Composting and Recycling

Hi!
I've found a lot of tissues in the trash bin at school. Don't you think it's place is in the paper bin? I think so... So I want to ask the all the sicks (and those who also put paper in the trash) to use the paper bin!
But why do we have to recycle paper?
Some statistics on paper consumption:

• Recycling 1 short ton (0.91 t) of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7 thousand US gallons (26 m³) of water, 3 cubic yards (2.3 m³) of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil (84 US gal or 320 l), and 4,100 kilowatt-hours (15 GJ) of electricity – enough energy to power the average American home for six months.
• Although paper is traditionally identified with reading and writing, communications has now been replaced by packaging as the single largest category of paper use at 41% of all paper used.
• 115 billion sheets of paper are used annually for personal computers.
• The average web user prints 28 pages daily.
• Most corrugated fiberboard boxes have over 25% recycled fibers. Some are 100% recycled fiber.

Now I guess you see that we use a lot of paper, that's why we have to recycle it, because we don't have enough trees to cover that huge consumption.
Watch a video about paper recycling:   Following the paper trial
Read more about the issue: at Wikipedia
Please, recycle!
THX

I will be a hummingbird

Remember this inspiring African story about the small hummingbird? The woman telling the story is Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan political and environmental activist, Peace Nobel Prize in 2004.

Here you can also find the video with Hungarian subtitles (you should activate them first): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpfRDCJQeO8

What's development

"A developed country is not a place where the poors have cars, it's where the rich uses public transportation"

Few weeks ago we talked about the difference between economic growth and development. Economic growth doesn't necessarily mean people's quality of life will improve. For example China is becoming a big economic power, but democracy there is still weak and chinese don't have the right to say openly what they think. They're getting rich in  material things, but they're poor in democracy.
On the contrary there can be poorer countries caring much more of the environment, of citizens' healthcare and education, and last but not least of their opinion.  Where would you prefer to live?
The Mayor of Bogotà, a big city in South America, explains the concept with an effective example: development is rather shown by an efficient public transportation that reduces car traffic and makes our cities more livable, than by a big amount of expensive cars in the roads.
Of course a country can be rich and developed at the same time. That's still the best.

Garbage warrior, Hulladék Harcos

Remember when we've talked about our houses, whether they're ecological or not? We've collected some ideas could be useful to improve their sustainability: collect rain-water, grow herbs and vegetables in the balcony or in the courtyard, install solar panels, etc. In the meanwhile new types of experimental houses are being designed. The Earthship proves is possible to build houses totally self-dependent in heating, sanitation and electricity. They are built with recycled materials like beer cans and tires and are designed to waste natural resources as little as possible. This documentary in English with Hungarian subtitles tells the story of Michael Reynolds, the architect who invented these experimental houses. At first sight Mike Reynolds seems a little crazy, but remember advances in any field are always built upon people with a singular or really personal point of view. 

Who knows, maybe in the future everybody will live in houses like that!

Animation Az ember aki fákat ültetett

The Man Who Planted Trees (Az ember aki fákat ültetett) is an allegorical tale by the French writer Jean Giono.

It tells the story of the shepherd Elzevier Bouffier's long and successful  effort to reforest a desolate valley in the foothills of the Alps in Provence. Over four decades, Bouffier continues to plant trees, until the valley is turned into a beautiful valley vibrant with life.

Somebody said: "When you cut the flow of nature into people's lives, their spirit dies", and this story shows how a healthy and happy nature makes human communities more livable.

Elzevier Bouffier is a fictional character, however there are some real-life people who have dedicated their life to the same project. Wangari Maathai, awarded in 2004 with the Nobel Peace Prize, founded the Green Belt Movement which planted over 47 million trees to restore the Kenyan environment and alleviate global warming. While an organization called Trees for the Future has assisted more than 170,000 families, in 6,800 villages of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, to plant over 35 million trees. Many people inspired by the tale have decided to plant a tree. Finally, everybody can be Elzevier Bouffier!

The story of stuff

This is the first video I've asked you to watch.
Annie Leonard, an important environmental  activist explains with the help of  some animations how the actual economic system is trashing the planet, our communities and our health.
You can watch the  version with Hungarian subtitles here:

You can get more info in the official website: http://www.storyofstuff.org/, there you can also find the english version with english subtitles.

Let's start!

Hello kids,

In this blog we’ll upload some  interesting resources used during our eco-lessons.

Feel free to share them with friends, parents, relatives and strangers.

All of you are administrators, so feel free to contribute with new posts, comments, proposals or whatever you feel pertinent with our activities.

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