The other day, I was watching my 5-year old niece, Chloe, at work, and one of my coworkers asked me why I started Fridge Box. I turned to my niece and asked, “Chloe, what color is a mermaid’s hair?” To which she answered, “Red!”

Red. The only mermaid Chloe has ever been exposed to is Disney’s Ariel: a trademarked character designed to fit within a stable of characters that a multinational corporation owns. In Chloe’s mind, there is only one mermaid, and she looks a certain way, and comes with certain friends and accessories (an orange crab, a blue and green fish, a white dress with a gold crown). But most importantly, Ariel the mermaid has red hair. Why does she have red hair? Because at the time, Disney already had a raven-haired character (Snow White), two blondes (Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella), and a brunette in the works (Belle from Beauty and the Beast). Ironically, their logic was probably, “Children like variety.”

Ask any child the name of an orange and white fish. 99% of them will answer, “Nemo!”

I’m not knocking Disney. I grew up on Mickey Mouse and Cinderella, and if you asked me, when I was 5, what an elephant’s name was, I would have said Dumbo. But, when I was 5, global media conglomerates didn’t control almost every story I heard as a child. I read a lot of books without pictures or movie tie-ins, so the pirates in my imagination weren’t advertisements for a whole division of merchandise made in China. I could make a pirate sword and hat from newspaper without feeling inadequate because my parents didn’t buy me the Jack Sparrow Deluxe Pirate Kit from the Disney Store. Most importantly, I had an imagination that was strong enough to see a Deluxe Pirate Kit where grown-ups could only see the Sunday Times. It’s a great thing, the imagination.

I hear a lot that technology will save us from global warming. What no one asks is, “Who will own that technology?” Because whoever owns it, will control the world, literally and figuratively. Disney owns Ariel, and it controls, in a very subversive way, what our children think about mermaids. And what will happen to those children, who have inadvertently sacrificed their imaginations in exchange for packaged solutions? They will be running the planet in 40 years – right around the time the last of the petroleum is circling the drain. If they are not already in the habit of imagining creative solutions to everyday dilemmas (like boredom), if they have been spoon-fed alternatives to resourcefulness and critical thinking their whole lives, how will they overcome the economic and ecological challenges coming down the pipeline at them? They won’t. They will be lost, and they will turn, once again, to those multinational corporations that solved their problems as children, because they never cultivated resourcefulness and creativity as essential survival skills. The scariest part is, I don’t know what’s worse: Disney not being aware of the long-term ramifications of controlling mermaids and pirates, or being totally aware of it and controlling them anyway.

People tell me all the time, “You know, as soon as Fridge Box takes off, someone’s going to copy it. You should get a patent on it.” Patent the cardboard box. That’s what we’ve come to. It’s all kids have left, the cardboard box! I hope every multinational corporation starts selling their own cardboard boxes. Because if 5 year olds around the world are turning cardboard boxes into pirate ships instead of buying Jack Sparrow Deluxe Pirate Kits from the Disney Store, we might still have a chance.

When Chloe said, “Red!” my coworker smiled and nodded. “I get it.” I shook my head a little. “Kids have no imagination anymore, you know?” I said, “It worries me, because that’s what’s going to save us from global warming. Not technology or multinational corporations. Resourcefulness and creative thinking. These will be the survival skills of the future, and they have to learn them now, so by the time they really need them, they’re prepared.”

April Capil is Director for Fridge Box, Inc. (www.fridgeboxworld.com)

Photographs by Rachel Capil

If you’re ready to encourage resourcefulness and creativity in your children, here are Ten Tips to get started:

1. Read to your child. Read, read, read to your kids!! It requires so much more thinking, listening, and comprehension skills than watching a movie or TV show filled with commercials for toys. Reading gives you connection time and encourages children to cultivate a love of reading and storytelling, which are essential to creative thinking.

2. Choose books without movie or product tie-ins. Whenever possible, pick books with original characters. We all like the Cat in the Hat and Curious George, but supplement these corporate-owned “classics” with original stories from lesser-known authors, or classic stories (like Strega Nona and Stone Soup) that haven’t been merchandised as much.

