tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24313050966562151852024-02-20T10:18:04.448-08:00The Sprouts of HopeSprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-79426088858353650252013-05-16T14:50:00.000-07:002013-05-16T14:50:23.476-07:00A Green Beginning: Cambridge, Harvard and MIT
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Kaya</span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaya and Eliza</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On Monday, May 6<sup>th</sup>,
Eliza and I attended an early morning signing ceremony for the Cambridge
Community Compact for a Sustainable Future. This joint effort is dedicated to creating
a more sustainable future for the City of Cambridge.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayor Henrietta Davis with our quilt</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mayor Henrietta Davis had sent us an invitation to attend, which we accepted with excitement. The
quilt we made and had donated to the City of Cambridge — “Imagine a
Sustainable Life” — had been hung in Mayor Davis’ reception room during March. Perhaps this was her way of saying “thank you” by including us. She knows we care about these issues, so we were happy to be there!</span>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Representatives of the City of
Cambridge, along with the presidents of Harvard University and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) signed the document that expresses
their commitment to work together on climate change and energy sustainability. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The four signatories were City Manager Robert Healy, Mayor Henrietta Davis,
Harvard President Drew Faust, and MIT President Rafael Reif.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city and these educational institutions
had worked on drafting this resolution for more than a year. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: Harvard President Drew Faust, MIT President Rafael Reif, Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis and Cambridge City Manager Robert Healy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The signing ceremony — with
remarks from each of those who signed it — lasted less than an hour. In
her remarks, Mayor Davis emphasized the main points of the Cambridge Community
Compact for a Sustainable Future, which holds each party accountable for making
progress toward achieving certain goals. Broadly, those goals are: </span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Building energy
efficiency</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Climate change
mitigation and preparedness planning</span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Renewable energy
systems</span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sustainable
technology </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Waste management</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Urban natural
resources</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Public information
and education </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Green tech
incubation and promotion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By signing the Compact, MIT and Harvard, as well as the city of
Cambridge, are pledging their contribution towards creating an environmentally
sustainable city. This is a big step for Cambridge, and it shows just how
serious Cambridge is about increasing its sustainability by addressing the
challenges of climate change. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACTg9qM-OMzTaWg6ZZm4xgkw2C-TZPo2hbQHi7UZ95e72A0cHRKMSd5PP6rSmzPEi3Lyxeu-C8PoxOC_ppRSfKzAh-XNOHwBqLVYcXvOa0BizmTeCTsB0TncZ94jvb9t36VUpbGeqEDR4/s1600/IMG_9153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACTg9qM-OMzTaWg6ZZm4xgkw2C-TZPo2hbQHi7UZ95e72A0cHRKMSd5PP6rSmzPEi3Lyxeu-C8PoxOC_ppRSfKzAh-XNOHwBqLVYcXvOa0BizmTeCTsB0TncZ94jvb9t36VUpbGeqEDR4/s400/IMG_9153.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sprouts of Hope with the signatories and other invited guests.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Sprouts of Hope are glad to have witnessed such a remarkable event
and can’t wait to see how the contract comes into play! Great job, Cambridge!</span></div>
Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-14305435410053851772013-03-19T17:22:00.001-07:002013-03-19T17:22:29.942-07:00Donating Our Quilt to the City of Cambridge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnlwUC_ttJLzrXUA7JTl3P7Zi097ETKdJmGtSmPSfnGNruS-i_wxtxGXhxXtt6d7V9wJ5Q5poMwyVnjsfeyyKg2JWaQfOD1CfaQ3UqQKZXF2L9md7eGkkA4w3d6fQ_SYSt_8DgpZpmk5r/s1600/IMG_6928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnlwUC_ttJLzrXUA7JTl3P7Zi097ETKdJmGtSmPSfnGNruS-i_wxtxGXhxXtt6d7V9wJ5Q5poMwyVnjsfeyyKg2JWaQfOD1CfaQ3UqQKZXF2L9md7eGkkA4w3d6fQ_SYSt_8DgpZpmk5r/s200/IMG_6928.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Risa with her likeness</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By Risa</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Finally, the day we'd been pointing toward since we'd begun making our quilt last spring had arrived. At a City Council meeting in Cambridge's City Hall that night, we would donate our quilt — the one we'd name "Imagine a Sustainable Life" — as a lending gift to our hometown, the city of Cambridge. On many Sunday afternoons last spring, we'd worked at the studio of quilt maker Clara Wainwright as she guided us in creating what we'd only imagined. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Before we went before
the City Council, Mayor Henrietta Davis invited us, our family</span> and friends, and City
Council members to attend a reception in her large conference room. This room is
the first stop for our quilt. And it's a terrific first stop
for the quilt as it begins its journey to schools and businesses, parks and
nonprofit organizations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its next stop will be on
the library wall at the school all of us attend, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zfEBGC8I4Jv4_8KwyrwcXXuK6Eu_bvzVFOpotuh13vYOL4h2wCcn4Pva574mlMrhGMfts-wKZXZrPhPTNlJ5dMSSSRuJoUwW0Jkan4cv54F4evVQeL0-kz_kzx4M6tlT1smwG-XdqW5v/s1600/Quilt_Mayor's_office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zfEBGC8I4Jv4_8KwyrwcXXuK6Eu_bvzVFOpotuh13vYOL4h2wCcn4Pva574mlMrhGMfts-wKZXZrPhPTNlJ5dMSSSRuJoUwW0Jkan4cv54F4evVQeL0-kz_kzx4M6tlT1smwG-XdqW5v/s320/Quilt_Mayor's_office.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our quilt hanging in the office of Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you’d like to hang the quilt in
the place where you work or hold meetings, please come to the page on our <a href="http://sproutsofhope123.wix.com/sustainable-life#!page3/cee5">website</a> where you can sign
up to borrow the quilt for the dates that work for you.</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn0sqDatmmXFDOvG_C3i5OO0NB6GvG_1NXcM9gK6LRso4nAWqVYYtTyZPG8FCmKYAz20lzlSs6s0RxVKjXrtVtwS4LzCNBXbugMPtSM2iGMcXabQbE-ZpvIjdgnm1-aX1sCrBofevsceY/s1600/IMG_0323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn0sqDatmmXFDOvG_C3i5OO0NB6GvG_1NXcM9gK6LRso4nAWqVYYtTyZPG8FCmKYAz20lzlSs6s0RxVKjXrtVtwS4LzCNBXbugMPtSM2iGMcXabQbE-ZpvIjdgnm1-aX1sCrBofevsceY/s320/IMG_0323.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mayor asked us to talk about our quilt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mayor Davis stood next to our quilt
and listened as each of us to told her something about how we made it and why
we included what we did in its design. The why part was easy: we believe art
can motivate action, so we hope our quilt will generate community discussion and
provoke action so that together we can make our city the most sustainable place
to live in the entire world. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On the interior border of our quilt
we wrote these words:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A City Thrives
When Its People Replenish What They Use.” On our quilt we have examples of what
those words mean: in one corner there is a pile of compost and on rooftops are
wind turbines; food grows on rooftops, too, and plants climb up the sides of
those same buildings. Like in our main public library, we show how windows can
be build to conserve energy. Then there are bike paths weaving
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xJcOSsC4_sxRPYJJtRO_JKj6FOoR1SgDDEM98bf2fJIOB6U0DwBFwhzWkWVSvT6dWNkRTp2iSGPdH_GIBJFv3nbkuHoJy7_RfyXPJY4YBcTvuhToLZR7YQaaHZr7OxlzBkqh48gOwD5L/s1600/IMG_8412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xJcOSsC4_sxRPYJJtRO_JKj6FOoR1SgDDEM98bf2fJIOB6U0DwBFwhzWkWVSvT6dWNkRTp2iSGPdH_GIBJFv3nbkuHoJy7_RfyXPJY4YBcTvuhToLZR7YQaaHZr7OxlzBkqh48gOwD5L/s200/IMG_8412.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Peace Dove in honor of Roots & Shoots</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDZTeouZ5rF7ZtPRpkROdqytBWxZK27EMmAUH2JrSMpQSWdP7JY8gZyfUhq3uKJAPKo6kybtzZx-IdRdZjt_4vClf-7ku1lcPEfvo1XeJQDVI7ygYiQu5ffbMOrIGsK4pMluhCix9QanO/s1600/IMG_8414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDZTeouZ5rF7ZtPRpkROdqytBWxZK27EMmAUH2JrSMpQSWdP7JY8gZyfUhq3uKJAPKo6kybtzZx-IdRdZjt_4vClf-7ku1lcPEfvo1XeJQDVI7ygYiQu5ffbMOrIGsK4pMluhCix9QanO/s200/IMG_8414.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Chimp — in honor of Dr. Goodall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> We also pay homage to Dr.
Jane Goodall, the founder of Roots & Shoots, by including a chimp that
swings in the sky and a white dove of peace that flies through our city. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Along the bottom of our quilt, we
honor three activists whose dedication to making our world a better place
inspires us: </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wangari Maathai, Dr. Goodall and
Bill McKibben. Earlier this year, soon after we’d finished making our quilt, we
had the opportunity to surprise Bill McKibben when we showed it to him during a
live taping of Boston’s public radio show “On Point.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUJnkLrUi6evC3KSxC_JnClSfnvWUr9ntHud9XKUBFj1Ml2gte3PyesZ_ecG_SyfYpt7y8FWERR56b7J_tsBrH7QfgBRIgE9-EwZW4rsxk8Rjmvc0SG72iNewE-R_M24gYlVcBhajK9XQ/s1600/IMG_7524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUJnkLrUi6evC3KSxC_JnClSfnvWUr9ntHud9XKUBFj1Ml2gte3PyesZ_ecG_SyfYpt7y8FWERR56b7J_tsBrH7QfgBRIgE9-EwZW4rsxk8Rjmvc0SG72iNewE-R_M24gYlVcBhajK9XQ/s400/IMG_7524.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill McKibben sees our quilt — with his image on it, lower left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So on Monday, February 25, we presented
our quilt to the City of Cambridge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each
of us spoke for two minutes, and in that time we conveyed our hope of by giving
“sustainability” visual representation we can inspire people to embrace
sustainable practices in their lives and support sustainable policies in our
city’s life. Here’s what each of us talked about:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO5jT_pQ2dhrfzdj7H16DgybqrcnyP-v27WsVhh588MJpJBLm7OkFPGAUxU__-vka5SJ2A3yzSRt3kvrcDRLxN5vv5sexj4qwVIH-7xHSsb9-6nJjFRKGxai1FmOhqhq86aSTZ-AUVpPs/s1600/IMG_0328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO5jT_pQ2dhrfzdj7H16DgybqrcnyP-v27WsVhh588MJpJBLm7OkFPGAUxU__-vka5SJ2A3yzSRt3kvrcDRLxN5vv5sexj4qwVIH-7xHSsb9-6nJjFRKGxai1FmOhqhq86aSTZ-AUVpPs/s400/IMG_0328.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilly and Maya are the first to speak to the City Council about our quilt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Lilly went first, so she introduced
us at The Sprouts of Hope, thanked the City Council for doing what they have
done to promote sustainability, and told the members that we’d made our quilt
as our way of helping in this important cause.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Maya was next, and she focused on
steps the City Council has taken with sustainability, talked about ways that
kids in Cambridge can be partners in these efforts, and reminded them of the
<a href="http://www3.cpsd.us/pledge">sustainability pledge </a>that Kristen Von Hoffmann created for students but how
everyone should use it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Risa offered some suggestions
of how sustainability can become a top priority for the city. She proposed that
one City Council meeting each year be devoted solely to the topic of
sustainability, as people in the community bring their ideas and experiences to
the City Council. She also urged the city to sponsor a contest for people of
all ages to create sustainability logos that could be put on t-shirts. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kaya then spoke about why it’s so
important for sustainability to be taught in the schools — and starting with
kids when they are very, very young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
pointed out that because her K-8 school King Open was the first one to do
composting in their cafeteria, they learned when they were younger — and now
they do it easily, whereas some kids who are at the high school who didn’t
learn how to compost have a harder time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The last one of us to speak was
Eliza who emphasized our greater goal for the quilt. She talked about how much
we hope that people who see our quilt will be inspired to think more about
sustainability in their lives and then act in ways that conserve energy,
replenish what we use, and make our city “green.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This is not the first time The
Sprouts of Hope have spoken about environmental issues at a city meeting. Six
years ago we went to the Cambridge School Committee and <a href="http://sproutsofhopekids.blogspot.com/2008/12/lunch-trays-to-composting.html">the changes we asked to have happen </a>then have turned into the district-wide composting program now being used by
six of the city’s schools. Composting in our schools has transformed tons of
food waste into soil. So it felt good to be giving back to the community with
our gift of this quilt. It’s our way of encouraging positive change.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmE6UQnMibucAqHxyP-fL99qqgfnMnZ8sUGi0Y6us99jis30MXDJGZW03CKmkQ5fFoUjEKiX7iuMcV6POAk-a2BDQ_7AGyAHlgmBsfNxmeTENASQgl2V8M2EKhvErsTFSZP5TyefF6LdF/s1600/IMG_0113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmE6UQnMibucAqHxyP-fL99qqgfnMnZ8sUGi0Y6us99jis30MXDJGZW03CKmkQ5fFoUjEKiX7iuMcV6POAk-a2BDQ_7AGyAHlgmBsfNxmeTENASQgl2V8M2EKhvErsTFSZP5TyefF6LdF/s400/IMG_0113.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sprouts of Hope address the School Committee in 2008. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We hope that our quilt inspires
large and small changes within the city of Cambridge, and pushes all of us
forward on the replenishing path of sustainability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
</div>
Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-15219625738515566672012-07-01T13:37:00.003-07:002012-08-09T08:40:50.627-07:00The Sprouts of Hope's Quilt and Bill McKibben<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnaZf5EWm4wbY5dGEoDgwpu5tPIU6ivOutj4hrrk-EmJiuSpW1Eu8cx71yorbGLxFvp5uZzI8C3epb0FrG87XrTTWEZOmW2ivCGwjIR2SOSGFv38fEznU6yDRpdgZxmYrh9aXB52uEoIU/s1600/IMG_7023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnaZf5EWm4wbY5dGEoDgwpu5tPIU6ivOutj4hrrk-EmJiuSpW1Eu8cx71yorbGLxFvp5uZzI8C3epb0FrG87XrTTWEZOmW2ivCGwjIR2SOSGFv38fEznU6yDRpdgZxmYrh9aXB52uEoIU/s200/IMG_7023.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #38761d;">
<h3>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">Unveiling Our Quilt on WBUR's show "On Point"</span></b></h3>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">By Maya</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">On the evening of June 14 the
Sprouts of Hope had a remarkable experience. We were asked to join WBUR’s On
Point radio host Tom Ashbrook and climate change activist Bill McKibben at a
live show they were doing at the Paramount Center in Boston. First Tom and Bill
did their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/06/15/bill-mckibben">hour-long interview for On Point</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"> for broadcast the next morning. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp0eWBAhDUuMepyhyphenhyphenKcgXXiqdbJGS0LOAYd3jqUyDiFQShMaekpfspbhUNSQKORVwXq4eI6EjFauXs8-XEd4ZquGdxmrG3a6q43cEI2biFSBr5Ohf4bWul7ji_H814_mukEbMS67p4xC6/s1600/Tom_Bill_On+Point.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp0eWBAhDUuMepyhyphenhyphenKcgXXiqdbJGS0LOAYd3jqUyDiFQShMaekpfspbhUNSQKORVwXq4eI6EjFauXs8-XEd4ZquGdxmrG3a6q43cEI2biFSBr5Ohf4bWul7ji_H814_mukEbMS67p4xC6/s320/Tom_Bill_On+Point.tiff" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Ashbrook interviews Bill McKibben on WBUR's "On Point"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">As soon as they finished, and in
front of the audience of several hundred people who had donated to WBUR to
attend this live show, the Sprouts of Hope were invited to come out on stage so that we could present our sustainability quilt to Bill McKibben. He is one of three people
who have inspired us because of their environmental work and whose portraits we
feature on our quilt.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">To the sounds of loud
music with African drums, we came on stage carrying our unopened quilt. After
Tom introduced us, I said a few words about our quilt project and then we
opened it so that Bill — and the audience —could see it. As we did, the audience
applauded loudly. I pointed to the bottom of the quilt so Bill could see his
portrait; it appears under the words “We are the Sprouts of Hope. These are our
inspirations.” His portrait is next to Jane Goodall, known for her groundbreaking study
of chimpanzees (and to us as the founder of Roots & Shoots), who is next to
Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, who won the award for the Green Belt
Movement she founded in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_WpXtKJEnp3m193JfaFzZQ8hRspddq3ZCUlpR7AfVVJSkBEb6QcNALLiJc_585DWN3iykpiFKOs4Lhrd5BAv8v74L8YDD05GFGn9-v5giqz1wnpXbqzCzRAD7wx27Jlgr8F5cOMUMZTp/s1600/IMG_7524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_WpXtKJEnp3m193JfaFzZQ8hRspddq3ZCUlpR7AfVVJSkBEb6QcNALLiJc_585DWN3iykpiFKOs4Lhrd5BAv8v74L8YDD05GFGn9-v5giqz1wnpXbqzCzRAD7wx27Jlgr8F5cOMUMZTp/s400/IMG_7524.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is when we could tell Bill McKibben liked our quilt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrzAHnZKehYFvo_oi4rIgLM-H5DPksuiQypiziKV4yuh4UPSbFAEtwlKmHhNxc8jcC5qfjlRigsvnf-JBqOtX4X5kq_gsh5JaSYc2uIFTi6zJCbFvFsdZUk__vSXNglYjpunpuCUugvGS/s1600/StepItUp_Walk_Banner(1)+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrzAHnZKehYFvo_oi4rIgLM-H5DPksuiQypiziKV4yuh4UPSbFAEtwlKmHhNxc8jcC5qfjlRigsvnf-JBqOtX4X5kq_gsh5JaSYc2uIFTi6zJCbFvFsdZUk__vSXNglYjpunpuCUugvGS/s320/StepItUp_Walk_Banner(1)+copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Kids For Stopping Global Warming, April 14, 2007</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Tom asked us questions
about why we made the quilt and our goals for how it will be used. He wanted to
know why we decided to put Bill our quilt? We first came to know about Bill’s efforts
to engage people in doing something to halt global warming when we were in
elementary school and he did his<a href="http://april.stepitup2007.org/article.php?list=type&type=8"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Step It Up campaign</b></a> on April 14, 2007. The Sprouts organized a kids’ march to fight
