9 goals for 2009

I quit making New Year's Resolutions years ago. I don't like to set myself up for failure. Rather, in college, some friends and I decided to make a certain number of goals based on the year. 5 for 2005, 7 for 2007, you get the idea. So this year we are up to 9. You may think...Wow! That is a lot of accountability! But instead it lets me think of all the things I'd like to accomplish and why. In 2011, I'll be back to one major goal, so check back in then and we'll see how it goes....

You may also be wondering why I am telling you my personal goals (and the actions involved to meet those goals) on the USEE website. That's easy to answer. Environmental Education can encompass all that you do. We live in the environment and constantly interact with it, so my goals not only pertain to me, but my relationship with the environment too. Here we go....

1. Stay Fit. This past year I've lost over 40lbs. I'm not going to gain it back. My actions will be to continue training, to run at least one foot race (aiming for a half marathon), to eat healthy and local, to drink more water. All of these things help me physically, but also allow me to take time to be outdoors and ponder my environment (i.e., Where is my food coming from? What is food grade petroleum and why am I eating it?) . The USEE Discussion ourses help out with this... especially the Menu for the Future Course.'

2. Prioritize Family Time. I am working at USEE as well as teaching a course at USU this spring. My husband works full time and goes to school. We have my step children at the house part time, two dogs, chickens and a gigantic to-do list. The USEE Discussion Course Healthy Children Healthy Planet opened my eyes to how much we let society take over and dictate what we "should" be doing. We should work more to make more money to be happy. We should put our kids in as many classes as we can so they are successful adults. But no, not for me. I am uber busy, but I am going to take time out for my family. We'll go on walks, check out the stars, dig in the dirt, etc. They will be more involved in all the other goals as well. Read on.

3. RELAX! This relates to the goal above. I can't sit still. If I'm watching TV, I am crocheting a hat. The only time I am relaxing is if it is also serving another purpose. I don't sit in the hot tub to relax, I sit in it to get warm. My mindset is going to change. Relaxing will help me in meeting my goal above. I will remember that I don't have to be everything to everyone.

4. Spend time with my dog. I have a new puppy who demands attention. But, I also have an old lab who has been my buddy for 10 years. He's can't do the things that he used to with me. He was my hiking friend and running pal. Now, he gets so excited when i put on my running shoes and I have to say "No, you stay here Bronco, you can't go that far." How horrible is that? So, I will slow down (relax? goal number 3?), and take my old friend for a walk at his pace (it is a good pace for the kids too.... goal number 2?). Being out in the environment benefits me tremendously. But, does that mean it needs to be at my running pace? No, I can enjoy it at an old dogs gait, and he will be much happier too. He deserves it.

5. Have an awesome garden. We have a huge garden area in my backyard. I did an ok job last year with it, but this year... look out! I plan to be able to provide much of my families food from my little plot of dirt. I've been gathering info and tips from my mom, my grandma and anyone who will let me pick their brains. Gardening will fit in with goal number 1, 2, and 3...I love multitasking. This makes me feel great about my contribution to the environment. I can cut down on energy costs of food production and travel. I know where it will come from, how it was grown, and what was put on it. It will also be a wonderful teaching tool for my kiddos.

6. Live more sustainably/simply. This one is a no brainer on how it relates to the environment, but here are a couple ways I hope to accomplish it. My husband Joe and I are going to do a three month experiment of not buying anything new (other than food and emergency things like car repairs, etc). If we need something, it has to come from freecycle, DI or be borrowed. This should be fun for us as we LOVE scrounging. One mans junk is our treasure. We'll reassess at three months. The kids are in on it too, and I love the thought of teaching them that we don't always need to be consumers. I also hope to use less plastic and create less plastic waste (stay tuned for another blog post).

