By Molly Rothberg
The 1962 book, Silent Spring is what launched the modern environmental movement. Author Rachel Carson examines the damaging and negative effects that pesticides have on the environment, specifically on birds and other animals. What Carson points out in the beginning of her book is the enjoyment of listening to the sound of birds in a community, as humans and elements of the natural world work together towards the growth of the spring season. The reader comes to realize that chemical poisons silent these pleasant sounds and spring becomes silent. In this first chapter, we understand how Carson gets the title of her book.
Deeper into the book, Carson explains how the chemical poisons affect the nature of the growing world. Insecticides are poisons that affect animals and birds over a period of time leading potentially to death. Carson discusses water pollution and how insecticides in soil cause the chemicals to combine with other chemicals, leading to pollution of streams and lakes.
Chapter 7 titled, “Needless Havoc,” discusses the effects of large spraying campaigns. These spraying operations have a record of killing non-targeted birds and animals. In the Midwest, this was a huge issue, when it led to the killing of a large number of wildlife.Birds are killed enmasse because they eat both insects and worms, so when a spray operation occurs birds are affected tremendously. The DDT users did not stop this action and Carson focuses on the fight against DDT's widespread use . Additionally, the river life also became affected because salmon had their food killed by the damaging parasites.
Insecticides contaminate everyone and chemical poisons have an incredible effect on the human body. The ecology of the human body gets upset when exposed repeatedly to poisons. Towards the closing of her book, Carson illustrates the human body and how it becomes impacted by chemical poison. We need an alternative solution for insect control. There are campaigns in which these other solutions have been effective, inexpensive and safer for the environment.
After reading Silent Spring, I had a different outlook on pesticides and pollution. Frankly, it made me think twice about how it not only impacts nature, but also the human body. Carson’s book is an inspiring example of being motivated by love of nature and rising to its defense.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
17th Annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2012
Contact:
Geoff Welch
(845) 712-5220
geoffwelch@gmail.com
Ramapo River Watershed Conference at Ramapo College
Mahwah, NJ – The 17th annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference will be held Friday, April 27th, at Ramapo College of New Jersey from 10 am – 4:30 pm in the Trustees Pavilion, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, also known as Route 202. The event, presented by the Ramapo River Committee and the Institute for Environmental Studies at Ramapo College, will feature a variety of speakers on environmental topics pertaining to the Ramapo Valley in New York and New Jersey.
The event is free but registration is requested at geoffwelch@gmail.com.
This year’s conference will include presentations on watershed events since the last conference; the Warwick Brook Fish Kill and the Tuxedo Mulch Site; the Hudson Estuary Program and the Ramapo River; Blandina Bayard’s Indian Trading Post on the Ramapo River (est. 1700); the Asian Tiger Mosquito in Rockland County; Weather Oil Spills and Response; the Recovery of the Ramapo Valley Well Field, the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Project; the People, Places and Cultural Traditions of the Ramapough Mountain Indians; the DuPont Acid Brook Cleanup, and the Impacts of the Proposed International Crossroads Development.
There will be coffee and bagels at 9:30 am before the event starts.
