·:[ Environmental News Bits ]:·
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Read the full story in the Daily Herald.

Federal officials are preparing for a series of public meetings to discuss President Barack Obama’s initiative to restore the Great Lakes, an ecosystem battered by invasive species, toxic pollution and other problems.

Beginning Tuesday in Milwaukee, the Environmental Protection Agency will describe the initiative and take public comment in eight cities across the region.

Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.

Calling a T-shirt “green” is like calling a shampoo “natural.” No one is quite sure what it means.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is taking steps to give the phrase “green” a measurable definition with an initiative to put eco-labels on the hundreds of thousands of products that end up on its store shelves, sources say.

The idea is to give products a simple, standard rating that allows shoppers at a glance to determine how sustainable a product is, akin to a nutritional label on food.

University of Wisconsin, Madison
October 8-11, 2009

Join hundreds of friends and colleagues from across North America in a wide-ranging exchange of research findings, teaching tips, lessons about professional development, and discussions about the future of environmental and sustainability higher education.

You may make your reservation today by visiting the AESS website or go straight to the conference website.  You will also be able to reserve lodging nearby and monitor the development of the conference program.

Nearly 150 paper presentations have already been included in the program and dozens of roundtables, discussions,and poster sessions are planned, along with opportunities to hear prominent public figures and to meet with members of the Society for Environmental Journalists (SEJ), who are holding their annual meeting only minutes away.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The conference will kick off late Thursday afternoon, October 8, with a welcome reception and brief addresses about Wisconsin’s prominent role in environmental thought and action. Professor Stanley Temple, avian ecologist and past president of the Society for Conservation Biology, will talk about “The Natural History of Wisconsin,” followed by Curt Meine, Director of the Center for Humans and Nature, and biographer of Aldo Leopold who will describe “The Environmental Legacy of Wisconsin.”

The conference will move into high gear with a plenary on Friday morning, followed by concurrent panelsessions and roundtables. All of these sessions will be held in the historic Memorial Union located on the shores of beautiful Lake Mendota. A magnificent banquet will be held Friday evening in one of the grand halls of the Memorial Union. Saturday will open with a chance to visit the local farmers market, one of the largest in the nation, followed by plenary, poster sessions, and concurrent panel presentations. Saturday evening provides a choice of visiting one of the many local restaurants or joining SEJ colleagues for a festival at the Aldo Leopold Shack, with the Leopold Foundation. Organizers forS EJ are calling this a “slowfood extravaganza with some of the best beer, wineand organic fare that Wisconsin has to offer, followed by bluegrass music,bonfires, dancing and lots of down home banter in the heart of Sand County.” Sunday (October 11) will begin with a brunch organized around thematic discussion tables. A sign for each round table session will invite whoever wishes to join. Issues raised at this years conference, collaborations for the forthcoming year, or developing potential sessions for next years AESS conference are all possibilities.

Pre-conference tours on Thursday October 8 are being coordinated with the Society for Environmental Journalists, and will be open for registration by AESS members beginning on August 17th.

The combination of campus events and local field trips will provide opportunities to experience Wisconsin’s well known contributions to environmental thought at a time of year when the weather and nature’s colors are at their finest. Don’t miss this opportunity to attend the first annual conference of AESS – an event with the potential to help launch “Earth Day: Phase II.”

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Online Teacher Training Courses are designed for K-12 educators of every discipline who are interested in adding a new dimension to their lessons. Upcoming courses include Fundamentals of Environmental Education, Conservation Biology for Educators and Energy, Climate and Wildlife Connections. Scholarships are available.

The Bright Green Dream Challenge encourages teachers and students to evaluate their classroom environment and propose creative solutions for increasing energy efficiency, enhancing the learning environment and reducing their carbon footprint. The winning entry will receive a $15,000 sustainable classroom upgrade to be installed in their school later this year.

Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) grants support innovative projects designed by math and science teachers to make their classrooms more exciting and successful for students. Any K-12 teacher in a public or private school in the United States is eligible. Proposed projects must advance the teacher’s science and math teaching units. Grants are awarded in two categories: K-6 grants and 7-12 grants. K-6 teachers can receive up to $1,000 in grant money for their project. Funding is available for 7-12 teachers or teams of teachers that plan and lead projects in their own classrooms. Projects in the past have included biofuels research and water quality testing at a local lake.

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) and World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) are teaming up to provide volunteers with free water quality test kits. The WWMD test kit includes everything necessary to test for temperature, pH, turbidity and dissolved oxygen, and is ideal for use with elementary and middle school students.

National Public Lands Day on September 26 is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. This year, many NPLD sites will monitor and clean-up bodies of water on public lands. For more information about NPLD or to register or search for a site, visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/

World Water Monitoring Day on September 18 is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.

To receive your free test kit you must be one of the first 100 groups to register to participate in WWMD and indicate your participation in National Public Lands Day.