Zines (short for magazines) are handmade mini-books produced at home with minimal materials. They have historically been used by marginalized groups and counter-cultures to disseminate information widely and cheaply, often information that traditional print media aren’t willing to publish. Zines are still being used today as a powerful tool to share one's voice without limitations. 

Although the beauty of zines is that they can be about anything, the broad categories that most zines fall into are:

1. How-To Guides
2. Autobiographical / Self-Expression
3. Activism / Spread Awareness

True to the nature of zines, they don’t have to be confined to the walls of art class. I like to use zines in outdoor learning because of how accessible and adaptable they are. Personally, I try to carry as few materials as I can when in the field with students, so zines are the perfect art activity that uses materials I am usually already carrying. Also, because zines can be about anything, I can easily adapt a zine lesson to whichever concept or theme that I’m exploring with my students.  

If you have never taught a zine lesson to students, I have a few tips for doing so in the field:

Tips:

Adjust your level of scaffolding to the age group. Elementary school students will need more guidance than teens, for example.

• For younger students, consider printing out zine templates ahead of time that provide prompts for each page of the zine. You can find examples online or make your own.
• Comics, or telling a short story, are also an easy way to prompt younger students to engage with zines.

Provide prompts that relate to a theme or concept your group is learning.

• For example, if your group has been exploring the theme of “Water,” a prompt could be, “What is your favorite memory with water?” or “How can humans positively impact our watersheds?”  

Consider providing an audience for your students’ zines.

• Your students can make their zine as a gift or a letter for a loved one, or for your next group of students, to increase buy-in. 
• Choosing an audience is also a great way to get your students to create activism-centered zines. Have your group brainstorm and choose an audience instead of deciding for them!

Provide physical examples from previous students or online zine libraries. One or two zines are a very light and small contribution to your field backpack. 

• When possible, have examples from children the same age as your students so they don't feel pressured to create art at the same level as adults.

More artistically inclined students will take more time on their zines than their counterparts, so prepare an alternate activity for those students who finish early.

• Encourage them to add embellishments or color, or offer a follow-up activity. Or they can collaborate with a partner and make another zine!

Cultivate a culture of error- art is about the process rather than the outcome! 

• Make a zine alongside your students to model having a good attitude about art and have fun together.
• Have your students share their zines with partners or small groups, and encourage students to give compliments and positive feedback to each other.
• When looking at your students’ art, avoid generic phrases like, “That’s great!” and instead give specific compliments that highlight their artistic choices and effort, such as, “I like your use of the color blue here,” or, “I can tell how much time you spent on shading that leaf!” Also, try to ask questions that dive deeper into how and why they made certain artistic choices, such as, “I wonder how you made your trees look that way. Can you show me?”

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box! Further zine possibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Collaging with leaves from the ground,
• Coloring your zines with pigment you make from the plants or fungi around you,
• Using a zine as a nature journal to draw, make observations, and record wonderings,
• Using a zine as a diary to reflect on what they learned or experienced in outdoor school,
• Tracing leaves or rubbing tree bark on your zines,
• And so many more!

Zines are an amazing art activity to do with students because they are made with minimal materials- all you need is paper, a writing utensil, a pair of scissors, and your creativity! Once children know how to make zines, they can easily make more at home and explore further. Furthermore, the DIY spirit of zine-making is to be raw and authentic. This makes zines an accessible, low-barrier art form for students to express themselves and tell stories, without getting bogged down by making their art look like what they expect “Art” to look like. 

Giving a brief history of the uses of zines for activism and self-expression is also an implicit (or explicit if you so choose) way to show children that their personal experiences are valid and worth sharing. This is especially critical when conducting science learning outdoors that challenges hegemonic models of science and knowledge. Zines teach children that they are the experts of their own lived experience, and they can share and express their truth even if it is at odds with the dominant narratives of our society.

Zines are a low-barrier, accessible way for students to engage with the land and beings around them through art. Zine making can be done anywhere, including outdoors. So go out, grab pencils and paper, and make zines!

