Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The Power of Parklets

Funny....sometimes when you run across something for the first time, the next thing you know is that you are seeing it everywhere. 

This is what happened to me regarding parklets.

A parklet is a little do-it-yorself mini park, which urban areas and city dwellers are creating more and more of to counter green up the space, cutting down on the concrete jungles of urban areas. They help soothe both our physical and mental health by providing these pockets of green.

I ran across parklets in the the OneTreePlanted article by Gabrielle Clawson entitled Good News! 30 Positive Environmental Stories From 2023, which I used for the creation of my March 6th blog post "Postivtive Environmental Stories for 2023." Parklets was listed as Clawson's #12 item. 

Parklets reminded me of downtown Annapolis during the pandemic. Restaurants took away parking places on the street to bring out planter boxes and more tables so that people could have the restaurant experience while dining outside. String some lights, make it cozy, bring in the greenery, and voila--goregous outdoor seating, with friends and family, for safer, accessible, open air dining during Covid times.

Next thing I know, parklets and their nature and health benefits are everywhere!

Parklets started their modest beginning in 2005 in San Francisco, and since then have begun popping up in many different ways. They bring about greater connections and a sense of community. They widen and invite greater outdoor living. It all is part of what makes a community "livable."

Looking for all the benefits parklets provide: Check out any of these articles: 

In the market to make your own? Check out Happy Eco New's How to Build a Parklet DIY.

With spring having sprung, makes me want to go out and find a li'l parakeet of my own to go and just soak in the sun, maybe a snack, and enjoy a little people watching along the way!

Images from https://scs.georgetown.edu/news-and-events/article/7858/creating-community-sense-of-place-parklet and https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/1/19/baltimore-wants-permanent-parklets and  https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/citywiseblog/covington-parklets/ and https://www.capitalgazette.com/2019/09/01/parklets-in-west-annapolis/

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Earth Hour Is Here: Tonight, March 23 ~ 8:30 -- 9:30 pm

What are you doing tonight, Saturday, March 23 from 8:30-9:30 pm?

Earth Hour is here, during that hour, in your time zone. 

Want to learn more--check out my recent post on Earth Hour.

Best part of being a part of Earth Hour is the highlight of how important one set 60 minutes for one person is when it is multiplied out by hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, globally. It shows the importance of the act of one to make a difference and highlight the importance of our planet. 

Timing really is perfect this year, the day after the annual United Nations Environmental holiday World Water Day--a day highlighting how important it is for people worldwide to have access to clean water. Maybe even paying attention to your water consumption today is a great way to start honoring Earth Hour!

If you are looking for ideas on what to do for you, your family, or your kids, check out these ideas, all from my 2018 Earth Hour post:

  • Stock up on candles and light them up as you knock out all your other lights at 8:30 pm.
  • Unplug and have some good ole fashioned non-tech time.
  • Play a game of night time Hide & Seek.
  • Have a candlelight dinner... perhaps al fresco.
  • Roast some marshmallows over a bonfire with good friends.
  • Take a moonlit stroll.
  • Spend some time in reflection and meditation.
  • Play board games with your family by flashlight.
  • Go stargazing.
  • Take a night hike.
  • Tell ghost stories.
  • Take time having great conversations and quality time with someone you love.
  • ...the sky is the limit! Create your own fun! 

Additionally, you can check out the resource over at Earthhour.org:

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

The Beauty of Each Season: Spring

Spring is my season! The warming of the days. The daylight getting longer. The freshness and color that starts sparking the world. The winter hibernation coming to the end. 
It is the season I wake up. 

The first day of spring this year happened on March 19th. 

I'm always curious why sometimes it's the 21st or the 23rd, and know it has to do with the rotation of the planet and it's tilt, plus throw in a Leap year, and it always shifts slightly. In fact, this year is the earliest it has ever been in the 128 years of recording this data.

But spring is here, and there truly is beauty all around.

Following suit from my last "Beauty of Each Season: Winter," I popped back to @PositivelyPresent's Instagram page and found her graphics on Spring--so whether it is your season or not, my you find some love and lessons in this season!


Images from https://www.instagram.com/positivelypresent/?img_index=1 and spring photos from my camera, compiled in canva.com

Saturday, March 16, 2024

United Nations International Day of Happiness: March 20th


"Happiness" is a concept that has popped up a lot lately. Most recently when my daughter was on an academic spring break trip in Spain, and mentioned that everyone, everywhere she visited, seemed happier than we do here in America. 

