2010 Coral Reef Task Force Contest Information

STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

Essay topic: What traditions do your family or community teach that help protect the ocean, reefs and other ocean animals?

Many communities in Micronesia do things every day to protect the ocean, the coral reef and sea animals. Some traditions have developed over thousands of years. Others have only recently been developed with the help of technology or new information. These traditions and practices are very important to preserving the culture of Micronesia and the many natural resources of the area. Without traditions that protect the fish, land and ocean we will be left with nothing. The increasing pressure on natural resources including pollution, destructive and overfishing techniques and increased population only increases the need to recognize these traditions as an important part of our culture and preserving ocean resources.

Prizes -

· 1st Prize: $200

· 2nd Prize: $100

· 3rd Price: $75

Entry Deadline: Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Rules: The contest is open to any 9th-12th grade student enrolled in a school in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau or the Marshall Islands. A student is defined as someone who currently attending school during the 2010/2011 school year.

Entry must include a typed essay of 1,000-1,500 words, and a cover sheet including the student’s name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, and date of birth. High school students include school and grade. Entries must be in English but may also be submitted in the student’s native language.

Entries that use information academic sources must cite their sources. Any academically acceptable referencing style may be used.

Entries must be submitted online at www.guamenvironmentaleducation.com or by mail. Mail to:

Guam Coastal Management Program
3rd floor, GCIC Building
Hagatna, GU 96932

Entries may only be submitted once and there can only be one entry per student. More than one entry from a student will not be accepted.

Failure to follow these rules may lead to disqualification from the contest. Entries will be judged on originality, expression of ideas, presentation, and understanding of traditional practices and culture. All entries become of the property of the Guam Coastal Management Program . In addition to receiving cash prizes, winners may have their essays published additional material.

The deadline is 5pm (Chamorro Standard Time) on Tuesday, August 31, 2010.



STUDENT AND PUBLIC PHOTO CONTEST

Photo topic: What traditions do your family or community teach that help protect the ocean, reefs and other ocean animals?

Photos should display some aspect of how many communities in Micronesia do things every day to protect the ocean, the coral reef and sea animals. Some traditions have developed over thousands of years. Others have only recently been developed with the help of technology or new information. These traditions and practices are very important to preserving the culture of Micronesia and the many natural resources of the area. Without traditions that protect the fish, land and ocean we will be left with nothing. The increasing pressure on natural resources including pollution, destructive and overfishing techniques and increased population only increases the need to recognize these traditions as an important part of our culture and preserving ocean resources.

Prizes –

STUDENT PRIZES GENERAL PUBLIC PRIZES

1st Prize: $200 1st Prize: $200

2nd Prize: $100 2nd Prize: $100

3rd Price: $75 3rd Price: $75

Entry Deadline: Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Entry Rules: The student contest is open to any 9th-12th grade student enrolled in a school in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau or the Marshall Islands. A student is defined as someone who currently attending school during the 2010/2011 school year.

The general public contest is open to any resident of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau or the Marshall Islands. A resident is defined as someone currently living in the mentioned areas.

Photo entry details: Each photograph is a single entry. A printed piece with several photographs must have a dot or some other mark indicating which specific single photograph is to be judged. If a single photograph isn't indicated, the entry will be disqualified.

Campaigns or series are limited to five photographs but will be judged as one photograph. If the entry has more than five photographs, indicate which five are to be judged. If this isn't indicated, the entry will be disqualified.

Photos must be submitted with cover sheet including a title, a brief description of the photo, the participants name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, and date of birth. High school students include school and grade. Entries must be in English but may also be submitted in the student’s native language.

Entries can be submitted in the following formats:

· Unmounted printed photographs. Please do not send any pieces of art you want returned. NO ENTRIES WILL BE RETURNED. No exceptions

· Digital files: RGB (not CMYK) JPG format with a maximum width of 1024 pixels and a maximum height of 768 pixels (72dpi).

Send entries, unmounted, in flat packages only, no mailing tubes (they frequently arrive damaged) to:

Guam Coastal Management Program
3rd floor, GCIC Building
Hagatna, GU 96932

Entries can be submitted online at www.guamenvironmentaleducation.com.

