speech" right to spend crazy money on ad campaigns to sway public opinion and "buy" the votes of elected officials. We also learned that an informed and well organized advocacy effort can overcome deception. While it may be too early to celebrate a win, Californians are to be congratulated for rallying advocacy groups to defeat Proposition 23. If you'll remember, big oil companies, Tesoro and Valero, put Proposition 23 on ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, October 19, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs--
Okay brace yourself! Today's post may come off as a bit of a downer, but it's really meant to give kids a wake-up call and some valuable insight as to why big oil and coal will continue to have incredible power in stopping our efforts to slow global warming and create a clean energy economy. On January 21, 2010, our Supreme Court Justices ruled that corporations should have the same "rights" and freedoms of speech as individuals. This "freedom of speech" included being able to spe... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan Poole on Wednesday, October 13, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs!
Have you heard of Proposition 23? It is a California ballot issue this November 2nd and its outcome could lead to similar propositions to undo legislation that protects our clean air. If passed, Proposition 23 will freeze current clean air laws passed to cut greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020 in California. This landmark and historic law is called AB32, and it was to start in 2012. But the big Texas oil companies don't want clean air laws cutting into their profits, so they a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan Poole on Tuesday, October 12, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs!
First of all I'd like to thank everyone for all your help supporting our Climate Change Legislation Petition. We have a long way to go and will keep our petition up through the end of the month. Please continue to spread the word and support our friends at 350.org. They did an amazing job rallying people all over the world--over 7000 events in 188 countries. Astounding and inspiring. And yet, we have a lot of work to do still.
Posted by Ethan Poole on Sunday, October 10, 2010,
In :
Global Work Party
Happy Global Work Party Neergs!
This is a day to remember! 350.org has rallied more than 7000 events in 188 countries. It has been called the singled largest day of carbon-cutting action in the planet's hstory. And you are here for it! You can experience it first hand. You can go to 350.org and search for a local event in your area, and you can take carbon-cutting measures at home today (and from here on out!) to celebrate with your friends and family. You can also take an important step right... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, October 7, 2010,
In :
Global Work Party
Hey Neergs--
If you don't know who Bill McKibben is, listen up! He is the founder of 350.org and the Global Work Party coming up this Sunday, promoted as 10/10/10. The reason we applaud Bill McKibben is that he walks the walk! Last month Bill and some of his students traveled to visit President Obama in Washington D.C. to ask him to reinstall solar panels on the White House roof. The last solar panels had been installed during President Jimmy Carter's administration and were taken down by Pre... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, October 5, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Go Neergs, Go Neergs!
I have amazing news to share today. We submitted our plan to hold a virtual event for 350.org's Global Work Party on 10/10/10. The event is Green Kids Rock for Climate Legislation. It was time to stop talking and time to start doing. I hope you share my enthusiasm because I now need you to walk the walk! We are revamping our "Take Action" page for the virtual event, asking kids to "electronically" sign a petition that supports meaningful climate change. This isn't about... Continue reading ...
Hope everybody had a great weekend. October is a big month for us at GKR. Stay tuned because we have some really cool interviews lined up, not to mention our big contest we launched end of September. I am particularly excited about this contest, because it gives you an incentive to learn about something that is having a terrible impact on our environment...plastics! Plastic Pollution---with two capital P"s- is destroying our oceans and may likely be entering our food web... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, September 30, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs--
Carbon pollution solutions are so very confusing. If it's confusing for my mom and dad, how the heck am I supposed to understand it! According to CNN, 6 out of 10 people don't really understand Cap and Trade. I've read and watched videos to learn, and just when I think I've figured out what I stand for, I change my mind. I don't think I'm alone.
Here's my dilemma. I've learned that Cap and Trade model, in the simplest terms, gives polluters a certain number of credits that allo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, September 29, 2010,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs--
So did you wear something totally hot to school today? Unfortunately, I was sporting my uniform--khakis and a blue polo shirt. Not so hot, I know! At least we don't have girls at our school, so no one cares, LOL. Now I'm betting some of you crazy kids get to express yourselves and wear what you want. Let me guess...you probably own a thing or two from Abercrombie and Fitch, right? Well pay attention, because I'm hoping you Neergs are ready to vote with your wallet.
