Haiti Earthquate

My dear children

There has been a terrible earthquake in Haiti. Some of our International School Peace Gardens children is involved. So here is what Granny Julia has done to help our team.

The International Holistic Tourism Education Centre - IHTEC, a Canadian Educational Charity, is the organization that founded the 'International School Peace Gardens' and other programs in 1993 for Peace and Sustainability Education. www.ihtec.org
IHTEC has set up a Haiti Earthquake fund through 'Canada Helps' for donations for Haiti, so that each person can get an official Canadian Tax Receipt. The link is on the IHTEC website: www.ihtec.org Just click 'Enter' and on the top left click on the Canada Helps button and it will take you directly to the IHTEC link. Look for the drop down box which will include the words HAITI EARTHQUAKE. IHTEC will send the money directly by cheque to Nadine Patrice in Miami, USA.

IHTEC is working through Nadine Patrice, Operation Greenleaves' also a charitable educational NGO in the USA. Please visit their website www.oglhaiti. com and for a USA tax-deductible donation. You can contact Nadine on the ihtec-bd@yahoogroups.com list or directly by email: Nadine44@netscape.com

I am hoping that Nadine will be able to connect with the Sisters of the Holy Cross who have a teachers college, a secondary school and 6 elementary schools in Haiti to help them in the future. At present they are all OK but it has been raining for two weeks and as they are on a hill, they are hoping that there will not be a landslide.

I pray that:
Bulldozers will come today to clear the concrete, and get the people out.
For calm, and that their communities will support each other and work together.
For no more aftershocks.
That the military will remain calm and get the work done.
That teachers will gather the children and help them learn how to survive.
That all schools in the world will plant a peace gardens, work for peace, plant food species for food security, plant and know their biodiversity and all species.

Hugs and Peace to the children of the world.

Julia

Emergency Preparedness Kit

Have you go an emergency kit? I didn't so let me share with you all the interesting things I have learned and now done.

This week I have been gathering together items that we might need in an emergency, called an Emergency Preparedness Kit. So what could happen here? As our home relies on electricity, if there is a serious power outage, or an ice storm, it takes a while sometimes a week or more, before life gets back to normal. Ontario has also had a cyclone some years ago, which caused major flooding. So we are working on both aspects.

Here are some good ideas.

Emergency Kit Ideas

Print this page - it is a checklist.

Emergency Supplies Checklist

There are basic supplies that you should have at home, work and in your vehicle. These supplies should be collected ahead of time and be easily accessible in the case of an emergency or disaster. Every family member should know where these supplies are located and what is in the kits.


Kits can be purchased from emergency supply companies and then personalized to suit your needs.


You can also put your own kits together by using the following Emergency Supply Checklist as a guide. Remember to check your supplies at least every 6 months and rotate perishables as required. Every member in your family including your pet(s) need emergency supplies.

Emergency Supplies Checklist

The following is a list of basic items that should be contained in your Emergency Supply Kit for your home. The kit should be stored in plastic tubs or plastic garbage cans on wheels and be located in a safe easily accessible area. All supplies in your kit might not be needed if you have to evacuate your home. What you take will depend on the situation.

Water
At least four litres of water per person per day is required (two litres for drinking and the remaining two for food preparation, hygiene and dish washing). Used plastic milk containers, even if washed, are not sterile and should not be used for storing water. Water should be stored in clean sterilized containers in your Emergency Supply Kit and replaced with fresh water every six months. Alternatively, water can also be stored in clear sterilized containers and kept in the freezer and rotated less often than every six months.

Food
When assembling the food items for your kit choose foods that:

You are familiar with

Do not require refrigeration

Need little or no preparation

Will not increase thirst

Require little or no water to prepare

Meet the needs of the individuals using the kits (babies, children, elderly, special diets, food allergies, etc.)

A manual can opener should be included with the food items in your kit.

Canned food, juices, dried fruit and dehydrated food are good choices.

Other items to consider including in your Emergency Supply Kit are: milk, high energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix, vitamins, cookies, hard candy, instant coffee, cereals, and powered milk.

All canned food and dry goods in your kit should be replaced once a year. Emergency Food Rations and Emergency Purified Drinking Water with a shelf life of 5 years can also be purchased through emergency supplies companies.

Equipment: Kitchen items

knives, forks, spoons
disposable cups and plates and bowls
manual can opener, bottle opener
all purpose knives
household liquid bleach (to treat drinking water) click here for instructions
waterproof matches
plastic garbage bags
sugar, salt, pepper
aluminium foil and plastic wrap
resealable plastic bags or small containers

small fuel stove and a can of cooking fuel for food that requires cooking (follow manufacturer's instructions for stove and fuel). Barbeques and propane stoves are good alternate cooking sources but are never to be used indoors. Remember to store fuel safely.