With school, we are currently just starting our spring break, which of course is the epitome of happiness for teachers and students alike. Moreover, after break, we have a faculty/staff book club starting with Shawn Achor's book The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life. Achor also has a TED Talk on the subject.


About a month ago, I was gifted tickets to see Dr. Laurie Santos at the Baltimore Speaker Series. Santos is a psychologist and professor at Yale, and her "Psychology and the Good Life" course has been Yale's most popular course in 300 years. It currently too is a free Coursera program of 10 modules, which starts March 16th. She also is the creator of the Happiness Lab podcast.

Or maybe it's just the cusp of spring, longer days, blooming flowers, and all of that, which makes me happy too. 

Thinking too about happiness led to me to think about mental health, and how we as an American society are facing a mental health crisis of epic proportions and all-time highs. The post pandemic epidemic.

As I was pondering all of that, I came to find out that here, during my school spring break, the United Nations' International Day of Happiness falls right smack dab in the middle of it--on March 20th annually. First celebrated in 2013, the UN General Assembly aimed in the day to honor and recognize “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.”  It ties to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals and views happiness and well-being as a basic human right. Here is the video introduction including Pharrell William (creator of the song "Happy" speaking about happiness its global impact.


Additionally, the World Happiness Report for 2024 is due out at noon (EST) on UN's International Day of Happiness. In it, it will reveal general overviews of the trends as well as a list in order of the happiest countries in the world. Last year's 2023 report placed Finland at #1 for the 6th year in a row, based on these key features: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and the absence of corruption. This January 2023 article from CNBC also proposes that countries like Finland place a stronger emphasis on the following than we do in the United States: more vacation time for employees, a stronger sense of community, lack of a comparison view of each other, and a tie to nature are key features also at play. Might be something there!


For some ideas on. how to bring a little more happiness into your life, check out the website International Day of Happiness.




Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Earth Hour 2024 Is On It's Way--Mark Your Calendar for March 23

Earth Hour is one of my favorite "environmental days."


By turning off your lights and/or doing something during the hours of 8:30 to 9:30 pm in your time zone on this Saturday, March 23, you can place a vote toward the betterment of our planet.

To learn more, check out any of the links above, watch the video below, or click on Earth Hour's "About" page.

What can you do to take part in Earth Hour this year? Need help deciding....Earth Hour's links can help:

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Positive Environmental News for 2023

OneTreePlanted is a great place to go for good environmental news. After landing on their article "Good Environmental Stories From 2023," I was inspired to create the world map infographic below, showcasing some of the great news that includes plastic and paper bans, rejuvenated species, ocean clean ups, activism, biodiversity, and other great eco news. Click the poster to see an enlarged version, then click article links to find out more!!


Image created at canvas.com using information from https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/good-news-2023


Saturday, March 2, 2024

World Wildlife Day ~ March 3rd


March 3rd: The day in 1931 that the United States adopted "Star Spangled Banner" as it's national anthem.

Additionally, March 3 is also the annual date of World Wildlife Day, voted on December 20, 2013 by the United Nations to be an annual environmental date of honor and celebration of wildlife.. This date is significant as it ties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that was signed in 1973.

The 2024 theme is “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation.” The focus is on tying together innovation, technology, biodiversity, and wildlife conservation.


High-level United Nations events taking place at their headquarters in New York City will be live-streamed here on Monday, March 4th.



Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Things To Love This February: Leap Year

Last but not least, this February we get to love Leap Year. 

A bonus day! An occurrence that happens only once every 4 years, it's a fun to have it be a "leap year" year!! And with a presidential election ahead this fall, we know that they also happen on leap years too.


But why? Why do we have Leap Years? Well, here's why....and it's all about math!


Looking for some last minute lesson plans for Leap Year? Check these out.


Saturday, February 24, 2024

Things To Love This February: FETC Follow Up

I love me a good conference. I mean, only if it is a REALLY good conference. One filled with loads of workshops by engaging presenters, with ideas that you can put into place the very next day.

Two annual conferences fit that bill for me: MAEOE (my environmental Superbowl) and FETC (an edtech extravaganza). 

January 23-26, 2024 they held the 44th annual Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, Florida. I've been twice (in 2017 and 2018) and each time, I soak up information like a sponge. 