7. Rid myself of clutter. I just read an article from YES! Magazine about a woman who lives quite happily in an 84 square foot house. I complain about my 1700 square foot house. Yes, I have the husband, two kids, two dogs, chickens, etc to justify with, but really, we don't need more room, just less stuff. I have a plan to create a 6 month box in the garage. If I put something in there today for example, I'll put a date on it 6 months from now, so June 31. If I haven't thought of it or pulled it back out by then, it needs to be giving to someone who can really use it. I can live happily with my little family and I don't need to upgrade to a bigger, less economical house.

8. Redevelop old friendships, make new ones. I like to be alone. Who doesn't? But, I also need my friends. I need to share experiences with them (my favorites are the ones that happen outdoors!), I need to learn from them (any good gardening tips?), I need to relax with them, etc. I also LOVE making new friends. A group of "professional acquaintances" got together last year for the Healthy Planet Healthy Children Discussion course. What an amazing group of women! I was so blessed to get to know them better, and to learn so much from them. I look forward to more in 2009.

9. GET OUTSIDE MORE! This again relates to all my goals above, but it needs to be a conscious thought as well. The last month here at the USEE office we have been trying to take a walk outside everyday. Even in the snow. It is amazing how much it brightens my mood, makes me more productive and keeps me awake. I always end up putting off my outdoor experiences for other things I think are more pressing (household chores?). Getting outside will help me with everything in my life as you can see from this whole blog post.

So, I'm excited to get a move'on for all my goals. If they don't end up happening to their fullest, oh well. At least they are on my mind, and I'll do my best.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Questions regarding Environmental Education to the Obama Science Team

On December 19^th, Andrew Revkin wrote a blog called "Questions for Obama's Science Team" on the New York Times website and invited readers to submit their own questions, promising to send the 10 questions with the most votes to the new Administration and press them for answers.  

 

The Campaign for Environmental Literacy submitted a question (scroll down to question 31) about whether the Science Team supported Environmental Education, including green education, green jobs and green schools in the stimulus package. 

What questions would you ask?

Happy Holidays!

The USEE staff would like to wish you a lovely holiday season. May the New Year fill your life with love, your heart with hope, and the world with peace. Happy Holidays!

Conserve Electricity This Year

Are you thinking about New Year's resolutions yet? Well here's one to try on for size: switch out your old incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL's). The easiest way to do this is to go out and buy a pack of CFL's and replace your incandescent light bulbs as they burn out with CFL's, and then vow to never buy an incandescent bulb again!

The benefits of doing this are both monetary and environmentally sound. CFL's do cost more up front, but they last about ten times longer than ordinary light bulbs and use about 75% less energy. This is because most of the energy that is used by incandescent light bulbs is expelled as heat, rather than light, while CFL's use energy for producing only light. The trick with CFL's is to never ever throw them away!! In order to be more energy efficient, CFL's must be made with small amounts of mercury inside. If there is a concentration of CFL's disposed of in landfills, the accumulated mercury will leech into the earth and pollute ground water. Here are some tips on how to handle (and recycle) CFL's safely:

• Check with your local municipalities for drop-off points where you can take CFL's to be recycled. If you live in Salt Lake County, check here for some suggestions. Nationally, you can also take spent or broken CFL's to any Home Depot or Ikea store.
• Put the bulb in two plastic bags. Most states require this so as to protect the environment, and the recycling handlers, in case the bulb gets broken.
• Clean up broken bulbs with caution. Use two pieces of stiff cardboard to "sweep" up the pieces and powder and place all of the broken bits and clean-up materials in a sealed plastic bag, placed inside another plastic bag. Take them to the recycling center and be sure to indicate that the bulb has broken.
• Wear disposable gloves whenever cleaning up broken bulbs. Never handle broken bulbs with your bare hands and dispose of your gloves along with your other clean up materials.
• Always sweep up, and never vacuum, broken CFL's.

So, this year, if you haven't already done so, switch out those light bulbs! To see where to recycle CFL's outside of the Salt Lake Valley, check out the EPA's website. And if you're worried about changing your soft light to the harsher, brighter light of a fluorescent, don't worry about it. There are now several varieties available that have different lighting options. So check them out and conserve some electricity this year.