global warming on this National Day of Climate Action. A lot of kids and families joined us to march from MIT to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://events.stepitup2007.org/april/reports/573">Boston Common rally</a> </b>where we heard speakers and we were interviewed about our march. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The Step It Up
campaign truly got us into the mindset that kids do make a difference when they
get involved in these issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">During the On Point
interview that night we learned about McKibben’s on-going work with <b><a href="http://www.350.org/about">his organization</a></b> 350.org. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">He chose that
number because 350 parts per million is the level of CO2 in the atmosphere that
we have to get down to in order to preserve the planet. However, there are
currently about 392 parts per million of CO2. Tom also talked with him about efforts
to stop the Keystone pipeline. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3enZXKVuVrtgcM2wM4cr5LFNl23F85hZ3Aob2vbc1PhLpUXSIdUAMUkOHBmFo0J5m2tiVaAuBk09dgGDxHJUxJeH6ghtYPlsGqkSs-dIDu51iahcTTbwA8Eva2u26LZHqxbGiJLpvAADM/s1600/Scan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3enZXKVuVrtgcM2wM4cr5LFNl23F85hZ3Aob2vbc1PhLpUXSIdUAMUkOHBmFo0J5m2tiVaAuBk09dgGDxHJUxJeH6ghtYPlsGqkSs-dIDu51iahcTTbwA8Eva2u26LZHqxbGiJLpvAADM/s320/Scan.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sprouts of Hope's Business Card</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The audience seemed to
love our quilt —judging by the loud sustained applause they gave us when we
opened it to show Bill. He also seemed quite pleased with it and liked having
his portrait on it. Backstage, we with
him talked and gave him a Sprouts of Hope card so we can stay in contact. We’d
like to work with him on his 350.org campaign. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">My mom sent him photographs
of our time together, and here is what he wrote back:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">“</span>These
are so lovely. Would you please tell the girls that I saw Jane G. in Istanbul
on Tuesday and told her all about our evening, and she sent her love. (She even
let me give my talk there with her stuffed monkey on the podium!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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p.s. Just tweeted out a link to the
Sprouts’ blog —people deserve to know about the great work you are doing.<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The whole experience was exceedingly
fun. Hopefully this quilt will serve as a vision of what sustainability looks
like in a city like Cambridge, and encourage kids and adults to act in ways
that make our hometown — and other communities — more sustainable places
to live. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RDb74ECQLuwVSsGIwfyRYB023B7GKU2qlijJuRT99m8qFvlIL2HTob2qsQsZwOojbLez7wgeCjO65qpIfPVu3q4tmtJDMebqjoC5ukMUNfyTEYU6qwrVZbKWfqko28f4GUhduzMxj-wW/s1600/IMG_7527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RDb74ECQLuwVSsGIwfyRYB023B7GKU2qlijJuRT99m8qFvlIL2HTob2qsQsZwOojbLez7wgeCjO65qpIfPVu3q4tmtJDMebqjoC5ukMUNfyTEYU6qwrVZbKWfqko28f4GUhduzMxj-wW/s320/IMG_7527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Ashbrook (left), The Sprouts of Hope and our quilt and Bill McKibben at the live WBUR "On Point" event on June 14, 2012.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-49494488302069652942012-07-01T13:36:00.001-07:002012-07-01T13:36:34.645-07:00Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-84406042088885489352012-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:002012-07-22T07:37:01.750-07:00Learning From Gloria Steinem's Experiences<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><b>Tea with Gloria Steinem</b></span></div>
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<i>On Friday afternoon, April 20th, The Sprouts of Hope, had tea with Gloria Steinem at the New York City apartment where we were staying. This gathering happened because Jane O'Reilly, a longtime friend of Gloria's from their days working together as journalists on Ms. Magazine, wrote to her friend and asked her. Gloria said "Yes." Jane asked her because it had become apparent that the Sprouts had not learned about America's second wave of feminism, despite having been taught in middle school about the women who led the first wave of feminism during the suffrage movement. Yet, it is because of the efforts of Gloria and her feminist colleagues that girls growing up now experience an equality of opportunity that was unimaginable to her generation when they were this age in the 1950s.</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By Maya<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Having the opportunity to meet Gloria Steinem and Jane
O’Reilly was truly a wonderful experience.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq-TovcuXk2Vs2fL4xqtaFIMXUvHuXqarrJVJUo5W1cc68ffrVzcQdiUyIB_IyNMwU56Q1HMt3KWA2zUMvwAzR-isj4FxNzKjEFrNa-XHVd8qvuiKzNYTNmKurrBNTzsVNBbveAPO87bu/s1600/IMG_7158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq-TovcuXk2Vs2fL4xqtaFIMXUvHuXqarrJVJUo5W1cc68ffrVzcQdiUyIB_IyNMwU56Q1HMt3KWA2zUMvwAzR-isj4FxNzKjEFrNa-XHVd8qvuiKzNYTNmKurrBNTzsVNBbveAPO87bu/s320/IMG_7158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longtime friends: Gloria Steinem (left) and Jane O'Reilly</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Listening to them made me realize how far women
have come in the last half century and how far there is still to go. I was inspired by their writings and their life journeys, and by their ability to maintain humble and humorous
personalities. Gloria told us a story about helping women who'd been forced into sex trafficking by building an electric fence, and that story taught me a lot about why listening is the essential first step in helping anybody. I never would have thought keeping elephants out of maize fields
could be a solution to the sex trafficking of women.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
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In listening to these two women tell us about their lives, I learned much
about how to be a leader and work toward making effective change. Jane’s cover
story on the first issue of Ms. Magazine — about the housewife's predetermined role in society — intrigued me. I read her article, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_94560617">"</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/46167/">The Housewife's Moment of Truth,"</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">before I met her. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPIfhGTon6WrtfAZyU4lH9riR-vhg7UvTRNPksDJsteIwPsuykiEtdbLmbSC-28bsvw984h0ZCiw3Fmde25YpM_xivgDIsNiY5xjv_KmgJu_Fst5i6w3Momp9pjQJ1fdg4KhVYQEiAWKW/s1600/Jane's+story.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPIfhGTon6WrtfAZyU4lH9riR-vhg7UvTRNPksDJsteIwPsuykiEtdbLmbSC-28bsvw984h0ZCiw3Fmde25YpM_xivgDIsNiY5xjv_KmgJu_Fst5i6w3Momp9pjQJ1fdg4KhVYQEiAWKW/s320/Jane's+story.tiff" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane O'Reilly's Ms. Magazine article about housewives. It was this new magazine's first cover story when it was published in December 1971.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Jane wrote about how l</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ittle things that used to happen to housewives every day were one day transformed into moments when the women experienced a “click” that made them realize that their lives as women didn’t need to be the way they were.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Gloria suggested we read one of her essays, <a href="http://www.haverford.edu/psych/ddavis/p109g/steinem.menstruate.html">"If Men Could Menstruate," </a>before we met her, and I was glad she did. It is not something I would have found on my own, and yet I enjoyed the perspective that her words gave us.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It has taken me some time for my brain to “click” and
realize that just a few weeks ago I sat in a four-story walk-up in New York City eating
crackers and Italian pastries with these two remarkable women.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>By
Lilly</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Meeting
with Ms. Steinem completely changed how I thought of women’s rights today. I
had previously assumed that we were past all the big leaps that had to be
taken. All around me, I see women in successful and powerful positions in
society with rights completely equal to those of men. However, she made me see
that we still have a ways to go. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In other countries and even our own, sex trafficking is a huge problem.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> And w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">omen who work in all kinds of jobs still get paid lower wages than men. And even in our own community, it can be harder
for girls just to participate in sports. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">All of this is not to say that Ms.
Steinem was in any way discouraging. She did raise my awareness about new
issues, but not without providing ideas and solutions. She was incredibly warm
and easy to hold a conversation with, not at all intimidating or superior. It
was really a wonderful and valuable experience to have as a girl in this
time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J_2YRhyphenhyphenDMU0yTVFntT8tXDGp8wwNMREE8iu3cvUjd3rVNHD9nk9Rj5Wj71-2W3H1wbCRRsHUckpiiQVtFWr5IOVvaFzgOKg7s-LqiKxN4BCmVvHe-z0L8fJgJlZPUgfs2xAlpLYfDiRM/s1600/IMG_7152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J_2YRhyphenhyphenDMU0yTVFntT8tXDGp8wwNMREE8iu3cvUjd3rVNHD9nk9Rj5Wj71-2W3H1wbCRRsHUckpiiQVtFWr5IOVvaFzgOKg7s-LqiKxN4BCmVvHe-z0L8fJgJlZPUgfs2xAlpLYfDiRM/s320/IMG_7152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right, Lilly, Gloria, Kaya, Risa, Maya</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By Risa</b></span></div>
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When Ms. Steinem stepped out of the taxi, I was surprised by
her youthfulness, and by how relaxed and collected she seemed. I feel very honored
that she took the time to sit and talk with us, especially because she had just
come back from a trip overseas. I was inspired by how she approaches situations — with a
clear and open mind. She is a strong and opinionated woman; I am sure that when
she sets her mind to doing something, she does not stop until it’s been
achieved. </div>
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Yet, the message that will stay with me forever that took away from
our conversation is the importance of listening, especially to people who you think
might want your help. She is a great storyteller. In response to a question that Jane O'Reilly's granddaughter Elena asked her — about how Westerners often seem to arrive in foreign countries with an idea already in their heads of how they are going to help people they've never met — Gloria told us a great story about how the complex problem of women being trafficked for sex had been solved by something as simple as a fence. It wasn't a solution anyone would have thought of unless they talked and listened carefully about the situation that women in this village were experiencing. Turns out that the women couldn't plant and harvest their maize crop — and with it feed their families — unless they find a way to stop elephants from coming into their fields.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFi9DEhg_eKE0UowMO2ffG2TsUiT3wvRC4-ChtDcS1Cd1UHE6-usbPpO86QG7XJcW7g-L6iTBCYOrfckLHpEkBMDkfewY_2l4Gms6pREEPL0Cn8py8oT4ymSBcsPUzv6gN2283-bpyFOi/s1600/elephant+and+fence.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFi9DEhg_eKE0UowMO2ffG2TsUiT3wvRC4-ChtDcS1Cd1UHE6-usbPpO86QG7XJcW7g-L6iTBCYOrfckLHpEkBMDkfewY_2l4Gms6pREEPL0Cn8py8oT4ymSBcsPUzv6gN2283-bpyFOi/s320/elephant+and+fence.tiff" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An electric fence is able to prevent elephants from going into areas where they will damage crops.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The lesson I took away from this story is that only by listening to and talking with someone and taking time to understand a
situation completely is it possible to know how to help in ways that will be effective.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By Kaya <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Gloria
Steinem told us about some of the ways she is working to stop the trafficking
of women and girls for sex. She described a trip to India she had just returned
from when <a href="http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120422/jsp/calcutta/story_15393912.jsp#.T6WRWr-hCJg">she talked with trafficked women</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1ascC1fP459ojl73sVnmDdrVm7dqOWL02Cwi3RTLgFeq3ApJiSXMqlko24Jt14AVlic1MMyVq3JaTE6nCWJrPwzxtlGLlxzAqPRb5f0H_8A44uWkCAxYpAISXVXDBt2mTe5Vx2iPnd3W/s1600/Gloria_India.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1ascC1fP459ojl73sVnmDdrVm7dqOWL02Cwi3RTLgFeq3ApJiSXMqlko24Jt14AVlic1MMyVq3JaTE6nCWJrPwzxtlGLlxzAqPRb5f0H_8A44uWkCAxYpAISXVXDBt2mTe5Vx2iPnd3W/s1600/Gloria_India.tiff" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruchira Gupta is president of Apen Aap and devotes her energies to ending the trafficking of women in India.</td></tr>
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Gloria explained to us that Americans
do not realize how women are forced into selling their bodies for sex; the
women are not doing this out of their own free will. Today millions of humans
throughout the world are being trafficked, including in the United States. Gloria
let us know the astonishing fact that the average age at which children are
first trafficked in the United States is 12 to 13, and they are eve younger
when it happens to them in India.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We sipped tea and munching on cheese & crackers and pastries we'd chosen at Ferrara's in Little Italy when we went there on Thursday night.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE1TaL92S7uc7AD-iKDwQENa-sD7lMaHYmHa3BSjizpNKotvLUDYpkjSlc4HjuFA9Ucjt4FpuO1usJAM6OtNZ_rvEAz2wOcOEnuExTH8lQEHnn3h0OKPi-ulL5c6Kg9IhURzbLODDeYxO/s1600/April+Break+2012+%28Beach+&+NYC%29+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE1TaL92S7uc7AD-iKDwQENa-sD7lMaHYmHa3BSjizpNKotvLUDYpkjSlc4HjuFA9Ucjt4FpuO1usJAM6OtNZ_rvEAz2wOcOEnuExTH8lQEHnn3h0OKPi-ulL5c6Kg9IhURzbLODDeYxO/s320/April+Break+2012+%28Beach+&+NYC%29+048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The pastries we had to choose from at Ferrara's in New York City's Little Italy.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And we discussed with Gloria and her friend Jane O’Reilly our thoughts about feminism and the lives of girls and women today. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It was an
inspirational to spend this time with Gloria Steinem whose life is such a terrific
example for us to emulate. Not only was Gloria full of stories and fascinating information,
but she is also delightfully funny—scattering jokes and good humor throughout our conversation! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I enjoyed
every second we spent with her, and I learned a lot about feminism in the past <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> today. All of what we talked about
made me think about how I interact with sexism I see happening in my life and
feminism in our society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Unfortunately,
teenagers and children growing up now do not know much about Gloria Steinem,
and this is a shame. Everyone should know about her so they can be inspired by
how she has spent her lifetime dedicated to securing equal rights for women;
what she did many years ago is why I and so many other girls have the
opportunities we do today. She devoted her life to being an advocate for change,
and she has succeeded in many magnificent ways. I am so grateful I had this
amazing opportunity to spend time talking with this inspirational woman. Thank
you, Gloria!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxnpPiBAm5ycEgyc-bWhvxSkwh5fkgqvsogUNkQgz1Q0nRSwGDxC9UbqCxYAcZ-pbuk-PzV1Ey5uCJ5XD2t53qNtKIS8tBGHbMSeEAtKCHx0KVk0x_zz-JyUDX6aBGz2tVzmbNIjo_-QU/s1600/IMG_7156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxnpPiBAm5ycEgyc-bWhvxSkwh5fkgqvsogUNkQgz1Q0nRSwGDxC9UbqCxYAcZ-pbuk-PzV1Ey5uCJ5XD2t53qNtKIS8tBGHbMSeEAtKCHx0KVk0x_zz-JyUDX6aBGz2tVzmbNIjo_-QU/s320/IMG_7156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right, Elena, Melissa, Lilly, Gloria, Kaya, Risa and Maya.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-55303136010862705822012-05-05T12:23:00.001-07:002012-05-18T09:30:53.801-07:00Sprouts of Hope:Sustainability Quilt Project<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Our Quilt Is Finished</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></span><br />
<b>By Kaya</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAfgp7ZoFkQY41VrC2VGG-DY4jukD6UjP04CuJ3vC9S6FpHMCc0n9XViMbm8n54Z7qh_NmzmYXIqs5slSOwEIHj_toW5zNxN5USGpTiYTr7aZ10QD2SE3mWvnYcel711rE8RoSOxd7FuI/s1600/IMG_7247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAfgp7ZoFkQY41VrC2VGG-DY4jukD6UjP04CuJ3vC9S6FpHMCc0n9XViMbm8n54Z7qh_NmzmYXIqs5slSOwEIHj_toW5zNxN5USGpTiYTr7aZ10QD2SE3mWvnYcel711rE8RoSOxd7FuI/s200/IMG_7247.JPG" width="200" /></a>After Maya carefully fit and wrote the letters of our sustainability message around the border of our quilt — A City Thrives When Its People Replenish What They Use — and Risa put glasses on Bill McKibben, <span class="Apple-style-span"> our sustainability quilt was finished.</span><br />
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After many Sunday afternoons spent quilting
with Clara Wainwright, by the end of this day we could stand back and look at what we'd created — a quilt decorated with ‘green’
buildings, bike paths, rooftop gardens, a peace dove, a chimpanzee, and a compost dump. On its big border we have portraits of us and three people whose life work inspires us — Jane Goodall, Bill McKibben, and Wangari Maathai.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Our quilt embodies our vision of what a more sustainable way of living might look like — in Cambridge, and other places — one day soon. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">At the top is the title we gave our quilt: “Imagine a Sustainable Life.” </span><br />
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We set out to make this quilt with the hope that its visual message will inspire others to imagine what our world could be like if we thought and acted in ways that are more
environmentally friendly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZaBcRCK2_J8-WA9kL38tfnpz1QsbQFDuYo2XEhkoMpovEm1gavSUdRO0tvVfF9KKRsHCrrIG38-MazRw7CbAJ7Y6WrJlMC6An2kw4uyPi79nBu6hXH8Ll8nyAztMf2OUe4__1qpNBUWX/s1600/IMG_7244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZaBcRCK2_J8-WA9kL38tfnpz1QsbQFDuYo2XEhkoMpovEm1gavSUdRO0tvVfF9KKRsHCrrIG38-MazRw7CbAJ7Y6WrJlMC6An2kw4uyPi79nBu6hXH8Ll8nyAztMf2OUe4__1qpNBUWX/s200/IMG_7244.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span">Parts of our quilt hold special meaning for us: the chimpanzee swinging from the tree speaks to our five years of involvement (as the Sprouts of Hope) with Roots and Shoots, an organization founded by Dr.
