Quote of the Month

Man's attitude toward nature is today critically important simply because we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.

                                                                                 -- Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

World Environment Day – 2005 Edition

By Gleb Podkolzin, College Park HS, Pleasant Hill

A one-of-a-kind exhibit took place in San Francisco on June 1st. Altogether it was a five-day event, ending on World Environment Day (WED) celebrated on June 5th. (Earthteam’s Visuals and Voices, Poetry and Graphics by Bay Area Teens June 1-30 at the Oakland Museum of California is an officially listed WED event.) The WED was established in 1972 by the United Nations General Assembly. It was created as a way for the United Nations to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and gain political attention. Every year the events are held at a different city around the world. San Francisco makes a good host because the United Nations was born 60 years ago in this same city. The theme is different each year, with Green Cities being the current theme.

Each day of the event focused on a different aspect of the theme. On opening day, the attendees had an opportunity to learn about pure elements, such as food, air, and water.  The following day was based around redesigning the metropolis. Topics included recycling, green building, and smart growth. June 3rd was all about transportation for the increasingly mobile cities. Various forms of energy were explored the following day, with biodiversity, open space, and overall greening of the urban environment rounding off the last day.

World Environment Day was filled with various activities, such as seminars, various community events such as the environmental film festival, arts programming, experience-based educational activities, concerts, and eco-tours, among others. In addition, there were street rallies, bicycle parades, tree planting, recycling, essay competitions at school, and clean-up campaigns.

Mayors from cities in the US, England, Brazil, China and 60 other cities around the world convened on June 5th in San Francisco to sign a Green Cities Declaration. This accord reflects the theme of this year’s WED. Topics touched upon by the declaration include energy, urban design, transportation, urban nature, waste reduction, environmental health, and water. Since urban populations consume 75% of the world’s natural resources and produce roughly 75% of its waste, the accord strives to address some of the problems of a growing and increasingly urbanized world.

Go to the website www.wed2005.org for information about this year’s event. Earthteam’s Visuals and Voices (June 1-30 at the Oakland Museum of California) is part of WED

Glebp@earthteam.net

by Mara Constantine Acalanes HS (Click photo to view larger image)

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First Prize Poem “Insight Through Nature” from EarthTeam’s Visuals and Voices Contest

By Elena A.H. Nielsen, Diablo View Middle School, Clayton, CA

“Insight Through Nature”

I sit on a bench, all moldy but firm
I put a worm on my hand and see it squirm
The shadows so peacefully shelter me
When I’m hurt or sad, this is
Where I’ll be

I think of my father
My mother
My brother
I step into the sun,
It kisses my cheek
I hear the water flow in the creek

The golden grass in the sun
Sways peacefully
It almost waves to me, playfully

That reminds me of nature walks
I used to have with my mother
And my little brother
When I was excited about everything
Without a care in the world

I glance at a flower
Its petals unfurled
Just last week they were tightly curled
At first it was shy
It held back its beauty
But now its petals open upwards to the sky

A moth flies by shyly
And hides on an oak tree
Now that I think of it, it reminds me of me
Too shy to say anything

My friend once told me I’m like a butterfly
I’ve always wanted to rise up high
But a butterfly, me?

I’m no more than a tree
Not active, just lazy, lets everything fly by,
Afraid to fail
I’ll never know unless I try

Trees have boughs
They’re like many paths
It takes knowledge to know
Which one leads to the right way
But if at the crossroads you stay
Just because you’re not sure which is the way

You’ll never get anywhere
So sometimes staying close to all you have known
Will make your opportunities totally blown

Those thoughts stop
A moment of silence
And then I begin to cry
Why can’t I stop crying?
Why me?

Then I stomp my foot
And throw a rock
Somehow I just can’t seem to talk

I notice a squirrel staring back at me
With an acorn in its mouth, it’s halfway up a tree
The creature that startled it all the way…
It was me!

I realize how crazy I just was,
That can’t truly be me!

I stand right where the sun
meets the shade
As if this is where I was made

Inspired by nature I become
Confident at last!
Knowledge and happiness hold me fast
I wish these feelings would always last…

As if it were magic or right on cue
Leaves and wind swirl around me
And then I knew

Life will have many challenges sufferings and joys
But that’s how we realize life is not like one of our toys
Each event shapes us to become wiser

How we react separates the sheep from the goats
The ones who understand keep learning
he ones who can’t keep up, their hearts keep burning
We have to adapt, we have to change
Learning in order to survive isn’t out of our range…

Now that I had the knowledge
I knew what I had to do
I spread my wings and then I flew!

elenan@earthteam.net

"Reaching Clarity "
by Nick Kalish,
Oakland School for the Arts
(Click photo to view larger image)

 

by Mara Constantine
Acalanes HS
(Click photo to view larger image)

 

Two Poems

By Rebecca McCarthy, Bay Ridge Preparatory HS, Brooklyn NY

"Quiet, Love"

Quiet, love.
There is beauty in silence.
Listen to the bluebirds sing a song of sorrow
And of Joy.
One day we will run away from here,
From this harsh, cruel place
And find somewhere better.
I don't even know if that somewhere exists,
But I'm gonna look for it,
And when I find it,
If I find it,
I will take us there.

