The Obvious Solution

Note: Before I begin the subject of which I would like to talk about, I would like to say that in no aspect if this response did I copy Shan’s; this is merely a ratification. So, without further a due, I shall begin.

 In agreement with what Shan said, I would like to say that, yes, the world today IS filled up with a hazardous, highly non-biodegradable material known as plastic. It is a material that can be seen in every aspect of life (from being littered on the ground to floating or being submerged in numerous lakes and rivers), kills certain organisms (e.g. sea turtles, as they choke from mistaking them as food), and “contributes” more to global warming, as it’s production releases more green house gases into the atmosphere (it is created by combining polymers and a few different chemicals together through an immense amount of pressure combined together with great heat; as a result certain toxins are produced from these procedures.) Plastic also depletes the environment of its natural resources, such as (and especially) oil, as they are required for the manufacturing process. However, the focus of this response, as it is an agreement, is not on all types of plastics and finding an alternative to them, but rather, on one of it’s products: shopping bags. Shopping bags are one of the most abundant and common plastic products around. They, as being a made of plastic, may take “500-1000 years to break down in a landfill” (estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA). As a result, the only solution–simple, obvious, and provided as Shan as well–is to use a re-useable bag, or rather, an environmentally friendly shopping bag. MY reasons of why environmentally friendly shopping bags should be used are because they are durable–meaning that they can be used numerous times before it has to be replaced–as they are made from synthetic fibers, or canvas; consequently, it would not harm the environment as much, as it does not require as many natural resources to produce. They also can be used to replace several ordinary shopping bags, as it can hold more items compared to conventional shopping bags. In addition, most environmentally shopping bags can be bought for a fairly low and affordable price, and can be found at almost any market or shop, and are more biodegradable (some are even 100% recyclable), compared to ordinary shopping bags. Therefore, environmentally friendly bags, or re-useable bags, however one wishes to call them, are the best and simplest solution to the problem associated with plastic bags.

One more thing, if you disagree with what I said, please prove me wrong in the comments. Thank you.

Also, there is no link provided, as they can be found at almost any market or store.

Globe 5203801

     Saving Earth and the environment might seem like an improbable task, but everyone can easily help. Every student has a desk at home, or a flat, solid object that is parallel to the ground. On the desk, there is probably a desk lamp. It may not seem like it, but over the course of the school year, the little light bulb could use up a lot of electricity. That is why the Globe 5203801 is a great innovation by scientists today. This environment friendly uses a 13 watt light bulb to provide lighting, which is equal to a 60 watt light bulb, while only using 75% of the electricity. The 13 watt CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light), that is supplied with it, is the reason this silver lamp is energy efficient. I would buy this amazing product, because my desk lamp is on for a few hours each day. Buying this wonderful innovation is an obvious choice, because you could be saving the environment and money at the same time. The Globe 5203801 costs just $16.99! Another Eco-friendly choice if buying a new lamp is inconvenient, is to buy energy efficient light bulbs for your current lamp.


http://www.envirogadget.com/office-eco-gadgets/globe-energy-saving-desk-lamp/

My Contribution to this Month's Question...

If you haven't heard of TOMS SHOES, check them out. For every pair of shoes you buy, they give a pair to a child in need.

You can find them at several stores, including the Downtown Artizia, the Billibong Store, and other trendy spots. I'm sure you can find them somewhere in Richmond Centre.

Check out their website

They have vegan shoe options as well - which if you are vegan (so you don't eat/wear ANY meat products) you will know is very hard to find vegan shoes.

They are a very environmentally friendly, sustainable, and an ethically minded company.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Windex, Swiffer, Arm & Hammer, Mr. Clean. These are a couple examples of different products we may use to keep our houses clean and smelling fresh. But although these products are good for cleaning houses, are they good for the environment?

