Seven Easy Steps...

Go to this link and watch this wonderful video on seven easy steps to reduce the amount of energy your are using.


Click HERE

Blogs of Interest

Here are a listing of blogs that deal with environmental issues (p.s. I lifted this info from the Blogger page that opens these posts if you are wondering where I got this information):

Ideas to cut back in your daily life

Many ideas on sustainablity

Lights Out America (good guidelines and other links)

http://hautenature.blogspot.com/

http://thelazyenvironmentalist.blogspot.com/

http://earthmeanders.blogspot.com/

http://environmentalaction365.com/

http://greenfuture.blogspot.com/

Want to volunteer?

There are a number (a large number at that) of sites that give information related to "green" volunteering. Here is a link to one http://greenvolunteers.com/greenusa.html.

This seems very interesting and some of the sample postings are just amazing. Hard work but one can certainly participate in activities first hand dealing with environmental issues that impact our world. J

ECO-X 2007 to 2008

Blog postings are back. I start by mentioning a place here in Israel that sounds good. The people are working to teach others on methods of composting and sustainability. I hope to visit them soon to get some ideas for both my personal life and hopefully, convey them to others for this is the key. There site is: www.eretzcarmel.org

Be sure to if you go to this site, to click on the English button (unless you read Hebrew of course).

J

Links

1. Do a search for a wave file called: Shift Happens Sorry, I don't know how to upload wave files but this is a must see.

2. My friends physic's site. He is one of the most dedicated "retired" (he is but continues to teach) instructors I have ever met.

http://www.fizziksisfun.com/Physics.html

3. A site, by NASA, that talks about our planet. PLEASE, let's stop talking about whether global warming is or is not happening. The bottom line is that we are having a severe impact on the earth. End of discussion. Here's the link:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Truth Windows

Looking Deep Into Our Own Truth Windows

I had never heard the term “truth window” until I took a group of students on an ecology club trip to Kibbutz Lotan recently. Our journey to Kibbutz Lotan, located in the desert just north of city of Eilat in Israel, was to engage students in activities that would help shed light on sustainability and a number of other important areas related to our ecology and our continued life on this planet. Students would learn about the other three “r’s”: recycling, reusing, and reducing. They would also learn about alternative building methods and participate in a workshop where they would construct incredibly strong and useable bricks from the surrounding desert earth. They would walk in the desert through two wadis up a rocky stream bed and later on learn about a number of organic gardening techniques that work even in this harsh environment. My students would clear an area of earth making it suitable for planting and get their hands a little dirty while adding some plants to this newly tilled and composted earth. And they would learn about some of the major issues that face our earth today. Controversial issues surrounded by numbers and facts imbued with the very difficult possibility that all of us may need to relinquish, to some degree, the lifestyle that we have so become accustomed to these days. Yet, it was both the literal representation of the truth window and its figurative counterpart that caught my attention. For you see, a truth window is what is beneath and in some cases, behind, the surface. A truth window reveals what most of us neither see, nor even knows exists.

On our journey south to the desert we stopped by my very good friend’s chocolate shop in high desert town of Mitzpe Ramon. He graciously welcomed us into his home which sits directly behind his store. There, students listened to a brief lecture about the art of chocolate making. They sampled some of the raw chocolate that he uses in his products and were also served perhaps the most scrumptious hot chocolate even this ex-cross country skier and seeker of après delights had ever encountered. From here we made our way down the Crater and drove over to the Southern Arava Desert and Kibbutz Lotan. Upon arrival, we were greeted by our guide who would facilitate the learning of our students over the next three days.

We started off the learning experience discussing the nature of the kibbutz and how people in such a setting live. As this was a religious kibbutz and part of the Reform movement, much of the daily life is intertwined with elements of religious observance and ideology. From a governmental standpoint, students learned about the concept of direct democracy and how all decisions on the kibbutz came out of such a process.

It was during our first talk, our first session, that we learned about the truth window. For you see, it was there already, staring us in the face, and we almost did not even notice it. The people on Kibbutz Lotan view garbage as a resource. Though they did not start out as an “eco community” they have over the years strived to become one. They found that 97 percent of their garbage was going to landfills and in such a small country like Israel, there is surely only limited space for our abundant waste. Thus they needed to, and continue to need, to find ways to implement the three r’s. Embedded in the wall, behind a piece of clear plastic, were bottles and other detritus that had been included in the building of this enclosure where our first talk took place. This was a literal truth window. At the base of the wall were old tires that had been included in the construction of the wall as well and lifted it from the ground. But Mark, our guide, made it clear that this example of recycling as important as it was, is not nearly as important as the concept of reducing which he feels is paramount to the health of our planet.

