When you were a high school student, how did you prefer to learn your science: formulas on the board and text books, or hands-on experiments involving building things (or maybe even blowing things up, or dropping items from high distances)? Yeah, I thought so… Southern California’s Metropolitan Water District has provided a hands-on opportunity for kids throughout the area to learn about engineering principles, solar power and electrical systems, and even water pollution and other broad environmental issues through its annual Solar Cup boat races.

READ MORE >>

If you’ve read Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, or looked into the detail of “No Child Left Inside” legislation and initiatives,you know that broad health issues (obesity, diabetes, ADHD, and even depression), and concern over environmental awareness, tend to drive the idea of getting kids outdoors more. For a number of programs around the country, though, the stakes are even higher: environmental education is becoming an integral part of working with kids at risk of falling into lives of crime, addiction, and poverty (which make the above-mentioned health issues a bigger likelihood).

READ MORE >>

Science class is in session with Grammy award winning band They Might Be Giants as they teach the periodic table elements in this animated music video for “Meet the Elements” which debuted on Boing Boing. This song is from their new album Here Comes Science, which is aimed at entertaining and educating (or “edumataining”) children and adults.

Although the Internet has successfully reduced our collective attention span to the time it takes to watch “nunchucks pro” fall flat on his face, there are still some great online opportunities for enlightenment if you apply some patience and commitment. Fora.tv, for example, is a vast “collection of unmediated video drawn from live events, lectures, and debates going on all the time at the world’s top universities, think tanks and conferences.” Basically, the kind of fascinating stuff that’s wasted on hungover college students.

READ MORE >>

In internet time, Annie Leonard’s The Story Of Stuff is relatively old. But the 2007 web video, produced by Free Range Studios and funded by the Tides Foundation and Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption (among others) has attained cult status in American classrooms. According to the New York Times, teachers around the country use the video to supplement environmental education textbooks that often lack information on recent scientific discoveries.

Creative teaching, right? Not in Missoula County, Montana, where the school board responded to a parent’s complaint about the video’s “anti-capitalist” message with a decision that use of The Story of Stuff “violated its standards on bias.”

READ MORE >>

ARTURO SANDOVAL SHAKING THINGS UP ON PERCUSSION

BETWEEN SETS WITH ARTURO SANDOVAL (PART 2):

Sundancechannel.com caught up with the legendary Cuban-born trumpeter, composer, pianist, percussionist and, yes, scatter (!) between shows at the world-famous Iridium Jazz Club just north of Times Square in New York City this past Saturday night. Be sure to read Part 1 of our interview with Sandoval if you missed it.

sundancechannel.com: Why do you think Cuban or Cuban-infused music has such widespread appeal here in America?

Arturo Sandoval: You know, I think the island of Cuba has been blessed by God to give regular people on the street the gift of music. People are just musical there, you know? People got rhythm…and rhythm’s very important because when you’ve got rhythm, you got a good percent of the “ba de bop” in your pocket, you know? (laughs) In Cuba if you say to someone “Yeah, I play the Conga” they look at you and say, “Who cares? My mother does, too!” (laughs) And the music there has a feeling of celebration and makes you feel the desire to enjoy life.

sundancechannel.com: What do you think about our new administration’s efforts to reach out to Cuba – do you think that the outreach will lead anywhere?

Arturo Sandoval: Oh, oh, oh…I don’t know…We could do a lot of things from this side – but, really, I want to hear and see and corroborate and be sure they’re (Cuba) going to do something on the other side. Because, as far as I know, there are still a lot of people there in jail because they just think differently – a lot of political prisoners – and this is such a crime, you know? The repression there is still harder than ever – people are very afraid even to talk. And, under those conditions, I don’t believe that we could support what they’re doing. This is a two-way road, you know – I’m going to do something good for you – but you have to demonstrate that you’re going to do something good for me. Because I cannot give you a flower and then you try to kick my butt – it’s a two-way road. When I start to see – to SEE it…not the blah, blah, blah no, no… not to SAY it – I want facts…when they (Cuba) start to really make an important move, I’m going to start to believe that finally, they’re going to make some changes.

sundancechannel.com: How do manage to tread successfully in so many different genres of music? Is it the same audience who comes to see you at The Iridium, say, who also come to hear you play your trumpet concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra?

Arturo Sandoval: (laughs) I don’t know, I don’t know…but the only thing I can tell you is that I love MUSIC…period. I really don’t want people to remember me as “a guy who played Latin jazz” or “classical music” or this or that – I really want to be remembered as a guy who loved MUSIC – period. Music drives your soul to so many different places without physically moving. It’s unbelievable how you close your eyes and open your ears and let the music transport you through the universe of sound…and you could land anywhere in a matter of minutes — not many things could do that to your soul.

sundancechannel.com: You surprised a lot of people who thought of you solely as a “trumpet player” when you released your 2002 album, “My Passion for the Piano” and we all found out what an amazing pianist you are as well – what else might surprise people about Arturo Sandoval?

Arturo Sandoval: (laughs) Well, let’s see…Well, I can cook – I’m a really good cook! As you can see my belly (laughs) I love food…I love cigars, and I think the best thing I’m proud of is my family. I met my wife 35 years ago when I got out of the Army and I didn’t have a penny in my pocket – and I said, “Will you marry me?” And she said, “Right now, anywhere.” And I said, “I don’t have a place to live or a penny in my pocket.” And she said “I didn’t ask you for money or a place to live – I got a place – you can live here, in my house.” And we’re still married – and we have two sons who each gave me a granddaughter…and they are all everything to me.

sundancechannel.com: Even with your extensive touring and composing schedule, you also make time to give back to young musicians by teaching…both on a university level and at clinics.

Arturo Sandoval: Yes, and the most important message I try to transmit to the students is that music is BIG…there’s room for everybody. I never, ever did or will discourage anyone. The other way around…I always said, “There is always room for one more…one and one and many more to come – but it’s completely up to you. There will be room for you there if you are really in love with music.

Learn more:

Backstage at Iridium with Arturo Sandoval (Part 1)

Arturo Sandoval Official Website

Iridium Jazz Club Official Website

Sure, you’ve heard about environmental efforts by Jack Johnson, Pearl Jam, and Neil Young. But Eco Elvis? That’s right, babuh: a handful of lesser-known acts have gone “all green all the time,” with music focused on lightening their (and our) footprint on the planet.

Eco Elvis: “Born” in 1997, this Kansas City-based Elvis impersonator has reworked some of the King’s classics into green-themed hip-shakers, including “Burning Globe” and “Viva Las Vegans.” Check out his music and more at EcoElvis.com.

Recycleman and the Dumpster Divers: This Portland, Oregon-based band focuses on educating kids about the environment with original songs such as “Milk Jug Stomp” and “Save It, Don’t Pave It.” More song titles, a tour schedule, and band bios are all available at Recycleman.com.

Shake Your Peace!: Based in San Francisco’s Mission District, these folkies don’t just practice “sustainable musicianship,” but also tour on bicycles, and use audience power to run their PA system. Music and more at ShakeYourPeace.com.

Know of other musicians who have dedicated their careers to environmental stewardship? Let us know in the comments…

Image credit: Shake Your Peace and Mark Johnson