Sitting on the dock in Catalina Island and watching bioluminescence follow our fingertips in the water, the girl scouts and I bonded over nature, art, and science. They had taken me along on their Catalina trip to lead Traveling Naturalist Programs for them. Little did I know that this bond would extend beyond that trip. While hanging out on that warm June night, the scouts and I sat in a circle to talk about ideas they could do for silver award projects. Most of the other girls had already accomplished theirs and 2 girls had yet to come up with something. We exchanged all sorts of ideas, including getting coffee shops to start recycling their grounds and actually getting the customers to take those grounds…
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Meditation at the ENC
We live in the age of hard workers; many of us conduct our weekday labor with stress as we support our families and ourselves. At the end of the week, many of us deserve a bit of spiritual rejuvenation while being surrounded by nature, and there’s no better way to achieve that than with some morning meditation at the Environmental Nature Center! Meditation has proven to be a great way to cleanse spiritual ailments, explore our surroundings, and reclaim our individual selves that we tend to misplace during the hustle and bustle of daily life. It offers a chance for us to ground ourselves and be present in the now. Join us with special guest Vicki James, an amazing meditation practitioner with six years of…
Drumming up some Drummers
There is something primal about sitting around a campfire and letting your brain rest while your heart synchronizes with the beat of a drum. This ancient practice has been seen in every part of the world, including our own backyard. Scientific studies have shown that drumming reduces stress levels, which can be measured by the presence of the hormone cortisol. Furthermore, Research by cancer Scientist Dr. Barry Bittman has proven that drumming helps enhance one’s cellular immune system, stimulating the activity of cytokines and specialized white blood cells called natural killer cells. These natural killer cells are instrumental in fighting cancer cells. Besides these neat scientific findings about one of our most ancient activities, drumming has some inherent qualities that are pertinent to building creativity,…
Bring the Family to the Wilderness Survival Game Show!
More than ever, wilderness survival skill shows have become increasingly popular. From Man Vs. Wild to the contagious cult following of the Hunger Games, the exposure to wilderness survival is becoming greater and greater. While spending time in the wilderness is very healthy and healing for the spirit, knowing how to survive in the wilderness is a whole different beast. The ability to truly enjoy nature and avoid conflict comes from understanding nature. If you understand that a bear with a cub is more dangerous to be around than a bear that does not have a cub, then you will know to keep your distance and avoid a confrontation that would not have ended in your favor. Wilderness survival essentially means knowing how to avoid…
Creating a Nature Preschool
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) has been a part of the Newport Beach, CA community since 1972. We are a landscape for learning, a sanctuary from life’s daily stresses, and a place of preservation and education. The ENC recently purchased a 1.3-acre property adjoining ours. Our vision is to expand our natural habitat, develop a nature play area, and construct our community’s first nature based preschool. When our community learned of our plans to develop a Nature Preschool there was a deluge of interest! We continue to receive calls every day from parents wondering when our school will open and our online interest list continues to grow. Thanks to organizations like the Natural Start Alliance and people like Richard Louv, families are beginning to understand…
Room & Board Donates $25,000 to ENC
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) accepted a $25,000 donation from Room & Board South Coast Plaza on Thursday, November 13th at the South Coast Plaza showroom. The donation will help support the ENC’s Environmental Education programs. The check was presented during Room & Board’s “Celebrate Sustainable Design” event. Special guest Wayne Inouye led an inspired conversation about sustainable architecture, focusing on his most recent project: designing a LEED Platinum home in Corona del Mar, furnished by Room & Board. “Room & Board has a long history of supporting community organizations. We are very proud that they are our local community partner,” said ENC Executive Director Bo Glover. “Room & Board is a good corporate citizen, committed to sustainability. They literally practice what we preach.”…
City of Newport Beach & ENC Team up to help our Community Cope with the Drought!