The answer is no. So what is an alternative? Eco-friendly cleaning products is the answer! By replacing our original cleaning products with environmentally-friendly products, we can reduce the amount of pollution we emit into the air each day. It is proven that the air inside houses is worse and more polluted then the air outside! For example, the chemicals in all these common household names are very harmful to our atmosphere and to us. Some of the toxins in these products are acetone, ammonia, formaldehyde and  morpholine. Each of these chemicals has a very harmful affect on humans. Some are cancer causing, some damage the liver and kidneys, but they all hurt us and the environment just the same. By switching to eco-friendly cleaning products, we can make homes safer for us and not as harmful to the environment.

wowgreen is a company that manufactures organic cleaning products that are safe, effective, natural and completely harmless. All wowgreen products are made from natural products found on earth and they clean just as good, or better than chemical based products. These products are shipped in reusable cartons, the ink on the labels is made of environmentally-friendly ink, and can be recycled. By enhanced science, this company has found a way to use enzymes from the environment to create cleaning products that break down dirt instead of killing it. If everyone changed to wowgreen or companies similar, the air inside homes would be a lot cleaner and the environment would be helped, not harmed. That is why in the near future I will start using eco-friendly cleaning products.

Have No Fear! Recyclable Plastic Bottles are here!

       Our Planet is currently faced with an issue that threatens the very existence of mankind! With trash starting to accumulate and taking up vast landscapes, the end of human civilization seems imminent. As Many people know, plastic has been a major factor that contributes to the build up of garbage deposits around the globe. Unfortunately, although everyone is seemingly aware of the environmental deficits of the usage of plastic, the issue is often met with neglect. However, with the great invention of recyclable plastic bottles, we have been purged of many environmental concerns that could have haunted us for centuries. I buy it partially because that it is made from already used plastic and will help cut down the amount of plastic that will be buried at the trash yards. The main reason; however, is the low cost attribute that comes along with the purchase of the recyclable plastic bottles.
       Unfortunately, with our modern technology, we still lack the skill and knowledge to find the efficient methods to recycle plastic more than once; therefore, the recycled plastic bottles' production usually comes in small amounts. Another barrier that impedes the proliferation of recyclable plastic bottles is the additives that are applied in the plastic. Often, the plastic comprise of additives such as dyes that provide color to the plastic and fillers that allow the manufacturers to alter the properties of the plastic to their likings (ex. Strengthen the plastic). This induces difficulties in the extraction of the additives during the plastic recycling process. Although humans have not yet found an efficient solution to recycling plastic bottles, thanks to the invention of it, we are able to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic bottles! Together we will protect the earth!
      
For more information on this type of product -
 http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/greener-by-design-2009-water-bottles-at-a-green-conference-sigh.php

 

           

80watt solar panels

          Ever since, Benjamin Franklin created the light bulb and electricity, people have been taking this energy source for granted. It is human nature to take what's more than needed for everyone has greed within themselves. We cannot help it for greed has always been within us ever since the beginning of time. Greed cause a lot of damages to the world. The damages include animal extinction or global warming. Over using electricity is one of the Greatest affect for these damages. Large corporations use a huge amount of electricity to power the plants. Also, a lot of people does not conserve electricity and cause a shortage of this resource; therefore, more non-environmentally methods of creating electricity has to be used.

           For the environmentally friendly reasons, I will buy six 80watt solar panels to power my house. This is the most convenient product for I personally use a lot of electricity. This product does not require any electricity to power, it simply gets solar energy from the sun and transfer the energy into electricity. Although they are very expensive for each solar panel costs around $600-$700 but if they are used for eight years than the money spent for them will even out and using it for more years will save a lot of electricity bills. It is estimated that using the panel can save up to $18000 if used for over 30 years so this satisfies my greed for money. Also, the panels do not cause any pollution for it uses solar energy; therefore, it is very Eco friendly. Furthermore, power outages are common in British Columbia because of the weather and with the panel. Finally, the panel can produce maximum amount of energy in the minimum amount of time.

2X Concentrated Laundry Detergent

For anyone, the feeling of cleanliness is a must! Of course, it is a general rule to have clothes on in public at all times, but after each use, clothes get dirty and the only solution is to put them in the washing machine. Laundry detergents that are 2X concentrated can be a big help not only to your family, but to the environment as well. The concentrated detergent means that less water is used in the formula. Also, the smaller packaging means that there will be a reduction in transportation and fuel costs. Furthermore, the smaller packaging uses less materials resulting in less waste that is stuck in landfills, further damaging our environment. Concentrated detergent makes a big impact on the environment, yet is so easy to incorporate in all of our lives. I know that this product is something my family and I will be using for many years to come.

