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* * Earth’s Birthday Project is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3,〔Foundation Center. ( “Foundation Center-990 Finder” ), U.S.A. 1995-2010. Retrieved on 2010-11-29.〕 educational non-profit organization. == History == Since Earth’s Birthday Project’s founding in 1989, it is estimated that more than 15 million school children have participated in butterfly and sunflower activities, as well as rainforest and river conservation. In the late 1980s, as the twentieth anniversary of Earth Day approached, Cliff Ross was teaching middle school in New York City. Ross, his wife Lisa Werenko and his brother Tom Ross had just published their first environmental children’s book, ''It Zwibble, the Star-touched Dinosaur'', through Scholastic. It seemed to them that Earth Day might be more effective if it could be a celebration; if it could become a day not only for activists but also for children. They thought, “Why not give the Earth a birthday party?” They then invited children from across NYC to celebrate the first Earth’s Birthday on the Great Lawn of Central Park.〔Handschuh, David. "A social butterfly", ''New York Daily News'', New York, 18 April 1990.〕 With the help of teachers, donors and the Parks Commission, the children celebrated the 20th anniversary of Earth Day on April 20, 1990 and were joined by NYC Mayor Dinkins.〔Boez, Santiago. "The Earth Moves", ''New York Post'', New York, 21 April 1990.〕 The first year’s events “launched” the Earth’s Birthday Project as a nonprofit organization. Several components of the first celebration have become hallmarks of Earth’s Birthday Project’s educational activities through the years: * Butterflies – With a donation from Carolina Biological Supply, cups of painted lady butterfly caterpillars were given to 4,000 Head Start classrooms. After observing the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies,〔Science Netlinks. (''Butterfly 1: Observing the Life Cycle of a Butterfly'' ), U.S.A. Retrieved on 2010-11-29.〕 the preschoolers released the butterflies on Earth Day. * Sunflower seeds – children planted seeds in their classrooms and took the seedlings home to enjoy in pots or gardens until they bloomed. * Rainforest conservation – Inspired by the Children's Rainforest〔Monteverde Info. (''Children's Eternal Rainforest'' ), Costa Rica 1998-2010. Retrieved on 2010-11-29.〕 in Costa Rica, initiated by students at Fagervick School in Sweden, Ross’s eighth-grade class at Packer Collegiate Institute enrolled children across NYC to collect pennies and purchase threatened rainforest land in Latin America.〔Rentas, David. "Small Change for Big Cause", ''New York Post'', New York, 6 April 1990.〕 The children donated the funds to The Nature Conservancy, an international conservation organization. Earth Birthday Project still puts butterflies into the hands of children, through programs in schools and individually to families.〔"Butterfly Release", ''Newsweek'', New York, 29 March 1993.〕〔Piscotty, Marc. "Birthing butterflies", ''The Albuquerque Tribune'', Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2 July 1994.〕 The organization also promotes the teaching of environmental issues as part of school science curriculum. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Earth's Birthday Project」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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