Further Resources:

• Making Zines with Young Artists + Writers by Rebecca Pitts
• WHAT ARE ZINES? by Julia Setele, Buffalo State University  
• “How to make a zine from one piece of printer paper” Youtube Video Tutorial by The Oregonian  

Below are a few examples of zines from my students: 

As an outdoor educator, I am beholden to the long-standing (or sitting) tradition of gathering our students in a circle. This tradition is unquestioned largely, but I have put in a surprisingly large amount of time thinking about circles and not just the circles we gather to talk to our students. Humans as a species have gathered in circles since time immemorial, long before recorded history. In fact, there are circles we cannot see but feel and know are there intuitively – such as social groups. So, with that, I pose a prompt for educators. What happens when you start to open your mind to the circles around and in you? I believe this may help both educators and students to facilitate development in systems thinking.

It is a well-studied phenomenon that humans are naturally drawn to circles. Our brain’s amygdala has been shown to react to sharp shapes, indicating a fear response. Curvilinear shapes, however, create a sense of safety and peace that we are drawn to for both aesthetic and psychological reasons. If given no directions and left to our own devices, studies have shown that people will walk in circles when feeling lost, rather than in a straight line. Back to the example mentioned previously, gathering socially in a circle allows all faces to be seen and all voices to be heard, making it an excellent environment for creating a sense of community.

The community we naturally connect with is that of the people around us, but as environmental educators, we can expand on this circle to represent the ecosystem, wherein all things are connected. I have created a thought exercise to help anyone (especially your students) reflect through systems thinking in circle-terms:

Have your students gather outdoors in a circle and link hands. Ask them to close their eyes and now picture what circles – cycles even – are happening within them. Let’s expand that now to the community of people they are standing hand in hand with. Note the circle is bigger – what does each person bring to the circle, what do YOU bring to the circle? If you are standing outside, you will notice you are encircling a small part of the ecosystem. What living and non-living beings exist in that space? What are the things they are doing every day? What cycles are they a part of? (Cue “Circle of Life” here perhaps). The circle can get bigger! Think of a giant hula-hoop plopping down on your group that also encompasses their homes and families, the communities they exist in outside of this moment. What are more circles? Maybe social circles? Friends? What would you call the ecosystem that covers more of this area? Is there a watershed or two? Now let’s zoom out on Earth! It’s also a circle – how did it come to be? And we can zoom out on our galaxy. Stars are being born and dying, new galaxies are forming… and we, this little group playing and learning in the woods, the desert, our playgrounds, maybe the beach, are all a part of it.

I envision this exercise as a way to close off and reflect on the time spent together, but the possibilities are endless. I have practiced this exercise sitting on the beaches of Catalina Island, hands and feet in the sand, learning about astronomy – there are more stars than particles of sand on our planet. I have been a practitioner of systems-thinking since well before I entered my undergraduate career.

Early childhood development and into adolescence centers on defining a sense of self. Practicing visualizing circles during this period helps with that, but also makes steps to seeing oneself as a part of something larger a little bit easier. I remember learning about food chains before getting into food webs growing up. Changing the food chains into a food circle early on – so including decomposers- would make the transition into the food web and greater biogeochemical cycles less rocky. Humans love circles, our brains don’t like abrupt changes in direction or stops – so why not practice following our natural intuition?

“What can we hear when we really decide to listen?”

I posed this question to a pack of 14 fifth graders visiting IslandWood, buzzing with energy in dappled late-winter sunlight. Sitting together on a fallen cedar at the end of a winding and steep trail, heads whipping around to capture the environment, I knew that transitioning these students from visual exploration into auditory exploration would be an uphill but worthwhile pursuit.

Why try to listen?

For many students in the outdoors, their initial (and often only) mode of observation is visual. While observation of any kind can be illuminating and transformative, creating space for alternative modes of exploration opens the door to unexpected noticings and more holistic models of the environment. Specifically, listening reveals what we cannot see. It allows students to encounter hidden and far-off organisms, to hear themselves contributing to the soundscape, and to begin to understand the ambient character of place.  Developing a repertoire of listening to the environment, rather than solely looking, grants access to context we cannot see, and it encourages students to draw connections between what they see, what they hear, and the mechanics of sound.

Deep listening, as described by Pauline Oliveros (2005), is the practice of widening acoustic perception to include as much depth and variety as possible across space and time. It is the act of pouring full attention into what can be heard. Deep listening is a meditative practice in that it requires discipline and long-term focus (Oliveros 2005). This set of skills is challenging to uphold and is often unfamiliar to students. Deep listening necessitates that students slow down and remain in a focused space for an extended time.

