And Evening With Bill McKibben

We had the honor of meeting and spending sometime with Bill McKibben tonight at a event at the Boulder Unity Church. We performed our song "Live as if our Future Matters", that we wrote for the iMatter worldwide youth led marches in May of this year. We hadn't planned on performing but Micah Parkin's from 350 who had seen us before a number of times invited us to do our song to open the event.

It was amazing the response from the crowd of several hundred. We got a standing ovation, and it made us feel so proud that our lyrics and music can inspire people to feel hope. We received so many thank you's after the event for our performance and our contribution to the Boulder Community.

We also had the honor of meeting Mayor Matt Appelbaum. We also appreciated his talk on renewable energy for Boulder! He was really cool and seemed easy going. We had a nice time talking to him and taking some pics. We really see him as an ally and look forward to working with him on issues that will directly affect our future.

Bill's talk was very inspiring and eye opening. We are aware of our global crisis as Earth Guardians but hearing someone like Bill tell us what is happening all over the Globe with Climate Change and collapsing eco systems it made me realize how important our work is and it made all of us at Earth Guardians want to work harder.

Thank you Bill for fighting for our future! And a huge thank you to the many many people in our community who are also on our team and care about our future and future generations.

Mayor Susan Osbornes 2B2C Party - The final stretch

Fun with Susan Osborne

The Earth Guardians gathered with City Officials, Energy Experts, and Mayor Susan Osborne, for a fun fall gathering at Susan's Boulder home.

Everyone had a chance to share a few words about how to support the campaign in these final days, and Xiuhtezcatl talked about the importance of uniting together, and how WE the people are stronger then Xcel when we join efforts.  He told everyone about his culture and the power of prayer and asked everyone to visualize 2B2C  winning!  He also shared a heart felt good bye to Susan Osborne as Mayor, and said that if more communities had Leaders like Susan it would be a better world!

It was a very positive, festive occasion with good food, good drinks and a lot of good people!  Thank you to the awesome Boulder Community, all the Organizations and Individuals who are supporting 2B2C and the Children that will inherit the Earth.

It is the final stretch before the ballots are in and counted for, so everyone get out and vote and make sure your friends and families vote YES on 2B2C,  and insure a healthy, clean planet to pass on to future generations!

Regina, Crystal, Lisa and Xiuhtezcatl

The Crew Hanging with Amy Guinan - Clean Energy Action

Xiuhtezcatl and some of the Woman Leaders of our City

Macon and Regina Cowles with Xiuhtezcatl

Kids in Boulder's Earth Guardians work to prevent climate change by the Daily Camera

