Imagine if families sat down at the table together once a week to play their favorite board games. Picture it…you take on the task of reading the rules, the adults in the room reminisce about their favorite game pieces as kids, and maybe your siblings struggle over who gets the honor (or burden) of being the banker this time. With technology becoming an ever-present part of our lives, some families struggle to find time together off screen. The Redwood City Youth Literacy Council Roots & Shoots group decided that a Family Board Game Day was a perfect way for the community to “unplug”…
Author: Riley Lindheimer
Riley Lindheimer
Riley Lindheimer is currently an intern for the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots. She is finishing up her last year as an undergraduate at UCSB double majoring in Communication and Global Studies. While at UCSB, she has been inspired to work in areas of social justice, including how to improve national and regional policies that provide assistance to refugees. Volunteering from a young age for organizations that assist disadvantaged communities, Riley knew that she wanted to help people all over the world who are struggling. With its strong ties to the founding of Earth Day and its close proximity to the beach, living in Santa Barbara has taught Riley how individuals play a crucial role in protecting animals and the environment. She has expanded her career goals to include working on campaigns that impact the people, animals and environment that make up our beautiful planet!
The hazy layer of smog that hangs over many big cities signals a significant environmental problem: air pollution. The ALC AP Environmental Studies (APES) Class, a Roots & Shoots group in Downey, CA, decided to look for air pollution in a place that’s often overlooked…their classroom. Through their project “Indoor Class Air Pollution,” the high-schoolers recognized that most people think air pollution can only be found in outdoor spaces but mold, pollen, carbon monoxide, and even cleaning products can be sources of indoor air quality problems. Asbestos and formaldehyde, materials used in older buildings, can cause people to feel sick…
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Over the course of two weeks in September, Hurricane Irma and Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico. Both storms knocked over power lines and uprooted trees, leaving close to 85% of the island without electricity and many communities isolated by blocked roads and limited cell phone reception (CNN). Local officials predict it will take months to restore power to the island, and limited supplies of drinkable water raise concerns about the health and hygiene of families (Washington Post). Another casualty of the two hurricanes: El Yunque Rain Forest. Home to “over 240 species of trees; 23 of those are…
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Every Sunday, the Hero’s Journey Club, a Roots & Shoots group in Hartland Four Corners, Vermont, empowers children to create projects inspired by the Unitarian Universalist principles taught at the First Universalist Society of Hartland. Samantha Cronin, their group leader, has witnessed how Universalist principles are helping her elementary schoolers members build the skills and traits of compassionate leaders. One principle encourages “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part,” highlighting the relationship between humans, animals, and the environment on the planet we all share. This is a perfect example of introspection, a compassionate leadership…
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The rustling of leaves and buzzing of insects are interrupted by a loud and joyous pant-hoot, the sound of a nearby chimpanzee. While this noise may be an everyday occurrence in the forest of Gombe, it’s out of place echoing off the famous Hollywood Hills. In 2017, fans of Dr. Jane Goodall flooded the Hollywood Bowl to see a special screening of National Geographic’s new documentary JANE, and catch a glimpse of her early life and work in Gombe, Tanzania. Transported by the beautiful never before seen footage arranged by acclaimed director Brett Morgen projected on the big screen, and composer…
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Great Apes Giving Day is a day to choose what kind of difference you want to make, and in this case, for a cause very close to Dr. Jane and the Jane Goodall Institute’s heart: providing rehabilitation and refuge for orphaned chimpanzees. For 25 years, the Jane Goodall Institute’s Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center has assisted in the fight against wildlife trafficking and poaching. The sanctuary assists local authorities in preventing illegal trafficking of great apes in addition to providing a safe haven for injured, ill, or malnourished chimpanzees that have been rescued. This year, the Jane Goodall Institute has set…
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In her message for Peace Day this year, Dr. Jane reminds us that, “sadly, the world is not a very peaceful place in so many places around the world.” But there is hope…there is always hope. Especially if we stand up for those around the world who are fleeing persecution and violence. They need us to stand TOGETHER now more than ever. After first establishing the International Day of Peace in 1991, every member of the United Nations General Assembly agreed in their 2001 resolution to recognize September 21 as “a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence.” Each year, the…
