Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Carbon Tax and Sustainability - Consultation, Research and Reflections October - April 2018-2019
Carbon Tax and Sustainability - Consultations, Research and Reflections by Conrad McCarthy and Natalie Perry
While going around from class to class collecting ideas for energy conservation, water conservation and climate change reduction, I noticed that many staff and students did not know what the carbon tax was. It is important for everyone to be informed on what the carbon tax is as Ontario was implementing a carbon tax within six months from the beginning of our discussions. The United Nations (UN) also released a report with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stating that if global warming increases by 0.5°C, it will have detrimental effects on our planet. Right now we are headed to reach this increase in temperature between 2030 and 2052, increasing the global temperature to 1.5°C. This will have detrimental effects on our ecosystems, causing extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels. If we do not do something, there will be irreversible effects on our planet caused by climate change. The carbon tax is a simple step to try to encourage the human population to reduce their carbon emissions, by raising the price of carbon (adding a tax). This encourages humans to use less carbon, as it is more expensive, hoping to reduce the carbon emission levels released since pre-industrial times. Carbon emissions (mainly carbon dioxide) are large contributors to climate change. In fact economists William Nordhaus and Paul Romer won a Nobel Prize in 2018 for their work on the economics of climate change. The UN report was issued just after they won their prize. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.4843029/nobel-prize-winning-economist-says-carbon-taxes-are-the-solution-to-climate-change-1.4854639
This is the first step to try and save the planet.
Here is the link to my Carbon Tax Fact Sheet
https://bantinggreen.blogspot.com/2019/04/carbon-tax-fact-sheet-google-docs-link.html
Natalie Perry
Here is the link to my Carbon Tax Fact Sheet
https://bantinggreen.blogspot.com/2019/04/carbon-tax-fact-sheet-google-docs-link.html
Natalie Perry
Consultation, Research and Reflection
Carbon taxing is one of the biggest ways our government has made strides in climate change reduction and ecosystem conservation. However, we cannot only rely on our government to combat the threat of global warming and climate change. It’s amazing how much can be done by individuals to make strides in this area as well, and it’s everyone’s job to make the most active effort in trying to conserve and reduce everyday waste and neglect. Our collection of ideas here at Banting has provided loads of ideas that can make amazing strides in the conservation of our resources and environment. Here are just a few of them!
World Water Week + Earth Hour Spring 2018 Ideas
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Water Conservation
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Energy conservation
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Climate Change reduction
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Conservation importance cannot be overstated. What we have on this planet is all we will ever have for millions of years, so it’s important to use the resources sparingly and with more than a few minutes of thought. When discussing ideas for conservation, many people were unaware of how serious the issues of sustainability and climate change are. For us, sustainability has never been more important, and due to the recent United Nation’s report, the evidence of the need for it should be more than enough to cause incentive. Many news sources report heavily on pollution, and although that’s wonderful, sometimes it’s difficult not to get desensitised to the overload of information, and most do not underline the issues or how best to solve them. Climate change can feel like a problem without a solution, but by reducing what we use, as well as saving what we have, we can make a severe impact on the threat.
When it comes to Water, nothing is more important than reduction. This wonderful molecule is the reason for life here on earth, and it only makes sense we attempt to keep it clean for as long as possible. Only 3% of our water is drinkable, the rest is full of salt in our oceans, and being such, it’s important to hold onto as much of it as possible. Being fortunate enough to live within Canada, the country with more lakes and rivers than the rest of the world combined, water is very accessible. But with this comes a sense of abundance and wastefulness. The average Canadian uses 329 liters of water every single day. That’s enough water to fill up a bathtub 4 times, and that’s discarding the commercial and industrial sectors, which use even more than that. The Canadian government also spent roughly a billion dollars in 2012 in order to attack water pollution. It’s unbelievably important to attempt to reduce these numbers, keeping water clean and avoiding use, helps ecosystems grow and lowers the impact of droughts and climate change.