By Amanda Moutinho Camera Staff Writer Posted: 07/24/2011 10:56:31 PM MDT Xiuhtezcatl Martinez pulls weeds around the playground at Foothills Community Park in Boulder last week. Martinez is a member of Earth Guardians, a group of kids centered on environmental activism. The group has adopted the park by pulling weeds and showing that pesticides are not necessary. ( MARK LEFFINGWELL ) Xiuhtezcatl Martinez describes himself as an environmental activist. He's appealed to the Boulder City Council, spoken at global warming rallies and campaigned for President Barack Obama. In his free time, he enjoys being in nature, swinging on rope tires, having sword fights and playing with Legos. This year he will be entering his fifth year at Crest View Elementary School, since Xiuhtezcatl is only 11 years old. He started activism when he was 6, after viewing the environmental documentary "The 11th Hour." As a lover of animals, Xiuhtezcatl said he became concerned with polar bears and tigers, and felt he was being called to help. "The state of the planet is really intense -- forests are disappearing, mass extinction of animals, pine beetles are dying due to warmer winters," he said. "We have to snap out of it." Xiuhtezcatl is a member of the Boulder-based organization Earth Guardians, a youth group centered on environmental activism. Tamara Roske, 43, Xiuhtezcatl's mother, started Earth Guardians in 1993. At the time, she was living in Maui and noticed several environmental problems plaguing the Hawaiian island -- such as sugar cane burning and endangered species increasing -- and felt like something needed to be done. Four years later she brought the organization to Boulder. Roske's said her generation is concerned with having more and making more, and they weren't taught to respect Earth. Her goal now is to show children the state of the planet they are inheriting. "They hear their parents talking about it, but they're not given an outlet to express that concern they have," Roske said. "It's amazing to see the impact that these kids can have." The guardians have fans in high places, like Boulder Mayor Susan Osborne, who's been a supporter ever since she saw them at a City Council meeting two years ago. "When they come to speak at council, they pretty much always get what they want because they're so articulate and thoughtful," Osborne said. Amaya Baccallieri, 12, and Jasmine Gatt, right, of Boulder environmental group Earth Guardians, toss weeds into a pile as they clean up the playground at Foothills Community Park last week. ( MARK LEFFINGWELL )  Amaya Baccellieri, 12, an Earth Guardian member for two years, said the youth has a big voice. But she thinks that adults listen to children partly because of their charm. "First of all, it's the cute factor," Baccellieri said. "Then they realize if kids are talking about it, it's important." The Guardians have assembled on a number of topics, including closing coal operations at the Valmont Power Plant and also filing a lawsuit against the State of Colorado for contributing to global warming by polluting the atmosphere. The active problem-solving is one of the qualities Osborne admires about the group. Last summer, the Guardians appealed to the City Council for city workers to stop spraying pesticides in community parks. The council listened to the concerns and terminated use of the chemicals. But the Guardians went a step further and adopted Foothills Community Park to "walk the talk," as Xiuhtezcatl puts it. The group maintains the upkeep of the park by pulling weeds and showing that pesticides are not necessary. It's refreshing for Osborne to see a group step up and fix a problem. "I love their energy," she said. "It's not just talking and complaining, which we get a lot of. It's raising issues and actively solving the problems." But not all the youth have been treated with such understanding. Alex Budd, 18, has been involved in activism since he was 13, when he participated in Al Gore's climate project to spread environmental awareness. He said that, over the years, he's received a lot of negative feedback and feels as though he's running up against a wall. "I'm still young enough to be called naive," Budd said. "We call it passionate, but people see it as being manipulated." Roske, as the founder and mother to some of the Earth Guardians, said she's never been accused of swaying the kids.  She said this is because she allows the children to choose the issues important to them, stays behind the scenes and only gives help when needed. "The kids just do it, and I support them," Roske said. "I help to empower them to find their own voices." But Roske knows the importance of letting the kids be kids, and she keeps it fun by hosting movies nights and sleepovers. She also encourages the children to incorporate their hobbies into activism, such as her 7-year-old son, Itzcuauhtli, who loves to rap about environmental change. For most of the Earth Guardians, educating the future generation is their mission. They've presented to several schools and are building a multimedia tool kit for those wanting to get involved. Budd said he wants to give kids a choice to be active or not by letting them know the issues. As for Xiuhtezcatl, before he got involved, he said he was having a good time being a kid and wasn't concerned. After he learned about the environmental problems, he chose activism. "I'm glad when I have kids," Xiuhtezcatl said, "I can tell them I didn't just sit around and do nothing." Contact Camera Staff Writer Amanda Moutinho at 303-473-1361 or amanda@dailycamera.com. Print   Email   Font ResizeReturn to Top

iMatter Colorado March

Colorado youth gathered in Denver for the iMatter March on May 14th, taking to the streets to make their voices heard on the climate crisis.

 

Brandishing banners, signs and flags, thousands converged on Denver for the iMatter March on May 14th. Cold rainy weather was no match for the determined crowd, whose chants and cheers echoed throughout the city and turned heads. Students came from across the state to join in the march, bringing with them their own costumes, banners, and music. Onlookers joined the demonstration as it proceeded through downtown to Civic Center Park across from the State Capitol.

Calling on state and national leaders to “live, lead and govern as if our future matters”, the marchers were joined by the 16 year old founder of the iMatter Movement Alec Loorz, actress & activist Daryl Hannah, Congressman Jared Polis, and countless others.

The rest of the rally featured speakers, performers, and entertainers, all delivering a strong and clear message: we will hold our leaders and society accountable for the world they are leaving us! We all deserve a healthy planet, one that’s worth inheriting.

A big thanks to our prime sponsor - Organic  India (www.organicindia.com).
Thanks to all of our planning team!! Thanks to the city and other support vendors that came through with flying colors. And, a huge thanks to ALL the sincerely dedicated people who worked so hard to make this such great success!

Please visit our Donation Page to help us cover the costs of the event and to support the ongoing iMatter Movement.

iMatter
you Matter
we Matter
let's work together
to make things better!