Every now and then you trip over something, it catches your eye, and you reach down to take a look. I mean, you really take a look and inspect the thing. It completely absorbs all your attention, sucks you in and makes you think very differently about something you thought you had your arms around. I had this very experience this morning. As dedicated Neergs, you know we spend a great deal of our time talking about the harmful effects of plastics on earth and in our oceans. We kno... Continue reading ...
I know we've discussed plastic bottles a lot on GKR. We've talked about how long they take to biodegrade (up to 1000 years) and how little are recycled (about 12%). We know they are bad for the earth, but in oceans the problem compounds. I shared our Project Kaisei video with you and spent lots of time talking about the Pacific Trash Vortex For all those reasons, and more, we have called on you Neergs to ban plastic bottles and to encourage your friends and families to do... Continue reading ...
Well, it's the Clean Air Act's 40th Birthday. I know I should be celebrating. There are lots of reasons to of course. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, does an amazing job enumerating the reasons on her Huffington Post blog (link below). And the Clean Air Act has been such an important piece of legislation for our country and the world without a doubt. Ms. Jackson runs the numbers--200,000 lives saved, decrease in heart and lung disease, significant reduction of common p... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, September 21, 2010,
In :
Global Warming
Hey Neergs--
Don't miss our Neerg News page today where we feature an article, Live Climate Science from the High Arctic, by Beth Kapusta from the Huff Post. The accompanying video (which can be seen below) with Dr. Simon Boxall is mind-blowing. Dr. Boxall says that our oceans cover 70 percent of our planet and are affected by climate change the most. The polar ice cap is melting quickly, and we are seeing the lowest ice-cover ever on human record. What does this mean? Well, the melting pola... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Friday, September 17, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Happy Friday Neergs!
I'm feeling particularly inspired today after learning more about the 10/10/10 Work Party from 350.org and Earth Hour 2011. Both of these global events have been created "to put the heat on" government officials everywhere to take meaningful action in finding solutions to the climate crisis. Today, we'll talk about 350.org. Founded by Bill McKibben, the group chose its name because 350 parts per million CO2 is the number we need to get below or global warming will acceler... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, September 15, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs! I was inspired by this video (below) to bring up the subject of clean energy legislation again. If you've been following us, you know that we have created a Take Action page on www.GreenKidsRock.com to give kids an opportunity to voice their disappointment about the inaction of our congress. It's completely unacceptable and now our country is not only in danger of not moving forward on clean energy legislation, but taking back-steps. Please read "What's at Stake in your Governo... Continue reading ...
Know the cliche, down, but not out? That's a great way to sum up the war on throw-away plastic bags! The American Chemistry Council, the ACC, defeated California's state-wide plastic bag ban by throwing lots a money into a advertising campaign--a campaign that many environmentalists called misleading. While this was disappointing, I was thrilled to read in the Huffington Post that Brownville, Texas will start charging $1--that's right a whole dollar--for each plastic bag... Continue reading ...
While the defeat of the plastic bag ban in California was disappointing, there is a great movement underway. Local governments in the United States as well as other countries around the world like China, India and Ireland, are establishing their own anti-plastic bag policies. And everyday kids like you and me (and our families) are making huge efforts to remember their reusable bags when they go to shop. But there are others who still need reminding. Most of these people think th... Continue reading ...
I have some bummer news for you if you didn't already read about it. The Plastic Bag Ban failed to pass in the California legislature. Unfortunately, the American Chemistry Council decided to run a pretty aggressive television campaign against passing the ban. The commercial talks about a huge loss of jobs and costs to the consumers. The commercial is ridiculous. What about the environmental costs to our earth and oceans. Remember that plastic bags take 500-1000 years to decompo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, September 1, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs--
Hope everyone is back in the swing of things at school and likes their new teachers! I was really excited to get back to learning new things, swimming and making new friends. The start of a new school year is kind of like a New Year's Resolution. You make new goals and commit to doing things better, right? Personally, I'm thinking about ramping up my own commitment to sustainability. I think I do a pretty good job at the 3R's (reduce, reuse, recycle), and a pretty good job tal... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Friday, August 27, 2010,
In :
renewable energy
Hey Neergs!
