The neighborhood called Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York, was neither the first nor the worst toxic waste dump, but it became a national story in the late 1970s thanks to the organizing efforts of Lois Gibbs, who fought to protect Love Canal's children, including her own, from the 20,000 tons of toxic waste in the ground.

This is an excerpt from American Masters: Fierce Green Fire, airing April 22 at 9 pm on PBS. Learn more at www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters. Published on Apr 2, 2014

A 90-minute version of the film is currently available via Netflix and iTunes and on DVD from First Run Features.
 

David Helvarg of the Blue Frontier Campaign discusses 50 Ways to Save the Ocean program designed to equip individuals with the tools to make a difference for our oceans. We are looking to use this tool to inspire the next wave of ocean activists by bringing it into classrooms using our teaching guides. We have recently completed a guide compiling already-existing lesson plans aimed at grades 9-12 that relate to the 50 Ways. This document is featured on National Geographic's Ocean Education's website.

To order his book from Amazon, click on the image or visit your local bookstore.

We are now working on original lesson plans for grades K-2. Funding for this program would enable us to complete the K-2 lesson plans, conduct outreach to educators and create opportunities for illustrator Jim Toomey (creator of theSherman's Lagoon cartoon strip) and author David Helvarg to present 50 Ways in educational settings.

Blue Frontier Campaign is a proven leader in building the solution-based constituency needed to protect our ocean, our coasts and the communities that depend upon them. We work to highlight the economic, environmental, recreational and spiritual benefits of healthy and abundant seas, understanding that the environment doesn't end at the shoreline and that if we school together, we can make a difference.

Visit our crowdfunding page.

Janice Taylor of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada addresses the practice of labeling behavior of children and the negative consequences of doing so. After growing up to a single mom in poverty and facing the challenges of difficult circumstances, Janice has turned her life experiences and education into a winning combination. She is pioneering the world of social networks with her creation of Just Be Friends Network Inc. with the aim to reduce the growing epidemic of bullying, cyber bullying and unhealthy relationships among children/youth ages 4-13.

TEDx Kelowna speech.

Unreported stories of life in the developing world centers on the devastating consequences of cooking on an indoor, open fire and half the world lives this way - three billion people. Indoor air pollution kills more people than AIDS. Ethan Kay talks about cookstoves that eliminate smoke and fuel consumption asn ideal solution to this problem.

Looking out for the Seveth Generation. All leaders need to be responsible for the future. What does it take to create a better future for the human family and all life on this planet? We need to combine the visions and dreams of the young, the wisdom of the elders, and good practice examples of how people are active to tackle the major world problems humanity is facing. We believe that in this combination lies a key to unlock the boundless sources of compassion, imagination, and creativity that are so much needed in our troubled times. Join the Feather Project!

The Feather Project brings these elements together - the visions, the wisdom, and the practical action for creating a more just, peaceful and sustainable future. In this major task ahead of us, the dialogue and collaboration of the generations is a crucial element.

Youth of today have a chance to write a new story and change the game, change the world, bulding the community. All across the planet, a unique and powerful generation is coming of age. We are called by many names – GenY, Generation We, the Digital Generation, and the Millennials – though ultimately, we defy labels.  Born approximately between 1978 and 2000, we are the largest, most well-educated, culturally diverse, globally aware, technologically savvy, and socially engaged generation our world has ever seen. To become engaged and supportive visit here.

Trailer: Clarissa Klein, Alec Loorz, Shannon McComb, Eveline Weary, Danny Farahdel, Tracy Alvarez, Felix Finkbiener, Hannah Kirkegaard, William Love-Anderegg, Jordan Howard, Erica Fernandez, Carolina Parra, and Anya Suslova are featured in this "kids vs. global warming" documentary by Lynne Cherry. (2009)

Saami youth describe issues affecting their culture due to climate change, most particularly how unstable conditions are affecting reindeer. Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding, with which about 10% of the Sami are connected and 2,800 actively involved on a full-time basis.

Professor Cornel Pewewardy is a traditional Comanche-Kiowa elder and Director of Indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University. He talks about the negative effects of education on indigenous culture and language. Re-traditionalization is his term for this shift in education, a tribal approach to education.   He spoke on February 11, 2011 in Portland, Oregon.

Raised in Vancouver and Toronto, Severn Cullis-Suzuki has been camping and hiking all her life. When she was 9 she started the Environmental Children's Organization (ECO), a small group of children committed to learning and teaching other kids about environmental issues. They were successful in many projects before 1992, when they raised enough money to go to the UN's Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Their aim was to remind the decision-makers of who their actions or inactions would ultimately affect. The goal was reached when 12 yr old Severn closed a 1992 Plenary Session with a powerful speech that received a standing ovation.

Here she is again nearly twenty years later addressing our understanding or lack thereof about our environment.