Meeting – November 25, 2008

Mr. Margolis talked about the group coming from the States (Utah.) We are planning a barbeque at Wescott’s house on January 12 (Monday – day1). We want to leave school at 1:00 to go to kibbutz Sdot Yam (my house) to have a barbeque, tour of the kibbutz and lecture given by Rami Tsadok – maring biologist, environmental advocate. We will travel together by school van or bus to the kibbutz and return to the school maybe by 6 or 7.

We also had an idea to take a trip on Saturday, January 17 with this group of students from Utah. Travel north to see an organic kibbutz and hear what they have to offer.

Other trip ideas: We have a 2 day trip planned (on the calendar) in March. You guys should brainstorm ideas – what would you like to do for these 2 days (if anything.)


Loise spoke to the club about a possible joint project with the Spanish club. Loise will keep us posted of ideas for collaboration.

El Hanan and Connal are still working on the paper recycling boxes – by winter break each high school room will have a paper recycling box.

Bonnie continues to work with the earth boxes.

Compost box is full – box still needs to be painted – Shirin??? Bahia????

Daniella, Laura and Allie are making posters for the elementary school and will also go into the kindergarten classes to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Reina continues to give an ecology tip at each Monday morning meeting.

Margolis’ dream is that someone will take over the newsletter – writing about our club and what we are doing.

ECO-X Summary from Elhanan

From the ECO-X Club


Dear all,

Since the beginning of the year and during the recent months in particular, the ECO-X club has been operating actively to help the environment of our school to support the theme of ecology. We would like to share with you some of the latest events that were organized by the club and could be evidently observed around the AIS campus.

On October 22, a bake sale was conducted during the lunch of the high school and after the academic day of that date. This successful fundraiser obtained a total amount of 700 NIS for the continuation of the club activity.

Another fundraiser was arranged by the initiation of the club members for the "Soccer Tournament" of November 13. With the responsibility and attitude of the students, this event has been proven to be fruitful as well, raising 900 NIS.

Besides these occasions, the ECO-X club has also arranged a bike trip for its members and any other interested attendees. This trip, which was scheduled for November the 15 through the 16, rode the participants to the Tabor Mountain on the Lower Galilee of the north. The students as well as the guiders Mr. Margolis and Mrs. Wescott enjoyed the biking routes, which were accompanied with impressive landscapes and group activities. The ECO-X trips are open to the wide community and intend to promote the care for the ecological environment and simultaneously the fun that the participants gather.

In addition, the club members meeting on a fixed basis on Thursdays of day 2's keep developing their personal projects in association with ecology. As some of the projects were already executed, furthermore of them will be presented around campus soon. Specific progress reports of them will be announced in the newspaper.

Have a great weekend!
ECO-X

Round-up of different ideas and a Great Site

Okay...First the great site: Students For Change I am really impressed with the ideas on this site. Start here and keep hitting NEXT. Read over this and find a few things that actually might make a difference.

During out last meeting a lot of ideas were generated. I am pleased that some people have started their projects. I am waiting for others to get going. What you do does not have to change the world, it only has to change your world a little bit. So, to those who still need a project or an idea, speak to others and develop something that you personally feel might make an impact in your own life and perhaps, a few of us around as well.

Great job to the people who conducted the BAKE SALE. The money raised for this will go into lessening the cost of those who travel on our trips.

In search changing your diet? As part of my own personal project of addressing medical issues in our family, I have been researching for months and months aspects of diet. I recently came upon this amazing group of women (and a few men) who promote GREEN SMOOTHIES. I never, ever thought that one could drink greens in such a pleasing manner, but their recipes are so good I've begun dreaming in GREEN. I really invite others to take a look at their site, and though it seems to be a bit more for woman, guys you too can get a lot out of this as it is certainly for athletes as well. So, so view the RAW Divas, click on their name.

Another great site is is Tim VanOrden's Running RAW site. This guy has some great Youtube clips too (you can find these from his site), and he explains his diet and how it has helped him become an elite athlete.

Why do I include diet site you ask? Well, first these folks recognize that our Western diet just is not working. We are using pesticides that are literally killing us, stripping the ground of nutrients, and living a lifestyle that might not always be healthy. These folks suggest that you can deal with many of the stresses that life throws at you through diet and the use of organic foods (why are they so expensive?!) as well. Great ideas on all of these site.