Let’s not lie to ourselves, modern day humans adore the luxuries of modern life. Our smartphones, air conditioning, refrigerators and all the little things that make our lives easier. But these small things can add up, and they add up fast. It’s important to try to minimize how much electricity we use, but many people don’t put a lot of thought into it. After all, electricity is fairly cheap considering how much we get from it, and it’s easy for it to just be an afterthought, or a way of life now. That being said, electricity production is usually the most cited cause for climate change and global warming next to vehicles and engines. Minimizing it is as simple as minimizing your usage of it. For perspective, energy produced by the burning of fossil fuels is only 33% efficient. For every liter of gas you put in your vehicle, you’re only getting the energy potential of 330ml, the rest is lost to heat. As well 7% of energy from power plants are lost just by moving it through the lines. That’s energy wasted by the release of carbon emissions that just don’t go to powering anything. There are inefficiencies involved in powering objects that most people don’t even think of. Canadians are wasteful in their energy usage too. While it’s nearly impossible to live a electric free lifestyle nowadays, the average Canadian used 4568 kW/h in 2015 alone, and a lot of it can be attributed to wasteful sources, such as leaving lights on, devices plugged in, and inefficient appliances. Reducing energy is probably the fastest and easiest thing you can do as an individual to actively combat climate change.
Climate change reduction is the hardest to combat. Though your efforts to reduce the use of water and power has certainly helped, the best thing to do is to live as minimalist a lifestyle as possible. Avoiding fossil fuels and any products that are created from their base compounds is the biggest way to reduce your impact. Reusing anything you can, either by donating anything you are no longer using, or avoiding consumerism and choosing reusable objects can have massive impacts on your carbon footprint. Currently, “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” (a large collection of trash within the pacific ocean) is twice the size of texas, and is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. This is one of 7 oceanic collections, and should we look at the landfills (2.12 billion tons worldwide), it’s clear that the world has serious issues with waste disposal. The decomposition of these plastics and compounds release tremendous amounts of greenhouse gases, mostly Methane gas, which is 4x denser than Carbon Dioxide gas and therefore requires much less before trapping large amounts of heat from our dear sun. Reducing what you throw out and avoiding driving to the best of your ability is one of the best and easiest ways to actively fight the threat of climate change. It’s easier to maintain something than it is to fix it, and this applies to global warming and climate change.
Many of the ideas presented above are just simple ways that a person can make a difference in their energy, water usage and overall carbon footprint. The carbon tax is just one simple example of a way for controlling our carbon emissions. If one person takes the step to make a change, more and more people will be influenced to do it as well and together we can reduce the effects of climate change on our planet before it causes irreversible damage. It’s not a hard task, humans just need to live sustainably.
https://www.theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-exponential-increase-of-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/
Conrad McCarthy and Natalie Perry
Planting and Harvesting at Banting
Planting and Harvesting at Banting
Throughout the year at Frederick Banting Alternative Program, we have strived to create a more eco-friendly school in order to preserve our environment. We have done so various ways, such as through our recycling program, through the tomatosphere experiment with Guelph University, via our assortment of gardens, by participating in “Adopt A Tree”, and through being active within our community with petitions. In addition to all of this, we have been quite diligent in educating our students on the state of our environment and how to preserve it, along with engaging them in being apart of the local biosphere with projects such as harvesting maple syrup from local sugar maples and norwegian maples, and growing a variety of plants.
Planting at Banting
At Banting we have started an array of planting initiatives, which have been involving students in the school, even if they are not currently enrolled in a biology or environmental science course. Such things include the previously mentioned Tomatosphere project, gardening in our vegetable garden, gardening within our Indigenous Reconciliation Medicine Wheel Garden, planting and sustaining our monarch garden, and growing plants in class. We do this to raise awareness for the habitat and nature around us, in hopes that maybe by educating people and showing that we care, will guide other onto the same path, and hopefully through a domino effect, more people will try to save the environment. Equally, this is why it is important to plant and reduce waste and take care of the environment - because if we do it, others will too, and just maybe the CO2 emissions will reduce, maybe more vegetation will grow, maybe more wildlife will be present in communities, and perhaps people will begin to care about the pollution and waste they are causing, and strive to make a difference, and perhaps even join us in planting milkweed for monarch butterflies, or in picking up litter, or even in signing our petition that is asking for larger recycling labels so that more plastics can be reused instead of accumulating in the ocean or in landfills.
