Back in the day when I was in elementary school, scouting was the road most traveled by children wanting to explore the great outdoors. These days, scouting is still around, but it’s hardly the draw it was in past decades. Instead, we rely on costly summer camps to help wean children off the Wii controls and laptops and get them into the woods, challenging their bodies and imaginations.

But if you’re like me, you don’t want camp staffers to have all of the fun teaching your kids about their natural world. We need to put on our own counselor caps and lead the way to the redwoods, caverns and caves. We should be the ones pointing out the planets and stars in the night time sky. Our family trips to Yosemite (below) without the intrusion of toys and TV have afforded us precious quality time we will always treasure.

Mapping out these adventures is now much easier, thanks to a new family outdoor campaign called Nature Rocks.

The four founders – all experts in recreation and conservation – designed a website that guides parents on where to go and what to do, from camping at national parks to pitching tents in your own backyards. Many include the “F” word. Don’t be silly, of course I mean free.

When given the choice, these fresh air proponents want you to choose outdoor recreation over indoor hibernation because air and wind and surf and mountains make humans feel more alive.

You don’t have to be  John Muir to make these choices.

Whether flying kites on the beach instead of flying on planes…

paddling your kids down the river instead of dropping them off at the mall…

or looking at life forms rather than looking up images via Google…

the experience of  family bonding amid the beauty and mysteries of nature has tremendous rewards, including the kind of toasty, S’Mores round-the campfire memories that last a lifetime. Scout’s honor!

“The benefit of nature for children are fundamental,” says Richard Louv, co-founder of  The Children & Nature Network, one of the four sponsors of the Nature Rocks campaign. ”As families look for lower cost vacation options, we hope they will discover that nature offers families a personal stimulus package, letting them save money while improving the physical and emotional well being of their children.”

Louv’s organization is fostering an international movement to connect children with nature. An author who has written for the New York Times, his most recent book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, sees the urgency in nurturing a future relationship between children and nature.

After all, the next generation will inherit a planet rife with pollution, water and energy shortages, and a loss of habitat and wildlife – the plagues of modern civilization.

Just as committed are the other three leaders in the campaign: The Nature Conservancy, REI, and ecoAmerica. Their Nature Rocks launch was timed to coincide with the beginning of summer when parents are searching for activities that will keep children busy – but not so busy that they miss the joys of the season.

“As a working mom with two young children, I appreciate the useful ideas that improve my and my family’s lives,” says Meighen Speiser, VP of Marketing for ecoAmerica. “The Nature Rocks website offers loads of easy-to-use tools, tips and over 100 fun activities like nature art, weekend camping, hiking at a nearby park or an impromptu neighborhood nature scavenger hunt. The added bonus is that these activities are either inexpensive or free.”

The tips are available on the 2009 Summer Nature Staycation Planning Guide, which is chalk-full of fun suggestions for planning family recreation close to home. The site is very user-friendly. Just input your zip code and designate what you’re looking for. The Nature Finder map points you in the direction of nearby activities, such as horseback riding, swimming and snorkeling, camping and skiing. There are hundreds of activities to choose from.

The Nature Conservancy – which works to protect ecologically important lands and waters – says its goal is for a people to feel they are a part of all living things. “Now, working on the Nature Rocks initiative, we’re able to help the next generation better their health and reconnect with nature,” says M. Sanjayan, Lead Scientist, who adds that the Conservancy is dedicated to supporting conservation work that will not only enrich the natural world but also better our health and our lives.

So dust off those sleeping rolls and rinse out the sticky cooler. To quote Joni Mitchell, who wrote Woodstock about her generation’s desire to end war and take stock in nature, “It’s time to get ourselves back to the garden.”

Image: Fabian Bromann

We like the wit and imagination being poured into sustainable architecture. We particularly like where green roofs are going. But we weren’t expecting this – a water filtration plant with a green roof so large it’s going to become a golf course. Hole in one, guys.

In a post that couldn’t be more timely, BldgBlog ponders the role that healthily-designed urban architecture has on the transmission of infectious diseases, and wonders: “What would a biosecure world look like?”

And while on the subject of unhealthy urban living – is it really true that 6 out of 10 Americans live in places with air dirty enough to put them in hospital? That’s what the American Lung Association is claiming, as you can read at the Huffington Post.

When we look back from a better, greener future and get all Mount Rushmore about the eco-pioneers who cut through the greenwashing and really made a difference, who would we choose? Okay, so we just know that Al Gore will be there somewhere – but who else? MNN’s Peter Dykstra hazards a few wild guesses.

There’s an awful amount of evidence for climate change nowadays. If you want to quibble or flat-out deny, it’s uphill all the way. Grist’s Auden Shendler has lost patience with these industriously skeptical fence-sitters, and frankly, we see his point.

Ever get the feeling the world is going mad? On the one hand, we have marine conservationists clamoring for a fishing ban on a third of the world’s oceans – and on the other, we have invasive Yellowstone lake trout being killed off with Jell-O. Yep, you heard me. Thanks go to Blue Living Ideas for making my head spin.