It didn't work out for me to go this year, but I was thrilled when I got their email announcing their free February 14th's Best of FETC: Top Takeaways and Future Trends for 2024 webinar.  Moderated by Rita Ferrandino (FETC Founder), Jennifer Womble (FETC Conference Chair), and Micha Ward (FETC Education Reporter & District Administration).

If you are an edtech junkie, it's definitely worth a listen. On top of the synergetic experiences they all had, some of their big topics of conversation were:
  • Certification & Badge programs
  • eSports
  • Robotics, coding, & drones
  • Creativity as engagement
  • All aspects of  artificial intelligence: upholding academic integrity, productivity helps to teacher, and AI-built into products as "magic"
  • How tech can leverage people with disabilities with assistive technologies
  • Cyber security and digital citizenship
  • 3D printing
  • Augmented and virtual reality.
One of their big thoughts included the optimism they are seeing in education. The tools that are out there are really giving teachers some of their time back--helping them to automate grading, co-creating lesson plans and streamline teachers work, and making teaching fun again. (Dan Fitzpatrick, author of The AI Classroom, was one of the keynote speakers.) 

Other places to go learn more about how FETC was this year:
Additionally, FETC is planning monthly webinars will continue to follow their name, carrying the edtech conversation into the "future." You can click here to learn more about that and those future topics. 

The world of technology both in and out of the classroom is exciting right now. I expect there will be lots happening in the future! FETC will definitely have its finger on the pulse!

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Things To Love This February: World Thinking Day

World Thinking Day is celebrated annually on February 22nd in the arena of Girl Scouts, and has been for 98 years--since 1926. Officially "Girl Scouts" falls in the more largely named "World Association of Girl Guides & Girls Scouts." This is an organization that touches 10 million girls in over 150 countries.

World Thinking Day is a day dedicated to international friendship, and thinking about global issues that impact each other. Themes differ from year to year, but this year's theme is Our World, Our Thriving Future: The Environment and Global Poverty.

Recent themes in years past (which also tie to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) include:

Whether you are a Girl Scout to any degree or not, thinking about our world, it's thriving future, and how the environment ties into global poverty is an important issue to think about. 

Here are some places you can learn more: 

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Things To Love This February: Black History Month Resources

With February being Black History Month, mid-month is a good time to check in with where you are with educating both your students and yourself about the importance of black history 

The Center for Racial Justice in Education has a treasure trove with at least 80 links on these subjects:

  • How Do We Celebrate Black History Month? Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources for Educators
  • Do We Need Black History Month? The Underrepresentation and Miseducation of Black Stories, Experiences, and Histories in Schools
  • Why Teach Black Lives Matter in Schools? (Think Pieces)
  • Where Are Afro-Latinos Represented in School Curricula?
  • How Do We Center Black Women and Black Girls in Our Schools?
  • How Do We Center Black LGBTQ Experiences?
  • As a Parent, What Are Ways I Can Engage My Family in Black History Month?:
Other good places to check in on:

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Things To Love This February: Valentine's Day

The literal and figurative heart of February is Valentine's Day. Smack dab in the center of the month (as well as in the center of Random Acts of Kindness Week--this year: Feb 11-17), it's a day centered around the heart and cherishing our loved ones.

In case you need a little history lesson, here's a kid-friendly video on the history of St. Valentine's Day.

Given the tie in between Valentine's Day and  Random Acts of Kindness Week, why don't you sprinkle the love and kindness around like little heart-shaped confetti. See how far your heart can spread this year. (There are great resources for both schools and individual use at the Random Act of Kindness website!)

Videos from https://youtu.be/5fmy1MX42b8?si=Rld6OXuBjVqfbafm and https://youtu.be/tOLEyhNJksg?si=yve1Iu5zW8UwbxFE, Image created at canva.com

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Things To Love This February: February Environmental Days

We all know about your standard February days of Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, and Leap Year this year. Well that's not all that's in store this month. There's also a slew of Environmental Days as well!


Click below to learn a little bit more about each of these February Environmental Days :
  • World Ostrich Day: Feb 2nd (not endangered or vulnerable, but populations declining due to threats)
  • World Whale Day: Feb 18th (many species are endangered--celebrated annually 3rd Sunday of February)

Image created at Canva.com

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Things To Love This February: Super Bowl Sunday & President's Day

Unless you are living under a rock and have missed all the hubbub about Taylor Swift & Travis Chelsea, you probably know that this weekend is Super Bowl Sunday. Time honored tradition, and always ripe for classroom resources...whether you go to watch the game or the commercials.

