Registration now open for the 2012 Project WET Conference!

May 22-25, 2012

**The call for proposals is now open! Click here for details**

The goal of the conference is to increase the knowledge and capacity of conference participants to effectively reach children, parents, educators and communities of the world with water education. In the interest of innovation, engaging and interactive presentations are encouraged. Presentations must address one of the following strands: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) in Water Education, Pedagogy & Water Education, ActionEducation™ & Water Education, and Technology & Other Water Education Topics.

Click here for more information.

Regional Environmental Justice Conference: Nelson, April 27-29

Essay Competition: Dear Mr. UN Secretary-General

‘Dear Mr. UN Secretary-General ...’ Essay Competition

As part of the lead-up to the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil in June 2012, the Living Rainforest is organising an international essay competition for primary and secondary schoolchildren, Dear Mr. UN Secretary-General ...

The Living Rainforest wants to hear what children think governments and world leaders should be doing to build a more sustainable future on planet Earth. First Prize is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to attend the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil, with other winners receiving trophies and certificates. We think it’s an important opportunity to engage children in this crucial global debate.

Interested teachers, schools & parents can register here. The deadline is 30 March 2012 for registration and essay submissions.

Please help spread the word! Click here for more information.

Finding Balance: A Forum on Community, Environment and Economy

Economics meets the Environment in Invermere
Finding Balance Forum, March 2nd & 3rd
Register As Soon as Possible

“What’s the value of our environment as it relates to economics?” It’s a question that has garnered much attention in national and international media as of late.

Finding Balance is an event that discusses and connects economics with the environment and is being held in Invermere, BC on March 2 and 3. Finding Balance is an ‘Economic and Environmental Forum’ that brings economists, researchers and other innovators together with the public to discuss and review the environment and economics.  We’d be pleased if you could join us!

“There’s been an exceptional amount of interest in an event of this type in our region and we’re pleased to see how much attention the Forum’s already garnered,” said event organizer Juri Peepre.

The Forum is comprised of an evening keynote event at 7:30 PM, Friday March 2nd, and an all-day public seminar March 3.

Friday’s keynote event is presented by Mark Anielski, renowned speaker and authour of ‘The Economics of Happiness: Discovering Genuine Wealth’ and will be held at 7:30 pm at the Invermere Community Hall. Saturday’s event sees presentations from Dr. Richard Kool on “The Economics of ‘Local’ and the Positive Psychology of the ‘Nearby’”;  Amy Robinson presents Greening and Sustaining Small Business and the power of local business networks; and John Thompson hosts The Economic Impacts and Benefits of Protected Areas and their role in the larger economy. There will also be a panel discussion on building a conservation economy in the East Kootenays and Columbia Valley.

“There’s often a disconnect between the value of our environment and how it’s relevant to our communities. This forum aims to address the issue and seeks to provide clarity about the worth of where we live,” said Peepre.

Interest is high and capacity is limited and attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets for the event as soon as possible. To obtain tickets for the entire event or for select portions, visit www.Wildsight.ca.

The event is being hosted by Wildsight, an environmental group celebrating over 25 years of working for the environment with communities and people in Canada’s Columbia and Southern Rocky Mountain region.

To register visit http://www.wildsight.ca/findingbalance

For questions or requests for further information regarding the event, please contact:

Juri Peepre
250-688-1005    
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Green Learning announces new online community for teaching about climate change

Green Learning is very pleased to announce COOL 2.0, a powerful new online community for teaching and learning about climate change! COOL 2.0 gives you access to hundreds of teaching resources on energy, the environment, and sustainability. Look for resources created by Canadian teachers, GreenLearning Canada, and many of our partner ENGOs — among them, UNICEF Canada, Sustainability Frontiers, Biosphere, Wild BC, and Earth Day Canada. COOL 2.0 also provides you with a robust web 2.0 platform for customizing resources, creating assignments, and connecting with colleagues.

What can you do at cool.greenlearning.ca?

• Access lesson plans and activities, videos, research and data, and collaborative projects.
• Search for teaching resources by keyword, grade level, subject, province, language, and more.
• Use Teacher Space to tailor COOL 2.0 resources for your students.
• Create assignments that integrate blogs, mapping, online discussions, and media galleries.
• Exchange ideas in the Teacher Forum, meet colleagues, and team up to collaborate on class projects.

To create COOL 2.0, we initially hosted a design retreat with teachers, youth leaders, curriculum consultants, and ministry of education representatives from across Canada. With a design blueprint in hand, we then partnered with TakingITGlobal, a number of leading energy and environment education organizations, as well as Canadian ministries of education. Visit the COOL 2.0 Partners page for a list of current partners.

COOL 2.0 is free to teachers, thanks to generous support by TD Bank and the Suncor Energy Foundation. Log in to COOL 2.0 with your GreenLearning ID and password, or register on the COOL 2.0 homepage.

Discover the best in climate change education at COOL 2.0!