This is made more difficult when students are exploring a new environment. The anxiety of trying something new combines with that of being in a novel location, causing students to struggle settling into an attentive practice. However, once attention to sound is established, the relationship between anxiety and meditation is inverted. The meditative process calms fears and allows students to ground themselves in a new place.

Moving from buzzing excitement to contemplative practice

Instigating the transition between high-activity visual observation and prolonged listening can appear insurmountable, but there are several ways to work alongside students to enter into a meditative space.

Introduce a story about the power of listening
To begin the process of settling into the space and to begin directing toward listening, it can be helpful to begin with a story that emphasizes listening to the environment.

With this group of students, I read Owl Moon by Jane Yolen aloud. This not only gave them an opportunity to get comfortable, but it connected them with the value of listening and with the relationship between prolonged silence and the awakening soundscape.

Ask them to try covering their eyes
Even if students are acquainted with why taking time to listen is a worthwhile experience, they may struggle with how to listen deeply. In order to guide them toward what deep listening may feel like, have them listen to the environment while covering their eyes for around a minute. Be sure to ask them if they noticed any new sounds while listening.

When I tried this with my IslandWood students, they immediately noticed the swishing of their rain gear, the sound of the wind in the branches above their heads, and the croaking of faraway frogs.

Set them up so they can spread
Breaking into a listening practice requires focus, space, and time. In order to facilitate this, pick a location where students can spread out and find a comfortable place. This not only allows students to choose how and where to position themselves, but it also gives them space to focus on what they are hearing without interference from their peers.

Push through early restlessness     
Upon initially settling in, students tend to be restless and chatty. It is important to remember that they are trying something new and are exiting their comfort zones. Give them time and encouragement as they relax. With some time, I have found that they will gradually become more invested as they notice the world around them. Allow them to adjust on their own schedules.

For the first few minutes, this group of students intermittently shouted at and shushed each other. Slowly, they began to quiet into reflective listening. After fifteen minutes, our agreed-upon duration, I suggested we move on, only to be met with a series of shushes.

The Beginning of a Practice

Working alongside students to listen to the environment guides them toward a new way of understanding the world around them. By dedicating time to learning to listen, students gain skills that can be applied any time and in any place. They begin to see what listening can reveal.

References

Oliveros, P. (2005). Deep Listening: A Composer’s Sound Practice. Deep Listening Publications.

The bottom of my field teaching backpack usually contains a section of rope, a habit that carries over from backcountry trips. Rope is an incredibly versatile tool that can be used for many things, including teaching in the field.

My “teaching” rope has yet to teach any knots. I could, of course, use it to teach students a figure-eight, square knot, half-hitch, clove-hitch, fisherman’s and so on. I’ve taught knots in other settings and doing so can be a great way to break the ice, occupy time with something productive and provide a challenge that involves both the hands and the brain.

Most frequently the rope gets used to teach students about teamwork. One good entry-level team-building exercise involves tying the rope ends together to make a circle and have each student take the rope in their hands. The task is to work together to make a square, a rectangle, a hexagon. Have every other kid turn around and face the opposite direction to make it harder. Or skip the shapes altogether and have the students all lean backwards at the same time so the rope becomes taut and holds them up. This is sometimes referred to as a “yurt circle” and works best with an even number of students.

If the rope is marked in increments it can be used as a giant measuring stick. Stretched out straight it can serve as a transect line, or it can section off a specific area for close study like a quadrat. Want to know how tall something is?  Figure out how long the rope is, then hold onto one end tightly while throwing the other end upwards: you can get at least an approximate idea. I’ve also used it as a human continuum, with students lining up along the rope according to how they feel about something. One end of the rope could be “my favorite food is broccoli”, the opposite end “I consider broccoli evidence of evil in the world”.

I’ve used the rope as part of a ceremony to bookend teaching, inviting students to join me inside the rope circle at the beginning of the week and asking them to step outside the circle at the end of the week. The rope signifies group membership and reinforces a shared sense of language and shared customs. Crossing the rope becomes a symbolic rite of passage.

Orchestrating various lessons is easier with a piece of rope. Making knots in a piece of rope can be used as a mnemonic device for breaking down complex tasks: narrate the individual steps, tying an alpine butterfly as you go, then have the students walk through the steps themselves, tugging on each butterfly loop as they recall the step. You can even leave the rope out and the knots visible as a reminder for students.

