On October 13, 2010 the National Park Foundation's Electronic Field Trip series will broadcast from North Cascades National Park to teach 4th to 8th grade students around the country about climate change. Two shows will air on that date at 10am ET and 1pm ET. You can find more information on the show, interactive games for youth, and classroom-ready lesson plans, developed by the Will Steger Foundation, at www.northcascadeseft.org.

This will be the first Electronic Field Trip broadcast from a park in Washington State and the first focused on the planet's changing climate. With its northerly location and high elevation, North Cascades National Park is already experiencing melting glaciers and loss of species. As a result of its efforts to understand and address climate change with science, management, and education, the park has a great deal to teach to students about natural areas and their own lives.

It's easy and free to participate in the live show with your students or, if you're a broadcaster, to carry the show for students in your area. Just go to the link below to fill out a quick registration form so we can keep you up to date on how to access the show.

Visit National Parks Foundation Electronic Field Trip

If you're an educator, register now.

If you're a broadcaster and would like to air the show on your channel, register for PBS satellite coordinates here.

This August, the British Council, in partnership with the California Air Resources Board and the Will Steger Foundation, will launch the Climate Generation School Leadership Program. This is a school based competition connecting environmental curriculum with climate action projects. High Schools in California and Minnesota are eligible to participate in the program.

Why should we participate?

• Opportunity to work together as a team to do something positive for your school
• Gain exposure to international network of climate projects
• Be eligible to participate in the Student Leadership Program
• Be eligible to receive grant funding for your project
• Educator professional development opportunities in Climate Education**
• State-wide and national recognition
• Participate in publicity and media events
• For submitted projects, each student will receive a participation certificate
• Have access to:
  • Partner and project database of non-profit organizations and existing projects willing to assist with project implementation at your school
  • Project planning tools
  • International projects
  • Climate and environmental curriculum and lesson plans

How it works:

• Between August and December, schools or classrooms must register their intent to participate in the program on the Climate Generation website (launching in August 2010)
• There is no cost to participate
• Schools or classrooms will then engage in a climate action project related to one of these topics areas:
  • Energy Conservation
  • Renewable Energy
  • Water Conservation
  • Transportation
  • Purchasing
  • Facilities
  • Awareness/Communication
• Projects must be completed by April 1, 2011, when project reports must be submitted for judging
• The winning projects will be announced in May 2011
• Winning projects will have the opportunity to receive project funding and/or other awards (see below for additional awards and participation incentives)
• Must complete a project that benefits your school and the environment in order to be eligible for project grants

To qualify you must:

• Complete participation/registration form (available on-line in August 2010)
• Classroom or School in grades 9-12 (High School)
• School-affiliated groups are also eligible to participate (i.e. environmental clubs)
• Must have a teacher or school-affiliated mentor for each project

Awards and Participation Incentives:

• Up to $5,000 in Total Grants (per state) will be awarded to winning classrooms; grant size per winning classroom will depend on project scope and available prize funds.
• Certificates awarded to every student who is involved in a submitted project
• Plaque for each winning school/classroom
• Press event for winning classrooms with high profile individuals in attendance
• Educator professional development opportunities in Climate Education
• Youth Leadership Program
• Funding and partnership resources
• Donated trips
• International programs and networking with other schools and climate projects internationally
• Scholarships and internship opportunities for your students
• Highlights on partner organization websites/newsletters
• Other local/regional opportunities to be identified

Detailed information, including judging criteria, participation forms, and project partner database will be available on the Climate Generation website in August 2010.

Click here to sign up to receive news about this program.
We'll notify you via email the day the NEW! Climate Generation website goes live.

A formidable voice calling for understanding and the preservation of the Arctic, and the Earth, Will Steger is best known for his legendary polar explorations. He has traveled tens of thousands of miles by kayak and dogsled for more than 45 years, leading teams on some of the most significant polar expeditions in history, earning him the Lifetime Achievement award from National Geographic Adventure Magazine in 2007. Will led the first confirmed dogsled journey to the North Pole without re-supply in 1986, the 1,600-mile south-north traverse of Greenland (the longest unsupported dogsled expedition in history) in 1988, and led the first dogsled traverse of Antarctica (the historic seven month, 3,741-mile International Trans-Antarctica Expedition) in 1989–90. Will has continued his commitment to education and exploration through the Will Steger Foundation. Recent expeditions have included a dynamic online component and have taken Will and his expedition teams to Ellesmere Island and Baffin Island in Canada's High Arctic. From the front lines of global warming, Will Steger is inspiring, educating and empowering people around the world to take action on global warming solutions.

• Will Steger's Expert Biography - Read the full bio here (PDF 5.1 MB)
  Will Steger is a recognized authority for the Polar Regions, including their environmental issues, and is an eyewitness to the effects of global warming. He has spent more than 45 years traveling through the Arctic regions, advocating for the Earth’s preservation and advising about permanent solutions to our climate crisis. Steger is a witness to the diverse and harmful effects of global warming to indigenous cultures, wildlife habitat and Arctic topography.
  
