Environmental Education Program

Great Lakes

Newsletter: Rustlings
Volume 11, No.1
Fall 2000
Our 24th School Year

Help Stamp Out Cold Feet!
The success of a winter study depends a great deal on how you dress. If you are dressed for the weather you will be comfortable and enjoy being outside.

Some suggestions on how to dress for a winter field study:

Dress in layers. Trapped air is a wonderful insulator. With each layer of clothing you put on you are adding to the trapped air insulation. It is helpful if the outer most layer is water repellent.
Some fabrics are better than others. Wool, for instance, will keep you warm even if it is wet. Cotton will hold moisture and will wick away your body heat making you feel cold. If you only have cotton for your clothing layers, make sure you keep it dry. In fact, the number one rule for winter comfort is to keep dry. Any snow that clings to your clothing should be brushed off before you enter a warm building.

Wear a hat. Most of the heat you lose from your body is from your head. A hat makes a great deal of difference in how warm you feel. Keep in mind the old adage, "lf your feet are cold, put on your hat."

Wear mittens. Your hands are heat radiators. Mittens will help keep your body heat in. You might want to bring two pairs of mittens, keeping one dry pair in reserve in case the pair you are wearing gets wet.

Wear insulated boots. There should be enough room inside your boots so you can wiggle your toes. Fashion boots won't do the job. They don't trap enough air around your feet. If you do not own a pair of insulated boots, try to borrow a pair from another family member or try the school's lost and found box.

Eat a good breakfast. Your breakfast will provide your body's heat. Proteins like eggs or peanut butter will give you energy and heat longer than sugar. Proteins and fats are like a large log in a wood stove. They produce energy and heat for a long time. Complex carbohydrates are like a medium sized log. Sugar is like kindling. It produces heat in fifteen to twenty minutes and then is gone. A good breakfast will be a combination of energy producing foods.

Please come join us this winter!
Call (231) 587-8686 to reserve a date.
Cost is US$6.50 per student.
See our program for further information.

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