Photo Credit

Recycle your Wrapping Paper

Image credit

The other day, as I was running to the store to get some new wrapping paper (because a certain 4 year old and 6 year old in my house would totally know something was fishy if "you know who" wrapped their presents in the same paper that their daddy in I wrapped their presents in) I wondered, can wrapping paper be recycled? I mean, I would guess that it could, but can we just toss it in the blue bin for pick up?

Here in Salt Lake City, the answer is YES. So, please be sure to gather your wrapping paper this year and make sure it gets into the recycle bin. If you don't live in SLC, just give your local recycling department a call and ask. Simple as that. That could be the end of this blog, but I also wanted to touch a no-no's with wrapping paper and some alternatives.

No-no's

When I was younger, my family always had a nice fire going on Christmas morning, and once the gifts had been opened, we would ball up the paper and toss it into the fireplace. I've just learned that this is not advised as the inks used to create the lovely print can be toxic and released into the air when burned. Seems like a no brainer, as most of us would know this from camp fire etiquette, but sometimes things don't translate from one situation to another.

Alternatives

I was fortunate enough this year to acquire a whole box full of old National Geographic maps from someone on Freecycle, and so have been using them for wrapping paper. A cool map of the world with a nice Christmas bow looks very nice in my opinion. If I would have planned better, I could have saved some paper from last year for the kid's presents and then spared myself the trip to the store to get paper other than maps. I also use the nicer wide materials ribbons on my packages so that I can collect them and reuse them next year. Other things you can do are....

• Use decorative paper bags instead of boxes and wrapping paper (reuse the bags).
• Wrap your packages in paper grocery sacks and tie with colorful string or hemp (very earthy looking).
• Wrap your packages in news print.
  
• If you can unwrap packages gingerly, save that paper for next year as well.
• Put your gifts in reusable bags (like all the grocery sacs that are all the rage now).
• Give gifts that don't need to be wrapped, like edibles or gift cards... or even hugs.
  

Whatever you do, just think about it..... think about all the wrapping paper that ends up crumpled on the floor in your house after the holidays, then multiply that by the number of houses in your neighborhood, then in your town, then in your state..... you get the point. Do your part by making the small changes in your life.

Happy and creatively wrapped holidays to you all!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

It has been snowing a lot here in the past week or so. Actually, it has been snowing so much that today I am writing this post from the warmth of my living room. The snow is piling up too fast and the roads aren't clear at all, so I'm waiting it out. I've already spent one day this week trying to get to work in the snow, which took me an hour and a half! So for now, I'll watch the snow out of my windows, under some blankets, and maybe even with some hot chocolate.

So, with all of this snow, there are definitely some cool and fun ideas to get out there with your family over the holidays and learn while you're enjoying it:

• Find some snowshoes and go for a hike, or even just explore around some open spaces in your own community. Even though it's cold and snowy, there is still a lot going on out there. While out and about, look for signs of animals. Animal tracks are obvious ones. Find out about native species that may live in your area and see if you can identify what animal might have left those tracks, or look them up on the internet if you're not sure.
• While playing out in the snow, whether out on your snowshoe adventure or just out building a snowman, check out the snow crystals. Note the kind of snow it is. Is it a dry fresh powder, or is it wet and good for packing snowballs? Is it really true that no two snowflakes are alike? (Yes, actually. It is true that no two snowflakes are alike. Check it out.)
• If the snow is really deep, dig a snow pit and check out all the different layers that are piling up. Find out what those layers mean: snow and weather conditions, melting/freezing layers, strong and weak layers. If the layers that are present in your snow pit were instead located on a steep slope in the mountains, what would that mean for avalanche conditions?

Winter holds a great opportunity to get outside and learn about the world around us in some fun ways. And with the holidays upon us, it's the perfect time to bundle up and savor the snow.

Photo Credit: Beccah Thomas

Wild About Utah

Would you like to hear more about nature, plant life, and scenery in Utah? Wild About Utah is a nature series that is produced by Utah Public Radio in cooperation with Stokes Nature Center and Bridgerland Audubon Society. Wild About Nature is aired every Tuesday, since June of this year, and includes insights and commentary about everything wild in Utah from bears and birds to bees and bighorn sheep.