Hope you enjoyed yesterday's our coverage of the Catalog Canceling Challenge. Please email us with your inspirational eco-action stories. We want to hear all about it! Speaking of inspirational stories, did you know that it has been five years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Region and New Orleans? If you have time, check out our sister site, "The Guardians of Neerg Hall" and read our first E-Chapter. You'll notice that the kids live in New Orleans! My family lived the... Continue reading ...
Today I used Skype for the very first time. It’s a video conference where you get to talk to another person from your computer--even if they live far away. Best yet, I interviewed Ted Wells, a very cool teacher in Brookline, MA. Ted is an environmentalist and even rides his bike to work! He comes from a family that really cares about the earth. His grandfather even made videos about pollution in the 1960’s! So, I guess it was Ted’s destiny to do something really big and impo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, August 24, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs!
Today there is some really cool breaking news out of Cleveland, Ohio. The city is placing microchips in resident trash bins and recycling bins to monitor recycling. But this goes even further than that! The microchips will provide data that tells the city whether or not you are recycling. If the answer is no, the city will go through your trash bin to see if recycled items are in your trash bin. If that number is more than 10%, you could see a fine of $100.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend. I woke up to check the "green news" this morning and was excited to learn that Mexico City has banned all plastic, non biodegradable bags. Care2 reports that Mexico City is now the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere to go "bagless." I like the momentum we are seeing. Let's hope the state of California is successful levying its 25 cent bag tax. The bag tax worked great in Ireland: sometimes you just have to motivate people throu... Continue reading ...
We need smarter consumers and more responsible journalists! The Today Show and others have recently made a big stink over how loud the Sun Chips 100% compostable bag is. I found 87 results in You Tube for "loud Sun Chips' bag." Are they kidding? Are people really that upset about a loud chip bag? I know many of the independently produced videos are in good fun and meant to entertain us. Having said that, the logical question one must ask is, why can't you just put them in a b... Continue reading ...
Do you believe in monsters? You should! The ChicoBag Company just kicked off its national tour to support an end to plastic, single-use bags. Each monster (a person wears a 500 plastic bag costume) represents the amount of bags an average American uses yearly. That's right, not a family, that's just one average person!
Did you know that Ireland passed a plastic bag tax that resulted in 94% decrease in the use of plastic bags? It worked not only because people didn't want to pay th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, August 17, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs- I was so sad to see this article from MSNBC that reports a massive coral die off in 93 degree water in Indonesia--a result of global warming. The report goes on to say that this is likely one of the "most rapid and severe coral mortality events ever recorded." Scientists say that 80 percent of some species have died as a result, with others expected to die in the next couple of months.
I remember my parents had taken me to St. John when I was around five. The reefs were so beaut... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, August 16, 2010,
In :
renewable energy
Hey Neergs--
I wanted to share some of these great pictures we took from the car on the way home from the USA Swimming Central Zone meet in Lincoln, NE. As we drove through Iowa, we started seeing these beautiful white structures looming out of the corn fields. They were wind turbines and they went on for miles. I actually thought they were quite beautiful. Maybe they're beautiful because of what they represent--a movement toward clean energy. I was really excited to see so many, and they ... Continue reading ...
Road trips are a great way to learn about how the rest of the country is dealing with important environmental issues like recycling! I was lucky to attend the USA Central Zone Swimming meet with a bunch of my friends in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a long trip, so we had to stay the night in a hotel along the way and in another hotel once we got there. I'm not going to name the hotels, because honestly, they are all guilty of this. My mom and dad drove along separate and noticed the... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Friday, August 6, 2010,
In :
renewable energy
Hey Neergs! This has to be a quick post today. I'm with my swim team at the Central Zone Meet for USA swimming in Lincoln Nebraska--first day of competition is today. I had to make time to tell you about the bus trip through Iowa. I took lots of pics and will post them when I return. We saw the most beautiful wind farms. Here we are just cruising along, mile after mile of corn fields, and then there are these immense white wind turbines in the middle of the fields. They were really beautifu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, August 2, 2010,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs--
As I get ready to head to the Zone meet with my swim team, I started thinking about the video we recently posted, The Story of Cosmetics. This very cool video talked about how all these products have toxic chemicals in them, which really adds up when you use several a day.