10:00 - Opening Remarks: Ramapo College President Peter Mercer, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, SSHS Dean Sam Rosenberg
10:15 - What a Year! (A quick review of watershed events since the last conference)
10:30 – Doc Bayne, Friends of Sterling Forest: The Warwick Brook Fish Kill and the Tuxedo Mulch Site
11:00 – Scott Cuppet, NYDEC: The Hudson River Estuary Program and the Ramapo River
11:30 – Nancy L. Gibbs, Sheffield Archaeological Consultants: Considering Blandina Bayard’s Indian Trading Post on the Ramapo River Established in 1700
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm - LUNCH
1:15 – Brian Hunderfund, Senior Environmental Health Specialist, Rockland County Health Department: The Asian Tiger Mosquito in Rockland County
1:30 – John K. O’Mara P.E., NYDEC: Weather Oil Spills and Response
2:00 - Chuck Stead, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator / Adjunct Professor, Ramapo College: Recovery of the Ramapo Valley Well Field
2:30 – Erica VanAuken and Kate Millsaps, N.J Sierra Club; Chief Dwaine Perry, Ramapough Lenape Nation: Tennessee Gas Pipeline Project
3:00 – Edward J. Lenik, Sheffield Archaeological Consultants: Ramapough Mountain Indians: People, Places, and Cultural Traditions
3:30 – E. Durring Merril, Environmental Officer Pompton Lakes: 1) The DuPont Acid Brook Cleanup (2) Flooding Issues
4:00 – Ramapo College Environmental Assessment Class Panel: Impacts of the Proposed International Crossroads Development
4:30 - Wine and Cheese Reception
--Joseph Pianese
April 12, 2012
Contact:
Geoff Welch
(845) 712-5220
geoffwelch@gmail.com
Ramapo River Watershed Conference at Ramapo College
Mahwah, NJ – The 17th annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference will be held Friday, April 27th, at Ramapo College of New Jersey from 10 am – 4:30 pm in the Trustees Pavilion, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, also known as Route 202. The event, presented by the Ramapo River Committee and the Institute for Environmental Studies at Ramapo College, will feature a variety of speakers on environmental topics pertaining to the Ramapo Valley in New York and New Jersey.
The event is free but registration is requested at geoffwelch@gmail.com.
This year’s conference will include presentations on watershed events since the last conference; the Warwick Brook Fish Kill and the Tuxedo Mulch Site; the Hudson Estuary Program and the Ramapo River; Blandina Bayard’s Indian Trading Post on the Ramapo River (est. 1700); the Asian Tiger Mosquito in Rockland County; Weather Oil Spills and Response; the Recovery of the Ramapo Valley Well Field, the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Project; the People, Places and Cultural Traditions of the Ramapough Mountain Indians; the DuPont Acid Brook Cleanup, and the Impacts of the Proposed International Crossroads Development.
There will be coffee and bagels at 9:30 am before the event starts.
10:00 - Opening Remarks: Ramapo College President Peter Mercer, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, SSHS Dean Sam Rosenberg
10:15 - What a Year! (A quick review of watershed events since the last conference)
10:30 – Doc Bayne, Friends of Sterling Forest: The Warwick Brook Fish Kill and the Tuxedo Mulch Site
11:00 – Scott Cuppet, NYDEC: The Hudson River Estuary Program and the Ramapo River
11:30 – Nancy L. Gibbs, Sheffield Archaeological Consultants: Considering Blandina Bayard’s Indian Trading Post on the Ramapo River Established in 1700
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm - LUNCH
1:15 – Brian Hunderfund, Senior Environmental Health Specialist, Rockland County Health Department: The Asian Tiger Mosquito in Rockland County
1:30 – John K. O’Mara P.E., NYDEC: Weather Oil Spills and Response
2:00 - Chuck Stead, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator / Adjunct Professor, Ramapo College: Recovery of the Ramapo Valley Well Field
2:30 – Erica VanAuken and Kate Millsaps, N.J Sierra Club; Chief Dwaine Perry, Ramapough Lenape Nation: Tennessee Gas Pipeline Project
3:00 – Edward J. Lenik, Sheffield Archaeological Consultants: Ramapough Mountain Indians: People, Places, and Cultural Traditions
3:30 – E. Durring Merril, Environmental Officer Pompton Lakes: 1) The DuPont Acid Brook Cleanup (2) Flooding Issues
4:00 – Ramapo College Environmental Assessment Class Panel: Impacts of the Proposed International Crossroads Development
4:30 - Wine and Cheese Reception
--Joseph Pianese
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
What's Next After Silent Spring?
By Amanda Daley
Rachel Carson brought up many interesting facts in her book Silent Spring. The part that I found most interesting is how dangerous DDT is to not only the insects but to people. She reported many cases of people becoming diseased later on in life after they have had contact with DDT.
It makes me wonder why the federal government took so long to act against DDT with all these people becoming deathly ill. It’s not very comforting how long it takes the government to act on something. It’s almost as if the government doesn’t really exist and nothing would have happened if this book didn’t come out.
But even though DDT was extremely dangerous, I feel like what isn’t harmful to our health nowadays? Almost everything causes cancer or some other sort of disease, it seems. We can’t escape the many dangers there are in the world.
