Green Giving Guide

Not sure what to get the person in your life that has everything this holiday season? Consider the following ideas that support the planet and help the Cottonwood Institute thrive:

Give The Gift Of The Outdoors! Consider making a donation to the Cottonwood Institute and help increase the accessibility of the outdoors to high school and middle school students in the Boulder/Denver area who have never camped out before. Every donation makes a big difference and will help sponsor a student to have a once in a lifetime experience with the Cottonwood Institute in 2010. Check out our Notes from the Field and Action Projects sections of our website to learn more about how we are “changing the world, one adventure at a time!” If you are inspired by what we are up to, click the Donate Now link on our website. Every donation helps make a big impact in the lives of our students!

Books That Give Back: For the bookworm on your list, check out the Recommended Books section of our website for our best picks that pertain to survival skills, the environment, and changing the world! These books are sold through independent booksellers and the Cottonwood Institute receives a percentage of each sale. For book ideas, go to: http://www.cottonwoodinstitute.org/store/recommended-books/

Shop Online with a Conscience: If you shop online for airline tickets, clothes, or books, a percentage of each purchase can benefit the Cottonwood Institute at no cost to you! Here’s the scoop: when you shop online this holiday season, consider using GoodShop to shop at stores like Expedia.com, Amazon.com, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Gap, Macy’s, Old Navy, and more! For more info, go to: http://www.cottonwoodinstitute.org/store/goodshop/

A Donation With Every Search: You can help raise money for the Cottonwood Institute by searching the Internet! You may have heard about this website through friends, the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, or CNN. If you use GoodSearch, which is powered by Yahoo, every time you search the Internet, a donation will be made to the Cottonwood Institute! For more information, go to: http://www.cottonwoodinstitute.org/blogs/cottonwood-institute/raise-money-for-the-cottonwood-institute-by-searching-the-internet/

2nd Quarter New Vista Community Adventure Program (CAP): Overnight!

From November 7-8, we headed out for the first weekend overnight. The campsite was Camp Cheley, near Allenspark, which offered a beautiful pine forest with a stream running by. The weather was mostly sunny, although the cool fall air warned us of winter, and the days felt shorter than ever. We still managed to fit in plenty of games and learn new skills.

We practiced some camping basics such as selecting campsites, setting up a bear hang, digging a sump hole, and preparing a fire. Also, we learned important wilderness survival strategies such as building shelter, fire-making techniques, and developing awareness in the outdoors. Some of these skills were put to the test in a fierce competition to see who could build the most effective survival shelter. While these shelters are not as easily constructed as they appear, they would make the difference between life and death in a survival situation. Things really got heated up when we learned about different methods of making fire. Everyone successfully made 1-match fires (sometimes using a couple extra matches) and cotton-ball fires.A few people were even able to use bow-drill kits to make fire by friction: a task that requires tremendous determination, perfect form, and sometimes a little luck. Well done!

We were lucky enough to have student-teacher / CAP veteran Aleyna Porecca along for her 7th CAP overnight to help everyone out with building fires, debris huts, and camp logistics. Michael Koehler, an intervention intern at New Vista, also came along for the ride. Right now Michael is studying wilderness therapy at Naropa, and he has been a tremendous asset on the last two CAP overnights. Thanks for the help you guys! These trips certainly would not be the same without you.

Most of the seniors in the group had just finished lengthy standardized testing and arrived late Saturday afternoon. Although they were weary, they soon forgot their stress and joined the festivities. The tone of the trip was lighthearted and full of laughter. New friendships were forged, stories were told, and the group transitioned into a community. All of these things were essential for tackling the environmental action project ahead.

The CAP overnights help to remind us what we are trying to protect, and why. CAP is a completely unique experience because students dictate their own education. They find an environmental issue they are passionate about, and then actively form resolutions to make the world into a better place. Often times, this task is daunting. It is an easy thing to shrug our shoulders and say that there is nothing we can do for the environment, but it takes hard work and courage to take a stand. The students of CAP are the future leaders of our community. The decisions they make will span beyond our lifetime and will affect the future generations. They are the Johnny Appleseeds of our time, planting hope for those that come after them.