3. Beat Disney to the punch. The original Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie, was one of my favorite stories of all time, and I was lucky enough to read it before I saw a movie version. I was horrified to watch Disney’s animated Peter Pan and see Hook plant a bomb in the Lost Boys tree! If you want to introduce your child to a classic that’s already been appropriated, start with the original text.

4. Kick it old school. You don’t have to abandon TV and movies altogether; for many parents, TV is an integral part of family life. Think about content, though, and some of the older books and movies you grew up on that might not have had corporate-produced merchandise tie ins, but still carry the same messages you want your children to hear. Many are even available on DVD for the first time (Little House on the Prairie was always my sister’s favorite).

5. Play storytelling games. Ask your child to start a story with one sentence, like, “Once upon a time, there was a duck named Fred…” Take turns telling the story with your child, two or three sentences at a time. If the story starts to veer towards a movie or book you’ve read before (“Fred met a mouse named Mickey…”), re-direct it.

6. Don’t buy Halloween costumes. I was appalled that I only saw one original Halloween costume last year! When I was a child, all my Halloween costumes were homemade (with the exception of one year, when I was allowed a plastic Wonder Woman mask to go with a homemade outfit). This year, force your kid to use their imagination, and make time to help them make their own costume.

7. Get close to Mother Nature. You don’t need to go to a corporation-owned theme park to have fun. Take a local class in wilderness awareness (REI sponsors several Outdoor School classes), and look for ones that allow you to bring your children. It’s not as hard as you think to get to know the outdoors, and with the Internet, National Park Recreation Areas are easier to find than ever. Whether you’re at a lake, in the mountains, or on the beach, the outdoors can be a more amazing playground than any theme park.

8. Build something with your child. Start with a fort in the living room using blankets and sofa cushions, and graduate to a treehouse in the backyard. Instead of buying a plastic Barbie cottage from Toys ‘R Us, take a weekend and help your child build her own. Architecture and design involve all those critical thinking skills that are important to cultivate in future leaders.

9. Make room for inquisitiveness. I know, I know – questions, the bane of every parent’s existence! But they’re important! When your child asks, “Mommy, why is the sky blue? How do planes fly? Where do eggs come from?” instead of giving pat answers, make room for your child’s questions. Set aside a time once a week and call it “Three (or Four, or Ten) Questions.” Allow your child to come up with a certain number of specific questions each week, and write them on a white board or piece of paper on the fridge. On your set day, go to the library (or your in-home encyclopedia, or Google, if you feel comfortable) with your child and find out the answer to the questions together.

10. Pay attention. Diane Sawyer once said, “There is no substitute for paying attention,” and I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree. When you hear your child start to refer to all lions as “Simbas,” recognize the writing on the wall. It’s time for a trip to the local zoo to broaden their experience.

In these days of ” what do we do about consumption rising in Asia” – this makes so much sense to me ( it actually gives me goosebumps) you can see it on youtube here enjoy and have a wonderful day

Today’s children are tomorrows decision makers yet if you believe the media then the future is bleak as young peoples literacy levels are low and behavior problems and violence is on the increase.

However let’s resist that negative view of the future and instead of reporting about the bad young people, let’s reward and encourage the good young people.

Award winning young environmentalists

For example a dedicated team of young environmentalists from Waunfawr in North Wales (some as young as 8!) have recently won a top award from the Wildlife Trust. The team which form the Waunfawr Watch Club managed to shine out from over 300 other Wildlife Watch clubs in the UK to be crowned ‘Watch Group of the Year’.

The group formed in 2004 and during this time they have embarked on an exciting programme of wildlife action and environmental activism. For example in 2007 they organisied and participated in a beach clean where they filled 22 bin bags of rubbish, apparently one boy in the group said “but we can’t stop now, we haven’t done the whole beach!” . The young people also grew food, considered food miles, and signed a petition asking the government to introduce the Marine Bill.

If you would like more information about  Wildlife Watch Groups please click here

The future is green

Wow, what inspirational young people carrying out simple actions but making a big difference. With young people like this, the future is definitely green!