You can hear the Wild About Utah nature series at:

• 9:30 AM Tuesday in the mid break of Access Utah
  
• 4:30 PM Thursday - All Things Considered
  
• 5:30 PM Thursday - All Things Considered
• 6:30 PM Thursday - All Things Considered

Or you can check out the Wild About Utah archives to hear past broadcasts or to read the broadcast scripts.

Adopt the Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education

Adopt the Guidelines

How can your organization promote quality environmental education? The answer is: Adopt the Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education!   By adopting the Guidelines, your organization will help to develop awareness of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, improve the quality of environmental education practice, and build credibility for the field. 

USEE provides workshops for stakeholder groups to adopt the Guidelines and apply them to their work.  In fact, Utah developed its own modification of the Guidelines in 1999 when more than 60 environmental education interests gathered for meetings of the Utah Environmental Education Council (later to be renamed the Utah Society for Environmental Education Program Advisory Committee or USEE PAC).

For more information USEE's Utah Guidelines for Environmental Education Providers visit our website.

For more information on the National Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education and a partial list of the organizations that have Adopted the Guidelines visit the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)

Air Quality Alerts

As the winter becomes colder and the inversions get thicker here along the Wasatch Front and in Cache County, the Utah Division of Air Quality has a few options to help you keep track of the days when our air quality is threatened.

1. One way is to join the Utah DAQ's listserve, which sends an email to subscribers and alerts them when our air quality is threatened. You can check it out at: www.cleanair.utah.gov/listserv.htm

2. Or you can check out the actual air quality numbers, which are posted every hour.

• Cache County
• Salt Lake/Davis County
• Utah County
• Weber County

Good Air Quality logo was found on the Utah Department of Air Quality website.

Full moon tonight!

I read this in the SL Trib this morning and thought some of you might be interested. Hopefully it isn't too cloudy this evening (the article below as well as the image can be found in todays issue of the Trib)...

Those looking up tonight will see the biggest full moon the Earth has seen since 1993.

To best view the effect, look at the moon while it's on the horizon line, when "illusion will mix with reality to produce a truly stunning view," according to Tony Phillips, Science@NASA's production editor.

"For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam

through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. The swollen orb rising in the east at sunset may seem so nearby, you can almost reach out and touch it," he writes on the Science@NASA Web site.

The moon's proximity to Earth also will affect tides, pulling the tide higher than normal by between about an inch and 6 inches.

Every month, the oblong lunar orbit brings the moon closer to Earth, but this month the moon is full just four hours after hitting perigee. That means it will be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than any other full moon this year. The full moon at perigee won't occur again until 2016.

smcfarland@sltrib.com

Big Birds, Little Birds and Owls

While hiking in Zion National Park last weekend with my wife Maggie, I rounded a corner and came face-to-beak with North America's largest land bird, a California Condor. Now normally I'm not all that interested in birds but I was excited that #75 clearly fit into my complicated bird classification system: big birds, little birds and owls. With a wing span up to 9ft. and a weighing in at 20 pounds, I'll easily place #75 as a big bird. After a little bit of research it looks like #75 is a male condor hatched in 2002. I knew about the Condor rehabilitiation program at the San Diego Zoo but had no idea just how rare these birds are; as of November 2008, there were 328 California condors in the world, over half of which lived in the wild. These 328 came from 22 birds captured in 1987.  

More information on these incredible birds can be found at California Condors Conservation and wikipedia

Support Environmental Education

Dear Supporters of Environmental Education,

This has been an exciting year for environmental education (EE) in Utah. The USEE staff, board, members, and volunteers have taken great strides in our efforts to provide statewide leadership that expands the quality, scope, and effectiveness of environmental education in our state. Thanks in large part to all of our supporters in 2008, USEE has:

* Increased the participation to our Annual Conference, this year held at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge;

* Expanded Project Learning Tree to work with over 300 teachers and college students;

* Conducted a state-wide teacher needs assessment with over 1000 teachers and over 200 organizations;

* Highlighted the importance of the "No Child Left Inside" legislation that passed in the US House of Representatives.


