Colin Carlson, First Place, Age 11, Connecticut, U.S.A. - The Cool Coventry Club
Seeing climate change firsthand on a trip to the Galapagos Islands, Colin became concerned about climate health. After viewing Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, he decided to "think globally and act locally." He said that he decided to launch "The Cool Coventry Club...to educate people about global warming and encourage energy conservation at individual, business and governmental levels." Colin created a Web site, The Cool Coventry Club, to educate and motivate people to change their attitude and behavior. Colin has organized 25 CCC events in 10 towns. He presented expert speakers and handed out printed matter about global warming and related topics. He also organized youth and school events, spoke in front of local governments in support of energy policies and passed out low-energy light bulbs.
Seeing climate change firsthand on a trip to the Galapagos Islands, Colin became concerned about climate health. After viewing Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, he decided to "think globally and act locally." He said that he decided to launch "The Cool Coventry Club...to educate people about global warming and encourage energy conservation at individual, business and governmental levels." Colin created a Web site, The Cool Coventry Club, to educate and motivate people to change their attitude and behavior. Colin has organized 25 CCC events in 10 towns. He presented expert speakers and handed out printed matter about global warming and related topics. He also organized youth and school events, spoke in front of local governments in support of energy policies and passed out low-energy light bulbs.
Alec Loorz, Third Place, Age 13, California, U.S.A. - Sea Level Awareness Project
When Alec learned that global warming could cause the sea levels to rise high enough to cover a good part of his city, he became concerned. To his surprise, he discovered that many people in his town either didn't believe in global warming or didn't understand the possible devastation that could be caused by it. He decided to develop a public awareness program called SLAP (Sea Level Awareness Project) to awaken the city to the threat of a sea level rise. To take action "I give presentations to educate youth on the science of global warming and empower them to take action," he says. "I am now leading a team of 40 kids to make it happen in May of this year." Alec built a Web site, kids-vs-global-warming.com, and has given 16 presentations to schools and environmental groups so far. He has designed posters, made videos, met with officials, and started environmental teams at other schools. Alec feels that the more education and knowledge that the public has about global warming; the more they will feel a personal responsibility to take action and support legislation to combat this serious problem.
Benjamin Workinger, Honorable Mention, Age 8, Tennessee, U.S.A. - Monarch Butterfly Safe Haven
When Ben read a New York Times article on the decreasing numbers of the migrating monarch butterflies, he became interested in helping them. Monarch butterflies are vulnerable to extreme weather changes such as droughts or hurricanes, and are dependent on the prairie grasses and other healthy ecosystems for their survival. Ben and his classmates turned their school garden into a habitat that serves as a way station for monarchs on their migration between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The garden provided a safe haven for other species of butterflies, as well as hummingbirds and bees. The school's efforts increased awareness about the plight of monarch butterflies in the local community. Ben and his school plan to maintain this garden for as long as possible. Ben says he has learned a lot about nature and is thinking about studying it later in life.
Alexander Lin, First Place, Age 14, Rhode Island, U.S.A. - E-Waste Solutions
Alexander was appalled by the global crisis of e-waste. When he researched e-waste, he discovered that only a small portion of it was recycled. "All consumer electronics are a serious threat to human health as well as our environment," he says. In 2002, Alexander created WIN, Westerly Innovations Network, and started Project WIN '05 to recycle and reuse e-waste. He renovated old computers from his high school's computer class and returned these computers to the local area for everyday use. WIN projects also included running e-waste recycling drives, educating children in schools, educating the community and lobbying for a local and statewide bill banning the improper disposal of e-waste. He began a new project this year entitled Project WIN '08: A Green Bridge across the Digital Divide. Alex is working with partners in Africa to set up Internet cafes and computer centers and is lobbying to build state of the art e-waste recycling facilities in those countries.
Dylan Pidich, Age 10, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. - Kids for Earth
Dylan said, "I want people to know that we need to take care of our planet and its helpless animals. If we continue on our current path, many humans and animals will die and our amazing earth will die. If we all work together we can make a difference and save the earth." Dylan created a survey that lets kids check off things they could do at home to help save the environment. He started his project when he was nine and he is "confident that we can make a difference even if we're small." Dylan is working on a Web site and has made a documentary movie that he hopes to put on TV.