Ever wonder how the word plastic came to be so quickly associated with everything tacky and buck-chasing? Green Design has the answer (one of my favorite films, in fact), and goes on to nicely summarize just where we are with this symbol for a throwaway world.

Is there anything more sad and pathetic-looking than a punctured, grubby beach-ball? The end of fun – unless you are designer Toby Sanders, who upcycles them into snazzy beach-ball lamps bouncing with life. Good catch.

Since you appear to have as much of a thing for upcycling and DIY as we do, you’re enjoy Makezine – a crazy, creative collection of tips for turning nothing much into something else.

So, baking at home may be enormous fun and make the house smell positively edible – but is it cost-effective? That’s the question Jennifer Reese sets herself at Slate, checking out the cost of restocking her whole pantry with her own two hands compared with shop-bought products. And the winner? Did you really just ask that?

Lemon juice is amazing. It cleans metal, it bleaches grime out of clothes, it makes floors squeaky-shiny, and it stops puppies barking (put a drip in their mouth – a much friendlier alternative to the threatened rolled-up newspaper, I’m sure you’ll agree). Take a look at these 27 household uses for citrus fruit if you want some more ideas.

Now for an article that could only be described as sobering. In fact, about as sobering as it gets. Could food shortages tip us over the edge? Read if you dare.

If the last article not only got you wanting to roll your sleeves up and do your bit but also pass these principles along to your young ‘uns, it could be you’re that powerful new breed of super-mother, the EcoMom. Have a read of Nancy McDermott’s article at Spiked and see if you fit the bill.

Now, climate change skeptics notwithstanding, we’re all worried about global warming – aren’t we? “Yes and no” seems to be the answer, according to a survey undertaken by George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication. It suggests that twice as many Americans are concerned about the threat to wildlife than the threat to themselves directly. Confidence that our technical ingenuity will cushion us…or head-in-the-sand arrogance that it’s someone else’s problem?

And finally – did you know birds did this?

Image: sanguinie

The terrible bushfires that ripped through the heart of rural Victoria in southern Australia last week are still burning, though firefighters are hopeful the worst is over.

In Australia’s worst natural disaster, at least 200 people have died and thousands left homeless. People around the world – including musician Pink – have opened their hearts and wallets to help the victims rebuild their lives – and closer to home people have opened their veins as well, with record numbers flocking to donate blood. The Australian Red Cross is continuing to accept donations from around the world for its Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.

While it’s clearly a traumatic time for many families, please also spare a thought for the other victims of the bushfire – all the animals left homeless as the forest burnt down around them. Koalas, which are already under threat from disease, habitat destruction and climate change, have been found sitting dazed and thirsty on the forest floor. Koalas are slow moving and they do not breed prolifically. Wildlife rescue centres in Victoria are calling for donations to help them treat the overflow of sick and injured animals and release them back to the wild. Here’s a full round-up of ways to donate to help the animal victims of the bushfire.

As Australian children are taught in school, fire is a natural part of the eco-system in eucalyptus forests. Many plant species require fire to germinate and the regular cleansing effect of fire is what keeps the forest from turning into rainforest, as found in the wetter parts of Australia such as the subtropical rainforest of the north and the cool temperate rainforest of Tasmania. There is evidence that the Australian Aborigines who lived before the arrival of white people understood this and undertook controlled burning to keep the forest in the optimal condition for hunting.

However, the natural bushfires of yore bear scant resemblance to the monster fires that are currently taking Victoria hostage. Part of this is because, without the indigenous people to regularly burn the undergrowth, the forests are more densely vegetated, providing more fuel for the fires. There’s also the fact that police believe many of these fires were deliberately lit – in the middle of a heat wave that saw temperatures climb to the mid forties (120 Fahrenheit). Australia already has an infamously harsh climate marked by extreme weather – as a traditional Australian folk song puts it, the “creeks run dry or 10-foot high”. Unfortunately, climatologists predict Australian weather will become even hotter and drier as global climate change progresses.

In the mean time, research into Australia’s unique ecology and wildlife is essential if we are to give them a fighting chance against climate change. The Australian Koala Foundation is a scientific organisation devoted to koala research and spreading awareness and understanding of how to support Australia’s cuddliest national icon.

Image: tiny froglet

Wildfires are a fact of life in Australia, owing to the country’s extremely dry climate and highly combustible vegetation (oil-rich eucalyptus forests). Australia’s history is unfortunately dotted with wildfire events such as Black Friday (1939) and Ash Wednesday (1983) that resulted in death and destruction.

But this week, Australia was hit with its most intense and deadly wildfires yet. Sweeping through towns in the state of Victoria, the wildfires left trails of soot, ashes and rubble. At last count, 173 people perished, thousands of families have lost their homes, and Australians around the country are stunned by the ferociousness and intensity of this latest round of wildfires.

