For forty-one years, we’ve been celebrating Earth Day. And what started as a celebration, is now a cause. Now more than ever, with climate change at our doorstep, we need to take the idea of Earth Day, and truly act on it – not just for a day, but for the entire year.

We can’t say “Happy Earth Day” and move on to the next big thing tomorrow. It’s not a slogan or a holiday; it’s a reminder that the earth can’t be taken for granted. Its resources are finite and we can not selfishly beat it to death and leave it for the next generation to clean up. This is especially true today.

So what can we do? If we can all work together the end result can be revolutionary. Why not us? Why can’t we be the ones to solve this?

The vision would be a world where environmental sustainability and responsibility is the norm on a personal, corporate and government level. Everyone is on the same page, working together as best we can to solve this. There is no debate, just a commitment.

So, let’s operate together on a few different levels, starting today:

* First, change our own habits and inspire others to do the same. Measure your carbon footprint and do whatever you can do to decrease it. Understanding and minimizing your carbon footprint is easy and makes a huge difference with little sacrifice. Inspire your family and your company to do the same. Here’s a start: Join Gretchen Bleiler’s 21 Day Reusable Challenge. It’s a fun way to kick your dependency on single-use plastics. It starts today, so try it: www.21dayreusablechallenge.com

* Make your purchase power work for the greater good. If you work for a consumer products company, ask them if they’re committed to running a sustainable business, working with like-minded partners and producing products that are environmentally-responsible. But also, are they leveraging their corporate weight to influence policy?

And as a consumer, purchase smart. Do your homework about which companies are doing it the right way and focus your buying power accordingly. Soon, companies will realize that green products are good business. Use the Good Guide before you shop: www.goodguide.com

* Find out what your Congressmen and Senators’ stances are on the environment; make sure they know that anything less than a commitment to clean energy legislation is unacceptable. Our elected officials have the biggest lever in terms of climate solutions and their opinions are shaped by their constituencies. Our dependence on oil and coal is why we’re in the mess and our local, state and federal officials have the power to shift budgets and priorities to make clean energy a reality. But they won’t do it if they don’t hear from us and understand that it’s good for them politically to support it. Send them a letter now and use your power at the voting booth as soon as you can.

* Teach the children. If there is one thing we do, let’s make sure the next generation is smarter than we are. Start now to teach kids about their connection with the environment and inspire them to solve climate change, so it’s second nature for our future leaders and corporate executives.

And we hope you will continue to support POW so we can mobilize together, as a united winter sports community fighting climate change on as many fronts as it takes. We need your support, and we’ll make a difference together.

Written by Chris Steinkamp
Executive Director, Protect Our Winters

Hot Planet/Cool Athletes is a collaboration between POW and Alliance For Climate Education (ACE) and provides pro snow sports athletes with a platform talk to high school students about climate change. The multi-media in-school assembly highlights the athlete’s achievements and personal stories about the impact of climate change on winter sports and delivers a message for students to take action in their own lives. Check out a recent ESPN article about the program Here.

So far, athletes including Gretchen Bleiler, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Seth Wescott, Nate Holland, Ralph Backstrom, Nick Visconti, Mike Wilson, Iris Lazzareschi and Moss Halladay have visited local schools. This is just the beginning! If you want us to visit your school, just email us.

Thank you to our corporate partners – helping us influence and inspire the next generation of climate leaders: The North Face, Clif Bar Family Foundation, The Quicksilver Foundation,
Teton Gravity Research, Whole Foods Market/Highland Dr.

Republicans are pushing a new round of proposals to abolish Medicare and make far deeper cuts to education, nutrition, health care, and other essential programs—while giving even bigger tax breaks to millionaires and corporations.

The following is a quick video demonstrating the nationwide collaboration of disdain for such budget cuts:

According to Feminine Power Global Community, this teleconference is for us ladies for a specific purpose…”Something big is happening for us as women. We’re on the brink of an evolutionary shift with the potential to alter the course of history. Millions of us around the world are feeling a calling to reclaim the feminine, and in so doing, to awaken our authentic power to co-create the future of our lives and shape the future of our world.