Entries may only be submitted once and there can only be one entry per student. More than one entry from a student will not be accepted. Failure to follow these rules may lead to disqualification from the contest. Entries will be judged on originality, expression of ideas, presentation, and understanding of traditional practices and culture.

All entries become of the property of the Guam Coastal Management Program . In addition to receiving cash prizes, winners may have their essays published additional material.

The deadline is 5pm (Chamorro Standard Time) on August 31, 2010


For more info, contact:

Lisa Huynh Eller
Federal Programs Coordinator
CNMI Division of Environmental Quality
Coral Reef Initiative/Nonpoint Source Pollution Branch
PO Box 501304
Saipan, MP 96950
Phone: (670) 664-8500
Fax: (670) 664-8540
lisaeller@deq.gov.mp

The Secret Life of Paper

Young Environmentalists Making A Difference

Beautify CNMI Award Nominations Deadline

The committee chairs of Beautify CNMI are seeking nominations for their annual Beautify CNMI Steward and Beautify CNMI Champion awards. The two awards will be given out at the annual Beautify CNMI anniversary dinner to take place on March 27.

The awards are given out to recognize the individuals or groups who have been environmental leaders during the past 12 months.

There are two award categories: the Environmental Steward and the Environmental Champion.

The Steward award recognizes a person or group that leads the community in activities that help protect the environment in a variety of ways. This individual or group has demonstrated the need to take pride in the islands and to take care of the place we all call home. They serve as an example for others, especially the next generation, to follow.

The Champion award recognizes a person or group that exemplifies the Beautify CNMI spirit. Those qualities include volunteerism, cooperation, innovation, creativity and the ability to infect others with the Beauty Virus. The Environmental Champion is a role model for others to follow. They bring environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness. They make things happen and effect change.

Last year's Environmental Champion winners were PSS teacher Bree Reynolds, MINA board member Kathy Yuknavage, and local activist Captain Carl Brachear. The winners of the Environmental Steward award were elementary school student Adam Sablan and volunteer group Friends of the Mariana Islands.

To nominate an individual or group, submit a written nomination explaining why that person or group deserves recognition. You can make as many nominations as you like, but individuals and groups can only be nominated for one award category. Nominations must include the award category the nominee is being considered for, a well written argument detailing the reasons why this nominee should be considered, and contact information for the nominee and for the person making the nomination.

Send nominations to Angelo Villagomez at angelovillagomez@gmail.com or mail them to PO BOX 505149; Saipan, MP 96950 or call the PTI sponsored Beautify CNMI volunteer line at 285-6462 for more information. The deadline for nominations is this Friday, March 7 2008.

Recycling at Hopwood

The Hopwood S.A.V.E. Club members have been collecting recyclables from classrooms at school this year. The students recently volunteered their time on a Sunday to come to school and paint barrels for recycling around campus. We are hoping to receive a container soon so the recycled material can be stored and then hauled away by our trash collector.

Oil Free for a Day in March!!!

arMy students are learning about environmental science and this month they will have to try and live "oil free" for 24 hours. The purpose of the activity is to help the students become more aware of how dependent we are on oil, particulary on this beautiful little island way out in the Pacific.

Here's the bottom line: Almost all scientists agree (except the ones working for Fox news) that global climate change is happening at an outof control rate and the number one cause is human activity. The burning of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide. As the gas builds up in the atmosphere, it creates a greenhouse effect, causing average temperatures on Earth to rise. In a balanced system, the algae and plants would absorb carbon dioxide to produce food through photosynthesis. Unfortunately, we are producing too much carbon dioxide for the world's plants and algae to absorb.

If you goto most websites with carbon footprint calculators, they list electricity, air travel and cars. How do I list the fact that the electricity comes from the burning of diesel and heavy fuel oil. And where do I indicate that everything I buy in the store or use everyday from phone, mp3 player, computer, paper, pencil, stove, shower, etc. came from somewhere else and was shipped here on a container ship using diesel fuel. Shipping via container ship v.s. airplane has a smaller carbon footprint, but the problem is, oil is a non renewable resource. And most geologists agree that oil production has reached its peak. That means that the extraction of oil will become harder and more expensive as oil supplies deplete. Oil isn't just used for gasoline or diesel fuel. Plastics are made from oil, basketball shorts, nylon, polyester, lycra, tupperware etc. Imagine no cell phones (most of the components are made from plastic) or beach bbq's and fiestas without tupperware! Imagine if you dare, no Budweiser! Beer makers need electricity to produce their fine beverage and the can manufactures need a lot of energy to process aluminum to make cans. Most of these manufactures use hydropower because its cheaper and readily available. But the beer has to be shipped to retailers. That means trains, semi trucks, and container ships. Then the beer has to be refrigerated and even ice takes energy to make. What would the CNMI sports teams wear? How would we conduct business or school?

