50 disadvantaged kids discover solar at Earth Day for Kids
On Earth Day 2006 some powerful learning took place at the Solar Living Institute (SLI) in Hopland, California. Seeds of hope and change were planted as 50 inner-city kids from San Francisco’s Bret Harte School took a cost-free field trip to SLI’s lush, 12-acre campus 95 miles north of the city. Eighty percent of the kids had never even been north of the Golden Gate Bridge before.
The kids discovered renewable energy as they rode SLI’s solar-powered merry-go-round, planted seedlings and learned about worm composting, played in straw and mud, learned about biodiesel fuel, and generated electricity by pedaling a stationary bicycle. Many of these kids come from unemployed or very low income, single-parent households and don’t have much exposure to the natural world, let alone recycling, biofuels, permaculture, solar power or global warming.
“While most of the kids got off the bus in wide-eyed wonder, others were hardened at first, with detached attitudes,” recalls SLI Programs Director Doron Amiran. “But by the end of the day, they had softened and were diving into the mud and chomping solar-oven baked cookies. We were able to achieve an incredible transformation with these kids.”
The entire cost of the field trip was funded through customer purchases of Gaiam Real Goods products including eco-educational toys, Solar Living Sourcebooks, Gaiam Real Goods Eco Gear and Gaiam organic cotton Thoughtful Tees. Ten to 15 percent of the purchase of each item went directly to Earth Day for Kids.
“Our thanks go out to Gaiam Real Goods customers who donated generously so that these kids could have a day to experience the sustainable future and to travel all the way from San Francisco to Hopland,” says Gaiam Real Goods and SLI Founder John Schaeffer. Gaiam Real Goods’ goal is to sponsor 250 kids on Earth Day 2007 at a substantially higher cost. You can help by giving meaningful gifts, and helping economically disadvantaged kids discover the power to change.
