An interesting interlude - Discovery of Environmental Education Center

The hotel that we stayed in while in San Fran was located along a hiking path next to the ocean. On the first day of the visit I discovered the Coyote Point Environmental Education Center along this path, http://www.coyoteptmuseum.org/. It was not open at the time of my discovery, but outside the center was a display of an Inka Biospheric system. This hydroponic system produces both vegetables and edible fish while recycling the nutrients and powered by both solar and wind. This system can help feed the world's people while not depleting our resources or polluting our rivers or oceans. You can check out a short video on this revolutionary system at http://vimeo.com/7685266

Karen's Presentation of Recycle Festival to ESD teachers

On the first day of the joint meeting I was asked to make a presentation of the Recycle Festival that I created for teaching 6th and 7th grade students in Albuquerque about energy conservation through recycling. This recycle festival was inspired by my dismay at the low recycle rates in Albuquerque, a mere 3%, my interest in Japanese recycling systems and a fabulous visit to Japan two summers ago with the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund program. The recycle presentation can be viewed at....

Karen goes to San Fran to Meet ESD teachers from the US and Japan

Teachers from all over Japan traveled to the US in April to learn about ESD in three different US cities; Minneapolis,Minnesota, New Haven Connecticut and Portland Oregon. Their visit culminated in a joint meeting of 48 US teachers with the 48 Japanese teachers in San Francisco, California, on May 2-5. Teachers shared their educational experiences and projects ranging in content from Sustainable Food, Environment, Energy and International Understanding and Cooperation. Experts in Education for Sustainable Development made presentations to the teachers including Dr. Greg Smith, professor in the Graduate School of Education and Counseling at Lewis and Clark College, http://www.lclark.edu/graduate/faculty/members/greg_smith/ and Dr. Dilafruz Williams of Portland State University, http://www.dilafruzwilliams.com/. Both presenters provided inspiration and resources for our further education. One particular website on education for sustainable development that is worth sharing can be found at http://www.journalofsustainabilityeducation.org/wordpress/. On June 22, I and the other 47 US teachers will be traveling to Japan to learn about ESD in three Japanese cities. Our destinations in Japan have not yet been set.