With a new administration, increased public interest about environmental issues, and strong grassroots organizations, 2009 looks to be a ground breaking year for EE. I was recently asked what worried me about the next 18 months. While the current financial crisis was on my mind, my response was that as the interest of EE grows, I am concerned that Environmental Educators will have difficulty meeting the growing demands for their limited time and resources. USEE's role as a professional organization is to help Environmental Educators and Organizations meet these challenges but we can only do this with the support of our community.

If Environmental Education is important to you, and as you reflect on what you are able to give this season, I hope that you consider making an end of year donation to USEE. No amount is too small to help and all donations are tax deductible.

Online donations to USEE can be made at https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=w024427

Thank you for all that you do,

Jason Taylor
Executive Director

Christmas Tree O' Christmas Tree

At this time of year, among my friends, the debate comes up as to whether a fake Christmas tree or a real Christmas tree is more environmentally friendly. The arguments range from "real trees smell good," to "a fake tree can last you years." So, in attempts to figure out this dilemma, I've posted some information about each type below (taken from ourbetternature.org).

NOTE: There is a lot of info below, so skim if you have to, but be sure to read the last two paragraphs... they've got the real message.

ARTIFICIAL TREES typically cost $100 - $1200. PROS: An artificial tree is convenient. They don’t need water or shed needles, and can be left up for as long as you like. Newer trees have softer needles, are more realistic and easier to assemble – some even come pre-lit. They don’t violate fire codes for public buildings. If you forget to take an ornament off, it will be there next year. They don’t need to be disposed of until the end of their life, which might be about six years. CONS: An estimated 85% of fake trees are manufactured in factories in China, where working conditions are far from ideal. They are made from petroleum products, and petroleum is a nonrenewable resource. The majority are not recyclable, and will not decompose in a landfill any faster than other plastics. In one study, 33% of artificial trees tested contained lead in their needles. Not all are fire-resistant, and fires are usually caused by the lights anyway. Space is needed for storage during the off-season. They may accumulate dust and mold that trigger allergies. They are artificial, and often look it.

REAL CUT TREES cost about $35-$100. PROS: Selecting and cutting a live tree can be a family tradition. There are many sizes and varieties to choose from, some of which are fragrant. They are a renewable crop grown on a farm. 21,000 tree farmers nationwide help sustain the economy, providing about 100,000 jobs, while maintaining 500,000 acres of open space. Although they are cut, just like trees harvested to make holiday cards and newspaper, one to three new seedlings are planted in each cut tree’s place to provide a steady supply for the future. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 40-45 million Christmas Trees were planted in 2007. During the 7 to 15 years it takes to reach maturity, the trees emit oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide which helps the climate, and provide habitat for wildlife. They are biodegradable and recyclable (e.g., for mulch). CONS: Some varieties have prickly needles. Pesticides are typically used to keep them healthy until harvest. Some people are allergic to mold or pollen on trees. Cut trees can only be left up for a maximum of six weeks if kept watered after cutting. If they are not watered, or were cut months ago in Canada, they can pose a fire risk, and dropped needles can make a mess. At the end of the season, the tree needs to be transported somewhere for recycling, unless you can leave in the back of on your own property as wildlife shelter.

SO... Does that make it any clearer? For me personally, not really. I still prefer the live tree, and have to always remember that there are pro's and con's to any choice. HOWEVER, I would love to tell you all about a Christmas I spent with my parents a couple years ago. My brothers were all off with their wives' families, and I wasn't married yet, so it was a quiet holiday with my Mom and Dad. Rather than going all out for a tree, my mom and I decided to break tradition. My parents live in California, and had been planning on planting a couple avocado trees in their backyard. So, rather than getting an evergreen, we opted for two avocado trees instead. We positioned the pots close together to give us a fuller look, covered it with the Christmas tree skirt we always use, added some avocado colored ornaments and lights and viola! A Christmas Avocado Tree! After the holidays, I helped my dad dig a couple holes and we planted the trees in the backyard. I know for a fact that every year I've been alive we've had a Christmas tree, but the tree I remember is the avocado... and now we get to eat them too!