So moving forward as a society lets reward good behavior and let’s encourage the media to report positive and inspirational stories that make you want to jump out of bed in the morning and say “The world is great and together we can make it an even better place”

When I received details about this event in Nottingam the organiser said “The name of the event is ‘Smarter than Yeast?’ Check out the dictionary definition of yeast and let’s hope we can prove we are!”

‘Smarter than Yeast’ is a day of fun and education for people in Nottingham who are concerned about environmental issues taking place on Sunday 3rd February, 2.00pm – 10.30pm at The Art Organisation, 21 Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3AJ

From 2pm to 6pm there will be:

A free shop – Take home some new (to you!) clothes

V3 Power- Learn about renewable technology and hand built wind turbines

Still Within- Find out about permaculture

From 6pm to 10.30pm there will be:

Peak Oil Talk – by local Ecological Economist Brian Davey

Plus – Eco Poetry, Collaborative Art, Live Music & Veggie Food

If you would like to showcase your group or share skills at this event contact Hannah or May at maisiebate@hotmail.com.

Would you like to contribute to making your neighbourhood and your community greener?

Then this one-day course in Nottingham could be for you.

What does the course cover?
The tools you need to make a difference in your community, including an introduction to green issues and ideas for taking action

• Background to climate change and the Every Action Counts scheme
• Energy issues in the home
• Energy auditing of community buildings
• Working with your NDC
• Spreading the word
• Action planning and ‘taking it forward’
• Grants and incentives
• What next?

Is the course for me?
The workshop is designed for NDC residents and Urban Forum members who are interested in saving energy (and money), improving their environment and creating a more pleasant home and community. Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

Where can I do the course?
The course will be run on Tuesday 15 January at:
Training Room, Castle Cavendish Business Centre, Dorking Road, Radford, NG7 5PN
The day runs from 10am until 4pm with tea and coffee available from 9.30am.

What will I learn?
A thorough grounding in energy and environmental awareness issues and the knowledge and support to bring the message back to your community.

Who is delivering the course?
The course is being delivered on behalf of the Every Action Counts programme by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) a Bristol-based sustainable energy charity with 20 years experience in training, and Urban Forum, a national membership organisation for community and voluntary groups with an interest in urban and regional policy, especially regeneration.

To register, contact Kirsty Mitchell on 0117 934 1400 or kirsty@cse.org.uk with your name and contact details.

Please indicate that you would like to attend the Nottingham course and let them know any dietary requirements.

Information above provided by Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE)

Kids nowadays have so many more options than we ever did, and so many more people reaching out to them in an effort to help them realize their dreams!  One such group is the team over at the website ConsciousLifestyle.org.  They are a non-profit group here in the US set out to empower students and schools to be more socially responsible.

For 2008 they have partnered with Youth Venture and are seeking applications for this exciting program that supports students around high school and college campuses that start environmentally friendly ventures:

“Are you passionate about making the world a better place? Have an idea about how to make your fellow students and your school more socially responsible? Want to turn that idea into a reality?”

Conscious Lifestyle is accepting applications for its 2008 venture program.

Submit an application for the chance to win:

* Up to $1,000 in start-up funding
* Web space on consciouslifestyle.org
* Monthly skill-building workshops
* Personalized support
* Access to a network of social entrepreneurs

To learn more and download an application, visit http://consciouslifestyle.org/ventures.

Application Deadline: February 15, 2008.

It is easy to be dazzled by science. Science is, well, cool. It is about discovery, knowledge, exploration, and the undeniable human compulsion to poke at the unknown. And, as with every cool thing in the universe–we should reject the poor and irresponsible attempts, in favor of recognizing and defending the good and the responsible. It is true for consumer products, true for laws and lawmakers, true for nonprofits, businesses, and initiatives. It is also true for science.

This is not to, er, poop on science. This is to call attention to the difference between responsible, sound science and, um, the alternative. There are numerous efforts to promote and defend responsible science, and here I call your attention to two:

First, DEFEND SCIENCE (www.defendscience.org). A letter to President Bush from over 6,000 scientists asking that scientific inquiry remain free from political, religious, ideological constraints. While policital, religious, and ideological views are important pieces of the human experience, they should not dictate, strangle or direct scientific inquiry.

