Special Edition: 40th Anniversary Earth Day Educating for the Planet Month
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Special Edition: 40th Anniversary Earth Day
Educating for the Planet Month
Planting the Tree of Knowledge
by Karen Woodard
--Karen Woodard is the City of Dallas City Forester. She campus. In 2009, the In this Issue:
is passionate about teaching children and adults both the City teamed up with
importance of and how to care for trees. the Texas Trees Foun- 2 LEEDing the Way in Commu-
dation and worked nity Education
with the students of
Skyline High School 4 Discovering a Beautiful Planet
to plant one hundred at Texas Discovery Gardens
trees on the campus. 6 A River of Learning: Trinity
This year, forty trees River Audubon Center
were planted at Tolbert 7 Kevin’s Corner
Elementary School on
March 26th to mark the 8 What does green mean to you?
2010 Dallas Arbor Day. Reader Opinions
10 Recycle Plastic Bags, Cell
Project Learning Tree
Phones, Ink Cartridges
Environmental lessons
in classrooms gift chil-
dren with both an awareness of the natural world and
the critical thinking skills needed to protect, preserve,
With the decrease in the amount of time some chil- and solve problems related to the environment. For
dren spend outdoors during the school day, and with formal lessons, Project Learning Tree (PLT) is avail-
the overwhelming need for Texas Essential Knowl- able. PLT are TEKS correlated lesson plans for K-8th
edge and Skills (TEKS) correlated lessons in basic grades and secondary levels. PLT is not just about
Science, the City Forester uses several approaches to trees; it also includes lessons on recycling, energy
educating children about the importance of trees. and society, the water cycle and much more. Teach-
Planting Trees ers, educators, and other learning facilitators can be-
come certified to teach these lessons and train others
What is better than a child planting a tree on their on how to use them. PLT provides the tools to teach
school campus that, years later, they can bring their both specific and broad envi-
own children to and say “that’s my tree!”? It not only ronmental concepts.
provides time outdoors and a sense of ownership, but
it is also an opportunity to discuss trees and how they For more information visit
help us in our day-to-day lives. Most of the concepts, www.plt.org.
such as “trees and oxygen” or “how a tree grows,” are The Tools We Have
ideas that the child will need throughout their school
We can provide our schools
years. There are very few school campuses in Dal-
and our children with outdoor
las not in need of trees, so this outreach plan can be
hands-on and higher critical
used again and again!
thinking lessons about the
City of Dallas Arbor Day environment. The tools are
Now an annual tradition, the City of Dallas Arbor Day there; we just need to use
is celebrated by planting trees on a chosen school them!
Taking the LEED with Community Education
by Becky Hubbard
-Becky Hubbard is the Manger of both the Kleberg-Rylie Branch Library and the new Prairie Creek Branch Library.
The City of Dallas is committed to “building a
greener city” and green buildings are a large
part of that equation. In January, the City broke
ground on its latest green library, Prairie Creek
Branch. Prairie Creek, located at St. Augustine
and Lake June Road, is being constructed with
the goal of achieving a Platinum level Lead-
ership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) certification, the highest rating given by
the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
“At the present time, there are no Platinum lev-
el City of Dallas buildings, and we would love
for Prairie Creek to be the first,” said Director of
Libraries Laurie Evans.
One of the LEED credits for this project is
“community education.” The education process starts at conception and continues after completion. The con-
struction fencing currently displays a series of colorful panels which advertise the branch’s energy conservation
features, tall grass prairie landscaping and other “cool” features of the community’s newest library.
A Living Classroom
The landscaping will provide an outdoor environmental classroom with a public art piece. There will be oppor-
tunities for learning about Texas’ native Blackland Prairie, the energy efficient aspects of the site and building,
and the art. Local school groups will be encouraged to visit and experience these features.
Environmental Programming
The branch will offer programming for all ages including story times, the Mayor’s Summer Reading Program,
art and environmental programs, gardening and other green related topics. Organizations such as the Master
Gardeners, the Trinity River Audubon Center, the Office of Environmental Quality, Dallas Water Utilities, Park
Rangers and others will be invited to share information.
