Let's hear it for Honolulu Zoo Society educators Stephanie Arne and Charles Lee, who are both finalists in a video contest to become the next "Wild Guide" for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. The winner gets $10,000 and  hosts the award-winning wildlife TV show's new webisode series, premiering this fall on YouTube.

Lee and Arne are among 12 semi-finalists whittled down from 200 entrants. The public can vote for the top three finalists until May 23 at www.wildkingdom.com/nextwildguide.

In his video, Lee  — animal lover, adventurer and educator — says "My lifelong goal is to help wildlife and help people around the world appreciate them and their natural habitats."

Action speaks louder than words, according to Lee. He leaps along Oahu's rocky shoreline, tags an iguana, catches a mongoose, rescues a sea turtle with a hook in its mouth and teaches the public about how Hawaiian monk seals need to be given space to sunbathe on the shoreline.

Arne is also full of action. She kayaks, jumps into the ocean from a boat, climbs along the shoreline and introduces us to ring-tailed lemurs and how they groom one another. She takes us to the Oahu rainforest to look for Jackson chameleons — she's a great educator, showing us how their eyes can move independently and how they communicate through color.

Looks like they have some stiff competition from around the nation. Good luck to both of them!

Makayla Rose Golden, 6, of Mauka Lani Elementary School, penned a winning poem about a mountain apple tree. Courtesy photo..

Congratulations to the newly minted tree poets who participated in the Wordsworth the Poet "Poe-TREE Contest."

The contest, sponsored by Watermark Publishing and author Frances H. Kakugawa, was open to writers from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Two winners were selected from each grade division (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). You can read their poems at blog.bookshawaii.net.

Poems were judged for creativity, poetic merit and how well they conveyed what makes the trees special to the students. In Kakugawa's book  "Wordsworth! Stop the Bulldozer!" ($10.95) young mice campaign to save the trees in their community by writing poems that remind neighbors about the special qualities of the trees around them.

The six contest winners — Makayla Rose Molden, Eli Wolfe, Cindy Tsou, Emerson Goo, Sophie Corless and Zoe Edelman Brier — received copies of Wordsworth series books, a gardening tool kit and Koa Legacy Tree from the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, donated by Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods.

Here's a sample of the winning poetry.

Eli Wolfe, 5, from University Laboratory School, loves to climb banyan trees and write poetry.

K-5 Winners

Eli Wolfe, 5, University Laboratory School

I like to climb the

Banyan tree

at Barwick.

I can climb to

the sky.

You should try it too

someday.

It is so fun.

Makayla Rose Molden, 6, Mauka Lani Elementary

The Mountain Apple tree is yummy to me.

The fruit is up so high to knock it down is a game I try.

I collect the fruit and make apple pie.

A visual example of the many everyday plastic containers, No. 1 and No. 2, that can be recycled in Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Recycle Hawa‘i.

This coming Thursday, Nov. 15, is America Recycles Day — a nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to embrace more of the everyday actions that lead to a sustainable lifestyle.

So it's a day to be conscious of what can be recycled instead of tossed into the trash can. I see a lot of items — SOLO beverage cups for instance (Which are No. 1), cardboard pizza boxes, and laundry detergent and shampoo bottles that end up in the trash when they could go in the blue bin for recycling.

Here are 15 tips for recycling more.

Recycle Hawai‘i on Hawaii island is working in partnership with Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful and all its affiliates to host events throughout the islands. The following is a brief list of those events:

Thursday, Nov. 15

>> America Recycles Day Concert. Recycle Hawai‘i sponsors the America Recycles Day Concert for invited schools from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Palace Theater in Hilo.

>> Zero Waste Cafeteria Day. Today, schools in Hawaii learn about the waste that can be diverted from the landfill and how to eat healthy. Visit www.recyclehawaii.org to find out more.

>> Recycle-Bowl Competition. Schools may participate in this national competition, in which schools receive recognition for their recycling efforts. State champions receive $1,000 as a prize. The national winner receives $2,500.