The Ultimate Product for a Music Lover ♥♫ :)

Ask children now and days, and you will find that most have an ipod, mp3 player, psp, cell phone, or any other device that they can listen to music on. Of course listening music is always great but especially when using transit, or walking places, it can help one stay entertained. But these are public places, and many people have different tastes in music. To keep music personal, people use earphones. Personally, I take my ipod almost everywhere I go and listen to it as much as I can, but I have terrible luck with earphones. Mine tend to break very quickly. This causes me to buy MANY pairs of earphones. When the demand for headphones is so great, it causes a lot of harm to the environment. This is because the process of making the materials for headphones and putting them together is long and harmful to the environment. These eco friendly earphones will cut the process in half. The materials do not have to be made from scrtch, only reformed and put together. Also, the materials that would be reused do not have to go through the process of being disposed safely, therefore making this earphones a "win-win" situation for the evironment. Overall, these eco friendly earphones are recyled from other materials meaning that we are reusing the materials which will reduce the effect on the environment, making them the ULTIMATE eco friendly product for a music lover. ♥♫ :)

Biodegradable Sun Chip Bag!

Everybody enjoys chips, including our family. We stumbled across a brand of Sun chips with a biodegradable bag while shopping. So we bought it and were all eager to test if the bag was truly biodegradable. I buried it in our back yard and waited patiently. After about two months, I went to our back yard and dug for the buried bag. It was really disintegrating in to the earth! This invention is really helpful to our earth in that many people nowadays still litter. They would litter without any respect to our mother earth. But with this technology, if they litter it will degrade in to the earth. This proves that other products that produce waste could also use biodegradable wrapping. I encourage more people to buy environmentally friendly products with less waste. I also support companies to make more products with biodegradable materials. The biodegradable waste idea is truly a great invention.


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/top-uses-for-a-sun-chips-compostable-bag-2397222

My Eco-friendly product :)

Global warming is a huge issue that it is daunting for a single person to help be a part of the solution. In the years to come, this problem might even worsen. Therefore, in the future, I will definitely take many steps in being eco-friendly. Honestly, just starting at home, the one product that I would surely buy is the florescent light bulb. Compared to incandescent lamps of the same luminous flux, florescent bulbs have a longer rated life and use less energy. They produce less heat, therefore safer to operate. It can also cut energy costs allied with home cooling. An 18-watt fluorescent light bulb, over its lifetime, uses far less electricity than a 75-watt incandescent bulb. In fact, the use of a fluorescent bulb saves the use of coal. This translates into less carbon dioxide being released into the Earth's atmosphere. These bulbs are one of the easiest, most eco friendly energy saving solutions available today. I would be turning to energy-efficient spiral fluorescent light bulbs and the reason simply is to help save our earth rather than contribute to the problem. Anyone could be a part of this change if they are determined.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfmfuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=LB

Solid Ideas for a Greener Living

I appreciate the fact that the public is starting to value our planet and all its resources, that now, environmentally friendly products are the newest trend. From CFL light bulbs to organic cotton clothing to fair trade food items, these products are helping our planet little by little.

I, personally, love the company Lush. If you have not heard of it, it is a company that produces a variety of eco-friendly, organic, vegetarian, handmade cosmetics and bath and body products. Lush is firmly committed to their policy against animal cruelty and testing. It is not necessary for a rabbit to go through excruciating pain, even death, to see if a product is sufficient enough. They use as little packaging as possible. If packaging can not be avoided, Lush uses 90% recycled material. Products are also made locally to reduce emissions produced by transportation vehicles. Lush uses ingredients that are produced in a sustainable way. All products, except a few, are biodegradable and compostable. So now we get to the product. Lush produces and sells solid shampoo bars. The greater of the liquid shampoos that are available in stores are mainly water, chemicals, fragrance, and preservatives, all in a plastic bottle. However, there is no need of a plastic bottle for this fresh find. These have saved about 6 million plastic bottles worldwide alone. No wonder it was the winner of the Best Green Packaging Award. Because this shampoo is solid, Lush avoided using exceedingly great amounts of water, about 450,000 litres. Take out the water, and there is no place for bacteria and no need of preservatives. The shampoo bars are highly concentrated, therefore you can get somewhere between 80 to 100 washes out of one bar, the same amount out of 2 to 3 liquid shampoo bottles. This company has taken the step, and we can also take this environmental step forward.

