Engaging Kids in Conservation Junior Whirl

KIDS &FAMILY

Activities That Will Engage Kids In Conservation

Conservation is a collective responsibility shared by individuals across the globe. Protecting the planet and ensuring its future has never been more important, as various organizations and environmentalists warn that, without immediate action, many of the more harmful effects of climate change could prove irreversible.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that, without new policies, global greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase by 50% by 2050. That includes a 70% spike in energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The potentially dire consequences of climate change underscore the importance of educating youngsters about the need to protect the planet. Today’s children will be forced to confront climate change in the decades to come, so learning about conservation now can help them as they grow up and reach adulthood.

Teaching kids about conservation can be fun, and the following are three activities that will prove both engaging and educational.

Clean up a favorite hiking trail.

Hiking is a great family-friendly pastime that promotes physical activity and appreciation for nature. That makes hiking an ideal way to teach

Engaging kids in activities such as Santa Clarita’s cleanup of the Santa Clara River, helps them understand how they can be environmentally conscious. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL kids about conservation. Parents can plan a hiking trip that focuses on cleaning up trails.

Kids who have a favorite hiking trail may be especially enthusiastic about cleaning up a place they already feel attached to, and parents can let them know they’re doing their part to protect the planet with each piece of litter they collect and ultimately remove from the park.

Teach kids to compost.

Parents do not need to leave their homes to teach kids about conservation. According to the National Resources Defense Council, composting benefits the planet in numerous ways. In addition to reducing the waste stream, composting cuts methane emissions from landfills, which the NRDC reports are the largest source of human-generated methane emissions in the United States.

Composting also helps to conserve water by adding organic matter to soil, which research has shown improves the soil’s capacity to retain water. Families can build a compost bin together and parents can teach kids about which types of waste can be composted and how that compost is benefitting the plants and trees in their own yard as well as the planet as a whole.

Craft with recycled materials.

Crafting fosters the growth of a range of developmental skills in children. In addition to encouraging kids to explore their creative side, crafting also helps youngsters develop fine motor skills and provides a fun way for them to learn counting and pattern recognition, which the academics-based publisher Scholastic notes are the very skills kids will later use to learn algebra. Crafting also provides a great way to teach kids to reuse and recycle, which are two of the core tenets of conservation.

Conservation efforts will be vital to helping the planet overcome climate change. Children can learn the importance of conservation by engaging in various activities that make protecting the planet fun. (MC) 

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SUNDAYSIGNAL · 21 CROSSWORD TIME

SOLUTIONS

Opinion Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.

READER LETTERS

Marks: No Better Choice for Water Board

Jerry Gladbach, longtime member of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (and its predecessor, the Castaic Lake Water Agency) board of directors, passed away a few months ago. He had been an ardent advocate for the valley’s water security for 37 years. Jerry’s passing left a huge void on the board of directors at a point in time when he was preparing to run for re-election in November. Having known him for almost my entire water industry career and having worked for him as CLWA general manager for 13 years, I know he will be hard to replace.

Dirk Marks is the candidate that would best fill Jerry’s shoes on the board. Late last year, Dirk retired as an employee of the agency, having served as CLWA water resources manager and SCV Water Agency director of water resources for a combined service of nearly 14 years. His education and work background is similar to Jerry’s, each with a degree in civil engineering and work experience with a major water supplier before coming to CLWA, Jerry as a director and Dirk as an employee.

Dirk’s entire work career has been in the water industry. He was first employed by a major water engineering firm before going to work for Metropolitan Water District for 21 years. He was MWD’s imported supply unit manager when CLWA hired him in 2008. During his time with MWD, his in-depth understanding of the State Water Project was recognized and respected throughout the state’s water community.

Dirk’s knowledge of the SWP water supply and financial management is extremely important to us as SCV Water customers since it constitutes about half the valley’s water supply. Also significant is the expertise he developed at MWD establishing and implementing innovative water banking and exchange programs. Under his direction, CLWA and SCV Water have instituted similar programs that have stored excess water during wet years to supplement shortfalls in dry years.

