News and Issues MO DNR News Releases - http://www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel/index.html July 11, 2010 News NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education now on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8548813173 Missouri Farm to Institution Grant - University of Missouri Extension, working with the Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition (MoCAN), is the recipient of a contract through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to initiate a statewide Farm to Institution (FTI) Project. This work is funded by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant. The project’s primary goals include 1) building institutional and legislative support for a Farm to Institution state level policy and 2) providing technical assistance, resource materials, and trainings to help schools, hospitals, care centers, and other institutions initiate Farm to Institution programs. Program Coordinator is Bill McKelvey - mcKelvey@umsystem.edu Park System Slide Show from Missouri Parks Association - Visit You Tube to see a 10 minute slide show narrated by Professor Susan Flader on Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites and the critical need to fund capital improvements - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRWwoUdGJQo US Has 8th Warmest June on Record, Above Normal Precipitation - NOAA’s State of the Climate report shows the June 2010 average temperature for the contiguous United States was 71.4 degrees F, which is 2.2 degrees F above the long-term average (1901-2000). The average precipitation for June was 3.33 inches, 0.44 inch above the long-term average - http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html Missouri to Host National Natural Areas Conference October 26-29, 2010-The Conference theme, “Connecting for the Future Across Generations and Disciplines,” brings together natural resource professionals, students and volunteers in a forum that provides practical land-management information through symposia, workshops, field trips, paper sessions, posters, round tables and opportunities for social networking - http://www.naturalarea.org/10conference/ June 15, 2010 News Alberici Foundation Gives $5 Million to Establish Sustainability Center at SLU Saint Louis University announced recently a $5 million grant from the Alberici Foundation to establish the new Center for Sustainability — a first for the nation’s 28 Jesuit colleges and universities. http://sustainstl.org/alberici-foundation-gives-5-million-to-establish-sustainability-center-at-slu/ May 11, 2010 News Morgan Selvidge Middle School in Ballwin Missouri a Finalist in the 2010 Siemens "We Can Change the World Contest" The members of Double Agents decided to focus their project on invasive plants after noting the detrimental effect Bush Honeysuckle, one of the most common invasive species in Missouri, was having on woodlands, prairies, savannas and flood plains where it was destroying native vegetation. The team decided to focus on assessing awareness of the plant among students, implementing various mechanisms to communicate the importance of preventing the spread of this plant, and assessing the role schools can play in controlling the spread of invasive plants. First, they distributed a survey to gauge community and school awareness. They also posted flyers, created a website, contacted schools and neighbors, and prepared articles for local newspapers informing the public of the importance of controlling the spread of Bush Honeysuckle. The group plans to continue to inform other elementary schools and the rest of their community about the dangers of invasive species. Teacher: Sally Blackburn. Finalists announced May 24, 2010. http://wecanchange.http://wecanchange.com/media/uploads/winners/MO-double-agents.jpgcom/community/about-challenge/winners/2010-state-finalists/#missouri March 10, 2010 News Governor Nixon Establishes "Children in Nature Challenge" The Missouri Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education, Health and Senior Services, Mental Health, Higher Education, and Economic Development shall actively support the Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources to implement this Challenge by: 1. Reaching out to Missouri communities to encourage utilization of existing state programs that help educate children about and connect them with nature and the outdoors; 2. Encouraging Missouri communities to build local programs that expand upon existing state programs; 3. Serving as an informational resource for Missouri communities undertaking this Challenge; 4. Championing the use of the Discover Nature Schools program and other indoor and outdoor instructional components for K-12 curriculum that strengthen children’s connection to nature and enhance their education about the environment; and 5. Promoting this Challenge and developing a process to recognize Missouri communities for their efforts and successes in meeting it. http://governor.mo.gov/orders/2010/10-18.htm Missouri Kicks off Fishing Season with 25th Annual Fish Advisory The health department advises consumers to be aware of the potential for adverse effects on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems from mercury in fish. Because of the potential risk mercury poses to the developing nervous system of fetuses and young children, the department recommends limits on fish consumption for children younger than 13 years, nursing mothers and women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. More information can be found at www.epa.gov/mercury/effects.htm. The statewide mercury advisory for all bodies of water in Missouri is as follows: Sensitive populations are advised to eat no more than: * One meal per month: walleye, largemouth bass, spotted bass, and smallmouth bass