Second, a more personal project, SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE SCIENCE in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This pristine, remote, and highly protected archipelago is one of the last predator-dominated coral reef ecosystems on earth. Scientific research conducted in the public trust land and waters of these islands should be done in a way that supports conservation of the ecosystem and minimizes impacts of research activities. You can show US and Hawaii agencies that citizens around the globe care about the world heritage coral reefs in Hawaii, by signing on to the responsible science petition here.

Good, responsible and sound science is integral to envisioning and creating a better, greener world! Support the scientists and researchers that are doing this good work. I encourage you to take a few seconds in direct action–lend your voice and support and defend good science!

Did you know that Nottinghamshire is home to some fantastic green projects? In fact last Thursday (08-11-10) I was at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s 2007 Green Guardians Environmental Awards Gala Dinner (which I helped to organise) celebrating some of the best green projects in Nottinghamshire.

The event was hosted by TV Environmentalist Penney Poyzer and supported by a range of other green celebrities including David Bellamy who was the final judge.  In total, five awards were presented and winners in all but the business category receive £1000 to invest in the future of their projects.

The Winners were as follows:

Environmentalist of the Year: Tony Menzies

Tony is a key member of the Farndon Residents Environment Group and has spent hours working to make Farndon a more pleasant place to visit and live. He has been instrumental in landscaping and restoring the area adjacent to the riverside and in caring for the ponds nature reserve and propagating snowdrops throughout the village. He is also reserve warden at Farndon Willow holt where he monitors the internationally important collection of willows.

Speaking about Tony, Professor David Bellamy commented:  “A volunteer in the truest sense of the word knowing what needs to be done and getting down to work to do it. A real Little John of the green team”.

Environmental Community of the Year: Partnership Council

The Partnership Council has been delivering a varied, exciting, and unique programme of environmental education involving children, young people and adults, alongside a number of hand-on projects involving volunteers. Overall, their aim is to work with local residents to help them change and care for their local environment and to give them a voice on environmental issues.

Speaking about the project David Bellamy said: “The partnership council is touching on and improving most facets of environmental concern in the heart of Nottingham.”

Environmental Business of the Year: Notts Golf Club, Hollinwell

The Golf Club has made an amazing contribution to heathland habitat restoration in our county at a time when this habitat has been the focus of environment efforts across the
UK. The golf club has has transformed  neglected heathland and acid grassland areas through effective habitat management  – helping to bring back a number of threatened species and help redefine the boundaries for sustainable golf course management.

David Bellamy said:  ”If every golf cub followed suit I would probably take up golf”

Education in the Environment :  Orston Primary School

Orston’s environmental programme is a fundamental aspect of learning within the school and the number of environment related activities are countless. They range from wildlife gardens and insect towers to waste reduction strategies and a dedicated Eco Team, ‘Eco Code’  ‘Eco Action Plan’ and Eco Newsletter.

David Bellamy Commented: “Wow! the greenest of the green. Educating, Entertaining and Enthralling as they Reduce Reuse and Recycle their way towards a more sustainable future”.

Green Guardians ‘Living for Tomorrow’ award: Partnership Council

This award is designed to promote sustainable lifestyles and was presented to the Partnership Council due to its wide ranging activity programmes and links across different sectors.

I would like to congratulate everyone who applied for the 2007 Green Guardians Awards as every entrant was fantastic. The 2008 awards will be launched in April and I hope that there will be an even greater number of fantastic projects that are nominated.

Knowledge is power. This is why I have started an Open University degree in Environmental Studies.  Through the various modules I will gain a deeper understanding of environmental issues and the science behind them.  This knowledge will then hopefully provide me with the credentials and power to become proactively involved in tackling environmental and conservation issues.  This weekend I have started studying the first module, ‘Life in the Oceans: Exploring the Blue Planet’ and I find it absolutely fascinating.  This module explores the challenges of living in the oceanic environment, and how marine organisms have adapted to cope with the changes.  It also looks at how to tackle global overfishing, which I am very interested in as I have been campaigning for a Marine Bill.  Through GGG I will keep you posted about my progress with this degree and I will also share some interesting environmental scientific research / findings with you.