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. |
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. |