greater than 12 inches in length. * One meal per week: all other sport fish. In the absence of local advisories, consumers are advised to restrict fish consumption of locally caught fish to one meal per week because all fish have various levels of mercury. http://www.dhss.mo.gov/NewsAndPublicNotices/2010/fishadvisory_3-4-10.html Seven Missouri Schools get Fuels for Schools Grant The Missouri Department of Conservation in cooperation with the USDA recently awarded almost $6 million in grant to seven distrcits for Fuels to Schools projects from teh American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The schools are Southern Reynolds County R-II - $970,000, Perry County 32 - $970,000, Steelville R-III - $900,000, Rolla 31Jr. High - $760,000, Gainesville R-V - $970,000, Emimence R-1 Elementary - $350,000 and Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty H.S. - $850,000. Schools will use the funds to install and operate boiler systems that use woody biomass. http://mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/news_search.cgi?item=1267558191,70735, Climate Change-Human Link Stronger The UK Met Office (UK national weather service) finds the link between climate change and human activity is even stronger than the IPCC found in 2007. Changes in Arctic sea ice, atmospheric moisture, saltiness in parts of the Atlantic and temperature changes in the Antarctic are consistent with human influence.http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2010/pr20100305.html UK MET Office Releases Data on 1500 More Weather Stations The data from an addtional 1500 weather stations was recently made available to the public by the UK Met Office. The data from 3000 of the 5000 land weather stations is now available. It is not a new data set and does not replace records from HadCRUT, NASA GISS and NCDC. This subset is evenly distributed across the gloe and it shows global average land temperatures have risen over the last 150 years, similar to the rise of the complete set of 5000 stations. As soon as the Met has permission from the data owners in place, it will release data from all 5000 stations. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climatechange/news/latest/data.html January 10, 2010 News Dave Murphy of Conservation Federation of Missouri Recognized by Oudoor Life - Dave Murphy of CFM was recently recognized as one of Outdoor Life's 25 people who have changed the face of hunting and fishing. Dave was honored for "Inspiring the next generation" Go to the Outdoor Life website to read about Dave and to vote for him in the Reader's Choice selection (must register for this- click on the thumbs up) http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2009/11/outdoor-life-25-2010?photo=0#1001319097 A Safe Operating Space for Humanity- Nature September 2009 - Summary: 1) A safe operating space for humanity Online collection. 2) New approach proposed for defining preconditions for human development 3) Crossing certain biophysical thresholds could have disastrous consequences for humanity 4) Three of nine interlinked planetary boundaries have already been overstepped. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7263/full/461472a.html Boundaries image from the Nature paper: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7263/images/461472a-f1.2.jpgrage NOAA: 2009 Global Temperatures Well Above Average - Slightly Above -Average for U.S., U.S. precipitation above normal for 2009 - Global surface temperatures for 2009 will be well above the long-term average, while the annual temperature for the contiguous United States will likely be above the long-term average, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The analysis is based on global records, which began in 1880 and U.S. records beginning in 1895. The NCDC analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides. More at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/ November 4 Updates NOAA: Global Surface Temperature Was Second Warmest for September The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the second warmest September on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Based on records going back to 1880, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides. NCDC scientists also reported that the average land surface temperature for September was the second warmest on record, behind 2005. Additionally, the global ocean surface temperature was tied for the fifth warmest on record for September. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov Classroom Earth Success Stories : How to reduce your carbon footprint and save your school $11,000 Doreen Petri teaches AP Environmental Science and Anatomy and Physiology at the Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy in Erie, Pa. Petri has translated classroom content into action through an energy initiative at her school. The initiative helps students understand the connection between their energy use and climate change and allows them to take a lead role taking actions that save the school energy and money on the electric bill.http://www.classroomearth.org/success_stories   Quarterly MEEA Newsletters (monthly enewsletters are available to members only) Summer 2010 Spring 2010 Winter 2009/2010 Fall 2009 Spring 2009 Summer 2009 Spring 2005	July 2010 Park System Slide Show from Missouri Parks Association - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRWwoUdGJQo US Has 8th Warmest June on Record, Above Normal Precipitation - http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html Missouri to Host National Natural Areas Conference October 26-29, 2010 - http://www.naturalarea.org/10conference/ NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education now on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8548813173   Join MEEA Donate to MEEA
www.meea.org