April 2008 E-news

Tips for a Great Earth Month
By Liz

Earth Month is a fantastic time to mobilize your school or community to take steps to make changes for a sustainable future. Whether it’s as simple as posters around the school, or as big as a community garbage clean-up, there are some common denominators to campaign planning which help make it a success.

Skill Sets
When you're figuring out who you need on your team, choose people from a variety of different backgrounds. Having different skills in a group is essential! (Eg. Give the art to the art student, and the web design to the techie).

Attitude
Keep it positive! Don't forget the small successes, and celebrate each other's achievements.

Workload
Make sure to divide the tasks evenly, and to clearly flag tasks so everyone knows exactly what to do and for when.

Network
Connect with other groups in your school and the community! Often other groups are excited to provide you with resources and to help you reach your goals. The stronger your network, the better your event becomes. NGO's (non-governmental organizations) can often provide supplies or support. Within your school there are many different departments that have skills and supplies which will make your life easier.

Target Your Audience
Make sure your action fits the audience. Is it age appropriate? Does it appeal to your audience's interests?

Debrief
Take time to talk about your successes during and after your project. This will help you identify mistakes, and celebrate successes.

Celebrate
When it's all over and done, don't forget to celebrate what you just did! You did a great job!

Looking for Earth Day event ideas?
Check out our section on Earthday.ca’s events and resources website.

Pembina Youth Leadership Program Update

Youth leadership program under development - Enabling Social Equity, Ecological Sustainability and Effective Community Action

The Pembina Institute and Pearson College are working together to develop a leadership program for young people aged 18 to 24. The goal is to enable and empower youth to take leadership in creating ecological sustainability and social equity in their own lives and communities. The program will be a participant-centered, community-oriented, experiential education semester that provides college/university credit. It will include various components, such as action projects, service learning, backcountry adventures, an optional internship, and follow-up programming and mentorship. The pilot semester is scheduled for spring 2009 in BC.

How is it being developed?
This will be a unique program that has been designed based on extensive youth input. A recent survey funded through the Green Street Youth Engagement Program about the leadership program had 185 responses from youth! Pembina’s youth intern, Jess Daniels of Kimberley, BC, is currently working with youth’s suggestions to help inform the detailed design elements of the leadership program. Stay tuned!

For more information, contact Nadine Raynolds, nadiner@pembina.org.

www.ethicle.org

Ethicle.org is a new search engine that donates 1 cent to the charity of your choice every time you run a search.

How Does It Work?
You are invited to select up to five particular non-profit organizations that receive 1 cent each time you search. The 1 cent comes from donations made to the site. You can choose up to five charities. Right now, the charities you can pick from include Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Care, Orphfund, Peta and World Vision. You can also request to have a charity added.

How do I know how much money is sent to the non-profits?
At www.ethicle.org you can find a tracker that indicates how much money has been raised by the searches made through Ethicle each month. Each user can also see how much he/she has individually raised for their charity. Donations are then transferred to the appropriate NGOs.

Check out www.ethicle.org today!

World Heritage Youth Forum – Apply Now

The World Heritage Youth Forum brings together youth and teachers to explore ideas and experiences. It’s a chance to meet people from other countries, learn about their heritage, and find new ways to help preserve heritage and cultures around the world. You’ll participate in everything from skills development courses to visual arts workshops to debates on education.

The Youth Forum happens at the same time as the World Heritage Committee meeting, and a Youth representative will take the findings of the Youth Forum to the Heritage Committee meeting.

Where and When?
From June 21 to July 10, 2008 in Quebec City, QC.

How Do I Apply?
Download the application form here.

More Info Please
Go to the World Heritage Youth Forum’s website.

Environmental Youth Award

2008 Brower Youth Award Search
The Brower Youth Awards just launched the 2008 prize search for outstanding youth leaders across North America. They’re looking for individuals ages 13-22 with the drive and persistence to create environmental change.

The Brower Youth Awards honours six young people annually with a $3000 cash award and weeklong trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. During that week, award recipients will participate in a week of media and public outreach and be recognized at an awards ceremony attended by 900 members of the public.

Past winners have protected Native sacred sites from development, restored wetlands, spread awareness about threatened sea turtles, coordinated student networks pushing for a clean energy future, and more. Their impact doesn’t stop there - they continue as environmental change agents, writers, organizers, visionaries, and speakers, supported by Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative.

How Can I Apply?
Apply today for the 2008 Brower Youth Award at www.broweryouthawards.org. Applications for the 2008 awards are due May 15.

Start Your Own Enviro-Group

Lorax Challenge
So, you've got a great idea for a new environmental organization or project and you've got peers and supporters who are as dedicated as you are. What do you do now?

The Youth Venture - Lorax Challenge can give you the support you need to launch your idea, including up to $1000.

Earth Island Institute has partnered with Youth Venture and Dr. Seuss Enterprises - organizations dedicated to empowering young leaders - to give people ages 12-20 from around the world support to launch lasting environmental ventures that will change the world.

More Info Please!
Find out more at www.newleadersinitiative.org.
The deadline for Action Plan submissions is May 30th, 2008.

Earth Day Events

From the Sustainable Living Expo this April in Vancouver, B.C., to the 17th Annual Earth Week Clean-Up in Oakville, Ont., you’ll find something for you, your school, your family, and your whole community at Earthday.ca.

Earthday.ca is a hub for events happening across Canada this April 22nd. You can post your event for everyone to check out, get in touch with others with similar events, and find resources (like “How to stage an eco-festival”) to help you make your event one-of-a-kind.

Earthday.ca