Rope can be used in all manner of games, to designate a starting line, delineate a safe area or simply provide a boundary.

Need students to circle up and listen to instructions? Make a circle on the ground with rope and have students line their toes up with the rope.  It’s like wrangling students with the teaching lasso!

Whatever you end up using it for, a piece of rope in your backpack can be an invaluable teaching tool.

A student arrives to their overnight environmental program, a smile beaming from ear to ear with excitement and a camera ready at their hand to take photos- of everything. That student might end up taking a lot of photos during lessons and cameras and that can be distracting for the entire group. For this reason many places have taken the model of ‘leave your technology at home’

Cameras are something that the majority of people have now. Because of this social media sights like Instagram are popping up and encourage people to take pictures of their life and what they are doing, all the time. Some organizations have taken full advantage of these media sights and have photo contests nationwide to get people outside, like the Find Your Park campaign by the National Parks. Environmental educators’ audience have expanded because of social media. But, we have also been ignoring the fact that we’re inspiring people to go outside themselves to get that next epic photo. As an educator, I feel that we need to educate people so they can go out and get that photo in a proper and responsible way.

Due to the lack of education, people are hurting themselves and the place environmental educators are trying so hard to protect. A great time to teach people, especially children, about this responsibility is during an overnight environmental programs, like IslandWood School Overnight Program.

Here at IslandWood, lessons can be done with IPods and cameras with the students to have them take photos while they are in more of a nature setting. Going over a few things will set them up for them later on as they explore with their cameras at hand.

Some possible things to talk about when doing a lesson about responsibility when taking photographs:

1) Do Your Research- Know some background pieces about the subject. Where and when should you go? Is it mating season for this particular species? Is this ecosystem more delicate in some seasons?

2) Cause No Stress- Lack of disturbance must be a priority.

a. Know the proper distances to keep. According to the National Park, a person should stay 25 yards (about the size of two school buses) away from large mammals like elk, moose, etc and 100 yards (the length of a football field) away from large predatory mammals like wolves and bears.

b. Be mindful of not following a certain subject. They might have young they don’t want to lead you to or they might become accustomed to seeing a person and become unafraid.

3) Leave No Trace- Stay on trails, using a quiet voice, camp on durable surfaces, and carry in- carry out. You want to limit your presence as much as possible.

Some questions to ponder before going out:

What is my end goal for this picture? Is it just for me or am I trying to inspire other people to come here? What will happen if a lot of people do come here? Can the environment and wildlife handle it?

As an environmental educator, I want people to interact with nature with cameras in a responsible manner so people and nature stay happy and safe.

When I first brought along the little grinning monkey with long Velcro limbs, I didn't have a lot of confidence in my ability to convince a group of 10-12 year olds that it would be a fun and an important part of our team.  Aren't students that age getting pretty concerned with being cool and not being little kids that play with toys?  After using my now very familiar and very dusty monkey friend over the course of the past several months, I'm totally convinced of its efficacy as a catalyst of positive social emotional development.  Even 6th graders didn't scoff at it.  From observing other instructors and making some of my own additions, I've utilized the following techniques to transform an inanimate object into a tool of positive social emotional growth and to foster a culture of appreciation.

1. Let the suspense build: On the first day, I attach the monkey to my backpack but don't mention anything about it.  There's usually at least one student who asks about it right away.  By the end of the day, several others are wanting to know what's up with the monkey.  Why's it here? Can they touch it?  Does it have a name?

2.Build up to the introduction: On the second day, I usually pull out the monkey and make a big deal of introducing it and let everyone know it will be an important part of our team.  By this point, most of the students have their eyes locked in and can barely stand not playing with it.

3. Naming as a team building exercise: I then hand the monkey over to the students and ask them to go away from adults and come back when they have a name (Bob seems to be a pretty popular one, with creativity award going to Chanjella).  When they come back, the first thing I do is check in with everyone and have them rate 1-5 if they felt like they were heard and respected in the naming process.  If there are a lot of folks rating the process low, we brainstorm how to make the process more inclusive, and then I give them another chance to decide on a final name.

