Energy Tip: According to the U.S. EPA, you can affect the emissions of about 4,800 pounds of carbon equivalent, or nearly 32 percent of the total emissions per person, by the choices you make in home energy use, waste disposal and transportation.

Sun-Earth Day is comprised of a series of programs and events that occur throughout the year to celebrate the Spring Equinox. For Sun-Earth Day 2009, NASA will offer a series of events to promote and highlight the sun and its connection to Earth and other planets in support of the International Year of Astronomy. For more information or to see how your school can join the celebration, go to
http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2009/index.php

The American Honda Foundation makes grants to K-12 schools, colleges, universities, trade schools, and other youth-focused non-profit organizations for programs that benefit youth and scientific education. Deadline to apply is May 1. Take the online eligibility quiz to see if your organization can apply at
http://corporate.honda.com/america/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf

The Dominion Foundation will provide grants of up to $10,000 to K-12 schools to enhance math and science programs through studying energy and the environment. Applications are due May 1. For more information or to apply, go to
http://www.dom.com/about/education/grants/grants.jsp

The NASA Earth Observatory website has aerial photos of Southern South America’s vegetation levels. Most areas contain little to no vegetation, which will greatly impact the regions normally productive agriculture. To view the photo and read more about the drought, please visit
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=37239

Did you know electric vehicles are capable of reaching speeds over 300 mph, and can recharge in under 15 minutes? Not many people do, but Riches-Nelson Racing and Southern Utah University combined efforts to create ERaceBike.com to educate the public on EV technologies. To see the site for yourself, go to
http://www.eracebike.com

SMUD is offering grants of up to $10,000 to schools that implement projects that explore solar energy. This grant opportunity is open to all high school and community colleges within the SMUD service territory. Application deadline is March 31. For more information or an application form, contact Suzette DelBono at (916) 732-5175 or sdelbon@smud.org

NASA wants your help in naming their new space module. Vote for one of the listed names, or think of your own, by March 28. To vote, go to
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html

Show your concern about climate change! Join the individuals, businesses and organizations in 74 countries and turn off your lights for 60 minutes on March 28 at 8:30 p.m. Find out how you can help and sign up at
http://www.earthhourus.org

To raise awareness of sun safety, SunWise encourages K-8 students to enter their annual sun safety poster contest. Entry deadline is April 13. For more information or to register online, go to
http://www.shadefoundation.org/index.php/programs/2009-poster-contest

The Wildlife Conservation Society wants to know about teens who show their commitment to the environment with their service-learning projects. Students ages 13–19 are eligible. Application deadline is April 15. For more information or for an application, go to
http://teens4planetearth.com/serviceawards

Read the influence Susan Ward, a teacher at Blackwater Middle School in Conway, South Carolina, has made in connecting her students with nature by exploring hands on activities generated by PLT.
http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/36_124_189.html

Environmental education is increasingly taking the form of community service projects that connect kids to nature. In support, a 29-state grant by Project Learning Tree (PLT) has awarded 58 schools and organizations. The grants will enable students from kindergarten through high school to carry out outdoor projects, while also developing leadership and critical-thinking skills. To see what these schools are doing, go to
http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/36_124_185.html

Did you know an incredible number –13,000–creatures can live under water at both poles? To learn more and to see photos of these surprising organisms, go to Science News at http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/
40927/title/Marine_census_Surprising_number_of_creatures_bipolar

The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge offers a unique way for middle school student teams to create sustainable local solutions that can have a global impact. The deadline to enter is March 15. For more information, go to http://action.neefusa.org/page/m2/
2b1c8d8/b7bdcd0/3e4f50a0/7b0460f3/3963073212/VEsHAw/

In preparation for Earth Day, National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) promotes environmental literacy and stewardship for 3.5 million students annually by creating a full week of environmentally-themed lessons and activities for K-12 students. EE Week will take place April 12-18. For more information or to register, go to
http://www.eeweek.org/

An "eagle cam" operated by state transportation officials is trained on a pair of bald eagles in real time as they sit on three newly laid eggs. Caltrans installed the camera last fall so scientists could monitor the eagles, which built a nest close to construction of the Sacramento River Bridge on Highway 44. To see what the eagles are doing, go to
http://www.turtlebay.org/caltranseaglecam.php