As a swimmer, I use sunscreen all the time. I bet you used a lot of sunscreen at your pool this summer. With the harsh UVA rays, you have to protect yourself from skin cancer, right? My grandma just came back ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Saturday, July 31, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs--
I have a challenge for you! We need to rally the troops. We want to know how you feel about climate change! Please go to ourTake Action Tab and sign our climate bill petition, Green Kids Rock for Climate Change. We all want a strong climate bill. What do you think should be in it? Ask your friends and tell them to check out our website. Our opinions matter and we have to get busy. I'm at a big swim meet this weekend--it's what I do when I'm not saving the planet, LOL! I'm going... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, July 29, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Greetings Neergs! I'm so jazzed today. It's a really good day to be a Neerg! For those of you who are joining us late, a Neerg is definitely not a Nerd! In fact, it's about the coolest thing you can be. Neergs (Greens spelled backwards) are motivated to make a difference. We don't just talk about global warming and how to combat climate change, we do! Keep reading and I'll share our big plan with you.
Well, like all of you, I got so mad at our Senate for taking a recess (vacation) without p... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, July 27, 2010,
In :
Climate Bill
Hey Neergs-
Listen, I know this is complicated stuff, this proposed climate bill. In a nutshell, the bill would have placed limits on carbon emissions produced from power plants, refineries and factories that contribute to global warming. The limit would put a price on pollution making it expense for companies to do business as usual, meaning they'd pay for their carbon-producing ways! It would force these companies to invest in clean energy alternatives. Unfortunately, IMHO, our Senate, both... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, July 22, 2010,
In :
Toxin Free
Hey Neergs!
I have some questions for you today. Do you use shampoo, sunscreen or maybe lipstick? All of these products are known to have harmful chemicals in them. These chemicals are hard to pronounce and even harder to spell. The companies that make these products say there is very little of these toxins in the products and that you'd have to use a whole lot to get sick. But they forgot to do the math! We all use lots of these products, and we use them everyday. These toxins can cause c... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, July 20, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Hey Neergs--
Today, Obama announced a new national ocean protection policy. It will be a comprehensive plan for the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans. The administration recognizes that our coastal regions in the U.S. provide millions of jobs and support our economy. I guess the recent BP OIl spill kind of put a spotlight on how much we depend on our oceans. This new plan is about protecting our oceans and beaches and restoring what has already been damaged. I hope they work fast... Continue reading ...
As a follow-up to the post on our "throw-away" society, I found a really cool article on the HuffingtonPost site. Amy and Adam Korst reduced their trash to four pounds over a year's time! They said that the average family produces 8 pounds of trash a day! How did they do it? They refused to buy anything that produces trash--anything that cannot be recycled. If it doesn't come in recyclable packaging, they just don't buy it! My family is far from perfect, but we are working very ... Continue reading ...
Hey Neergs-- Try an experiment this week. Start taking notice of the things that you use everyday from the moment you get up in the morning until you go to sleep. How many of those items come in packaging? How much stuff do you throw away? How much of this would be avoidable if you took the extra time and care? Since it's summer time, parents are buying kids lots of packaged snacks for their lunches. Just think if you passed on the packaged (and usually unhealthy) snack for some fruit! An... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, July 6, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs-- Anderson Cooper from CNN has done an amazing report about the Obama administration banning press access (reporters and photographers) from being at the most important clean-up areas. BP had been the bad guy before (keeping the press away), but now the Coast Guard has announced their new rules. The press must stay 65 feet away from booms and clean-up vessels. Anderson says you can only get close if you get approval. If you don't, you could get a $40,000 fine or be charged with a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, July 5, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs--
Check out this video with Keith Olbermann from MSNBC speaking with Bob Cavnar from the Huffington Post who is an oil industry expert. According to this report, the well is failing and leaking. Believe it or not, letting the oil leak flow around the well head could alleviate pressure on the sea floor structure. The relief wells are the key to managing this disaster, so the race is on to complete construction. I think this is one of the best reports which explains the current statu... Continue reading ...
