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The Green

Mission Statement: Our mission is to strengthen and unify the young environmental community in the Bay Area by sharing interests, information, and calls to action. We seek to inspire participation in projects and events between groups, strengthen journalistic skills, and foster career exploration.

December 2003
Issue 11

Quote of the Month

"We stand for what we stand on."
David Brower

Chosen by Jeff Gustafson, San Ramon Valley HS

 

Photos - Fishing on the Trinity River
by Jeff Martin, Acalanes High School, Lafayette

the green              the green

 

"Our Shermin de Silva" Å an interview

by Sarah Stoller, College Prep HS, Oakland

2003 is Shermin’s first year working with Earth Team as the Youth Coordinator. Shermin graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord in 1998 then went on to earn BAs in Integrative Biology and Philosophy at UC Berkeley, graduating with class of 2002. She grew up in Sri Lanka, lived nearly a year in Fiji before coming to the US, and spent a year studying in England and traveling in Europe during college. Shermin speaks four languages (three native). She loves traveling and has visited all continents with the exception of Africa, South America and Antarctica (the last one isn't essential any time soon)! She is also an artist on the side and hopes that if her degrees don't support her in the future, that she will rent a studio and write, paint, or create music.

1. When and how did you first become interested in the environment and working with animals?
I've been interested in animals since I was little. I had this crazy talent for imitating critters, which used to entertain people a lot! Initially I thought I was going to be a paleontologist but I didn't really become aware that the environment was in trouble until about high school (although in sixth or seventh grade I remember I got my science class to adopt a random whale somewhere in Hawaii). That was when I saw this really disturbing documentary on tuna fishing and the killing of dolphins, which motivated me to run a petition through my high school and start up an environmental club.

I applied to Berkeley with the goal of being a paleontologist, but then during the summer after I graduated I happened to catch a photography exhibit at the Lindsey Wildlife Museum. I forget whom it was by, but the unique thing about these photographs was that the animals were all looking you head on, right in the eye. And they were all endangered. Picture after picture of endangered individuals...it was as if they were accusing you or begging for help, saying "do something!" Of course, they weren't, really, but my conscience wouldn't let me off. I decided dinosaurs were cool (after all, they were around a lot longer than most other mammals apart from the shrews), but while I still had great respect for the people studying them, I had to work with the living and not the dead. This is also primarily the reason I went into Animal Behavior, instead cell biology or biotech, the direction Biology as a field is heading for these days. It's a very sad, but the study of Life is being reduced to bits and pieces, microstructures. It's difficult to find people interested in the whole organism and the way it lives in its environment.

2. What does it mean to work in the field animal communications? What projects do you typically work on?
Animal communication is an emerging field. The world is a buzzing, chirping, roaring, flashing place. Animal communication involves studying all of it. Until quite recently, we didn't have the technological ability to go really get into most of it, but now we have the chance to do so. To start with, just imagine what it is like to be a whale, able to hear your nearest neighbor singing from miles and miles away. Or what it is like to be a cricket, only a few inches long but having the challenge of producing a sound loud enough to get the girls interested from several yards away. Or what is like to be a squid, and trying to do the same thing by changing color. It's a very different way of being in the world from us humans.

The study of animal communication involves the study of so-called "signals" creatures send to each other, and the mechanics of producing those signals. This doesn't necessarily add up to a language, where they are talking to each other the way humans do, but some of the more social species may be closer to it than we know. Most people tend to think of sign-language using apes, etc. and I don't know yet where they fit into the whole puzzle; they are a very interesting set of studies, but only a small part of it.

3. What was your experience like working with elephants in Sri Lanka?
I have to clarify that I haven't done much work with elephants. Other people have done the work and I just went along for the ride to observe and see if I could help out in the future. Having said that, I originally got interested in elephants when I found out that they communicate using infrasound. Infrasounds are noises with such low frequencies, the human ears can't hear them. It's thought they use this to keep families coordinated from miles away, since low frequencies travel well. To find out more, you can read Silent Thunder by Katy Payne, one of the discoverers of infrasound, and it's all about her experiences in Africa.