Jane Goodall; the greenhouses on buildings' rooftops give us hope that one day organic
gardens, watered by rainwater, will give us more access to locally grown vegetables and fruits.</span><br />
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Our plan is to lend our quilt to different organizations and projects
related to sustainability issues. (We are going to create a website so people who want to borrow it can make such a request.) We want our quilt to inspire others and teach
others of what it means to be green — and do so in an urban environment.<br />
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We hope when people look at the quilt,
they will see what we hope to see in the future—a sustainable city.<br />
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Our beautiful quilt would never have
been created without the amazing Clara Wainwright. Thank you Clara, for
everything you’ve done for us!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Building Our Quilt's Border</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEz2lz7Ta7hc5drAdepbq_1Jc05q6Dc42gaMNO0r8M2twgGhbkSTncYh79NknhcPc9QCcuP1PgAcxp8GQsoLNlwsTAnLeaJO7gwTia5bEWlVMXB5_ET4Cz7a6A9KG4sbLIug2MOJQBT5R/s1600/IMG_6928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEz2lz7Ta7hc5drAdepbq_1Jc05q6Dc42gaMNO0r8M2twgGhbkSTncYh79NknhcPc9QCcuP1PgAcxp8GQsoLNlwsTAnLeaJO7gwTia5bEWlVMXB5_ET4Cz7a6A9KG4sbLIug2MOJQBT5R/s200/IMG_6928.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;">By Risa<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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When we started working on
our quilt again, the center of it and the portraits were almost finished, so we
spent the time focusing on the quilt’s bigger border. We decided to have a
fairly simple design, which incorporates the ideas of the quilt. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Edible plants embody our idea
of a sustainable world because plants are good for the environment <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> they help feed people in healthy
ways. So tomato and sunflower plants now surround our sustainable city. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4wdxGAFxc5OzRK0gMo-6uOLJVF_KwyZYY96UPVMJAsy913o1CprEsmhIAc68YaaCPg85lx4hlxp1jbb2qTp_W-IuLgSxer_1KELuEpTT6X7Gp25lWnTNpRVAOnXl2pcdAycSmQPe7NfM/s1600/sunflower_tomato.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4wdxGAFxc5OzRK0gMo-6uOLJVF_KwyZYY96UPVMJAsy913o1CprEsmhIAc68YaaCPg85lx4hlxp1jbb2qTp_W-IuLgSxer_1KELuEpTT6X7Gp25lWnTNpRVAOnXl2pcdAycSmQPe7NfM/s200/sunflower_tomato.tiff" width="190" /></a></div>
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Portraits we'd made of Dr. Jane Goodall, Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, and
environmental activist Bill McKibben appear across the bottom border of our
quilt. They can be identified by their faces, we hope, but if not, then by their names that we will put under them. We still need to put glasses on Bill McKibben.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJuEEJbVKW4ZTaOZnJwDmez1qG0jJ4W2pYDF6zVakHcg7IzxgbQRDySgOJWtcUAwgfP78_hBRV5hOXt1j561YE3Nd2b2RUFtLbHXClvirG0yo4tchIT9qXSEY34P8_4053AgthDPH1HB1/s1600/Three_Portraits.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJuEEJbVKW4ZTaOZnJwDmez1qG0jJ4W2pYDF6zVakHcg7IzxgbQRDySgOJWtcUAwgfP78_hBRV5hOXt1j561YE3Nd2b2RUFtLbHXClvirG0yo4tchIT9qXSEY34P8_4053AgthDPH1HB1/s320/Three_Portraits.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
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We
want our quilt to get people thinking, but not because they are trying to
figure out who is on it! What we hope they will think about is about what it
means to imagine a sustainable life.</div>
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Maya made an
adorable chimpanzee who swings from a tree in the center of the quilt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYbA1Rqm2mnqJSKIlS1Qfdq5oJUaqcPwrgPNFaASnrG02O8XWG9JoMjAZCjSjgpGTPaD9NxnMc-B20PTE9b7n0UPg_m3urhyphenhyphenIFFkyR9puh82QZNVe-ZyYIfDF5qYySEsjccNu2_4yeSXZ/s1600/IMG_7179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDYbA1Rqm2mnqJSKIlS1Qfdq5oJUaqcPwrgPNFaASnrG02O8XWG9JoMjAZCjSjgpGTPaD9NxnMc-B20PTE9b7n0UPg_m3urhyphenhyphenIFFkyR9puh82QZNVe-ZyYIfDF5qYySEsjccNu2_4yeSXZ/s320/IMG_7179.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The
chimpanzee is a symbol of Roots & Shoots because of the devotion that its
founder, Dr. Jane Goodall, has to helping chimpanzees with whom she studied and
lived for so many years. The chimpanzee is on Roots & Shoots emblem. We also
want to make the city an animal friendly place. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqcPOZvmaIVMJ997BWl4xnGTSGwvB2UhgldxKTw2n73eJQX-rQITPhlIP1oR8NxletdYl5pUqmv-mlbcyLVm-p-Q8C4eN_yGRWYJcg9FnsKB6aAgKhugg5gm20tWS9LhoOA7wuHmGMBQ/s1600/Quilt+Title.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqcPOZvmaIVMJ997BWl4xnGTSGwvB2UhgldxKTw2n73eJQX-rQITPhlIP1oR8NxletdYl5pUqmv-mlbcyLVm-p-Q8C4eN_yGRWYJcg9FnsKB6aAgKhugg5gm20tWS9LhoOA7wuHmGMBQ/s320/Quilt+Title.tiff" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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The quilt’s title—Imagining a
Sustainable Life — is written across the top of our quilt. Its letters are cut
out of a cool, red flowery fabric. The title grabs the eye's attention, but doesn't distract from other intricacies of the quilt. This time we added a few small details, such as clothes hanging on the clothesline, so most of the time we were either cutting fabric or gluing what we'd cut to the quilt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUiVJW6IuWOs6Qc8OSaz4TURR1mR8c400ttNgeKhNoilXnJkhPPXI1boIugcyPBsducwshmENxUzJVAa5b5N25pKf9ELiYj9mcEPEpHjvTCfJjTWFtEd76nUZPLszHA2vkHwwc9lUSksL/s1600/IMG_7172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUiVJW6IuWOs6Qc8OSaz4TURR1mR8c400ttNgeKhNoilXnJkhPPXI1boIugcyPBsducwshmENxUzJVAa5b5N25pKf9ELiYj9mcEPEpHjvTCfJjTWFtEd76nUZPLszHA2vkHwwc9lUSksL/s320/IMG_7172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In what seems like a very
short time, we’ve created this quilt — with the step-by-step gentle guidance of
Clara Wainwright. A few weeks ago we were playing with the fabric, trying to
come up with a vision for the quilt. Now we’ve added a border to our central
design on the quilt and that is giving it new dimensions we had not even
imagined a few weeks ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ADaiKRkjV44za7zfgnM_MpvMMMxAqoX_fO-ce_4dUqKcLWx7IPgOU63V3l39kQ2oMPbT4mQa-oQanacAhnXRl04kWXdi7Xb5OQWcbJFhcrdxoR1hQcUXnbZYb33wQLL1HjXQQir-lMHX/s1600/IMG_7165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ADaiKRkjV44za7zfgnM_MpvMMMxAqoX_fO-ce_4dUqKcLWx7IPgOU63V3l39kQ2oMPbT4mQa-oQanacAhnXRl04kWXdi7Xb5OQWcbJFhcrdxoR1hQcUXnbZYb33wQLL1HjXQQir-lMHX/s320/IMG_7165.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next time we go to Clara’s
studio, we will put the finishing touches on our quilt. Then we need to figure
out how to share it with people in Cambridge, which was our goal from the
start.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-48085628940987103452012-04-19T06:40:00.011-07:002012-04-19T07:09:14.659-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Sustainability Quilt Project<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-size:130%;" ><b>Adding Detail to Our Quilt</b></span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b>By Maya</b></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWToBOAxN8wrda7_sg9sRhD1fQGIMlP98YryneQgEn364qAO8NAmHsPUEZJ_M9qxi8Bf2iwOFMU6TaNU3dgsnC-GLHOGkNs7h98k0VHJowFT2tLZG8YXUYcaaITh2au7iG29wfcjT_p7Go/s200/IMG_6913.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733112079105397314" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">At our 6<sup>th</sup> quilt meeting with Clara, we began to add detail to the city. Windows, clotheslines, gardens, and wind turbines went up on the rooftops. Kaya created a peace dove representing the many peace dove parades we have been a part of through Roots and Shoots. The dove flies with a banner behind her with the words of our Sprouts of Hope motto written on it,</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Have a dream. Make a difference.”</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdS_fgIqR_-8fppNjijOE1X_uSuV6HoYfpKuOVrWisypp78ENTlq2gS8sIkNDUCHkK15cIDobvoai6BFomplGGA0Gl6-UeKlMyS9IKQLiPuLjyKH5mN8Nq6IY7oNce-1Sn73VfAcsZ_z6/s200/compost_quilt.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733112987970696770" /><p class="MsoNormal">Risa created a bike path that zigs and zags through the air — a way for us to make visual our hope that people will figure out all sorts of new ways to move around the city.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> I designed a compost heap full of worms and decomposing food. The mound symbolizes our efforts to get composting into the Cambridge public school cafeterias, so that they can be sustainable in disposing of the tons of food waste. And we put solar blinds on a few of the buildings to show how glad we are that our new public library in Cambridge was built in ways that are so energy efficient.</p><div><br /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocKOItc8eoNpGnznswaNakDOLRPaeVx_ZAyimHvXJToVjt33_JUy4tnKqI_ZMTkc-GJhlGavuwrqe7F2MTAOqH-nleZW4MAclFXKjsyvbEgh6V_nonNLwJ8XPRQwzzPoxHCuEiZA3DaZO/s200/IMG_7126.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733110909410671746" />Clara assembled the portraits we had made and showed up how they will look along the rim of the quilt. She added a thin blue boarder where we are planning to write some form of a story. We made portraits of inspiring environmentalists. Risa did one of Bill McKibben, Clara did one of Wangari Maathai, and I did one of Jane Goodall. All the portraits came out great, and will hopefully be easily recognizable.<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcqmXsyins6UkfQnOP2DWxcHTRVGnBbIf-ooCiPrzzocDz4kzfdTmHxy52FT1hzdhIsmRTwVYJt40Hhn5wQnjpR4Hkt_i08msgtcUcg0V3RkA9uV2SF2o9atex8BuunV176qDIwMMpdk2/s320/IMG_7136.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733110564696619698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">Our next step is coming up with a title — possibly in the form of a question — that embodies the message of the quilt. The quilt is coming along nicely, but there is still a lot of work to do to develop our futuristic sustainable city.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiioKzk3HL4UTI00kDbexfAi_Ws0euLZJkK21WtiwMc36zmm2xc36hRp-0rws15Ljx5ijNgxnP1AGSj7pq1TlX-Ajr2iBvhMmwzOLM2eW_VSQgy4ZP68NjtadyMsEQqHOBSLj6xoVxnPoHd/s400/IMG_7138.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733110140534386466" /></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-1837553376549392932012-04-15T08:59:00.011-07:002012-04-15T09:30:06.468-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Sustainability Quilt Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2MAhhMPzj2ENTyMvmkQVPb77scXcSiZ-LrqTlrjHBpObM9sKQHcnCvAnXd0bbRDVGW63aozpP8HGuZIQm_Kh2UMDetdHjVfWaQ_Tf81gufuIHGtOeEa_zNa3zDLDN1wJfO9N7c0KIYRU/s1600/IMG_7098.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2MAhhMPzj2ENTyMvmkQVPb77scXcSiZ-LrqTlrjHBpObM9sKQHcnCvAnXd0bbRDVGW63aozpP8HGuZIQm_Kh2UMDetdHjVfWaQ_Tf81gufuIHGtOeEa_zNa3zDLDN1wJfO9N7c0KIYRU/s200/IMG_7098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731665356355774258" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); line-height: 18px; font-size:large;"><b>Starting To Make Our "Real" Quilt</b></span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#009900;">By Lilly</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">As the Sprouts move further into our project with Clara, we have started putting together the pieces that will be in the final quilt. On our fifth visit with to the studio, we began putting together the final draft of the city we had been brain</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">storming ideas about the week before. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">The result was a much more organized and thought-through version of the city.</span></span></p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOe8zfYwIvQ3Mg0v2bhzEZTfttCACJC-YY1JirdYnbT5bxf9Bn4i6jfYHO3IOOxcXrbU1aqgiHbpogkHD_HPEskBaS9vi7X8uagKHIL7-SJKrW5-8GecXH5ZOM-iee8AwrcYP_nyX8L-B/s320/IMG_7104.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731664245318332482" /><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">W</span><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">e kept many elements, such as the rooftop gardens, and a swinging c</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">himpanzee (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall, who founded Roots & Shoots) and an aquarium, all of which now look a bit d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">fferent than when we sketched th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">em in earlier versions.</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">This time we thought long and hard about where on the quilt everything would look best and how </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">all of the different pieces can work together. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">We are using lots of very </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">interesting fabric for the different buildings.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9hO4a1chUI1L-NK2f9ennw03aoz4_ptLJ-uoRv4wJpU1vdKc67wHfxF23j84G3qE_UkCJoymy10kwy6dF8qqrnpvURxQvCj5dRiAjLgQccWu1DWygmPCi1Obys92umzTGUuDZ9apJqyY/s320/IMG_2421.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731662832226463714" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:";">We have yet to i</span><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">ncorporate into our final quilt some </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">details, such as our clotheslines and bike path. We also plan on putti</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">ng in some new elements that were not part of our brainstorms, such as a Peace Dove parade, a Roots & Shoots activity we enjoy doing, and composting, a program we helped to start in our public schools.</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">During the past few weeks we have been revising and improving our quilt city to try and make it the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">best it can be and to really get our ideas for a better and more sustainable future across to those who will one day look at it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">As </span><span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman"font-family:";">we continue making our quilt, we will be thinking more and more about the possibilities for the sustainable future of our world. We hope our quilt w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">ill inspire others in the same way. Here's a look at how we constructed our buildings.</span></span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKbaqKjGYBJ_rea7jBghJl48MDwAk23T5AUTkI_dU4wHn9U5x0tJCVBL1U6GYplsYrFy7NlLw7H1OurOKYxnVfgd-08uXCT0RgC6s5x9pCNWQqfq1aYAUXdIH0U_ZqIf3B6m8YgnszBZN/s400/IMG_7091.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731661660764878082" /> <!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-24658066516458010252012-04-08T12:33:00.018-07:002012-04-08T15:46:13.031-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Sustainability Quilt Project<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W-qbwwmIwuLwUwcmT6DYxiWOvheMrUAAWPoeqJU6v92_fI21E4vSt0oDv1Oa2HdCbPJ92_-WRUuU0ia8vv4tuAT8RIDmnb1l8-AFfhWIT9BawtVwqQiM5sdC0d05BPbsiVgl8pspWAOa/s1600/IMG_7019.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W-qbwwmIwuLwUwcmT6DYxiWOvheMrUAAWPoeqJU6v92_fI21E4vSt0oDv1Oa2HdCbPJ92_-WRUuU0ia8vv4tuAT8RIDmnb1l8-AFfhWIT9BawtVwqQiM5sdC0d05BPbsiVgl8pspWAOa/s200/IMG_7019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729161306910698770" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Sustainability As We See It</span></span></span></b></div> <p class="MsoBodyText"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latinfont-family:Cambria;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#009900;">By Kaya</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >On our fourth visit to Clara’s studio, the Sprouts of Hope began to make our ideas come alive in a rough outline of the sustainability q</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >uilt. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >Looking at t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >he “sketch quilts” from our last visit, we adapted ideas we liked from our old sketches and transferred them onto our new larger sketch — </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >moving us a step closer t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >o </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >making the real quilt.