>> Take a tour. See first-hand how several green businesses on Oahu take the responsibility of recycling seriously through the city and county of Honolulu's "Tour de Trash" from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Start and finish at the Kahala Hotel & Resort. You'll also visit Whole Foods Market, Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant and the Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki. Call 768-3200 to register or visit opala.org for more information.

Visit www.americarecyclesday.org for tips on recycling and more information about events.

Damon Suehiro, 7, is the fall winner of HECO's Energy Detective Guide energy pledge drawing. He poses here with his energy conservation kit and little brother, Brennan, 5. Courtesy photo.

Damon Suehiro, a second-grader, is the winner of the Hawaiian Electric Co.'s Energy Detective Guide energy pledge drawing for the fall.

Damon, 7, is a nature lover and Boy Scout who became fascinated by the solar photovoltaic system on the Omidyar K-1 Neighborhood's rooftop. He convinced his parents, Christine and Garrett, that they, too, should install a PV system on the family barn and home in Maunawili.

They did — and the result is a monthly electric bill of about $16 per month, compared to $450 a month.

Damon picked up HECO's Energy Detective Guide during a nature study program at Punahou and went to work around his home, capturing energy phantoms and bandits. For his efforts, Damon wins an Energy Conservation Kit which he plans to share with his fellow "wolf scouts."

Oftentimes, it takes someone in second grade to point out to us what we should be doing. Have you heard your kids say things like: "You should compost that, mom" and "Shouldn't that be recycled?"

Damon also enjoys baseball, jiu-jitsu, tennis, swimming, playing the ukulele and has planted an organic garden. He plans to become a paleontologist or veterinarian one day.

Congratulations, Damon!

Claire Flynt, last year's best overall winner of "One Foot at a Time" - Photo from raptober.org/images.

It's Raptoberfest time.

That's the Rise Above Plastics version of Oktoberfest. The Surfrider Foundation kicked off the second annual "Raptober" celebration earlier last week - it's a month-long effort to educate and inspire the public to eliminate plastic waste from our oceans.

"Each year millions of seabirds, fish and marine mammals die due to ingestion of, or entanglement in plastic," said Bill Hickman, Surfrider Foundation's Rise Above Plastic Program Coordinator. "By dedicating the entire month of October toward educating the public on the effects of marine plastics, we hope to jump start their desire to reduce their own personal plastic footprints and the amount of litter reaching our seas."

Some simple things you can do (as illustrated by Raptoberfest cartoons) include:

>> If you see a friend drinking out of a plastic water bottle, encourage them to switch to a reusable water bottle.

>> If you see a a friend using a single-use plastic bag, offer them a reusable bag.

>> During the week of Oct. 15, join or renew your membership to the Surfrider Foundation for a discount of $30 and get a wallet or pocketbook handmade from upcycled plastic bags collected from Bali beaches.

Read more at "10 Ways" to reduce your plastic footprint.

Participate in the "One Foot at a Time" plastic cleanup challenge again. Here's how it works: Participants collect one square foot of trash from their beach or community, then use the material to create a unique mosaic sculpture using one of five downloadable templates on the Foundation's Raptober event website.

The Foundation will judge photo submissions of the sculptures. Winners get cool surfgear, including a surfboard, from Rusty.

Visit www.raptober.org for more about the contest.

Interested in becoming a Pambassador in Chengdu, China?

The Chengdu Panda Base, in partnership with WildAid and The Yao Ming Foundation, is now recruiting passionate panda lovers across the world to land a job working with pandas in the wild. Three Chengdu Pambassadors will be selected.

More details on how to apply are available on the Chengdu Pambassador Facebook page, where panda lovers have to "Like" Chengdu Pambassador and then start raising awareness about panda conservation and wild habitat preservation. Deadline to apply is Oct. 1.

Panda cubs play at the Chengdu Research Base in Chengdu, China, on Aug. 2, 2001. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Semi-finalists, to be chosen in late October, will then compete for a chance to travel to Chengdu for the final round. Applicants will be whittled down to 24, who will go to Washington D.C., and then 16 (four each from the U.S., U.K., Singapore and mainland China).