Mr. M

Oct. 16 Notes

Notes: October 16, 2008
Next Week:
1. Mr. M will send a permission slip out to those who want to come on the trip. I need to have the down payment by next week.
October 22 (Wed-Day One) Bake Sale During lunch and after school
Tamar will put this into the announcements
Posters: Allie/Bahia/Shirin
Outside of the cafeteria
Set up- loise/dana/connal/allie/bahia
Mika will speak about this TODAY
Bakers and Barkers:
 Mr. M/Allie/Mika/laura/bahia
We will make a schedule of who is covering.
Need a cashbox from Mrs. Martinez


November 13 Football Fundraiser

Eco Footprint

Hey environmentalists!

Check out this interesting site:
http://www.ecofoot.org/

You can only select from a choice of two countries, unfortunately, but it's still very eye-opening. The site asks the question, "How many planets does it take to support your lifestyle?" You fill in information about your lifestyle and it gives you a report at the end. I got 4.1. How many planets are needed for your lifestyle? Comment and let us know!

-Sofie

Meeting Notes

Meeting: Sept. 18

New People: Give Mr. M your name and Email


Mika:
 Has sent in application for bottle collection
 Coordinate this with Avi in the middle school (he keeps these in a shed)



Issues that need to be addressed:
 Review your commitment to community service and which role you chose.
o What did you say you would do?
o When do you plan on doing this?
o Do you need anything from us?
o When do you see yourself completing your project?

Mrs. Aaronson’s Talk
Solar Panels/Wind
 Solar panels will be installed at AIS
 Considered and educational tool
o About 42,000 NIS
 We are looking at solar and wind power companies in order to compare.
 ECO-X student can/should sit in on these meetings to provide suggestions in regards to this project.
Water
 Trying to get approval for the use of ground water for our fields and gardening
 Going through various ministries
o Will be able to buy from the farmers
 ????Can we utilize the water from the air conditioners?
o How could this be collected
 Faucets are been improved though we have found some that have not been addressed.
o Point out those to Mrs. Aaronson and give her this list.

Electricity
 Looking at the more regimented use of timers
 We are doing much better than last year

Paper
 Blue bags are being brought by cleaners to designated areas
o Ofra can show you where these are
o Goes to a recycling area (Mrs. A will tell us where this goes)
 Perhaps those in this group can “teach” others through demos or lectures how to reduce paper usage (suggest

a number of ways to do this).
 Weekly announcements-can we lower the number going out? Leave a stack in front of the school.
o Has now been put into a mass Emailer and will not be coming out in paper form as frequently.
 Tamar’s idea in which an additional printer in put into the library for rough drafts.

Misc
 Teachers using less plastic
 21 times for a mid. Schooler to “hear” something
 _____ times for a high schooler
 Movie: Did you Know?

Okay...

Having some difficulty posting right now. I am trying to cut and past info from Word documents and get them onto the blog. Will keep trying!

Things seen in the "environment."

Ithought that this was a bit funny so I am including this here. Mr. M

Earthbox Planting

Thanks so much to the students who have helped out planting in these Earthboxes. It is the start to a project that I hope will grow over the years. Mr. M

Trip Summary

The ECO-X Adventure

By: Sofie Kouropatov

On Saturday, March 29^th some of the members of the ECOX Club traveled with Ms. Phan, Mr. Margolis, and Mr. Roberts to Caesarea to kayak in the Mediterranean Sea. The waters were calm, the weather was lovely, and even though the author of this article fell into the sea about a dozen times, kayaking was a very enjoyable experience for all. After a couple of hours of paddling, bumping into each other with the accompanying war cries, and trying out tricks (such as forming a line and climbing into your neighbor's kayak) the ecologically aware students were soaking wet and starving.

Luckily, that problem was soon resolved as we were all welcomed to the home of the extremely hospitable Ms. Wescott. We proceeded to pig out on delicious barbequed hamburgers, hot dogs, humus, salad, and eventually our own homemade deserts while conversing and playing I Never (which resulted in a myriad of amusing things, such as asking strangers for sugar and angry dances).

The day wound down as we sat around quietly enjoying the view of the sea. Waking up next day, the trip seemed all but a dream, with only aching shoulders and a slight tan serving as reminders of a truly fun-filled day.