Me, Van Jones and My Favorite Mayor Susan Osborne

"Me with two of my adult hero's, Van Jones and Mayor Susan Osborne"

Wow, What a night.  The Plan Boulder Annual Event Rocked! and Van Jones was there to help make that possible.  I was wisked away by one of the Boulder City Council Members who took me straight to Van to introduce me.  He said "Oh yes, I have heard of Earth Guardians in Washington".  Then my favorite Mayor, Susan Osborne came to intercept and began telling Van about some of the Earth Guardians success's here in Boulder. I felt so much respect and love for both of these adults who I consider my hero's.  They are standing up and helping us, in our fight for our future.   We are not alone my fellow youth partners.  It was very obvious by the people that were in the room, that they are behind our very mission to save our planet.  They have been paving the way so it would be possible for us to stand and work by their sides.  Van mentioned the Earth Guardians during his talk a couple of times and I got to ask him directly if he and "Green For All"  one of his cool amazing organizations would support us with our iMatter Kids-vs-Global-Warming Campaign. He took my business card and said he would be getting in touch soon.  He is a busy man with an important job, but we would love it if he would return to Denver and March by our sides and speak at our Rally on May 14th, and I plan to ask him to do just that. We made a lot of cool connections and feel hope that together we can save our Earth!

Protect the Clean Air Act Rally

"Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez speaking at the Rally"

The Boulder Earth Guardians spoke out on behalf of the Protect the Clean Air Act Campaign. Their passionate message was received with cheers from the Crowd.   Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez stated at the Rally that "Our generation will be most affected by Climate Change and every decision that is made will effect the kind of world that we will be left with.  We are asking you, the ones who love us and those that are leading our Nation "To Live, To Lead, and to Govern" as if our future matters!  The Earth Guardians also announced the iMatter Kids vs Global Warming Campaign and got a lot of support from the crowd and commitments to come out and march by their sides on May 14th.

Click this link to read full article: http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_17432156?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com

Earth Guardians, Harper Var and Xiuhtezcatl Roske meet Al Gore

Amalia, Harper, Xiuhtezcatl and I had the honor of attending a fundraiser for Congress Woman Betsy Marky in a beautiful Chautauqua Park Home where the kids got to meet not only Al Gore, but Jarad Polis and Besty Marky as well.  Al Gore gave such an strong speech with so much passion and a urgent message that the time to act is NOW. He talked about the extreme climate disasters that happened around the globe this year,  and said we have passed a tipping point and our children are going to feel the consequences.  He talked about speaking with 1,000's of youth who are standing up with him against Climate Change. (see some of his speech on our Video Page)

Harper told him and Congress Woman Besty Marky about Earth Guardians and the International iMatter March we are helping to Coordinating... and Al Gore commented on Alex Loorz the visionary of the iMatter Campaign. What great allies to have on our side!

Their is an amazing movement of youth and like minded people that is growing and could possibly change the direction we are headed!  It will take everyone of us making a commitment to changing our carbon habits and supporting the younger generation whose voices will be heard!  


Please join the iMatter Campaign right here on our site or you can go to the Face Book Cause page for iMatter kids-vs-global-warming...Lets Live as if the Future Matters!

Boulder's 350 Global Work Party Targets Climate Change

 Earth Guardian Youth played a major role in Boulder's 350 Global Work Party.   They opened the Day with  a rockin  iMatter kids-v-s-global-warming pre-March from Naropa Campus to CU Campus.  The"Children's Torch of Hope" dedicated by the Dalai Lama and a eight foot Polar Bear lead 137 Marchers on a cool rainy.

They were received in the Glen Miller Ball Room by Boulder organizers and participants of the 350 event.  The kids Presented the "Torch of Hope" and spoke to the crowd about why they were committed to working hard NOW to make a difference.

The Earth Guardians offered two youth led workshops at CU,  "Colorado Kids Committed to Cutting" a "how-to"
 workshop for kids, teaching them about the issues of carbon,  and guiding them in making a committment to their future by cutting their own personal carbon output.    The second workshop "Catch that Carbon" was a get your hands dirty workshop.  With generous logistical and materials support from the City of Boulder, the Earth Guardians and 45 friends planted three big trees in Beach Park.  Our own Mayor Susan Osborne came out to lend her support. It was inspiring to see how many young people showed up to support, and are committed to making a positive difference in their Community.