Since I'm Sri Lankan, I really wanted to do something useful for the substantial population of Asian elephants there. Asian elephants are highly endangered; there are only 10% as many of them as there are of African elephants. I got in touch with this group of people in Sri Lanka who were doing an infrasound project. They were trying to design an elephant alarm, to prevent crop raiding and potentially deadly confrontations between elephants and local farmers. Several hundred people and numerous animals are killed each year this way, or due to poaching. They were a really fantastic group and took me around with them a few times and I got to see them test out recordings. We went to parks and I watched some wild elephant herds. I also went to a so-called "orphanage" at a place called Pinnawela, where they take care of injured or orphaned animals and have also had some successful births. Elephants have life spans as long as ours and very tight families. They're absolutely amazing animals, but should be treated with respect not as toys for tourists as is unfortunately the case in some places.

You can learn more about elephant communication and elephants in general at www.elephantvoices.org (a cool site, which I have nothing to do with!) If you look on the bottom right, you'll see a link to a description of travels in Sri Lanka with the group I'm talking about. The site is a project by Joyce Poole and her husband. She is another all-star in the elephant world and was a co-discoverer of elephants' use of infrasound.

4. What are you working on now?
Aside from trying to get myself into Grad School, I'm doing some research on spotted hyena communication at UC Berkeley with two of my former professors. I know most people aren't very fond of hyenas (and then Disney took care of the rest), and I know I wasn't. But watching them has made me realize that their bad reputations are just another result of the way people vilify certain animals. They're in fact absolutely fascinating. They may look like dogs but are actually not at all - more closely related to weasels! This in an example of convergent evolution - animals that do similar things (e.g. hunt big animals on open grassy plain) evolve to look alike.

Most people associate hyenas with the "laughing" sound they make. The ultra-technical term we use is "giggle". Actually it's got nothing to do with humor; they do it when they're excited or nervous. They have a whole lot of other types of calls too, including "whoops," "growls," and "groans," all of which can melt into each other. We're looking at the category called "groans" and trying to determine if they have different ones they use under different circumstances. A yummy-looking bone seems to get one kind of groan while a cub gets another. I've been involved in trying to distinguish whether mom gives different ones to her own cub, as opposed to someone else's. Most of the time it involves me analyzing videotapes or entering data into a computer, but occasionally I get to go and play with the animals (well, the young ones anyway, who can't do too much damage yet)!

5. What goals do you have for working with Earth Team?
As I said, I had an environmental club in high school so I've been there. This makes me feel old - but it was in the pre-Internet days and it was really tough finding projects to do or getting people motivated. It still is hard getting people interested, so I can appreciate Earth Team's role as a resource for high school students. There are a lot of programs that target older students, but by the time you get to college you're more or less set on your path. High school is the time you're really trying to figure yourself out and this kind of support is really important. I wish there had been something like it around when I was in high school. I've always liked working with young people, and I get a huge kick out of seeing people become inspired. And of course, it's all about the networking! I like to see people make connections with each other, learn what people are doing at other schools, or just plain meet other kids who are interested in environmental issues and know that they're not struggling on their own. I'm also around to give people pointers if they need help getting started, or talk about school and careers, or just chew the philosophy behind whatever concerns they've got on their mind.

6. Is there anything else you would like to let people know about your work or interests?
I mentioned that I also studied philosophy. My main interest there was in fact language. As far as animals go, language is a big debate so it takes me into some prickly territory. But I'd say my over-arching question is how human beings fit into the rest of the biological scene, and how our species' communication relates to everybody else's. We are, after all, animals ourselves. Many of our environmental problems begin when we forget this humbling little fact.