I don’t know what kind of pesticides are used today on crops, but I assume that they are not as dangerous as they were back in the 50s and 60s…atleast I hope that they are safer than they were.
I hope that in the future they can find another way to ward off insects from the crops without the use of chemicals. Any sort of chemical isn’t good for humans or animals. Hopefully, scientists of the future will be able to come up with a chemical-free and non-harmful way of keeping our crops safe from insects that can destroy our food supply.
Rachel Carson brought up many interesting facts in her book Silent Spring. The part that I found most interesting is how dangerous DDT is to not only the insects but to people. She reported many cases of people becoming diseased later on in life after they have had contact with DDT.
It makes me wonder why the federal government took so long to act against DDT with all these people becoming deathly ill. It’s not very comforting how long it takes the government to act on something. It’s almost as if the government doesn’t really exist and nothing would have happened if this book didn’t come out.
But even though DDT was extremely dangerous, I feel like what isn’t harmful to our health nowadays? Almost everything causes cancer or some other sort of disease, it seems. We can’t escape the many dangers there are in the world.
I don’t know what kind of pesticides are used today on crops, but I assume that they are not as dangerous as they were back in the 50s and 60s…atleast I hope that they are safer than they were.
I hope that in the future they can find another way to ward off insects from the crops without the use of chemicals. Any sort of chemical isn’t good for humans or animals. Hopefully, scientists of the future will be able to come up with a chemical-free and non-harmful way of keeping our crops safe from insects that can destroy our food supply.
Cancer in Pompton Lakes
By Richard Fetzer
“You have cancer.” These are possibly the three most terrifying words that anyone can hear. Those three words have the power to change or, in the worst cases, end a life. For residents of Pompton Lakes, N.J. those three words are heard more then any of the surrounding towns in North Jersey.
According to a report by the state Department of Health and Senior Services, there were 169 hospitalizations of Pompton Lakes women for tumorous cancers, compared with the 122 that would have been expected based on statewide figures. Pompton Lakes men were hospitalized 23 percent more often than expected for tumorous cancers, with 118 incidents compared to an expected 95.6.
DuPont Co. may not be responsible for higher cancer rates in Pompton Lakes. According to Nj.com, the report released by the Department of Health and Senior Services found “significantly elevated” rates of cancer in both men and women. The report, which was released in December of 2009, concludes that the results of research shows inconsistencies that suggest that environmental factors have not caused to the rise in cancer in Pompton Lakes residents.
According to the report, “Inconsistency between results for males and females for these cancers does not support a causal association with these potential environmental exposures.”
The investigation also explains that the cause of the heightened rate of cancer in Pompton Lakes residents cannot be clearly explained, but it does give some insight. According to the report, “Other plausible explanations for the elevated SIR include other immeasurable risk factors in the community, or chance alone.”
The report explains that these other “immeasurable risk factors” may include tobacco consumption or occupational exposures.
Some in the North Jersey area are not convinced by the report’s findings, such as Annie Echevarria, a Ramapo College student who had family in Pompton Lakes.
“I think that DuPont must have something to do with cancer in Pompton Lakes,” says Echevarria. “How else can you explain the numbers? I mean, serious?”
According to pomptonlakeshistory.com, DuPont began manufacturing explosives in Pompton Lakes in 1902. Manufacturing was vamped up during World War I, employment increasing from 300 to more than 7,500, and again during World War II. DuPont’s manufacturing in Pompton Lakes continued until April of 1994. While it was in operation, DuPont produced blasting caps, military detonation fuses, and rocket igniters.
Since the 1980’s DuPont has been doing a cleanup of industrial contamination that migrated from the plant site into residential neighborhoods. The contamination includes lead, mercury and toxic chemicals in solvents that have been found to have seeped into homes from a groundwater plume.
“There is no way with DuPont’s history, that it is not responsible for the health issues in Pompton Lakes,” says Echevarria. “I just hope that the community can recover.”
“You have cancer.” These are possibly the three most terrifying words that anyone can hear. Those three words have the power to change or, in the worst cases, end a life. For residents of Pompton Lakes, N.J. those three words are heard more then any of the surrounding towns in North Jersey.