During his time on the agency’s senior management team, Dirk oversaw preparation of two extremely important documents – the SCV Urban Water Management Plan and the SCV Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The UWMP projects water supply adequacy for existing and future SCV water needs and the GSP ensures our local aquifers will continue to provide a reliable groundwater supply.

Having worked for public water agencies for most of his career, Dirk is very familiar with board functions and processes, and would hit the ground running as a new director. Also, recognizing that climate change and the unprecedented drought we are experiencing are two of the most significant challenges facing the agency, he is uniquely qualified to provide constructive policy guidance and expert technical input that will be vital in preserving the SCV’s quality of life and environmental health.

Water security is more important now than ever before. Dirk is the only SCV Water Division 2 candidate who has been there and done that when it comes to achieving it. Your vote for Dirk is a vote for water security.

Dan Masnada Castaic Lake Water Agency General Manager, 2002-2015

Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone; Anonymous letters aren’t printed; email: letters@signalscv.com. Mail to: Letters to the Editor, The Signal, 25060 Avenue Stanford, Suite 141, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

ETHICALLY SPEAKING

Just Do It... Well!

We’re all familiar with the marketing icon Nike rolled out in the 1980s that put the sports clothing giant on the world map: Just Do It! And while I don’t know what they thought its effect would be on the national psyche, the reality was that people responded with both their acceptance and dollars.

I remember when “working out” became all the rage. You’d see people running up and down the streets at all hours and they seemed to enjoy it. But for regular folks like me, every time we tried, it really hurt, or after a few weeks other things barged into the schedule and soon we discovered it had been weeks since we broke a sweat. We became much more proficient at making excuses than making progress on our fitness commitments.

And then Nike hit us with a simple slogan: Just Do It! Their meaning wasn’t so hidden: Stop making excuses! Stop thinking you don’t have time, or ability, or the right equipment or cute enough sportswear. Just get off your duff and do it!

So, at the risk of co-opting an old slogan, here I go: Vote! Enough excuses, enough declarations that one vote doesn’t matter, and enough pontifications about the system being broken, and not enough good choices, and yada, yada, yada! Just Do It! Open your little package, take out the ballot and vote!

And let me add one little word to the slogan: Just Do It … Well! Yep, do some research. Find out who’s going to decide on the issues of our city. Think about who will protect our interests against those who are trying to upend our traditional values. Consider who is going to be deciding what your kids will be taught, how your tax money will be spent, and how our brave law enforcement officers will be allowed to do their jobs.

Think about who shares your values on the Californian stage up in Sacramento. Who wants to save the unborn instead of treating them like unwanted, disposable trash? Think about whose financial beliefs mirror yours. Who will spend more than they should on programs and bills designed to enrich their supporters and friends? Here’s the deal: I was told that last election less than 40% of our area’s registered voters actually voted. Folks, neighbors, friends … that’s just simply embarrassing! Get off the couch, go to your computer, research the candidates, and then take out your pen and mark your ballot. Then, mail it in and stand in front of the mirror and say “Way to go, you patriot!”

And then, if you’ve a mind and heart relationship with God to do so, start praying that, despite all our division, all our deception, and all our selfish, power-driven, politically feeble leaders, God will have mercy on us, forgive our sinful pride and hatred, and restore some measure of love of truth, love of purity, and love of neighbor in our city, our state, and our nation.

Lastly, I’ve decided not to endorse any candidates in my column this year. If you’ve read my columns for any length of time you know my values and you know how I’m voting. I’m doing this, not because I don’t have well-researched opinions on who you ought to vote for. No, my decision is simply based on the fact that you, my reader, my friend, my neighbor, need to do the work. You need to mark your ballot having determined who deserves your vote.

Yes, I know there are offices on the ballot that no one really knows anything about. I’m not talking about those. I’m challenging you to just do it … but do it well when it comes to those offices on our city level, on the Assembly and congressional races, on the local school boards, the water board, and any other offices that have major bearing on your daily life. Think about it. You have power! Use it where it can best help determine who is going to have power and authority in your life and the lives of your kids.

Just vote. Just do it … and do it well! And from me and the rest of Santa Clarita … thank you!

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speak-

ing” appears Sundays. 