"My Experience of the Student Environmental Leadership Weekend"

by Vrinda Manglik, Acalanes HS, Lafayette

The environmental leadership weekend was awesome. First of all, the location was completely beautiful and spiritual, it was impossible for anyone to ignore the beauty of the Earth. This is key in our purpose as it connects individuals to their Earth and inspires them to learn and protect it. At the same time, it is also healing and rejuvenating for individuals who may have been stressed, and may have been living in stressful environments.

Every speaker was so incredibly dedicated and inspiring (especially Van Jones and Patrick Reinsborough). Everything all of the speakers were saying seemed to be collective and connected. The speakers were not isolated, it was all a connected message about awareness, activism, and the need for change. This anger and the problems in the world combined with the healing and beautiful tendencies of the Marin Headlands, provided both the mind and soul with food, energy, and nourishment.

The entire mood of the weekend was one of hard-work, but in the workers’ own time and by the workers’ own rules. People learned what they wanted to learn about, when they wanted to learn about it. Not only was there a lot of information in workshops, but the people leading the workshops and leading the weekend seemed to be extremely well-informed and
compassionate people, so information was always readily and willingly available.

I liked how many of the workshops brought in the element of the beauty of the Earth. In the workshop on Ecopsychology with Will Scott, the individual was encouraged to use their surroundings to dig deeper into themselves. On the hike with Chicory, a portion of the hike was deliberately silent (for us to listen to ourselves and the Earth). We were also given time to sit and write or draw in silence. I commented on the moon on the ocean to Ariel Shepherd and he, too, was appreciating the beauty of the natural surroundings.

I really appreciated the respect that was given to the students at this conference. It was reflected in how we were spoken to and the choices and freedom we were given. Students used this space to do what they needed to do, whether it was interacting with each other or feeling the essence of the Earth. The group of students seemed mature enough as to not need excessive adult supervision. By the end of the weekend, students who were negative and stuff at the beginning seemed to have completely changed and grown.

I also noticed on Saturday night, that everyone was having totally meaningful philosophical conversations. It was incredible and wonderful to see. I think a big part of it was the Earth and moon speaking to the students.

"A Tapestry of Time" - a poem

by Rebecca Smith, California HS, San Ramon

A grand procession of Man,
winding its way through the ages.
Its tail has been shrouded in mists,
its head reaching towards the horizon.
Our roots are deep; our future formidable –
yet we still wonder where time will lead us.
Will we reach an epiphany of perfection,
or will we destroy all that we’ve wrought?
The sunset of hope and glory –
        is it a segue for a brighter tomorrow,
        or a promise of darkness?
Each step draws us nearer our destiny,
carving a pathway through time,
even as our future unfolds at our feet.

 

The Meaning of Love

by Rebecca Smith, California HS, San Ramon

Surely the world knows what love is. It is the force behind compassion. It is the vastness of the sky. It is the steady flow of a river joining the sea; it is the changing of the tides. Love is waking up to the sounds of morning and the aroma of coffee filling the air. It is the feeling of happiness in a child’s laugh, the feeling of release in a hearty shout, the feeling of security in a mother’s arms. Love is the first breath on top of a mountain. It is the guiding light of a candle through a frosty window. Love is the warmth stealing over you when you look at a picture. It is a fire that remains unquenchable, a bird’s song winging upwards. It’s the lighthouse against a storm, unmovable as a brick wall. Love is everywhere. Love is the Yule log on Christmas Eve and a cherry blossom drifting in the breeze. Love is an old woman looking back on her life at a young girl wanting to know what love is.

Two views on organic food: Meika Hollender and Susan Loshin

Six Reasons to Buy and Eat Organically

by By Meika Hollender, Vermont Commons School, Charlotte, Vermont

1. To Conserve Energy: Decades ago most farms were small and based on the family unit; now times have changed and moved towards large-scale factory farms. The energy used on these large industrial farms is an enormous amount, consuming 12% of the Nation's energy. Another energy consumer is the production of synthetic fertilizers. Organic farming is based on labor-intensive methods that veer away from mass energy consumption. Therefore when buying an organically grown product you are also purchasing an "energy-price tag."