Our first day was rapidly coming to a close. Our students toured their Eco Park and viewed this hands on area that is part playground and part educational facility where workshops are carried out. They quickly saw the organic gardens and compost piles and had a short tour of the farming area where young calves were tethered and beckoning us over with their sweet cries. Later in the evening, we were invited to attend the Kabbalat Shabbat services on the kibbutz. This was not mandatory for our students, but all opted to attend. We were welcomed in like family, and I was so impressed with our students who participated in these services with such respect. After a dinner in the communal cafeteria, there was folk dancing and a game of soccer with a group of American students who were visiting this kibbutz as well.

We got up fairly early the next morning, ate and then went for a walk in the desert. The walk would last for several hours and though relatively easy in nature, provided our students with a glimpse of the present and a window to the past. Right off the bat, our guide on this trip insisted that the direction of the wind as it was, suggested that before the end of the day we would have a sandstorm. This would prove to be correct. As we discovered on this hike, he had a great understanding of the desert and conveyed to us information on a wide range of topics. Understanding time in a geologic sense makes us, the human species, realize how little time we have actually traversed this earth. The millions of years it took for the continents to split from their elemental form referred to as Pangaea, into what we know today, is mind boggling. Understanding that much of Israel and the area in the Middle East was once quite different than it is today, and that great swaths were buried beneath the sea, is substantiated by geological indicators and fossil remains that can be found in the area where we were walking. But it is the talk of the future, the piecing together of elements from the past and theoretically applying them to events that may occur, which is where the controversy perhaps begins. Here is where I come back to the truth window. In reality we can’t see inside buildings. We can’t see the future. We are bombarded by a myriad of truths each day and being able to sift through the pieces in a manner that will lead us safely into the future is fodder for political and ethical debate. We see on a daily basis academia bickering amongst themselves about issues such as global warming, and have no idea whose truth is the truth. Yet doing nothing, not taking a stand and striving to improve our world and minimizing our impact on both our organic and inorganic surroundings, is short-sighted and selfish.

The next part of our experience took place in an Eco Park located on the kibbutz. Students learned about the properties of earth and how combining the proper amounts of clay and sand with water, would yield a very useable brick that could be used for building and the paving of paths and roads. This is an ancient method of building and is used in many parts of the world today, though rarely in our western society. Yet it takes more than just bricks to build a structure. Our students learned how to create “green” structures and add various types of insulation needed for dwellings. We also discussed the concept of thermal mass and how important this is when building clay stoves. Students were shown a functioning model depicting these elements as well. From here, we learned a great deal about composting. A cut-away model was used to demonstrate the process that takes place when making this material. Layering organic waste, straw and adding water are needed to produce the fine compost which is rich in nutrients and replaces the nitrogen fertilizers we tend to use. As great as nitrogen fertilizers are, they pose health and sustainability issues that are now being recognized. Several students suggested that at the new school we are building in town of Even Yehuda, should have a small compost pile so that we can try this process ourselves.

After a short unannounced trip to the nearby kibbutz of Yodvata, which is known for its diary products and later a Kibbutz dinner, we attended an interactive workshop in which we first were taught about the current impact of man on our world and then given a chance in small groups to brainstorm both the issues and potential solutions to them. Though all of us were fatigued from the long day and the residual sugars of shakes and ice-cream, we engaged in a lively discussion of what can and should be done. Both students and adults were passionate in conveying the need for us to both recognize the current issues as well as the need to address them in a timely manner. Though we would have several more workshops on our final day and a lengthy return ride through yet another sandstorm, it was that discussion that defined this ecology workshop best to me. Our students want a safe world. They want to live in an environment that is healthy and clean. But like so many of us, they want their material comforts as well. On this trip, I brought along three sets of plugs to recharge batteries for my phone, camera, and a device I use to download images from my memory card. Our kids have Ipods, DVD players, and phones. Each day something “new” is coming out. These items are “must have” and are guaranteed to change our lives. When we arrived back at school, many students were picked up in truck sized SUV’s to take them back to their homes only several blocks away. We had talked about sustainability. Talked about the three r’s. We even discussed a different type of light bulb that is currently being sold that is supposed to reduce energy demands dramatically. But it is not the workshops. It is not the lectures and it is not the shock news reports that will dictate our actions. It is in the end run, the truth window that resides just under the surface in all of us that will make the difference. As an educator, I can only expose my students to the consequences of their lifestyle and hope that in some way we can get them to think about their own truth windows and not be afraid to share this content with their peers. Kibbutz Lotan, a Reform kibbutz in the Arava Desert, is attempting to educate us to meet the challenges which we must deal with and cannot ignore. Helping our youth to see the issues for what they are in the context of now, and giving them the knowledge and the tools needed to live in a way that is compatible to the long-term health of our planet, is a daunting task. Though I could end this piece on a positive note, I am reluctant to do so. We are in many ways more embroiled in the arguments of the day and focus on those things that are beyond our control. What my students learned is that you can be aware of the global issues, but that your main concern needs to be on your immediate surroundings where you can make the most difference. What is finally revealed by our personal truth windows, is the fragility of life and the need to protect what is most important-ourselves.

