We love the countryside – on TV

A recent Guardian feature on the BBC’s Countryfile programme reported record audience figures of 8.7 million on February 7th.  This was more, it seems, that Call the Midwife even though, in Spring, the two programmes can be quite similar in content.  To put this in perspective it’s is about 60% of the number who watch Eastenders on…

The Journal of Environmental Education

The Journal of Environmental Education is the oldest of the journals focusing on environmental education research. It began life in 1969 as “Environmental Education”, and changed its name in 1971 to much its growing focus on research activity. It’s known across the world as “J.E.E”. It says this about itself: ” JEE is a research-oriented,…

Remembering a founding father

Although John Smyth died over 11 years ago, in 2005, his contribution to environmental education lives on. An obituary in the Herald Scotland painted a picture of his life and work, but there are many of us today who can add anecdotes to what this says about him. John’s contribution was national and international, and…

National Environmental Education Week

NEEF has announced that April 17 to 23 is National Environmental Education Week – at least in the USA which is where NEEF operates. This is NEEF’s 12th annual EEWeek, and this one is sponsored by Samsung. It is the USA’s “largest celebration of environmental education”, and NEEF invites environmental educators of all kinds, teaching…

March 1916

The Guardian website carried an evocative article last week that originally appeared in the Manchester Guardian in March 1916.  It begins, “The sun went down a huge ball almost blood-red in colour, and so vast that half the heaven in the west seemed to be covered. As it sank, all that remained of this ruddy twilight…

Always 40 minutes from starvation

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust says that a foraging bumblebee with a full-stomach is only ever about 40 minutes from starvation, so “help feed bumblebees”, it says. Here’s an informative 10 minute video on YouTube about what plants to grow in the garden.  It’s full of information about how vital bees, in general, are to our food…