About Lush:

http://www.lush.ca/shop/about-lush/articles

Solid Shampoo Bars:

http://www.lush.ca/shop/products/haircare/solid-shampoos/

http://www.lush.ca/shop/about-lush/articles/our-green-initiatives/naked.html

Chopsticks to Go

Nowadays, everyone who eats outside, at a Chinese food court for example, will use disposable chopsticks because they are always provided and nobody ever thinks twice before using it. However, studies show that in China, about 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are thrown out every year. Just to clarify how much this is affecting the environment, 45 billion chopsticks are equal to about 25 million fully grown trees! I would buy these portable chopsticks because not only are they Eco-friendly, they are also healthier to eat with. Disposable chopsticks, the very white wooden ones, have been found with sulphur dioxide on them, which the companies use to bleach the disposable chopsticks. While there is a chance of getting sick by using the disposable ones, using the portable ones are not only hygienic, but also very easy, and stylish, to carry around! Everyone these days are told to recycle unused and old pieces of paper, yet wooden chopsticks are thrown out everyday! Buying these portable chopsticks would be the same idea as recycling paper (I think)! So I would buy, and carry, these chopsticks to not only save the environment, but also to lessen my chances to get sick as well.

http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/product/product-list.php?cID=108&cName=Chopsticks&pID=0&pName=Product-list

Evolution Of Smooth

Ever since 3500 BC, people have relied on makeup for everyday beauty. The problem with makeup is that it contains harmful chemicals that enter the environment and the human body. During the 20th century, the popularity of cosmetics have increased rapidly. Lip balms made from companies include LSD and other illegal acids. They are loaded with synthetic ingredients that do little for our lips. Many of these chemicals can cause breast cancer, brain tumors and other hormone problems. In order to achieve beauty, people are taking on and fighting toxins everyday. Lip balm has become an essential product in my life. Chapped lips drives me insane. When I got hold of this EOS lip balm, it has become the new obsession in my life. EOS lip balm is made out of 100% natural ingredients and 95% of those ingredients are organic. It is gluten-free, paraben-free, petrolatum-free and phthalate-free. The shea butter, vitamin E and jojoba oil keeps my lips smooth and moisturized throughout the day. The main reason I purchased this product was because of its packaging. The container it comes in is also eco-friendly. The lip balm is contained in an egg shaped container which is unique and different. EOS lip balms are found at most drug stores and are very affordable. The container holds a larger amount of product versus regular drug store lip balms. The effectiveness of this eco-friendly lip balm makes the environment and me smile.

http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com/products_lip_sphere.html

~RECYCLED VACUUM CLEANERS~

The environmentally friendly product that I would buy is Electrolux's vacuum. This vacuum is made up of recycled plastic found on beaches or in the sea. This vacuum is fully functional and can suck up dirt off a rug just like any other ordinary vacuum. These vacuums are also individually unique in terms of design because they are all each made up of different bits of garbage found. Therefore, it's nearly impossible to find two vacuums with the same design. This product is ideal for me because I have a lot of debris on my carpet floor and it'd really be helpful if I had a vacuum cleaner to pick it all up. Personally, I think this vacuum is a very brilliant invention to be eco-friendly. I also like the fact that it's basically garbage cleaning up more garbage. This vacuum truly is an amazing product.

My Ideal Eco-Friendly Product :)

As someone who loves to listen to music, my choice for an eco-friendly product would probably be a pair of solar powered speakers. Instead of using batteries or plugging them in, the speakers use the sun as their source of power. Also, since it will be unnecessary to buy batteries or to waste energy from an outlet, the speakers will save one's money. Six hours of "charging" in the sun can store enough energy to play music for about 8 hours! I do realize that in the wintertime, there won't be any sun, but looking on the positive side, one can be eco-friendly and save money in the summertime, which isn't exactly too bad. Personally, this product is very ideal seeing that it is also portable and lightweight which makes it efficient for me to use. In conclusion, I think this product is one of the easiest ways to be eco-friendly since it is used by many, especially teenagers, the future generation.