Mayor Susan Osborne joins the Boulder Earth Guardians and other youth to plant three big trees in Beach Park

In the News - The Daily Camera

"Young people had a major role in Boulder's 350 Global Work Party to combat climate change.
The Sunday event included a youth march, youth workshops and youth speakers. Children and teens planted trees, promised to cut back on energy consumption and urged adults to join their efforts.

"We wanted students to really understand the issue," said Amy Atkins, a volunteer organizer for the event. "They're the generation that's going to be inheriting the Earth -- and they're the ones that are most able to do something. They understand that they can make a difference."

On Sunday, more than 5,500 events in 176 countries were planned, all centering around reducing carbon emissions. More than 1,000 of these events took place in the United States, with about 55 located in Colorado. The level of carbon dioxide deemed acceptable in the atmosphere by scientists, including NASA's James Hansen, is 350 parts per million. This number inspired the first 350 event held last year, as the current level of carbon dioxide is at 392 ppm and rising.

Cities celebrated the day by planting trees, painting the tops of buildings white and installing solar panels. Boulder organizers, however, decided the city needed more than one event.  Boulder's participation in the 350 Global Work Party included more than 40 workshops, a youth march, midday rally and evening "carrotmob" party at the St. Julien Hotel. The St Julien won the party by bidding against other area businesses and committing the greatest percentage of the party's profits -- 50 percent -- from food and drink sales to carbon-reduction efforts.

At the rally, Leslie Glustrom, co-founder of Clean Energy Action, encouraged participants to focus on a positive future, not what's gone wrong, when talking to people about climate change."We have to speak the truth and let people know where we're headed," she said.The workshops, with titles ranging from "Ask Me About My Ego" for eGo CarShare, and "How to Save the World by Composting," were held at Naropa University in the morning and at the University of Colorado's University Memorial Center in the afternoon.
There were lessons on how to make face cleansers and scrubs using oatmeal, strawberries, yogurt and sugar in one room and a talk by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist on the certainties and uncertainties of climate change in another.

"I want a more sustainable future," said Justin Stevenson, who participated in the event. "The system right now is running us into the ground and polluting the Earth. I hate pollution. I want to help out."

The youth "iMatter March," set up by the Earth Guardians, wound from Naropa to CU and was led by an 8-foot-tall polar bear. The Earth Guardians also offered a tree planting and a "Colorado Kids Committed to Cutting their Carbon" workshop. During the workshop, young people brainstormed ways to cut carbon, including eating more local, organic food and carpooling, before committing to practice at least five environmentally friendly actions in their daily lives.

Harper Corum-Var, a 12-year-old student at Boulder Horizons Middle School, said Earth Guardians participated because "it's a great opportunity to educate other kids about the state of our planet."
"We're trying to make change, but that can't happen without a lot of people," Harper said.
Reporter Kelly Lane contributed to this report.

DailyCamera.com

The Earth Guardians Shine at the EPA hearing in Denver on Coal Ash

Earth Guardians arrive at the Grand Hyatt in Denver

It was an exciting evening for the Earth Guardian Youth as they stood on the 38th floor of the Grand Hyatt rallying with other organizations while they waited to speak in front of the Environmental Protection Agency on a serious issue that affects the health of hundreds of communities throughout the United States including Boulder and Denver, “Hazardous Coal Ash”.

EG's Celebrate their success as the Sun goes Down

More than one hundred and fifty million tons of toxic ash is generated each year by burning coal for electricity, and is full of harmful toxins like arsenic, lead and mercury.  

Most of this ash is being stored in piles outside the Coal Plants that power most of our Country.  The Ash is then blown around in the wind and rain and traces of the harmful substances in Coal ash are found in our water and on the land, miles from the sites where they are being stored.  National Geographic reported last month that they have even found Coal Ash in the glaciers and snow pack where there aren’t any Coal Powered Plants for thousands of miles. 

The Earth Guardians spoke with poise, knowledge and heart in front of a panel of very serious EPA representatives.  It was awesome to see smiles move across the faces of the panel and even a tear came to one of their eyes when they heard the heartfelt messages that the Earth Guardians expressed.

Do I matter… Do your children matter they asked…  We are the ones who will be most affected by the decisions that are made here today.   We are the ones who will be here when you are gone to deal with cleaning up this mess.  The decision you make after this hearing affects the kind of world we will be left with…

The impact that the Earth Guardians had was obvious, and they excitedly await to hear the decision of the EPA to put stricter regulations on how they handle Coal Ash…And better yet, to turn to renewable energy which doesn’t harm the Earth.

