Future Stewards of the Earth

Education writer David Sobel once said, “If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it. Perhaps this is what Thoreau had in mind when he said, ‘the more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core, and I think the same is true of human beings.’”

With this quote in mind, and with Earth Hour happening tonight — when at 8:30 p.m. people all over the world will turn off the lights to take a stand against climate change and raise awareness about a better future for the planet — there’s no better time than now to feature Coastside children appreciating nature and deepening their awareness of the natural world.

As part of an ongoing photo series that will appear once a month over a weekend, Half Moon Bay Patch.com readers submitted the following photos of Coastside kids exploring all aspects of the great outdoors on the Coast from farms and forests to marshes and beaches. By sharing these photos, the hope is that more children will be inspired to form a bond with nature and will be compelled to stand up and support and protect it.

Half Moon Bay Patch.com wants your photos, too. We want to see mud, critters, sand, sea creatures, birds, trees, banana slugs and more. But more importantly we want to feature Coastside children engaging with their natural environment, showcasing the outdoor beauty and depth the Coast has to offer our kids. We also want to see kids being active outdoors, so hiking, biking, riding, surfing, swinging, and toddling around shots are welcome, too.

If you’d like to participate, please submit one of your best photos of your child(ren) outdoors on the San Mateo Coast to Christa Bigue at xtapalmer@gmail.com. Include a photo caption with NAMES and AGES of the children in the photo and LOCATION.