This semester you have learned a lot about the water crisis all over the world. You have learned how people in South American, and even India, have worked to develop solutions to their various water problems.
Today you will be learning more specifically about the water problem in CALIFORNIA. You are going to watch the video below. While watching the video, you are going to take notes on the paper you have been given. After you have watched the video and taken notes, you are going to retype those notes into a comment on this blog post.
The areas you are going to take notes on include:
THE PROBLEM:
According to the video, what is the problem with California’s Water Future?
CHALLENGES:
According to the video, what are some of the challenges to solving this problem?
SOLUTIONS:
Based on what you saw in the video, what do you think citizens of California should do about the problem? (List at least three important ideas)
ACTIONS I CAN TAKE:
Based on what you saw in the video, what do you think YOU can do? (list at least three important ideas)
State of Thirst: California's Water Future (VIDEO PODCAST -- COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER)
http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/state-of-thirst-californias-water-future
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Getting Ready for Earth Day!
Earth Day is coming and we need to get ready for our Earth Day event! For Today's MASTERS program, I want each of you to explore the following websites. At each site you will find links to projects, crafts, and event ideas related to Earth Day. Last year we started a tradition of hosting an "Ecofair" for our school. Groups of two or three students in the Masters program teamed up to PLAN and HOST a booth with an eco related activity. As you search the following sites, think about which activities might work well in the ecofair setting.
Things you need to consider for choosing the right activity:
(1) visitors should learn something important, or should feel inspired to develop more eco friendly behaviors
(2) people tend to drift in and out, they might not hang around for a long time
(3) activities should be quick and simple
(4) make and take activities should use recycled materials
Please visit the following sites and be prepared to share your TOP THREE activities with the group:
Earth Day Event Ideas
http://earthday.envirolink.org/guide6.html
Earth Day Activities
http://www.picadome.fcps.net/Lab/currl/earth_day/default.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/earthday/
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/earth-day/reusing-materials-make-new-crafts.html
http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/earthday.htm
Things you need to consider for choosing the right activity:
(1) visitors should learn something important, or should feel inspired to develop more eco friendly behaviors
(2) people tend to drift in and out, they might not hang around for a long time
(3) activities should be quick and simple
(4) make and take activities should use recycled materials
Please visit the following sites and be prepared to share your TOP THREE activities with the group:
Earth Day Event Ideas
http://earthday.envirolink.org/guide6.html
Earth Day Activities
http://www.picadome.fcps.net/Lab/currl/earth_day/default.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/earthday/
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/earth-day/reusing-materials-make-new-crafts.html
http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/earthday.htm
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Trashed!!!
Today we watched Part 1 of the movie: Trashed.
“Trashed” is a provocative investigation of one of the fastest growing industries in North America. The garbage business. The film examines a fundamental element of modern American culture…the disposal of what our society defines as “waste.” It is an issue influenced by every American, most of whom never consider the consequences. Nor, it seems, the implications to our biosphere. At times humorous, but deeply poignant, “Trashed” examines the American waste stream fast approaching a half billion tons annually.
The film analyzes the causes and effects of the seemingly innocuous act of “taking out the garbage” while showcasing the individuals, activists,corporate and advocacy groups working to affect change and reform the current model. “Trashed” is an informative and thought-provoking film everyone interested in the future of sustainability should see.
Considering what you've seen so far, consider the following questions and post your reply:
What are the effects all this waste will have on already strained natural resources?
Why is so much of it produced?
While every American creates almost 5 pounds of it every day, who is affected most?
And who wants America to make more?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Another Way -- 10 things we can do
Annie Leonard (www.storyofstuff.com) has put together a list of 10 things we can do to minimize the effects discussed in "The Story of Stuff."
You can access them directly at:
But I have posted them here for quick reference:
Another Way
Many people who have seen The Story of Stuff have asked what they can do to address the problems identified in the film.
Each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. As Annie says in the film, “the good thing about such an all pervasive problem is that there are so many points of intervention.” That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems we’re addressing just isn’t simple. But everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make. Here are some ideas:
10 Little and Big Things You Can Do
1.Power down!
A great deal of the resources we use and the waste we create is in the energy we consume. Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!
2.Waste less.
Per capita waste production in the U.S. just keeps growing. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one!
3. Talk to everyone about these issues.
At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
4.Make Your Voice Heard.
Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and especially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Letters to the editor are a great way to help newspaper readers make connections they might not make without your help. Also local papers are often willing to print book and film reviews, interviews and articles by community members. Let’s get the issues we care about in the news.
5.DeTox your body, DeTox your home, and DeTox the Economy.
Many of today’s consumer products – from children’s pajamas to lipstick – contain toxic chemical additives that simply aren’t necessary. Research online (for example, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) before you buy to be sure you’re not inadvertently introducing toxics into your home and body. Then tell your friends about toxics in consumer products. Together, ask the businesses why they’re using toxic chemicals without any warning labels. And ask your elected officials why they are permitting this practice. The European Union has adopted strong policies that require toxics to be removed from many products. So, while our electronic gadgets and cosmetics have toxics in them, people in Europe can buy the same things toxics-free. Let’s demand the same thing here. Getting the toxics out of production at the source is the best way to ensure they don’t get into any home and body.
6.Unplug (the TV and internet) and Plug In (the community).
