Earth Day (was last Sunday), and it was just another Earth Day, as far as the kids at Arbor Heights are concerned. They've been busy decorating bags for Safeway as usual and they are beautiful! We've been doing this for a long time at our school - longer than anybody, anywhere, actually.

Sometimes we take things for granted. Over the years our school has received a lot of attention from the media, in print and over the airwaves, because of our decorating bags for Earth Day. Some years there is no media attention, and this will be one of those years. It takes a consistent effort to make media attention happen, and it's tough to maintain in the face of changing obligations and priorities. I'm here writing this in hope that the word will spread to parents at the school. I also wanted to share with you all why this year is a special one:

This is the 15th year in a row Arbor Heights has partnered with our local Safeway to decorate and distribute grocery bags on Earth Day. The whole idea started at our school in 1993. In 1994 our school invited other schools to join in, on the Internet. We started a web site, part of our school Web site at the time, to host the results, show pictures, provide information, and share in the excitement. Millions of Earth Day grocery bags have been distributed to customers all over the world since then.

Today, The Earth Day Groceries Project is the largest educational activity coordinated on the Internet. http://www.earthdaybags.org. It is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Over the years, the project has given back to the school. In the late 1990s we ran Internet advertising on our web site (caused quite a fuss in the process) and raised several thousand dollars for the purchase of technology equipment for Arbor Heights. Some of that equipment is still used today, and the project continues to provide for the enhancement of our technology program. Schools all over the world are aware that Arbor Heights is the "home" of the project.

So what's the point? Visit the web site and grab some incredible project wallpaper for your computer, look at thousands of reports and pictures from all over the world, etc.

But mostly, talk with your kids about Earth Day. Encourage them to think about taking care of the physical world of their future...

When my group of third graders delivered the school's bags to Safeway (last Saturday), it was a big deal for them. I hope they remember it. Every year I run into checkers and courtesy clerks at Safeway who remember participating when they attended Arbor Heights.

A big thank you to the Parent Teacher Student Association for funding the Safeway gift cards this year for the classrooms with the best bags!

Mark Ahlness

Arbor Heights Elementary