EarthNews Journal

love1 by Jerry Kay

Two-way bilingual immersion programs are not replacing English with another language, but rather provide the students with an great opportunity to acquire a second language. My guest is Sara Rich Shenkan, principal of Alvarado Elementary School in San Francisco. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.)

Did you know that that there are more microbes in our mouths than the number of people living on the earth? And you can learn so much more about the inside of your mouth in the new book “Watch Your Mouth! Discover What’s Alive Inside”. My guests on this report are author Linda Allison and science educator Judy Diamond who talked with me at this year’s Discovery Day at AT&T Park.

Meet Ellie Cohen, President & CEO of Point Blue and hear how this innovative organization is advancing nature-based solutions — to climate change, habitat loss, and other environmental threats for wildlife and people — through science, partnerships, and outreach. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.) Point Blue: http://www.pointblue.org/ The Dean Witter Foundation: http://www.deanwitterfoundation.org/

The mission of a Napa based organization called “On The Move” is to develop young people as leaders by building exceptional programs that challenge inequities in their communities. Our guest is Executive Director Alissa Gentille who talks about what it takes to make this happen. On the Move: http://www.onthemovebayarea.org The Dean Witter Foundation: http://www.deanwitterfoundation.org

Sempervirens Fund is California’s oldest land trust and the only organization dedicated exclusively to protecting the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. While the fund has a long history, it is also very much in the present. Learn more from Executive Director Sara Barth. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.) https://sempervirens.org/ http://www.deanwitterfoundation.org/

Can hunting make us more human? An Acquired Taste is a new film by award-winning French documentary producer/director Vanessa Lemaire that tackles this subject. View the trailer at http://www.aatmovie.com. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.)

On today’s show, you’ll meet Christina McWhorter, Manager of the Hamilton Native Plant Nursery in Novato, who shares the story of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project.

Sunset Magazine has recently moved its offices to Oakland and test gardens to Cornerstone Sonoma where they recently held their annual Sunset Celebration Weekend. There I met Irene Edwards, the new Editor-in-Chief of Sunset Magazine, who shared her contemporary vision for the magazine.

Summer is a time to be different, not a time to be more of the same. So says my guest Alec Lee, co-founder and executive director of Aim High, a tuition-free fun and engaging summer learning and enrichment program that serves middle school students and teachers with the goal of closing both the achievement gap and the opportunity gap. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.)

Nestled in the delightful gardens of Cornerstone Sonoma, you will find Sunset Magazine’s newly completed 1/4-acre Test Garden. Meet Johanna Silver, the Garden Editor for Sunset Magazine, who talks about the inspiration that visitors will find in their “garden rooms” display. Sunset Magazine: http://www.sunset.com Cornerstone Sonoma: http://www.cornerstonesonoma.com

Did you know that drawing can improve memory and brain functions, strengthen observation skills and enhance creativity? My guest on this report is John Muir Laws, founder and host of The Bay Area Nature Journal Club, a free, family-friendly, intergenerational community that connects with nature through art and field journaling. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation) John Muir Laws -- Nature Stewardship Through Science, Education and Art: http://www.johnmuirlaws.com/ The Nature Journal Club: http://www.johnmuirlaws.com/nature-journal-club

Bay Area middle school students and their teachers can learn about marine science from a state-of-the-art research and working animal hospital. My guest is Sara Weisberg, Ocean Ambassadors educator at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. The Marine Mammal Center http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/ Ocean Ambassadors Middle School Program http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/education/school-aged-programs-tours/ocean-ambassadors/

You’ll feel like you are in a time machine on this factory tour. Not only will you stroll inside a restored 1930s factory, you’ll see how a Blu Home is built from start to finish. My guests are Blu Homes’ Robin Schick, Marketing Art Director, and Stephanie Nixon, Visual Designer. Blu Homes http://www.bluhomes.com Visit the Breeze House https://www.bluhomes.com/breeze Discover Mare Island http://discovermareisland.com/gallery/ Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve http://www.mareislandpreserve.org/MareIslandPreserve/Homepage.html

Meet brother-sister team Michael and Vivien Straus who are excited about their walking tours through the fields at the Straus Home Ranch, sharing stories about Marin’s history in dairy farming, organic agriculture and environmental conservation followed by a samples of local, artisan cheeses.

We recently sat down with Sandi Funke, the Education Director at Pepperwood Preserve in Sonoma County, to learn about one of their environmental education programs: SCENIQ, “Students Conducting Environmental Inquiry.” This program empowers elementary school students to become scientists and practice discovery skills, learn to support their ideas with evidence, and gain knowledge of our local environment. (Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.) http://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org/

Explore. Discover. Protect. That’s the mission of MARE, Marine Applied Research & Exploration (http://www.maregroup.org). We recently met with their Executive Director Dirk Rosen and Operations Engineer Rick Botman to learn what MARE’s ocean exploration is all about. Visit our EarthNews Journal website (http://earthnewsjournal.com/ocean-explorers/ ) to see the ROV’s they operate and the beautiful underwater photos they’ve taken. Support for this report has been provided by The Dean Witter Foundation.

Walking from inn to inn can be an exhilarating experience. My guest is Tom Courtney who has written several hiking vacation guidebooks. Visit walkaboutcalifornia.com to learn more!

A visit with Dr. Tessa Hill's environmental and ocean science graduate students at the University of California-Davis as they practice science communications.

Protecting habitat, educating students and inspiring all of us to save and protect the natural world, that's the mission of SaveNature.Org. Our guest is Norm Gershenz, the Director of SaveNature.Org.

How do you identify birds if you can’t see them? Wildlife and avian biologist Daniel Edelstein offers some helpful tips. Daniel’s website: http://www.warblerwatch.com Bird apps recommended by Daniel: iBird Pro, Sibley Birds, Audubon Bird Guide

Every year scientists keep discovering new species. How is that possible? My guest is Dr. Terry Gosliner, Senior Curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the California Academy of Sciences and one of the world’s foremost authorities on nudibranchs and their relatives. (Photo credit: California Academy of Sciences)

The mission of WildCare, an organization located in San Rafael, California, is to advocate for wildlife for a sustainable world, and they actively pursue this mission through nature education, wildlife rehabilitation and community outreach. One area that they focus on is helping us to help animals that we care about by knowing when to actually intervene. Visit them online to learn more: http://www.wildcarebayarea.org