That's where this project begins. Try living without oil for 24 hours some time this month. My students will be trying it with their families from March 22 to March 23. Lets see how many people we can get to do this on Saipan! Think of the energy savings and the reduction in carbon being released during this month. While you are trying to live "oil free", keep a list of all the things you had to eliminate and what life was like without them. Then go through that list with your family and pick 3 things you can live without.

Maybe people will get back to their cultural roots and maybe this audit of our oil consumption will help the community begin to seriously consider and implement alternative energy options like biodiesel from coconuts and restaurants, solar, wind, and bike paths to make it safer for people to use bikes instead of cars, or public transportation, decentralized power production to allow for alternative sources on smaller more managable scale, local sustainable agriculture, insulation in schools, trees for shade and carbon dioxide absorption, enforcement of anti burning laws so people stop burning garbage, etc.

If you choose to accept this challenge, post your name, the date you plan on trying it and how many people will be doing it with you. When you are finished, I'd like to collect reflections and lists of items from people. These can be emailed to me at uncheesybree@msn.com

Things to Eliminate

• Anything running on electricity or batteries (no cell phones, dvds, video games, poker machines, t.v., radio, lights, aircon, etc.)
• Anything that took energy from fossil fuels to create (ice for example)
• Anything made from petroleum products ( plastic, nylon, spandex, lycra, etc.)
• Driving
• Food not from here (keep it fresh and local)
• Clothing not woven from local fibers and made here (this is next to impossible, so try all natural like cotton)
• Books, pencils, pens, paper etc. (all had to be shipped)
• Kerosene lanterns, flashlights, candles, butane stoves, gas stoves, etc.
• Your house!!! Just kidding, but you could trying camping out, making a shelter from natural materials, etc.
• No basketball, baseball, tennis, bicycles, roller blades,soccer, etc.
• No restaurants, bars, hotels or stores.

Alternatives

• Go hang out on the beach
• Go swim in the ocean
• Invent a game and play it with friends using natural materials for parts
• Make a ball from naturally occuring objects, find a stick and play stick ball
• sing songs (no instruments)
• Tell stories
• Learn how to build a traditional Chamorro or Carolinian shelter or canoe
• Learn how to fish using traditional methods
• Cook on a fire or eat raw vegetables and fish (no fried food or rice!!! extra bonus)
• Drink water or coconut milk instead of beer, pop or juice
• make a garden using local seeds (save from fruits like tomatoes, cucumbers, papaya, peppers)
• Look at the stars, create new constellations and stories to go with them
• Make artwork out of natural materials
• Find natural dyes and paint something
• Find some natural clay and make pottery
• Take a nap
• Go for a walk
• Look for birds or other animals

If Everyone Listened.....

Some people think I'm crazy teaching middle school. Some think I'm either a saint or a masochist for liking what I do. Some days I wonder myself. I'm definitely not a saint and although I have a relatively high threshold for pain, I don't spend 40 hours a week with 13 year olds because I enjoy being tortured. I teach because I believe education, particularly public education is the foundation of an open society and democracy. I teach middle school because the students are just beginning to form opinions and take stock of the events and circumstances that either allow them to feel connected and valued by a community or disenfranchised and worthless. My students are working on projects for the Micronesia Challenge. I set up a blog for the students to express their thoughts and share their ideas and projects. Its called Student Action For a Viable Environment. Except for the environmental club students, all other students on my team (200 8th graders) sign in under one user name (hilitai). So unless they sign their name in the post, I don't know who it is. This doesn't really matter, but one of my students posted a music video by Nickleback called "If Everyone Cared". I cried when I watched it. My mystery student heard a song and listened. He saw a video and paid attention. He gets it! Wouldn't it be nice if everyone did care? Click on the link above and see for yourself.