Preparing the Community
During the construction phase, the architects of dsgn associates, inc., library staff and other City staff will visit
local community groups to give presentations on the new Prairie Creek Branch, all of its green features and
what it has to offer. Local schools, the business community and other area organizations will be visited. Find
out more about the new branch and its construction on the blog at www.dallaslibrary.org . For those interested
in getting involved, a “Friends of the Prairie Creek Branch” support group is being established. Please email
prairiecreekfriends@dallaslibrary2.org for more information.
Prairie Creek Branch Library Stats
• 18000+ sq. ft.
• Scheduled to open fall 2010
• Environmental Features:
* One-acre tall grass prairie.
* Native Texas landscaping including compat-
ible range of trees, groundcovers, grasses and
other plants
* Wildlife habitat (especially for birds) including
a water art piece and a natural water collection
pond
Discovering a Beautiful Planet at Texas Discovery Gardens
by Sarah Gardner
-Sarah Gardner is the PR/Marketing Manager of the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park and cares about educating
children for the future of the planet.
With the opening of the Rosine Smith Sammons
Summer Camps at Texas Discovery Gardens Butterfly House and Insectarium, the staff at Texas
Discovery Gardens have been hard at work preparing
Backyard Buddies: June 14 -18 new education initiatives for 2010. The goal is to teach
Garden Scientists: June 28 - July 2 children the wonders of butterflies and their relation-
Urban Investigators: July 12 -16 ship with local ecosystems with onsite education and
also by aiding local nonprofits and schools in planting
their own butterfly gardens.
Price: $200/week non-member; $180/week member
Time: Each program is daily from 9:30 am to 3 pm.
Ages: 5-6; 7-8
Kids should bring a lunch that does not
require refrigeration or a microwave.
Afternoon snack provided.
Vist www.TexasDiscoveryGardens.com.
Connecting Students with Nature
With expanded indoor space, including a brand new
indoor children’s classroom- the first since opening in
1936, DISD attendance has increased this spring semester. In 2009, nearly 7,000 students were welcomed to
the gardens. This spring semester alone, nearly 10,000 students have been booked.
The Wonders of a Butterfly Lifecycle
Two new classes have been tailored for the butterfly house: Skies of Butterflies and Jungle in the City. These
programs transport students deep into the heart of a rainforest and introduce them to the wonders of a butter-
fly’s lifecycle.
Growing the Program
Funds raised during the Organic in the City Fashion Show + Auction on March 10th will go toward the Earth-
Keepers Education programs to buy tools and hire a part-time educator to handle the increase in attendance.
Summer Fun
The educational initiative does not end in May. Summer
2010 marks the return of summer camps with three fun top-
ics: Backyard Buddies (teaching children about the fascinat-
ing creatures that live in a garden), Garden Scientists (a
hands-on week of experiments for budding biologists), and
Urban Investigators (an exploration of the different habitats
in our backyard--even the ones right underneath our feet).
Our Mission
Educational programming will continue to expand. As a
year-round organic public garden, Texas Discovery Gar-
dens’s mission is to teach young minds and old about creat-
ing healthy, vibrant ecosystems right here in our backyard.
4
City of Dallas Sanitation Services
Please drop off the following items:
Electronic items (E-Waste) Clothing
Televisions Hardback books
Video games Scrap metal
Cell phones Auto and alkaline batteries
Computers Small appliances
Calculators Fluorescent and
Printers incandescent light bulbs
Toys Tires (No limit)
Paper Plastics
Glass
NEW! Styrofoam, soft plastics and
furniture are back!
Clean Styrofoam
Packaging foam and bagged peanuts
Bubble and shrink wrap
Plastic bags and packaging (without food residue)
Mattress sets (twin, full and queen size only)
Dressers, drawers, headboards/footboards
Living room furniture (gently used)
Kitchen/dining tables and chairs
Cribs/baby beds, changing tables, playpens, and lamps
Used cooking oil
DO NOT BRING
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS, PAINT,
BUILDING SUPPLIES, OR WATER BEDS!
This event is presented by
the City of Dallas Sanitation Services Department and supported in part by:
Elliott’s Hardware
4901 Maple Avenue, Dallas, TX 75235
(Shred Truck)
Everglade Park
5100 Jim Miller Road, Dallas, TX 75227
(On-site Shred Truck)
Central Market
5750 E. Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75206
(On-site Shred Truck) – Radio Disney 11a.m. - 1 p.m.