</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBsJkYq8UnfHm6RkU49zeCnPiexZqOtcHfhDRDRemwEJW79f-pjD6PSJfP9vEn5ufFBPXvoLznKgV31z3XdMvH89smz6gro7FYLPfI9Eah-af-VLMoFPcpKQjWXBLdv3iI_ui3FF65WK4/s320/IMG_7028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729161016519733458" border="0" /></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">We created buildings with trees and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >mushrooms, flowers on rooftops and fish swimming, and even seaweed in the windows. </span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnzz5mOlyXSBFH5Bk5eAJ3d-J-HBtNQAyP6ulsl3n6s5FvbaoOBP_yAK6u-pfXM9fA04kbqCqg1PojlwfkvSF45s-VOvVhamr7UzyLKgCi2d5dU2mjMbPYOUs4fE_m5d-xwxv-8gADJ1e/s320/Quilt_Fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729159563390084802" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >While we used our earlier ideas, we also came up with new ones along the way—with various visions of how we wish our city could be in the future with sustainability as its core value. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Risa designed a bike path that goes across buildi</span><span style="font-family:Cambria;">ng</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" > and a steady flow of purple bicycles are riding on it. Toward the top of it you can see our Sprouts of Hope motto "Have a Dream, Make a Difference."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcii6gBM9WcO0f-VYqeVuUBt_zOeY7mnloIavuDWp_mCFoUw37kvoS3S6bMwV8bwVaRmc2EC4btrWr4kS6KZi54lxzXFqjc-eusSowRPIqi6oTv8bOQ1hJy0hrhSg8etIajJZFExh7iT8/s320/IMG_7032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729118131513889618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdm5IyChnwekSEjPKAHLwfzTZEjn4uNcQhKa5f0skpzb0dQCVh_gVlS5ZyOfS8TaEkWLSqIgKw2KROq4hLZF0sgEAD-v9OtXnuLqUrjw2TqeQNSC6jl7hYXazxrUfV55uB967zq1psjbW6/s320/IMG_7031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729117548889811314" border="0" /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Lilly created laundry li</span></span><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span">nes </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >that hang between buildings with all kinds of clothes being air-dried on them rather than </span><span style="font-family:Cambria;">using a lot of energy with a dryer. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;">In the upper part of the quilt we put a large sun, a way t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >o illumi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >nate the idea of solar power.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;">Around the edge of this central piece of our quilt is wh</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;">ere we will put our self-portraits along with portraits of people who devote their lives to environmental sustainability. Of course, Dr. Jane Goodall will be one of the peop</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;">le we feature on our quilt. And in her honor, we also include a chimpanzee as a way to express our appreciation for her on-going efforts to save chimpanzees. And there will b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;">e wind turbines.</span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ObbWyB9IxQnWOh7ZNCPQ1-0dqmwEAaE3v_vzKpGwOBd1iabrcvPK2jWaEDMCn-cLe1ZZrpYxnO_q0imoo_uPhrguN9dAeCBitfRc3fqdj52M-o5m8TnFYOMED2JdEo4GB1KrvkRV9N8g/s320/Chimp_Turbines.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729117110971476082" border="0" /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >We have accomplished plenty! At last, our ideas are coming together in ways that give us a good sense of what our quilt will look like when we finish. Soon, we will start work on the final version of our sustainability quilt and through it share with others our idea of a more utopian “greener” society!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-70084219753638455522012-04-01T08:53:00.013-07:002012-04-01T09:20:09.088-07:00Sprouts of Hope Quilt Project<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Conceiving Our Urban Sustainable Space</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zImUegDyMmzHwPM0nxYi_n9y1-sXnexLpk4ySGqw_uVBbqYf5-645xBZq6p0pF2qrBgI_J2Frpz9BR54nTukNMX6LnwPA7uxRsYiEMmbCH5EL3HvXoCQUL0XyX95NJ0fAsM2yO2I0ATq/s200/IMG_6962.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726467684392220322" /><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">By Eliza<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">During our third visit with Clara, the Sprouts really got the ball rolling, and we thought about what messages we want our quilt to spread. We talked about what sustainability means to us, and Clara presented some ideas to us. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Here's her sketch:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0vhZhUYuEl9ffTzh4J7lWw7wqUVhA5tSc6yaw66ZDrUEI9nWmNdl990CyAu7zjfmWSJMbUGcXCaiz_Otgnq5mZm7quKUfMSh8sYaufOdCz8jHSFMztuHl4HL9maD9qroMhiKb_KllL3P/s320/IMG_6953.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726467387052617778" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">The idea of innovation and green cities interested us, and we decided to try to draft some possible ideas for a quilt displaying the idea of a green city.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Kaya and Risa made a patch with bicycles and buildings with rooftop gardens, as well as different forms of alternative energy such as solar power and wind power.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DI83ZgzysfA-vfTJ6AM8a8wPxPLiT2zjs_vZ_Q0OK5EQ3BqPwyBwbctKHyZc8o17GfadL6aO4jS_RV5cUdmNp0MWLExwPCfY5f1s3AM3FMEonHPMF8O93aOznJWTrP9Ra5KrfSubX3x0/s320/IMG_6946.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726467032245281138" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Maya and I made a design with skyscrapers, as well. Our quilt had a tree with a chimpanzee swinging from it, and the roots planted firmly into the ground – similar to the familiar Roots & Shoots symbol.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyERSemc-ebXlNBvx3Qak_cXVEwfSfq4MN_NGNBMmIZQRrfaSJRBzcix_S2EXaF-VKAaDhzflRqMNtfyJi7uYXaekX6fJ_jeHGXIDXh4lSbVoQLYODbaawndi50qbXO9aTuusRxvJ_cRwg/s320/IMG_6947.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726466086665183314" /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Melissa’s design was focused on the idea of the seventh generation.</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsfm-b-nhMeD9HIpw4PlpfyqRCyXDdw-KIvs2T4yODCtwZsAbeXxmAWhQSrHC9jsU_-JeyU_U0TSNPYbrdEIv6Wnb7Uhyphenhypheniro9ZkNKstdWV95hGE7CDcOsDmwHnzT1LEu6I64sh3lVUQA6/s200/IMG_6952.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726466422823638194" /><p class="MsoNormal">We discussed the possibility of making windows of the skyscrapersin our quilt depict other aspects of sustainability, such as compact florescent light bulbs (CFLS).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAMvMXBsks8TCiL6VK13pYAnZuslWMx_TwRmLdcT85pDFhh3LFmcAuYV_uiLrNJ-C32yKsHW75H1QDbCDa6OKCm-KLffvtoVRYGhoLDCeFkUQx0WWe0T4lb7Mx-c9FYKOhWLLesOxbcCx/s320/IMG_6950.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726465085739477490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">We also talked about the idea of having some kind of earth in our quilt – maybe with bikes going around it. We are excited to narrow down our ideas next week and come up with a plan for exactly what our quilt will look like!</p><!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-37050798856647564702012-03-25T13:14:00.013-07:002012-03-26T17:57:51.774-07:00Sprouts of Hope Quilt Project<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJr2GAsECC3rXWaKgOfVHmLyJ-eUv2lqsrR8iWlaH6LpoQBtx1QHTcMZwkZh_Gq2ZH_l4kcGYb4kCxkSVvYfoPKa6B6JoSlvauMSWy_k_HCAZTSo4_HsbtbOxmk0JBnYuIyqPRBGs6pxe/s1600/IMG_6960.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJr2GAsECC3rXWaKgOfVHmLyJ-eUv2lqsrR8iWlaH6LpoQBtx1QHTcMZwkZh_Gq2ZH_l4kcGYb4kCxkSVvYfoPKa6B6JoSlvauMSWy_k_HCAZTSo4_HsbtbOxmk0JBnYuIyqPRBGs6pxe/s200/IMG_6960.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723997359202019554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:130%;color:#33cc00;" >Creating Self-Portraits</span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >By Risa</span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;">On March 18th, the Sprouts of Hope visited Clara's studio to make self-portraits for our quilt. We first picked our skin colors. All the fabric choices were exaggerated so some of our faces were tan and some were pink.</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilprBw7XHYBxZ166D7SS5Lp9lyKAl21X-rPccOB5sFW8fcW9oCzUURv6IoxxRMauVbKlnDZEsXc2WLGfFlq5zr-xxZYtG_kWJDZ2nIgJFILlu4nhhRdQevyr3u3400sXR7-oi2AgxqpRh4/s320/IMG_6908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723996106787437762" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >We cut out our faces by folding the fabric in half and cutting half-circles, </span>looking in the mirror to determine our face shapes. The most fun part was probably the hair. We picked fabric with curls, lines and other shapes depending on our hair texture and then we cut and styled it.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgHJENf048jWUkdDn8TP8xVxPR7Dfh4EwHec8Slu40M6QdaRhkwg_uKph5_lINrQ6BQBQXnJMmz_280tExscberr_duk-vjw_ptaJ9uS2DZ1oeBJlXp63EAQ6_3K81omshOtoe1eL6YhQ/s200/IMG_6912.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723995813382448930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " border="0" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >After hair, we added facial features. Our noses were cut out of the same fabric as the rest of our faces, but we were more creative with eyes and lips. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >The more features that each of us added to our p</span><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >ortraits the more these pieces of cloth started to look like us. It is easy to tell who is who even though the faces are not as detailed as a drawing or photo would </span>be.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uqCENv7Ai0p1N4zNcAL7I71VRvAl4i-OO9Ezd8nToBVZCqJ2QlILbPbE96QyF7uzmkn04pZYgoBhL-hs05PdDOFmrf2ry2rva9nv34gK78Lx7LSxUzyD7CcaPcRQByI2zfbfaGXgfi6a/s200/Lilly_Face.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723994627014300418" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " border="0" /><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BjpT-D8VZVz0UqTQzCqPxEwL_H4hw2blZ81GKNk_Nh7KCfs-0gJosXxYFaF4FIilwpSkjh8wWBbaxiBqtzPWj4UNnZPLxvFnmkUfQdiofyoKJRVet4taHZhJPTuORJIWSG-YrtHkMdF1/s200/Eliza_Quilt_Portrait.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723994296637828674" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >We added a</span>ccessories such as earrings and necklaces to distinguish ourselves eve<span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >n </span><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >mo</span>re. After cutting and laying out the portraits, we glued them down and gave them to Clara, who is going to sew them.<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDaRjgzwU9iFRDI_0SJG3xQm4tRvAw3gIYS0zgBvMnz2N2ktuiuNP4DiutgrWQTFew-ahK-zozdDtWjCkIQlSWF3eftXJmjRfyV81wLdG9lYVOLDlvBSwlUloxIJC5MMCwH6DeBL02_bH/s200/IMG_6913.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723995509242419922" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";" >Creating our self-portraits was a lot of fun and we laughed a lot, while giving each other advice!</span></p><br /><!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-62056900196008555752012-03-10T09:08:00.028-08:002012-03-10T10:27:16.536-08:00Sprouts of Hope's Quilt Project<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#009900;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;color:#009900;">Making Sustainability Visual</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;color:#009900;">By Maya</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >What better way t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >o spread a message than by quilt?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >n early March, the Sprouts of Hope had the pleasure of visiting the wonderful studio of quilt maker, <a href="http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/events/future/documents/03310717.asp">Clara Wainwright.</a> It’s in Allston, which is just across the river from where we live in Cambridge, and it’s a place we are going to return to many times as Clara helps us make a quilt </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >about sustainability.</span></span></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8O8vYaLiNH6MFOzbSPQhjv7YTIYqoJVMbYlQBTp2yBg-u1IT_lwNAafBdixpH8JcYZH9gq3tzeQjymd5_By8FsRGEz9Eb0o7aFzrysJGWG3KP2AX7-y76hKn5NqEMFb7s2_Rfq7culs7/s400/IMG_6843.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718325356561568290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " border="0" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >After standing in awe of her endless yards of beautiful </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >cloth, we sat down to discuss our ideas. Our plan is to lend </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >this quilt to people and places that are engaged in projects, conversations or activities about environ</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >mental sustainability so they can convey a visual message as they act in sustainable ways to help the Earth.</span></span></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlgr8x0wSB8ObWRs9NDWEV3mGFQhJyLF-GmM9ygurNlqVPVoIMOZQtnAwj0t6rO3OHem6sjdrH3JrNmYswf4fH2N0SxM2yvMBxyAn_5h0fOog2bDKKkiYmqUuABYT4HgCqXuuz3xAwviS/s200/Henrietta_Energy_Lite.tiff" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718324498147773266" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 200px; " border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >Initially we h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ad </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >drawn a basic outline for the quilt and devised a list of local people to go to for inspiration and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ideas —such as our Cambridge Mayor </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >Henrietta Davis. She has chaired t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >he city’s environment com</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >mittee and has been a great friend to the Sprouts.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >Here's a picture of Henrietta when she came to the launch of ou</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >r </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >book, <i>Energy Lite</i>, and its companion Kill A Meter at t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >he Cambridge Public Library. Thanks, Henrietta!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >We want to tal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >k again with Kristen van Hoffmann, w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ho is the Cambridge Public School’s </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >Sustainability Manager. It's been great to see all she is doing to make our schools more energy efficient and help all of the students to learn keeping our planet sustainable</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >. And we hope to get ideas from other Roots & Shoots members in New England.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >When Clara got us talking about ways to think about and de</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Cambria;" >sign our quilt, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >we realized the many possibilities we have for displaying sustainability. We can use portraits of people who are doing things to support sustainability, and symbols, words, color, and composition. We can go local. Or we can go global. Or we can do both. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >As we talked with Clara, we asked ourselves, “What </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >is sustainability?” One reoccurring idea was that it is the notion of preserving resources through multiple generations as we pass on and share knowledge.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoYagC-IJVIHN2yYJPwlWIrv_y1AJPCuQxPZEVBxYndFmO9c0-JrO8qgmw8JlSx9rwabu5SlRFuS-bwLr22HSKDMJYeSObtIDOCH_JruUNlBRVZ7hTUHtA6BHNZMonDZluQzrEN9nhyphenhyphensq/s1600/Mandala_1.tiff"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoYagC-IJVIHN2yYJPwlWIrv_y1AJPCuQxPZEVBxYndFmO9c0-JrO8qgmw8JlSx9rwabu5SlRFuS-bwLr22HSKDMJYeSObtIDOCH_JruUNlBRVZ7hTUHtA6BHNZMonDZluQzrEN9nhyphenhyphensq/s200/Mandala_1.tiff" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718336482422042818" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >To ignite our imaginations, Clara had us make ma</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ndalas. These are concentric visual diag</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >rams (like this one) that have spiritual and ritual significance in Buddhism and Hinduism. Mandalas start o</span>ut with a simple circle inside a square. To make ours, Clara had us cut various shapes out of colorful pieces of cloth and set them down on the mandala in a symmetrical design. For us, the mandala would become our personal interpretation what it means to sustain the Earth.</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" ></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >We made two mandalas —separated by a conversati</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ons we had about our project. We made the first one before we talked about sustainability, then the other one af</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >ter we did. It was interesting to see how our discussions influenced each of our designs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Our first mandala seemed more general.