  
• Will Steger's Letter of Concern - Read the full letter here (PDF 52 KB)
  "Global warming is a reality. It threatens both our society and life as we know it on earth. The overwhelming consensus of the scientific community for the past decade has been that the planetary warming we are now experiencing, and the resulting climate change, is largely a human induced phenomenon. This was reconfirmed with overwhelming consensus in 2007 with the release of the fourth report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Global warming is brought on mainly by the release of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels, which blankets our atmosphere raising the earthʼs surface temperature."
  
  
• Will Steger Homestead, Ely MN - Read more about the Steger homestead here
  
  Located in the Northwoods of Ely, Minnesota close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Will Steger’s Homestead has been the base camp for several historic expeditions and is now an integral part of the Will Steger Foundation’s programming.

• Will Steger Expedition Journals - www.willsteger.com
  Will Steger's Expedition Journals that showcase his years of exploration.

Letter from the Executive Director

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

First, the ugly news: You’ve probably watched or read about the oil disaster that is unfurling along the Gulf Coast. Thousands of barrels of crude oil are steadily gushing into the Gulf every day, threatening the lives, health, economy, and environment of an entire region. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a stark reminder of the true cost of America's oil dependence. The federal government's response to this crisis must start with containing the spill and cleaning up the gulf, but it also needs to implement comprehensive climate and energy policies that address U.S. oil addiction. The climate and energy bill must ensure disasters like this never happen again, by creating a clean, safe energy economy for America.

Now the bad news: The media has fallen hard for the political game between Democrats and Republicans recently regarding the climate and energy bill; Is Republican Senator Graham in or out as a co-sponsor of the bill developed by Senators Kerry, Lieberman and Graham? Will climate and energy legislation include more off-shore drilling? Rather than continue to get bogged down in politics, it is time to muster the courage to do whatever is necessary to put a price on carbon. We were glad to see that Senators Kerry and Lieberman finally introduced the American Power Act earlier this week. The bill would establish, for the first time, effective national limits on global warming pollution. Those limits would get tighter every year and would drive investments in clean energy that create jobs and begin to end our dangerous addiction to oil.

Featuring special Guest, Dr. Naomi Oreskes, author of the recently published Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming with Erik M. Conway.

Science historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, explains what—or rather who—is to blame for the climate misinformation campaign. It’s the troubling story of how a cadre of ideologues clouded the public interpretation of scientific facts to advance a political and economic agenda.

"Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway have written an important and timely book. Merchants of Doubt should finally put to rest the question of whether the science of climate change is settled. It is, and we ignore this message at our peril."
- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe

Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, Cowles Auditorium
University of Minnesota, West Bank Campus
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455
Wednesday August 11th, 2010, 6 P.M.

Download the event flyer here (PDF 2.5MB)

For Directions and Parking visit:
www.hhh.umn.edu/contact/parking.html

Interested in meeting our guest? Join us for a private reception where you can meet the author. Click Here to learn more & purchase tickets.

Event Sponsors:

Will Steger Foundation was proud to partner with Focus the Nation (www.focusthenation.org) to sponsor a series of regional forums across the Midwest in collaboration with local policy makers and community members, highlighting the need and opportunity to transition to a clean energy future. Members from the Expedition Copenhagen delegation, along with other Midwest youth, took the lead in organizing the events. Minnesota delegate, Reed Aronow, worked closely with WSF to host the Minnesota Clean Energy Forum in Minneapolis featuring State Senator Anderson, Gayle Prest, Minneapolis Sustainability Director, business leaders, and representatives from the offices of Senator Klobuchar and Congressman Ellison. Wisconsin delegate, Jamie Racine, organized a facebook forum for online viewers to submit questions and installed a piece of artwork at the entrance of the Milwaukee forum representing one ton of carbon. Miriam Rollason from Augustana College included the forum as part of the school's annual Greenfest. These and other youth leaders helped to 'focus' communities across the upper Midwest, Maine and Arkansas on the intensifying global clean energy race and the tangible steps these communities and their elected officials can take to capture the economic potential of a competitive clean energy economy.

Clean Energy Forums took place on April 3rd in Arkansas, Maine and Wisconsin, on Apr. 8 in Fargo, ND and Apr. 10 in Sioux Falls, SD, Bloomington, IN, Minneapolis, MN, and East Lansing, MI.

Minnesota Forum:

• Clean Energy Policy Panel Discussion
• Clean Energy Open Space Discussion
• Clean Energy Biz & Jobs Panel Discussion

Michigan Forum:

• Focus the Nation

Wisconsin Forum:

• Focus the Nation

Media links:

	WISCONSIN YOUTH LEADERS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES AND SENATORS WITH NATIONWIDE CLEAN ENERGY FORUMS SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Young leaders from Wisconsin will host a Clean Energy Forum as part of Focus the Nation’s national campaign on Saturday, April 3, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST, at the American Legion Post in South Milwaukee, Wis. Read More...
	NDSU students to host Clean Energy Forum Young leaders from North Dakota State University will host a Clean Energy Forum as part of the Focus the Nation campaign from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Bison Block 2, 200 12th Ave. N., Fargo. Read More...
	AUGIE GREENFEST AND CLEAN ENERGY FORUM THIS WEEKEND On Saturday, April 10th, Augie Green will host a Clean Energy Forum at Augustana College as part of the Focus the Nation campaign within the nation’s critical manufacturing regions. Read More...