Fretz Park
6990 Beltline Road, Dallas, TX 75254
(Shred Pod)
Publication No. 00/00-0
The first 50 residents to drop off items will receive two free movie passes!
For more information please call the Recycling Hotline at 214-670-4475.
A River of Learning: Trinity River Audubon Center
by Zeshan Segal
-Zeshan Segal is an Education Mangager at the TRAC and is passionate about connecting kids with the natural world.
Education is as an integral aspect of creating positive
change for the future at the Trinity River Audubon Center
(TRAC). Over the academic year, over 15,000 students
will pass through the doors of the TRAC to learn how they
can create change. Staff members provide personal and
relevant experiences to help educate both children and
adults about the river and the associated habitats.
Seeing is Believing: Trash in the Trinity
Students see trash floating down the Trinity River and
caught in trees. This visual, and questions staff members
ask, help students truly understand what is occurring with
the state of our water. Focusing on this helps to show the
students how precious our water is and what we must do
to protect it.
A Building that Teaches
This LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Gold certified facility is another way students are
educated on how to create a more sustainable life. From recycled blue jean insulation and the living “green
roof,” to rainwater collection and use of native and adaptive plants, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds)
paints, day lighting, and even a permeable pavement in the
parking lot, TRAC is a leading example of a sustainable
alternative to the mainstream way of building.
Public Education
At TRAC, focusing on public education helps to pass on the
ideas of sustainability to the entire Metroplex. Staff mem-
bers take pride in helping to educate visitors on actions
and ideas they can use to help create a positive and lasting
impact on their environment.
Learn More
Visit www.trinityriveraudubon.org to learn more about the
TRAC and programs and events, including the FREE Third
Thursday every month.
Sustainability Brown Bag on Urban Chickens
Tuesday, April 27th - Open to the Public
12 pm to 1 pm
Dallas City Hall-L1FN Conference Room B, 1500 Marilla St. Dallas, TX 75201
Description:
Come learn the answer to the age old question: “Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?”
Learn how you can live sustainably by raising your own chickens and enjoying the fresh taste of
homegrown eggs from your backyard. Dan Probst from Bageniece Farms in Poetry, Texas presents.
RSVP: Dayna Cowley at Dayna.Cowley@dallascityhall.com.
6
Kevin’s Corner: A Green Opinion Piece
A World of Difference
-Kevin Lefebvre is the Sustainability Coordinator for the we use. Individually, we will not make any difference;
City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality. He wants to but if we all ask ourselves these questions, collective-
make a world of difference by making every day, earth day! ly, we can change and make a huge difference.
Happy Anniversary, Ask Yourself…
Earth Day! Can you
• Maybe some day, we will not need an Earth Day.
imagine how bad
But until then, ask yourself...
things would be right
now if Earth Day had • Do I need this item or this service or can I make
never happened and do with what I already have?
the movement never • Does it need all this
began? Scary, huh? packaging or can I get this
Breaking Down another way?
Last year I finally • Can I walk to where I
broke down and saw need to go instead of drive?
WALL-E, the Disney • Could I use a re-usable
movie about a much littered Earth and a very lethar- cup or plate or utensil or bag
gic human population gliding through space waiting instead of creating more
for someone else to clean up the mess back home. trash?
Now that I think about it, when I saw WALL-E, I was
trapped on a plane gliding through the air. Yikes. And • Do I need this quantity or
while I found WALL-E himself endearing in his deter- would less do the same job?
mination and electronic vocalizations, I do not think • Can this be recycled when I’m done with it?
Disney focused enough on the “we caused this” as-
• Do I have to run this errand right now or can I
pect behind the main story. I mean, when has Disney
combine it with other errands later?
ever backed away from a fight?
• Is there a better, less environmentally damaging
Earth Day, Every Day?
way to do this?