Earth Guardians at the AREDAY Conference in Aspen

Xiuhtezcatl meets James Cameron Director of  Avator

Dear friends, The AREDAY conference we attended in Aspen Colorado was over the top Awesome!  It impacted us in ways that we never expected. Inspiring and hopeful as well as tearful and heartbreaking. Listening to the incredible committed leaders who spoke at the AREDAY conference on Sunday... and who are really fighting for all of our children's future... gave us so much hope!

And listening to the facts from leading experts on where we are at right now globally pushed all of us in the room to make even stronger commitments, to work harder and faster to try and stop some of the devastation our children and future generations will suffer if we don't act now.  The movement to change the direction we are headed is growing stronger everyday as more and more people wake up to the fact that our children matter...  future generations matter... and that every choice we make everyday affects what their future will look like.

We made a lot of great connections and met so many people who we will work with as we build the energy for the iMatter kids-vs-global-warming March that will happen around the globe on Mothers Day of next year.  The message throughout the conference was a strong... one, on the importance of supporting our children in connecting with the Earth and learning to care for her in a way that many of us adults were never taught, as well as the importance of bringing Earth Education into our school systems...

Xiuhtezcatl and Louie Psihoyos Director of The Cove

Here are a couple of pics of some exciting moments... one of Xiuhtezcatl with James Cameron, the director of "The Avatar Movie", and Louie Psihoyos the director of Oscar winning movie "The Cove", he had a great connection with them both!  Warmly Tamara Rose Roske

"Earth Guardians Hang out with Mayor Susan Osborne and her Grand Kids"

Earth Guardians and Mayor Susan Osborne at Ben and Jerrys

The Earth Guardian Youth had the honor of spending a fun afternoon hanging out with Mayor Susan Osborn of Boulder Colorado and her grand daughters who are visiting from Portland Oregon, yesterday August 13th 2010. 

She treated them all to some delicious Ben and Jerrys Ice Cream.  They hung out at the BandShell park and spent time talking about Earth Guardians and the work that they are doing to make a better world.  She is very proud of them and the positive impact they have had on the City of Boulder.  Her grand daughters are also active and care about the Earth.

The Future Leaders of our City

They then walked over to the City Chamber where the Council meetings are held.  The Earth Guardians got to sit in the chairs of the Council Members and pretend they were running the City. The did a role call and then the session began. They proclaimed that every child in Boulder should have Chocolate every day of every year. You can watch the video of their session if you click on the you tube vids on the home page menu...to see What Mayor Susan Osborne had to say about that.

It was a really fun afternoon, and the Earth Guardians plan to work with Susan on some cool upcoming things. We will keep you all posted!

Another Win! Boulder voters won't decide on renewed Xcel franchise

A huge WIN!!!! A 20-year agreement between Xcel Energy and the city of Boulder will be allowed to expire at the end of the year, the Boulder City Council decided late Tuesday night, leaving voters this fall to decide whether to impose a tax on the utility while the city studies other options for its energy future.

My Earth Guardian crew and I gathered to rally and protest in downtown Boulder against signing another 20 year contract with Xcel, which would mean another 20 years of Coal.  We knew what a bad impact that would have on our future if we were to let that happen.  As my 7 year old brother put it to the Council "were going to be here to clean up the mess when your gone, and that job will be much easier if you helps us now by not signing the contract with Xcel"  Their were a lot of people and organizations who came out to say that they are ready for their City to be powered by renewable energy.

Their was a lot of exciting energy at the Rally as we chanted things like "No more Coal, its got to go".  Channel 7 news covered the story and a press conference that featured some real inspiring leaders in our community. After the Press Conference over 200 people gathered in the Council chamber for the Xcel hearing.  Seven of us Earth Guardians spoke out in front of the Council for our future.  I told the Council that "our generation will be most effected by the decisions that are made tonight regarding the contract with Xcel".  We asked the Council to have courage and think of the positive impact they could have if 
they didn't sign the contract, like leaving our generation a better world or being a leader of a clean energy to power our City for the rest of the world to follow.