I don't know about you, but I sometimes feel helpless about the Gulf disaster. Today I read about oil getting into crab larvae and other areas of our food chain like plankton feeders--the food of other fish that we eat! Scientists are saying that it is going to take more than months, likely years to fix this mess. I'm starting to wonder if it's even worse than the the experts say. Maybe they don't even know. What I do know is that crying about it isn't going to help. I do think ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, June 28, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs--
Here's a great reminder that we are not powerless. If you haven't heard, there was a really cool protest held on Saturday, June 26th. Gatherings were held across the Gulf coast on beaches in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. At 12N, lots of people, including kids, joined their hands in solidarity to protest offshore drilling for 15 minutes and to support a clean energy future. Check out the cool photo montage. Peace Out-Ethan
Posted by Ethan on Friday, June 25, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs--
Please check out Johann Hari's article in the Huffington Post today. He presents some scary facts from NASA. We all know oil is spilling into our ocean in the Gulf, and is causing widespread devastation to the people and wildlife that live there. But did you know that oil spills also release lots of gases into the atmosphere when they burn? Johann says these gases add to global warming. He reports NASA's findings that we could have the hottest year ever known. Worse yet, his a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, June 23, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs-
Did you hear that a federal judge overturned the deep water drilling moratorium yesterday? Obama's administration plans to appeal. The judge felt that the decision to stop drilling was rash. He said that just because the equipment failed in one drilling operation did not mean it would fail elsewhere. He also said the impact on our American oil supply would be jeopardized. President Obama feels differently. He wanted a 6 month moratorium (end) to drilling until the tragedy in the... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Saturday, June 19, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs-
I know you guys--you're smart. You can watch an adult newscast and understand most of it. I also know some of the best news is on late when most of us are in bed. That's why YouTube rocks! If Mom and Dad say it's okay to be on the internet, you have to search for Rachel Maddow. She is sooooo cool and beyond smart. Check out the new video on our BP Video of the Day page. She explains things in terms I can understand. She talks about how the oil drilled here ends up in an inter... Continue reading ...
Okay, time to take positive action with something that is under our control. Even kids can reduce their dependency on oil and petroleum. Here are some ways you can do just that this summer!
Tell mom and dad you don't need a ride--walk or take your bike with a friend
Stop buying plastic toys and just say no to those Happy Meal Toys! (do you really need another crummy toy you'll play with for 2 minutes?)
No more crayolas--yes they are made with petroleum. Buy beeswax crayons instead.
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, June 16, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Greeting Neergs--
If you weren't allowed to stay up late for President Obama's address from the Oval Office, you can find it here on our BP Video of the Day page. President Obama spoke about the continuing flow of oil from the well and that it is likely to continue, affecting wildlife and those who make their living from the Gulf. He speaks to our governments failures to better regulate the industry and commits to holding BP accountability. I was happy to hear him rally for a new clean energy ...
When I first started this blog, I wanted to tell you how your plastic waste was growing the Pacific Garbage Patch (Trash Vortex) in the North Pacific Gyre. Plastic stuff is made from petroleum and almost everything we use these days has plastic in it. The bad news is we do a crummy job recycling. About 80 percent of the plastic in the Pacific Garbage Patch comes from land-based sources according to our friends at Project Kaisei in San Francisco. And worse yet, another trash vort... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Monday, June 14, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs!
We'd like you to weigh in on an increasingly important topic today. Reports are coming from numerous media outlets about the lack of access to the oil spill disaster site on the Gulf. Do you think BP and the government have the right to block journalists from the beaches? In addition to the blocked access, it is reported that workers are under a gag order not to speak to the press. I think this video from WDSU in New Orleans is very disturbing. The media is the key to telling the... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Friday, June 11, 2010,
In :
Breaking News
Some good news Neergs--
And we could use it. The Senate voted 53-47 to reject Senator Murkowski's bill that would take away the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority to regulate carbon pollution. The fear was the bill would let big polluters off the hook. Considering what's happening with BP in the Gulf now, this is quite a win. This is a positive move that shows our congress is moving in the right direction to address global warming and our oil addiction in the United States.