Additionally, Presidents' Day is up ahead this February 19th. Here's some more resources for my teacher friends:


Super Bowl image from https://www.npr.org/2024/02/10/1230621176/super-bowl-58; Presidents's Day Image from https://www.template.net/edit-online/57412/vintage-presidents-day-linkedin-post

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Things to Love This February: #FeedTheBirdsDay & The Great Backyard Bird Count

It's that chilly time of year where some parts of the country are blanketed with either white, cold, or a combination of both. This is the time that animals who have stockpiled their food supply may be running low. It's that time of the year where our neighboring nature creatures are start really having a hard time finding find food. This is especially true for our feathered friends. 

Given that and given that February is National Bird Feeding Month, every year on February 3rd is Feed the Birds Day. The first official one was in 1994, proclaimed by Congressman John Porter, encouraging people to hang their bird feeders to offer food to flyer-by. Additionally, you can help by setting up bird baths for drinking water or birdhouses for shelter. 

Also tying in to all this, the Great Backyard Bird Count is held annually for 4 days in February. This year it is February 16-19. The Great Backyard Bird Count gives you an opportunity to be a citizen scientist. Lowest level commitment to participate: find a 15 minute block of time during those 4 days, then record your findings online at birdcount.org. (As I tell my students: you can always do more!!) Your recorded observations will then help scientists get a flavor of the biodiversity in your area, as well as helping to better understanding of global bird populations. You can always learn more at their website.

Whether you are a tried-and-true bird watching aficionado or a casual backyard enthusiast, you can take part during this last leg of winter. Help pump up those extra calories to help them stay warm and help make their search easier. Fill your feeders and embrace that mantra from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." Make your backyard a fly-through dinner spot for your neighborhood feathered friends this month, especially here on the 3rd of February!

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Nature is the Best Teacher

Just as art sometimes imitates life, the environment can inspire technology.

In these 4 minutes by Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, we can see just how in many ways. Nature and the environment tend to be the best inspiration for tech and innovation--and likewise, innovation will help solve our environmental issues.

Video from https://youtu.be/BYCI8SYngR8?si=G72oVHSboIOFdNQQ

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Using Environmental Education As Empowerment

As the perfect follow up from my last post about the history of environmental education...

In this TED Talk from May 2023, Arvolyn Hill speaks out about her experiences as a black woman tying together environmental awareness with racial justice. She also talks about her nature programs at the New York Botanical Gardens and how these programs can help black and brown kids see themselves out in nature....because representation matters!


Wednesday, January 24, 2024

History of EE: Environmental Education

October 14-26, 1977, in Tbilisi--now in the country (not state) of Georgia in what was once part of the USSR--there was the First Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education. Created by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the Tbilisi conference was one of the first of its kind to place emphasis on educating others about the perseveration and improvement of the global environment to help develop balanced communities world wide. 

While environmental education wasn't a new idea, this funneling of attention toward education and stewardship took root here in Tbilisi. 

To learn a bit more about this blossoming of environmental education, check out these two videos from the North American Association of Environmental Education.


Learn even more about the history of environmental educations more by going through NAAEE's 5 part learning module about the History of EE.

Videos from https://youtu.be/7wzIKwyYXlw?si=z4J9JUv9l-EAXUrs and https://youtu.be/e1uCExDFAgI?si=_ob-4VkiDMDH6EcN, logo from https://naaee.org/, last image screenshot from https://eepro.naaee.org/learning/eelearn/eelearn-2-history-ee


Saturday, January 20, 2024

Population Education's: A Quick Trip to 8 Billion


Population Education is an amazing website that brings together a lot of globally important factors: numbers, demographics, and human impact on each other, economics, and our planet. In the many. years of Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education conferences I've attended, I always try to catch any workshops presented by Population Education. They have a wealth of lesson plans and teaching resources, and they are top notch in anything they do.

One of my favorites is their World Population "Dot" video, which I first wrote about in 2015 and I watch at least once a year with students. Another version of it is their World Population History data visualization accompanying website.

Now, as our numbers keep growing, they have a new poster out: "A Quick Trip to 8 Billion." This two-sided wall chart gives a timeline of historical events and inventions over the past 200 years to show how the population has impacted all of this. The flip side shows a multitude of infographics detailing the challenges that come from increased population growth. Along with the poster, 3 lesson plans are included: 1). a guided exploration of the timeline; 2). a scavenger hunt to see how numbers and resources have changed over time; 3). an activity where students create a planetary report card to measure the human and environmental health of the planet over the past 200 years.


