Photography and Artwork

"Litter Comic" By Tyler Jolley Stewart Middle School Richmond, Ca.

"Lava Rock"

"Berries"

"Shasta"

"Autumn Leaves"

"Fall Berries"

Spawners of San Pablo Creek 

By Tyler Jolley, Stewart Middle School, El Sobrante, CA The Spawners are a group of volunteers that take care of the San Pablo Creek in West Contra Costa County. Spawners was founded in the year 2000 and has bean taking care of the creek since then. They meet every other month at the El Sobrante Library. The Spawners meet and do their best to educate their community on creek and watershed issues, and if they need to, they work on the creek to remove all the ivy and other invasive plants. Then they plant the native plants that should be there, the ones that help the creek avoid all the problems that may come up. They plant native plants that help stop erosion. Sometimes they test the water to see if it is polluted and deal with other issues during their meetings. Check out the Spawners at their website www.spawners.net or call The Watershed Project for more information.

To view “Spawners” By Tyler Jolley, 6th grade Stewart Middle School, El Sobrante Click on the Camera

I’m Dreaming of a “Green” Christmas

By Katie Salazar, Northgate HS, Walnut Creek

With every December comes the Holiday Season during which people all over the world celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other holidays about sharing good will and cheer. Every year, however, said holidays pose threats to the environment as people use wrapping paper, chop down Christmas trees, and pile into cars to visit family or go shopping.

Luckily, the amount of energy wasted during the festive season can be reduced easily without prohibiting merrymaking. Before going out and buying a card for a loved one, consider choosing a greeting made from recycled paper, many fun cards sold at popular Hallmark and alternate gift stores are made from recycled paper and verification is as simple as checking the back before purchasing.

Also, when delivering gifts to friends consider putting presents in gift bags instead of wrapping paper. Gift bags come in just as many patterns and colors yet are easier to save and re-use for following years (plus no tape or scissors are needed).

Remember when going to parties, to carpool with friends or relatives and spare the air.

Small live Christmas trees can be purchased as well, and come in pots to be placed on crates and decorated as usual. After the holidays the trees can be planted, or donated, so as to be enjoyed all year long.

Many more simple ideas to help keep holidays “green” may be found along with a lesson plan at http://www.rustletheleaf.com/1204_lesson.pdf Have fun and be merry!

Introducing Rustle the Leaf

By Katie Salazar, Northgate HS, Walnut Creek

For budding environmentalists, parents, and teachers looking to motivate children to learn about Green issues http://www.rustletheleaf.com is a website which presents a cute “green” comic weekly. Each comic is based around a health or environmental message and the majority are either sarcastic or giggle provoking.

Along with the website’s trademark comic is a variety of other features including fun lesson plans exploring popular “green” issues, news about upcoming Rustle website improvements and events, and online blogs on topical environmental concerns. “Rustle the Leaf” also provides helpful links to other relating websites and free e-cards for kids to send and enjoy.

Brotherhood

By Kiona Medina, Northgate HS, Walnut Creek

And yet we claim to be sons of Mother Nature when in this morning sky toilet paper stains October leaves symbolizing how high up in the trees our challenge is to bond in brotherhood and clean up the stage. We are the orange leaves of autumn wrapped in our own mistakes suffocating from carelessness and dying away from the chilly winds of time. Mother needs our help to clean up the house And our eyes need our hands to witness clean trees.

"Toilet Paper " By Kiona Medina Horthgate HS Walnut Creek, Ca.

Two Haiku

By Eric Sasse, Monte Vista HS

       Litter flutters past
       Careless children don't realize
       The harm being done

Rushing water falls
Splashing in a vast valley
Lush ferns begin life

Question of the Month

This month Olivia Thomsett asked students at Berkeley HS how they are planning to stay warm and yet conserve energy and heat at the same time.

Jessie Moritz, 12th Grade
Plans on using lots of blankets and jackets to make sure that she and her family can keep the heating/energy bill low.

Ishan Mohindroo, 12th Grade
Lots of warm clothing and hot teas. He will also try to not use the heater anymore than normal.

Jacob Shandling, 11th Grade
Plans on using a down comforter, sweatshirts and less heat. Also, he plans on turning off lights when leaving the room, opening and closing the windows when the heat is on.

Sergio Martinez, 12th Grade
Lots of warn clothes, hot chocolate, and trying to keep the heater off as much as possible.

Mai Saetern, 12th Grade
She plans on sealing the cracks in the windows sills and to make sure no heat gets out by blocking the bottom of doors.

Theo Bogustewski, 12th Grade
Lots of blankets and warm clothes. Keep the windows closed.

Lani Rosenthal, 12th Grade
Wearing lots of layers and turning the heater up.

Jonathan Singer-Vine, 12th Grade
Trying to stay as warm as possible without turning on the heater. Light a nice fire in the fireplace, drink warm drinks, eat soup and wear layers.

Haley Geller, 12th Grade
Make a fire in the fireplace, close the windows and doors, and wear really warm clothes.

Sam Sylvester, 12th Grade
Wear warm clothes. Have a fire in the Pellet Stove.

Hannah Breckler, 12th Grade
Light a fire and use blankets and clothes to stay warm.