 

"Apology"

In the dark, cluttered closet of your mind
I see the apology you couldn't give me,
The sorry that you couldn't say.
I thought I knew you then,
And foolishly,
I think I know you know.
Each day I uncover another layer of your
Complexity.
The funny thing is,
When I see you're sorry
I feel like it's all my fault.

 

rebeccam@earthteam.net

 

 

“The Seed of Angels”

By Hannah Northern, El Molino High School, Forestville, CA

A tragedy has struck
Levels towering above earth, waves have crashed down and stripped the land
Despair and death is all that is left for the heart and eyes to feel and see
Is there hope? Is there life after such devastation?
There is, I see it coming!
It is relief, aid, angels arriving.
No wings upon their backs, or halos upon their heads,
But their hearts as pure as holy water itself.
Come to assist in rebuilding, the rebirth of a nation
Once lost in tragedy, now overcome with joy
Hope and life is a seed planted by the saints
This terrain blessed, now begins to flower and re grow
Not only here, but around the world, this same seed is planted
It has sprouted in my heart,
I can sense its blossom
It produces warm caring feelings within my body and soul
Let it flower within yourself and the world too can become angels
This seed, started from such despairing occurrence,
Has now developed into a message for us all,
Let this seed grow, and the world will flourish with love, life and peace.

hannahn@earthteam.net

 

"Stop"

By Chloe Mayer,Cram Middle School, North Las Vegas NV

Stop killing nature
       Don't hurt what helps you
Stop cutting down trees
       The forest should be pretty too
Stop littering
       Throw away your trash
Stop buying gas-guzzling cars
       They're a waste of cash
Stop the things that pollute the air
Stop all that and start to care

chloem@earthteam.net

 

"Rotting"
by Nick Kalish,
Oakland School for the Arts
(Click photo to view larger image)

The Truth Behind Poisons

By Amy Lam, Amador Valley HS

Our search to lead better, longer, and healthier lives had led us to many interesting discoveries. Who would have known otherwise that some mold on Petri dishes could produce an antibiotic agent fighting infection? Who would have thought that bacteria that could make us ill could also be used as a vector to produce the necessary amounts of human insulin to help diabetics? Surely, only the crazy could have believed such a notion -- the notion that things that we fight against produce things we use to fight.

Yet, as we move into a new age of research and awareness, perhaps it is wise to look into the most unlikely sources for solutions to our most pressing health issues. As the title suggests, I am, of course, referring to poisons – naturally occurring venoms found in some of the most fearsome creatures: snakes, scorpions, spiders ­– creatures that some people shudder to think about.

Results from venom research have been exciting indeed. Dr. Francis Markland has done various studies showing that a certain protein, contortrostatin, found in the southern copperhead snake, inhibits the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). While that might seem disturbing and harmful, it is actually a possible first step to curing cancer. In a healthy adult human, growing new blood vessels is actually not a very common occurrence unless said person is hurt. However, in cancerous tissues, the growing tumor requires many nutrients and thus, blood vessels proliferate at a rapid pace. By inhibiting the proliferation of blood vessels, the tumor will starve and will be unable to continue growing.

Some animals such as the cone snail specialize in numbing their prey so they may devour them at their leisure. This desensitizing of nerve cells is in fact the basis of the most powerful painkillers selling today. By blocking the pain receptors in the specialized nerve cells, the electrical current is unable to continue on its path to the brain. In most cases, this is a bad thing because we need to be able to respond to the cause of our pain. However, for those suffering from chronic pain, these numbing agents might be a gift of life instead of a gift of death.

Need more proof? Then take a look into heart disease -- another major cause of death in the United States. Congestive heart failure (CHF), which often leads to death, weakens the heart to the point where it is no longer strong enough to pump blood throughout the body. However, a component in the venom of one of the world's deadliest snakes, the taipan, is found to ease tension in the heart and allow it to function normally. Proteins like the ones found in the venom are actually found in our own bodies. However, these proteins break down too quickly to help CHF, while the component found in the taipan venom does not.