We were excited when we saw the headlines of the Paper the next morning - "Boulder voters won't decide on renewed contract with Xcel franchise".  AnotherWin!!!  thanks to the hard work and the united effort of the people of Boulder.

Read more: Boulder voters won't decide on renewed Xcel franchise - Boulder Daily Camera http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15669124?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com#ixzz0vtUDLsVg

DailyCamera.com

"Our Power. Our Future. Our Choice" RALLY FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN BOULDER!

Earth Guardian youth,  local organizations and individuals will be joining forces next Tuesday, August 3rd at City Council to rally and to speak out about an issue that seriously affects us all... the re-signing of the 20 year contract with Xcel.  The E.G. youth will be asking the City Council to have Courage and to lead the way by voting to use available renewable energy to power our City.  

The Earth Guardians will remind the Council that theirs, and future generations will be affected the most by climate change, and that the time is NOW to move away from fossil fuels that are jeopardizing their future.  So bring your family and friends to rally in support of renewable energy.  Together our voice will let the decision makers of our community know that we want our City to be powered with Clean Energy!  Your presences makes a difference.     earthguardiankids@gmail.com     www.earthguardians.info 

WHEN: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
WHERE: Municiple Building on the SW corner of Broadway and Canyon.
EARTH GUARDIAN YOUTH ARRIVE AT:  4:00pm to get in line to speak
RALLY BEGINS AT:  4:45
COUNCIL SESSION BEGINS AT 6:00
T-shirts and some signs will be provided for use during the event, but please feel free to bring your own. Spread the word! Bring friends and family!For more information on the 20-year franchise agreement with Xcel and alternative paths forward, see:

 http://www.cleanenergyaction.org/boulders-clean-energy-future

Foothills Park Clean Up Was A Huge Success!

Earth Guardian Youth Hard at Work in the Foothills Park

We would like to thank the great group of youth and adults that joined us at Foothills Community Park last week to help us with our first official weed pulling gathering since we adopted it on the 22nd of July.

Even though it was above 90 degrees everyone hung in their and we got the job done.   We will be gathering the 2nd Saturday of every month beginning in August in the Foothills Park to continue weeding and keeping pesticides out.  We hope that some of you will be able to join us next time.  We would also like to extend an invitation to other groups who might want to adopt a park here in Boulder, if you contact us we can help you get started.

On a final note, we are proud to share a letter we received from the Mayor of Boulder this week acknowledging us dedication to helping end the use of Pesticides in our parks this summer.  That Letter is as follows:     

Letter from the Mayor of Boulder Dated July 18th, 2010

Dear Friends,
This letter is in support of the Boulder's Earth Guardians.  As a group of concerned young people, Earth Guardians came to City Council in the Spring of 2010 with a concern about pesticides and herbicides that were being used in Boulder's City Parks.  Their passion for the environment was evident, but their commitment and articulate communication to the Council, made each Council member and City Staff member take notice.

Largely due to the Earth Guardians testimony, the City stopped pesticide and herbicide spraying in our parks, and is currently reviewing the process for determining which, if any, should be used on City land.  Earth Guardians then proposed to hand weed the garden beds in Foothills Park and enlisted another group to help them.  It is their mission to find other groups to adopt other City Parks.  What an amazing bunch of kids!

I look forward to working with the Earth Guardians in the future as they work to make our City safe for this and future generations.

Sincerely,
Susan Osborn, Mayor
City of Boulder

Community Park Weeding Day

ACTION ALERT

What: A Fun Earth Guardian Organized Community Park Weeding Day

When: Friday July 23^th at 10:30-12:30

Where: Foothills Community Park in North Boulder behind the Waldorf School off of Violet and Broadway

Dear Friends,

We at Earth Guardians are excited to announce that we have officially adopted the Foothills Community Park in North Boulder. What does this mean you are probably wondering? Well, we will be responsible for organizing the community to join us in keeping the park weed free. This community action will prevent pesticides from being sprayed, pesticides that put our health, our children’s health and the health of our wildlife and water systems at risk.

Foothills Community Park in North Boulder

So please join us Friday, July 23^th at 10:30 am to 12:30 pm to help get the Foothills Park cleaned up, while having some fun, getting to know your community, and making the park a safe place for our children to play in. It is very empowering working by your children’s side in these activities. It helps them connect with the importance of caring for the Earth and shows them that their actions can have a positive impact on creating a safe healthy community to grow up in. Please bring water and a picnic lunch for afterwards.