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPpDtUIF8x1dgBPpLMabE2XDv5DCo-t9UhdCnLKyNdKb_CN6cuYCIkW1deXJ2UFXwj7Osla0CM-fdpVQGT4utd_xNnc3I8nQPCwsx6pFe_JsRV7CJPP6wrsS1p9am-lq8nxhNsxiyj0sg/s400/IMG_6828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718321348571604674" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >Our second one honed in on more specific ideas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tswp46te4WihxpPU2lKBLnbvnVchGSgombxJdKh8I36tSr9PKVcPxgk8koIJIwwGHerWBaHI-RAbhNurCjA8sd8XzSuzrhPQvaJiPVPZHf2bVEnsD0qtn0_uPi87EKrBbDpWbqztWgcO/s400/IMG_6839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718320968989041186" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >Making these mandalas showed us how challenging it will be to choose which images will best convey the messages we want our quilt to convey. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" >At our next meeting the plan is to start our quilt by making self-portraits to sew into its border. We plan on talking with the people we had on our list — and likely adding more people to our list. This way, we’ll be able to create more portraits for the border. And we are working to come up with four environmental leaders whose portraits we are likely to put in the quilt’s four corners.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >If you have ideas for who those people should be, please let us know.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >It will definitely be interesting to see how this collaboration comes together as a quilt.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Cambria;" ><o:p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#009900;">Cradles to Crayons: Volunteering to Help Other Kids </span></b></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">By Eliza</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOqjSvCeQ5-aVw1J3lK69A65TCjAOurrLRseeFYRxzWNJmAykKbR0TazgR_7WBX1-_EcjFVGTA-ttKIwr8OJO-VaymjncSEG9JNXzdxNknrO8LHOZBW3pwsELVe6u2FLWY3AQxesbWigk/s320/Eliza_Risa_Cradles.tiff" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718319638625861378" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >Just before Risa and I joined the other Sprouts at Clara Wainwright’s studio, we volunteered at <a href="http://cradlestocrayons.org/">Cradles to Crayons</a> in nearby Brighton. It is an organization that provides homeless kids and those from low-income families in Boston with all kinds of things, including clothes, toys, books, and school supplies. These are things kids need, and receiving a package from Cradles to Crayons is one of those happy moments in a kid’s life.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >While we were there, we helped sort donated items that would then be packaged and shipped to kids. We were in charge of sorting through clothing for little kids and making sure that all of the donations were of good quality.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Cambria;font-size:100%;" >We had a blast and it is definitely something that we would like to do again! Find out more at <a href="http://cradlestocrayons.org/">http://cradlestocrayons.org/</a></span></p></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-38906349640893393672012-02-05T13:03:00.000-08:002012-02-06T06:58:33.711-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Making Cambridge Schools Sustainable</span></span><br /><br /><br /> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:Wo</style><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0); font-weight: bold;">By Eliza</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Through the years the Sprouts of Hope have worked on many sustainability projects in the Cambridge public schools —at King Open, our K-8 school, and now in high school, at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS). When we were in elementary school, we went before the school committee to let them know why they should get rid of the cafeteria's polystyrene food trays. After our second time testifying about this problem, the school committee voted for the school district to investigate this problem and that led to us working with school district officials to implement composting in our cafeteria.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrQSJFXbu3u0wGG8xOU0GnJ-Ju0Yl85cBpR6tO_g3vw-Xnyo4MLSRsJpAr2AUASZGqiPWyH5ga9PqYOOsOmiWwLZN_iijBYHGWLmMl4zDXU8kG-cfrWnJdcmZirQgSkDJjVgH6AwT1ctb/s1600/School_Committee2_Girls_Testifying2.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrQSJFXbu3u0wGG8xOU0GnJ-Ju0Yl85cBpR6tO_g3vw-Xnyo4MLSRsJpAr2AUASZGqiPWyH5ga9PqYOOsOmiWwLZN_iijBYHGWLmMl4zDXU8kG-cfrWnJdcmZirQgSkDJjVgH6AwT1ctb/s400/School_Committee2_Girls_Testifying2.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706001018249820610" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2D4aGk75cvqXVpdGl1QYy51Ol5Zfe_zQijEKfYKRgKOYvSsskNv4FcwGri82jIlbvltjpnPcctofmtB5nIIefhZ0ZmamaUYQHa4SZxZ6uUIrHO4LTeIyZQo1UdEZw2S5LUEzyOUE3a68/s1600/IMG_0219.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2D4aGk75cvqXVpdGl1QYy51Ol5Zfe_zQijEKfYKRgKOYvSsskNv4FcwGri82jIlbvltjpnPcctofmtB5nIIefhZ0ZmamaUYQHa4SZxZ6uUIrHO4LTeIyZQo1UdEZw2S5LUEzyOUE3a68/s320/IMG_0219.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706002001273409490" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.cpsd.us/KOP/compost/"><br /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.cpsd.us/KOP/compost/">King Open became the composting pilot program </a>that other schools in the district are adopting. The Sprouts of Hope also introduced the idea of waste free lunches at King Open.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many other individuals and groups have been a part of this same effort to improve sustainability in Cambridge. Meryl Brott, the Recycling Program Manager for the City of Cambridge at the Department of Public Works, helped us to start the compost program at King Open and has championed its movement into other schools. We are so happy to discover that she just received the The Green Hero honor from the Cambridge School District for the months of January/February 2012.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/MassRecycle2011/schools2-cafeterias-composting-programs-setting-cambridge">Here's a slideshow </a>Meryl created to show why and how schools set up their composting programs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjGWpsw0n6MTx-OV9pOC7zTfOlmb9vzanyowAFLSjHMnus50sGQZJEY06HKjTwgx6Zkh8V0gEyFLjy2DFajl_GRjwvXMfNdlzL4iWXiad4iLzMP9Sm1afTiCHMpHlQn6BjCXQVAAv6Fy6/s1600/IMG_0217.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjGWpsw0n6MTx-OV9pOC7zTfOlmb9vzanyowAFLSjHMnus50sGQZJEY06HKjTwgx6Zkh8V0gEyFLjy2DFajl_GRjwvXMfNdlzL4iWXiad4iLzMP9Sm1afTiCHMpHlQn6BjCXQVAAv6Fy6/s400/IMG_0217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706000160958337202" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our high school’s environmental action club, which a few of the Sprouts recently joined, is also active in making a positive difference in our school's sustainability. During the last two years our entire high school was rebuilt in a "green way" and will be LEED certified. There are eco-friendly improvements still taking place — by students and teachers —to make what goes on in the high school more energy efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One great thing the school district did was to hire Kristen Von Hoffmann to be its <a href="http://www3.cpsd.us/Schools/cgsi_launches">first sustainability coordinator.</a> We've met with Kristen (she's sitting in the middle of us in the photo below) to talk about her initiatives and we want to help her to engage more students in getting involved in supporting her efforts. And she's clearly doing a good job!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4G8hUXOdtyKmPcxc7jcR_bKyZothEwInF3z_KBSsZ8R7zWivEcHSmhIQuuWgQSvFx09A7MS5MD4tEwXP1QzXglbsaQo5SS3qLroBooGzJz19djnlyPZ7GK5JfbLdxTBkOh67XAlXEpBA/s1600/Sprouts_Kristen_Meeting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4G8hUXOdtyKmPcxc7jcR_bKyZothEwInF3z_KBSsZ8R7zWivEcHSmhIQuuWgQSvFx09A7MS5MD4tEwXP1QzXglbsaQo5SS3qLroBooGzJz19djnlyPZ7GK5JfbLdxTBkOh67XAlXEpBA/s400/Sprouts_Kristen_Meeting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706036506052307618" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">According to the <a href="http://www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/ourservices/recyclingandtrash/aboutrecycling/Schools/recyclinginschools/recyclingreports.aspx">Fall 2011 Recycling Summary</a> published by the Cambridge Department of Public Works, the Cambridge Public Schools recycled 82.8 tons (165,648 pounds) of waste during the first semester of school. In fact, in December 2011 alone, 41,062 pounds of waste were recycled. On average, that is around 7.5 pounds per student! Most schools are even taking part in a recycling competition to see which school can recycle the most waste.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-mso-bidi-language: EN-US;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:14.0pt;" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1">R</span>ecycling is clearly a main focus of sustainability in the Cambridge Public Schools, but progress with composting is happening, too, thanks to Meryl's efforts. Cambridgeport, a K-8 school in our district, recently began composting and our high school begins composting in April. When that happens, five of the district's schools will be doing school-wide composting in their cafeterias!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"></span>Water is another focus of improving sustainability. In the high school's cafeteria, we have new water dispensers where students fill up their reusable water bottles for free instead of buying bottled water. In fact, our cafeteria no longer offers bottled water! Additionally, CRLS is trying to reduce its carbon footprint. Take a look at how we are <a href="http://www.cambridgema.gov/citynewsandpublications/news/2011/11/cambridgerindgeandlatinschoolsavesenergywithhelpfromnstar.aspx">partnering with NSTAR</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>to try to save energy in our school:<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1">It makes us so happy </span>to know that so many people are working on the issue of sustainability in our schools. We hope a lot of students will get involved and help. If you want to find out what you can do, then email Kristen Von Hoffmann, the Cambridge Sustainability Coordinator, at Kvonhoffmann@cpsd.us.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-27546998711556233772012-01-18T19:06:00.000-08:002012-01-18T19:38:17.027-08:00Inviting You to Help Chimps in Tchimpounga<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Through Roots & Shoots we've learned a lot about chimpanzees and their habitat, and we've come to love them and want to do what we can to protect them. So when we learned about a fire at a chimpanzee sanctuary where these remarkable animals are watched over, we knew we wanted to help. This letter is our way of reaching out and inviting you to join us in this effort.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6y9-7njxEpsPYQm3T-PWEG64mPXo-6QiIcdWfSrs0UoDFcLUsl0M-hoXo_BSiYImqS7ChY04HxtZIPmZuDmbO9WKjjYHExxX5yWR9GiBw2AIou72J7Ttq6gdblK9lX2UCznyUAR2anPkX/s320/Chimp_Rehab_2.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699179061506012002" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal">Dear Family and Friends,</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We are writing to you as members of Dr. Jane Goodall’s Youth Leadership Council. As you may know, Dr. Jane has focused much of her career in the primatology field, working to protect chimpanzees and their habitat in Africa. In the capacity of youth leaders and council members, we wanted to let you know about the recent forest fire at the Jane Goodall Institute’s chimpanzee sanctuary and ask for your support in rebuilding this refuge.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2wZpkBnZyzETZO0ByWVxuA7-LAi7zK_9ISPvvE4mkYc1zFVYFwasbPuT3sbVRAOI1xCNiq6V4tGCZ_5tUtXQ-AvHqqdvS3bGl50XWjHyYoGf3CSqT3_i8Z-UsAYhDj4o8ovDhdj1yB9n/s320/Chimp_Image_Rehab.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699177609803971762" /><p class="MsoNormal">We are involved in the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) through Roots & Shoots, Dr. Jane’s international youth leadership and community service organization. Another program that is run by JGI supports orphaned and endangered chimpanzees in the Republic of Congo. This chimpanzee rehabilitation center, Tchimpounga, is the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world, and provides a much-needed refuge for chimps who have been terrorized by the illegal bushmeat trade.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Watch a<a href="http://vimeo.com/2429325"> short video</a> about a day in the life of chimps at Tchimpounga.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Recently, a wildfire struck Tchimpounga and destroyed much of the sanctuary and protected chimpanzee habitat. Fortunately, no chimpanzees or staff members were harmed in the fire. However, unless the Jane Goodall Institute can raise enough money to repair the damage done in the fire, these chimpanzees will have nowhere to go where they will be safe from poachers. Additionally, many of these baby chimps are orphans and are incapable of living by themselves in unprotected forests.</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Ntc_nhqfG3d6VdRDuCG8dhR66iszBlPvPj-8SVmP8UWwQZ7dzjvZClQbrlZ4WsHBlORWLdb87w47xks6OGxLbAuOepKo_aJb-WKp6kvJzbMsPN-27_e4ANOQE2rUwpxzhk1e-YtV0C1/s400/Chimp_Image_Fire.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699177269633280434" /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Please consider <a href="https://www.janegoodall.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=117">making a donation</a> to support the rebuilding of Tchimpounga. Donations of any size can be made online at https://www.janegoodall.org or can be sent to 20 Stearns Street, Cambridge MA 02138, c/o Eliza Klein. Contributions are tax deductible and checks can be made out to Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center. If you are interested in reading about our work with Dr. Jane and in Roots & Shoots, check out www.roots&shoots.org. Or, if you have any particular questions, please e-mail us at sproutsofhopekids@gmail.com. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Wishing you a happy and healthy new year,<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Eliza Klein and Maya Ludtke</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br />Northeast Youth Leadership Council</p><p class="MsoNormal">Roots & Shoots, Jane Goodall Institute</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-59728852841233742112011-12-29T16:51:00.000-08:002011-12-29T17:20:07.478-08:00Sprouts: Energy Lite at the Northeast Youth Summit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9huB0zWi-GET-wwgCnoAUlcXfmCGgzOsp8RtqhQSz184XWQQO4UTcaaGa9_AIBCJgJxc4yKPGCGEqRBVGGGbRHC0BkP_-ta4yyveTE5yasp5qzj78VtGtzYFAHBwU9ExNTlJVrEC8H3z/s1600/Energy_Lite_Youth_Summit.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9huB0zWi-GET-wwgCnoAUlcXfmCGgzOsp8RtqhQSz184XWQQO4UTcaaGa9_AIBCJgJxc4yKPGCGEqRBVGGGbRHC0BkP_-ta4yyveTE5yasp5qzj78VtGtzYFAHBwU9ExNTlJVrEC8H3z/s320/Energy_Lite_Youth_Summit.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691724808124167426" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">By Lilly</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">During the three-day weekend of Veterans Day, the Sprouts of Hope had the incredible opportunity to join in a day of activities and workshops with other groups at the Northeast Regional Roots & Shoots Youth Summit. In other years we’ve attended this magnificent event in Boston, but this time it was held in New York City, so we went to the city that never sleeps.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">At the summit, the Sprouts of Hope presented a workshop about our book, "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Energy-Lite/172659369451088">Energy Li</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Energy-Lite/172659369451088">te</a>" and how it works in libraries for kids and families to borrow along with a Kill A Watt meter.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We began by introducing the members of our Roots & Shoots group — from left to right, Eliza, Lilly, Risa, Maya and Kaya. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5IsAl2AbS58bDn4eyubczRDDYYerTZtfd0bJXeyyPDMlUZ-8NQr1TbUiKvRs_14ExuvCXBOMFRDBQ46XMChbqlyXx3vxoPTIT6oJB9B5MVjzcg8Wr6w-B-Z7hVFMIC_BP7SJgZ-nYjOF/s400/Spouts_Summit.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691724259317859570" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Then we explained how we became interested in Kill-A-Watt meters and now they can measure the energy that our household appliances use. We told those who came to our workshop about our partnership with N-Star — when we tried out Smart Meters to measure energy use throughout our homes — and how they also gave us Kill-A-Watt meters to use.