The Planet is Ours
Submitted by Lucas

The planet is ours
To love and respect
From oceans to forests
They’re ours to protect
But now it’s a race
A challenge of time
To undo all the harm
Caused by mankind
Small acts or big ones
All of them count
We can each make a difference
Here’s some ideas not to discount
Be lunch smart at school
To reduce needless waste
Forget plastic bottles
Put recyclables in their place
Unplug your gadgets
When you finished your play
They’re vampires of energy
An electricity waste
When you doodle, draw or print
Be kind to a tree
Use paper wisely
Two pages, not three!
planet is ours
To love and respect
From oceans to forests
They’re ours to protect

Earth Day!
Submitted by Persephone

“Hey, Alyssa! Guess what day it is today!” Ronny said.
“Umm… your hamster’s birthday?” Alyssa guessed.
“No. That was three months ago. It’s Earth Day!” Ronny said excitedly.
“Oh right! Earth Day! What is your family doing?” Alyssa asked.
“We’re picking up garbage in our neighborhood.” Ronny answered. “What about you? What are you doing?”
“We’re going around town and asking for donations to save the Plains Bison. We’re hoping to collect at least two hundred and fifty dollars!” Alyssa answered.
“Wow! That’s a lot of money!” Ronny said.
“Well, I better get going. I have to start collecting donations!” Alyssa said.
“Same here, except I’m picking up garbage not collecting donations. Bye!” Ronny said.
“Bye!” Alyssa said
“Hi, Mom and Dad! When are we going to start picking up garbage?” Ronny asked.
“In a couple of minutes.” Ronny’s Mom answered.
“Okay! Oh! Guess what! Alyssa’s family is going around town and collecting donations to save the Plains Bison! They’re hoping to get at least two hundred fifty dollars!”
“Wow!” Ronny’s Dad said,
Hey! Let’s get going! We need to collect some donations.” Alyssa reminded her parents.
“Oh right! I almost forgot!” Alyssa’s Dad said. Alyssa’s family got their buckets to keep the donations in, got their shoes on and headed outside to start collecting donations.
“Hi, Alyssa! My family picked up 3 big bags of garbage!” Ronny said proudly.
“Wow! My family collected 379 dollars and 43 cents!” Alyssa said happily.
“This has been the best Earth day ever! We really made a difference in the world!” Ronny said
And that’s what Earth Day means to me!
Making a difference in the world!

Earth Day Song
Submitted by Emily (peach)

We’ve only got one planet for all of us to share the time has come for everyone to show the world we care one planet one planet made by god for all to share one planet one planet time to show we care were using our resources faster then they can renew polluting air and water what can children every person on the earth can help to keep it clean young and old can do their part to keep it ever green one planet one planet made by god for all to share one planet one planet time to show we care.

Earth Day Art

What started off as a small birthday wish to help the pine marten has become an online movement fueled by communities on Reddit, The Huffington Post, Grist, the blogosphere, Facebook and Twitter.

The story of Winter shows that any child has the power to make a difference, and the many comments across online channels describes how inspiring this message really is.

Far too often,we hear only the negative statistics about the state of environmental degradation: but within this crisis there is hope. Earth Rangers’ Bring Back the Wild program offers children a ‘take action’ component, encouraging them to learn about and protect species at risk. As a result of their fundraising efforts, children and their families can support critical conservation work, while also supporting environmental education.

Here are just a few of the uplifting comments left for Winter on her mom’s Reddit post.

“Happy Birthday to Winter! Please tell her I was the same way when I was little and now I’m in college studying animals and the outdoors. In the hopes of being as corny as possible: don’t let other people bring you down or discourage you from doing what you want. That advice has always helped me! Good luck Winter!”

“Happy birthday Winter! I had my birthday earlier this week, the big 2-7 I wish when I was your age I was a generous with my gift requests as you. Keep it up and you will change the world one day!”

Earth Rangers’ staff and even our Animal Ambassadors wanted to say thanks to Winter, so they put together a special video.

Stop by Winter’s campaign page to show your support or launch your own Bring Back the Wild Birthday party.

Tiny eco-heroes

• Worms aerate the soil, improve drainage, and release important nutrients into the ground, all crucial for successful plant growth.
• Bees are the most important group of pollinators on earth. Honeybees, for example, pollinate 110 of the crops that you eat and use everyday.
• Fungi are responsible for breaking down debris, a process that also provides nutrients to the soil.

Mid sized planet protectors

• Frugivores, or animals that feed mainly on fruit, help spread seeds around. Some seeds even require passing through an animal’s digestive tract in order to grow.
• Key predators are essential for population control.
• Beaver dams create wetlands, whole ecosystems, which provide shelter for other animals.

Larger than life earth savers

• Wetlands prevent flooding by slowing water flow and storing it. They are also a defence against storms and they filter water.
• Forests not only oxygenate our planet but they also take in carbon making them great carbon sinks and very important in the fight against climate change.

To show your support for environmental education and biodiversity conservation please consider getting your family involved by starting a campaign or donating to a project, together we can Bring Back the Wild™.