Zen...without the yoga mat!

Ever since mankind learned how to walk, we have had the need to go places: along the way, humans have gotten tired of just walking, and invented the wheel, horse-drawn carts, and now cars. Humans currently depend on cars to get around more than walking, whether it be a bus, a sky train, or the car parked in the garage. However, what is more important than our means of transportation is the way our precious earth is affected by it, from burning non-renewable fossil fuels to releasing toxins into the atmosphere. Even carpooling does not make the cut anymore, since a harmful vehicle is nonetheless used, and more gasoline is burned with each additional person.

Every time that I get into a vehicle of any kind (in particular, the family car), I cringe when the driver turns on the engine; now that I am just months away from getting a learner's license of my own for driving, the guilt has to be overcome. Indeed, there is a way to get around quickly without compromising the environment. The ZENN car, from the Canadian ZENN Motor Company, lives up to its name, and allows drivers--and their wallets!--to be in Zen as they make their daily trips. I would purchase the ZENN car, priced $11,000 to $13,000, because it is a superior alternative to not only regular vehicles, but also other environmentally-friendly battery-powered electric cars. The vehicle's Ceramic EEStor battery is more efficient, for it weighs less, is smaller than most batteries, uses less energy to run, and has a negligible temperature versus effect on energy storage rate. Furthermore, it has greater sustainability, due to the battery's 1,000,000+ cycle life and uses no hazardous materials whatsoever. Moreover, the ZENN car will literally permit me to drive or ride in Zen: the cleverly named brand stands for Zero Emission No Noise, and does not make that irritating purr-like resonance when starting or driving the vehicle. Thus, I can achieve distance and peace of mind, without giving away our future.

First Question of 2010!

SHOPPING!

We all shop (or will eventually have to shop) for all sorts of things.

I want you to look at the things you or your family buys. Do you just buy them because they are convenient, cheap, or brand names?

Think: Shoes, coffee, clothing, food… et cetera.

You task for the first entry is to find an environmentally friendly/ethically made/sustainable product that YOU would buy regularly (or use often).

Write one paragraph on WHY you would buy this paragraph, and provide a link to your product (hopefully there is one available).

To be published by Oct 31, 2010.

* TO PUBLISH: Log in, click on the class blog. Click on "new post". When you have checked it, edited it, and made sure it's perfect, click publish at the bottom of the post.

What Do I Do?

Welcome to your class blog!

Every month or so I will ask you one question to respond to on our class blog. The questions will change from month to month. You may have to reflect on world news, yourself, or think about what we did in class.

The requirements:

• Minimum of ONE paragraph, maximum of TWO.
• Do not repeat what someone else has said! If you agree/disagree with someone, say that and explain why.
• Make sure your responses are on topic.
• Support your opinion. If you use outside sources, make sure you submit the citation information or link.
• Proof-read! Do not submit something that is not edited or is grammatically incorrect.

English Incentive 2010-11

Welcome Back!

I have decided to combine the blog from last year, to this year's blog. Feel free to comment on each other's posts - no matter what year you are in. To the Incentive 11's - please keep the comments appropriate and on task.

This blog is for:

• Star
• Kevin
• Tony
• Nicky
• Sanya
• Brenda
• Kelly
• Alisa
• Tiffany
• Hans
• Michael
• Sammi
• Shannon
• Kathy

Our other class blog, which you can also comment on, is here.

Title Pending Due to Budget Cuts

I have always been aware that there have been budget cuts but like most people I did not realize the scale this was being done on. How could the budget be cut by millions of dollars without people realizing. I think they should implement a policy where any budget changes over a certain amount of money should be announced in a public announcement and in multiple languages. If they are deciding what to do with tax payers money we should at least be informed. As for whether students should have a say in this, I don't think it would be a good idea. Not everyone is mature and there are some who may desire a weaker school system in the hopes that they won't have to work as hard. In addition to this your parents can vote and they should care enough about your education and future to take action. What you should do is make sure your parents are aware of what is happening so that they can take action on your behalf.

No...It's An Oligarchy.

