Dear Ecology Volunteers,
I had the fine opportunity Friday
to meet with the 8th grade,
in the garden.
I realized, over the summer,
with the help of the CAPE Summer Ecology team (Hooper / Collins)
that I had not,
programatically,
told the story of our school,
the grounds,
our local natural history,
the river,
the oaks,
the people....
So, I have tried,
as many times as possible,
in these first days of school,
to tell the story
and to let the kids take it in,
by way of tomatoes and cucumbers and pickles, etc.
The story itself,
if you haven't heard it,
is a good one.
Maybe I will try to tell it at the Autumn Garden Day,
Saturday, September 28, 10 -2:00.
But, as I write this,
we are less than one week from the Climate Strike Day
called by Greta Thurnberg,
the savant,
child - spirit that has entered our world and consciousness,
asking us Why?
Why are we not taking any meaningful actions to stop the death spiral of climate change?
On this one week away moment,
I invite you to watch and listen to this young woman
explain herself.
I earlier in the year sent a link of her narrative in musical form.
But this link is from Democracy Now!,
a 45 minute exclusive interview with this exceptional person.
I watched it with my grandchild, Nicole,
about the same age,
and with many of the same expressive facial mannerisms,
and self-effacing style.
There is something special about young people communicating with each other w/o adult intervention,
but with adult interest.
This child is asking us,
in no uncertain terms,
to take action to secure their future.
But they are not waiting for us.
they are taking action on their own,
like Greta,
leaving school,
to sit at the Swedish Parliament every Friday,
declaring that she was on Strike!
What was the point of studying and learning in a world bent on self-destruction? she asked.
Watch the interview with your child,
or by yourself.
And consider where we are going and what we should do.
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/9/11/greta_thunberg_swedish_activist_climate_crisis
Mr. Leki
Below is the Summer email fyi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rPC6oC_5rU
That is Greta Thunberg, one brave, young person demanding her right to a future on this beautiful planet. Our school, and garden and riverbank represent our attempts, over the past decades, to create a different and more healthy and ecologically sound way of living. Yet we must strive to do more: to decrease our use of fossil fuels by reducing our driving and flying. To grow more food, to eat and buy locally. To lower our consumption level and spend more time caring for each other, our community and planet.
But, we need to engage politically as well, demanding strong action by our government to institute urgent changes in policy. It is a bit dismaying that though our new addition will have some sort of LEED certification, it will not have a single Solar panel on its extensive roof. Why isn't this a requirement? We need policies that make carbon neutral buildings a requirement, the norm.
Let's listen to Greta and take action
I had the fine opportunity Friday
to meet with the 8th grade,
in the garden.
I realized, over the summer,
with the help of the CAPE Summer Ecology team (Hooper / Collins)
that I had not,
programatically,
told the story of our school,
the grounds,
our local natural history,
the river,
the oaks,
the people....
So, I have tried,
as many times as possible,
in these first days of school,
to tell the story
and to let the kids take it in,
by way of tomatoes and cucumbers and pickles, etc.
The story itself,
if you haven't heard it,
is a good one.
Maybe I will try to tell it at the Autumn Garden Day,
Saturday, September 28, 10 -2:00.
But, as I write this,
we are less than one week from the Climate Strike Day
called by Greta Thurnberg,
the savant,
child - spirit that has entered our world and consciousness,
asking us Why?
Why are we not taking any meaningful actions to stop the death spiral of climate change?
On this one week away moment,
I invite you to watch and listen to this young woman
explain herself.
I earlier in the year sent a link of her narrative in musical form.
But this link is from Democracy Now!,
a 45 minute exclusive interview with this exceptional person.
I watched it with my grandchild, Nicole,
about the same age,
and with many of the same expressive facial mannerisms,
and self-effacing style.
There is something special about young people communicating with each other w/o adult intervention,
but with adult interest.
This child is asking us,
in no uncertain terms,
to take action to secure their future.
But they are not waiting for us.
they are taking action on their own,
like Greta,
leaving school,
to sit at the Swedish Parliament every Friday,
declaring that she was on Strike!
What was the point of studying and learning in a world bent on self-destruction? she asked.
Watch the interview with your child,
or by yourself.
And consider where we are going and what we should do.
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/9/11/greta_thunberg_swedish_activist_climate_crisis
Mr. Leki
Below is the Summer email fyi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rPC6oC_5rU
That is Greta Thunberg, one brave, young person demanding her right to a future on this beautiful planet. Our school, and garden and riverbank represent our attempts, over the past decades, to create a different and more healthy and ecologically sound way of living. Yet we must strive to do more: to decrease our use of fossil fuels by reducing our driving and flying. To grow more food, to eat and buy locally. To lower our consumption level and spend more time caring for each other, our community and planet.
But, we need to engage politically as well, demanding strong action by our government to institute urgent changes in policy. It is a bit dismaying that though our new addition will have some sort of LEED certification, it will not have a single Solar panel on its extensive roof. Why isn't this a requirement? We need policies that make carbon neutral buildings a requirement, the norm.
Let's listen to Greta and take action
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