4. How the monkey travels through the group:I then ask everyone to think if there is anyone who they can appreciate for being helpful/brave/generous during the naming process.  Once several students have received appreciations, I hand the monkey to the student who received the first appreciation.  I then explain that every hour or so (when we're circled up and not in the middle of a lesson), the person who has the monkey will pass it to another group member with an appreciation.  Everyone will hold the monkey during our time as a group.  It’s Important to mention that appreciations should be specific, and not only directed at friends that you already know well. When a student first receives the monkey, I remind them that they should be paying attention to other group members so that they can notice when someone deserves an appreciation.  I also give them a few minute warning before a circle/monkey pass so that they can gather their words, and so that no one student has the monkey for too long.

The outcome has been overwhelmingly positive.  In some groups where the interactions are pretty negative, the passing of the stuffed animal really keeps the group morale afloat.  I had one group of students that typically interacted with irritation and there was one little boy in particular that rarely said anything positive to other students.  When someone appreciated him for helping with lunch I saw the first smile of the week.  Although his attitude didn’t completely change, I did notice him interacting with several students in a positive way after receiving that praise. The infusion of structured positive interaction has real potential to support the health of a community.

Other possible adaptations/ideas:

• have some (or all) of the passing be outside of circling up, more of a private appreciation between two students
• pass it around at the end of each day for group appreciations
• come up with a song for the passing/appreciation

We all grow up learning that plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms are living beings, just like us. However, many people still feel a major disconnect. In Western cultures, we are conditioned to see ourselves as above all other life forms, making us think we are separate from nature. Other cultures have known differently for quite some time. It is important that we begin to recognize the value of other beings because our view of them affects how we interact with them.

Nature consists of many individuals, each with their own individual physical and metaphysical attributes.  When we begin seeing each individual organism as equals, we increase our empathy for each and every being we come in contact with, embracing the broad range of diverse life forms on this planet. In becoming more empathetic towards others, we also begin to see ourselves as a part of the larger ecosystem, recognizing our interdependence with those around us. Western culture often views humans as “apart from” nature as opposed to the reality of us being “part of” nature, which is a perspective many indigenous cultures hold (Bang, et al., 2017). When we change our views, we change our actions, creating a better world for all. Being aware of the different ways in which we view the world, we must also be aware of the different ways we communicate with other beings. To communicate with beings who don’t speak, we need to tune into other modes of communication.

An easy way to start shifting our perspectives is by changing our language.  For example, instead of asking a question like “what plants, animals, and organisms are in this ecosystem?”, we might ask “who lives here?” or “who calls this place home?”. The simple shift in language from “what” to “who” changes the way we think about the being. In English, "what" is used for objects, and the simple switch to "who" allows us to see these beings through a different lens.

Similarly, Robin Wall Kimmerer, a poet and botanist from the Potawatomi tribe, illustrates just how important our language use is. Just by changing the words we use, we change our view of others around us.  She writes about how the pronoun “it” robs beings of respect and kinship (Kimmerer, 2015). She suggests that we instead use “ki”, stemming from the word Bemaadiziiaaki, which is the Anishinaabe word for “beings of the living Earth”. Kimmerer goes on to suggest that we use the pronoun “kin” for the plural of “ki”. She ends by saying, “so we can now refer to birds and trees not as things, but as our earthly relatives… Words have power to shape our thoughts and our actions… let our words reaffirm our respect and kinship with the more-than-human world. Let us speak of the beings of Earth as the ‘kin’ they are”.

In order to truly begin transforming our relationships with more-than-human others in our area, we must get to know kin in the same way we get to know our human kin.  Here are a few activities you can do with students to get to know more-than-human kin in your schools, parks, and neighborhoods.

Plant Attunement

I learned this practice in Chris Marano’s University of Massachusetts course, Topics in Herbalism. Though I was first introduced to plant attunement in my early twenties, people can begin the practice at any age.

Plant attunement can be done indoors with a houseplant or outdoors with anyone who calls to you. First, you’ll want to set an intention before your practice and come ready with a question to ask kin. In the spirit of reciprocity, it is common practice to bring an offering in exchange, though Chris (2017) says “best of all is to bring the best of yourself, and sincerely extend deep-felt respect and gratitude. And then allow yourself to quiet and become open to possibility”.  Many people choose to sit or lay down during their practice - eyes closed or open, using any sense that feels right and even some senses you haven’t felt before. The attunement can be anywhere from a few minutes to hours, just make sure you allow yourself and your students as much time as needed.

