Dr. "Jess" Parker of the Smithsonian Institute sat with us today in the Earthwatch office and explained that the research happening here couldn't be done without volunteers. We are the first group of teachers to work here, but people from other professions have been coming. A large bank has been sending its employees to learn about the science of climate change. Maybe the leaders of this bank understand that it is wise for the success of their business to begin educating themselves about the changing earth. Fortunately, this large company also understands the importance of funding programs to bring teachers like me here to learn. A new group of teachers, maybe from seven different states, will be arriving next week. They will be picking up where we left off, out in row 7, column 7 of the hectare where we were last measuring and identifying trees.
When I return to San Francisco, I will do my best to educate my students and family and friends about what I've learned here. Our earth is magnificently beautiful, but the 'picture' is not pretty. I realize that when we educate others about the crisis our planet is in, it is important to do more than just explain why things are a mess. People choose not to listen when they become overwhelmed by bad news. It is necessary to teach each other what can be done to make things better. Governments and businesses need to make massive changes but so does every individual person--after all, isn't a government or a business just a collection of individuals? I've learned about some things I can do differently in my everyday life to help the planet get better. Do you want to know what they are?
More soon.......

(My favorite painter, Charles Burchfield, showed me these trees!)