Sonora's Story

My most memorable experience from Earth Camp was when we camped out on Mt. Lemmon. In the morning we all took a few minutes to sit by ourselves in the woods. We also went on a ski lift in Ski Valley and saw the whole mountain range. These events brought me closer to nature and inspired me to help preserve this beautiful world.
Because of this, when school starts I will talk to the Principle about getting a group of people together to have a bake sale and donate all the money we make to the Sky Island Alliance, a wonderful organization who are trying to restore the wildlife here in Arizona and in the areas around us.


     A really enjoyable fieldtrip was when we went to Brad Lancaster’s house.  Brad is a wonderful guy who does all he can to “live in harmony with the natural world.”
     He uses solar panels instead of getting electricity from the city. He cooks in a solar oven, raises most of his own food including honey, chickens, mesquite seed pods for flour, fruits and veggies like peaches, peppers, oranges, figs, prickly pear (cactus with sweet fruit), and even cholla cactus flower buds.
     Brad also harvests rainwater.  He has a corrugated metal roof so that the rain flows into a 1200 gallon holding tank.
     He saves a lot of water by having outdoor showers so the water can be recycled by watering his plants.
     Brad does not have any cars. Instead he has about 12 bikes. Most of the bikes have been modified, some have extra space added, one even had a trailer, and all of the added parts are made of recycled materials.
     I think that Brad sets a great example and that more people should  follow it.               
                                   This is a photo of Brad and his solar oven ->


One of the many reasons I came to Earth Camp was to meet new friends. I certainly did.
     I am grateful to all the girls who befriended me without hesitation and supported me 100%.
     I hope that we can get together often after Earth Camp is finished.
     I would also like to thank the counselors and staff for their time and friendship.
     Thanks again



Retrieved from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum web site on 04-23-2024
http://www.desertmuseum.org/earthcamp/read2007.php?nid=58