Sit Spots

A sit spot can be done just about anywhere, though preferably somewhere outdoors with little human distraction. Students will start by choosing a quiet spot away from other people, where they can return over time to quiet their mind, observe the more-than-human kin around them, and reflect. It can be helpful to have a journal and writing and/or drawing utensils for students to jot down what they’re thinking, wondering about, or draw something they’ve observed. As students return to their sit spots, they will begin to notice the changes in the beings they’ve gotten to know over time.

Perspective Storytelling

This activity allows students to imagine what it might be like to live as a more-than-human kin. The first part of this activity is about getting to know the being they’ll be taking the perspective of. This might take form as a plant attunement, sit spot, or using this template created by Indigenous S.T.E.A.M. Once the students feel ready, they will write or draw a story from that being’s perspective. They might think about what ki needs to survive, how ki are in relation to other beings, or how does ki experience the world. This gives students the chance to put themselves in the (metaphorical) shoes of someone else.

Here are some books that are a great opener to the activity, recommended by my mentor, Dr. Dé:

• Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
• Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beckie Prange
• Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow  by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Meet A Tree

This is an activity that gives students the opportunity to get to know a tree in our community a little better. A pair of students will take turns being blindfolded and are then guided by their partner to a tree, which they get to know by using their other senses, such as touch or smell. After a few moments, their partner will guide them on a short walk away from the tree and spin them around to disorient them. They’ll then remove the blindfold and try to guess which tree they had just met.

These are just a few ways to get to know the more-than-human kin around us. Getting to know kin in the same way we get to know the other humans around us changes not just our thoughts and mindset but also our actions.  When we begin to see the value of each individual being, we engage with kin differently, and kin become a part of our living and learning communities.

References:

Bang, M. Brown, B., Calabrese Barton, A., Rosebery, A. and Warren, B. (2017). Toward More Equitable Learning in Science. In, C.V. Schwarz, C. Passmore, and B.J. Reiser (Eds) Helping Students Make Sense of the World using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices, NSTA Press: Arlington.

Marano, C. (2017, April 21). Plant attunement: How-to instructions. Clearpath Herbals. https://clearpathherbals.com/herbalist-training/plant-attunement-how-to-instructions/

Plant-all-activities-and-overview.pdf. Indigenous S.T.E.A.M. (n.d.). https://indigenoussteam.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Plant-all-activities-and-overview.pdf

Wall Kimmerer, R. (2015, March 30). Nature needs a new pronoun: To stop the age of extinction, let’s start by ditching “it” - yes! magazine solutions journalism. YES! Magazine. https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/together-earth/2015/03/30/alternative-grammar-a-new-language-of-kinship

When working in the back or front-country wilderness you may find yourself convincing your students or clients about the ease and comfort of disposing of their

human waste in a natural setting. You may have fumbled through a tutorial once or twice about “digging a hole and aiming”, or tried to explain the benefits of using a composting toilet with a seemingly-endless black hole and unfamiliar air currents.

The reality is, once a novice has one positive experience of using an alternative or natural toilet, the task becomes less embarrassing and stressful.

What are the options?

• Nature pee (and pack it in-pack it out)
  When at a remote campsite or in high-traffic day hike areas, you may find yourself needing to embrace a nature pee. Teaching kids from a young age about proper stance and appropriate locations to “use the woods” will reduce soiling oneself and embarrassment on everyone’s behalf. Furthermore, to be a true steward in high-use areas without other facilities, packing out one’s solid waste in zip-top bags is common practice.
  
  
• Outhouses and Portable Toilets
  External toilets are a part of our national heritage: these toilet systems have been around since the 1940s! They also use 90% less water than traditional flushing toilets. Many state and national parks use portable restrooms or restrooms that are drained throughout the season; while they can be odorous and occasionally soiled, the most effective way to be a steward is to ensure the lid is closed after each use and to have hand sanitizer available once you have left the units.
  
  
• Composting Toilets
  These eco-friendly bathroom alternative use no water and they compost our human waste into a new product: soil! The composting toilet system works through aerobic decomposition of the solid waste and evaporation of the liquid waste resulting in solid garden mulch. Explaining to younger users how the composting toilets work and why they are great for the earth can help to alleviate fears and mistrust of unfamiliar systems!

Why does it matter?

