I always appreciate being part of the Seed on Earth Day. Although we placed an extra focus on the Earth, many of the activities and conversations that happened on Earth Day this year are things we do and talk about on a regular basis. Many of the classes had picnics outside, utilizing their reusable Earth-friendly containers and water bottles. One of the classes turned a container full of food scraps into a lesson on composting. Other classes made binoculars out of recycled toilet paper tubes, then went on nature walks. Several classes made art centered around an Earth theme, with slogans to remind people to be kind to our planet. One group integrated science, art, and geography, then organized their work into a beautiful table display.
I had the good fortune of sitting in on a special presentation in the 3rd/4th grade class on Earth Day. Seed alum, Noah Ramin, visited the class to talk about water usage in the fashion industry. He gave excellent examples of how much water is used to make one t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and different electronic devices. Students were highly interested in this topic, and Noah fielded their questions skillfully. This experience dovetailed nicely with our Frock Swap, a children’s and maternity clothing swap sponsored by the APA. The clothing swap was a huge success and we hope to do it again in the future.
Though it wasn’t specifically an Earth Day activity, we were delighted that on Monday and Tuesday our tiles were finally installed by an incredibly kind man named Gabe and his son, Gabe, Jr. A big thanks to Jamey Wetmore for facilitating this project. Check them out when you have a chance.
Finally, this week I was delighted to have the opportunity to listen to a podcast interview with Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert, writer, and climate activist. She offers such a hopeful approach to climate issues and is known for posing the question, “What if we get it right?” If you like this interview, you might want to check out her podcast, “What If We Get It Right?” It’s nice to hear an inspiring thought-leader at a time when the news can sound bleak, and keeps me on a steady course with our work here at the Seed.