The Earth Guardian youth have had a very positive impact here in the Boulder community after responding to an article in the paper that stated the City was going to add two new harmful chemicals to the list of approved chemicals to be used in the parks and around our City. The Earth Guardian youth helped organized the community to speak out against this action, and through the power of uniting all of our voices we won! We have been watching the City list that is posted every Friday on what and where they will spray that week and for over a month now they have still not scheduled any spraying in our parks. We commend the City for listening and protecting the health of our children and us all. Officials said that they usually hear from the same small group of people on this issue, but that they received emails and phone calls from over 1,000 people, so all of you who responded to this call, commend yourself. The voice of the people united can change the world.

Because the City hasn't been spraying the parks, they are filling with weeds, so we would like to ask anyone who knows other groups to follow our lead and adopt a park or a median here in our City to keep pesticides out of the parks for good. They can contact us and we can help them get started. It is a big job and the City does not have enough manpower to do it alone. By uniting our efforts we can be an example for other cities to do the same thing in their communities.

Thank you for caring, and for uniting on behalf of this issue that affects us all.

Tamara Rose Roske

Kids, cyclists pull weeds to fight pesticides in Boulder parks

Boulder Daily Camera Article:
Kids, cyclists pull weeds to fight pesticides in Boulder parks
(06/15/2010)

Men, women and children bustled around the gazebo at Foothills Community Park on Tuesday afternoon, yanking weeds from the ground and tossing them into piles. Shauna Roske summed up the reason for the group's presence: "Our Earth is very important. Our children should have a place to grow up without poison."Shauna Roske summed up the reason for the group's presence: "Our Earth is very important. Our children should have a place to grow up without poison."


Read full article...

A Big Win on “Ending Pesticides" !!

A Big Win on “Ending Pesticides" !!
There is light at the end of the tunnel.

All of the effort that you all have been making through sending letters, making phone calls as well as the pressure from the Earth Guardian youth who have been touching the hearts of the City Council members has moved the City to finally agree to have Chip Osborne, the turf specialist from new York, come to Boulder and do workshops with the City and the University the first week in July, to train everyone how to manage parks without pesticides.

Scott Spiegel who has helped arrange this is also trying to get the County to agree to attend as they are responsible for making decisions about what is used in the open space areas. Scott has arranged for Patti Wood, from Grassroots Environmental Education to come as well, and also do workshops with the City and University Administrative Personnel. They were the ones who were responsible for putting into place "The Safe Child Playing Field Act" which was voted in by the city of New York to end the use of pesticides in parks, schools, and daycare centers.

It will take a little time to make the transition from pesticides to a pesticide free zone community, and to insure that we continue in this direction we need to keep the pressure on. The Earth Guardians plan to continue going into the City Council and Xiuhtezcatl and some of the kids would like to organize hundreds of people to show up at one of the places they plan to spray and get the media their as well to let them know we are serious.

On the City of Boulder Website, I am sure most of you know that they post every Friday where and what they will be spraying the following week.

Anyone up for helping us mobilize 1,000 people to join us in the Park? Great work everyone! Together we can create the kind of City we and our children deserve to live in!

Read more, from the Boulder Daily Camera:
Boulder City Council Moves Forward on SmartRegs

The Earth Guardians Rocked in City Council on “SmartRegs”

The Earth Guardian Youth spoke in front of the Mayor and the City Council on Tuesday June 1, 2010, asking the Council to think to the future when they are making decisions that are going to affect their generation and generations to come. Heartfelt words were poured out from each of the youth who were present.

Itzcuauhtli, 7 years old, was applauded by the Council when he told them that he was worried about Global Warming and about the Pesticides they are still using in the Parks. He said it is not fair that kids should have to worry about these things. We should just be playing and having fun. Why should we have to clean up the mess the adults are making.

Sierra Rose, 12 years old, asked the Council to vote yes on “SmartRegs” and to please leave us a world as nice as the one your grandparents left for you.

Waiting To Speak at City Council

Every message the Earth Guardians shared touched the hearts the Council and all those that were present. The youth were applauded by the Council and the Mayor thanked them and said they spoke with such poise. She said she was surprised by how many schools from Boulder they represented and that she was proud to have kids like them in our community.

Despite voicing a wide range of concerns, the Boulder City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with creating a new set of rules that would require landlords to make energy-efficiency upgrades to their rental properties.