Education Director for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Ben Lawhon, states that human waste and what we do with it can be one of the most significant impacts that faces lands used by the public for recreation. It impacts disease transmission and health, water quality, aesthetics, and social realms --and it's something that a lot of people just have a hard time dealing with.” As environmental educators and explorers we strive to minimize the impact on our planet and our communities; our waste is certainly included in that impact. Using these three steps, doing your business in nature can become peaceful and stress-free:

1. Familiarity: Determine the most efficient and sanitary waste system available to you and become familiar with it early on in your adventure. Introducing your friends or team members to composting toilets and how they function will help to alleviate stress; starting a backpacking trip with a hypothetical display of removing excessive clothing, digging a hole and squatting will ease those with concerns about future bowel movements and what to do when they occur in the backcountry.
   
   
2. Promote Sanitation: Determine what materials you will be using (toilet paper, smooth rocks, leaves, etc) and how you will dispose of them. Pack it in, pack it out in sealable plastic bags and/or compostable toilet paper materials. Change into clean clothes as often as possible.
   
   
3. Ask Questions! If you are unsure about the appropriate protocol for your outing, ask a friend or a local guide. Ecosystems are often fragile and susceptible to bacteria from human waste. Ask before you “go”!

Further Resources:

http://www.backpacker.com/skills/beginner/bathroom-etiquette/

http://www.gotugo.com/blog/resources/fun-facts-portable-restrooms/

It is a scene that is repeated over and over. A student finds a stick on the side of the trail and soon enough, they are walking towards you as if they have just begun a trek along the Pacific Crest Trail. As an environmental educator, with safety as a priority for my students, I feel myself getting ready to say “Please put the stick down”. However, unless the child is using the stick as a wand, sword, light sabre or other object that needs to waved in the air, I find myself taking a different route now, one that embraces the use of sticks in the field. I have ultimately come to the conclusion that using sticks in our environmental education setting can truly have significant benefits.

Sticks for Learning about Engineering

Incorporating a structured activity using sticks can be an educational and fun experience. Using sticks as a medium, it can be focused on the concepts of design and creation. Students can work in small teams to find a location to build a bridge, shelter, or something else, depending on the prompt. The level of difficulty can be adjusted, even going as far as creating a walkable and sturdy bridge over a puddle. After building and testing out their projects, each group can present their creation, explaining the design, process and complexities of their structure. The process of building will be an experiential learning experience about what works and what doesn’t, as well as offer a small scale glimpse into major concepts that are a part of building anything.

Sticks for Learning about Teamwork

Not only are students learning about different engineering concepts, they are also working as a team in the process. Decision making comes into play as soon as the teams are formed. What location will we pick? Who is charge of what parts? What design should we attempt? What size materials should we use? Team members get the opportunity to work together for a concrete task, all while practicing very important communication and decision making skills. At the very end, students can share about their experience building together and discuss what went well or could be improved.

Sticks for Demonstrating Trust

Whether or not it is a building project, it is important for my students to know that I trust them to responsibly handle large sticks. This element of trust is a huge foundational piece for me, one that is extremely important to weave and communicate throughout any teaching experience. As mentioned before, one situation that comes up often when working with 5th graders is the desire to have a walking stick. I don’t ever bring up the idea of walking sticks unprompted, but as soon as a student inevitably picks up a stick I use it as an opportunity to explain my specific protocol that answers the following questions.

• When and where will we be able to use walking sticks? This should be very clear. I often pick a trail that is removed from the main campus and doesn’t involve tricky terrain.
• What does it look like to use a walking stick responsibly? Don’t underestimate the power of modeling this behavior. Pick a student and have them show everyone.
• How tall can your walking stick be? Below shoulder height is usually easy to manage.
• Where can we get a walking stick without harming our surroundings and each other? Make sure that getting a stick does not involve stepping into harmful plants or breaking branches.
• Most importantly, why are you allowing walking sticks when the common expectation is to leave them on the ground? Without this, you may as well not let your students have sticks. I explain that I trust them and know they will show me this too.

There is not denying the magnetic force between sticks and students. The connection is quite real, and I think it is an opportunity to use sticks for good. I have never had any issues with students using sticks, whether as part of a more structured building activity or casually on the trails. When expectations are set high, and it is clear to the students that you trust them, they will rise up. I like to believe that all students will rise up if given the chance. Having this foundation of trust is when learning outdoors truly happens.

Students have a general affinity towards sticks and the potential to use it for learning responsibly, while still having fun, exists. Let’s embrace it.