Throughout the year at Frederick Banting Alternative Program, we have strived to create a more eco-friendly school in order to preserve our environment. We have done so various ways, such as through our recycling program, through the tomatosphere experiment with Guelph University, via our assortment of gardens, by participating in “Adopt A Tree”, and through being active within our community with petitions. In addition to all of this, we have been quite diligent in educating our students on the state of our environment and how to preserve it, along with engaging them in being apart of the local biosphere with projects such as harvesting maple syrup from local sugar maples and norwegian maples, and growing a variety of plants.
Planting at Banting
At Banting we have started an array of planting initiatives, which have been involving students in the school, even if they are not currently enrolled in a biology or environmental science course. Such things include the previously mentioned Tomatosphere project, gardening in our vegetable garden, gardening within our Indigenous Reconciliation Medicine Wheel Garden, planting and sustaining our monarch garden, and growing plants in class. We do this to raise awareness for the habitat and nature around us, in hopes that maybe by educating people and showing that we care, will guide other onto the same path, and hopefully through a domino effect, more people will try to save the environment. Equally, this is why it is important to plant and reduce waste and take care of the environment - because if we do it, others will too, and just maybe the CO2 emissions will reduce, maybe more vegetation will grow, maybe more wildlife will be present in communities, and perhaps people will begin to care about the pollution and waste they are causing, and strive to make a difference, and perhaps even join us in planting milkweed for monarch butterflies, or in picking up litter, or even in signing our petition that is asking for larger recycling labels so that more plastics can be reused instead of accumulating in the ocean or in landfills.
Maple Syrup Production - Banting by Dylan Green
Here at Frederick Banting we tap Sugar and Norway maple trees. It's a really neat way to learn and get a feel "and taste" of what it takes to make some homemade maple syrup simply from collecting sap from our maple trees within our school property and local park then bringing it to a boil inside. We can also involve the Indigenous ways when it comes to making maple syrup since Algonquin People have collected sap for thousands of years, all for some good sap and syrup for cattail root bannock. Yum.
Refer to following link:
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Kahoot Recycling Challenge Oct 31, 2018
Kahoot Recycling Quiz created by S. Tisch for Waste Reduction Week
A quiz to determine what bin waste products go in.
https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/
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Play a game of Kahoot! here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn – any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!
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In order for students/groups to sign into the Kahoot Recycle Game click the link for the game and project on your Epson Class Projector
Select Classic or Team. Our class played classic where they compete against each other.
with Game PIN:(provided on the screen)
2. have each student search Kahoot! pr kahoot.it on Google Search
2. input the game PIN located on the projection screen
3. each student should select an appropriate name
4. start the game
5. You as the teacher controlling the screen on the class projector with have to click NEXT to advance each question and the class results
6. We are also coming to your class to do a class to class sort-it-out competition so Pay ATTENTION!
Maple Syrup Production at Banting
Maple Syrup Production at Banting by Meaghan Gardner
At Frederick Banting Alternate Site I, along with many other students and teachers
have been involved in the production and harvest of maple syrup. We are learning
the old tradition of harvesting and collecting sap as well as boiling it down to make syrup.
We have two types of trees on site and in a local park (with permission). In case you
want to try it yourself it is easy, and the boiling sap smells great and the syrup is delicious.
We will be celebrating our harvest with a Bannock and Pancake Breakfast here at Banting!
have been involved in the production and harvest of maple syrup. We are learning
the old tradition of harvesting and collecting sap as well as boiling it down to make syrup.
We have two types of trees on site and in a local park (with permission). In case you
want to try it yourself it is easy, and the boiling sap smells great and the syrup is delicious.
We will be celebrating our harvest with a Bannock and Pancake Breakfast here at Banting!