The next trip will be December 7-8. Stay tuned!

Happy Sixth Birthday CAP!

Watch out, we’re going to do a little bragging to celebrate.

The Community Adventure Program, or CAP, the Cottonwood Institute’s main educational program, is celebrating its sixth year at New Vista High School!

If you don’t know…CAP aspires to inspire students to change the world through community involvement, an increased awareness of local environmental issues, and practicing essential wilderness survival skills. CAP gives students a chance to grow from within and to become more confident in order to make change. In the words of one student, “the Community Adventure Program has changed my life.”

As a part of this service learning curriculum each CAP class does an Action Project, which focuses on an environmental issue. CAP students have implemented 22 unique action projects over the years, taking on everything from the creation of gardens and changing transportation habits to helping educate about non-point source water pollution and pollinators.

Partially as a result of this fantastic teaching model several CAP alumni have been nominated for the City of Boulder’s Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award. Many have won! One of our alumni received a $100,000 Environmental Stewardship Scholarship to Sterling College. But our students don’t stop there. Several CAP alumni have come back to become paid Cottonwood Institute instructors. We are so happy to have these superstars on board.

CAP is often touted at New Vista as a class that everyone should take at least once. To quote one student’s final reflection paper:

“CAP has shown me the potential that all human beings have. I have learned to have faith and trust in people and to have faith in myself as well… We have changed our world and look down upon ourselves for doing it. But I believe we have the potential to change it back. If we act with consideration, with knowledge, with awareness and respect for our planet and each other we can change the world in different ways — in better ways.” – Lindsey Q.

Happy sixth birthday, CAP, and way to go!

Free Winter Surival Skills Clinics

Whether you are an experienced winter camping guru, backcountry snowboarder or skier, casual snowshoer, or a beginner, this winter survival clinic could save your life. During this clinic you will participate in an interactive survival scenario, learn about winter survival priorities, tips, strategies, and techniques, learn how to make basic snow shelters, and will learn how to make a personal survival kit.

This free clinic is brought to you by the Cottonwood Institute, a non-profit in Denver, CO that inspires students how to change the world through an exciting blend of adventure, wilderness survival, and environmental service. Voluntary donations to help underwrite our public school programs will be accepted. Below is a list of our upcoming survival clinics:

• REI – Boulder, Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 7pm located at: 1798 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80301.

Please RSVP by contacting April Pishna, Cottonwood Institute Administrative Coordinator, via Email.

CAP Students Take A Closer Look At GMOs

Chances are that the tortilla chips you just ate for lunch contain Genetically Modified Organisms (a.k.a. GMOs). Most of us have heard about GMOs, but what’s the big deal?

To learn more about GMOs, an incredibly complex and controversial issue, Community Adventure Program students at New Vista High School began researching the issue by reading articles from the Boulder Daily Camera and by watching a film entitled, The Future of Food. The students also spoke with community members, Laura Snider, an environmental journalist from the Boulder Daily Camera, and Donald Arrent, a local farmer with Red Wagon Organic Farm. Ms. Snider was able to speak eloquently about all sides of the issue, helping the students understand the opinions of people who oppose and approve of GMOs. Mr. Arrent spoke to students about why he chose not to grow GMO crops on his farm.

Students found that some people support GMO crops because they believe that they require less water, fertilizer, and herbicides. However, one of the biggest concerns they discovered was a GMO crop called “Roundup Ready.” These crops have been genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup. When Roundup is applied, it is harmful to other plants, wildlife, important pollinators such as bees, it can contaminate the soil and organic crops, and it can threaten water quality when the herbicide enters the watershed.

Right now, approximately 1,500 acres of genetically modified corn are grown on Boulder County Parks and Open Space and the Boulder County Commissioners are considering whether to allow genetically modified sugar beets this fall. Genetically modified sugar beets dominate the market and it is difficult to grow or find non-genetically modified sugar beets.

