Shawnee, Kansas: the real Heartland. Two Heartlands recently collided in my world.  One, the Heartland Institute, is a conservative think tank committed to debunking anthropogenic global warming. The second, Prairie Ridge Elementary, is a school in Shawnee, Kansas--America’s Heartland--with 550 young students who are committed to stopping climate change.

The Institute was in the spotlight because a climate scientist used unsavory tactics to attain information about their plans to release climate-skeptic curriculum, amongst other things. 

Prairie Ridge Elementary was in the news because they demonstrated their overwhelming commitment to fighting climate change.

While the Institute is busy plotting ways to confuse students through their erroneous curriculum, the kids in Shawnee are running a climate action program, Cool the Earth, and leading their parents in saving energy. 

Do I wish to dismiss the Institute?  Yes!  But I dare not.  Well funded and committed, they view their curriculum plans as having  “a great potential for success.”

I couldn’t agree more that educating kids has a great potential for success—when it’s based in science.  At Cool the Earth, we’ve been proving that since we began five years ago.  And the kids at Shawnee proved this by taking the most actions of any school in Cool the Earth’s history!

While Shawnee children are getting their parents to take action to save energy, the think tankers at the Institute are busy plotting ways to confuse kids.

Think tankers vs. 6 year olds from Shawnee?  I’ll take the 6 year old any day of the week. The real heartland is with our kids.

Thanks to the team leader at Prairie Elementary and the team leaders at all of our schools.

CARLEEN CULLEN,
Founder and Executive Director
Cool the Earth

Diane McCoy and Annette Isaacson from El Carmelo Elementary School in Palo Alto, CA

When they heard about the Cool the Earth program at an environmental schools conference last Spring, Diane McCoy and Annette Isaacson knew immediately that they wanted to run the program at the school where they both teach, El Carmelo Elementary in Palo Alto, CA.  They volunteered to be part of the kick-off assembly as Koda and Mother Nature, and found other willing actors among parents on the Green Team, fellow teachers and even the school principal.  They put on a successful show to introduce the Action Coupons to the students, and then got the reward of watching the kids enthusiastically turning in their coupons.  “It was so wonderful to see parents and children having real conversations about what they could do to ‘cool the earth’”, said Annette. Thanks to this dynamic duo, their community of 350 students “pledged to make behavioral changes that will keep over 1 million pounds of carbon out of our atmosphere.”  Their advice to other team leaders: “Have fun.  Enthusiasm for the program is really contagious.”

TIP OF THE MONTH

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We're thankful to our many partners and supporters who have enabled Cool the Earth to grow to reach the milestone of reducing over 100 million lbs of carbon this year.

Cool the Earth engages kids and their families in climate change solutions, by increasing awareness about global warming, and inspiring people to take simple actions to reduce their carbon emissions. You can share in our commitment to inspire and empower kids and families to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a one time or reoccurring monthly donation. For more information or to support our programs visit http://www.cooltheearth.org.