You may be experiencing it as an impulse to evolve yourself, to realize the potential of your creative gifts and talents and to make your greatest contribution. You may yearn for deeper experiences of love, intimacy and connection and feel a longing to come more fully alive. You may even intuitively sense that you have a unique purpose and a critical role to play in shaping the future of our world. And you may well be right.”

I signed up. What’s to lose? A global collaboration of positive female energy can’t do anything but assist in moving forward. Here’s to achieving our highest potential!

– A Brazilian Proverb

Here are five beautiful examples of how the Japanese are working together in the face of adversity.

1. A Japanese phrase that locals are saying over and over again to each other are the serene words “stay calm”.

2. When a reporter asked if aid had started pouring in yet, the response was, “No, but the people are helping each other from the bottom up, rather than waiting for help from the top down.”

3. A story of store owner has surfaced of the business man offering up his merchandise for those in need. A line of people with their own carts congregated outside the store, moving along in an orderly fashion to accept the donation. The store owner explained he was giving away all that he had. (He had moved everything outside to give the people access.) There was no greed being shown. The citizens, in turn, took only what they needed, making sure the people behind them would have some of the goods when it came their turn. Another example of sharing: a story of people being served enough Raman Noodles for four, and instead of taking it for themselves, split it with two more, making it a meal for six.

4. Reports show there has been little — to no — looting.

5. The level of mutual compassion and patience is being shown in great magnitude with the working together when waiting in lines — oftentimes for hours on end.

As communication is in its basic form at the moment, a site has been created in the spirit of reuniting those separated in the disaster.

Please pass on the information and website link for Japan Person Finder.

Looking at restoring an old ski area in Alaska, MRA is working with locals on the Kenai Peninsula to create a positive winter sports resource. Check out the following video of MRA project manager, Dave Scanlan, discussing the proposed ski area.

The day I found out I had received the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, I went weak in the knees. Literally. I fell to the solid pavement of my driveway reading the sentence beginning with “Congratulations!” Tears of joy fell from my face as I realized my dream of living abroad as a teenager was coming to reality. Little did I know how much that year in Bavaria would effect my life. Every aspect of my life has been touched because of my year living with my German family, the Johnens. My love life is better: Germany is where I finally fell for my husband. My business sense is expanded: I believe it is easier for me to think outside the box because of living in a foreign culture. My life is richer: I’ve experienced not only the U.S. and German cultures, but being an exchange student also prepared me for my life in Argentina — an amazing experience that has enriched my life with many lifelong relationships.

So, it is safe to say I am a big proponent of youth exchange programs, especially scholarships.

Clements International, an insurance carrier for expats, is accepting applications for their third annual Expat Youth Scholarship. A unique contest exclusively for expat students who spend their childhoods moving between different countries and cultures, the 2011 Expat Youth Scholarship is open to students ages 12-18 of any nationality who have resided in a foreign country for at least two consecutive years. For this year’s theme, they ask participants to create a video explaining their favorite thing about their host country and its culture. The entry deadline is May 13, 2011.

A total of $10,000 in scholarships will be awarded to six students in the following categories:

Category One (Ages 12 – 15):

1st Place $3,000
2nd Place $1,500
3rd Place $500

Category Two (Ages 16 – 18):

1st Place $3,000
2nd Place $1,500
3rd Place $500

According to Clements International President, Chris Beck, “We’re so excited to offer the Expat Youth Scholarship again this year with a new twist. Incorporating online video and Facebook voting will really make this scholarship contest an interactive experience for everyone involved, including participants, expats, supporters and viewers around the world.”

Hoping to get a global input, this year everyone gets a chance to help determine the winners. A Judges Panel consisting of individuals representing the expatriate community will determine the top 12 video entries, which will be posted on the Expat Youth Scholarship Facebook page under the “Links” tab. During the month of August, members of the Expat Youth Scholarship fan page will be able to vote for their favorites using the “Like” feature. Voting (i.e. “liking”) will end on August 31. The total number of fan “Likes” will determine the top three winners in each age category.

What a great example of collaboration!

Visit ExpatYouthScholarship.com for more information.