Thank you to everyone who participated in the Duckey Eco-Essay Contest. We received so many wonderful entries and were blown away by the creativity! From polar bears to krill to clownfish. From super digging to laser beams to telekinesis. There were so many interesting characters and inventive superpowers! Your thoughts on why it’s important to save the world’s oceans and environments were amazing to read. I’m glad so many of you recognize that the world needs our help! We will be announcing the winner and finalists within the next week so stay tuned!

It’s no coincidence that every character in “Duckey and the Ocean Protectors” has their own very special talent. Polly Puffer Fish has the ability to produce strong bubbles that keep human litter at bay. Nicky Nautilus has a roomy and speedy shell that can carry her friends to their destination quickly and safely. And Denise Dolphin can create whirlpools that bind enemies together. But just as each of these characters has something at which they excel at, so, too, do each of us! However, it’s up to you, parents, to help your kids discover their own strengths! No one is going to be great at everything, but finding that one special talent can really give him or her a boost in confidence. So don’t be afraid to explore different things! Some kids excel at sports, while others would rather play a musical instrument. Some prefer painting, while some love to dance. Whatever it is, let them explore it and find out if this interest is where their “hidden” strength lies. Just like Polly, Nicky and Denise have special talents, our kids do too, and it’s up to us to make sure that they recognize them!

Since the release of “Duckey and the Ocean Protectors”, we have been fortunate enough to receive some great reviews and hear from many special readers. But it seems that “Duckey” has grown legs of its own and has been popping up everywhere around the Web! It’s wonderful to see that so many websites appreciate the significance of Duckey and are spreading it around. With the help of all of these sites, Duckey’s educational message will inspire more kids to be environmentally proactive! Here are just a few sites that Duckey has been featured on recently:

BNET

The Free Library

Entrepreneur Magazine

North Carolina’s Office of Environmental Education

Environmental Education in Kentucky

Environmental Education in Georgia

Environmental Education in Wisconsin

Kid’s Guide

Duckey has been receiving rave reviews, and we’ve just been handed another to add to the list. The Midwest Book Review has given Duckey and the Ocean Protectors a big thumbs-up. “’Duckey and the Ocean Protectors’ is sure to entertain many a young reader.” In addition to serving up a positive Duckey review on their website (which you can read here), the Midwest Book Review also submitted the review to the Helen C. White Library’s “Cooperative Book Center” and the Cengage Learning, Gale Interactive CD-ROM series “Book Review Index”. This is a wonderful opportunity because it means that more librarians and educators will hear about Duckey!

“Duckey and the Ocean Protectors” by John Sexton is a fun way to show young readers that they can make a difference to protect the oceans.  We really liked the bright illustrations.  It is books like these that can help us create a new generation of Ocean Protectors.  Mahalo for your inspiring work!”

– Captain Paul Clark
President, Save Our Seas

Spring is my favorite time of the year. Sure, it gets a little rainy sometimes, but I love seeing how Mother Nature magically brings everything back to life in just a few short months. The trees’ bare branches start sprouting beautiful leaves. The grass grows out of its dull brown color and into a bright green. And the animals emerge from their winter habitats and become active all around us. While the groundhog said that we still have a couple more weeks until spring, there are hints of spring everywhere. My weatherman even said it was going to be in the 60’s at the end of the week! That’s the perfect weather to take the dog for a walk, play soccer with some friends, or head to the park for a bike ride. It’s fun to notice the changes that Mother Nature is making around us. What kind of things have you noticed where you live? Is the weather warmer where you are? Are the birds chirping outside your windows in the morning? Is the sunset getting later? Send me a picture or a comment so that I can see and hear about what spring looks like in your backyard!

I feel like a proud parent! “Duckey and the Ocean Protectors” has been chosen to be a part of Environmental Education Week’s “Green Reading” list. Many educators refer to this suggested reading list to choose environmentally themed books to use in their classroom lessons and activities. And with this year’s theme, “Be Water Wise!” Duckey is sure to make a splash! And we’re in very good company. Other books on the Green Reading middle school suggested reading list include: “John Muir: My Life with Nature;” Gary Larson’s (Far Side) “There’s A Hair in My Dirt: A Worm’s Story;” and Kenneth Grahame’s classic “The Wind in the Willows” (a personal favorite). Look out for Duckey on the reading list during Environmental Education week (April 12-18)!

Recently, a Washington state based company applied for federal permits to study another form of reusable energy – using the forces from ocean waves and wind to produce electricity.  If approved, Greys Harbor Ocean Energy will have permission to study ocean waves five to 10 miles off the Ventura coast. The Ventura Ocean Energy Project  would help the company learn how to utilize the “up and down action of the waves” to push air back and forth to drive a turbine that generates electricity. Electricity would then be sent via cables on the see floor to shore. They have also applied for permits north of San Francisco, as well as sites off Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey. The company says that if all sites were developed, they could produce enough power to fill two million homes. Yet another reason to preserve our oceans and benefit from them at the same time!

OK, so Murdock clearly wants to help save the oceans, but now he can join a group of new buddies that want to save a specific part of the oceans – namely, those big waves he loves to ride! Yes, there is a new environmental coalition called Save the Waves. While it may seem a bit self-serving (saving ocean areas that produce great waves in order to surf on them), the coalition’s goal is to preserve and protect great surfing locations worldwide and the staff works with local communities, and foreign and national governments in order to prevent coastal development from entering the surf zone. The major problem is the development and construction of marinas and jetties, which either bury a spot or alter the natural sand flow patterns that cause the huge waves. There are also places in the world where the ocean is simply too polluted to surf – although the waves would be great otherwise – so members of Saves the Waves basically work to diminish and mitigate anything that would keep them out of the water. Murdock’s thinking of joining, you should check it out too!

Despite the fact that I just flipped the calendar to 2009 and we’re only days into January, if you’re like me, you’re already thinking about summer vacations and where you may spend some R & R time. I frequently hear from friends and acquaintances searching for a dual vacation – one that provides them the relaxation that they ultimately deserve, but also affords them the opportunity to actually make a difference to someone or something. Eco-friendly vacations have become popular in recent years and are divided into three subcategories that can sometimes be a bit confusing. Ecotourism is a way to conserve the environment while giving back to a community, whether it’s through funding, volunteering or preservation. Sustainable Tourism means the traveler is putting to good use the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra while on vacation – basically, you’re taking care of your environment around you so as not to do harm for future travelers. Green Tourism typically involves travel using conservation ideas and resources. There are varying levels of “green” tourism, from hotels that recycle to resorts that are completely eco-friendly. Google “eco-friendly tourism” and you’ll find organizations that create trips from just the basics to full “green” luxury. Orbitz.com is another great resource for ideas on trips and destinations. Simply search using ecotourism to find a relaxing – and rewarding – vacation destination.