December 1, 2010
- Green Holidays
- Family Fun
- Upcoming DEC Events
- Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center
- Capital District - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center
- Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center
- Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Green Holidays
In between Thanksgiving and the New Year, an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. Enough ribbon is thrown out each year to tie a bow around the earth. Nearly one billion Christmas cards are sent, only to be tossed in the garbage after the holidays are over. Christmas lights make our neighborhoods look festive, but if left on for ten hours a day over only twelve days, they will produce enough carbon dioxide to inflate 12 balloons. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have caused a dramatic change in the current climate system.
More and more people are looking for ways to reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly throughout the year, but particularly during the winter holiday season. Here are some ideas for you to try:
-Send cards only to those people that you won't see over the holidays or send e-cards or photo cards that people will keep.
-Don't use paper to wrap your gifts, but put them in some type of reusable container, such as a terra cotta planter or canvas bag, either of which you can decorate yourself.
-Buy a live Christmas tree and replant it after the holidays, or recycle your cut tree.
-Give handmade gifts or the gift of an experience (children can create their own "tickets" for a free event such as a family trip to a museum or a promise to wash the car).
-Decorate your home with natural ornaments that you find outside: holly, evergreen, pine cones.
-Make your own garland and use it instead of Christmas lights (you can use cranberries, popcorn, dried fruit slices).
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Family Fun
It's in the Bag
Want an idea for a "green" present that everyone can use? Decorate a reusable shopping bag with a favorite photo or even your own artwork! To start, purchase a canvas, light-colored reusable shopping tote (many supermarkets and design stores sell them) and some t-shirt transfer paper. After you find a favorite photo or create your own masterpiece, enlarge or reduce the image on a color copier to fit on the t-shirt paper. Follow the instructions on the t-shirt transfer package to transfer the image onto the tote. Have an adult iron the transfer onto your bag. Use the iron's synthetic setting, and only iron the area that the transfer covers. Now you have a useful and personalized gift for just about anyone!
Animal Feast
Many people have an evergreen tree in their yard or somewhere nearby. Decorate your tree for winter and help out the animals at the same time by making an evergreen tree feeder. String cranberries, dried or fresh fruit, plain popcorn, small mesh suet bags (suet placed in an old onion bag) and pine cones slathered with peanut butter or shortening and rolled in bird seed to decorate an evergreen tree in your yard. To make it more festive, use a cookie cutter to cut holiday shapes out of stale bread. Spread the bread with peanut butter and press it into a tray of birdseed.
Read Conservationist for Kids for more information and activities!
Upcoming DEC Events
Hudson Valley
Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center
Nature Discovery After-School Program
Thursdays, December 2 and 9, 4:00 to 5:00 PM
For school-aged children and their care givers.
Know Your ABCs-Antlers: Boone and Crockett Scoring
Saturday, December 4 at 2:00 PM
Bring a flexible measuring tape. You are welcome to bring your own racks, if you have them.
Evergreens
Saturday, December 11, 2:00 PM
Event Descriptions at Stony Kill
Capital Region
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Endangered Species
Saturday, December 4 at 10:00 AM
Watchable Wildlife: Corvids and Other Birds
Saturday, December 4 at 2:00 PM
Night Owls and Hot Dogs
Saturday, December 11 at 3:30 PM
Please call 518-475-0291 to register by Wednesday, December 8.
Event Descriptions at Five Rivers
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center
Winter Preparations
Saturday, December 4 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Call 518-456-0655 to register. Cost: $2.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free.
More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center
Central New York
Rogers Environmental Education Center
Advance registration is required. Call 607-674-4017.
Rogers on the Road: Sherburne Public Library
Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Children's Craft Program: Decorate a Bag
Saturday, December 4 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Materials fee: $6.00 for each bag you take home.
Senior Series: Mammals
Tuesday, December 7 from 10:00 AM to noon
Adams Farm General Nature Hike or Snowshoe
Saturday, December 11 at 10:00 AM to noon
Dress warmly. Snowshoes provided.
Watchable Wildlife: Winter Birds
Saturday, December 11 at 1:30 PM
Bring binoculars if you have them.
Western New York
Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959.
Nature Journaling
Saturday, December 4 at 10:00 AM
For adults and children age 8 and older.
New Moon Walk
Sunday, December 5 at 6:00 PM
Bring binoculars and flashlights if you have them.
After-School Escape
Thursdays, December 9 at 4:30 PM
For children in grades K-5.
Winter Wonderland
Saturday, December 11 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM
No registration required.