Emergency First Aid Kit
Purchase a well stocked ready made Emergency First Aid Kit. These kits are available through various sources and extra items can be added to fit specific needs. Some of the tailored items you might want to include in your kit are:

Prescription medication. Ensure all drugs are stored to meet instructions on the label and recommendations from your pharmacist. If possible, purchase an extra weeks supply of medication for your Emergency First Aid Kit and rotate the supply whenever you refill your prescription.


Extra eyeglasses and/or contact lens and cleaners. When purchasing a new pair of glasses consider placing the old pair in your Emergency First Aid Kit.
For more information on putting together your own first aid kit, visit the Provincial Emergency Program web site at http://www.pep.bc.ca/ for ideas.

Tools, Emergency Supplies and Other items

hand cranked, solar powered or battery operated radio with extra batteries
hand cranked, solar powered or battery operated flash lights with extra batteries
Light sticks (can be used as a source of light, or for signalling purposes)
waterproof matches or matches in a waterproof container
gas shut-off wrench, pliers, shovel and other tools
duct tape
scissors or all purpose knife
plastic sheeting
whistle
small canister, ABC type Fire Extinguisher
tube tent or extra large orange garbage bags
maps of the area, compass
work gloves, dust masks
paper, pens and pencils
needles and thread
Sanitation and Hygiene Items
washcloth and towel
towelettes, soap, hand sanitizer, and liquid detergent
toothpaste, toothbrush(s), shampoo, deodorant, comb and brush, razor, shaving cream, lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellent, mirror, toilet paper, feminine products, baby and/or special needs items as required
heavy duty plastic garbage bags and ties for personal sanitation uses
medium sized plastic bucket with tight lid to use as a make shift toilet (consider using a small shovel for digging a latrine if the need arises)
disinfectant and household chlorine bleach


Clothes and Bedding

a complete change of clothes for each household member, extra socks, underwear, extra diapers and baby products if necessary
rain gear, hat and gloves
sturdy footwear for each household member
sunglasses
sleeping bags, blankets, or thermal blankets


Speciality items (for the needs of infants, children, elderly, disabled persons and pets)


baby formula, food, teething gels, powders and diaper rash creams
entertainment and comfort items for children
books
medication, dentures and cleaning supplies, hearing aid and batteries
pet food, water, dish, medication and toys


Emergency Survival Kit "Grab and Go Bag" (could also be used for work or vehicle)


back pack (used as storage container for supplies)
a list of all contents of kit
first aid kit and instruction booklet (taking an accredited course is recommended)
water: bottled water or 5 year shelf life type emergency packaged water and possibly some juice boxes
food: energy bars, granola, fruit leather bars or 5 year shelf life type emergency food bars,
hand cranked, solar powered or battery operated radio with extra batteries
hand cranked, solar powered or battery operated flash lights with extra batteries
rain gear, emergency ("space") silver blankets or large orange garbage bags
work gloves and dust masks
spare set of clothes including sturdy footwear
matches and candles
swiss Army type knife
light sticks (minimum 2)
whistle
duct tape
rope
identification (including information regarding medical needs or medication)
important phone numbers such as number for your Out of Province/Area Contact Person
spare glasses (as needed)
prescription and non prescription medications (i.e., asprin)
map and compass
pen and pencil
special items for baby etc.
personal hygiene items (toothbrush and paste, waterless hand sanitizer, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper/Kleenex, cards, games, books, etc.)


Work Place Kit (personalized to meet individual needs)


water and food
a few personal hygiene items
small flashlight and batteries
comfortable flat shoes
prescription and non prescription medications (i.e. asprin)


Personal Emergency Preparedness Checklist for People with Disabilities



Complete the following Activities

Establish a personal support network.
Customize an emergency health information card. Keep copies in wallet, purse and emergency supply kits.
Complete an emergency contact list.
Collect important documents. Store them in emergency supply kits, wallet and safe deposit box and give copies to personal support network and out of area contact.
Conduct an ability self-assessment.
Collect Grab and Go supplies to keep with you at all times. Include disability –related supplies in the kits.
Maintain a seven day supply of essential medications.
Keep important equipment and assistive devices in consistent, convenient and secured place.

Keep a whistle and a flashlight near you as this will help others find you in an emergency situation. The international signal for help is 3 short blasts

Write out instructions for items you will need help with in an emergency.
If you use a service animal be aware that your animal might not react as he/she usually does if there is a large disaster such as an earthquake.