I am not one who is very well acquainted with the politics of the province of BC or even Canada as a whole. I read a little hear and there, but it is nothing substantial. However even these failing ears on mine can hear the voices of the people if they shout enough. The people say that there have been many budget cuts. However that isn't what interests me, after all by definition our provincial government loves budget cuts. Anyway it appears that once again the schools are going to get cut funding. I think this time it is about 9million? I'm not too sure anymore. I wonder...how much more can BC take before the federal government realizes that though in name our government is owned by the people, currently the government belongs only to itself. Maybe we should petition for some body to help us. But who i wonder? Certainly not our current Narcissistic Provincial Government.

The Flaw In The Budget

Although the Canadian government is trying their best to improve the living condition of the majority, it feels like the government officials are lacking the ability to use the money in the budget efficiently. It is true that the government is non-profit organization, and its pure intention is to assist the people in the country, they are not doing well enough to meet the people’s expectation. I am well aware of the budget cut implied on all schools: it is a sign of the government lacking money. I am extremely not satisfied with the Canadian government. Canada has one of the highest taxes among the developed countries in the world, such as China, United States, etc. It is evident that its development as a whole country is much slower in comparison to the other countries. China for example, has no sales tax. Although it has income tax, many rich people and corrupt government officials can successfully and illegally escape the income tax, since it is not directly taken out of their salary.The economic improvements of Canada are pale in comparison to that of China. Now looking at the United States, their taxes are also much less than that of Canada; in some states, there is no sales tax. It is true that the United States is in enormous debt due to the economic crisis, the debt did not stop the Americans from advancing in technology and other aspects. What is making all these differences? First of all, the Canadian government are TOO democratic, they cannot agree on any resolution without a vote. Elections cost too much money, and usually without any useful outcomes. Remembering last year’s federal election, the government spent almost 300 millions on it, and what was the outcome? Nothing changed! The government are too wasteful in helping the poor, while not improving the situation at all. For instance, they build a whole building to provide shelter for the poor, and the result is many people reject living in there and stayed on the street. We are all aware of the fact that China has a huge population of poor and desperate people, yet ironically, even the poorest has a house to live in, whereas in Canada, many live on the street. It is evident that the more the government attempt to help the poor, the worse the situation will become. In conclusion, the government are too inefficient, too wasteful, and the budget is not properly divided.

The School system needs the HST and YOu

Thirty four million dollars, a great lost indeed. An economic recession, later the 2010 winter olympics, losing money is inevitable. The government is partially responsible for the budget cuts on our socially owned public school system, and they are doing their best to help. Since the school system is government owned, they have they liberty to allocate the wealth they share. When the government has more money, they will increase budget funding. Currently, the controversial HST is undergoing a political heated debate, whether the excution of this new tax reform is needed. All I can say is if we need more money for our education, then the government must take more of our pocket money to fund it, therefore the introduction to the HST is imperative. With the extra tax money we pay, the government will earn more money, and will have the ability to mitigate financial stress such as debts, maintenance and funding. The only two powers a teenager possess to ameliorate this finanacial complication is by one, get hired and two, spend money. By getting hired, you have created a job. The government wants us teenagers to get a job so our paychecks will subsidize their financial needs through spending and circulating cash. For our school district to fluorish once more, the taxes will be harmonized and the jobs must be created. All workers shall unite to forge a stronger Canada for the better future!

My Post in Revision (The last one sucked.)

So, as the title of the post would suggest, I have completely rewritten my post. The original was poorly written; and as I have been profoundly bored as of late, I have pondered the question some and come up with a more personally engineered response. So voila, ici: my new post.

While it is aggravating to note how much the British Colombian government has cut back on our school's budgets as of late, one has to wonder whether it may be deserved. The government provides our schools with funding for a reason: that they may provide all students in the province with an appropriate education. If we are to define an "appropriate education" as an education which stimulates every child in a class at least 80% of the time, as well as preparing each child for their future (providing them with the knowledge they will need to keep themselves healthy in mind, body and spirit), we can safely conclude that our schools are not making appropriate use of government funding. If this is the case, should the government really be providing the schools with large amounts of money? Many of the programs our schools run are redundant. Our PE classes (sorry Ms Barley), could use an updated curriculum. Cooking and art classes have relatively little value, and many of the language courses are biased towards people who already have a background in the language. Add to the outdated curriculum the lack of interesting course material and we have a slight problem on our hands. In the end, the question comes to: Are schools making appropriate use of government funding? Clearly the government concluded that our schools weren't being practical. It isn't schadenfreude if there's a method to the madness, and we have no right to complain about fair decisions.