I'm looking forward to ordering a couple for my school. (Posters are $5, but $4 if you buy in larger quantities. Click here for details.) Additionally, you can also get a high resolution version of the e-poster.

Other Resources on their site include:

Population Education is tied to the following education websites to check out for even more resources:

Images from https://www.worldof8billion.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/wall-chart-high-resolution.jpg and logo from https://populationconnection.org/population-education/k-12-students/

Disclosure: I am not profiting at all if you purchase anything from their store--I just love their resources!

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

The Beauty of Each Season: Winter

Winter is probably the hardest season for me to be outside. I do love the crackling of the fireplace, the hibernation, and the coziness of blankets or snuggly warm clothing. However, it's the outdoor stuff that's hard for me. I'm not a fan of the cold, the wet, the snow in my boots, the ultimate turn to the slushy mushy mess, and the super dry skin. (The latter, this year, more than ever before!)

I will say, I do find it beautiful to look at though. The glowy bright light illuminating off the snow. The puffy piles of white lying on branches. The swirl of snow as it starts to fall. The stunning color of a bright red cardinal against the world of white. The backyard birds and animals foraging for seed from our feeders. 

Last year, we had a snow drought and basically in our area went over 700 days without snow. While we did see it a year ago Christmas when traveling, here at home it was a long while without snow. Until this past weekend! Mother Nature did her thing and dropped 4 or 5 inches, gifting us even with a ❄️ SNOW DAY!! ❄️ For teachers and kids alike, that announcement elicits a happy dance indeed. It never gets old. It's the ultimate gift. Even better if premeditated the night before. 

Living in a land of 4 distinct seasons, even though the outdoor part is something I have nudge myself out in, the first major snow definitely offers a pause. Especially when combined with the unexpected gift of a snow day and the gift of time, it offers the opportunity to take notice of the beauty that surrounds. Watching my son play with our frolicking dog who finds fascination in eating the white stuff. Taking note of how the world can change by these tiny little flakes that keep coming down. By the way everything changes when this planet crystalizes. 

Yes, there's a lot to learn from the winter and soaking in it's beauty and gift.




Images from https://www.instagram.com/p/C1kI3KKgW8G/?igsh=MzY1NDJmNzMyNQ%3D%3D , other images from my camera compiled with canvas.com


Saturday, January 13, 2024

Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

With this weekend being Martin Luther King Day I've been doing a lot of thinking about all that 39 year old Dr. King accomplished in his life.

Monday (MLD Day) is seen as a Day of Service, one the only holidays we have dedicated as that. A day "on" versus a day "off." Of course, people are free to use it as they wish. As a teacher, even though we are newly back to school after Winter break, the 3 day weekend definitely felt like a timely gift. Already. 

Every year, right before MLK Day, I teach a curricular lesson with tech integration to the 4th graders, all about Dr. King and his 6 steps of nonviolent social change. 

I use the principles from the King Center and tie it into how the ideas of non-violence can be adapted on the playground, in their own home, or in big ways as they were used during the Civil Rights era. We discuss what "civil disobedience" means and how that would have looked during the 1950s and '60s with sit-ins, marches, bus boycotts, and peaceful protests. There's always a bit of shock and awe when I paint the picture of how sitting in at a Whites Only lunch counter could have people yelling or spitting or pouring milk shakes on black protesters quietly sitting there, peacefully making their point, and only wanting to purchase a burger or coffee, which really should be everyone's right. Then we discuss how courageous it is to sit there, trying to silently, peacefully showcase your point in a nonviolent way--how the violence being bestowed on theses protestors speaks louder and in a stronger, more poignant way... especially in a time period where watching the news unfold on the TV screen in your house was a new concept.

I always am hopeful that, as a white woman, I can convey my empathy, historic facts, and the fact that we aren't always proud of our history. I'm hopeful that I present it in a compassionate way to be heard by my students--especially my black students. I found myself this year, more than ever before, thinking that in this very partisan world, this classroom conversation was one that could create personal ramifications for myself and my own employment if I was living and teaching in a different school--in certain states...in some of which I once taught. 