So, before we wreck our planet into the Earth from
You can come up with some of your own if you want
the movie (or start sitting around letting technology do
but most of our daily activities can fit into these self-
all our working and thinking—picture me on a plane),
check questions in some form or another.
we could all stand to do a little more to ensure our
grandchildren have equal access to the resources we Killer Habits
enjoy today. Nineteen-seventy was a Most of our actions are driven by habit. We do things
good year for the environment; several simply because we can
pieces of legislation were enacted that and there is no pressure to
have helped reverse a lot of the dam- change. If we have a drawer
age we were inflicting on our land- full of disposable forks in the
scape. But as with all things in life, office, why bring our own and
there are the things we’re told to do wash it after using it? If the
and then there are things we choose store gives us free plastic
to do. So, I ask you, my fellow Earth- bags when we shop, why
lings, are you choosing to do all you buy and bring in a re-usable bag? If the coffee shop
can to help make Earth Day a reality every day? has paper cups, why remember to bring a mug? If I
Act for Promise can kill the pests in my lawn with a strong synthetic
chemical, why use a natural solution? We have let
Make a promise with me on this 40th anniversary of
convenience dictate our actions for far too long. Will
Earth Day. Make a promise to think more and waste
we sacrifice our children’s future for our own pleasure
less. Make a promise to act more and use less.
today? -Continued on page 8
Make a promise to educate yourself and others on all
the costs associated with the products and services
7
Kevin’s Corner continued
Take Care - or face EVA!
I realize there are some who say we cannot know what will happen
in a few decades or a few centuries; that’s true, we cannot. All any of
us can do is look at micro-scale versions
of the planet—such as our homes—and
we can see what happens if we do not
take care. Maybe the planet will correct
the damage we inflict; but what if the
nay-sayers are wrong? That’s a gamble
I don’t think any ethical person would, or
should, take. Besides, do you want EVA
showing up all honked-off?
All the Difference in the World
Bottom line, do we really want to turn into
that race of humans in WALL-E? Let’s
change some habits by trying new actions. In another 40 years, I think WE-WILL
have made all the difference in the world.
What does being green mean to me? Reader Opinion
by Becky Balsamo
-Becky Balsamo is a library associate with the City of Dallas and a loyal reader of the Green Times.
To me, being green means doing anything you can, no matter how small, to reduce your footprint on the
earth.
In Our Yard...
For me and my family, that translates into landscaping our yard with native and/or Texas hardy plants that
require less water and watering our lawn sparingly. We use organic fertilizer and pre-emergent. We also
maintain a compost pile in an inconspicuous spot, where we toss appropriate food and other items, and use
the soil in our yard. We have lots of beneficial insects, as a result, and the birds love it.
Saving Energy...
We recently replaced our two water heaters with a tankless unit. We have installed programmable thermo-
stats for both of our air conditioners, which we have pre-set to scale back during the day, at night, and when
we are out of town.
We have wooden blinds on all of the windows in our house, with the exception of three second story windows;
on those three, we have installed solar shades. We keep all of the blinds closed during the day to keep the
heat out.
We have replaced our light bulbs with energy efficient ones.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...
We recycle our trash, which has resulted in no trash for the landfill on most pick up days. In addition, we try
to recycle anything else that we can—drop off our excess hangers at the dry cleaners, drop off excess vases
at the florist, donate reusable clothing and household items to appropriate entities, drop off any hazardous
waste at the Dallas County facility on Plano Rd., etc.
We generally use reusable cloth bags or paper bags for groceries.
Protecting the Air We Breathe...
And last, but not least, we have our oil changed in our vehicles every 3,000 miles and have our tire pressure
checked at that time—those two measures help us to get our best mileage.
Thank you, Becky, for everything you do for the planet and for reading the Green Times!
8
Attention Ink Cartridge and Cell Phone Recyclers!
For Xerox toner cartridges, you can:
A) Leave them by the machine to be collected by Xerox maintenance people; or if you have several ready to go,
B) Call Xerox (phone number on or by your machine) and let them know you have a load that they can come by and pick
up. They will reuse or recycle them.
For inkjet/laser jet cartridges, you can:
A) Contact Recycle to Eradicate Poverty (RTEP) for a drop-off time at their facility in Addi-
son at 940-372-5860. If you have a large load, they may be able to pick up the cartridges.
B) Contact Cartridges For Kids (CFK) to request free shipping labels through website or
directly.
Call OEQ to get the City’s account number: 214-670-1200 or e-mail GreenDallas@dallas-
cityhall.com.