The competition takes place over three months.

The Pambassadors will spend a year in Chengdu, where the goal of the program this year is to reintroduce pandas into the wild. They will also be invited to participate in a "Global Panda Conservation Tour" in 2013 which includes a globe-trotting experience visiting pandas hosted in 11 countries.

"The giant panda is a unique creature, loved by people around the world and especially the Chinese," said basketball star Yao Ming. "These pandas are native to Sichuan, and it is our duty to care for them and help them thrive  back in their home in the wild."

In 2010, six finalists (out of 60,000 applicants from around the globe) won the opportunity to spend one month as panda caretakers at Chengdu Panda Base in China.

The Chengdu Panda Base is a non-profit group engaged in wildlife research, captive breeding and conservation education. Today, it is home to 108 healthy panda bears.

Congratulations to the following student winners of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's 2012 Humpback Whale Month Ocean Contest.

Students from kindergarten to eighth grade around the globe were invited to express their insights, observations and understanding of the marine environment through original artwork, poems and short stories. There were about 300 entries.

All entrants became members of the Ocean Guardian Kids Club and received an ocean education packet.

Here are the art winners by category. To see all of the entries, go to hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

Drawing of a mother whale and baby by Connor Reid, Gabriola Elementary, British Columbia, 1st place winner in the K to Grade 2 art category.

• Art – Kindergarten to Grade 2
• 1st: Connor Reid, Gabriola Elementary, British Columbia
• 2nd: Joshua Dabashi, Island School, Kaua‘i
• 3rd: Skyy Sekimoto, Nuuanu Elementary, O‘ahu
• 4th: Franchesca Marie Matahum, St Anthony School, O‘ahu
• 5th: Kyle Ching, Iolani School, O‘ahu

Drawing by Lauren Ishikawa of Iolani School, 1st place winner in the Grade 3 to 4 art category.

• Art - Grade 3 to Grade 4
• 1st: Lauren Ishikawa, Iolani School, O‘ahu
• 2nd: Eunbi Choi, Saipan International, Saipan
• 3rd: Kayley Dombriones, Hanalei Elementary, Kaua‘i
• 4th: Chloe Okimura, Iolani School, O‘ahu
• 5th: Zoe Omura, Iolani School, O‘ahu

Drawing by Klaryssa Kado of Kapolei Middle. 1st place winners of Grade 5 to 8 art category.

Drawing by Sienna Namohala at Kapolei Middle School. Also 1st place in the grade 5 to 8 category.

• Art - Grade 5 to Grade 8
• 1st: Sienna Namohala, Kapolei Middle, O‘ahu AND Klaryssa Kado, Kapolei Middle, O‘ahu
• 2nd: Malie Fox, St John Vianney, O‘ahu
• 3rd: Yoa RaSung, Iolani School, O‘ahu
• 4th: Kyra Tan, Iolani School, O‘ahu
• 5th: Jake Flores, Kipp Coastal Village Middle, Texas

Here's a link to the winning poems and essays, with a poem by Kawika Akina below.

5th Place, Grade 5 to 8
Kawika Akina
Kahuku Elementary School, O'ahu

Humpback Whales
They are as long as a bus
They have ears like us
They have bumps all over
They don't need a makeover
Humpbacks love singing
They also love eating
They go 25 knots per hour
And they don't need a shower
They have a tail or fluke
And they will not puke
They eat small fish and krill
But they do not need a grill
A whale isn't a fool
It is just plain cool.

PACT Keiki Day's Writing and Art Contest is themed "Energy Super Heroes." Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 29.

Parents and Children Together (PACT) has launched a Writing and Art Contest for Oahu students in partnership with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii Energy.

Students in grades 1 through 12 are invited to express themselves by submitting original stories, poems or artwork related to the theme of "Energy Super Heroes." One winner per grade will be selected. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 29.

Keiki are encouraged to think about energy conservation and how to change energy-wasting habits, plus brainstorm a zero-energy home for an Energy Super Hero and share fun indoor or outdoor activities that can be done without electricity.

