The Creation of an Environmental Earth Songs CD for Environmental Educators

Abstract

My masters project is a CD of environmental earth songs that were written and recorded over twenty years of being Captain Ecology, a singing superhero promoter and protector of environmental wellness. When I was a teenage camper at Phantom Lake YMCA Camp in Southeast Wisconsin, I remember how fun it was to watch the camp counselors role play their particular projects at the evening programs. In 1985, I was hired to be the ecology instructor at the North Star Camp for Boys in Hayward, Wisconsin. I promoted my activities as Captain Ecology, and would burst into the lodge wearing my black mask and sheet. Soon thereafter, I realized that I could share my passion for saving the world by writing and singing songs as the Captain. Many hundreds of performances and experiences later, this project is a collection of songs inspired by my life as Captain Ecology. This CD contains 12 songs, of various environmental topics, which I am hopeful will compliment any environmental educator's grab bag of supplemental materials. Environmental music can be very effective at enhancing environmental sensitivity and can be a powerful ally in inspiring earthlings to engage in citizen action. Some of the songs are more serious and some are fairly light, but they are all intended to evoke emotions so that environmental education can be more personal. This text describes the steps that went into the making of this CD. I'll never stop writing songs and I'll never stop trying to save the planet. Hopefully, it won't take another twenty years to record the next CD. Thanks for listening.