How Maple Syrup is Produced
Step 1 - Find a maple tree that is at least 10 metres in diameter, it’s
important to make sure the tree isn’t too young because it’s not a good
idea to tap a tree that hasn’t aged yet. To tap the tree a hole is drilled
into the tree with a slight upward angle (so sap can
flow downwards through the hole).
important to make sure the tree isn’t too young because it’s not a good
idea to tap a tree that hasn’t aged yet. To tap the tree a hole is drilled
into the tree with a slight upward angle (so sap can
flow downwards through the hole).
A clean and smooth hole is key so the sap can flow smoothly. Then tap a
spout into the hole just enough so that it can’t be pulled out by hand.
Hang a bucket of some sort to collect the sap.
spout into the hole just enough so that it can’t be pulled out by hand.
Hang a bucket of some sort to collect the sap.
Step 2 - After collecting the sap, it must be boiled. Fill the pan up around
2/3 full and start boiling away and make sure to take the temperature.
From here you will continually need to add sap as the water evaporates out.
It’s important to not let the sap level get below a couple inches deep (4-5 cm)
or you’ll likely burn it. Keep going until your sap reaches approximately 66
percent sugar content at 7.1 degrees Fahrenheit over the boiling point
temperature where you are (the temperature you read when the sap
first started boiling).
2/3 full and start boiling away and make sure to take the temperature.
From here you will continually need to add sap as the water evaporates out.
It’s important to not let the sap level get below a couple inches deep (4-5 cm)
or you’ll likely burn it. Keep going until your sap reaches approximately 66
percent sugar content at 7.1 degrees Fahrenheit over the boiling point
temperature where you are (the temperature you read when the sap
first started boiling).
You can use a hydrometer to measure sugar content. Anything below
66 percent and your syrup will go bad pretty quickly. Anything above
around 67 percent and you’ll end up getting sugar crystals forming at the
bottom of your containers.
66 percent and your syrup will go bad pretty quickly. Anything above
around 67 percent and you’ll end up getting sugar crystals forming at the
bottom of your containers.
Step 3 - Once the syrup is at the correct density and temperature, you’ll
want to filter it through some wool or Orlon while it is still hot. Pour the
still hot syrup (170-180 degrees F, around 79 degrees C) into your sterilized
canning jars until it is pretty much completely full (with as little air as possible)
and then seal.
want to filter it through some wool or Orlon while it is still hot. Pour the
still hot syrup (170-180 degrees F, around 79 degrees C) into your sterilized
canning jars until it is pretty much completely full (with as little air as possible)
and then seal.
The syrup should be stored in a cool, dry place. Once you’ve opened
a jar, it must then be refrigerated. Chances are however
that it won’t last long!
a jar, it must then be refrigerated. Chances are however
that it won’t last long!
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Environmental Science Related Article Summaries by Angus Carriere Oct 2, 2018
Environmental Science Related Article Summaries by Angus Carriere Oct 2, 2018 - https://docs.google.com/
Reflection on learning about our world in science class March 6, 2019 by Alexis Desjardins
Reflection on learning about our world in science class March 6, 2019 by Alexis Desjardins - https://docs.google.com/
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Ontario Government Ponders Ban on Single-Use Plastics
Hey Banting!
Earlier this week we surveyed the school to see what some local students think the provincial government should do to help limit our waste, both residential and business, province wide. We will be sending in our Ideas into the government via the "Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 Proposal". If anyone has anything to add, they can follow this link:
Earlier this week we surveyed the school to see what some local students think the provincial government should do to help limit our waste, both residential and business, province wide. We will be sending in our Ideas into the government via the "Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 Proposal". If anyone has anything to add, they can follow this link:
Document editing closes on April 20th, as that is the deadline to send it in.
For more information please visit these either one of these two links:
https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/013-4689
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-plastics-ban-1.5050539
Let's all hope that we can make a difference, and help our province to become less wasteful!
https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/013-4689
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-plastics-ban-1.5050539
Let's all hope that we can make a difference, and help our province to become less wasteful!
