Early Childhood Education

My early career as an environmental consultant and writer began at a time when environmental legislation was prompting greater concern for environmental protection. Investigating the impact of environmental contamination on human health, I learned how to explore an issue in detail and bring focus and understanding to its implications.

Most recently I’ve applied this skill to helping children understand the seemingly larger-than-life issues involving environmental protection, global warming, alternative energy, and biodiversity.

From designing hands-on environmental activities for children and reporting on their discoveries in the field, to answering kids’ questions in the syndicated column, Earth Talk Young Readers and publishing EarthBeat, an environmental newsletter for children, I’ve observed that children intuitively appreciate that Earth's many systems must work together to work at all.

Protecting the environment, therefore, comes naturally to children. As a student teacher at Dallas’ George B. Dealey Montessori Academy, I was able to introduce students to the environment by integrating environmental principles across the 1-3 grade classroom curriculum.

I helped develop the Energy for Life Art Contest co-sponsored by E/The Environmental Magazine and Cape Wind, where we invited Massachusetts students to submit artwork illustrating a future powered by clean energy.  Students were also asked to write a short essay to accompany their work.