2. To Prevent Soil Erosion: Large-scale farming erodes 3 billion tons of topsoil per year and uses soil only as a medium for holding the plants vertically so that they are in the right position to be sprayed with chemicals. By doing this the soil structure is weakened and the topsoil becomes extremely prone to erosion.
In organic faming the soil is very important and for that reason is always kept healthy, especially because no chemicals are used. Due to crop rotation the variety of the plants roots keep the soil burly.

3. Do you really want to Eat Chemicals? Pesticides and Herbicides are used to breed inorganically grown crops. These chemicals are sprayed on the produce with the purpose of killing living organisms that attempt to destroy the food, and the effects on other organisms can’t be positive. Many of these chemicals are said to be carcinogenic. Organic farming does not use chemicals in its farming methods.

4. What’s the matter with monocropping? Large-scale farms are known for their mono-cropping traditions. Monocropping is a good way to create a lot of produce and not spend as much money on bio-diversity. Monocropping extracts only certain nutrients from the soil and exhausts the soil after a shorter period of time then biodiversity. If a fungus comes through a farm practicing monocropping then because of the identical genetics of each crop, all the produce is destroyed. Organic farms practice biodiversity avoiding the risk of potential wipe out and soil exhaustion.

5. How does this affect the farmers? Many Americans today work in the agricultural business, and most of these work on large-scale farms. Many of these workers are immigrants who are already in not great health conditions. Being exposed to these carcinogenic fertilizers do not exactly help their health! Farmers and laborers exposed to these chemicals on a daily basis are six times more likely to get cancer throughout their life. By purchasing organically grown produce you are swerving away from supporting work in this callous conditions.

6. Transportation of Crops: If you are the type of person that likes to stick to buying Florida orange juice then go for it! Just realize the other affects of your purchase other than the taste that enters your mouth. Many of these large nonorganic farms are centralized in rural regions, probably many hours away. When you buy that Florida orange juice think of the fuel that is polluting the environment from transporting the product. That’s not to say that everyone has an organic farm right next door, but if you have to purchase the organically grown crops from a distance and can’t avoid the pollution aspect then at least you are preventing some negative things!

P.S. It’s not always so easy…
Although I have provided you with a way to be a "perfect" and "environmentally friendly" consumer, I am completely aware of the unavailability and inconvenience that you may face. Not everyone has time or money to make the extra long trip to the local organic supermarket. The key to this "operation" is to take these tips and fit them into your agenda as you see it. The most important part of being a responsible and ethical consumer is being aware of the hazardous effects of main-stream, large-scale farming.

Sources:
1. "Implications of our food consumption" 11/2/03 http://www.spindrift.org/lightfoot/food.htm
2. Jackson, Wes, "Meeting the Expectations of the Land." The Land Institute, Inc.: United States of America, 1984.

the green
the green
Creating a mural at Student Marin Headlands weekend
by Jeff Martin.       
Walking the Beach at Student Marin Headlands weekend
by Jeff Martin.

Global Environmental Views

by Susan Loshin, Sir Francis Drake HS, San Anselmo

An interesting aspect of our educational system is the manner in which the information we are held accountable for is presented to us. How do we know whether this presentation is fiar and objective? I often wonder what advantages and disadvantages I get out of. coming from a very liberal school and community. Am I lucky, because I live in the Bay Area where its ideals and atmosphere are very environmentally aware? Or in some sense, does this put me at a disadvantage that I have to be conscious of? Yes, I’m incredibly thankful and privileged to live in such an open minded and what I feel is a very intelligent community that shares my political views and opinions. Yet at the same time, I wonder if I’m viewing alternative points of view around the country sufficiently. One thing I know for sure is that you have know both sides of any issue, despite how passionate you may be -- before judging. The simple rule of knowing is -- you can’t make a change without understanding the whole issue, whatever it might be.

