March marks Women's History Month and to celebrate, we have compiled a great list of titles that can bring herstory to life. Use these inspiring books as a jumping off point to remember the achievements of women, discuss our individual opportunities to shine, and reflect on the impact women have had around the world. Snuggle in close with your girls and boys and explore … [Read more...]
29 Eco-Friendly Tips Ideas to Lower Your Carbon Footprint
by Jennifer Fontaine - Do you ever feel weighed down by your environmental footprint, but then get overwhelmed with taking that all-important first step to a greener, more sustainable life, not just for your health, but for the environment? Research already tells us that green dwellings, particularly those that make use of efficient and natural light, have a positive … [Read more...]
It’s All Happening at the Bermuda Zoo (and Aquarium, and Natural History Museum)
by Erin Kirkland - Dr. Ian Walker knows his place at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo; and right now, it’s in the tortoise pen, scratching the outstretched necks of Sally and Crooked Nose. The two, aged 50 and 100, respectively, had lumbered over as soon as they heard Walker’s voice carry across the shaded courtyard near their enclosure. We’re on a tour of the facility, … [Read more...]
A Community Farm in Downtown Baltimore? Yep. And They Need Our Help
by Kate Koch-Sundquist - For millions of families across America, safe, accessible outdoor space is a privilege they can only dream about. But for the 26,000 residents of Baltimore’s Frankford neighborhood, all of that could be about to change. Here, a revolution is underway, and it’s called BLISS Meadows. The brainchild of Atiya Wells, Baltimoreans to Live In Sustainable … [Read more...]
Take Your Kids to Clean-Up a Local Stream (Even If They Won’t Clean Their Rooms)
by Shannon Brescher Shea - A metal bridge arches over a gently flowing stream in Rockville, Maryland, winding its way between trees and rock-strewn banks. Looking at little closer, it’s clear the water is littered with soda cans, cigarette butts, and plastic bags. But a stream clean-up is underway, with several families picking up trash. Adults wade in the water, picking up … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Support Threatened & Endangered Species in Your Garden
by Scott Jenkins - Supporting wildlife doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, you can help support threatened or endangered species in your own backyard. Here are ten ways you can help support threatened species in your garden and your local community. 10 Ways To Invite Endangered Species Into Your Garden 1. Learn About Endangered Species in Your Area Do you … [Read more...]
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Accepting Public Comment On Offshore Drilling Proposal
by Jennifer Fontaine - The Interior Department announced yesterday that it wants to allow drilling in nearly all U.S. waters, the single largest expansion of offshore oil and gas leasing ever proposed by the federal government. The agency said it will hold 47 lease sales in every region of the outer continental shelf but one between 2019 and 2024. The updated five-year plan, … [Read more...]
Saving the Outdoors: Scholarship Awardee Giving Hope For the Future
by Melynda Harrison - Anyone who has spent any time recreating outdoors has seen the effects of pollution, climate change, or neglect on one of their favorite places. As users of outdoor space, we have an obligation to take care of them and wild lands for the next (many) generations. Jessica Casey is taking that obligation seriously. She grew up on the shores of St. Albans … [Read more...]
Creating A Pollinator Garden: This spring give bees a helping hand
by Melynda Harrison - You’ve probably heard about the plight of bees. We need them for their pollination skills –one out of every three bites of food comes from plants pollinated by bees—but numbers of bees are on the decline. According the EPA, one of the factors causing the decline is lack of nutrition due to habitat loss. The good news is that we can all help restore … [Read more...]
Transformative Art – An Interview with Stephan Wanger
By Jennifer Fontaine - The year was 1990, and I was a junior in high school. More than 50 percent of the students at my school participated in some sort of arts program from drama, speech, and debate to music and visual arts. So when we learned the School Board had voted to cut art-education funding that year by more than 25 percent, we organized a school-wide walkout. In the … [Read more...]
Celebrate the National Park Service Centennial
The National Park Service celebrates 100 years of protecting, promoting, and preserving the natural spaces set aside for generations to come. But who uses them? How many are there, and how can we get there? In 2016, Outdoor Families Magazine will be exploring national parks, popular and not-so-much. During this centennial year, we'll delve into the history of the National Park … [Read more...]
Eco-Friendly Gifting for Outdoor Families
by Kate Koch-Sundquist Ask children what's on their holiday wish lists this year and you're bound to get an earful. It runs the gamut from video games and iPads to plastic cars and dolls, and everything in between. And who can blame them? American kids are growing up in a nation of consumers where it's easier to buy something brand new than it is to repair something old or … [Read more...]
Alaskan Earth Mamas: Meet an entrepreneur who nourishes body and soul
by Erin Kirkland Interior Alaska winters are famous for temperatures that fall into the double-digits-below-zero category. Between November and March (and sometimes longer), people are indistinguishable for the layers of clothing worn to cover exposed skin and everything, from truck tires to fingertips, has a propensity to freeze solid. This dry, cold section of the 49th … [Read more...]
Discovering Animal Stewardship at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary
by Natalie VanCleave It's a warm autumn evening in the farmlands of Oregon's Willamette Valley as my kids, a pack of their friends, and I are welcomed by Lisa Ryan and her 8-year-old son, Evan at the gate to Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary, 54 acres of fields, barns and animals worthy of Noah's Ark. As the youngsters pile out of the car, even the hard-to-impress 'tween girls … [Read more...]
The Great Outdoor Clean Up: Getting community involved and connected
by Jennifer Fontaine - From the bustling cobblestone streets of old-town Brussels to the seafood-filled air of the Louisiana bayou villages, the world's communities are constantly shaping and changing, welcoming and growing. With this growth comes great opportunity and responsibility for residents of our shared space to assume ownership and clean up of the important … [Read more...]
Food for Thought: Connecting kids to lifelong nutrition
Editor's note: Heather Longo was so inspired by an article written in OFM's March issue she was compelled to do some research on sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and healthy eating habits. Below are her findings, presented in a very delicious way. Outdoor Families Magazine welcomes responses to articles or columns; email Erin Kirkland, editor, and your essay may be published … [Read more...]
Young Trail Volunteers Learn Value of Sweat Equity
by Erin Kirkland Washington state is well known for a wide range of recreational opportunities. From the dry desert in its eastern corners to dense rain forests of the far west, Washington is home to thousands of miles of hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, and water trail systems. On any given weekend, crowds of outdoor enthusiasts take to the hills, eager for a day or two … [Read more...]