The National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with The Weather Channel, recently launched Classroom Earth, a program designed to encourage the inclusion of environmental education into all high school subjects and make it easier for teachers to access best practices online. Visit Classroom Earth online at
http://action.neefusa.org/page/m2/2b1c8d8/b7bdcd0/3e4f50a0/7b0460f6/3963073212/VEsEBA/

Visit NASA’s Earth Observatory website to view a photo of the 75,861 acre burn scar created by bush fires in Southeast Australia. Australia has been suffering extremes in weather from extended drought in some parts of the country to recent bouts of flooding. To learn more about the Beechworth Fire, and to view photos, go to
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=37020

You can find more than 200 video clips of cars of the future on NOVA’s website, much of which was gathered during the making of the NOVA documentary “Car of the Future.” To see the videos, or to add your own, go to
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/car/open/

Ranger Rick's Green Zone is the National Wildlife Federation's interactive web site for kids. Students can help the Greenway family green up their house, complete a green Mad Lib, take a quiz to find out their green I.Q., take the Ranger Rick Pledge and watch the new Ranger Rick Adventure cartoon to learn how bottled water affects the environment. To learn more, go to http://action.neefusa.org/page/m2/
2b1c8d8/b7bdcd0/3e4f50a0/7b0460f0/3963073212/VEsHDA/

Play this National Geographic Kids action-packed game. Guide Snippy along the Oregon Coast to the Sea Lion Caves, evade predators and collect clams along the way. To play, visit the National Geographic Kids website at
http://newsletters.nationalgeographic.com/W0RT003CB39F79E3D51182FBD0F9F0

Registration is now open for schools and organizations interested in borrowing a National Geographic Giant Traveling Map during the 2009-2010 school year. Available for loan in 2009-2010 are the maps of Africa, Asia, and North America, as well as a brand-new map of Europe. To fill out an application for your map, please visit
http://newsletters.nationalgeographic.com/W0RT003CB39D29E3D51182FBD0F9F0

On February 2, NASA and Google unveiled a new Google Earth option that brings a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the Red Planet. Called Mars mode, it allows users to fly virtually through enormous canyons and scale Martian mountains that are much higher than any on Earth. For a simulation, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QtXFLL7Y2g&eurl=
http://www.insidehw.com/News/Misc/Mars-Mode-on-Google-Earth.html

When the baby Charles Darwin arrived in the world, on February 12, 1809, modern science was also an infant. Chemists had begun talking about things called atoms. But nobody knew what atoms really were. Physicists didn’t know much about energy. Nobody had a clue that light was a combination of electricity and magnetism. To learn more about Darwin and to continue reading this article, go to http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40650/title/
FOR_KIDS_The_man_who_rocked_biology_to_its_core

The DIY podcast program provides a set of video and audio clips, images, helpful information and links to related resources about space-related topics to help students engage in science, technology, mathematics and engineering. Educators and their students are encouraged to distribute their NASA projects through podcasts, social networks, Web sites, CDs, DVDs or other channels that they may choose. For more information or to view the podcasts go to
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/diypodcast/index.html

Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is the premier national science competition for students in grades 5 through 8. The Young Scientist Challenge is designed to encourage the exploration of science and innovation among America's youth and to promote the importance of science communication. Application deadline is May 20. For more information or to enter, go to
http://www.youngscientistchallenge.com/

The National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project is sponsoring a youth awards program to encourage K-12 students to work together and get involved with their school and community. The deadline to enter projects is April 15 along with your project application. For more information and project packets, please visit
http://www.need.org/youthawards

NASA’s Langley Research Center and the National Alliance of Black School Educators is offering K-12 students and educators a series of free, interactive programs that give more information about our home planet and the universe beyond through video-conferencing and webcasts. The first lecture is January 22. For a detailed list of lecture dates and times, please visit
http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=1646

Celebrate International Polar Year with Explore! Ice Worlds. These hands-on inquiry activities are for children ages 8 to 13. Developed by the Lunar and Planetary Institute and funded by NASA, the activities are intended for the informal learning environment including libraries, after-school programs and museums. A list of activities is available at
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities/investigations/

Books of Hope, a non-profit, service-learning project, needs your class to create and donate student-written books. Uganda is this year’s focus country as it has been in an on-going civil war for over 20 years and its schools need books. To see how your school can make a difference in other students’ learning capabilities, please visit
http://booksofhope.org/