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Reducing Pollution through Human Behaviour Petition
Many thought the world was going to end in 2012, and many took that seriously. How seriously are we going to take the condition of our dying planet?
Plastic and single-use products are growing in popularity and hence waste is increasing. This is depleting our planet of life. Not only are these products not being disposed of properly, but as plastic decomposes it contaminates our soils and waterways. We depend on our planet and its materials for survival. In a world littered with microplastics, humans will not be able to survive the conditions of the dumpsite that used to be our planet. Environments around the world are being ruined, damaging our ecosystems, harming the wildlife that depends on these habitats, and deteriorating the Earth. Without these ecosystems the Earth will be ruined and the human race will not be able to survive. This is more than our backyard struggling to sustain wildlife and habitats - this is our home withering away.
Please follow this link to support my petition:
This petition is a student lead initiative, run by Natalie Perry and feedback provided by Banting students between the years 2017-2019.
Banting Recycling and Garbage Audit Winter 2019
Take a look at our Banting Recycling Audit to see how recycling and earth conservation is going at Banting!
Ava Munro, Principal Investigator
Ava Munro, Principal Investigator
Earth Hour Quiz 2019
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iz0bY3tY-Y8ETZSddphSQwfeMrEJwe4Osm5CqpLrkR0/prefill
Designed by Justin Kelly
Designed by Justin Kelly
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Scientific Article Reviews by Meaghan Gardner
HIV cure may be possible
Retrieved from New Scientist (March 9-15 2019) Page 5
Apparently many individuals have had HIV removed from their body after receiving bone
marrow transparents from a donor who has a genetic mutation that makes them resistant
to HIV. However getting a transplant done can be a risky procedure and is used as a last
resort. Groups are also working on using gene therapy/gene editing to give people’s own
immune cells the HIV-resistant mutation. Many different approaches are being made.
People who are HIV positive and have access to antiviral drugs have near-normal life spans,
therefore there is no need for dangerous treatments.
marrow transparents from a donor who has a genetic mutation that makes them resistant
to HIV. However getting a transplant done can be a risky procedure and is used as a last
resort. Groups are also working on using gene therapy/gene editing to give people’s own
immune cells the HIV-resistant mutation. Many different approaches are being made.
People who are HIV positive and have access to antiviral drugs have near-normal life spans,
therefore there is no need for dangerous treatments.
This is important because HIV effects a numerous amount of individuals negatively.
When HIV is left untreated it attacks your immune system and can allow different types
of life-threatening infections and cancers to develop. Its beneficial to have an
alternative way to taking medications because some may have HIV that is resistant
to these drugs.
When HIV is left untreated it attacks your immune system and can allow different types
of life-threatening infections and cancers to develop. Its beneficial to have an
alternative way to taking medications because some may have HIV that is resistant
to these drugs.
I’m curious about learning whether or not this new method is worth it in the long run.
Siblings are among rarest twins on Earth
Retrieved from New Scientist (March 9-15 2019) Page 19
A sister and brother in Australia are only the second ever semi identical twins to be
identified.They share identical DNA from their mother but didn’t get identical DNA
from their father. Identical twins come about when a single fertilized egg splits in two,
meaning they have exactly the same DNA - they are clones. Fraternal twins form
when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. Occasionally a single egg
gets fertilized by two sperm. Normally the resulting embryo dies because it has three sets
of chromosomes instead of two. The twins ended up getting the correct number of
chromosomes after the embryo split in two.
identified.They share identical DNA from their mother but didn’t get identical DNA
from their father. Identical twins come about when a single fertilized egg splits in two,
meaning they have exactly the same DNA - they are clones. Fraternal twins form
when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. Occasionally a single egg
gets fertilized by two sperm. Normally the resulting embryo dies because it has three sets
of chromosomes instead of two. The twins ended up getting the correct number of
chromosomes after the embryo split in two.
I wonder what the likely percentage it is for this to possibly occur since it is so rare.
However, since this is extremely rare, I believe this is important because it goes to show
how mysterious and fascinating science can really be.
how mysterious and fascinating science can really be.