According to a report by the state Department of Health and Senior Services, there were 169 hospitalizations of Pompton Lakes women for tumorous cancers, compared with the 122 that would have been expected based on statewide figures. Pompton Lakes men were hospitalized 23 percent more often than expected for tumorous cancers, with 118 incidents compared to an expected 95.6.
DuPont Co. may not be responsible for higher cancer rates in Pompton Lakes. According to Nj.com, the report released by the Department of Health and Senior Services found “significantly elevated” rates of cancer in both men and women. The report, which was released in December of 2009, concludes that the results of research shows inconsistencies that suggest that environmental factors have not caused to the rise in cancer in Pompton Lakes residents.
According to the report, “Inconsistency between results for males and females for these cancers does not support a causal association with these potential environmental exposures.”
The investigation also explains that the cause of the heightened rate of cancer in Pompton Lakes residents cannot be clearly explained, but it does give some insight. According to the report, “Other plausible explanations for the elevated SIR include other immeasurable risk factors in the community, or chance alone.”
The report explains that these other “immeasurable risk factors” may include tobacco consumption or occupational exposures.
Some in the North Jersey area are not convinced by the report’s findings, such as Annie Echevarria, a Ramapo College student who had family in Pompton Lakes.
“I think that DuPont must have something to do with cancer in Pompton Lakes,” says Echevarria. “How else can you explain the numbers? I mean, serious?”
According to pomptonlakeshistory.com, DuPont began manufacturing explosives in Pompton Lakes in 1902. Manufacturing was vamped up during World War I, employment increasing from 300 to more than 7,500, and again during World War II. DuPont’s manufacturing in Pompton Lakes continued until April of 1994. While it was in operation, DuPont produced blasting caps, military detonation fuses, and rocket igniters.
Since the 1980’s DuPont has been doing a cleanup of industrial contamination that migrated from the plant site into residential neighborhoods. The contamination includes lead, mercury and toxic chemicals in solvents that have been found to have seeped into homes from a groundwater plume.
“There is no way with DuPont’s history, that it is not responsible for the health issues in Pompton Lakes,” says Echevarria. “I just hope that the community can recover.”
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Fate of an Eco-City
The New York Times
To the editor:
I recently read Michael Tortorello’s article entitled “An Early Eco-City Faces the Future” and I was instantly enthralled by the story. I was completely unaware that a place such as Arcosanti even existed, nonetheless, in the middle of an Arizona desert.
Some might ask, “why is this story so interesting?" Because, it is a futuristic concept, that was undertaken four decades ago, and now sits, unmoving and with an uncertain future. It really is a vision of sustainable living, though it is still uncompleted. A giant leap was taken to create a ecofriendly city, but was followed with not even the tiniest step.
Obviously, Tortorello took a lot of interest in Paul Soleri’s creation and crafted the story beautifully. Arcosanti should be on the minds of every individual who expresses an interest in the environment. It is both motivating and shameful. Motivating, because such strides were taken to create such a place, but shameful that it has seen little progress after that great stride.
This story needs to be heard, and I hope that some day an article will be written about how successful Arcosanti has become and that their goal of having 5,000 residents and a completed city has been met, though it is difficult to imagine such events at this present time.
Still, though the project is looking like it will be difficult to raise the funds required to see some substantial push in the right direction, it is very inspiring how dedicated the people involved are—from the 92-year-old Paolo Soleri to the people living on the compound, such as Youngsoo Kim.
Also, the article, in lesser detail, discusses the buildings' construction and how the concrete absorbs the heat during the day and releases it at night. The green houses seem like an interesting idea, if they can actually be used to heat the building.
If the eco-friendly city is going to be successful, there needs to be desirable living conditions. The reason why people do not choose to live like that is because people, especially Americans, love the common comforts that are afforded us in unsustainable living conditions. In order for people to embrace the sustainable way of life, those common comforts must be replicated using sustainable practices.
I hope to hear more about Arcosanti and similar projects.