The average person in the U.S. watches T.V. over 4 hours a day. Four hours per day filled with messages about stuff we should buy. That is four hours a day that could be spent with family, friends and in our community. On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.
7. Park your car and walk…and when necessary MARCH!
Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, conversion of agricultural and wildlands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising awareness about issues, mobilizing people, and sending messages to decision makers.
8.Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm.
Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That's a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs, and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
9. Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials.
Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!
10.Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less.
Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.
You can access them directly at:
But I have posted them here for quick reference:
Another Way
Many people who have seen The Story of Stuff have asked what they can do to address the problems identified in the film.
Each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. As Annie says in the film, “the good thing about such an all pervasive problem is that there are so many points of intervention.” That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems we’re addressing just isn’t simple. But everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make. Here are some ideas:
10 Little and Big Things You Can Do
1.Power down!
A great deal of the resources we use and the waste we create is in the energy we consume. Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!
2.Waste less.
Per capita waste production in the U.S. just keeps growing. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one!
3. Talk to everyone about these issues.
At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
4.Make Your Voice Heard.
Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and especially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Letters to the editor are a great way to help newspaper readers make connections they might not make without your help. Also local papers are often willing to print book and film reviews, interviews and articles by community members. Let’s get the issues we care about in the news.
5.DeTox your body, DeTox your home, and DeTox the Economy.
Many of today’s consumer products – from children’s pajamas to lipstick – contain toxic chemical additives that simply aren’t necessary. Research online (for example, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) before you buy to be sure you’re not inadvertently introducing toxics into your home and body. Then tell your friends about toxics in consumer products. Together, ask the businesses why they’re using toxic chemicals without any warning labels. And ask your elected officials why they are permitting this practice. The European Union has adopted strong policies that require toxics to be removed from many products. So, while our electronic gadgets and cosmetics have toxics in them, people in Europe can buy the same things toxics-free. Let’s demand the same thing here. Getting the toxics out of production at the source is the best way to ensure they don’t get into any home and body.
6.Unplug (the TV and internet) and Plug In (the community).
The average person in the U.S. watches T.V. over 4 hours a day. Four hours per day filled with messages about stuff we should buy. That is four hours a day that could be spent with family, friends and in our community. On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.
7. Park your car and walk…and when necessary MARCH!
Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, conversion of agricultural and wildlands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising awareness about issues, mobilizing people, and sending messages to decision makers.
8.Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm.
Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That's a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs, and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
9. Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials.
Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!
10.Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less.
Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.
The Story of Stuff
In today's MASTERS class, you watched the video, "The Story of Stuff" by Annie Leonard. In the video, we learned all about the five stages that involve the "life" of a product:
Extraction
Production
Distribution
Consumption
Disposal
Next week, we will be going to the Santa Monica Recycling Center to see first hand how part of the "Disposal" stage works in our area. We want to be able to ask the recycling center volunteer some really great questions based on what we have learned from both the video, and also some other resources.
To come up with some good questions, please visit the following websites to learn more about the "Disposal" stage:
http://www.storyofstuff.com/ngodisposal.html
As you read through some of the websites, think about the ways we could encourage more responsible "disposal" behaviors in our own Seven Arrows community.
Write your questions and thoughts in response to this post on the blog.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Coming together as a Team and finding the best in ourselves!
I don't know about you guys, but I thought that Friday's field trip to Temescal Canyon Park was about as fun as it gets! It was so wonderful to see how each of you stepped up to the plate and really gave your best, for yourself and your team!
I'd love to hear your thoughts about Friday's teambuilding. What was the most exciting part for you? What parts of the event really suprised you? What impressed you? And most importantly, what did you learn about yourself? about your team?
Please post your responses using the comment feature below.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about Friday's teambuilding. What was the most exciting part for you? What parts of the event really suprised you? What impressed you? And most importantly, what did you learn about yourself? about your team?
Please post your responses using the comment feature below.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Paper Usage at SAE!!!
Today you had a chance to hear from the leaders of Seven Arrows about how we use paper here. You probably found out that we sometimes use paper wisely, and often use paper unwisely!!
For this week's homework assignment, we want you to think about all the information shared by the panelists today. Consider the following questions:
What do you think we could do better?
What ideas do you have about how we can reduce our use of paper?
What ideas do you have about how we can do a better job of recycling?
What are some ways we can save money with paper, and save trees at the same time?
What will happen if we don't start reducing our use?
Think back (or reivew) the post, "Important Tree Facts" (posted below). How many trees does our paper usage equal? How can you find out?
We want you to post your ideas in response to today's class and share your ideas. Eventually we will look at all the ideas and create a plan for "leading the way" in reducing our use of paper here at school.
For this week's homework assignment, we want you to think about all the information shared by the panelists today. Consider the following questions:
What do you think we could do better?
What ideas do you have about how we can reduce our use of paper?
What ideas do you have about how we can do a better job of recycling?
What are some ways we can save money with paper, and save trees at the same time?
What will happen if we don't start reducing our use?
Think back (or reivew) the post, "Important Tree Facts" (posted below). How many trees does our paper usage equal? How can you find out?
We want you to post your ideas in response to today's class and share your ideas. Eventually we will look at all the ideas and create a plan for "leading the way" in reducing our use of paper here at school.
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