In mid-November, a large “bloom” of phytoplankton (a plant-like organism that fish feed on), could be seen in the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand. The bloom changes the way the surface of the ocean reflects and absorbs sunlight, which creates bright blue swirls of color. To see the satellite photo supplied by NASA’s Earth Observatory, go to
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=35913

Earth & Sky radio shows are wonderful, short broadcasts on science and nature that allow teachers to “virtually” bring a guest speaker to the classroom. The programs can also be used with Project Learning Tree (PLT) environmental curricula. To learn more about Earth & Sky and PLT, go to
http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_23_60.html

This site allows students to have fun while learning. It offers a variety of educational games that teach students about the environment and how to be eco-friendly. Students learn about geology, endangered species, migration, habitat restoration and plant identification. To try these online games, go to
http://www.nps.gov/goga/forteachers/onlinegames.htm

Earth & Sky is a great science radio program heard by millions of listeners worldwide. Its programs highlight the wonders of science and nature through daily radio shows. Listen to fascinating science podcasts online or via iTunes. Find out what Earth & Sky offers to listeners at
http://www.earthsky.org

Join your peers from around the country for a concentrated week of special events and community outreach activities designed to raise awareness and build support for service-learning. Through this challenge, you can promote service learning projects among primary, secondary and college-age students. For more information about the National Learn and Serve Challenge, go to
http://www.learnandservechallenge.org/index.php

Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is the largest service event in the world, organized by Youth Service America, with the Global Youth Action Network as its key partner and a consortium of international organizations and over 120 national coordinating committees in participating countries. GYSD is an annual global event that highlights and celebrates the contributions of youth to their communities through volunteer service. For more information, visit:
http://ysa.org/GlobalYouthServiceDay/tabid/254/Default.aspx

Solar System Ambassadors is a public outreach program designed for space enthusiasts from various walks of life who are interested in bringing the excitement of space science and exploration to their local communities. To join the program, email ambassadors@jpl.nasa.gov.

To find an ambassador in your area and for a calendar of upcoming events, visit
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/events.html

Eight future scientists won 2008 Energy in Science Awards sponsored by the California Energy Commission. Their projects were selected from nearly 100 energy-related projects entered into the 2008 California State Science Fair.

Two awards of $500 were presented in the Senior Division. Logan Brabham (grade 11), Erica Fine (grade 10) and Michael Laity (grade 11) shared one award for their project, "The Potential for Vegetable-Oil-Based Fuels as a Substitute for Diesel."

Sarah Adams (grade 11), received the second award for her project, "The Utilization of a Photobioreactor to Optimize the Growth Rate of Lipids in Microaga for Use in Biofuels."

Awards of $250 were presented to four exceptional students in the Junior Division:

Congratulations to these students, who really wowed the judges with their energy projects.

For more information on the science fair and to view abstracts of the winners' projects, visit http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/index.html

Horton and the Mayor of Whoville have teamed up in the fight against climate change. Download your guide to find out what their tips are for you to help in the fight.
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/HortonESActiv508.pdf

As part of its Youth Investment Program, the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council will grant between $2 million and $2.5 million in funding to improve the lives of underserved youth by providing greater access to outdoor experiences from urban parks in the city to watersheds in the wilderness. In 2008, there are four different grant rounds three rounds focused on outdoor and environmental education programs and one on building parks and playgrounds. For more information, follow this link to the 2008 RFPs:
http://www.stewardshipcouncil.org/youth_investment
/guidelines_and_application.php?v=0

What early inventions can we attribute to Leonardo da Vinci? What item does virtually every household have that was dreamed up by a 14-year-old plowing a field? Test your knowledge about great inventions at
http://www.livescience.com/php/trivia/?quiz=inventions

How do you provide reliable healthcare Riders is an award-winning nonprofit that works to make sure all health workers in Africa have access to reliable transportation so they can reach the most isolated and vulnerable people. Riders' providers use low-tech motorcycles with high fuel efficiency. The organization also makes sure that the bikes are well-maintained, and the health workers ride them responsibly, so that they provide reliable transportation in remote areas and emissions are kept to a minimum.
http://www.riders.org/default.aspx