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, June 10, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs-
Rich Matthews is a really brave journalist. He is also a diver. He actually dove into the Gulf to prove his point by taking video from beneathe the surface. Check out his video on our Video of the Day page. It will shock you. Rich Matthews wants to get the word out, so send this link to as many friends as you can--Journalist Gulf Diver. You can see from the video that his visibility is nearly zero. No sun is breaking through the surface and there is no sign of life for 30 feet... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Thursday, June 3, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hey Neergs--
I know Rachel Maddow is on late, but if your Mom or Dad approves it, maybe you could tape or Tivo her sometime. I'm a big fan. She is super smart and has come to New Orleans to report on the BP Oil spill. She does a great job of explaining the impact of the BP spill on the Gulf Coast, New Orleans and the Wetlands. These videos are a must see! Try and watch as many as possible! Peace Out-Ethan
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, June 2, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hi Neergs--
I know this is a short post, but I had to share. I just read this and was stunned.
Did you know that this BP Oil spill tragedy has killed 11 workers?
Did you know the spill is way worse than the nation's last worst
oil disaster, the Exxon Valdez spill? It spilled 11 million gallons
into Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989.
Did you know that the gulf
spill has leaked somewhere between 19 million to 43 million gallons so far?
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, June 1, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hi Neergs--
Are you as frustrated as I am about the worsening tragedy in the Gulf? This is the 43rd day and oil is still gushing into the Gulf. Animals are dying and no one seems to be taking charge. This is now BP's seventh plan to remedy the situation. This new fix uses a diamond studded saw to cut off the main oil pipe so the engineers can lower a dome over the gushing oil geyser. The fear is that the cap might not fit. President Obama and his administration have ordered the drilling of t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan Poole on Wednesday, May 26, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hi Neergs--
Check out these pics from the Huffington Post--my Dad's favorite website. You can learn a lot there--especially in their "Green" section. Many of the pictures show emergency response teams preparing for the oil hitting the coastlines, which according to news reports started to happen last Friday. If you know anyone living along the coast who is seeing the affects of the spill first hand, please invite them to share in our forums section and post links and pictures.
Posted by Ethan on Monday, May 17, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
Hi Neergs--
I just uploaded some new videos about the oil spill in the Gulf. The 60 minutes video is a must see! How do you feel about the finger pointing? Who do you think is at fault?
What do you think we can do right now? Should we boycott BP oil and other products made from petroleum? Should we start a petition to ban off-shore drilling? Should we start a petition to demand a clean energy act? Start getting your ideas together. Stay tuned for a Green Kids Rock poll coming your way... Continue reading ...
Residents in Concord, MA just voted to ban plastic water bottles in their town. They are the first, but the plastic water bottle industry is worried that other towns and cities will follow. The International Bottled Water Association says they are going to challenge the vote and said that they shouldn't be singled out when everyone else is doing it. How crazy is that? Who cares is everyone else is doing it? It's wrong. We should put the heat on all companies who package their stuff in plas... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, May 5, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
My Dad received an email from Courtney Taylor of the Environmental Defense Fund today. She said that there are three things we can do right now to provide assistance around the BP Oil Spill. Of course you need Mom, Dad or a guardian to help you with these. If you can't volunteer or donate, don't worry! Staying engaged and reading up on the latest (see number 2) is really, really helpful.
You can share your knowledge and advocate for this cause. Remember, advocating for a good cause is stand... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, May 4, 2010,
In :
BP Oil Spill
By now I'm sure most of you know about this oil spill that is reportedly leaking almost 200,000 gallons of crude oil daily into the Gulf of Mexico. BP stilll hasn't figured out how to stop it. There's a really interesting (and short!) story about three plans to stop the oil flow at MSNBC.com.
One plan is to use remote controlled submarines to shut off the valves underwater. This is kind of like robotic surgery 5000 feet under water int the dark! Another more promising plan is to put a 125-t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, April 28, 2010,
In :
Welcome Neergs!
Welcome all Neergs!
So glad you're here and decided to check out my blog. This is going to be the cool place to learn about important issues, cool eco sites, games and other activities that support sustainability. We're going to learn a lot about advocacy here. We are building a movement to change behaviors and policies around how our personal waste is handled. And we will and can be heard together! Be sure to check out www.NeergHall.com, our new website where my friends and I learn about ... Continue reading ...
Hi, I'm Ethan. I like learning about the environment, science, reading and competitive swimming. I love being with my friends and working on ways to save our planet.
Green Kids Rock is the place to come to learn, play and make change happen. I want to hear all your great ideas, so please share here! We are building a movement, and we will be heard. Green Kids Rock!