I consider myself a motivated and passionate environmentalist. What I feel I’m missing is the depth to really make a difference. It’s not as though I previously didn’t care or passed on the opportunity, I just don’t see it implemented into my education as much as I’d like. Nothing in our society, or life for that matter, is black or white. If we as environmentalists want to see changes in our schools, communities and country, we have to take the time and positive incentive to explore the other opinions and different lifestyles and ways of thinking around the world.

After an intensive integrated science course I decided I would try my hardest to limit my food intake (especially with meats, vegetables or dairy products), to strictly organic foods. The more I ate organic, the deeper my mindset got on the belief that farming and selling organic was really the best way to go. I believed it encouraged people to shop locally, and think globally, all being very healthy. What took me a report and heavy debate on the side on genetic engineering, allowed me to open up my eyes, and really swung my heart into a difficult position. I do believe in organic foods and the ideals that go along with that, but now I see why we use conventionally grown food and even genetically engineered food. Organic farming cannot sustain the world. For most of us in the Bay Area, we are fortunate to afford organic food, but most of the country and the world cannot. One of the changes I used to wish for and admittedly supported was more people eating organic, but now I know that is idealistic with many ramifications. It is really difficult to have to decide "right or wrong, black or white".

I want a government that really pushes forward on major environmental issues. Otherwise, I don’t want to see my grandchildren’s world, at the rate we’re going. It deeply saddens and really worries me. The first way to make a change is to listen. This is my generation’s opportunity to merge Democrats and Republicans, environmentalists and corporations. We all live and breathe the same air and walk on the same earth. Let's push down the stereotypes, forget the reputations, and act. In a sense, one corporate manager who cares about these issues could set precedents that could change our society forever. So, next time you wonder why everyone doesn’t just do it the "environmental way", really look into it. Question your teachers, your family, yourself. No issue is ever as clear as you might think. A good way to live life is to constantly challenge yourself. I challenge each and every one of you who reads this article to look into problems, ask questions, and open your heart to see the alternative side to many of the current or historical environmental issues.

"The Downside of Suburban Sprawl"

by Jessica Arndt, Maybeck HS, Berkeley and Volunteer Center of Contra Costa

Suburban sprawl began after World War II, when people moved away from cities in pursuit of cheap land where they could build houses and start families. Thus, nature was turned into housing developments, strip malls, and office parks. However, people still needed to get to the cities for work. As a solution to this problem, multiple lane highways were created for commuters. Over the years, suburban traffic has increased with suburban sprawl to accommodate the family lifestyle of driving to stores and taking children to school and activities. Due to the scattered development of suburban sprawl, public transportation becomes impractical and expensive. While suburban sprawl tends to be characterized as ‘green and leafy,’ it is very hazardous to the environment. Increasing traffic causes air and water pollution and the depletion of natural resources for gas. Since wetlands act as ‘sponges’ to soak up water, the utilization of wetlands for suburban sprawl increases flooding. Productive farmland is also threatened by the expansion of suburban sprawl.

While suburban sprawl clearly threatens the environment, measures can be taken to contain suburban sprawl. For example, the Clinton administration took measure to save open space, preserve farmland, and protect water supplies. Wetland rehabilitation is also an important aspect of restoring the environment. Public transportation decreases air and water pollution. Supporting denser housing development can increase the use of public transportation and developing suburbs around planned public transit expansions. Finally, since people move away from cities because they are dangerous, improving schools and reducing crime in cities reduces the attractiveness of suburbs.

Answers to December's Question of the Month

"As someone who cares about the environment which environmental issue grabs you the most and why?" – submitted by students at Marin Headlands weekend

"Chevron polluting the air of Richmond causing health problems for their residents and the kids of the future."
Gregory Olland, Richmond HSalong with members of his breakout group at Marin Headlands - Michelle Fung, Acalanes HS, Kaitlin Ebinger, College Park HS, Patrick Wong, College Park HS, Kendra Staton, Berkeley HS, Shana Rappaport, Miramonte HS, Jeff Martin, Acalanes HS, and Scott Saechao, Oakland HS.