2014 has been California’s third driest in 119 years of record. The state’s major reservoirs hold only 60 percent of average storage, or about 41 percent of capacity. A state of emergency has been declared in California. On November 5th from 6-7PM, the Environmental Nature Center is hosting a presentation featuring George Murdoch, Newport Beach Utilities General Manager, and Shane Burckle, Newport Beach Water Conservation Coordinator. Guests will learn where Newport Beach gets its water, and how the drought is affecting coastal Orange County. Mr. Murdoch will go over the new State regulations, City ordinances and rules. Mr. Burckle will go over conservation tips and incentive programs. “The Environmental Nature Center’s Platinum LEED building is an ideal place to host this discussion about the drought…
ENC Fall Faire & Pumpkin Patch is Sunday!
Get ready for the 40th annual Fall Faire and Pumpkin Patch at the ENC. If you like pumpkins, food, face painting, games, live animals, or arts and crafts, then make sure to make your way to the Environmental Nature Center with your family and friends. The Fall Faire and Pumpkin Patch is an ENC tradition attracting thousands of visitors each year! Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes will be available at the Pumpkin Patch to purchase, with all proceeds benefiting our environmental education programs. There will be plenty of children’s crafts and games for kids to have fun with at the Center, including games like Trash Tumble, Froggie Flip, Funky Fishing, and crafts such as creating Can-stellations, Pine Cone Critters, Beautiful Branches, Gratitude Cards, Pasta…
Family Yoga at the Environmental Nature Center
Sitting in the Redwoods at the ENC. Listening to the birds. Smelling the trees, the decaying plants and the earth. Feeling the coolness of space on my skin. For a moment, I forget what I’m doing and enjoy just being here. I look at the faces in front of me; all ages, sizes, and shapes, their eyes closed, enjoying the moment too. I say, “Inhale as you stretch up. Say ‘hello’ to the trees.” I see beautiful arms reaching toward the sky, our arms mingled with the trees. I close my eyes and say, “Exhale as you fold forward. Say ‘hello’ to the earth.” Hands touch the ground, our senses perceiving the shift from above to below, our finger camouflaged in the leaves on the…
Taste the OC at the ENC’s Fall Faire!
There are so many reasons to eat at local restaurants: 1. Local independent restaurants often give back to their community. 2. Local independent restaurants keep our money circulating within the community. 3. Food is fresh since it is sourced from a nearby place. 4. Environmentally speaking, there is less distance for food to travel to the restaurant. Big chains produce in mass quantity and contribute to a larger carbon footprint when they utilize more fossil fuels to transport food to their restaurants. 5. Towns start to lose their culture as small “Ma and Pa” restaurants are replaced with corporate restaurants. Keeping local culture helps drive the tourist industry, bringing even more money into a community. The ENC’s Taste of OC is a showcase of extraordinary local food…
Calling all Artisans!
Do you create something? Food? Handmade goods? Fine art? Music? Consider being a vendor at the ENC’s Artisan Marketplace on December 7, 2014! This holiday season the ENC is holding the Artisan Marketplace, where guests can walk the trails to shop for handmade gifts from local artisans offering a variety of eco-friendly, sustainable products. The ENC created this event to give the community a chance to support local artisans. “Local businesses are the heart of the community. The money we spend shopping at local ma and pa places gets recirculated back into our community, thus building a strong, economic infrastructure. It also lowers carbon emissions and provides more employment for the community. Local businesses are most invested in the future of the community, but big…
The Butterflies are Back in Town!
It is spring and the butterflies are officially back in town. The grand re-opening of the ENC Butterfly House will be during the Spring Fair on Sunday, May 4th. The butterfly house will feature various butterfly species native to Orange County, including Mourning Cloak, Monarch, and California Dogface (our state butterfly). The butterfly house will also feature many Orange County native host and nectar plants that the butterflies depend on to live. You might even find caterpillars and eggs on them! Come to this year’s Spring Fair to find out more about Orange County native butterflies and plants. In addition to the grand re-opening of the butterfly house, the Spring Faire will also feature a native plant sale where you can purchase plants such as white…