In continuing to provide support for teachers and young people, we wanted to again share the link to the Defend Your Drain webinar which explores what is going down our drains, the impacts these chemicals have on aquatic systems, and suggestions for how young people can reduce their impact. The recorded webinar is one of the video links near the bottom of the page but be sure to check out all the additional resources for youth! While the Defend Your Drain webinar is a great resource for ideas, watching the webinar is not necessary for contest entry. This contest is open to any youth (13-22 years old) who want to share their 30 second story about a change they have made (or are making) to reduce toxins in their daily routine. Prizes for video entry winners include a GoPro camera, Patagonia gift cards, and more!

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- EarthEcho International (www.earthecho.org), a leading environmental education nonprofit co-founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., and Seventh Generation Foundation have partnered to engage youth across the country in a new campaign and video contest to help remove toxins in their homes, schools, and communities.

Part of Seventh Generation's Campaign for a Toxin-Free Generation, the partnership will kick off with the Defend Your Drain webinar on April 18, 2013, and the launch of a video contest where young people can share how they are helping to create a toxin-free generation. Entries into the Campaign for a Toxin-Free Generation video contest are eligible to win prizes, including a Go Pro Premium camera, Patagonia gift certificates and Seventh Generation home and personal care products.

"Both EarthEcho and Seventh Generation understand that young people have the power to change the world, one home, one school and one community at a time," said EarthEcho International co-founder and president Philippe Cousteau, Jr. "The Campaign for Toxin-Free Generation contest and resources are designed to empower and equip today's youth with tools to make the world a better place."

"We're kindred spirits who want to inspire consumers to rid their lives of toxins. We both want to be their partners in that process and help people everywhere ignite a revolution that safeguards today's children and all of tomorrow's, too," said Seventh Generation Foundation Director, Ashley Orgain.

EarthEcho and Seventh Generation Foundation are providing tools and resources to inspire participants to take action in their own communities. You can become part of The Campaign for a Toxin-Free Generation today by logging onto http://www.seventhgeneration.com/toxin-free/ and taking three simple steps:

Download information about toxins and how they impact our daily lives;

   -- Participate in the Campaign for a Toxin-Free Generation's Defend Your
      Drain webinar on April 18 at 1:30 PM EDT to discover how even small
      changes can help protect your health and health of the planet. Register
      today by clicking on the link or logging onto
      https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3518052729042130688; and

   -- Beginning April 18, enter the video contest and share your story of how
      you are helping to create a toxin-free generation by posting a 30-second
      video on the campaign website at
      www.seventhgeneration.com/earthecho.
To learn more about Seventh Generation Foundation please go to http://www.seventhgeneration.com/responsibility/foundation

To learn more about EarthEcho International please go to http://www.earthecho.org.

Join EarthEcho International and Seventh Generation Foundation for an Earth Month webinar that explores the connections between everyday products and the health of our water planet. This lively panel discussion—which will include EarthEcho’s Philippe Cousteau and Seventh Generation’s John Replogle—will address toxins often found in personal and home care products, the impacts these have on marine environments, and how youth can take action to bring about meaningful change. Learn how to defend your drain and enter the Campaign for a Toxin Free Generation video contest with a chance to win fantastic prizes.

Please register for Defend Your Drain on Apr 18, 2013 1:30 PM EDT at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3518052729042130688

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the
webinar. Please direct inquiries and questions to Stacey Rafalowski via email or phone at 843.408.6049.

Question #1, from Sri Lanka: How is climate change affecting oceans?

Question #2, from the Philippines: Please explain about desalination of salt water, and what this means for drinking water.

Question #3, from the United States: How important is it to empower youth to protect oceans?

Question #4: Does Earth have a finite amount of fresh water, and what does this mean with Earth’s growing population?

Join us March 13-16, 2013 at the Colorado Convention Center for the most comprehensive service-learning professional development opportunity in the world. The National Service-Learning Conference is the largest conference of its kind, bringing together nearly 2,000 educators, state and federal officials, young people, program coordinators, policy-makers, and community-based organizations from around the world.

For more information, visit http://servicelearningconference.org/2013/

To apply, please visit: www.bankingonyouth.org

But, just in case you do not feel ready to submit your application, you can send us a short email with your venture idea and we will provide you with our feedback so that you can submit your application with confidence.

