… only a plant whose value we don’t understand.
Have you seen dandelion leaves in your local produce section? They’re delicious in a salad and incredibly nutritious. But please don’t pick them from the lawn or garden unless you know it has not been treated with pesticides. Unfortunately, our local herbivores and omnivores can’t be so discerning. Pesticides applied to ‘producers’ like dandelions accumulate in species up the food chain – that includes us! Watch this short video on how to manage your garden naturally little to no pesticides.
You may have heard that less than 10% of all plastic produced is actually recycled. Then what happens to the remaining 90% – all of those water bottles, yogurt containers, straws, chip bags and other plastic waste? Read more
Tuesday, May 12th at 7pm
The current Coronavirus is not the first virus in the last few decades to jump from wild animals to human beings, causing epidemics or pandemics. Think of Ebola, Zika, SARS, and even HIV-AIDS. Will we see an increasing number of these epidemics in coming years?
Join a discussion led by Ecologist and Bard Professor, Felicia Keesing, about why we are suddenly seeing more viral epidemics passed from wildlife. Ms. Keesing will explain some of the causes, such as population growth and climate change, both leading to loss of habitat, and factory farming.
“Yes, there are Connections” is presented by Rockland Sierra Club, together with 350 NJ/Rockland, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland, Rockland Citizens Action Network, and Nyack Library.
Register This event is free, but RSVP is required.
*The discussion is preceded by Sierra Club’s activist meeting at 6:30 PM.
How Can You Make Everyday Earth Day?
The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day is 4/22/20! How will you celebrate the day and, most importantly, make every day Earth Day? For now, it’s not safe to clean up outside, but there are so many ways you can make a difference! Prevent litter by responsibly disposing of your wipes and gloves; keep recycling, reusing, and finding other ways to reduce waste; help protect pollinators and biodiversity by planting natives in your garden; fix those faucets and conserve water; switch to LEDs and turn off the lights – save energy and minimize your carbon footprint. These are just a few. Check out this list from the NYSDEC with several more simple suggestions to help you.
Earth Institute of Columbia University – Special Earth Day Events
Earth Day 50/50: Looking Back, Moving Forward, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Our special Earth Institute LIVE conversation with Columbia University experts, alumni and students will reflect on what environmental science and activism accomplished since the first Earth Day. Then we will examine today’s challenges and opportunities. Finally, we’ll chart pathways to a more sustainable, equitable, resilient future for humanity through the next 50 years and beyond.
EI Live will also feature a series of Earth science educational live and recorded sessions. For more info
Check out Microplastics, Mega Impact by Laurel Zaima, Education Program Assistant, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Join Laurel and explore the science behind microplastics. They have been found everywhere, from Arctic snow to the depths of the Mariana Trench. They are even found in our food webs and our laundry! Laurel will introduce students to exactly what they are, where they can be found, and why we should care about their emergence in multiple aspects of our lives.
Events from 10am to 9pm for participants of all ages.
Here’s some fun at 11 am – Bergy Bits: Understanding Rivers of Ice using Glacier Goo At-Home Activity with LDEO
‘Bergy Bits’ are simple activities introducing science concepts and glacier physics through student experimentation with ‘Glacier Goo’! Named for small pieces of ice found in both the Arctic and Antarctic, ‘Bergy Bits’ in nature are small pieces of floating ice that break from an iceberg, ice shelf or glacier. Join in by doing these experiments at home to better understand these rivers of ice!
14 Fantastic Short Films – Don’t forget the popcorn!
It’s Free – Register Now
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is coming back to Rockland County to uplift, inspire and connect you with the world and its wonders. You watched before, now watch again in the comfort and safety of your own home. Share this with your family and friends.
Where? Your computer/big screen at home; When? Pre-film livestream starts at 6:00pm; Film Festival starts at 7:00pm; What? Full Film Program with live emcee. For details go to SuffernFilmFest.com. See the full lineup.
ROSA 4 Rockland wants to extend a big thank you to Rivertown Film for co-hosting this event and helping ROSA to bring this fantastic community screening to you at this time. Donations to ROSA 4 Rockland (501c3) are welcome to help cover the costs of this event and to support ROSA’s ongoing mission to protect the environment, promote open space and encourage sustainable development. Donations are deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
The Rockland County Environmental Management Council is hosting its annual Earth Day Essay & Poster Contest, open to all 5th grade students who live in Rockland County. The topic is focused on the New York State plastic bag ban, which went into effective March 1st, 2020. New York State is banning single use plastic bags from retail stores. That means Bring Your Own Bag!
How can you reduce your use of plastic in your daily life? What are some alternatives to plastic?
In order to be eligible, 5th grade students must submit an essay of 500 words max, OR a poster by Friday May 15th, 2020 to: Nicole Laible, email@example.com. The EMC is accepting scanned original drawings, photos of drawings, powerpoint, google slides and more. We are looking for creativity and a connection with nature!
…and Share Calm and Peace with the Community!
How do you nourish a healthy mind-body connection, find peace and compassion? Yoga is a great practice to nurture the mind/body connection. The Tree Pose strengthens balance, provides subtle reminders about your posture and interesting insight about your current mental state. In many Indian traditions, trees, specifically the Ashoka tree, are symbols of love and devotion. Many native cultures seek the knowledge of trees for healing, searching their branches, trunks, leaves, and roots for powerful medicine. Patient by nature, trees are quiet and steady, living their long lives in rhythm with the seasons and the circadian rhythm of the world.
Practice your Tree Pose, then Capture and Share it with KRB and the community. Post your photo to your Instagram and/or Facebook story and tag us: #keeprocklandbeautiful #krb #treepose #rocklandcounty #earthday #yoga #mindful
Open your window, step outside. What do you see and hear?
Is that a robin on the grass, the song of a cardinal, or the drum of a woodpecker nearby? Visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology website and discover the sights and sounds of birds without leaving your home. Get up close and personal with Cornell’s Bird Cams, visit the Macaulay Library filled with beautiful photos and audio recordings of birds everywhere, or play fun, interactive games in the Bird Academy Play Lab.