Winning submissions will be published in the special PACT Keiki Day edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on May 9 (available for purchase throughout Oahu with proceeds to benefit PACT and its 15 programs). Each winner also receives more than $100 in cash and prizes.

Art pieces should be no larger than 18-inches by 24-inches and written work should be on longer than 350 words. Print complete information on the back of each entry, including: name, address, phone number, grade level, school name and teacher's name. All entries become the property of PACT and Hawaii Energy.

Participating students may download a submission form at pactkeikiday.org, then mail or deliver their entries to:

Parents And Children Together Keiki Day, PACT
1485 Linapuni Street, Suite 105
Honolulu, HI 96819

If you have questions, call Norma at 847-3285 Ext. 711 or visit www.pactkeikiday.org.

Students in grades K-12, here's your chance to make the world a better place!

Safe Planet, in partnership with the Hawaii Department of Education, Malama Hawaii and other partners, is launching a new art contest focusing on Plastic Pollution Solutions.

Students are to pick one, single-use plastic item in their homes and to re-design it in an eco-friendly, organic and non-polluting material. They must explain what it looks like, how it is made  and how it is used through a photograph, painting, drawing, graphic or sculpture.

The contest is sponsored by the UN Safe Planet campaign. It starts today, with a submissions deadline of May 18.

Prizes will be awarded in three age group categories: Grades K-3, Grades 4-7, and Grades 8-12.

Winning designs will be exhibited at a local gallery in Honolulu as well as the Galerie Califia in Europe during the summer. Winning designs will also be sent to local manufacturers who will create prototypes of the eco-friendly products. The top winning design will be exhibited at the Safe Planet Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro during the Rio + 20 Earth Summit in June.

Download the contest flyer and rules at new.artmill.eu/hawaii-usa#obsah.

Taking the Hawaii Clean Energy Pledge online is easy enough.

You click, you put in a name, email, zip code and click a few boxes pledging to: Use hot water in your home more efficiently; Reduce energy used for lighting; Make your refrigerator more efficient; Find energy saving ways to cool your home; Save energy when doing your laundry; And ask others to help and take the pledge.

More than 400 local residents have taken the pledge, so far.

We have a solar water heater, so check. We use CFLs, so check. We have an EnergyStar fridge, so check. We don't have air-conditioning but just ceiling fans and floor fans at home, so check; We line-dry most of the time, so check; Tweeted this and blogging this, so check.

But there's a lot more we probably could do to help Hawaii reach its goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030. A solar PV system would be nice. We have some areas of the home — like outdoors — which aren't using CFLs. We could probably update the washer one day to see if there's a more energy-efficient model.

Believe me, sometimes I wish we did have air-conditioning because our home isn't positioned to get the natural tradewinds. Maybe we should look into a whole house fan.

Cox Media Group partnered with the state Department of Business and Economic Development as well as local energy-saving providers to create the Hawaii Clean Energy Pledge website.

"In order to help Hawaii reach 70 percent clean energy usage by 2030, 30 percent of the effort needs to come from everyone in Hawaii reducing their personal energy use," said Mike Kelly, general manager of Cox Media Group.

The website's goal is to help residents learn more about how to reduce their energy use at home. If you take the pledge, you will receive an email series teaching you "5 Things You Can Do in 5 Weeks to Conserve Energy at Home," and be entered to win monthly prizes like a solar-powered attic fan.

Check out the Kids Corner, too – it has some great educational material for parents and teachers as well as kids, with answers for questions like: What is energy? And where does energy come from?

Kanu Hawaii is also running an Energy Challenge this month at www.kanuhawaii.org/energy. It's a four-week challenge looking at ways to audit your energy use, adjust appliances to use less energy, get out of the car and explore new modes of transportation, and share what you learned with others.

Participants who make an online commitment get a chance to win a free solar water heater from RevoluSun, home lighting retrofits from Energy Industries, and $400 in gift certificates from City Mill.