Will's Eyewitness presentation is an effective tool for motivating the general public and policymakers towards climate action. With support from Clean Energy Works and several Alaska-based organizations, Will's Eyewitness message hit the road with a tour of Alaska's major metropolitan centers, Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks. Will sat down with media in all three cities to share his story and the role Alaska can play in shaping its clean energy future. In Fairbanks alone, Will met with faith-based leaders and arctic scientists at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He also mobilized the dog mushing community and spoke with student groups. Over 500 Alaskans signed postcards for their two Senators urging them to create more clean energy jobs and protect our national security.

Check out the Will Steger Foundation blog - On the Road with Will Steger for details on the tour.

Media links:

	Will Steger Speaks to Alaska Public radio by Lori Townsend Renowned polar explorer Will Steger made the first documented un-supported sled dog trip to the North Pole in 1986. He is the author of “Over the Top of the World,” and other books, and has become a passionate advocate for taking measures to deal with the warming climate. APRN – Anchorage. Read More...
	Polar explorer and musher Will Steger to visit Fairbanks by Tim Mowry FAIRBANKS — Famed polar explorer Will Steger is interested in hearing what Alaskans have to say about climate change when he visits the state’s three biggest cities this week to speak on the topic. Read More...
	Polar explorer returns with climate change message By Kim Marquis Polar explorer Will Steger began his career in Juneau with a double Klepper kayak he paddled to Skagway with a friend in 1963. Read More...

Letter from the Executive Director

This month marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd. It’s often easy to focus on the environmental problems we have, and not enough on the solutions. In honor of Earth Day, here are five things we can be proud of and can build on over the next 40 years:

1. Being green is smart business: Big companies from Walmart to Google are embracing zero waste emissions – not just for public relations, but for their bottom line.
2. Renewable energy is no longer a niche market – solar, geothermal, and wind energy are growth industries around the world.
3. Environmental education produces enlightened kids who are great at convincing skeptical parents.
4. Individuals are making a huge positive impact on the environment. Our unprecedented ability to connect and organize globally means no longer waiting for government to act.
5. We are the luckiest generation. On the first Earth Day 40 years ago, we understood our planet insufficiently. Forty years hence, our knowledge may come too late. Though we may witness the worst, we have the opportunity to do the most.

This month Will’s Eyewitness message has hit the road with a tour of Alaska’s major metropolitan centers, Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks. Then he’s off to South Dakota for presentations in Brookings and Rapid City in an effort to build public support for climate action on campuses, in communities and to push for strong federal legislation.

Locally in Minnesota, our education staff are giving presentations and participating in Earth Day celebrations at schools and the Capitol in St. Paul. Get involved this Earth Day by checking out our action section and join us online – follow our blogs and join us at our next event.

Sincerely,

Nicole Rom, Executive Director

April 12-16 - Alaska Eyewitness to Climate Change Tour

Will Steger and Nicole Rom head to Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks to build public support for climate action this Spring!

Schedule:

• Monday, April 12th: Juneau, AK
  • Morning - Presentation at the University of Alaska
  • 12:00 pm - Eyewitness Presentation, Centennial Hall
  • 2:30 pm - Editorial Board meeting
  • 3:45 pm - KTOO-Radio (AK Public Radio)
• Tuesday, April 13th: Anchorage, AK
  • 6:30 Doors Open, 7:00 Presentation Wild Berry Theater (Download the event flyer PDF 344KB)
• Wednesday, April 14: Fairbanks, AK
  • 12:30 pm - Radio interview with Dan Bross of APRN/KUAC
  • 2:00-3:00 pm - Meet with local reporters on University of Alaska - Fairbanks (UAF) campus
  • 6:30 pm - Presentation at UAF Schiable auditorium (Download the event flyer PDF 460KB)
• Thursday, April 15th : Fairbanks, AK (Download the event flyer PDF 91KB) (Download the event schedule PDF 91KB)
  • 9:00 am-12:00 pm - Permafrost Tunnel Tour with scientists, conservationists and religious leaders
  • 12:30-1:00 pm - Informal meeting with UAF's Outdoor Adventure (student) Club
  • 1:00-2:00 pm - Informal speech (includes lunch) to UAF Leadership Development (student) Group
  • 2:00-3:00 pm - Meet with UAF Scientists
    • Katrin Iken
    • Knut Kielland
    • John Walsh
  • 3:00-4:00 pm - Tour Cold Climate Housing Research Center with Jack Hebert
  • 4:00-5:00 pm - Tour of Alaska Center for Power and Energy to discuss rural energy with Dr. Dan White
  • 6:00 pm Social Hour -7:00 pm Presentation - Social Hour at Alaska Dog Mushers Hall (Download the event flyer PDF 244KB)