Be Healthy and Alert!
Cough, cough! That’s the sound of you being sick. That’s why here at Bethesda Elementary School we have a special system. Have you ever seen colorful flags outside on your school’s flagpole? If you haven’t, we’re here to tell you what they are and what they mean.
First, we are going to tell you how the system works. Every day we check the school website to check the quality of the air. A colored flag is put up on the flagpole to alert the students about the air quality for the day. The green flag means the air outside is good and clean and it is safe for you to play outside! You want the flag to be green all the time The yellow flag is not as good as the green flag. The air is not as clean. When we see that flag it means it is nice enough to play outside but not perfect.
Oh look! The orange flag is flying! That means the air is not clean enough to be safe for some people, including kids like us. It is okay to play outside but we have to rest more. Ugh! If you see a red flag, it means the air is full of pollution. Pollution comes from factories and cars. We can still play outside but we should not run around as much.
Oh no, the purple flag is flying! On a purple flag day you should think before you plan to go outside. This color tells us that the air is the dirtiest of all. You should not play outside at all. We know- not cool, right? You don’t get to run around outside, but you will be safe inside. You don’t want to get sick, do you? That’s what we thought. The air is very polluted and unhealthy for us.
Did you know that there is less pollution today than there was years ago? We are doing a good job with reducing pollution. But it is still a problem and that is one reason the flag system is important. We are glad we have the system at our school to help keep us safe and healthy! To learn more about the School Flag Program, visit www.airnow.gov/schoolflag.
Jazmin and Guadalupe are 5th graders at Bethesda Elementary School in Durham, NC. Jazmin enjoys playing basketball and soccer and recently set an all time high record for running laps in the gym. Guadalupe is excited about becoming a sixth grader and likes being outside where she participates in many outdoor activities.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Just in Time for Don’t Fry Day
Eleven-year-old Sueda has recess with her classmates on a playground without any trees. This sixth grader from New Mexico knows how important it is to be safe in the sun. She recently earned her school a shade structure from the SHADE Foundation by winning the national 2012 SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest www.epa.gov/sunwise/postercontest.html. Now Sueda and her classmates at the Albuquerque School of Excellence can stay shaded when they play outside.
In Sueda’s winning poster, two cactus characters offer their sunburned cactus friend some sun protection advice in the form of hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Meanwhile, a chameleon seeks shade under a leaf. Sueda was one of 12,000 participating students from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The poster contest is an annual event; submissions are due every year by April 1. The poster contest educates thousands of students each year about how to be SunWise.
May 25th is Don’t Fry Day www.epa.gov/sunwise/dfd.html, and Sueda’s cactus characters are the perfect reminder of what this day is all about: when outdoors, you need to Slip, Slop, Slap, Wrap, and Seek Shade to protect yourself from too much sun exposure. Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, wrap on sunglasses, and seek shade between 10am and 4pm. School may be over soon but the need to stay safe under the sun continues. How can you be safe in the sun this summer?
About the author: Julie Kunrath is an ASPH Fellow hosted by the SunWise program in the Office of Air and Radiation in DC.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
GRADUATING…NOW WHAT?
Its spring and graduation is just around the corner.
High school juniors and seniors are probably being asked all sorts of questions, like:
Where are you planning on going to college?
What are you majoring in?
What do you want to do?
However, you may be freaking out at the thought of having a stranger for a roommate or about living 100 miles from home. You’re also starting over in college with new clubs, interests and experiences, and you don’t know where to begin. There’s no time to think about what you may be interested in majoring in yet.
What if you could bring your passion for the environment with you and expand it in college?
The EPA’s OnCampus ecoAmbassadors program could be what you’re looking for. You can help implement projects from EPA programs to green your campus, promote environmental awareness and find resources to learn about EPA related careers.
Want to know how to start? Check out EPA’s You Tube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAx6CzUx8Vc&feature=plcp&context=C4e6434dVDvjVQa1PpcFPdEiR2XqqsvQ-y5cmqldEtmAnKSHxtQRk%3D
Yvonne Gonzalez is a SCEP intern with the Air and Radiation Division in Region 5. She is currently pursuing a dual graduate degree at DePaul University.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Adventures in Babysitting
Babysitting. Sometimes it’s the easiest way to make some extra money after you’ve used your allowance on the latest music, book, or outing with your friends. Other times, it’s a must. You HAVE to watch and take care of your little brother. They can make it easy on you, or manage to run you around and do unpredictable things. This could get dangerous.
Babies like to crawl on the floor and put things in their mouth. Toddlers or smaller children that are walking, love opening cabinets to find all sorts of shiny, dangerous things. If any of them get a hold of chemicals or pesticides, any exposure could be dangerous. They’re curious and you need to know what is safe to have around them.
So before you use any chemicals around children, read the label. If you’re feeding them, make sure to wash their hands and yours beforehand. Keep them safe and get more information at: http://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/
It’ll make you a better babysitter and knowledge makes you more valuable.
Yvonne Gonzalez is a SCEP intern with the Air and Radiation Division in Region 5. She is currently pursuing a dual graduate degree at DePaul University.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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