Saturday, December 21Maximizing our Collective Impact

Month: June 2021

Upcycle Craft with Plastic Bags
20Jun By Gracie DNo Comments
Activities

Upcycle Craft with Plastic Bags

By Gracie Dogramaci, Sidwell Friends School Although plastic bags are modern luxuries that we seem to be unable to live without, they bring serious repercussions to our environment. The aforementioned problems include the use of precious resources, the annihilation of habitats and species, and water, air and soil pollution. As time passes, the plastic breaks up into smaller pieces, called microplastic, which pollutes ecosystems and our environment. Plastic does not biodegrade, meaning that it does not break down completely. The plastic continues to become smaller until fragments remain, of which remain in the environment. These pieces can be transported through water and air, and can be ingested by organisms. Plastic bags can be helpful to both consumers and retailers, but about “a hund...
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Environmental Reading List & Watchlist
20Jun By Abby KelsoNo Comments
Literature

Environmental Reading List & Watchlist

By Abby Kelso, Sidwell Friends School In Alexis Madrigal’s book Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology, he illustrates the history of green technology in the United States, from electric cabs in New York in the 1890s to Idaho’s geothermal heating system of 1910. Though many view the focus on green technology as relatively recent, Madrigal reveals that the United States has utilized green technology sporadically for decades. By examining the past, Madrigal envisions a more hopeful future—a future in which environmentally friendly technology is the norm, rather than an exception.  An environmental reading list would not be complete without Rachel Carson’s historic book, The Silent Spring. Published in 1962, Carson’s book is largely credited with sparking t...
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20Jun Avatar photoBy Elson BankoffNo Comments
Literature

Poem: Ode to the Movement

By Elson Bankoff, Sidwell Friends School Praise the sweat upon their brow,Mostly as drops gather in the heat.Then too, like those very drops,They condense in miraculous numbers.Their atomic energy to the mammoth star.Praise the movement, hear their chants echo from afar. And for every sign held, and arm achingAtop a hill, in that driving heat,Generational cycles rewardEachother. Flowers to soldiers,Or bodies planted to diner leather seats.Now a new march continues,Because love persists longer and love persists stronger than corruption ever will. Praise their fire that runs rampant,Their hyperfixation not haltedBy those who, with the brightness,Have their eyes become dull.The romantics and believers,Bound to save what is small, by recalling something large.Praise the loyal movement...
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20Jun Avatar photoBy Elson BankoffNo Comments
Literature

Poem: Bison, Atmosphere, Ecology

By Elson Bankoff, Sidwell Friends School We run with our intuition and with our passionIn heards, we triumph across Great PlainsInto hearts, enriching minds,Generational continuity for the sakeOf generational continuity. Bison. The sky is abstract, it is visualBut the air adds distinct layers. Ones ofThick textures. Not rich, like a sweet breezeOver fertile land;But poisoned and suffocating.Atmosphere. The sky is connected to the groundSmall stalks of grass that are nibbledAnd rebirthed.The ground bound to stabilizing mantle,And resting upon that, is the breath of creation.The joy of being. The wholeness of symbiotic narratives and journeys.Ecology.
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20Jun By Anjali ANo Comments
Literature

Poetry: The Earth’s Afflictions

Poetry: The Earth's Afflictions By Anjali Amin, George School If the earth was a dogit’d be covered in fleas,eating away at its furlike we cut down the trees. If the earth was a shoeit’d be in need of a polish,because of scuffs we createdwith our mountains of rubbish. If the earth was a shirtit’d be ripped up and soiled,with holes made for minesand stains left by oil. If the earth was a personthey’d be down on their knees,begging for salvationas we ignore their pleas.
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20Jun By Anjali ANo Comments
Art & Multimedia

Poetry: Trash Traps

Poetry: Trash Traps By Anjali Amin, George School Crushed soda cans shine through the sand,tripping the feet of children and seagulls.Seaweed wraps around a plastic pack ring,an inconspicuous trap for innocent fish. A broken beer bottle blends into the dirt,stabbing the foot of an unassuming squirrel.A cigarette butt is flicked onto the ground,a poisonous assassin waiting for its prey. The predators stroll by, ignorant and carefree,apathetically leaving traps in their wake.And when the prey cries out for help,the predators plug their ears and watch.
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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & Their Effect on the Environment
20Jun By Olivia ONo Comments
Eco-STEM

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & Their Effect on the Environment

By Olivia O'Donnell, Sidwell Friends School Over the past few decades, scientists have begun to understand the dangers of synthetic chemicals. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring alerted the world to the ramifications of pesticide use in 1962 and since then, there has been increased research into man-made chemicals and their harmful effects on our environment. One group of these chemicals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have made their way into local waterways and pose a major threat to many aquatic ecosystems. EDCs are chemicals that affect the body’s endocrine system, which controls reproduction, growth, and development. EDCs mimic the hormones used by the endocrine system, leading to abnormal processes and side effects in the body such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, learning di...
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How the Recycling System Needs to be Reformed in Washington DC
20Jun By Amelia PNo Comments
Community News & Policy

How the Recycling System Needs to be Reformed in Washington DC

By Amelia Petty, Sidwell Friends School Recycling has held the national spotlight as a main solution to fighting plastic pollution and waste reduction for a long time. Despite the attention it receives as a beacon of hope for environmentalism, the system is flawed. Over the past couple of years, the Washington D.C. recycling system has undergone many changes and improvements. While the recycling system in D.C. has shown signs of improvement, it needs major changes and large scale reform of the problems it is facing. If Washington D.C. seeks to improve sustainability and reduce its global footprint, the city must consider reforming its recycling system. The contamination of recyclables is the first major issue, and is related to another problem: residents not knowing how to recycle an...
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