While ordinary Australians are counting the toll of these latest fires, experts are turning to climate change to explain the altered nature, ferocity, and duration of the wildfires. Highlighting a once-in-a-century heatwave that sent temperatures soaring to 46 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit), University of Sydney bushfire expert Mark Adams said he had “”¦never seen weather and other conditions as extreme as they were on Saturday, the fire weather was unprecedented.”

Unfortunately these conditions, which we consider unusual, might become commonplace as climate change continues. If that happens, Australia will be at risk of becoming even drier, with more frequent droughts and consistently higher temperatures.

(source)

Image: pagedooley

Recently I was fortunate enough to marvel at some of the world’s most remote and beautiful places and look rare, wild creatures in the eye. All without so much as a carbon toeprint.

I was traveling virtually, of course. I went to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London, about half an hour on the Tube (London’s public subway system) from my home.

The exhibition is on at this location until April 26. After that point it travels around the world. I urge you to see it if it comes to a city near you but in the mean time you can take a sneak peak online.

There are some extraordinary photographs – from this striking image of a polar bear silhouetted by the rising sun to this cool dude sunning himself on a beach in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the humans of the Middle East – and indeed the world – could learn a lot about peaceful coexistence and cooperation from these fish living off the coast of Israel. (Not that nature is always kind – witness this depiction of the life and death struggle between a tree frog and a snake).

It was a lovely reminder of how beautiful and diverse our planet is and what’s at stake in our current battle to clean up our act. So much environmental news simply feeds people’s sense of hopelessness – an exhibition like this is a shot of inspiration and the perfect antidote to despair.

Virtual travel might be green but in my opinion it’s no substitute for the real thing – travel is about being open-minded and open-hearted to new experiences and it’s hard to practice that when you’re sitting on your couch. Yet in some cases virtual travel can offer more. It’s probably your only chance to go to ancient Rome, for example. Wildlife photography and films are another great example. They take you close to a world that most of us will never see since even the most avid nature lover typically doesn’t have the resources to go to such exotic places nor the patience to spend hours waiting for the perfect shot.

This is a healthy pelican – quite beautiful. Unfortunately, very sick pelicans are falling out of the sky these days. It’s one of many recent alarming indicators from our fellow creatures that things are seriously wrong.

Hundreds of sick pelicans have fallen to the ground from Mexico to Oregon, smashing into cars, boats and beaches, and experts are baffled. Authorities have ruled out domoic acid poisoning, which has affected wildlife before. It’s nothing short of a mystery. Surviving pelicans have been found in yards and on roads, disoriented and weak. So far, experts think the cause could be anything from unknown poison contamination to exposure to the toxic run-off from the recent Southern California fires to malnutrition due to evaporating fish stocks.

Though the exact cause is a mystery, it’s almost certainly due to human impact. And, it’s only the most recent case in a slew of disturbing mass animal deaths around the world.

In the last two years, California’s crops were affected by a mysterious disappearance of bee hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, the worker bees simply fly away and never return. Since October 2006, over 35% of the honey bee population in the United States has vanished. In some states, as many as 90% of bees have disappeared. Scientists don’t know what causes CCD, but theories range from stress due to travel (bees are trucked across thousands of miles, in some cases, to pollinate), or pesticide exposure. A case for local, organic food?

Dolphins off the beaches of Cornwall, thought to be stressed by Royal Navy operations, apparently committed a mass suicide last summer. 26 dolphins consumed and inhaled debris and mud. Though dolphins have been found dead en masse before, this is the most baffling incident. The only other possibility, experts say, is that the dolphins may have been scared by a whale. Scared enough to willingly fill their lungs and bellies with mud?

Cases of seals and sea birds washing ashore have been common in recent years. For example, over 1000 Shearwater sea birds were found dead in the Bahamas and parts of Florida in 2007. The cause wasn’t bird flu, as experts had suspected when shearwaters turned up dead in 2005. There is still no explanation, but every year sees an increase in sea bird deaths, with toxicity the most common culprit.

Also last year, at least 40 endangered gharials in the Chambal river in India died of cirrhosis of the liver, due to apparent poisoning (a flood in 2007 is thought to have increased metal levels in the river). What was particularly odd about the incident was that only wild gharials, of breeding age, died – the captive bred animals were fine.

And here’s a case for organic textiles in addition to food: in 2006, a controversy erupted over the plight of sheep and goats who became ill and died after eating genetically modified cotton. People working with the animals said they simply became “dull and lifeless and died”. They were found dead with swollen stomachs, mouth lesions and black stools. Bacterial and viral infections were ruled out; and no sheep grazing on non-modified cotton died. In 2007 the same thing happened, also in India, to cattle.

Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of sea turtles were found floating dead or washed ashore in El Salvador in 2006. At first thought to be caused by fishing activities, experts quickly ruled this out and the case remains a mystery.

Image: sir mervs