A Couple of Very Cool Links

As we all know, volunteering is an essential component of humanity. Our old friend and former AIS principal's son went on a trip to Ethiopia. I am including a link from ABC news as well as his son's short but really well-filmed short piece on the trip.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=education&id=5039128


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJP0_1XnwU

Enjoy...J

Pollution Threat in our Backyard

Israel's Coastal aquifer in danger of becoming unusable

By Tzafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent

One of Israel's three sources for fresh water, the coastal
aquifer, is in danger of becoming unusable because of
contamination, according to data collected by the Water
Authority and the Health Ministry.

The data shows that over the past decade, 160 wells were shut
down (because of various kinds of contamination) from an
overall figure of 1,000 wells, which provide about 20 percent
of the country's annual water consumption.

The main sources of contamination are: untreated sewage,
salination stemming from the penetration of sea water,
agricultural fertilizers and industrial pollutants, including
heavy metals and carcinogenic organic products.

Most of the sources of industrial pollution are no longer
active, but the
materials spilled at those sites continue to contaminate the
ground and seep into the aquifer.

"There are materials that can reach the groundwater in a
matter of hours, and other types can take decades to get
there," explained Prof. Daniel Ronen of the Water Authority.

In recent years, it has been found that gas stations are also
a significant source for contamination of the groundwater.

"Only recently we discovered a layer of gasoline, near a gas
station in the Tel Aviv area, that was four meters deep in the
ground water," said Baruch Weber, district director at the Tel
Aviv office of the Environment Ministry.

In recent months the problem of contamination of the fresh
water sources has been discussed in ministries, and
countermeasures are being considered.

All relevant authorities realize that due to a deterioration
in quality, the amount of potable water that will be available
from wells along the aquifer will be gradually decrease in the
coming years.

Some of the contamination problems were discussed yesterday at
a seminar
organized by the Environment Ministry's Tel Aviv office with
the participation of representatives from the Water Authority
and the Health Ministry.

The extent of the danger is reflected in the Health Ministry
data on the Tel Aviv district, which shows that since 1980,
some 88 drilled wells used for potable water were closed and
that is more than half the available wells in the district.

Pressure on water carrier
As a result of the closures, the dependence on water drawn
from the
National Water Carrier has risen significantly.

In many of the wells still in use, the process of
contamination continues, even if the level as yet is still
below the acceptable contamination standard for drinking water
in Israel. For example, in 18 active wells, scientists found
arsenic (an extremely toxic material) in samples tested. In
nine wells, heavy metals such as lead and chrome were found in
test samples.

Some of the experts raised the possibility that drawing
potable water from the coastal aquifer cease; this proposal,
however, was rejected by most relevant authorities.

"I think that it is still possible to rescue the aquifer, but
this will have to be an effort that includes all parties in
the system, and I hope that this is not too much for the State
of Israel to manage," Dr. Yeshayahu Bar-Or, the chief
scientist at the Environment Ministry said yesterday.

One of the ways that the contamination problem could be
countered is through the installation of purification
equipment in each of the wells showing high levels of
pollutants. This was adopted in contaminated wells in Rishon
Letzion and Ramat Hasharon.

Another option is to set up a number of large purification
installations to which water drawn from various locations
along the coastal aquifer will be piped for treatment.

At the Water Authority preparations are underway to set up a
backup water
supply system for communities in which their wells were closed
due to
contamination.

One such community, Bnei Dror in the Sharon region, has been
without a local drinking-water supply as a result of
contamination levels that exceeded the standard.

Professor Ronen also raised the problem of underground toxic
gases that affect the water supply, even though it is not
always easy to trace them.

This sort of contamination was discovered five years ago in
the Israel
Military Industries compound on the municipal boundary between
Tel Aviv and Givatayim.

Zoo Laws

Here is a link to an article discussing ethical treatment and the definition of zoos here in Israel.

Click Here to Read the Article

The AIS-ECO X Club...

hopes to post some articles here as well as some photos of interest. Content may/should relate to any and all ecology related issues as well as group activities. To get this started, I (Mr. Margolis here) will post a few photos and an article. Hope that others will come to this site to share with us. Mr. M

Garbage

Here's an article of what is happening here in Israel in regards to some of the garbage.

Words

My best friend's son is very wise for his years (he's in 9th grade). Though not a posting on the ecology, it has meaning to all fields of knowledge:

It’s my spirit that walks in the rain
Telling me not only to play after every storm
But to play in every storm

Animals as Canibals

I think this is food for thought!

Upcoming Whale Harvest

An interesting UTube piece of the upcoming whale harvest (killing?) in which over 900 whales will be killed for "scientific purpose." Not sure why the "scientists" need such a large number but shouldn't we be concerned about this?

Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3XMWVjA554

View of the sky around Mizpe Ramon. Photos taken during the AIS WWW trip.