Seasons Greetings!

It’s that time of year when we begin reflecting on all that was accomplished over the past year. Utah Society for Environmental Education has been blessed to work with so many incredible individuals and organizations that are truly helping our youth and communities to develop the knowledge and skills to make more informed choices for their environment.

Thank you for all you have done to support USEE’s efforts in 2005 to help strengthen the capacity of environmental education programs in Utah! As you reflect upon your giving priorities this season, we ask you to please consider making a year-end donation to USEE in support of our efforts to increase the quality and effectiveness of environmental education statewide.

For more information on USEE’s programs and services, please visit www.usee.org.

DONATE NOW: If you would like to make an online donation, click here.

2006 Utah Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest

K-12 students are invited to participate in the 2006 Utah Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program teaches children about the importance of wetlands and associated wildlife. After working through a curriculum, students complete a term project in the form of a piece of artwork, which they may enter into the annual contest. The deadline for art submissions is March 15, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/.

A Cleaner Great Salt Lake

A panel of policymakers, scientists, and environmentalists has set out to develop the first water quality standards for the Great Salt Lake. Last year the director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality formed the Great Salt Lake Water Quality Steering Committee. The committee will work toward establishing selenium standards for the lake. Trace amounts of selenium occur naturally in the Great Salt Lake, but higher levels produced by human activity can be deadly to wildlife.

For the full story from the Salt Lake Tribune, visit http://sltrib.com/utah/ci_3258092.

What else is happening in Utah? Check out USEE’s On-Line Directory of environmental education programs and events at www.usee.org/database.html.

NEW BOOK: Teaching Green: The Middle Years
	Although published fifteen months ago, Green Teacher is pleased to finally announce the publication of the 240 page Teaching Green: The Middle Years. Subtitled “Hands-on Learning in Grades 6-8,” this large format paperback contains over 50 of the best teaching strategies and activities contributed to Green Teacher magazine during the past decade—all updated and revised for this special anthology.
Teaching Green: The Middle Years was designed to serve as a complete “green” teaching resource for those working with middle school-aged youth, inside or outside of schools. Readers will find a wealth of kid-tested ideas contributed by educators from across North America and covering a wide spectrum of environmental topics, from biodiversity to resource consumption to green technology. It includes practical projects and new learning strategies that will inspire educators seeking innovative ideas for incorporating green themes into their programs. Teaching Green: The Middle Years costs $22.95 plus $4.50 shipping. It can be ordered online at www.greenteacher.com, by calling toll-free (888) 804-1486, or by mailing a check to: Green Teacher, PO Box 452, Niagara Falls, NY, 14304.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Turns 35!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrated its 35th Anniversary on December 2. Created by Richard Nixon on December 2, 1970, the EPA has played an invaluable role in cleaning up our environment. "[The] EPA may still be one of the newer kids on the block, [but] the results we have delivered to the American people can stack up next to any of our federal partners in the government," said EPA Administrator, Stephen L. Johnson. "EPA's birthday present is cleaner air, water, and land for all Americans – fulfilling our obligation to leave the nation's environment healthier than when we found it." For more information about EPA's 35th Anniversary, visit http://epa.gov/35thanniversary/.

Bend in the River Solstice Celebration

Please join the Bend in the River Program for a solstice celebration on December 21 from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Bend-in-the-River (1030 W. Fremont Avenue). We will be sharing fun and educational activities as well as light refreshments and prizes. For more information, contact Kimberly at kimberly.jemison@utah.edu.

Utah’s Hogle Zoo Presents “Snowmen are for the Birds”

Children can discover fun facts about our feathered friends as Frosty comes to life to feed the birds when the cold wind blows and deep snow covers their world. Learn how we can help make their winter easier. Fees are $25 per child for zoo members, $30 per child for non-members; lunch is provided. Contact Linda Middleton, Program Coordinator for more information: 584-1763 or lmiddleton@hoglezoo.org.

Did you know that the United States produces 5 million extra tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Years Day each year?

Here are a few easy ways to reduce waste during the holiday season:

Send email greeting cards instead of paper.
Remove your name from mailing lists.
Recylce your Christmas tree. Visit www.earth911.org to find out where to go to recycle your holiday decorations.

For more tips for reducing waste this holiday season check out the following websites:

Source: The Center for a New American Dream; http://www.newdream.org/holiday/index.php

We would like to thank Niranjan Bhandari for his work as an intern at USEE throughout this fall! Niranjan is a public policy student at BYU and has been working on developing a communications strategy for USEE’s Air Quality Research Project. This project was funded in 2004 through an environmental justice grant to research the public perceptions of air quality issues in low income and minority communities within Salt Lake Valley. If you are interested in receiving a summary of the results of this project, please email jenv@usee.org.

We would also like to thank our new and renewing Institutional Members:

National Energy Foundation
Utah House/ Utah Botanical Center
Wasatch Community Gardens

Salt Lake City has won the World Leadership Award in London!

LONDON — Salt Lake City has won the World Leadership Award in the environmental category. Following a half hour live Keynote presentation by Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, a panel of seven judges declared Salt Lake City the winner at a ceremony this evening at the Royal Courts of Justice. The World Leadership Forum describes Mayor Anderson as, “A leading international spokesman and expert on combating global warming. His ambitious environmental program ‘Salt Lake City Green’ is a coordinated series of major initiatives including alternative transportation, zero-waste, recycling, climate protection, e2 business promotion, high performance buildings, open space, urban forest and smart growth.” For more information, go to http://www.world-leadership-awards.org/shortlist.