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“PLANETARIAN”

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MISSION & GOALS

 

·         To educate and raise young people’s awareness about the environmental issues that face our planet.

 

·         To inspire and encourage young people to participate in activities which will help to improve and sustain a healthy environment.

 

·         To increase consumer awareness among young people to foster patterns of sustainable consumption and the use of environmentally friendly products.

 

·         To connect environmentally conscious young people in the US with active youth in other countries.

 

·         To stimulate discussions amongst young people about how they can become caretakers for the future.

 

·         To emphasize that all actions be conducted in the spiritual context of respect and mutual understanding.

 

 

 

 

IMPLEMENTATION & RATIONALE

 

The Planetarian movement grew out of Etta's latest inspiration of driving a car on waste vegetable oil, which she gets from restaurants and filters at home. The media interest and requests to have her speak about why she would drive on vegetable oil led her to realize the potential to educate youth about sustainability. By bringing the veggie car to schools, the students get a chance to see how the car works and learn why anyone would want to drive on vegetable oil. This leads to the subject of alternative energy sources and sustainability.

 

The idea is to visit one classroom at a time to encourage dialogue and interaction with the students. They discuss what sustainability means, compare sustainable systems with ones that aren’t, and how to achieve a more sustainable world. The main focus is that young people have more power than they realize. More than 50% of all the world’s population is 25 and under. It is this younger generation who will have to confront the environmental problems in the future, and a clear understanding of the issues will help them to deal with the problems and realize a sustainable common future. Armed with knowledge and the tools to implement change, there is much that can be done now, while they are still idealistic and willing to make changes. Those students who are willing to commit to taking positive actions for the environment receive a tee shirt with a smiley face Earth and the "Planetarian" definition.

 

We intend for this website to develop into an interactive vehicle whereby people can inform others about their projects and actions to help create a better environment. Remember, no action is too small. Every positive act creates a ripple whose effect can be greater than you ever imagined.

 

In the meantime, if you would like Etta to visit your school or organization, or if you have any questions or comments, you can contact her at esk5@aol.com.

 

 

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WHAT YOU CAN DO

 

·         It isn’t necessary to let water run continuously when brushing your teeth.

 

·         Keep cold water in the refrigerator for drinking so you won’t have to let the water run until it gets cold.

 

·         Wash only full loads of laundry in your washing machine.

 

·         When washing a car, or anything else with a hose, turn the water off when it isn’t needed.

 

·         Insulate water heater and pipes to obtain hot water more quickly and reduce  energy usage.

 

·         Promptly repair leaky pipes and taps.

 

·         If you have a garden, create and maintain a compost pile to produce organic fertilizer from vegetable and fruit peels, leftovers, egg shells, coffee grounds, grass clippings, etc. to reduce the garbage you throw out.

 

·         Reduce water use by about 20% by placing one or two small bricks in your toilet tank.

 

·         Low flush toilets can reduce water use by 40 – 50%.

 

·         Avoid buying non-biodegradable plastic containers.

 

·         Use your own cloth or paper bag when bringing home groceries.

 

·         Recycle or re-use jars, containers, plastics, papers and bags.

 

·         Become informed about environmental issues and how they affect your life, your local area and your world.

 

·         Turn off radios, TVs, lights, computers, and all other electric appliances and gadgets when not in use. Electricity wasted means fuel wasted.

 

 

These are only a few examples of the many ways to conserve our resources.

 

 

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