“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
The idea of leaving the world a better place for our children it is not a new concept. Teddy Roosevelt shared the aforementioned quote during the Seventh Annual Message to Congress in 1907. Educators, lawmakers, celebrities and others have all shared their wisdom on the subject throughout the years, and the human race continues to slowly make progress in baby steps, while occasionally taking two steps forward and one step back. For our August Back to School issue of Green Living magazine, we focus on several local schools that are doing what they can to make a difference both for the lives of children and the livelihood of the environment.
We’re featuring a spotlight on southern Arizona school Stanfield Elementary’s green efforts and the inspiring story of the principal who suffered a heart attack and then decided to get in shape and share the same healthy habits with his students. We also covered Banner Children’s Academy, a private school that teaches important lessons through its ECO program. Also included in this issue are tips from local school district officials on how to effectively green your school year; a roundup of eco zoos; Treasures 4 Teachers nonprofit; tips from Don’t Trash Arizona on how to minimize highway trash this monsoon season; Goodwill’s zero-waste efforts; the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Desert Ark educational outreach program; and much more!
As you also may have noticed, we have the talented and stunning Alysia Reiner on this month’s cover. You may know her as Fig the Assistant Warden from “Orange is the New Black,” or from her role in the critically-acclaimed film “Sideways.” But what you may not know is that she’s a true eco-conscious mama and takes sustainability and conservation very seriously. It’s no secret that many celebrities live a green lifestyle or are invested in the conservation of planet Earth – Bill Gates recently invested $2 billion in renewable energy projects and Leonardo DiCaprio has donated millions to ocean conservation efforts.
Reiner is another eco-conscious celebrity who aims to make the best decisions for her family and for the planet. Read her Q&A in this issue to learn more about her and her family. We also featured her husband and fellow actor, David Alan Basche, in our June issue. If you haven’t read his story yet, be sure to check it out online or in print.
I hope you enjoy these stories in our Back to School issue, and I hope you learn something too.
I’d also like to make the bittersweet announcement that our talented Creative Director, Crista Alvey, is leaving the Green Living team. Her efforts and dedication these past three years have been amazing. Her husband recently earned his Doctorate degree from Arizona State University and we wish them both great success and happiness in their future endeavors, wherever it may take them.
Amanda Harvey
Associate Editor