"Sonar testing in the ocean is affecting the whales and other marine wildlife and making the whales beach themselves and die."
Lauren Reese, San Ramon Valley HS.

Some more answers from Marin Headlands weekend
"Preserving the land" - Kaitlin Minnick, Las Lomas HS, Walnut Creek
"Restore natural resources. Excess usage of products or natural resources will always bring scarcity." Arlene Arienza, Richmond HS
"Ocean cleaning" - Jenny Leonard, College Park HS, Pleasant Hill
"Urban sprawl" - Dane Welsh, Bishop O'Dowd HS, Oakland
"Animal extinction" - Eva Sherertz, Berkeley HS
"Saving the trees" - Eric Hunter, Oakland HS
"Feral cat situation in the hills after a fire." Andrew Cabrera, DeLaSalle HS, Concord
"Urban runoff" - Cuc Vo, Oakland HS
"All kinds of pollution" Sierra Cushing, San Ramon Valley HS
"Wetlands preservation" Jillian Halliwell, San Ramon Valley HS
"Use of fossil fuels" - Cleo Fung, Washington HS, San Francisco

January's Question of the Month- Let’s hear your answers!

Send your answer to TheGreen@earthteam.net

"What’s a simple step you can take to lighten your ecological footprint?"

submitted by students at the Marin Headlands weekend

Action of the Month

Chosen by students at Dec. Youth Coalition meeting.

Save the Sea Turtles

Source: The National Wildlife Federation
http://action.nwf.org/campaign/arcticrefuge02102003?source=action_index

Every spring, hundreds of female leatherback sea turtles emerge from the turquoise waters that wash the white, sandy rim of Puerto Rico known as the Northeastern Ecological Corridor (NEC). They come from hundreds of miles away, surviving great storms, fishing nets and plastic bags masquerading as tasty jellyfish, to return to the beaches where they hatched and lay their own precious deposits of eggs. In 2003, endangered leatherback turtles made 400 nests on the shores of the NEC. This 3,200-acre coastal fringe is one of the most important nesting sites for leatherbacks in the United States and its territories, according the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But two hotel giants envision a very different type of beachfront-one with fresh linens, beach bars, golf, swimming and tennis. With support from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Four Seasons and J.W. Marriott aim to build two five-star resorts on some 1,700 acres of the NEC. Because these projects would significantly threaten sea turtles in the Caribbean, NWF is asking concerned citizens to write the chairmen and CEOs of Marriott and Four Seasons and urge them to halt this devastating construction and help save critical sea turtle nesting sites.

Draft Letter

Dear _____________:
I urge you to withdraw all applications to construct the Four Seasons' San Miguel Resort and the J.W. Marriott's Dos Mares Resort in the municipalities of Luquillo and Fajardo in Puerto Rico. If approved, these massive development projects will be built in the Northeastern Ecological Corridor, which includes 3,149 acres of coastal fringe land unique in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

The Corridor is home to as many as 7 federally endangered species, including hawksbill sea turtles-one of the most endangered of all marine turtles, and is one of the most important nesting grounds for leatherback sea turtles in the Caribbean. This sensitive habitat also houses mangrove forests, a bioluminescent lagoon, and coral reefs.

Constructing these hotels and residential communities in this sensitive habitat will have devastating impacts. I urge you to withdraw your proposals NOW.

Yours truly,
Your Name

Addresses of Companies to Send Letter

Isadore Sharp Chairman and CEO, Four Seasons Hotel
1165 Leslie St.
Toronto, Ontario M3C 2K8, Canada

J.W. Marriott Chairman of the Board and CEO, Marriott International Inc
10400 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817

William Shaw, President, COO, and Director Marriott International Inc
10400 Fernwood
Road Bethesda, MD 20817

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