My guiding principle of teaching has always been "to educate." Especially with the following principle being at the heart of who I am as a teacher:


Yet here we are, in 2024, living in a very divided society where book banning happens and being "woke" (which isn't that really just being educated?) is seen as a problematic putdown. Sometimes, when doing the math, it feels like we are going the wrong way from the world in which I lived in as a child. We are 70ish years removed from the American Civil Rights movement, which was approximately 100 years after the Civil War. 

Perhaps we would do well to refocus as a society on the words and teachings of Dr. King to strive to do better, to be better, to embrace the ideals set forth in the Constitution, and work for the betterment of our community. Imagine the nation (if not the world) we'd live in if we had more days of service, taking action to help out our neighbors...for we are all indeed neighbors. 

If you need some ideas of what you can go out and do (on either Martin Luther King Jr. Day or any other day), revisit my GTG post from last year: "Go Beyond a Day of Service and Give Back All Year Long.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Riding the Line Between Snow And Rain

This past weekend we were trying to time a flexible yet sizable drive based on the weather. It would have us going westward through the mountains of Western Maryland while a weather system was traveling eastbound. 

Mountains and higher elevations tend to complicated life when it comes to potential snow storms, inclines, ice, and road preparedness for all of the above. Add to that the two day window of a weekend, and trying to figure out when it's best to leave and when we definitely want to make sure to be back. Additionally, we knew to expect more rain here, but there was a lot of uncertainty as to to what was between here and our western destination in the middle of all of the above. 

It makes for an interesting juggle, to say the least. Not to mention, it's a lot like Vegas gambling. Try to get there before it all hits? Wait until it all passes? Hope the timetable and the storm doesn't shift in a way that does not serve us! And heaven forbid: no freezing rain or sleet!

There's a lot of unpredictability that exists when riding the line between snow and rain. A few degrees of temperature difference can make all the difference indeed. I think the impact of it all has hit harder as this is really the first winter storm system that was heading our way this year, when the ground at our house has yet to see its first flake in probably 2 years.

All of this lead me to pondering and the land of investigation...and the following videos. Might as well learn a little bit while we were waiting for our travel window to fall in our lap!


Saturday, January 6, 2024

The Endangered Species Act: Looking Good at 50!

Thursday, December 28th, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. With all the hubbub of the holidays, this li'l snippet of information might have gotten lost by many. (I know I personally was losing track of what day of the week it was, while traveling, home on break, and partaking in far too many festive feasts.)

But 50th birthdays/anniversaries are meant to be celebrated. And truly, since 1973, there's a lot to celebrate regarding our planet, biodiversity, animal conservation, and the protection of endangered species!

Five Fast High Fives:

1. Species Recovery: Thanks to the Endangered Species Act (the ESA), many species have come been fortunate enough to become success stories, bouncing back from the edge of extinction. Some notable ones include the bald eagle, gray wolf, California condor, and the Peregrine falcon.
 
2. Habitat Protection: Through restoring habitats, the ESA has led to the preservation of a multitude of diverse ecosystems. This level of safeguarding has helped protect the Florida panther in the Everglades, red-cockaded woodpeckers in longleaf pine forests, and several salmon species in the Pacific Northwest. 
 
3. Preventing Extinctions:  Through identifying threats and putting conservation measures in place, the ESA has helped to prevent the extinction of many species including the Whopping Crane, manatee, and sea otters. 

4. Global Influence: Successes these past 50 years due to the ESA has served as inspiration to other countries, leading them to create their own laws for safeguarding species on the edge of endangerment and extinction. Japan, Australia, and India are just a few countries that have put protection laws in place.

5. Economic Benefits: Conservation efforts under the ESA have been known to boost local economies by way of eco-tourism. While not a product of the ESA, eco-tourism has been on the rise in the last 50 years in places like Yellowstone National Park, the Galápogos, and other nature-centric parks, sanctuaries, and wildlife refuges.

To go deeper into the celebration, you can check out these websites:

  • The Endangered Species Act at 50 website. You can read up on their successes, events, and learn ways to take action to protecting biodiversity and the longevity of all species.

The Endangered Species Act at 50 logo from https://esa50.org/; Some of the specific species in the Fast Five High Fives were modifiied from questions posed to ChatGPT regarding the five best things to come out of the Endangered Species Act on January 3, 2024. The ESA at 50 National Poster: released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to highlight 8 species that were directly impacted by the ESA. Photo credit: Paintings by Cal Robinson, a public affairs specialist in the Service’s Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office. https://www.fws.gov/media/esa-50-national-poster