Application deadline: March 15th!

If you have any questions or would like to submit a venture idea for feedback, contact Romina Laouri at rlaouri@ashoka.org

Sean is the Project Director for the Stow It-Don’t Throw It Project, a youth-driven marine debris prevention and ocean conservation initiative dedicated to protecting marine environments and their inhabitants. In 2012 alone, Stow It-Don’t Throw It assembled and distributed 2,565 personal-sized monofilament fishing line recycling containers, made from repurposed tennis ball containers, activating 550 youth volunteers in the process. In 2012, Sean and his team organized the second annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit and Community Ocean Conservation Film Festival, which was attended by over 200 youth and adults. Working with the Stow It-Don’t Throw It team, Sean also worked to develop a short program on marine/aquatic debris issues and then trained 60 youth ambassadors to deliver the program in their respective communities! What started in 2008 as a local project in the Sarasota, Florida community has now grown to include groups of youth and adults working to prevent fishing line entanglement of wildlife in 21 Florida counties, as well as in 5 states across the U.S.

Sean is a great example of how one person can make a positive impact simply by finding what they’re passionate about and figuring out a way to make a difference. He described his path to beginning Stow It-Don’t Throw It in much the same way that any service-learning project begins. It all began with a high school internship at Mote Marine Laboratory where Sean spent time working with the scientists at the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) monitoring and investigating threats to the local bottlenose dolphin population.  When the program’s director gave a presentation on the program, the fact that stood out for Sean was the impact of fishing line/gear on the dolphins in Sarasota Bay, which was causing an unprecedented and unsustainable mortality rate in these beloved marine mammals.

Armed with information and contacts at Mote and SDRP, Sean worked with The Green Team 4-H Club in Sarasota to prepare the Stow It-Don’t Throw It Project. The project began and continues to have a focus on the safe disposal of monofilament fishing line. Although there was an existing program that placed large monofilament recycling stations at public access points (marinas, landings, fishing piers, etc.), Sean noted that access to those stations was limited and sometimes inconvenient. A Sarasota Dolphin Research Program scientist (& tennis enthusiast), who worked with Sean in Mote’s intern program, came up with an idea to turn empty tennis ball containers into a personal-sized fishing line recycling bin. This idea also allowed for the repurposing and then recycling of additional plastics! The Stow It-Don’t Throw It project began with a goal of involving students in assembling and distributing personal-sized fishing line recycling bins to protect marine wildlife from fishing line entanglement.

Sean and the Green Team did not act alone, though. What began locally, quickly became a statewide effort, when Sean presented the Project at the statewide 4-H Marine Ecology Event, as a kickoff to the Stow It-Don’t Throw It campaign. Since then, the project has expanded to involve students across Florida and the U.S., and also mobilizes youth to take part in a variety of youth-driven marine debris prevention efforts. Youth have access to materials and training to help them demonstrate what they have learned from their service projects.

In 2011, after reflecting on how passionate young people were about getting involved in Stow It-Don’t Throw It Project, Sean launched the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit as an educational outreach initiative designed to provide other young people with the skills and knowledge they need to launch their own ocean conservation projects. This event led to the development of the Youth Ocean Conservation Team, a network designed to provide summit participants, and other students around the world, with the support needed to ensure their ocean conservation projects are successful.

When asked what inspires him to continue his work, Sean simply stated, “I’m continually inspired by the incredible youth and adults I’m able to work with on ocean conservation projects. Seeing people of all ages come together in a collaborative effort to protect our planet’s ocean, makes me confident that, by working together, we can tackle the challenges facing our planet’s marine ecosystems. The enthusiasm, innovative ideas, and energy that young people bring to ocean conservation inspires me to continue working to provide these students with opportunities to learn more about marine science, and have access to the resources they need to launch their own ocean conservation projects.”

To learn more about the Stow It-Don’t Throw It Project, the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit or to access the great resources available on ocean conservation and marine debris prevention check out www.stowitdontthrowitproject.org.

Click to watch EarthEcho President and Co-Founder Philippe Cousteau, Jr. discuss his most important influencers and work