Cut, chip, chop

As a matter of fact I am fully aware of the governmental cuts on Richmond School District. According to a reliable source, the government has already sliced off 4-9 million dollars last year from District 38, and at the same time terminated most special priviledges public schools used to enjoy (e.g: partial compensation for field trips). At the moment, the ministry itself is under-staffed and most adminstrators have to learn how to multi-task. Due this sudden drop in working efficiency of the ministry, we have to cope with unreliable course selection programs as well as the crude online marking systems and attendance systems. For me, I have to select PE 10 for my grade 11 year simply because not enough spaces are available!!!

The governmental control over our education is quite disturbing. Even though we are suppose to be a democratic society, direct interactions between politics and education will spread bias.  It is vital for us to know that what we have learned in schools are subjected to bias. This can keep ourselves more open-minded for new ideas and changes. For instance, the constant spreading propagandas about global warming is actually biased. There is no definite proof that global warming is happening. However, the government believes "it is better late than to be sorry" and preach us with its own ideas. Such powerful influence is the reason why most of the students at our age believe in Global Warming but not knowing why.

At the end of the day, we are regarded as children. We have no say in our lives or what so ever. Any political statement are not made by us but by our parents. In short, our influence on what is around us is minimal. We can not experience life simply because we have not learned enough life experiences. This paradox is what will guard us and it will guard us always.

Next Question...

Firstly, I miss you!

Secondly, I am going to delete your blog randomness.

Thirdly, here's your next blog question. It is due on April 30.

Government Policy/Budget Cut Question...

Some places you may direct your answers...

Are you aware of the budget cuts going on in our school system?
How will the budget cuts affect you?
How important is it for you to be aware of the control the government has on your education? You cannot vote - so is it important at all?
If you are oblivious to what is going on, why?

Take the topic and go in any direction that feels right to you. Please have ONE well organized paragraph. Make this one the best yet.

Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam

There has been some interest in going out and participating in the Van Youth Poetry Slams.

This event is amazing. If any of you are interested, get together and go! I am happy to help you get involved.

Check it out here! Read the rules before you go.

Home Work!!!

Here we can ask each other about home work! Right under the teacher's nose! (literally)

What is our English homework?

Poetry Contest!

Again, congrats to Jisong for entering and winning the Creative Communication Poetry contest!

I would like all of you to enter the next one. Since you have all just written wonderful poems, it will be easy! Check it out here

Spirit Week... Can It Really Be Called That?

I remember my first spirit week at Palmer in grade 8. I was incredibly excited, partly because I thought that it would be fun because everybody would be doing it, and partly because it was my first year of high school, so I was very keen on doing many school sanctioned events. I did every theme that week, yet I noticed that little people did the same. Since then, I have noticed that less and less people partake in these weeks wholeheartedly as the special weeks go by.

Currently, I do not actively participate in spirit weeks. However, this does not mean that I don't have school spirit, or that I don't love this school. (I am actually currently fighting with everything that I have and every part of my heart and soul to be able to stay here for the remainder of high school, but that is a another story). I just dislike how they create boundaries about how I show my school spirit. All the days have themes, so if I do not follow the theme of the day per say, then it implies that I don't have school spirit. The boundaries, to me, say, "Do you have spirit? If you do, we have decided that this is how you should show it. Hopefully, everybody does all the days because that's what people with school spirit would do!", and I hate limits on basically anything to do with expressing myself. Furthermore, I find it odd that if we actually do have school spirit, the way to specifically show it is in a spirit week with dressing up to a certain predetermined theme by student council on a day in a week instead of being able to express our school spirit in any creative way that we want. Part of what makes us have school spirit is the fact that we are all different types of people connecting harmoniously in one school. Because we are different types of people, we all have our own ways of expressing school spirit that we are more comfortable with individually than simply dressing up to a random theme, whether the expression be large or small. Also, most of the themes of the days are irrelevant to Palmer, so how does dressing up in a spirit week prove that we indeed do have school spirit? Does bringing a banana to school so we get to eat a free sundai during lunch subliminally send the message that we are proud griffins who love RC Palmer Secondary? Perhaps if the themes were more closely related to Palmer with a little more freedom, (with the exception of Blue and White Day), instead of random themes that don't have anything to do with Palmer, more people would participate because then, at least that would actually be showing spirit in ways related to our school. Plus, for the unmotivated people, it would be one less reason not to participate as well.