Richard Fetzer
To the editor:
I recently read Michael Tortorello’s article entitled “An Early Eco-City Faces the Future” and I was instantly enthralled by the story. I was completely unaware that a place such as Arcosanti even existed, nonetheless, in the middle of an Arizona desert.
Some might ask, “why is this story so interesting?" Because, it is a futuristic concept, that was undertaken four decades ago, and now sits, unmoving and with an uncertain future. It really is a vision of sustainable living, though it is still uncompleted. A giant leap was taken to create a ecofriendly city, but was followed with not even the tiniest step.
Obviously, Tortorello took a lot of interest in Paul Soleri’s creation and crafted the story beautifully. Arcosanti should be on the minds of every individual who expresses an interest in the environment. It is both motivating and shameful. Motivating, because such strides were taken to create such a place, but shameful that it has seen little progress after that great stride.
This story needs to be heard, and I hope that some day an article will be written about how successful Arcosanti has become and that their goal of having 5,000 residents and a completed city has been met, though it is difficult to imagine such events at this present time.
Still, though the project is looking like it will be difficult to raise the funds required to see some substantial push in the right direction, it is very inspiring how dedicated the people involved are—from the 92-year-old Paolo Soleri to the people living on the compound, such as Youngsoo Kim.
Also, the article, in lesser detail, discusses the buildings' construction and how the concrete absorbs the heat during the day and releases it at night. The green houses seem like an interesting idea, if they can actually be used to heat the building.
If the eco-friendly city is going to be successful, there needs to be desirable living conditions. The reason why people do not choose to live like that is because people, especially Americans, love the common comforts that are afforded us in unsustainable living conditions. In order for people to embrace the sustainable way of life, those common comforts must be replicated using sustainable practices.
I hope to hear more about Arcosanti and similar projects.
Richard Fetzer
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Move to Cut NJ Corporate Red Tape Triggers Environmental Red Alert
By Lauren Haag
“When [Governor] Christie took the oath of office two years ago, he promised 'a new era of accountability and transparency' and said that 'today, change has arrived.' It’s time for all New Jersey residents to let the governor and other elected officials know that jeopardizing the health and well-being of our families, communities and small businesses is not what we had in mind,” John Pajak, president of New Jersey Work Environment Council, stated recently in the Star-Ledger.
A new waiver rule is going through Trenton and proposed to come into effect in August. The waiver eliminates “red tape” in industry, from companies, local governments, and individual businesses. The DEP, Department of Environmental Protection is the first expected agency to adopt the waiver policy. Many Jersey environmentalists and environmental organizations are outraged.
“Developers who damage the environment take their profits and move on. But the costs of cleaning water or solving flooding problems created by sprawl and runoff fall on those left behind once construction is done,” says John O'Boyle from the Star-Ledger.
The waiver is part of executive order no. 2 issued the day Christie took office, which allows certain “red tape” restrictions to be avoided by corporations under certain conditions by various waiver bills. Concerns exist on the impact this will have on already established environmental policies and the advantages certain businesses may have in paying to receive the waiver rule because of its case by case basis.
DEP commissioner Bob Martin emphasizes that the rule will give the DEP flexibility to work with corporations for the benefit of all in specific circumstances which will be overseen and transparent.
Applications by corporations for the waiver will be displayed publicly on the DEP website for transparency. The entire application process will also be monitored by Bob Martin to ensure fair treatment of all businesses.
There are four criteria necessary for a business to receive the waiver. There must be a public emergency, rules conflict between legislature and the DEP, the waiver generates net environmental benefit, or a rule imposes undue hardship on the business or corporation. Several environmental agencies have proclaimed these criteria very vague, which then leaves possibilities of exemptions boundless.
Organizations claim that the waiver policy will jeopardize safeguards put into place to prevent chemical spills, explosions, and other workplace exposures to toxic chemicals.
The Hackensack River Keeper environmental advocacy group states that it should not be okay to pollute the river in need of economic benefit.“They would have New Jerseyans believe that despite the ability to grant exemptions for more than a hundred permit programs, the DEP will be so stringent and meticulous in using that power, and developers will be such good and honest stewards of the land despite greater freedoms, that environmental standards will not be lowered in any way.”