Vania Santoso, Second Place, Age 16, East Java, Indonesia - Recycling and Organic Waste
Vania was inspired to clean up her country after reading a 2005 World Health Organization report naming Indonesia the number one dirtiest country in the world. Her work involves public outreach and education through a series of workshops in the communities and schools in her area, emphasizing the importance of recycling non-organic waste and composting organic waste. Because Vania enjoys music, she sings about the protecting the environment on stage and shows documentaries about the problems of pollution. She has also written articles about the waste issues to teen magazines to reach her generation. On those occasions when Vania has spoken on the radio, she gives easy tips for at-home composting and recycling.
When Alec learned that global warming could cause the sea levels to rise high enough to cover a good part of his city, he became concerned. To his surprise, he discovered that many people in his town either didn't believe in global warming or didn't understand the possible devastation that could be caused by it. He decided to develop a public awareness program called SLAP (Sea Level Awareness Project) to awaken the city to the threat of a sea level rise. To take action "I give presentations to educate youth on the science of global warming and empower them to take action," he says. "I am now leading a team of 40 kids to make it happen in May of this year." Alec built a Web site, kids-vs-global-warming.com, and has given 16 presentations to schools and environmental groups so far. He has designed posters, made videos, met with officials, and started environmental teams at other schools. Alec feels that the more education and knowledge that the public has about global warming; the more they will feel a personal responsibility to take action and support legislation to combat this serious problem.
Benjamin Workinger, Honorable Mention, Age 8, Tennessee, U.S.A. - Monarch Butterfly Safe Haven
When Ben read a New York Times article on the decreasing numbers of the migrating monarch butterflies, he became interested in helping them. Monarch butterflies are vulnerable to extreme weather changes such as droughts or hurricanes, and are dependent on the prairie grasses and other healthy ecosystems for their survival. Ben and his classmates turned their school garden into a habitat that serves as a way station for monarchs on their migration between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The garden provided a safe haven for other species of butterflies, as well as hummingbirds and bees. The school's efforts increased awareness about the plight of monarch butterflies in the local community. Ben and his school plan to maintain this garden for as long as possible. Ben says he has learned a lot about nature and is thinking about studying it later in life.
Alexander Lin, First Place, Age 14, Rhode Island, U.S.A. - E-Waste Solutions
Alexander was appalled by the global crisis of e-waste. When he researched e-waste, he discovered that only a small portion of it was recycled. "All consumer electronics are a serious threat to human health as well as our environment," he says. In 2002, Alexander created WIN, Westerly Innovations Network, and started Project WIN '05 to recycle and reuse e-waste. He renovated old computers from his high school's computer class and returned these computers to the local area for everyday use. WIN projects also included running e-waste recycling drives, educating children in schools, educating the community and lobbying for a local and statewide bill banning the improper disposal of e-waste. He began a new project this year entitled Project WIN '08: A Green Bridge across the Digital Divide. Alex is working with partners in Africa to set up Internet cafes and computer centers and is lobbying to build state of the art e-waste recycling facilities in those countries.
Dylan Pidich, Age 10, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. - Kids for Earth
Dylan said, "I want people to know that we need to take care of our planet and its helpless animals. If we continue on our current path, many humans and animals will die and our amazing earth will die. If we all work together we can make a difference and save the earth." Dylan created a survey that lets kids check off things they could do at home to help save the environment. He started his project when he was nine and he is "confident that we can make a difference even if we're small." Dylan is working on a Web site and has made a documentary movie that he hopes to put on TV.
Vania Santoso, Second Place, Age 16, East Java, Indonesia - Recycling and Organic Waste
Vania was inspired to clean up her country after reading a 2005 World Health Organization report naming Indonesia the number one dirtiest country in the world. Her work involves public outreach and education through a series of workshops in the communities and schools in her area, emphasizing the importance of recycling non-organic waste and composting organic waste. Because Vania enjoys music, she sings about the protecting the environment on stage and shows documentaries about the problems of pollution. She has also written articles about the waste issues to teen magazines to reach her generation. On those occasions when Vania has spoken on the radio, she gives easy tips for at-home composting and recycling.
http://www.actionfornature.org/ (adapted)
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