By John DeFore
Green Right Now

Somewhere in between the sleep-away camps, beach excursions and baseball games of summer, kids and parents alike generally see the appeal of the sand-free floors and refrigerated air of a good museum. Institutions across the country know this is a great time to squeeze some education into kid-friendly, entertaining exhibitions; here’s a list of some of the best nature-oriented attractions for vacationers who’ve felt a bit too much heat this month.

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By Christopher Peake
Green Right Now

Aquariums are wonderful places to spend a summer day: if the weather is cool you can stay outdoors, if it’s hot there are indoor exhibits. Menacing sharks, beautifully-colored fish, gliding sea turtles, manta rays, sea snakes, sea horses, penguins and birds and river otters and performing orcas and porpoises all represent what is most beautiful and exciting about the waters of Planet Earth.

But they also represent a world that is disappearing quicker than we thought possible, and this is where aquariums hold a key to the future of water creatures.

Aquariums have realized that they must conduct research and they must also show us what is alive, what is dying and what we can do to balance it all. And so they tie their exhibits and their activities back to conservation, and tell us how we can help.

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now
You’ve planted the organic garden, the compost is cooking and the native plants that cover your lawn look cool and save water. What’s next?
Chickens, of course.
The “urban chicken” trend has been endlessly chronicled in recent months, touting tales of city folks building backyard coops, buying hens and getting fresh eggs daily. [...]

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By John DeFore
Green Right Now

This June may have given New Yorkers an unseasonably rainy stretch crummy enough to keep them inside whenever possible, but it has also delivered a novel way to exploit the rare sunny day: A new park built upon industrial ruins, sustained by both citizens and government, and (to judge from its opening week) enjoyed by all.

Known as The High Line, the park sits upon a long stretch of elevated train track running down the west side of the city’s lower end. The nearly 80 year-old tracks once carried freight through industrial areas, running straight through some warehouses to allow for easy loading and unloading of goods.

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By John DeFore
Green Right Now

The old-fashioned American road trip — packing the kids up and driving from one motor lodge to the next — may seem less than 100% wholesome these days, what with eco-conscious drivers becoming as sensitive to the amount of CO2 they’re generating as they are to cries of “are we there yet?” from the back seat.

But getting out into the natural world remains one of the best ways to introduce children — and city-dwelling adults, for that matter — to the environment we all want to preserve. And a well planned road trip can provide vacationers with an array of views and experiences that’s stunning enough to make a phrase like “ecosystem diversity” suddenly sound like a tangible good worth fighting for instead of a dry academic concern.

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

Monarch butterflies can be found in every continental state in America. Seven states have even named the monarch their “state insect,” according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

That’s good news for those who would like to create a backyard space to attract monarchs as they make their way north or south for their long annual migrations.

The first step is a to do a little research to learn what monarchs and other butterflies are fluttering around your community. Books can provide information, but lepidopterists (people who collect and study butterflies and moths) or butterfly organizations in your area also will have details.

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By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

This Father’s Day go green and sustainable with gifts that support eco-friendly clothing, are made with recycled products or help de-toxify dad’s bath and body routine.

• Whether dad is a rugged outdoorsman or just likes to trek around the ‘hood and occasionally go off-road, he might appreciate these Finn Vegan Hiking Shoes by Patagonia. Made without any animal by-products, they’re topped by a breathable mesh and have a footbed composed of 70 percent recycled foam containing carbon and cork bits to wick moisture and control odor. (Making for a lighter footprint!). The insole board is made from recycled polyethylene and the patented “Vibram Ecostep” outsole is composed of up to 30 percent recycled scrap rubber. Patagonia has been producing green clothing and gear for many years, so these shoes are backed by eco-experience that newer green shoemakers are still acquiring. About $100 at Zappos, which carries many more vegan shoes.

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

Frogs and toads across the country could use a helping hand.

Amphibians — from the endangered Houston Toad to the threatened Golden Coqui — are disappearing at an alarming rate, faster than any other vertebrate. Many species around the globe have disappeared entirely, according to the Animal Welfare Institute’s Endangered Species Handbook (as well as numerous other sources.)

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

You’re picky, selecting only the best organic fruits and vegetables, or cruelty-free meats and poultry to prepare healthy, well-balanced meals for your family.

You might not be so thoughtful when it comes to your dog’s dining choices. Does it come straight off the grocery store shelf, plopped from can or bag into Fido’s bowl? OK, maybe we’re being too tough on you. Perhaps you lovingly spring for the extra cost of organic, natural dog food from the pet store or the Web.

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High school students can study links between everyday actions at their high school, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Become a “climate ambassador” in your school or neighborhood and motivate friends and community leaders. The EPA offers lots of suggestions for how to get involved at school.

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By Laura Elizabeth May
Green Right Now

Grandparents.com has launched a campaign to get grandparents and grandchildren off the couch and outside. The goal of the “Go Play Outside” campaign is to have 1 million hours of play logged by the end of the summer.

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

Paul Dorn knows that getting Americans to ride a bike to work instead of driving a car is quite the uphill battle. Even on a good day, he says, only a tiny percentage of the nation’s commuters use pedal power to get to their jobs.

He remains undeterred.

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