Taking it to the Streets

Even with the concerns, all nine council members supported the program's general goal.

"This has been something that the city has been headed toward for a long time," said Councilwoman Lisa Morzel. "Buildings emit very large greenhouse gas emission amounts, and it's very important that we try to reduce that in any way we can. I'm very excited about what we see in front of us, and I think it's doable, and I think we can be partners with everybody."

Read more, from the Boulder Daily Camera:
Boulder City Council Moves Forward on SmartRegs

Boulder won't add new pesticides to approved list.

NEWS UPDATE: A Huge Success!!Headlines of Daily Camera - 5/18/10:
Boulder won't add new pesticides to approved list.

The Press wrote a story, but didn’t write the courageous story that these young ones deserve, because they were all indeed heroic. In a sterile environment standing before the city officials the youths heartfelt words touched the heart of the City Council Members and by the end of the session City Manager Jane Brautigam said she likely would not allow two new herbicides -- "Tenacity" and "Barricade" -- to be added to the list of pesticides that are approved for use on city property. These young change makers were so excited and feeling very empowered when they saw the Daily Camera article headline, “Boulder won’t add new pesticides to approved list”. Many of them asked, o.k. we won, what’s next? “We have to keep going to get roundup and other chemicals that are on the Cities approved list off” Xiuhtezcatl said.

This issue is a global issue that we are up against. Pesticides are toxifying our oceans and waters, killing wild life, poisoning us and our children, and endangering our future. Trinity Carter 8 years old stated in front of the council, “they find pesticides in the Antarctica ice shelves, a place where they don’t even spray, so even if they are not spraying in your yard we are still be harmed by these chemicals because they spread through the waters and the air”.

There is a wave of media across the U.S. right now supporting this very issue. CNN’s two day news special called “Toxic America” airs the beginning of June. ADHD linked to pesticides came out in multiple papers across the U.S. this week. New York passed the “The Child Safe Playing Field Act”. There are 30 communities back east that have pesticide free zone parks. Obama’s cancer panel released a 200 page report on the over 80,000 toxic chemicals used in the US and only 400 of them very poorly regulated, connecting it with the rise of cancer in our country. Xiuhtezcatl asked the council, “Why is Boulder who is recognized to be one of the U.S.’s most Earth Friendly cities so far behind other communities?”

A great big thank you to all who came and supported this action, but we will need more of you to come and support these youth change makers who are fighting for us all at out next Earth Guardian Action. A people’s movement can change Boulder into the Earth Friendly City that we all deserve. Mobilizing in numbers is what is going to let the city know we are serious and get the media to follow our story and spread our message far and wide . We hope our actions here in Boulder will have a domino effect and inspire other communities around the country to stand together as well. There is a wave right now and together we can win this one. 

Thank all of you for your love and support.

Link to the Daily Camera news article

ACTION ALERT!!
Earth Guardian Action Alert for Next Tuesday May 18th  
Youth are calling on you to rally and protect their future…

Hey Students and Friends, I am Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez from Earth Guardians.   I am calling on you and other youth to join us at a City Council meeting to stop the use of harmful Pesticides and Herbicides in our Parks, on our Playing Fields and around our City. The dangers of these toxic chemicals that we are being exposed to are undeniable.  We play in this grass, we crawl on this grass, we lay on this grass, we fall down on this grass…directly coming into contact with these poisons. 50 youth came to a press conference that we organized last week and over 20 of them spoke out. 

The Daily Camera News did an article on our efforts.  The article went all the way to Washington DC where it was reprinted.  In the New York Times this week , the President’s Cancer Panel wrote an article that calls on America to rethink the way we confront cancer, including much more rigorous regulation of chemicals. The pressure to stop pesticides and herbicides in communities is on all over the United States...our City Council is taking notice.  But we are not out of HOT water yet…We need you to join us one more time in saying NO TO PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES.  This is an issue that hurts us all, and there are natural alternatives to care for the EARTH.

 JOIN other Youth and Adults Tuesday May 18th  to speak out against pesticides and herbicides at the City Council Meeting in the Municipal Building on the SW corner of Canyon and Broadway in Boulder Colorado at 4:45 pm.  You can come and speak, or just carry a sign, the more that show up the better chance we will have in stopping this. 

Thank You

Contact Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez (10 yrs old)  or Tamara Roske