Visit http://cartridgesforkids.com/ for a list of items CFK accepts. When you’re ready, pack
your collected cartridges or other items that CFK accepts, affix the free CFK label and
make the call to FedEx for free pickup.
Try to send full boxes equaling about 20 lbs.
C) HP printer cartridges come with a return-shipping label for you to use to help recycle your old cartridges. Simply put
your old cartridge in the box, apply the label, and drop it at your UPS drop-spot. Details are on the box.
D) Office Depot will collect old Office Depot printer cartridges when you order new ones. Ask the delivery man to pick up
your old cartridges in the new Office Depot cartridge box for return to the store for recycling. Details are on the box.
PLEASE DO NO LEAVE CARTRIDGES IN THE L1GARAGE
For cell phones and PDAs, you can:
A) Just take a self-addressed, already postmarked envelope home, put up to five old cell phones in it (no chargers
please), and drop it in the mailbox!
B) Drop your phones/PDA in the box by OEQ in City Hall, L2FS.
For a cell phone recycling envelope, e-mail GreenDallas@dallascityhall.com or call 214-670-1200.
Message from Recycle to Eradicate Poverty:
“We have raised over $14,000 recycling, translating into some 1,200 lives changed through microfinance and 320 million
gallons of water preserved. This is a tremendous service to the world and we deeply thank you for being a part of this
program.”
Why does cell phone recycling matter?
Each cell phone contains no less than 8 toxic elements—lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, arsenic included– and can pol-
lute up to 35,000 gallons of drinking water. Each year, phones are retired in enormous amounts: 500 million each year, 10
million each month. But what happens to the old ones? You really have three choices:
1) Throw them away (which is very bad for the environment).
2) Put them in your sock drawer.
3) RECYCLE THEM!
Currently, less than 4% of the 500 million retired cell phones are recycled.
Do something to help the environment and global poverty:
“Our goal is twofold…we want to help save the planet from the harmful effects generated by millions of retired cell phones,
while simultaneously helping to bring women and children out of poverty. Recycle to Eradicate Poverty donates 100%
of the proceeds from cell phone recycling to create microfinance loans. Those loans provide a hand-up, not a hand-out.
This program is so successful that 98.6% of the loans are repaid, as the businesses they helped to start become success-
ful and lives are changed.” -Recycle to Eradicate Poverty Director, Suzanne Sutton
10  
RECYCLE YOUR PLASTIC BAGS
AT YOUR CONVENIENCE
Bring your plastic bags to OEQ for quick and easy recycling today,
tomorrow – or any day!
The ‘Bag 2 Bag’ recycling bin is now permanently located at the
entrance of the Office of Environmental Quality at L2FS.
Call us with questions: 214-670-1200
Depicts 60,000 plastic bags, Partial zoom. Detail at actual size.
the number used in the US
every five seconds.
Title: Plastic Bags, 2007
A photographic depiction by Chris Jordan showing the volume of
bags used in the U.S. every 5 seconds...
11Office of Environmental Quality
1500 Marilla, L2FS
Dallas, Texas 75201
Phone:214-670-1200
Fax: 214-670-0134 The Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ) was
E-mail: Hannah.Kolni@dallascityhall.com established to serve as an internal resource to
City of Dallas staff on the wide range environ-
mental issues faced every day. With a staff of
City of Dallas Publication No. 08/09-50 dedicated environmental professionals experi-
enced in multiple disciplines, OEQ works to raise
awareness at the City level to guide Dallas to-
ward a sustainable future and brighter tomorrow.
OEQ currently serves the City of Dallas with the
following services: Environmental Management
System, compliance auditing, Environmental Site
Assessments (Phase I/II), inspections and spill
response, air quality, sustainability, outreach and
employee training.
What do you think of the Green Times?
Let us know what you think by filling out this survey. We want your feedback so we can continually improve!
Did you find this newsletter interesting, informative or useful?
Did you sign up for a Sustainability Brown Bag because of the Green Times?
Are you planning to recycle your plastic grocery bags? At OEQ or at the store?
Are you planning to recycle your cell phone with Recycle to Eradicate Poverty?
Will you recycle your ink cartridges?
Did you change something you do in everyday life because of something you
learned in the Green Times?
Thank you very much for your time!
Send your answers to Hannah.Kolni@dallascityhall.com.You can also read