In order to raise awareness about GMO’s, CAP students launched a week-long Action Project where they:

• Evaluated the contents of the vending machines located throughout the school and created a display to raise awareness about what products might contain GMOs
• Held a GMO-free bake sale
• Presented an awareness raising PowerPoint presentation for the school
• Hosted a GMO-free lunch for the school to raise awareness
• Created and wore t-shirts exhibiting information about GMO’s
• Placed numerous posters throughout the school detailing GMO’s
• Distributed fliers with information about GMO’s

During their Action Project week, students reached approximately 350 people in their school community. Because of their hard work and dedication, the students educated their peers and teachers about GMO’s, giving them the opportunity to make an informed opinion about what they think about the issue. Although it required great effort, CAP students made a positive impact in their school and in their community.

The more you do to help the world, the more powerful you feel, the less helpless… At the start of the quarter I was skeptical… I was sure I couldn’t learn anything new about the environmental problems of the world. When we began looking at issues I was close-minded and righteous. When we debated issues I had a strong “I am right and you are wrong” opinion. CAP has not only changed that righteousness, but it has ended it. As my mind open and I began to trust other people in the class I became more than willing to learn other people’s opinions. The Action Project renewed my faith in the human race.” Marley K., Community Adventure Program student.

Earth Task Force

The Earth Task Force is Coming…to New Vista High School!

What is the Earth Task Force? We are a club, a group of students and adults who really want to help the environment. “It’s so awesome that we can actually make changes in the school and see them happen!” – Aleyna

What is the ETF up to? This year, we are heading a green-school initiative to lower the environmental footprint of New Vista High School. We are focusing on three topics for the year: Energy in February, Waste/Recycling in March, and Transportation in April. “I’m super stoked to do stuff to green the school.” - Sean

Okay, so what are you doing right now? Well… We need an artsy logo for our club, and since New Vista is full of artistic, creative people, we’re organizing a school-wide logo-making cosntest that will simultaneously let everyone know that we’re here! “It [the art contest] gives a chance to let people’s art go on t-shirts and all over the place.” - Malcolm

The logo chosen will be printed on t-shirts, newsletters, websites and more!

To prepare for Energy Month in February, we will be having an energy audit at the school to tell us, specifically, what can be improved at school.

Finally, there is going to be a school-wide launch in January that will really let everyone know about the great work we’re doing!

“I am truly excited to become a leader in our school and join this incredible process…” - Aaron

Thank you, and you will be hearing more about us and from us soon!

Hebrew High Embarks On A New Adventure This Year

Hebrew High in Denver and Boulder embarked on a new adventure this school year by working with the Cottonwood Institute to offer a new Eco-Judaism in Action class based on our successful Community Adventure Program curriculum.

The Eco-Judaism in Action class is a unique after school experience designed for adventurous Jewish youth who want to practice outdoor skills, discuss and debate local environmental issues, and develop deeper friendships with their classmates while exploring their Jewish faith. Students have been going on hikes, building their leadership skills, gearing up for a spring “Shabbat Under the Stars” camping trip, and soon they will give back to their community by creating a student-directed Tikkun Olam eco-service project.

The Boulder and Denver groups headed out on a beautiful fall day on October 18, 2009 and discovered not only ways to change the world, but how to survive and thrive in it. Although only a day long, their hikes were action packed. Throughout the day they hiked and discussed nature awareness skills, survival priorities, and environmental issues and their connection to them.  The group talked about prayer and what it meant to them and ways to make it more meaningful. They even had time for reflection and journaling in which Hebrew High Boulder student, Alex Young, crafted this insightful poem:

Wind.
Always there,
Rushing
Through the pines.
Sometimes fast, powerful, loud.
Sometimes slow, gentle, soft.
Rustling the brown grasses,
Swaying the dried flowers.
Young trees bend
With fierce winds,
Ancient trees firmly hold their ground.
Short grasses don’t rustle,
They are silent.
Wind,
Always there.

• To view pictures of the Hebrew High Boulder day hike, Click Here.
• To view pictures of the Hebrew High Denver day hike, Click Here.

2nd quarter 2009

2nd quarter of CAP is off to a great start. We’ve been hiking to learn about our local environment, researching local environmental issues, and getting ready for our first overnight coming up this weekend. Stay tuned for more…