</p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVOSxd6st4OvMQgBrUbuDoiPk9T5LDDEtYCkdg2HW6zpGJHDEfl9D5QOgDHJWxqfL6zCz5SuwyasOFe84plToQE5MIShzefmJDjAy2ukckVBkXzXtD4cRQRQDbpCRuMW09g1TZ4O55E2Y/s320/IMG_3796.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691722360344739186" /><p class="MsoNormal">Next, we explained how we put our book together — from coming up with ideas for what we’d write about to outlining it on index cards to writing its various sections. We shared the story of how we managed to get our book and Kill A Meters into public libraries in Cambridge, Boston, Medford, MA and Central Falls, Rhode Island; this is which is an ongoing project of ours and we are going to raise by crowdfunding online so we can get our book and a meter into all of the 370 public libraries in Massachusetts.</p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhB5DG3uFlYProRl18-ePDqDjPNib7n4YM7pFyQ7kJ4BxC_1n0f1i7cSmx_MN2n2HqkrSQW2yLcSRUHxxog1OvzKqTLR9Zes0ohuvPrH9TK8kyNDpaU5-PZzp80qgEao1HKBjBon1RlHB/s200/Energy_Lite_2_Summit.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691723457071104562" /><p class="MsoNormal">We used Kill-A-Watt meters to show how much energy three different light bulbs use — incandescent (they use the most), CFLs (less than incandescent) and LEDs (that use a lot less than even CFLs). We also showed how much energy a hairdryer uses. The answer: a lot, especially when turned on high — so try to let your hair dry naturally.</p><p class="MsoNormal">In our presentations about “Energy Lite,” we share information about energy use — and how to conserve use of it, but we also want to pass along a message that can help kids to make their ideas turn into real projects that make a difference in other people's lives. So we pass along our motto of the 3P’s — Partners, Patience and Persistence. These are the three things we keep in mind as we work to make our projects successful.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We told those who came to our workshop about our partners — our local utility, NStar, P3, the company that makes Kill A Watt meters and donated 20 of their meters to the Cambridge Public Library when we gave the library our book, and Shonak Patal, who created a local website called Swellr and came to talk with us about crowdfunding our project. We are grateful to all of them for their support and encouragement.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our experience in working with our local library spoke to the value of partnerships in making big projects happen and about the patience and persistence that will be required of us as we try to raise money in the spring to make “Energy Lite” and Kill A Watt Meters an item that families can borrow from their local libraries across our state. </p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeKqc9kl3zwz1vTJcH1l_P5JNasbnd54ZWGEHTTBn6t1Q-UToj9Mc9Tw5DwbizjDDTYExe6U50Bkn-6aLeKUjd8yb0n65JSgbA_p-7hMy9g_1x6XxjBkJsmkz-HL1o8SR_E2R7dfkiOEV/s400/IMG_5860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691721815437922818" /><p class="MsoNormal">We hope people left our workshop with a better idea of how to take action. Those who came to it were very enthusiastic in what we are doing and showed a lot of interest in our book. One teacher took a copy to put into the library at her school, and two New Yorkers expressed an interest in getting our book into New York public libraries. Overall, we thought the workshop went very well and it was a great experience.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-14859800377710169442011-12-29T13:12:00.000-08:002011-12-29T13:49:30.857-08:00Sprouts: Stories About Chimpanzees<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRp6lvg9R4OrA_ZHaBP-CyFrerEdDNiIEyoXSF6Ja1tEQKfv2OBSnnnLLVeDnwbR27Z_VPa2DksPDrCEMfSvMjx3y1ExrgddSXD8AQzd3l6etdFfib-lvpmJ3ljqC-jFHprq8euv_PLgQ/s1600/IMG_5851.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRp6lvg9R4OrA_ZHaBP-CyFrerEdDNiIEyoXSF6Ja1tEQKfv2OBSnnnLLVeDnwbR27Z_VPa2DksPDrCEMfSvMjx3y1ExrgddSXD8AQzd3l6etdFfib-lvpmJ3ljqC-jFHprq8euv_PLgQ/s320/IMG_5851.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691669284038161730" /></a><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">By Kaya</b><br /><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent:0in">Have you ever watched a commercial with an adorable chimpanzee grinning happily and using the company’s product surprisingly well? Little do you know that this chimp is not smiling but is actually wearing a look filled entirely of fright. What looks like a smile to us is really a grimace of terror for chimpanzees.</p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent:0in"><o:p></o:p></p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0XlrDUmSaRw-ml9rbnzEqk72iY3lvHAQXvE6djVeczNjdtnWl3rc14SSXNd-hib_F10BiCAOwc7W8vv36I6vQBfIEsnc9nzsmL5ffcN3bKt3mgVFsV30aw_xTsRMFuqryxt2X3Neek-l/s200/Keynote_speaker.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691670374212436482" /><p class="MsoNormal">Our lead off speaker at the Northeast Regional Youth Summit was <a href="http://www.janegoodall.org/media/videos/chimp-videographer-bill-wallauer">Bill Wallaue</a><a href="http://www.janegoodall.org/media/videos/chimp-videographer-bill-wallauer">r</a>, who<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>shared with us his experiences of shooting video of the chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Tanzania.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He went to Tanzania 15 years ago and for all of the years as worked closely with Dr. Jane Goodall to record the lives of the chimps. He shared a horrible, yet moving, story of Lulu, a chimpanzee who was taken from her natural habitat and forced to act in commercials.</p><p class="MsoNormal">While thousands of people watched the harmless—or so they thought—commercial, poor Lulu was getting beaten for every little mistake she made —forgetting to walk around at the right moment, messing up her cue to dance, there was a punishment for everything.</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj276kRNk9n8Td3sbLbIYaDU9kJMLUV9-eaSwE578MAmy98rcpKwASLzDB4BH3otgwpUrHPVC2z_boxZv__1ondoMSIJ42C4mwNV-72aJ0HtGEQcSAaJWA1vvLvIqTyxqDxfV2jLyEaPuV6/s320/Chimp_in_Ad.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691667511030000530" /><p class="MsoNormal">A few months later, Lulu was found dead in a trash can, her body bruised and broken from the harsh treatment of her “owners.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hearing about such cruel treatment of these remarkable animals made the Roots & Shoots kids in the audience react with a long silence. How else could you react when you truly understood the story behind the chimpanzee advertisements you can see online or on television? Who knew those baby chimps were terrified and grimacing as they were forced to apply a fake smile on their faces?</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDwDd9dx2CTSTtKbReshOWLqLRDZseWaHyJaBlh1x6raZCnpvLLVIsc8T9uc1XxgSrachKy40LkGKb_y4wPtyWVOyhjRWAAfepZHPwKt5NgEIFAFdO5N4DHSWkrVJEcggx9ZEef4-lybY/s320/Threats_to_Chimps.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691664956797532770" /><p class="MsoNormal">From this opening talk — and from the summit workshops — I took home some important knowledge. The main reasons for the decrease in the population of chimpanzees include global warming and the depletion of their natural habitat, along with bush meat trade. Watch this<a href="http://www.janegoodall.org/chimpanzees/state-wild-chimpanzee"> video</a> about what humans are doing to harm the chimpanzees.</p><p class="MsoNormal">But chimpanzees are also endangered when people “innocently” claim and force chimps out of their natural habitats and whip them into becoming the pets or performers they want them to be.The fact that people could knowingly kill an innocent chimpanzee makes me furious. An estimated<a href="http://www.centerforgreatapes.org/great-apes.aspx"> 6,000 chimpanzees are slaughtered each year</a>, mainly due to the bushmeat trade. But they also die when people take these innocent chimps out of their natural habitat—only to kill them later when they get bored and tired of the responsibility of taking care of them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Chimpanzees have not captured us to control and then kill us, so why are we displaying such disgusting treatment towards them?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-69799584555570520872011-12-29T12:29:00.000-08:002011-12-29T12:44:20.088-08:00Leadership: Teaching, Learning, Sharing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7lxJBI-PRKliIu1JMsUxyEhDmEMDNJDy0BkymV_ocseu-1kHlkAZ9FCc8Z3md7W-XIDOxf2CJIy3ma7MdIcJ5iXoMg9tnKxPsWdfCF44OeqYmTVq3gbKc4rMBJLZfx9L41cGZm02OZgW/s1600/Maya_Youth_Summit.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7lxJBI-PRKliIu1JMsUxyEhDmEMDNJDy0BkymV_ocseu-1kHlkAZ9FCc8Z3md7W-XIDOxf2CJIy3ma7MdIcJ5iXoMg9tnKxPsWdfCF44OeqYmTVq3gbKc4rMBJLZfx9L41cGZm02OZgW/s320/Maya_Youth_Summit.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691653871196906770" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>By Maya</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the second time slot of the summit, the New England Youth Leadership Council members—including Eliza and me—helped run a workshop on youth leadership. There was a great turnout with many more people than we expected.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">To break the ice, we started out with a fun game of Ninja. After loosening up we gave a short overview of what we were going to do. To begin, we talked about the “leadership compass.” It displays four different styles of leadership, using the directions of north, south, east and west. I am west—analysis, and Eliza is east—vision.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Find out what kind of leader you are by looking at the 4 major leadership styles, below.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqvR6CpvYgZScZ6m3X9zw-gSC6gSe4QKiM-ZyAY3G62rfahO8bDAyZ63iq_MyXSjDBn7jI8bcDUQS3_p7UtALYhnD5IE1yrK4w9vGe5XkLv9WFg-rwKek8PI_GVfiWIjz2sSUmkbwXqOy/s320/Youth_Leaders.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691653059792783010" /><p class="MsoNormal">Each person chose the style that suited him or her best. It was fascinating to find out the amount of diversity in leadership styles in just one room. When we divided ourselves into groups — based on our style, we discussed the qualities and aspects of how we lead. This activity gave people a chance to analyze themselves as leaders and discover how they best interact with other leaders. </p><p class="MsoNormal">As a small challenge each group also had to write a haiku describing their direction. After this exercise, the youth leaders talked a bit about what it means to be one as well as some of the things we have all taken away from the experience.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Anyone would be able to see how dedicated we are to the job of being a youth leader and how we have formed unbreakable bonds with one another; we are truly able to understand and relate to one another.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The workshop went extremely well. Everyone worked hard, yet it felt very relaxed and comfortable. Since the workshop happened, some participants have contacted me about thinking of joining the council. Out of the whole day of activities, the youth leadership workshop was probably my favorite!</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZbcRk_SwcrEheIC4ZDWLiV5ct5ZFpKbmHubsoxrNdxtD7i6_HflqYUfd1_9zooTYmb0rvUOESu3CWBfEvT-jOXhcBSy9I95VNYl_pIAwz8_xIbthU6CYnRs_HBkDLhf-BibFnTpxuBMR/s400/Youth_Council_Leaders.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691651813994706994" /><p class="MsoNormal">Here is a photo of the Youth Council Leaders who were at this regional summit. Serving on the Roots & Shoots Youth Council is a lot of fun and a great learning experience.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;">4 Major Leadership Styles</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style=" ;font-family:Garamond;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;">North: Action</span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top:0in" type="square"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Assertive, active, decisive<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Likes to determine course of events and be in control of professional relationship<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Enjoys challenges presented by difficult situations and people<o:p></o:p></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBEp-EApo1-r297c42otTOctK6DIe-ILjo8SF9EdYBitrKXjpWyN0i6T9DLvJ3awxWXvcZiehc00NL6Ps5IVcfUrgPDl8KU4rE2VxZKmL-gLqTT8R2EiblB9cq4l6Luc8-2gPcP6fTBdo/s200/thumb_en_compass.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691650896869275346" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 180px; " /></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Thinks in terms of “bottom line”<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Quick to act or decide; expresses urgency for others to take action<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Perseveres, not stopped by hearing “No,” probes and presses to get at hidden resistances<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Likes variety, novelty, new projects<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Comfortable being in front<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Values action-oriented phrases, “Do it now!”, “I’ll do it”, “What’s the bottom line?”<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;">South: Empathy <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top:0in" type="square"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Understands how people need to receive information in order to act on it<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Integrates others input in determining direction of what’s happening<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Value-driven regarding aspects of professional life<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Uses professional relationships to accomplish tasks, interaction is a primary way of getting things done<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Supportive to colleagues and peers<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Willingness to trust others’ statements at face value<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Feeling-based, trusts own emotions and intuition, intuition regarded as “truth”<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Receptive to other’s ideas, builds on ideas, team player, noncompetitive<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Able to focus on the present<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Values words like “right” and “fair”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><o:p></o:p></b></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;">East: Vision <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top:0in" type="square"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Visionary who sees the big picture<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Generative and creative thinker, able to think outside the box<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Very idea-oriented; focuses on future thought<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Makes decisions by standing in the future (insight/imagination)<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Insight into mission and purpose<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Looks for overarching themes, ideas<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Adept at and enjoys problem solving<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Likes to experiment, explore<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Appreciates a lot of information<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Values words like “option,” “possibility,” “imagine”<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Garamond;color:black;">West: Analysis <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top:0in" type="square"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Understands what information is needed to assist in decision making<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Seen as practical, dependable and thorough in task situations<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Provides planning and resources, is helpful to others in these ways and comes through for the team<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Moves carefully and follows procedures and guidelines<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Uses data analysis and logic to make decisions<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Weighs all sides of an issue, balanced<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Introspective, self-analytical, critical thinker<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Skilled at finding fatal flaws in an idea or project<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Maximizes existing resources - gets the most out of what has been done in the past<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:Garamond;">Values word like “objective” “analysis”<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-72748543583316770532011-12-29T11:06:00.000-08:002011-12-29T12:28:49.438-08:00Sprouts: Making Music To Inspire Others<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX0jVhweLwKqXNseUr2N_dBAFYK2WcP3jnyZ9XrdGpScDhsRmq8nectJxHJy_A2ow3MlctC7LrlZg24RCAB41b71oDU9kLE7OoOit7AMuH-LKDnHZvZvvmxQQlNTEJMWo7WOZ8QCw7giy/s1600/IMG_5835.