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News, November 2013
Green School Project: a series of webinars on resource saving and environmental improvement in school and at home have been conducted for 5-10 grade students of seven Moscow schools.
In October-November 2013, under the project Green School that is being implemented by the Fund for Sustainable Development with financial support from ExxonMobil, environmental specialists facilitated webinars devoted to a whole range of aspects related to resource saving and environmental improvement in school and at home for students of 5-10 grades attending Moscow partner schools.
The children learned about local and global resource saving practices; proper behavioral patterns of utilizing energy, water and solid household waste resources at home and in school; the use of phyto design in classrooms for cleaning the air; and landscaping schoolyards. In addition to thematic webinars, they became acquainted with the basics of creating videos about environmental topics and information materials on resource saving. This will be of help to the students when they take part in the Best Environmental Video Contest “My Sparing Attitude to the Environment” that has been launched under the current project in October of this year.
Students from 7 Moscow schools took part in the educational distance seminars: School # 89 (Strogino), School # 1985 (Kurkino), School # 1060 (Central Administrative District), School # 222 (North Administrative District), Lyceum # 1547 (South-East Administrative District) and Opalikhovskaya Middle School.
The webinars were devoted to the following topics:
1. Minimizing Household Waste (SHW) at Home and in School.
Moderator: Dr. Marina Rykhlikova, Moscow Lomonosov State University Institute of Soil Science
Webinar 1 (14.10.13) Minimizing Household Waste (SHW) at Home and in School -1.
The scope of the environmental issue of recycling and minimizing consumption waste or solid household waste (SHW). Ñomponents (fractions) of household waste. The technology of converting organic waste into compost. Recycling valuable fractions: paper, cardboard, glass and aluminum cans. Managing and processing plastic products. Handling especially hazardous waste (mercury lamps, thermometers, batteries, etc.).
Webinar 2 (16.10.13) Minimizing Household Waste (SHW) at Home and in School -2.
Modern solid household waste processing technologies: waste burial and incineration; separate waste collection; and fraction recycling. The Zero Waste strategy. The 3R Initiative (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle). The situation with waste recycling in Russia and, in particular, in Moscow. Brainstorming: possible activities of RF citizens, including schoolchildren, aimed at reducing the amount of waste and helping to recycle valuable waste components. Future prospects.
2. Water Resources Saving Practices
Moderator: Arthur Lyadzberg, director of the Krestosvky Ostrov Ecological and Biological Center (St.Petersburg).
Webinar 1 (8.09.13). Saving Water Resources -1.
Distribution of water in the world. The role of water in the life of humanity. Human need in water: hygiene and production (water in agriculture and industry); recreation; and ethnic and behavioral needs in water. Water consumption in an average Russian household. Water consumption and discharge characteristics of household plumbing equipment. What can we do? Home assignment: Complete a questionnaire on water consumption in school.
Webinar 2. (9.09.13). Saving Water Resources-2.
School presentations: “Sources of Water Resources Losses in School”.
Agriculture and the power industry are the primary consumers of fresh water. About the “water equivalent”. Tips on how to decrease water consumption at home and in school. Commonly used techniques. What can be done in school? Questionnaires: What is the attitude of those around you to water saving? How to present obtained results? Videotape everything!
3. Phyto Design in Classrooms and School
Moderator: Irina Martynenko, Moscow State University Faculty of Soil Science
Webinar 1. (29.10.13). Phyto Design in Classrooms and School
What are phytoncides? (Concept and background). On what do their amounts, antimicrobial capacity and activity depend. Common houseplants whose volatile emissions are partially bactericidal and/or antiviral and antifungal. Plants whose volatile emissions are medicinal. Phyto filter plants that absorb hazardous gases from the air. List of recommended literature.
Webinar 2. (5.11.13). Phyto Design in Classrooms and Schools: Decorating with Phyto Design
The use of house plants in designing rooms and halls. Combining plants with decorative materials. Examples of phyto design: florarium (“garden in glass”); miniature landscapes in planters; a garden amidst stones; wall gardening; and winter gardens. Recommendations on plant materials and methods. List of recommended literature.
4. Schoolyard Landscaping
Moderator: Irina Martynenko, Moscow State University Faculty of Soil Science
Webinar 1. (7.11) Schoolyard Landscaping: From Theory to Practice
What is landscape design? The aesthetics of landscaping. The rules of building a spatial perspective. The laws of visual perception in landscaping design. The rules of color harmony. Proportions, scale, rhythm, symmetry, contrasts and nuances in design landscaping. List of recommended literature.
Webinar 2 (12.11) Schoolyard Landscaping
Practical ideas. Learning to be sparing or how to utilize secondary products in landscaping design structures and garden sculptures. Structures from glass bottles. Garden sculptures from secondary products and construction waste. Used tires and plastic bottles as the basis for decorating - how to make them attractive. Decorative mulching. Landscaping during winter.
5. TOPIC: The Basics of Creating Environmental Video Pieces.
Moderator: Elena Pukhomelina (Lyceum # 1547)
Webinar 1 (22.10.13). The Basics of Videotaping
The basics of videotaping: developing a creative concept and realizing it under the Green School Project; acquaintance with such key notions as frame, plan, format and shooting angle; television show categories; preparation and filming of social advertising; practical shooting of video pieces, cartoons and photo films using telephones, tablets and video cameras. Presentation of video pieces created by the L-Studio of Lyceum # 1547 on the subject of energy efficiency.
Webinar 2 (24.10.13). Processing Video Materials
Processing video materials; the principles of video editing; review of editing programs; video file web placement; e-mail exchange of video files; preparation for participation in the contest “My Sparing Attitude to the Environment”; and useful links. Presentation of videos created at the L-Studio of Lyceum 1547 on the subjects of environmental pollution and preservation of water resources.
6. TOPIC: Power Engineering and ExxonMobil
Moderator: Alexei Evstratov, Exxon Mobil Russia Inc.
Description of the role of oil in everyday life; fossil fuels; sources of energy; renewable resources; the history of gasoline; and the movement of crude oil from the well to the vehicle. Presentation of the history of ExxonMobil whose mission is to address complex challenges facing the global energy industry.