First Aid Kit
Hat
Sun Screen

Canadian Images

Dear Children

I have kept and re-looked at all the Australian Christmas cards that people have sent me from Australia. The ones with kangaroo's, koala's, boomarangs have now been scanned and uploaded to my digital picture frame. Aboriginal art work and so on. So I looked through my Christmas cards to see if any had photos of things that were truly Canadian, and found none. We have a new colour printer, so I went through many of the photos I have taken since I have been in Canada. Here is the result for you. Today I have added a description beneath all of them for you.

You will need to click on each one to get the message underneath. Or you can use the slide show. Enjoy



Here are the rest of the Photos


Love

Julia

Copenhagen Climate Change Conference

Dear friends

By now you must of heard and felt the effects of the Climate Change that is upon us. Here is how you can participate. http://unfccc.int/2860.php

You can get your own clock at this link http://unfccc.int/home/items/4688.php


Love
Julia

International Peace Garden, Manitoba Canada; North Dakata, USA.

My dear children

I had a phone call with Douglas Hevenor, CEO of the International Peace Garden. He is very interested in sharing our vision and website resource, with schools that visit their peace garden. Here is a little of what is on their website.

Peace
Julia
...............

Since 1932, nestled on the U.S. and Canadian borders of North Dakota and Manitoba in a symbol of friendship, lies a “One of a Kind” International Peace Garden. Reflecting pools and dazzling colorful floral displays of over 150,000 flowers splash across the grounds of the Formal Garden’s terraced walkways. The 14-bell chime echoes faintly, as the length of the formal garden area is viewed from the upper terrace. In the distance, the 120-foot concrete Peace Tower, and the Peace Chapel can be seen at the end of the formal garden. Tourists ponder the beauty of the two floral displays of the American and Canadian Flags, the only two floral designs that remain the same each year. Presented to the Garden by the Japanese Government, seven Peace Poles in which, “May Peace Prevail” is written in twenty-eight different languages.

Food and Population Roundtable Statement

Science for Peace and Canadian Pugwash,
Global Issues Project
Global Sustainability Education Concepts

FOOD AND POPULATION ROUNDTABLE November 20 - 21, 2009

Written by Julia Morton-Marr. Edited by Adele Buckley, Heiner Benking, Richard Schwartz, Helmut Burkhardt, and others at Science for Peace.

Recommendations to the Interdisciplinary Roundtable:

1. Whereas the outcome statement from the Global Issues Project, Climate Change and Energy Roundtable, ‘Wasan Action Framework’ held in September 2007, identified the root causes of many crises, identified the large and growing human population as a root cause of many current crises; and

2. Whereas the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented climate catastrophe and is also severely and increasingly threatened by deforestation, rapid species extinction, soil erosion, desertification, air and water pollution, scarcities of water, energy and other valuable resources and other environmental threats; and

3. Whereas the Club of Rome identified the population growth paradigm in 1972 in the “Limits of Growth” and little has been achieved to slow the growing population; and

4. Whereas we are currently at the mid-point of the ‘UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’ (UNDESD 2005-2009); and given that UNESCO held a 5 year International congress which unanimously endorsed the ‘Bonn Declaration’; and given that the Declaration (subsequently unanimously endorsed by UNESCO) emphasizes the need for improved educational efforts worldwide regarding food security, health, biodiversity, climate change, lifestyle changes, risk reduction, healthy water, and sustainable economies; and

5. Whereas many universities and Ministries of Education are re-orienting education towards sustainability; and

6. Whereas long term existence of human civilization must be the main value in Sustainability Education and curriculum decision-making for the future.

WE urge action by all Ministers & Departments of Education and Health within Governments, Universities, Schools, Colleges and Communities to:

7. Examine population issues in depth within Sustainability Education curricula, as a life saving value, on the basis that all humans have the right to exist.

8. Educate for long term sustainability, using interdisciplinary methods of system science. Teach the negative effects of compounding forest removal, increasing agricultural land use for housing, roads and other non-agricultural purposes, and the burgeoning population increase, thus placing all species at risk because of the resultant food & water insecurity.

9. Promote the importance of plant-based diets, and encourage major reductions in the animal-based portions of Western diets. Animal-based diets contribute significantly to many diseases, climate change, deforestation, species extinction, soil erosion, water and air pollution, decertification, and wasteful use of water, land, and energy.

10. Develop population programs and sex-ed curricula that develops awareness and knowledge on current population and food crises, to empower lifestyle changes.

We call upon our governments and education systems to involve their entire citizenry in positive actions to achieve the following goals:

11. Provide training and government support to prevent food wastage, in a way that is applicable to the differing social structures of both developed and developing countries.

12. Support the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization’s work on the severe global food crisis. and increase sharing food as part of the global larder.

13. Re-construct soils by organic agricultural methods, and use bio-carbon sequestration with the intent to restore lost carbon. Establish gardening and re-cultivation schemes in rural and urban areas, to re-create fertile soils and reverse desertification.