The DEP staff is said to already have a lot on their hands aside from rummaging through waiver applications. There are concerns on what affect the new waiver will have on the DEP and its employers.
Various organizations are willing to politically, legislatively, and legally fight off the DEP waiver. It is said that the waiver is one of the most toxic bills passing through Trenton today. “The waiver bill fits the theme for Christie's administration: make economic development and jobs the top priorities, and eliminate red tape and other obstacles to doing business,” said Pajak.
For more information:
blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2012/02/chris_christie_war_on_red_tape.html
blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2011/12/waiver_rules_would_let_industr.html
blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2012/02/gov_chris_christies_corporate.html
www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20120310/NJOPINION0102/303100010/DEP-waiver-rule-an-environmental-danger
“When [Governor] Christie took the oath of office two years ago, he promised 'a new era of accountability and transparency' and said that 'today, change has arrived.' It’s time for all New Jersey residents to let the governor and other elected officials know that jeopardizing the health and well-being of our families, communities and small businesses is not what we had in mind,” John Pajak, president of New Jersey Work Environment Council, stated recently in the Star-Ledger.
A new waiver rule is going through Trenton and proposed to come into effect in August. The waiver eliminates “red tape” in industry, from companies, local governments, and individual businesses. The DEP, Department of Environmental Protection is the first expected agency to adopt the waiver policy. Many Jersey environmentalists and environmental organizations are outraged.
“Developers who damage the environment take their profits and move on. But the costs of cleaning water or solving flooding problems created by sprawl and runoff fall on those left behind once construction is done,” says John O'Boyle from the Star-Ledger.
The waiver is part of executive order no. 2 issued the day Christie took office, which allows certain “red tape” restrictions to be avoided by corporations under certain conditions by various waiver bills. Concerns exist on the impact this will have on already established environmental policies and the advantages certain businesses may have in paying to receive the waiver rule because of its case by case basis.
DEP commissioner Bob Martin emphasizes that the rule will give the DEP flexibility to work with corporations for the benefit of all in specific circumstances which will be overseen and transparent.
Applications by corporations for the waiver will be displayed publicly on the DEP website for transparency. The entire application process will also be monitored by Bob Martin to ensure fair treatment of all businesses.
There are four criteria necessary for a business to receive the waiver. There must be a public emergency, rules conflict between legislature and the DEP, the waiver generates net environmental benefit, or a rule imposes undue hardship on the business or corporation. Several environmental agencies have proclaimed these criteria very vague, which then leaves possibilities of exemptions boundless.
Organizations claim that the waiver policy will jeopardize safeguards put into place to prevent chemical spills, explosions, and other workplace exposures to toxic chemicals.
The Hackensack River Keeper environmental advocacy group states that it should not be okay to pollute the river in need of economic benefit.“They would have New Jerseyans believe that despite the ability to grant exemptions for more than a hundred permit programs, the DEP will be so stringent and meticulous in using that power, and developers will be such good and honest stewards of the land despite greater freedoms, that environmental standards will not be lowered in any way.”
The DEP staff is said to already have a lot on their hands aside from rummaging through waiver applications. There are concerns on what affect the new waiver will have on the DEP and its employers.
Various organizations are willing to politically, legislatively, and legally fight off the DEP waiver. It is said that the waiver is one of the most toxic bills passing through Trenton today. “The waiver bill fits the theme for Christie's administration: make economic development and jobs the top priorities, and eliminate red tape and other obstacles to doing business,” said Pajak.
For more information:
blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2012/02/chris_christie_war_on_red_tape.html
blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2011/12/waiver_rules_would_let_industr.html
blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2012/02/gov_chris_christies_corporate.html
www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20120310/NJOPINION0102/303100010/DEP-waiver-rule-an-environmental-danger
“No Child Left Inside”: Ramapo Planting Seeds of Environmental Education
By Lauren Haag
Ramapo College and other organizations come together annually to put on a program of environmental education for interested students from second grade through high school. On June 9 the 12th annual Ramapo River Day at the Ramapo Reservation will be held.
