Hey Reader, You probably use Amazon. Over 200 million people have Amazon Prime accounts and many more shop without prepaying for shipping. Amazon has a role in our consumption (larger than many of us would like, I suspect). Sometimes, we send you to Amazon for supplies for projects we share. But maybe we can try to buy things from places other than Amazon? Our co-founder, Jen, recently shared a post on her newsletter, Sage Neighbor, about breaking up with Amazon Prime. She's convinced it's...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, As you can guess from the lists of picture books we rounded up related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we're big fans of books around here. A few months ago, Jen started paying her kids to read (for reasons beyond bribing them to stick their noses in books). It's not for everyone, but it's worked out pretty well for her and her boys, who are 10 and 12. It's also apparently a pretty hot topic with a lot of opinions. We'd love to know if you'd pay your kids to read. Check...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, With objectives so broad and encompassing so many facets of life, it's no surprise that pursuits related to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals sometimes intersect in complicated ways. And in the United States, we're seeing that right now in a high-profile labor strike by autoworkers who work for car manufacturers. Among several points of contention, auto workers are concerned that a transition from traditional internal combustion engine cars to electric vehicles...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, We're working on updating all of our book lists with more picture books to share with your young learners. While we've been on the topic of clean energy, we recently updated our book list for that Sustainable Development Goal. Go check it out if you haven't seen it yet. We also updated the printable list that includes a sheet you can bring to the library to grab a few of the books on the list (without having to dig through your phone or computer for the titles). If you'd like more...
about 2 years ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, In many places this time of year, it can be very cold or sweltering hot. Heating and cooling our homes is one of the largest sources of energy use for many families, particularly in times of extreme weather. Additionally, energy costs are rising. For both financial and environmental reasons, a transition to clean energy (as promoted by UN Sustainable Development Goal #7) is important, but we also need to supplement this transition with more efficient use of energy and reduced...
about 2 years ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, In some parts of the world, we are deep into a period of holiday celebrations, many of which include lots of food. The holidays are a time to break bread with friends, share food with those in our community who are food insecure, and (hopefully) not waste too much food. The United Nations SDG #12 prioritizes responsible consumption, a part of which includes a responsibility to limit food waste. Leftovers, proper portion planning, creative recipes, and food rescue programs can...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Lately, the shelves at our local food pantry have been pretty bare. Many school groups and organizations are hosting food drives to help fill the shelves to meet the growing demand in our community of those who struggle to keep their own pantries full. While we can do things like take our youngsters shopping for food donations to help them connect with acts of sharing our abundance, books are always a great way to step into someone else's shoes and better understand why it's so...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Lately, it's been hot in many parts of the world. A cool breeze would feel pretty great for a lot of us. That cool breeze (or strong gust) is also a great source of energy for our planet when we can capture it using wind turbines. Many countries around the world are stepping up their investments in wind energy, which is great for the planet and for communities around the globe. If you want to help your young learners better understand wind energy, how it works, why it's important,...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, It's getting hot in here. And it's hot out there. (And with climate change, it's not getting any cooler). That means we really need clean water and plenty of it. Water helps keep our bodies and our planet cool. When it's hot out, clean water also helps keep us hydrated and healthy. And who doesn't love a dip in a refreshing pool or body of water in the warm weather... assuming it's clean, right? If you haven't checked it out yet, take a peek at our list of picture books all about...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read