The 2007 Peace Prize was awarded jointly to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and to former Vice President Al Gore, Jr., "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." Did you know that scientists from Lawrence Berkeley Lab contributed to the IPCC's climate change research reports? Click below to read the article. http://eetd.lbl.gov/newsletter/nl27/eetd-nl27-5.html What else do you know about Nobel Prize winners? To learn more about great scientists, activists, writers and others who have won the prize, hear what they have to say or watch a YouTube video of the award ceremony, go to http://nobelprize.org/index.html

The Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington, D.C. has a new online database called Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA) that documents the carbon emissions of thousands of individual power plants worldwide, giving people access to information helpful for reducing fossil fuel pollution in their regions. Check the power plants in your area at
http://carma.org/

Hilton Hotels offers grants for various community projects, including education and youth programs. Deadlines are open-ended. For more information, visit
http://hiltonworldwide1.hilton.com/en_US/ww/business/citizenship.do

Create a lesson plan and qualify to win a mobile digital camera lab plus as many as 43 different grants for hardware and software. The program is sponsored by Olympus. Deadlines are open. For more information, go to
http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/grant_awards

NASA offers a number of activities requiring students to apply their math skills to solve problems in space. The problems are authentic glimpses of modern engineering issues that arise in designing satellites to work in space. Each word problem has background information providing insight into the sun-Earth system, specifically space weather. Teachers' guides with answer keys are also included.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/Extra-Credit_Problems_in_Space_Science.html

This comprehensive guide lists hundreds of service project ideas, including projects for community development and beautification, crime fighting, the environment, health, and many more for which young people's service can make a difference.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=2918

The California Coastal Commission has created a web page about oil spills for teachers and students. Go directly to
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/oilspills.html.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy offers 350 lessons and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy. It's website, "K-12 Energy Lesson Plans and Activities," organizes the materials by grade level and topic. A wide range of topics are available, including biomass, geothermal, hydrogen and fuel cells, ocean energy, solar power, transportation fuels, wind energy, and energy efficiency and conservation. Site visitors can learn about passive solar buildings, advanced photovoltaics, or basic wind turbines. They can also take an energy awareness quiz, estimate their carbon footprint, and then find ways to reduce it. Access the website at
http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/.

The EPICS program invites high schools to create engineering projects in service-learning. Designed to engage and motivate high school students in the fields of engineering and computer sciences, this program offers much more by teaching them the professional skills needed to succeed in today's workforce.

EPICS is also offering summer training sessions to high school teachers and administrators who want to use the model for their students.

For more information about the EPICS program, visit
http://epics-high.ecn.purdue.edu/

Available for downloading from the NASA website is the poster and activity booklet, "What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements?" Find cool information about the cosmic origin of the chemical elements, the big bang, star life cycles, cosmic rays, and fusion.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/What_Is_Your_Cosmic_Connection_Poster.html

DonorsChoose.org is an easy way for teachers to find donors to fund their classroom project proposals. The web site reviews teacher proposals and then matches them with "Citizen Philanthropists." Learn how this unique funding program works at http://www.donorschoose.org/contact/link.html

Extraordinary Road Trip is an educational computer game that teaches players how driving affects air quality. Players make transportation decisions for 25 characters to learn how these choices impact the environment. XRT is fun and free edutainment for teens and drivers of all ages.
http://www.extraordinaryroadtrip.org/

Teachers can order a free, student-produced video, "Easy Breathers," which helps teens and others make informed decisions about driving and air quality
http://www.easybreathers.org/index3.asp

Play Energyville and find out. Energyville is an online game sponsored by Chevron and the Economist Group. Power your city and network with other players to find energy solutions.
http://www.willyoujoinus.com/

Did you know that free online courses are available for middle school, high school and college students who want to learn about the weather? Meteorology Education & Training (MedEd) offers education and training resources to professionals, scientists, educators and students on meteorology and weather forecasting. Learn about the water cycle, global climate change, satellite imagery and more on atmospheric science, MetEd is part of the Comet Program, which is funded by NOAA National Weather Service. For details, visit:
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/comm_k12.htm

Visit the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) Earth Portal, a website dedicated to science-based information about the environment. The portal was created by a global community of environmental experts and features an Encyclopedia of Earth, environmental news, and forum where experts discuss different issues. Check out all the Earth Portal has to offer at:
http://www.earthportal.org/