A typical day for an employee at Earth Rangers looks like this: carpool to the building (we do not have great access to public transit) and park in the parking lot beneath one of the building’s six solar trackers. If you have an electric car, plug it in. Then, walk past the bioswale (that filters storm water from the parking lot), swipe in to the building with an access card at the employee entrance, and smile at the camera in the entrance. If the occupant is first to arrive that day, the building’s intrusion detection automatically disarms, with no need to remember a code. A picture of the employee lights up on the security board, so others know who is in or out when they arrive (good to know if your boss is in yet!).

Ventilation systems providing efficient, high quality fresh air then activate, because the automation system knows the building is occupied, and it then starts tracking CO2 levels to keep air fresh. The lighting schedule activates as well, and the tenants can turn a light on or off above their desks through an app on their laptop once they have their coffee in hand and sit down at their workstation.

The space is comfortable, because the automation system is keeping the radiant heating and cooling system within ASHRAE comfort levels, while tracking its energy use and responding to time of day pricing.

At the end of the day, the last occupant leaves, and the reverse sequence happens, without relying on generic schedules (who leaves at 5pm?) to make sure that the building is operating only as needed. Lights are off, mechanical systems are automatically in setback, and security systems are active.

This integration has led to a current Energy Star Rating of 95 for the building. Energy monitoring is showing where waste is still occurring (mostly at a workstation level with plug loads), and allowing the facility team to continue to improve on an already efficient building. If an Energy Star 95 building can continuously improve, imagine an “average” building!

Admittedly, there are hiccups in the scenario, which come down to tenant education and engagement. The online tour of the facility helps immensely with this. Staff can look at how the building is performing from an energy, water, or climate impact perspective, and are more likely to help support corporate goals as a result.

If you would like to see the many integrated design strategies that have been implemented at the Earth Rangers Centre, take a look at our online building tour at www.ercshowcase.com

Water Conservation

Help protect a precious resource, water, by doing simple things around your home like taking shorter showers, turning the tap off while you brush your teeth and installing low flow toilets and shower heads. Remember to also water your lawn or garden at night instead of at hotter times of the day, so more H2O will be used by the plants and less will be wasted by being evaporated.

Save Electricity

Unplug devises when they are not in use to stop Phantom power. Not only is this good for the planet, it will also help cut down on your electricity bill. You can start family nights that leave the electronics off and encourage unplugged activities like exploring a local park or going for a bike ride.

Waste Reduction

Lower your impact on the planet by taking a litterless lunch. With the help of reusable containers you can decrease the waste you produce during the day. Just think of the amount of waste you can keep out of a landfill by taking with you a reusable water bottle and coffee cup.

Animal Protection

Get your family involved in a Bring Back the Wild campaign to help protect animals and their habitats. For this month, Earth Rangers that raise donations in support for their campaign will be rewarded with limited edition Earth Month rewards.

Earth Day started back on April 22, 1970 as a day dedicated to raising awareness about environmental degradation and the need for conservation. Since its inception Earth Day has become increasingly popular, with 184 countries celebrating the event on its 30 anniversary. Today it is more important then ever for us to call attention to the need for environmental protection. With an ecological crisis so severe that some scientists believe we have entered the 6th mass extinction, it is time to take action!

To recognize Earth Month and increase awareness about the need for environmental protection we have some exciting things planned to engage children and their families.

• The Earth Rangers’ team, including our Animal Ambassadors, will be visiting more schools then ever before
• Exclusive Earth Month Online Rewards will be available for the month of April to fundraisers who reach the $75 goal on their online campaigns
• Earth Ranger kids can submit their own creative descriptions of what Earth Day means to them. Select entries will then be featured on EarthRangers.com
• On the Wild Wire, we will be educating children about critical environmental issues through engaging articles
• You can also get involved in Earth Month through our Facebook and Twitter pages. Earth Day posts, which will include trivia challenges, polls and animal facts, will be featured throughout the month

Although celebrating Earth Month is a great way to bring attention to the need for environmental protection, it is also important to remember that April is just one month in the year. For Earth Rangers our mission is to educate and inspire children to conserve the environment every day, because together we can protect animals and their habits, and Bring Back the Wild!

Students on Ice - Earth Rangers Arctic Scholarship

Who can apply: Canadian, high school students, aged 14-18

Scholarship Application Form: DOWNLOAD HERE!

Scholarship Application Deadline: April 30th, 2012 – 5:00pm EST

This expedition represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about the circumpolar world, and to gain a global perspective of the Arctic, its wonders, and its present and future challenges. This summer’s expedition will travel from Nunavut to Greenland!

Applications are due Monday April 30^th.  APPLY NOW!

To learn more about the scholarship opportunities please visit our scholarships webpage

Still have questions?  Contact:

Niki Trudeau, Participant Coordinator at apply@studentsonice.com

Toll Free: 1-866-336-6423

Students on Ice is an educational, not-for-profit, Canadian organization, providing youth from around the world with ship-based educational adventures to the Arctic and Antarctica. Our mandate is to educate and inspire the next generation of polar scientists, researchers, and environmental leaders – and in doing so, help to provide them with a greater understanding and respect for the planet. For more information, please visit www.studentsonice.com.