Looking back, trips in which we spend quality time with nature are to be cherished. The members of ECO-X were given another reminder of the environment we strive to protect. We would like to remind you that whether it’s the sea, the desert or the mountains, please remember to take care of your surroundings the best you can. And if you can do that while enjoying kayaking and hamburgers, all the better!

The ECO-X Club thanks Ms. Wescott for her hospitality!!

Eco-friendly shopping bags are on sale for 7 NIS. Please contact Hellen Phan (hphan@wbais.org), Jamie Margolis (jmargolis@wbais.org), or any ECO-X members for more information.

Another site of interest.

This is an interesting site that speaks about the environment as well how to make a more sustainable school cafeteria.

http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/weekly-green-audit-school-cafeteria/

Some Sites, Some Thoughts

I. I rode in the Yarkon Park in Ramat Gan Saturday afternoon. Most times I try to ride early in the morning to avoid the crowds. So, when I got there at 4:00 p.m. I had a great deal of people to contend with who ignored the bike icons plastered on the roads and wandered aimlessly into my path. But, besides the dangers that this imposed on me, I was appalled to see the amount of plastic waste blowing throughout the park. Yes, the garbage cans were overflowing, and shame on the Ramat Gan park services for this happens all the time and they certainly do not have enough cans to collect this, but shame on us too! There is no excuse, none whatsoever, to trash our lands like this in such a habitual manner. Also, how much plastic do we really need?

II. Check out this site on Plastic. Look at the PDF's as well as the video clip. It is helping to change my behavior.

III. Also, take a few minutes to look at this site as well. Go to The Story of Stuff and spend a bit of time watching and reflecting on this video. We really do need to take a few moments to consider "stuff" as we tend to (myself very much included) use so much.

IV. And of course the 60's. Here is some great music from that Era. These are live concerts as well.

Article By a ECO-X Member

Article on Olive Crops- By: Yael Davidov

Right now there are problems with olive crops in the world affecting mostly the areas of California, Turkey, and Greece. Most of these problems, but not all, are due to the change in climate and weather and the small range of temperatures that olive trees can endure. So far the olive trees has been grown mostly in the Mediterranean area and California because they require hot temperatures, and relatively dry air yet at the same time, a great deal of water in the ground in order to develop good fruit.

In California many olive crops have been destroyed due to irregular rain storms, winds, and frost. This was damaging to the trees because prior weather patterns had been hot and relatively dry. However, the global rises in temperatures has affected them greatly. Also, a region in northern California called Mendocino, has seen a recent and unusual freeze that did not kill the olive trees but did damage their yields. The exact impact of the freeze has not been fully evaluated, but it is in the process of being assessed. In the meantime, the county’s commissioner of agriculture Dave Bengston, urges the farmers not to prune the branches that appear dead in the hope that they might recover.

The small hope for the Californian region is its microclimates! These are areas where for some reason the climate is unlike that of a neighboring region. The crops in some of these areas have shown an average yield if not a better crop than the ones of the previous years.

Large fires recently took place in Greece, though this perhaps was not a direct effect of climate change, it is nonetheless of importance and might be indirectly a result of the climatic change. In the Peloponnesian area of Greece 454,000 acres of olive trees, and not to mention the livelihood of many people, have been lost in this massive fire. While it is believed that the total annual production of olive oil will not be greatly damaged, only about four percent, on a local scale about 50% of the people are now dealing with economic stress and instability. These are people whose entire lives since they were young have revolved around the growing of the tree and the production of the oil its fruits provide. The country’s leaders of course are putting forth a great amount of effort in order to provide support and money to these people, but the future is problematic because the trees take about seven to ten years after they are planted before they begin to yield fruits, and the government simply cannot afford to sustain all these people for that duration.

In Turkey too, the olives have had difficulties this year due to a drought that hurt the trees to a point where a seventy five percent decrease of products this year is expected. We, especially living here in Israel, a country who depends a lot on agriculture, should be able to understand the importance of a crop not only for eating but for those who depend on it for income and therefore should be very active in trying to help fight this issues such as global warming (at least that part for which humans are responsible) seeing the devastating impact it can have on people.

I think it is pretty clear that the environment has a big effect on agriculture, and while you might still have olives available to you in ten years to buy at the supermarket, one must realize the impact that the failure of this crop can have in human terms. Since so much of the world is dependent on agriculture of rice, or potatoes, or wheat or any other of the staple foods, it is surprising that the fight for a better earth is not greater and more urgent than it currently is at this time.

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