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX0jVhweLwKqXNseUr2N_dBAFYK2WcP3jnyZ9XrdGpScDhsRmq8nectJxHJy_A2ow3MlctC7LrlZg24RCAB41b71oDU9kLE7OoOit7AMuH-LKDnHZvZvvmxQQlNTEJMWo7WOZ8QCw7giy/s320/IMG_5835.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691631323949330930" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">By Eliza</b></span></a><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Before we reached the school where the Youth Summit was being held, we came upon the site of what was then Occupy Wall Street, so we wandered through it. The next week the police arrived and forced the protesters to leave.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">During our Northeast Youth Summit, the Sprouts of Hope took part in the Making Music to Inspire Others Workshop.</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmao7uMAww7WFM4_Cvja5q_QUeR4V2AqSmcAkbWh93E5MhYIUuA53YCroUQcdqlPRqwll73g_zYabMWP75ljiJTxdXBhqTcv6888TUHVIJO0BPlj9fkZVOXAItq_MxaOdcl4oTnse8FOxM/s200/Eliza_Music.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691649612983192690" /><p class="MsoNormal">Two of the Sprouts helped to run this workshop. We talked about different kinds of music and how artists make a difference by helping to change the world. We listened to Bob Marley and other inspiring music and made a mural of things that the music reminded us of. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Then, at the end of the workshop, we all had a jam session with instruments we’d brought. Two of the Sprouts even had their ukuleles with them!</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlcjOtaFZwagNAaD90PPXKCSfxMGKmmNMMo69SSiyIxZfctiAvmWSbemhyphenhyphenijZGBjTNY3LWb2fh7nAaS196O-w9ieJDVTn-0kGs43zdVMMj7UCqdSMLfIMB_a4sBd4EaHFfHdxi9PBnew1/s320/IMG_5868.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691630284934661666" /><p class="MsoNormal">Music at the summit also existed outside the doors of the Making Music workshop. The Sprouts all played and sang songs about peace at the apple cider social following the day’s summit events, and we tried to get others to sing with us. This was a fun way to keep up the positive Roots & Shoots vibes going. Another good thing that came out of having our instruments with us in New York was that while we were waiting for the bus, we started a sing along – and some random strangers joined in!!</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlQY50YmF43OqHyT29-NdJC1Sy43tSmvdV6CILDPrhEQs23j4LF-euh2fF_pnyiCe0dSUlcWBrGq3xzt2f0u45f-xohwWWNiKBNl7IktQetbrhyv5qxBe8kezb1BVbEZ3r167zo7k1fy4/s320/IMG_5809.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691629914390507650" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">And at the subway in Grand Central Station we were greeted by music that these people were playing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">These are great examples of how music can bring people together. Overall, music added so much to the summit. We learned about many cool musicians at the workshop and were also able to share our love of music with the world.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-34015659319895136082011-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:002011-12-29T10:58:42.119-08:00New York "Sprouts" Adventures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7E2Mu0_UvChr7qViVFUkNFyMp4YNZgG9BQDosppla4DdZHrUH_hoHm2YLSZShaS6Ksj-ciIokKtAZNbwKfx3Cu_PW3vbZW7p-OhdO6MkpZZCUaCaxE6P6f6EoBfg99kcLUQ1Sz4Rp5q7/s1600/IMG_5812.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7E2Mu0_UvChr7qViVFUkNFyMp4YNZgG9BQDosppla4DdZHrUH_hoHm2YLSZShaS6Ksj-ciIokKtAZNbwKfx3Cu_PW3vbZW7p-OhdO6MkpZZCUaCaxE6P6f6EoBfg99kcLUQ1Sz4Rp5q7/s200/IMG_5812.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691625504868139970" /></a><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">By Risa</span></b><br /><p class="MsoNormal">On our first morning in New York, we went to the United Nations to see an exhibit, “<a href="http://designother90.org/cities/home">Design With the Other 90 Percent: Cities.</a>” Using photographs and objects, the exhibit shows how people who live in poor city neighborhoods are improving their lives in sustainable ways. A few things really stood out to me.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnW40azVHVcTbm6Dok5OmlYqeO4ZKS3ihw5W1swU23cfe8V6mnyvOX9jImc7Rr4RtYbfaXE4FyrTBLtIfWiD_u1Hzvq2Esly5ugMcOWg508jW1qF9AvEvvIXLCUepF18xxhQejLFsVq96z/s320/IMG_5815.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691624886417482050" /><p class="MsoNormal">In Medellín, Colombia, the local government built a cable-car system in one of its poorest slum areas that runs from the top of the hill to the bottom. Residents now get to work faster and more safely. The trip could take 2 hours on a crowded bus; it now only takes them 7 minutes. Libraries and schools were built to improve how kids spend their time; this gives them the chance to create a better future for themselves. It is also a much safer neighborhood now with 26 homicides instead of 381 per 100,000 residents each year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6FRA2bkgCNaUGMHcyt_M4ady-SnMPjo20m2F9pIuYgPtT1g7coZZoabEFtbf0HTdzMDMC_FSPsljxE0X4B5I_E2_lrUP-hf32heigHMsRZLXyImN6qKCtaQLANhrgozO0VQ8nJmCMUcM/s200/IMG_5813.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691624460851535986" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">In Ecuador and Nicaragua, bicycle pumps and toy helicopters are made into medical tools. It is amazing to see how people save lives by making these tools out of common items and for little money.</p><div><p class="MsoNormal">In Rio do Janeiro, Brazil, a few guys decided to experiment with a mural painting project in what was then a dangerous community. Their goal was to engage young people who lived there to help them paint. The project expanded far beyond their original plan when they employed local people to create some huge paintings that covered many houses and an entire staircase. The painters received a diploma and now see their work every day in their neighborhood; many aspire to be professional painters, and some of them want to take their painting to other parts of their city or to nearby villages. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The group is planning a bigger project that would cover a whole neighborhood and affect hundreds more people. Being a part of this project keeps young people busy and gives them a reason to feel good about themselves.</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3tqf8KrCYZFwHIimkBGDuETwLDOf8P7tN6ZNMBTFyTxtxE9ikjnOPw3FJq_nA-7A66WaeloaGWb28H-7G43z48oVINjHj-KlzCnzLXKi2ypewoxAxO1DVklCw48Z67G0AuLWTHStoJMS/s400/IMG_5816.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691623754456672530" /> <p class="MsoNormal">It is sad to see the conditions these people live in, but it is also extremely inspiring to see solutions that improve their lives. Sometimes it is the simplest solutions that solve the most complicated problems.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh399UlrGr3WygRzIKWCDbWY9DyomB2nm8njsJMfkMgVqSMvor2ctqPqjjohFQvoAUN51rW_XOIi7VoK-fZa93Q7q3Cbq-TA0JalemmQwhmoC8Gp3YJo7PHvMJwjJcoHjUhcgs4pwJECV8n/s320/IMG_5906.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691622459254730514" /><p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Highline</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">On Sunday morning we visited the <a href="http://www.thehighline.org/">Highline</a>. You can see us at the start of our walk on the Highline in our Memphis caps — a gift from our friend, Linda Potter, who generously arranged for us to have wonderful seats at the Broadway show, Memphis, the night before. She’s been involved with the show since before it came to Broadway and knows some of the actors, so she made it possible for us to go backstage after the show.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Memphis was spectacular, and it was incredible to be able to meet some of its stars. Thank you, Linda!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hvTKvjDW_voXgaHF5Qm275gJ3_UVH_qDfakztkIiIED94GOjQJczHw5YwVoBfAViTPL6w_Kc1hyphenhyphenWhPusdVfWb8HaluSSyu6oTTTfb7uqqf97Jln70IdDkdXAP9v_7kVC7raHorzBsu0_/s320/IMG_5901.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691621657435781874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM67PHBoZACLF1rg1XzUcWurPyicJT8d9hlrjZqGbKXsXQpO86Oy7BDwtiYzq0U1eANWUBkYIMY0qsCM1iTbHbBYw-cgNKx8qpxjUaeEdTLJEIYCPQhyZ1yTb39WOgME_j4JkGvEiqQy4/s200/IMG_5908.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691621200356238850" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">The Highline was once an elevated railroad that paralleled the West Side Highway with tracks going directly into buildings that housed factories and meatpacking plants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>During the last decade, designers with a different vision transformed these abandoned tracks into a pedestrian walkway where the tracks are visible in the soil of a flowering landscape. We were on this elevated walkway for many blocks, as we walked under buildings, over streets, and next to windows where people live and work.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-FfXIJu30VIkgTUY747DjFW2atNS_KKCkZ-vPc7dRTQ_9vakQYn837gabPIvkqL8UNOVR8rlPt6DFkb6jaXIDbIM6rticPOCAGGf3bQXBPVnOh7U0HN-6oHldAz5I-Vdbf3RbgUeyss4/s320/IMG_5927.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691619055492943458" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">The Highline walkway is well made and well designed. W ith benches along the way, it is a nice place to sit and watch others walk by. In a covered area, a man played a banjo, and a bit further on we came to wooden steps leading down to a glass wall. We sat against the glass and watched cars speed by below us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Built in 1934, the idea of the Highline was to raise the tracks in order to lower the number of train-related injuries and deaths. The Highline trains stopped running in 1980, and 19 years later “friends of the Highline” dedicated themselves to the challenge of turning it into a public walkway. The contrast between the tracks, the plants and the architecture on either side of the walkway works well; there is always something interesting to look at, but the feeling is very calming, too. In bustling Manhattan, this place seems very natural and forces you to take your time.</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cFXm_8O4DaqNnpaHWTHqSZcVYQ2xMi84b4y-9SfMtbbWQ2_zLMFWhpcnFKLto4jaBSN1152e3GWal3j9y1amqlxl-j22BD-fMud5jKVMJHbUBPSvFf4RCMjJR4IvORMnaaE_B71O1TUu/s320/IMG_5905.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691617638754886770" /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-24905746990148978522011-10-11T16:47:00.000-07:002011-10-11T17:05:53.934-07:00The Sprouts of Hope — Peace Doves and Songs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zY5CvOyVTNjK4fLqKXjnI-Ag_bB5GCqkZc34uUlVQZkd0bO-Ix3_PkxehAmfwQFTMSyOfsxMzYIgqC5opGF-36VMWtkjnhUE1qDE1RjBafvvpUnmqa-S29pKn6FOVhg12VLQeQnOjFj8/s1600/Peace_Day_Eliza_Cropped.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 182px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zY5CvOyVTNjK4fLqKXjnI-Ag_bB5GCqkZc34uUlVQZkd0bO-Ix3_PkxehAmfwQFTMSyOfsxMzYIgqC5opGF-36VMWtkjnhUE1qDE1RjBafvvpUnmqa-S29pKn6FOVhg12VLQeQnOjFj8/s320/Peace_Day_Eliza_Cropped.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662389471073595730" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">Sprouts Celebrate Day of Peace</span></b></span></a><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">By Eliza</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">In late September, the Sprouts of Hope travelled by bus to Providence, Rhode Island to spend a day at the nearby Roger Williams Park Zoo. There we celebrated the international day of peace, as we'd done last year with Roots & Shoots in Boston. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Throughout the day, we worked with Roots & Shoots members from other communities to do various peace-related activities with kids who came to the zoo.</p><p class="MsoNormal">At one table, we helped kids make mini peace doves. It felt great to promote peace and tell so many people about Roots & Shoots.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4344HPO0ecJbd9BhcVCqpSTdrFt-RKNXP4JTli1nZpNJabLmbmzLQ-AUOH1xWygYFW152bCIhm-IxITCSSDsmfwaQxaDra6kZvir9NDd6ZmuxCzicefNSHI6zCxOKgg5MD6r1O0GaIPIb/s320/Peace_Dove_Small_Sky.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662388519017991234" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">In the afternoon's peace parade, we held up a giant peace dove as Roots & Shoots members and friends marched together around the zoo, singing about peace. A lot of the kids waved the mini peace doves they’d made. It was so much fun!</p><p class="MsoNormal">We also were able to get a tour of the zoo from Denali, a Roots & Shoots member who knows this zoo quite well. It was awesome to see all the animals and walk around the zoo. Overall, the day of peace celebration was a great experience and we can’t wait for next year.</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBX0xXqX8KCXPChOAvreAjAHONQwQI_1jt_8PMaxtTvoQnYDCEOUt8EiOSekTDghax5KkFk7fhDmzcTW3or2SsTj_mKHij8oPUHfHKqXn7-6IF2fcayjNBFaZggVVj1g4slwCBbSD8cnp/s400/Peace_Dove_Small_Dove.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662388931492587090" /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-86499491717764981222011-06-28T07:01:00.000-07:002011-06-28T08:02:03.254-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Yard Sale + Food Sale Fundraiser<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJjD5879R5blYMXrxuxlhsxb5rpRrotnCwKLVlXxgFTlbMTycyD-0ht7MmahfiuxL9aLjLMzN2yYCF9_CCsC6ZHeYEMQbwQg-h1plyqTBJqyTZaVFVWG3za97_8jI3_o-OKPOGhs1YvHx/s1600/IMG_4167.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJjD5879R5blYMXrxuxlhsxb5rpRrotnCwKLVlXxgFTlbMTycyD-0ht7MmahfiuxL9aLjLMzN2yYCF9_CCsC6ZHeYEMQbwQg-h1plyqTBJqyTZaVFVWG3za97_8jI3_o-OKPOGhs1YvHx/s200/IMG_4167.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623284023157550146" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOgc5jqhhNK3nZ0kkBoEvgUKFZe-s2qod3wh6bOEa-5WRtR7hJsvlR7V_7YI7fIfXEzOf0jzUZkO6hAoAgG8pYV8ddOtxtvPDiF9tBWg-ol_yxp_oEw_GK9jtvbM8eD5lbLpRSV08TfQx/s1600/IMG_4167.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">Raising Money — To Give It Away</span></b></span></a><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">By Maya</span></b> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">On June 5, the Sprouts of Hope held our third yard sale. As usual, we filled our driveway with stuff we've outgrown or don't need but others might like to have. We sold books, games, toys, clothes, kitchen appliances and accessories, books, ice skates, rollerblades, bikes, shoes, plants, jewelry, bags, printers, and just about anything else you could think of. And we baked yummy cookies and our friend, Pu Zhang, cooked homemade Chinese dumplings. They are always a big hit, and we sold all of them within an hour of their arrival.</p><p class="MsoNormal">All of the Sprouts pitched in with donating things to the sale and being there while it was going on.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The yard sale was a total success! We raised a total of 825 dollars, and now we've donated that money to three organizations, <a href="http://www.citysprouts.org/">City Sprouts</a> (a gardening program at public schools in Cambridge), <a href="http://www.rootsandshoots.org/regional_offices/new_england/news?newstype=36B58CDB-E544-E882-3960-388BF6981000&nwsid=36486FA4-A773-0518-2B90-B750B7441000">The Sprouts of Hope Fund</a> (named after us, as its founders, the fund helps kids who don't have the resources to participate in Roots & Shoots be able to do so), and <a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/">Doctors Without Borders</a>.</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9a6MCOETQRCndOzr7Gtb-Qv34zLwlKmkQYnpVhFXvMSMpu0r2vlp2WcOAZjmi1PeVyKhAvJGMBqK08xLpmC3E4Inh3VU7yvRTSx_bBPpDLUQId5lNgwqG-2jlG7_RKHckesG93OZOsYB/s320/Yard_Sale_Poster_Sprouts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623283612275938786" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> To each, we donated </span>275 dollars!We also received items from other friends. As one part of the sale we did a silent auction for some of the special items, including my bike (I am now going to ride the one my mom used to ride), a hand carved Native America bowl, and a huge art set.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Prior to the sale we created colorful signs and hung them up around our neighborhood. We also put the information on to Craigslist and spread the word through Facebook and at school. </p><p class="MsoNormal">When the day came, it was miraculously clear and sunny. A lot people stopped by, and we sold a ton of things! When it was over, we loaded up our parents' cars and made trips to</p><p class="MsoNormal">Goodwill to donate the remaining stuff. Just our leftovers alone filled more than two huge cars!