When our Earth first came into being, some 4.5 billion years ago, it was no place to call home. It had an atmosphere filled with noxious gases, including a great deal of carbon dioxide. The cool temperatures that preside over the earth today are the result of a process spanning billions of years that has removed much of the atmosphere’s carbon, storing it underground in the form of coal, oil and natural gas.
The burning of these buried fossil fuels releases the stored carbon back into the atmosphere, thereby reversing the very process that has made our earth hospitable to humans. The International Energy Association reported in the 2012 publication of World Energy Outlook that if we do not leave “at least 2/3 of the proven reserves,” of fossil fuels in the ground, our planet will face dire levels of climate change.
Weaning ourselves off our carbon-based lifestyles will certainly not be easy, yet, movements across the country are helping people do just that.
For the past several years, students at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary have been joining forces with 116 other schools nationwide, embarking on an action-based program to lighten their family’s carbon load. The program, known as, “Cool the Earth,” educates K-8 students on climate change and encourages them to make small changes in their lives, collectively making a large impact.
As part of the program, kids are given “Cool the Earth,” coupon books. Each time they engaged in a new habit, such as recycling more paper, going meatless once a week or carpooling to school, they would fill out their coupon and return it to school for a prize.
“I am so happy to be part of the program,” said science teacher Regina D’Orio. “This program puts real earth saving strategies in the hands of the kids and their families. It teaches and motivates kids to do simple things that do make a difference in our world. I love the message that they can change the world one action at a time.”
The feedback from the students shows they have really taken the Cool the Earth message to heart. Even after the kids have earned their reward, they continued to tell D’Orio what they’re doing at home to “Cool the Earth,” including who they kicked out of the shower.
Cool The Earth was founded in 2007 by Carleen and Jeff Culleen of Marin County, CA. After watching the film An Inconvenient Truth, they became deeply concerned about the world their children would inherit. They found that even when faced with the realities of climate change, many remained apathetic to do anything about it. They decided to develop a program that would teach about climate change and put simple, direct actions in everyone’s reach.
The program is geared toward children since they can often be such effective catalysts for social change.
“If anyone can inspire parents to make changes, it’s their children,” said Carleen Cullen.
D’Orio is collecting coupons from students over a five-week period this spring. Throughout the program, a display in the cafeteria tracks the students progress so that they can really see how their actions are adding up. While the five-week cycle provided a snapshot of what could be accomplished in a short period of time, the hope is that the students will continue to protect the earth by making their actions habits.
D’Orio believes the program will have a long-term impact on kids.
“The actions are so simple,” she said. “Kids can do them themselves and will remember to do them over and over.”
For more information on how you can use the Cool the Earth Program with your Scout group or school, visit www.cooltheearth.org.