These are only a few out of the many other instances where venom research has proven helpful. Clotting agents can stop profuse bleeding in the site of an accident, bee venom may contain anti-arthritic effects, Gila monster venom may help those with diabetes -- the list goes on and on, and will continue to grow longer as more research is being done. Of course, I do not advocate chugging down the venom to cure yourself of the world's most deadly diseases! However, a little more appreciation towards the often bizarre or scary looking creatures that produce these possible cures might be merited. These venoms, these poisons ­– they may very well save your life.

For further information refer to “Direct Acting Fibrinolytic Enzymes and Blood Clot Dissolution” at the following website:

http://www.usc.edu/schools/medicine/departments/biochemistry_molecularbiology/about/profile.php?PersonIs_ID=735

or contact amyl@earthteam.net for the references to other published articles in scientific journals

Chasing Butterflies: An A.P. Environmental Science Project at Deer Valley High

By Stuart Robertson, Deer Valley High School, Antioch

Lange’s Metalmark butterflies lives in an area near Antioch, California. Its population has decreased  so much that the species is in danger of becoming extinct. This species is unique, and the special environment it depends on is slowly being destroyed. Without human intervention this slow destruction will proceed until the butterfly disappears. This endangered species lives on the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, which is only one small strip of land in Antioch, California. Not only is the location of this species unique but also the survival of Lange’s Metalmark butterfly depends entirely upon one plant that these interesting creatures lay their larvae upon, the Naked-stemmed Buckwheat. Nowhere else in the world can this beautiful butterfly be enjoyed, or even saved, for the aesthetic pleasure of future generations. In order to increase the butterfly’s population its larvae must survive, and for its larvae to survive more Naked-stemmed Buckwheat must be planted. Our AP Environmental Science class completed a carefully executed research project that has given insight into the most efficient method of planting buckwheat in order to ensure the butterfly’s survival.

This project was aimed at testing four different methods of planting Naked-stemmed Buckwheat in order to understand which method provided the highest rate of survivorship. To begin, the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge has been overrun by invasive species, which are slowly destroying the species that California holds as natives. One of the plants that have been suffocated has been the buckwheat. As mentioned above, this plant is the only one on which Lange’s Metalmark butterfly will lay its larvae. As the plant slowly disappears so does the one of a kind butterfly.

Each planting method was completed by a total of five groups of students. In each of the four different plot types, we planted five buckwheat during the winter. We also sprinkled native seeds in each of the four plots in order to promote natural growth.

Treatment 1: We planted the buckwheat in an area that had been treated with herbicide in order to eliminate as many invasive species as possible. Around each plant we cleared a two-foot circle in order to give the buckwheat some space to grow.

Treatment 2: We planted the second group of plants in the same herbicide treated area. This time we cleared the entire plot of all vegetation and planted the five buckwheat safely inside the cleared area.

Treatment 3: This was one of our control plots. Here no herbicide was used previous to planting. Each buckwheat was put into the ground in a two-foot circle that was clear of any vegetation.

Treatment 4: This group of plants was also planted in an area without prior herbicidal treatment. The entire planting plot was cleared in order to eliminate all vegetation that would harm the new buckwheat.

Our class returned to the Refuge to monitor the plots in the late spring. At this stage in the experiment each group returned to its four different plots in order to survey the amount of naked-stemmed buckwheat still alive as well as the new growth of other native species within the plots. We recorded this information as well as seasonal changes. The information gathered is as follows:

	# planted	# survived	% survivorship	# natives	Amount of effort (1-5 scale)	Notes:
Treatment #1	5	3	60%	none	2	Not very effective. Overrun by invasive species.
Treatment #2	5	5	100%	20+ (Elegant Clarkia)	3	Lots of new buckwheat seedlings.
Treatment #3	5	5	100%	none	1	Lots of invasive "fox-tails", vetch and grasses.
Treatment #4	5	5	100%	3 (Golden Poppy) 4 (Blue Headed Gilia)	4	100+ new buckwheat seedlings. A lot of new native species. Beautiful plot.

The most efficient method of planting buckwheat for my immediate group was in our Treatment 4 plot. This provided a very natural environment with healthy strong buckwheat as well as many new growing ones. Not only did the Naked-stemmed Buckwheat flourish here but also many native species were popping up all over the place within the weeded area of the plot. The results became interesting when compared with all of the other groups. With the combined data, our class determined that the best treatment to choose in order to provide the best survivorship in buckwheat was Treatment 2. Every group had 100% survivorship of buckwheat and found new native species growing in the weeded area in Treatment 2 plots. This worked best due to the preventative control methods that were employed and would be the most feasible treatment, as it required minimal effort with great results. If a method like this were to be enacted of a large acreage there would certainly be a positive difference made in the Lange’s Metalmark butterfly population.

stuartr@earthteam.net

 

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