Professional Development Minutes

"At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough."   - Toni Morrison

I’m happy to announce the publication of my latest, peer-reviewed article: “ Wasted Planet: How Educators Can Introduce the Epic Trash Crisis ”. This article is published by the Journal of Sustainability Education.  Waste education tends to be about recycling, reducing, and reusing. In this article, I expand on waste education. I introduce what I am calling, ‘Trash Dialogues’. These dialogues encourage broader conversations of waste, to think about how our everyday garbage is an economic, geopolitical, ethical, environmental, and socio-cultural issue, tied to environmental racism and waste colonialism. This article is intended for K-12 and post-secondary educators. Want to read more of my published work? Visit the link below:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melissa_Fockler/research

melissa fockler  (b. 1984)       Illegal dumping in a sustainable place , 2024 Photograph  

In this podcast, Dr. David Orr discusses sustainability education. Guiding question: Can universities become hubs to respond to social and environmental crises? 

James Arthur "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" Sing along optional: So when the rain starts to pour, I'll be thinking of you So no one ever told you life would be this way Rewind the scene where they were singing "I'll Be There" for you Why was no one there for you?

I planted these wildflowers two years ago. Finally, they have bloomed!  Did you know that wildflowers take 2 to 3 years to bloom? The lesson here: patience brings good things.  Want to know more about wild gardens? Check out the article, " Why planting wildflowers makes a difference " by  Nunez (2021).  Pictured above - My wild garden 

1 ripe banana  1/4 cup all natural peanut butter  1 tbsp maple syrup  1 cup oats  1/3 cup chocolate chips (or dark chocolate in small pieces) 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts  Spread cookie dough into a greased cake pan (8 x 8) and later cut into squares.  Cook time: Roughly 15 minutes @ 375 degrees 

Visit the produce section of your local grocery store. Pick a fruit or vegetable that you are unfamiliar with and learn about it. Some guiding questions:  Where does this fruit/vegetable come from? How does it grow?  What nutrients does it contain?  How do you eat it? Raw? Cook it? Make a meal or snack using this fruit or vegetable. Share what you discovered. Post a comment below!  Bonus challenge:   Have you eaten this delicious fruit? Photo credit: here

I had such a peaceful afternoon. Spending time in nature is like spending time with an old friend - you feel comforted, loved, and there is no judgement.  A photo from my travels June 7, 2025

Dan + Shay "Nothin' Like You" Sing along optional: I was laughin' at your stack of books Then you shot me that smile Hey beautiful girl, in your own little world And me in it

'I've never seen anything like it': Sask. premier says thousands more may need to evacuate in coming days

I feel like it's the end of time: no dinosaurs  but between the volcanoes earthquakes  wild fires tsunamis   and asteroids humanity destroys  what's left.