Bottom line... Whatever you choose, remember to keep in mind what is important to you and what is good for the environment. Awareness is key! If you feel strongly to keep on the tradition of the live tree, do it, there are good arguments for it. If you love Aunt Hilda's fake pink tree that was passed on to you, kudos for reusing. If you don't mind being nontraditional, inventory what trees and shrubs you'd like in your yard and have your Christmas Tree serve two purposes. Or, if you are really creative, try out one of the tree's below!

Energy and the Environment in the next Administration

The Ecological Society of America posts a bi weekly Policy News Update related to ecology and the environment. They've just posted a special edition on what the next administration might mean for energy and the environment. Topics include:

+ THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION: WHAT OBAMA’S WIN MEANS FOR ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

+ THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION: WHERE OBAMA STANDS ON ESA PRIORITIES

+ REGULATIONS: ECONOMIC CRISIS SPURS INCREASED REGULATION WHILE UNDERMINING GOVERNMENT’S ABILITY TO FINANCE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL REFORMS

+ THE ECONOMY: WILL ECONOMIC CRISIS DIVERT ATTENTION, FUNDING FROM CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVES?

+ CONGRESS: SENATE DEMOCRATS NOW HOLD 57 SEATS, 3 RACES TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Heart and Hands Honoree

Congratulations to Autumn Garrison for being a Utah Philanthropy Day Heart and Hands Honoree!

The Heart and Hands Award honors people who make significant contributions to charitable causes throughout our community through his or her volunteer or philanthropic service. Honorees receive a Heart and Hands lapel pin, certificate and special recognition at the Utah Philanthropy Day luncheon. Individuals and couples are chosen each year by members of the Utah Nonprofits Association and Utah Society of Fund Raisers.

Thank you Autumn for all you do for USEE!

Border's Teacher Day

Border's Teacher Day is today, December 4th! Current and retired educators will save 25% on in-store purchases for personal or classroom use. Just bring proof of your educator status. For more information about this great offer, click here.

Heat Management for Your Home

I came across this nice answer to the common argument of whether you should turn your heat down when you are away and at night, or if that in turn takes more energy when you have to re-heat the house (from The Grist). I was inspired to turn my heat down a bit more at night, so I thought I would share it with all of you. You can see the original article here.

(This is the Grist responding to a letter asking the above question)

Either by evoking the confused masses or using all caps, you have convinced me to revisit this topic. I will try to explain, in basic terms, just why we should turn down the thermostat. But let me be crystal clear up here in the thesis paragraph: Turn down the thermostat at night and before you leave the house.

Get with the program.

Let's say a typical, nice heat setting is 68 Fahrenheit while at home, 58 at night or while away. (Your 50 is probably lower than most people will try, but bravo to you.) The heater will save fuel as it falls to 58, and expend about the same amount of fuel as it rises back to 68. Therefore, these two transitional phases cancel each other out. And while the heater is set at 58, for as long as it is set at 58, it is merrily saving fuel (aka energy, money, and the planet). Because as we all know, it takes more heat to keep a house at 68 than at 58. Overall, then, fuel is saved.

To bulk up this answer a little bit and remind us all that insulation and sealing the house are important aspects of keeping ourselves, but not the planet, warm, let's discuss air-movement dynamics briefly. Remember, air lives a life of heat equality. Hot air wants to rush out and share the heat with nearby cold air until all air is the same temperature. This happens, as fervid readers may recall, through the processes of convection, radiation, and conduction. The stack effect is an example of convection: Hot air in a building not only rises, but is of higher pressure. As it rises, it pushes against any cracks in the ceiling or roof, escapes, and leaves a low-pressure area at the bottom of the house. The cold air rushes in to the low-pressure area, and must in turn be heated.

