No Child Left Inside

"There was a child went forth every day, and the first object he look'd upon, that object he became, and that object became part of him for the day or a certain part of the day, or for many years or stretching cycles of years. The early lilacs became part of this child, and grass and white and red morning glories, and white and red clover, and the song of the phoebe-bird, And the Third-month lambs and the sow's paint-faint litter, and the mare's foal and the cow's calf"... Walt Whitman

Children The Bridge To The Future
One of my concentration areas will be in connecting people with nature and creating awareness of the ecological, archeological and cultural wealth in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. As stated by Richard Louv, in the book, Last Child in the Woods, "Within the space of a few decades the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. The polarity of the relationship has reversed. Today, kids are aware of the global threats to the environment - but their physical contact, their intimacy with nature, is fading". The concern I have is that future generations will accept the depletion of natural spaces and resources, as they do not have empathy for things they have not experienced. I believe in order to restore the threads that connect us with nature and ensure the preservation of our natural resources, ecosystems and landscapes we must engage children and adults in outdoor nature activities. In my opinion, the health of humans and the earth is at stake.

There is Light In the Tunnel

Good news from Colorado this week!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 8, 2010 For more information:

ALL Colorado Kids Experience Outdoors

(DENVER) – A bill that will help more kids take advantage of Colorado’s majestic outdoor spaces through environmental science education programs passed out of the House Education committee today 9-3.

Rep. Christine Scanlan’s “Colorado Kids Outdoors Program” legislation (HB 1131) creates programs that will educate all Colorado kids on environmental and outdoor issues by taking them outside to experience them first-hand. This environmental literacy program will make Colorado eligible for federal grant funds through the No Child Left Inside Act, and establishes a state grant program that will ensure students are given meaningful opportunity to experience the outdoors.

Yahoo! A new frontier in public education is born! I hope you will join me in the journey to new lands that are closer today than they were yesterday!

Remembering always...
"Human kind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things are connected." Chief Seattle 1854

Defining Sustainable Tourism

Why Sustainable Tourism -Personal History
I moved to Ouray six years ago after living in the Virgin Islands for 3 years. Prior to that I lived in Woodstock, Vermont. Ironically all these areas are heavily dependent on tourism. Besides my eleven years working in public education I have always been involved in the tourism industry in one form or another. In Vermont the ski industry, the charter boat business in the Virgin Islands and in Ouray, the guided tour business and the vacation rental business. I have always been an environmentalist at heart. However, my understanding for the need to preserve the natural resources that exist in rural areas has deepened during my time here in Ouray. As I struggle with the contradiction in my heart every year with how to make a living from tourism and my moral values to protect this pristine alpine environment I have thought long and hard about a solution for me and hopefully for the wellness of the community I live in. The development of my knowledge and expertise in this area is very important to me on many levels as it offers a path for me to travel that will bring focus to my pursuit of a profession with a long lasting purpose.

So what is this study all about?
My current definition of Sustainable Tourism: Sustainable tourism attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture while helping to generate income, employment and the conservation of local eco-systems and resources.


The proposed lineup of my course of study in this competence:

1. Preserving Local Cultural Heritages
2. Best Practices in Eco Tourism
3. Establish Roots for Sustainability
4. Eco Retreats as Community Enterprises
5. Energy – Economics and the Environment
6. Conscious Tourism
7. Preserving Sensitive Environments
8. Coastal and Marine Eco-Tourism
9. Management of Rural Adventure Tourism
10.Eco Lodging Development


Concern for the week:
Because they can not exist in temperatures above 60 degrees, Pikas may be just the first of many alpine creatures to lose suitable habitat because of global warming. Scientists estimate that 10 to 35 percent of alpine and subalpine species may be lost within a few decades, including alpine marmots and ground squirrels.

Recommended Documentaries to see:
Wild China - my review - this is a must see! it is an amazing country!
The 11th Hour - my review - a little radical but lots of good information about climate change and some possible solutions.



Thought for this week...

"Whatever you can do or dream.. you can.. just begin it! Boldness has genius - power and magic in it."

So it begins..

I am mid way through my second week of my latest endeavors at Prescott College and each day I feel new levels of energy, synergy and confidence that I have finally made the right turn at the junction!
The wealth of resources on Sustainable Tourism out there is incredible! AND.. Yes ! I have joined the world of Twitter!
I am currently enrolled in 3 courses this term,12 credits. These courses are designed and mentored by Prescott College faculty. Three major community projects are required and are evolving. The ideas started flowing before I fully understood the course overview! I am excited to pull some dreams and goals into reality!
I will end this entry with a quotation that explains what has lit my fire!
"The decision is the spark that ignites the action. Until a decision is made - nothing happens." by Wilfred Peterson

Stay tuned.. more decisions.. more fire!