Ramapo River Day is sponsored by the Ramapo College faculty, Trout Unlimited, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. It is an opportunity for students to observe and interact with nature, form an appreciation for and build a better understanding of its condition and our place within nature.
"The need for environmental education has never been greater," the Baltimore Sun noted in an editorial on Oct 24, 2011. "Every day, the country seems to be facing new and difficult choices touching on environmental issues, ranging from how to meet energy needs to how to deal with toxic materials that might pollute our air, water or soil. The next generation will only face more difficult decisions as the Earth's population grows (it is predicted to reach 7 billion this month) but its natural resources do not.”
A hot topic in education is the new “No Child Left Inside” Act in Maryland. The act involves an environmental literacy component to the core curriculum which must be meant by the educators in each school district. The criteria necessary to meet the new requirement, however, is up to the school district itself. With school funding being cut in various ways, the addition of this Act allows school to request more money to enact the new policy as well as other education endeavors. State congressmen in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Rhode Island are also pushing the Act. From an economic standpoint, politicians are also interested in the new curriculum standard because it is a form of “green” jobs, which can open up new employment opportunities as well.
The “No Child Left Inside” Act will be moving toward the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, there are concerns about teaching certain ideas in the classroom. “Even raising the possibility that schoolchildren might be taught about climate change and greenhouse gases raises the hackles of some who would apparently prefer students be left in the dark on this vital subject,” says the Baltimore Sun.
Ramapo College’s Ramapo River Day and the Ramapo Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, are two areas the college is involved in aimed at educating students about environmental issues and importance. The Meadowlands Environment Center brings in groups of students from kindergarten to high school and exposes them to different environmentally friendly and informative activities for a low cost to the school systems they’re coming from.
If the “No Child Left Inside” Act sprouts into New Jersey, Ramapo College has already been at work on its roots.
For more information:
articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-10-24/news/bs-ed-environment-20111024_1_environmental-literacy-environmental-education-senate-committee
www.northjersey.com/sports/140113133_Become_one_with_the_river.html
Ramapo College and other organizations come together annually to put on a program of environmental education for interested students from second grade through high school. On June 9 the 12th annual Ramapo River Day at the Ramapo Reservation will be held.
Ramapo River Day is sponsored by the Ramapo College faculty, Trout Unlimited, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. It is an opportunity for students to observe and interact with nature, form an appreciation for and build a better understanding of its condition and our place within nature.
"The need for environmental education has never been greater," the Baltimore Sun noted in an editorial on Oct 24, 2011. "Every day, the country seems to be facing new and difficult choices touching on environmental issues, ranging from how to meet energy needs to how to deal with toxic materials that might pollute our air, water or soil. The next generation will only face more difficult decisions as the Earth's population grows (it is predicted to reach 7 billion this month) but its natural resources do not.”
A hot topic in education is the new “No Child Left Inside” Act in Maryland. The act involves an environmental literacy component to the core curriculum which must be meant by the educators in each school district. The criteria necessary to meet the new requirement, however, is up to the school district itself. With school funding being cut in various ways, the addition of this Act allows school to request more money to enact the new policy as well as other education endeavors. State congressmen in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Rhode Island are also pushing the Act. From an economic standpoint, politicians are also interested in the new curriculum standard because it is a form of “green” jobs, which can open up new employment opportunities as well.
The “No Child Left Inside” Act will be moving toward the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, there are concerns about teaching certain ideas in the classroom. “Even raising the possibility that schoolchildren might be taught about climate change and greenhouse gases raises the hackles of some who would apparently prefer students be left in the dark on this vital subject,” says the Baltimore Sun.
Ramapo College’s Ramapo River Day and the Ramapo Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, are two areas the college is involved in aimed at educating students about environmental issues and importance. The Meadowlands Environment Center brings in groups of students from kindergarten to high school and exposes them to different environmentally friendly and informative activities for a low cost to the school systems they’re coming from.
If the “No Child Left Inside” Act sprouts into New Jersey, Ramapo College has already been at work on its roots.
For more information:
articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-10-24/news/bs-ed-environment-20111024_1_environmental-literacy-environmental-education-senate-committee
www.northjersey.com/sports/140113133_Become_one_with_the_river.html
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