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Spirit week or Spirit-less week, it is up to you to decide

Spirit Week. To some, it is a week of endless fun and excitement. To others, like me, its pretty much just like another week. Here at Palmer we have spirit weeks every month or so. During that week, students are encouraged to show their school spirit by acting in a certain way or wearing certain things. But I don't really get what doing all these crazy random activities have to do with school spirit. If you really want to show your school spirit, support your school's teams by going to work their games every once and a while. Now I'm not saying that spirit week is pointless. It is a fun week where people can do crazy and ridiculous things without looking like an idiot. I mean if somebody on a normal day decided to wear pyjamas to school or wear their clothes inside-out, they would look pretty silly. Spirit week would be better if more people participated in it. Judging from my previous spirit week experiences, I would say that about less than half the students actually participate in it. This could be for a couple of different reasons. People might be lazy and just choose not to participate in spirit week. Some people may be too shy and not be comfortable with doing the events or things planned on spirit week. I pretty sure that it is not because they forgot because a week or so before spirit week, almost everyday on the PA, people from student council talk about it. As for the PA announcements, I feel that although they are randomly fooling around, it gets people into the mood of things. However, I'm guessing that's not working too well, considering the number of people participating in spirit week. As for the events during spirit week, although some events are fun to do, some of them don't make much sense. For example, near the end of December, there was BYOB (Bring your own banana) day. Now, I don't really get how bringing a banana to school has anything to do with anything. Anyways, some people may already always bring bananas to school, so it will just be another normal day for them. I'm not saying these ideas are bad, I'm just saying that I don't get some of the events. Anyways, I think it is pretty hard for student council to come up with really good and exciting ideas every time. They are already trying their hardest, it is just that the students don't choose to participate. As for how spirit week is good for the school community, it can bring people together while making a school fun. However, since only about half of the school participates, that concept won't work too well. Spirit weeks are fun, but if no one decides to participate in it, it may as well be called a spirit-less week.

A Week Full Of Spirit

I think spirit week is a good event where everyone can participate and have fun. But I feel that fun can only go to some extent, and it all depends on how many are willing participate. I have been at Palmer since grade 8 and the first time I experienced spirit week I was excited, mainly because I was young and it was my first time. Also it was my first year of high school! Anyways, as months go by I find the spirit, since grade 8 become very decreased over the next spirit weeks. To me, the events have become boring. Although there are some that are more entertaining than others and depending on the people who participate in them either brings the fun and energy up or is just plain normal. I find the events become pretty repetitive, but I understand how hard it is to come up with ideas that people can participate in, and since I know some people who are on student council I can tell they are trying their best and I really appreciate them and respect how hard they work and the effort they offer. However, even though these events are planned and people are expected to show their Palmer pride, there is no guarantee that they will actually follow what is expected of them. Maybe because they find it to be boring and pointless, or they are just lazy, or maybe they have bad memory or they are too shy. All these factors affect whether or not they will work out, but overall it is a great chance for a certain individual to come out of their comfort zone and do something worthwhile in front of others and try to overcome their insecurity to be in front of people. In general this is a great tradition in Palmer and should be kept, and as long as there are people with spirit it will be enjoyable for everyone, I like it.

Spirt Week

Personally I do not enjoy participating in events like spirit week. I find them a waste of time doing trivial things that have no lasting effect on me. I know that some people find it enjoyable and can use it to interact with other people they would not normally meet but for me I find it little more than an attempt to inject some excitement into our day that serves no real purpose. Some of you may object to this but consider what you actually do when it's spirit week. How many new people have you met? Consider what the time could have been used for instead and how productive it was. It might have been worth it to some of you but to me it is a pointless exercise, not that I don't appreciate the work that has been put into this just how effective it is.

P.M. like last time I'll probably go back and expand this