Freedom Writers

The Cottonwood Institute recently hosted a screening of Freedom Writers, starring Hillary Swank, for our latest "Change the World Movie Night." The movie chronicles a new teacher in a recently integrated public school in Long Beach, CA during the early 1990’s, following the Rodney King beating and LA riots when racial tensions were high. Erin Gruwell, played by Hillary Swank, was deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of her 9th grade English class and to transforming the way she taught and inspired students that most of her peers, teachers, and administrators had written off. Despite a lack of resources and support from her Department Chair and Principal, she taught these students all four years of their high school career and they all graduated high school. Guiding Question: Like Erin Gruwell, if we are deeply committed to changing something, we can be unstoppable. What are you committed to changing in your school, your job, your environment, or your community?

Five things you can do in five minutes (or less) to protect the planet

I just learned that today was Blog Action Day, where bloggers around the world were encouraged to blog for the environment. Given that the Cottonwood Institute is committed to sustainability education, I had to post something! I found this post on GoodSearch.com and I wanted to spread the word about 5 things you can do to protect the planet in 5 minutes or less:

1. Change a light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb - www.18seconds.org
   If every American swapped just one bulb for an Energy Star labeled CFL,
   it would collectively save more than $8 billion in energy costs,
   prevent burning 30 billion pounds of coal and remove 2 million cars
   worth of greenhouse gas emissions from our atmosphere.
2. Use GoodSearch to search the web — www.GoodSearch.com
   This search engine, which is powered by Yahoo!, earns money for your
   favorite environmental charity, or any other cause you care about, with
   every search.
3. Adjust your thermostat by 2 degrees.
   It’s estimated that 1/6 of all energy consumed in the US is from heating and cooling.
4. Remove yourself from postal bulk mail — https://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing
   Every year, 100 million trees, 28 billion gallons of water, and $320
   million in local tax money are used for the production and disposal of
   junk mail.
5. Unplug unused electronics
   Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.

Send this email to five friends (ok, that’s six things you can do!)

Source: GoodSearch.com

Raise Money for the Cottonwood Institute by Searching The Internet!

The Cottonwood Institute recently established a partnership with
GoodSearch.com and now 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 this website, which is powered by Yahoo, every time you search the
Internet, a donation will be made to the Cottonwood Institute!

You can get started now with 5 easy steps:

1. Go to: http://www.goodsearch.com
2. Under the section that says "Who Do You GoodSearch For," Type in
   Cottonwood Institute
3. Add GoodSearch to your browser by going to:
   http://www.goodsearch.com/Toolbars.aspx
4. Start searching the Internet and raise money for the Cottonwood
   Institute!
5. Spread the word to your friends and colleagues!