</p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6O8rCEP2ENl4U7ia9U6DVj9l-cVljEtaEx5vCm9ui-17Zsghd5EGfXhw4e_iOQ8u23aRMBY8NN4-ZIL5RFThKkp4S47yaaINZ1dSySDGc7lQObp0DjIMY3dk1fOnixny56lfYIHcv4i5/s320/IMG_4178.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623283267033543074" /><p class="MsoNormal">It feels great knowing that we were able to raise all of this money, and send it off to help out three great causes. </p><p class="MsoNormal">We hope to hold another yard sale so that we can recycle what we don't need to others and then use the money we raise to make a difference in other people's lives.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-75980125914187541762011-06-12T06:23:00.000-07:002011-06-12T06:25:48.505-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlH-C6yC-wAQ1PvYrmSylThElSnFuVdobOOuBBsyNC8aQVjviD-3qeuKmSOFKN5cdOabC6sJLbS6FUXNRuuInKBtrGOXL9gNSEmnOAJNGIFvNa1ObTCKqjxqJ8nXWP1jm2wMEcAF6UE7V/s1600/IMG_4075.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlH-C6yC-wAQ1PvYrmSylThElSnFuVdobOOuBBsyNC8aQVjviD-3qeuKmSOFKN5cdOabC6sJLbS6FUXNRuuInKBtrGOXL9gNSEmnOAJNGIFvNa1ObTCKqjxqJ8nXWP1jm2wMEcAF6UE7V/s200/IMG_4075.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617323630790672882" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0); "><b>Using Our Book to Teach about Energy</b></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CC00;"><b>By Eliza</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">On Saturday, May 21<sup>st</sup>, the Sprouts of Hope had the opportunity to display our book, “Energy Lite,” at the Cambridge Climate Change Week ActionFest.It was very exciting to spread the word about our project to people who, like us, are interested in global warming and the environment. The event took place at Cambridge College, and people from many organizations gathered to educate the community about the issues facing our planet. Among these organizations were the Cambridge Energy Alliance and the Cambridge Climate Emergency action group.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7khucHTQJagyI3eVyXCbZe_j0jyJeavlj75ouI1kv8b1WjkMay4tV1XD2CTeArA6W_c3Sr98mubVpN3RZztsI5g4xjLmDbJzBqhLyNGj8-U9O75Of8EpOqB7p_xuyYIntsRd6sYtU5mx/s320/IMG_4063.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617321632240359234" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">The Sprouts set up a table with copies of our book and Kill A Watt meters. We gave out information about “Energy Lite,” Roots & Shoots, and energy conservation in general. We had a raffle (people filled out an energy conservation pledge to enter), and at the end of the day, we raffled off two Kill A Watt meters.</p><p class="MsoNormal">We also baked cookies in an oven while we measured with a Kill A Meter how much energy we were using! Just the smell of cookies cooking lures people to our display.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pmTwc-ZCR5qr0N5bFwGE0w0wRdXGJxLOijo9CPL60Qhlt1dIWX3yvDjY_o4MgvX02i6Dft0uKlj8a3hEOp5FCjI4c4m44Fn7AV64CaQMsA7X0H0GlJrgHK1KHSM2z3IKVXNA440mIORe/s200/IMG_4072.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617322015342735106" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">During the past few weeks, we have been very active in spreading the word about our book. On Thursday, May 19<sup>th</sup>, two of the Sprouts were able to attend the HEET Vampire Hunt and Efficiency Ware Party, where we got to talk to some interesting people about projects that we have worked on for several years as Sprouts – as well as our hopes for the future.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of the future, it seems as if all of our hard work at getting the word out about “Energy Lite” is paying off. Recently, Green Decade/Cambridge gave us a $300.00 grant to print more copies of "Energy Lite," and now we've found out that our book will be going into the Boston Public Library system. From the books we printed with our grant, we are giving the Boston libraries 40 copies to spread throughout their library branches — and they will be paired with Kill A Watt meters that are already there. And a nonprofit organization called Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN) will use “Energy Lite” as a way to teach kids about energy use and conservation this summer. And four copies of “Energy Lite” are going to be put into the Medford (MA) libraries, too.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT04lap20Tr6zSJMh6W2o3O19ZGY6NNXtrR5TRqX7Fp5h0vVXuJLBKFKTHz-n3f3JssGiGtQ-MTcIHo8bPett0w6uRm1ZoHGcEWisAlEjPIPFzr_Gx-GR09NxeYCjTNclUepJe0ZgW9JIO/s320/IMG_4069.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617322564867248050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /><p class="MsoNormal">We are very excited about these small steps forward, and hope to continue promoting energy efficiency in the future.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-67457045797197556682011-05-12T04:06:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:23:59.463-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Recycling in Cambridge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_c9gWo5ibErKmd3lPUIWovPloXkuwHYAwuv5-nD0mSZAAY8WYvXHJlrlwyIq_X_3xMPWacYcUNU-nGegUENJ_lafClfGSW8QUwISowp6TRtaMJnwaiokbmc-c0-TyTj-0iuT5Q4ol-9w/s1600/DSCN1492.jpeg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><b>Spreading the Word About Recycling</b></span></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><b>By Lilly</b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Sprouts of Hope had the opportunity to participate in some fun events in Cambridge —the Mayfair and Fresh Pond Day. The MayFair is a festival that happens every year in Harvard Square on the 1<sup>st</sup> of May, and it is always a very exciting and fun event. At the MayFair, we worked with Meryl Brott, who oversees recycling for the city, as volunteers for The Department of Public Works.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6MsqMiDc7w2TM4_WXYh4d8Kaw0m-ZJPO_Bf1zejFQh5PpvpGrpPQy9F7U4B1yrLIaTJMwxrqGswLtx9M1bxzL2RJDQGCTaBpAHzFoWCTcNXSUa3bQzOcR6Zuw5jg3P04Pi7o04O4stVf/s1600/DSCN1492.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6MsqMiDc7w2TM4_WXYh4d8Kaw0m-ZJPO_Bf1zejFQh5PpvpGrpPQy9F7U4B1yrLIaTJMwxrqGswLtx9M1bxzL2RJDQGCTaBpAHzFoWCTcNXSUa3bQzOcR6Zuw5jg3P04Pi7o04O4stVf/s320/DSCN1492.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605796943222640258" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Our job was to walk around the MayFair and survey people about what they know about recycling in Cambridge. Meryl also had set up a booth where people could come and ask questions about recycling and composting, and take free posters, information packets and stickers.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Surveying people was hard work, but it was also a lot of fun! It was interesting to see how many people were unaware of certain things they can recycle. For example, many people did not know that they can recycle hard plastics like broken laundry baskets in their curbside recycling, and they were very interested when we told them that they could.</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DVlpXmrMwqhIL8pONmUOeXVXXMpJfJMs_WebEjNIAm4Qhk1XhDcZm7t2VN5ViK7YrXWMa6CAMrm14R3Ibb8NdZEH_FO3FwQaulspEP66MKcQuuwVPiszc3_RyEC6Zb9Rq7Axe8H89Dtx/s320/DSCN1522.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605791922675914258" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal">We did a similar thing a week later on Fresh Pond Day — and we are going to help Meryl again in early June at the Riverfest. Risa, Eliza and I set up a table very similar to the one we had at the MayFair. We also set up a compost bin to catch people’s interest by showing them what it looks like. Many people came to us with questions about composting, recycling and rain barrels.</p><p class="MsoNormal">It was a very fun experience and we were able to help a lot of people get answers to their questions.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-29805532178289343102011-05-12T03:25:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:23:59.215-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Earth Day<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">Becoming Friends With the Earth</span></b><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;">By Maya</span></b></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyY7qxz4PwSsPUx79JCFgQaq4NuU4-id1tQuHMWTr7ilNDWtOPeWtzuByk_65CY4-LLi-iQ08Fb5KXfkfR6z5_S2NgwmhHYfoutPSIVwNUsam4BDl9dyrmYwgqAcpsPZ3DmP8-wbcuU-h/s200/Earth_Day_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605774376838101650" /><p class="MsoNormal">On Earth Day, April 22<sup>nd</sup>, I volunteered at the Boston Children’s Museum. Early that morning I took the T into South Station with Kelly Sullivan, another member of the Roots & Shoots New England Youth Leadership Council.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were going there to do activities with kids about helping take care of the Earth.</p><p class="MsoNormal">When we got to the museum, we headed up to the second floor family room. Kellan Hays, who is the media and program coordinator for Roots & Shoots Northeast, and two Roots & Shoots interns, Fiona and Katie, who were also volunteering, were already there.</p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-y4ZxOmAlTL_1Qne9bxmZfwaP2-TC_2-SXNo7tTg0upbt0rcv7W7UtH64gcR4QB7K_TwA73vzJaSewzvpVPzC25ceSihep-KTfQ2v2s6qCEYnvYz3ddxx1DSfmPV0Y5Kf4ThVIasaqmY/s320/Earth_Day_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605795614116174498" /><p class="MsoNormal">We had three tables, and on them we set out an animal matching game, a recycle scavenger hunt, and a wishing tree for the Earth. For the animal matching game kids paired up pictures of baby animals with the mama animal. After they did that they could flip the cards over and learn a cool fact about the animal. One little girl had me read and explain every single card for her!</p><p class="MsoNormal">For the scavenger hunt kids took lists and ran around the room looking for different materials, checking off the ones that could be recycled and those that could not. Then, they could do a recycling word scramble.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0FjYRwGe-O88hRDgCNqI9QhUdFpacTaiO70dYMfBVZeRz-i3G_H15sZJrFDFCVIlFMHSQS7aAvI8DHxD-lekDCjgDwxV-jgCEnLvVQ2u1JvAnhIjYV5HSoThf7mu7UNrUO7zb28I7vSW/s320/Earth_Day_4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605775684809257922" /> <p class="MsoNormal">The tree for Earth was my favorite activity. Kids took different cut outs—a bird, a star or a leaf, and they wrote messages about the Earth on them. They said what they love about the Earth, what they do to help the Earth, or what they could do to help the Earth. By the end of the day the tree was barely visible. The notes and drawings were all very cute and inspiring!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Everyone seemed to greatly enjoy the activities, including me. I can definitely say the day was a success and I am looking forward to doing this again next year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2431305096656215185.post-60455695033514297372011-04-27T17:03:00.000-07:002011-04-27T17:07:26.130-07:00Sprouts of Hope: Learning About Sustainability<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 102, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sustainability—Now a Part of Our Schools</span></span></h3><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-475522153486869447"><p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="MsoNormal">By Maya</p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3oJa1784yYYKt8HZC8-S83F6M54G4huKq6hOJoTdNeBiuIC573gthIhMiyIwiaebT6tkodA9YqzFhvMPHKMND5qfg6F8C7KNUVu9oJ_Cwt21aDZYjWqNoiqesqZ65RPY_IJ7dcNyFMkh/s400/Sustainability_Kristen_photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600418985371958466" /><p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; ">The Sprouts of Hope had the opportunity to meet </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; ">with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; ">the Cambridge Public School’s new Sustainability Coordinator, Kristen von Hoffman. She has a lot of experience with environmental issues; before she took this job, she was the founder of <a href="http://www.greenfoxschools.com/index.html">Greenfox</a> schools, a nonprofit organization that works to make schools green and sustainable.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">One of the things that Kristen does is work with Meryl Brott to expand composting in the schools!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Meryl helped <a href="http://www.cpsd.us/KOP/compost/">King Open</a> to start a pilot composting program and now she and Kristen are working with other schools to make composting part of what kids do with food waste. The city’s Department of Public Works, where Meryl works, put </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Ay0qPowr6kWkS6Fj9DF7h374zSyXc8KYRLgmOSSpkZRpMYkxqHPv2Kl9HSEH0nB8UJ-n9t8iGsP-URaOGHPmsfLmQZS2m3I_v3wU5YhiUxfppvEqbkAAgvcJ6ILj5r5iJA4oKj6rIh5/s1600/IMG_0219.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Ay0qPowr6kWkS6Fj9DF7h374zSyXc8KYRLgmOSSpkZRpMYkxqHPv2Kl9HSEH0nB8UJ-n9t8iGsP-URaOGHPmsfLmQZS2m3I_v3wU5YhiUxfppvEqbkAAgvcJ6ILj5r5iJA4oKj6rIh5/s320/IMG_0219.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599233010862756386" border="0" /></a>together a manual with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/theworks/.../Schools/.../publicworksdepartment/.../Schools/StepbyStepLunchroomComposting.ashx">Frequently Asked Questions </a>that explains how to set up composting in a school cafeteria —and we hope all of the schools in Cambridge will be doing this soon.</p><p class="MsoNormal">So far, King Open, the 9th Grade Campus, and the Graham & Parks schools are composting their cafeteria leftovers. From September to February, these schools have composted more than 14,500 pounds and saved more than 14,500 lbs of CO2, according to Meryl and Kristen. That's equal to the weight of 1.75 elephants.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Kristen is now working to create and implement a sustainability plan for the school district. The five main categories she uses to look at the whole picture of the sustainability in the schools are <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="">energy, waste, food, products, and green space</span></span>. She devised a report that outlines the major goals and she named the program, Cambridge Green Schools Initiative (CGSI).</p><p class="MsoNormal">She wanted to hear our ideas as she works to create a CGSI website. Here are a few we came up with:</p><p class="MsoNormal">Making a YouTube video</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Advertising on Facebook</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Drawing a logo</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Posting photo albums and other visuals</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tying in with our blog—<a href="http://sproutsofhopekids.blogspot.com/">The Sprouts of Hope Kids</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Advertising in areas around the high school</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Holding contests to get kids involved</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thinking of a motto</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Including sustainability projects in community service hours</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Raffles</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Having kids take a sustainability pledge</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Including links to a group page</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anything else to engage the community.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We even started think of more acronyms for the five parts of sustainability — energy, waste, food, products and green space — and by the time Kristen left we had sketched a possible logo that she took home with her.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">During the meeting we also discussed the importance of biodiversity, reforestation and, of course, sustainability. Population is increasing, so sustainability is vital. We all can and we all need to make a difference.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Kristen also told us about geo-engineering. Geo-engineering is about the way we look at changing the world while keeping in mind the big picture. Sustainability is one of the components involved with engineering the earth. A main focus is eliminating the effects of climate change. She told us about some of the earth-saving inventions, such as panels that deflect sunlight and how it ultimately deflects heat; naval ships that can do chemical reactions for climate change; and man-made trees that suck in carbon dioxide and transfer it into hydrogen.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We definitely learned a lot from the meeting and we are hope to have a chance to follow up on all the ideas we discussed to launch a great website for CGSI.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>Sprouts Of Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502263123162438637noreply@blogger.com0