Our heaters are fighting an incessant battle on our behalf, warming all the new air. If we are not there to be warmed, or are sleeping under a cozy duvet, we can turn down the thermostat. Programmable thermostats are very helpful and quite cheap.

I repeat: Reheating uses less energy than keeping it hot while you're gone. No organization -- reputable or disreputable -- disagrees with this advice. To quote the EERE, "This misconception has been dispelled by years of research and numerous studies."

People, turn your thermostats down. (end of article)

So now we all know. Let's do our part and heat only as much as we need!

Simplifying Your Life for the New Year

Its that time again... time to start thinking about your new year's resolutions!

Here at USEE, we have decided that we all want to simplify our lives. Simplicity is not only healthy for us mentally and physically, but also beneficial for the environment. Would you like to join us? Would you like to live more simply?

If so, please join our next Community Discussion course, starting in January (exact dates to be determined). We will be meeting once a week for seven weeks to discuss short readings and excerpts from the Voluntary Simplicity guide. Discussion strategies and ideas will help us all stay strong in our resolutions!

This course will help us
- Gain an understanding of the meaning of voluntary simplicity
- Explore the material and psychological distractions that prevent us from caring for Earth
- Consider how life might be enriched through the practice of simplicity

If you'd like to join this laid back, easy going discussion group, please email andree@usee.org. We'll figure out a time that works for everyone. Or, if you are not in the Salt Lake area but would like to start your own group, call us at (801) 328-1549 and we can help you get it together.

December Challenge

Now that the days are getting shorter and the holidays have encompassed us, we need to be paying attention to how much we are outside. The month of December is not always a happy time for people. Depression and suicide rates are higher in December than they are in any other month. The winter months also house for many people what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a "mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter."

We've already read about how sunshine is good for the body. We need about 1,000 units of Vitamin D daily. If you are taking vitamins everyday, you may only be able to get up to 600 units. Fortunately, the best source of Vitamin D comes directly from the sun and is absorbed by the skin. If you're outside in the day time with your face and arms exposed, you can get all 1,000 units you need in about ten minutes, even in cloud cover.

So how does this help with SAD and the winter-time blues? SAD is thought to be caused by a lack of natural sunlight. (Evidence that supports this theory comes from Finland where SAD occurs in 9.5% of the population. This trend is present in many countries in Arctic latitudes where daylight hours are extremely restricted due to the tilt of the earth during the winter months.) So getting in some time outside in the sun is very important. Also, SAD and depression decrease the amount of endorphins that are present in the chemistry in your brain. Endorphins are what make you feel happy. They work like a natural opiate made in your body in their ability to produce a sense of well-being. Endorphins are produced by your brain (specifically your hypothalamus and pituitary gland) during strenuous exercise.

So start heading outside to catch some rays and get in some exercise. By doing this, you are helping you body in so many ways! By getting the amount of sunlight you need you are not only helping your body get its needed Vitamin D, but you are also fighting off depression (if you are prone to depression or seasonal affective disorder). Getting your recommended amount of Vitamin D is especially important if you are a woman, as your body needs Vitamin D in order to absorb Calcium, which is important for building and keeping strong bones to protect yourself against osteoporosis.

Here's the challenge: Everyday for the month of December, spend at least 15 minutes outside.

• Take a walk around the block during your lunch break
• If you can, walk to work or walk to the nearest bus or train stop
• Bundle up and eat your lunch outside
• Take your work outside
• If you have a quick errand to run, put on a coat and walk
  
• Get up early and go for quick walk or run before getting ready for work
• Talk to you co-workers out in the parking lot before heading out
• Make it fun! Challenge members of your family or other people in your office. This way you can do the challenge together and compare notes. Keep track of it. Make a paper chain to count your progress or a calendar to keep track of who's done what.
  

We here at USEE are up for the challenge! We are going to be walking around the block a lot at work for at least the next month. Do you have any other ideas of how to get in your daily sunshine? Share with us! Are you up for the challenge?

Sun photo
Earth photo