14. Grow food in many local gardens and promote the purchasing of locally grown food. A useful example: IHTEC’s International School Peace Gardens program.

15. Remove all products that degrade species procreation hormones, with particular focus on plastics.

16. Ban all products that deplete the ozone, as increased UV radiation decreases crop yields.

17. Empower women to achieve lower birthrates through sex education, and promotion of the use of condoms and abstinence.

Media & Laws

18. Remove advertising of sex and fertility drugs on TV around the world. Instead use TV, Radio programs and Magazines to promote women’s health and population stability.

19. Involve NGO’s, women’s networks and computer networking with these messages.

20. Facilitate workshops for governments, and encourage local and national governmental officials to champion the issues of food and population.

Poverty and Women’s Health and Equality

21. Wherever food or agricultural aid (e.g. crop seeds, goats etc. ) is provided, deliver condoms and education.

22. Encourage women’s meetings and dovetail sex education with other programs, as already practiced by the Grameen Bank, which gives micro loans in Bangladesh.

23. Empower women in developing countries to provide community education on population issues and family planning. Population is a women’s health issue.

24. Include mothers and daughters in western countries in the process of population education.

25. Involve fathers and sons in conception education. Men must understand the implications of additional children for their families and for society.

26. Engender respect and equality for women in all societies.

27. Use dance, dramatic presentations and soap opera’s to help educate people about birth control and other population-related issues.

Religious Communities

28. Involve all organized religions as well as interfaith groups. Globally, all must recognize that all life on earth is at risk.

29. Request all religious groups to accept and teach these population and food concepts.

Sustainability Education. What is it?

Sustainability Education. What is it?
By Dame Julia Morton-Marr, DStG, B.Ed., Dip.T.

(NB: This has been translated into Spanish, by Andrea Mendez Brandam, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was included in her newspaper "Positive News" = Noticias Positivas which was an insert in "The Clarin" main newspaper in Argentina, that sends out 300,000 copies with about 2 million readers.)

See the whole paper here: Noticias Positivas

See the Sustainable Education article here:


How important and how can we achieve sustainability in schools? IHTEC’s educators (website: www.ihtec.org ) created the International School Peace Gardens to teach sustainability education. This includes peace education, basic human values, inter-cultural understanding, environmental education, and dedication at various class levels through celebration in a peace garden.

Sustainability: “We must have peace first, if we are to be sustainable.” Prof. Helmut Burkhardt

“This includes a well managed global commons”. Global Commons include forests, oceans, atmosphere, space, fresh water, ozone, arctic and antarctica, and bio-diversity. Our planet has so many global issues right now that we need to teach everyone restorative methods. Issues such as climate change, energy use, plastic pollution are some of many concerns that can be improved through positive thought and action in a peace garden.

Peace in Ourselvers:

Peace means to become one with yourself . You have to understand your beliefs and values. Peace means to think and speak positively, reversing negative and hurtful words making them positive. Peace is calmness with others and silence when words are not required. For peace, people should forget about one=s small differences. Peace is safety, no fear in people=s hearts. Peace means to be joyful.

Tool: In your peace garden, plant a tree that represents peace, that grows in nature where you live. This tree can be special or sacred to your region, your State or Provincial tree.

Peace in the Environment.

Peace and the environment can no longer be separated. Peace means cooperation and understanding with the surrounding environment. We must take care of it, and not abuse it. Peace means caring for every living thing on the planet by supporting the web of life.

Tool: In your peace garden, plant a sample of all the plants that live together in nature. Make a list of the plants and learn how they help all species. You might like to help plant a forest as a school.

Peace in Our Schools

The message of peace should be spread to children starting at a very young age, because in Year 1 & 2, that is when the teasing and all of the other negative things start. It is important to concentrate more on the similarities rather than the differences, so that there is a healthy, peaceful environment to learn in. Some students make peace posters, and placing them all over the school, to give the message of peace. Others create a peace corner in each classroom.

Tool: Build two friendship benches facing each other, and learn how to solve local problems in the peace garden. If your climate is too cold, these benches can be inside your school.

Values

Peace must include basic human values for all humans. Each human and all other species on planet earth need food, water, clothing, and a home to live in. (See Maslow’s Basic Needs) This includes food supplies for migrating birds and animals.

Tool: In your peace garden, plant vegetables and fruits so no one will go hungry. This is a food security garden. Collect seeds and learn to store them for another year and teach which seeds grow which food. Contact your local botanical gardens for more information.

Children in Hawaii are focused on returning to their original food plants and helping to feed the homeless. These islands only have two weeks of food at any one time, so the students are making lists of what each household grows, so that they can share the excess.

In Argentina there is to be a conference on Sustainability Education for Head Masters of Private Schools on May 6,7 & 8, 2010