The Alliance to Save Energy is launching "Generation E," a nationwide campaign to help youth tackle climate change by promoting energy efficiency. Youth can register to form an Energy Club, and the Alliance will support them with activities, resources, guidance, and recognition. To learn more, visit
http://www.ase.org/

Do Something is a not-for-profit organization that works to inspire, support, and celebrate young social entrepreneurs and community activists. For more information, go to
http://www.dosomething.org/grants

As a Global Warming Ambassador, you will introduce the Federation to the general public through presentations and community events, explain how global warming affects wildlife habitat, and tell people what they can do to confront global warming. To get involved, visit
http://www.nwf.org/volunteertypes/

National Geographic's Global Warming Simulation is an interactive map charting climate change. It also provides resources that promote eco-friendly practices. To learn more, visit
http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive.html

The Go Green Initiative is a simple, comprehensive program designed to create a culture of environmental responsibility on school campuses across the nation. Founded in 2002, the Go Green Initiative unites parents, students, teachers and school administrators in an effort to make real and lasting changes in their campus communities that will protect children and the environment for years to come. To learn more, go to
http://gogreeninitiative.org/index.php

Global warming has increased the odds against survival for many wild creatures. The sea ice that polar bears call home is melting. In Yellowstone National Park, the whitebark pine seeds that grizzly bears eat are disappearing due to increasing beetle populations. Longer droughts are making food scarcer for California's bighorn sheep, and Pacific Northwest salmon must spawn in unnaturally warm waters. In Florida, the last remaining manatee families are battered by more frequent and intense tropical storms. Check the Sierra Club's interactive map to see endangered species in your area and how global warming is affecting them.
http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlife/species/map/

Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies (F.I.L.M.) is sponsoring the Youth Film Project to encourage Hollywood to create more movies with positive messages. Several F.I.L.M. movies are now available for rental or purchase on DVD, including Happy Feet, and Dreamer: Inspired by You. F.I.L.M. offers online activity guides that focus on the main themes (such as the environment) from the movies and accompanying books. To learn more, visit
http://www.youthfilmproject.org/

What do you know about different places on earth? Take the National Geographic GeoBee Challenge and find out:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/index.html.

Tools for Building Math Concepts, explores how teachers can use software tools to help 3rd-5th graders develop fundamental math concepts by gathering data and investigating patterns. Teachers who complete the Tools workshop will receive continuing education credits at no charge. The workshop connects teachers with the Math Forum's Math Tools, a digital library and teaching community of technology tools, lessons, activities, and support materials. Teachers can register online at
http://mathforum.org/toolsandconcepts

GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide education and science program. Funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), it helps schoolchildren learn about the environment and Earth. Beginning in March, GLOBE will offer activities to celebrate International Polar Year, including pole-to-pole (that's the North and South poles) Web chats and a student-scientist Web forum. For more information, visit:
http://www.globe.gov/fsl/html/templ.cgi?ipy_announce&lang=en&nav=1

Ripple Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering kids to take action in their communities. Whether it is saving energy and addressing global climate change, picking up trash or raising money for pediatric cancer research, Ripple Kids wants to promote the good work of young people. To learn more, visit
www.ripplekids.com/howtobe.php

The five focus areas for U.S. applicants are education, health and human services, arts and culture, civic, and the environment. Grants are also available to organizations outside the U.S. Boeing also provides in-kind donations and services. Guidelines, including deadlines for applications, are available at
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/community/focus_objectives.html

Correspondence Match is a two-year exchange between Peace Corps volunteers and students in U.S. classrooms to promote cross-cultural learning. Teachers can choose any region of the world, any kind of program (e.g., environment, agriculture, business, education, health), and even a specific volunteer. Participants receive a handbook to facilitate the exchange. To learn more, visit
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/correspond/

Adobe will donate software to U.S. or international schools and qualified nonprofit organizations. Find out more at.
http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/philanthropy/software.html

Energy Quest, the California Energy Commission's energy education website for children, received two "Dottie Awards" at a presentation ceremony in Sacramento.

The Commission's website won top honors in the Education and History category. And when all the numbers were tabulated and judges' votes added up, Energy Quest had the highest numerical score and was given the "Top Dot" award - the top website of all 80 finalists. More...