Breastfed babies get a fungal boost
Retrieved from New Scientist (March 9-15, 2019) Page 19
Bacteria aren't the only microbes passed from mothers to babies in breast milk - fungi
are too.They play a possible role in the development of allergies or disease later in life.
Women in places such as Spain, South Africa and China have fungi present in their breast
milk. Some fungi are used to improve infant gut health.
are too.They play a possible role in the development of allergies or disease later in life.
Women in places such as Spain, South Africa and China have fungi present in their breast
milk. Some fungi are used to improve infant gut health.
This is important because many individuals may look at fungi as being a negative. However,
when fungi is transferred to a baby in breast milk it promotes kickstarting the colony of
microorganisms inside an infant’s gut, which forms part of a healthy digestive system. When
mothers transfer a unique mix of bacteria and fungi to their newborns they are possibly help
play a role in the development of allergies or disease later in life - as stated above.
when fungi is transferred to a baby in breast milk it promotes kickstarting the colony of
microorganisms inside an infant’s gut, which forms part of a healthy digestive system. When
mothers transfer a unique mix of bacteria and fungi to their newborns they are possibly help
play a role in the development of allergies or disease later in life - as stated above.
I wonder if diet and lifestyle could affect the formula of the breast milk.
Memory may worsen if you are older and watch lots of telly
Retrieved from New Scientist (March 9-15 2019) Page 20
The more TV that older people watch, the more their memory declines on average.
Previous studies have found links between TV viewing and older people’s physical and
mental abilities. A study was done that analysed a study of 3600 people with an average
age of 67 at the start. They had an array of health and cognitive tests. This was repeated
six years later. The study had shown that the people who saw more TV had a bigger fall in
their ability to remember words. Those who viewed TV for more than 3-5 hours a day had a
decline in verbal memory of between 8 and 10 per cent, compared with a 4 to 5 per cent fall
for those who viewed less. The link could be because the passive nature of watching
TV causes mental deterioration, or because it gets in the way of doing other more stimulating
things.
Previous studies have found links between TV viewing and older people’s physical and
mental abilities. A study was done that analysed a study of 3600 people with an average
age of 67 at the start. They had an array of health and cognitive tests. This was repeated
six years later. The study had shown that the people who saw more TV had a bigger fall in
their ability to remember words. Those who viewed TV for more than 3-5 hours a day had a
decline in verbal memory of between 8 and 10 per cent, compared with a 4 to 5 per cent fall
for those who viewed less. The link could be because the passive nature of watching
TV causes mental deterioration, or because it gets in the way of doing other more stimulating
things.
This is important because it goes to show how watching TV can have a negative impact on
individuals mental and physical abilities and overall brain.
individuals mental and physical abilities and overall brain.
I wonder what a the difference in mental and physical abilities there would be when comparing
an individual who watches an excessive amount of TV vs an individual who watches no TV.
an individual who watches an excessive amount of TV vs an individual who watches no TV.
Similarly, I wonder about memory and use of digital devices such as cell phones and
computers?
computers?
Human night vision may be possible
Retrieved from New Scientist (March 9- 15 2019 ) Page 20
A study was done on mice where a simple injection gave them night vision.
The technique uses nanoparticles that bind with the retinal cells in the eye. These cells
convert light into nerve signals. It could serve as the basis for “human supervision” as well
as fixing red colour blindness. Like humans, mice can’t see wavelengths longer than 700
nanometers, at the red end of the visible spectrum.
The technique uses nanoparticles that bind with the retinal cells in the eye. These cells
convert light into nerve signals. It could serve as the basis for “human supervision” as well
as fixing red colour blindness. Like humans, mice can’t see wavelengths longer than 700
nanometers, at the red end of the visible spectrum.
This is important because it shows how science and research is progressing. It also shows
how interesting science can be and the many things that it can do.
how interesting science can be and the many things that it can do.
I’m curious about seeing how this experiment would work on humans and if there would be
any negative side effects. Overall I would be eager to know the results.
any negative side effects. Overall I would be eager to know the results.