ISSN 1847-6694
NEKTARINA (S)PACE
March 2013
A Spring of Water In this issue: The Danube Delta, UNAOC Forum, Liveable Cities, Connect Through Art, Photo Essay, Earth Hour, The Happiness Project
Nektarina (S)pace NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691
March Snapshots NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691
Nektarina (S)pace, Web Magazine Year 2, Issue # 7, March 2013 Published by Nektarina Non Profit ISSN 1847 - 6694 Under Creative Commons Licence
Working together towards a sustainable future. www.nektarinanonprofit.com Nektarina Non Profit is a non governmental, non profit organization, and most of our projects are based on volunteer work. Our articles are a compilation of data (where we always provide the source) or articles / opinion pieces (in which case there is a by-line). We come from different backgrounds, and English is not the first language for any of us, so there might be an occasional flop :). If you are using any of our content, it would be great if you could link it back to us, and if you are using other people’s content (that you found in this magazine) please make sure to copy the source links we provided. Thank you!
Brought to you by: Publisher: Nektarina Non Profit Creative Director & Editor-In-Chief: Sandra Antonovic Lead Researcher & Contributing Editor: Livia Minca Content Contributor: Yula Pannadopoulos Journalist: Alyosha Melnychenko Contributor for the March Issue: Karl Joerg Photography: Sandra Antonovic
Contributors: This could be you! If interested, email us to space@nektarinanonprofit.com
In this issue: World Nature Heritage Site: The Danube Delta Liveable Cities: Graz, Austria Connect Through Art: Kunst Haus, Wien Changing of Season: Spring!
World Water Day: Water Cooperation 5th UNAOC Forum Earth Hour The Bookshelf The Happiness Project International Day of Forests From our desk: 20+ and much more
From our desk: By Yula Pannadopoulos
Seventh issue! Yay! It feels great, and we are looking forward to each new issue, to every new month, eager to bring you more educational and useful content. We hope you are enjoying Nektarina (S)pace, and we would like your input and feedback. We also welcome all potential contributors - share your stories and photos with us, we would love to publish you! How can you do it? Simple. Just drop us an email to space@nektarinanonprofit.com, and don’t forget to add who you’d like (or who should be) credited.
This March we are bringing you 20+ more pages than usual (so over 180 pages of articles and photographs), as there was so much going on, and we didn’t really want to miss (or to omit) anything. You’ll read about the amazing world of Danube delta, what went on at the UNAOC Forum in Vienna,
Austria. You will learn about the Austrian programme “Ecologisation of Schools—Education for Sustainability” ECOLOG; you will read about liveable cities Graz and Vienna, about KunstHaus in Vienna and how it connects people and communities through art, about World Water Day and Earth Hour, and much more.
We didn’t forget (even though we didn’t cover these days in detail) that March is also a month of the International Women’s Day, of Pi Day, and, of course, St Patrick’s Day.
Enjoy March issue! We are already busy working on the April one!
Liveable Cities: Graz, Austria
By Karl Joerg
Graz is the second largest city in Austria, after Vienna, obviously. The town itself is located in a green and heavily forested area. The Alps form a natural shield for the city, and prevent wet North Atlantic weather to reach Graz, which, in return, has much more sunny and dry days than Vienna or Salzburg. Warm weather currents from the Mediterranean also help Graz's weather. All of the above impacts the flora in Graz. Plants are found in Graz that normally grow much further south. This makes Graz a very particular habitat for insects and fauna, and the biodiversity is, hence, very distinctive. There is a downside to it all, though - such a climate, mild and less windy, negatively affects the air quality, and makes the city very prone to smog during winter months.
The car exhaust fumes are still the most significant source of air pollution and noise, but the city is already working on resolving / decreasing those issues. Graz has easy-to-use extensive network of buses and trams, and more and more people opt to use them rather than cars when out and about in the city. Others are choosing walking, or bicycles that are very popular. These choices, together with low carbon public transport (trams) are helping with the city's carbon footprint, noise and air pollution, but also with streets' congestion and other common problems. This is making a life in Graz healthier and better.
Liveable Cities: Vienna, Austria
By Karl Joerg The Economist Intelligence Unit did a study in 2005. The study encompassed 127 world cities, and its results ranked Vienna the world's most livable city (well, actually it was tied with Vancouver, Canada). The same study done in 2012 ranked Vienna second, right after Melbourne, Australia. Many other research and human resource companies rank Vienna first or among top five cities when it comes to the quality of living, quality of life, and similar categories. The website www.austrianzimmers.com describes it almost perfectly:
"This could be because of the sheer style and culture of the city, but we think it's because of the amount of greenery within the city. If you look at the metropolitan area, about half of it is occupied by parks, making it the greenest city of over one million inhabitants in the world. Vienna's 280 parks and gardens are fantastic places to spend a little bit of relaxation time... In the spring, summer, and fall, these leafy spaces offer fantastic place to relax and escape the bustle of the city. It's not really surprising that Vienna is considered a great place to live; these woodlands, gardens, and parks allow you to escape from it all without leaving the city. Whether you cycle, walk, or run through them, these parks are a great place to sit down and enjoy a nice picnic. Even if you just want to take a quick break from your Austrian zimmer or hotel, take a brief walk down one of these boulevards. You'll not regret it."
Connect Through Art: KunstHaus Wien
The Museum The Museum Hundertwasser presents a unique cross-section of the oeuvre of the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), including key paintings as well as graphic works, applied art, architectural designs and examples of the artist's ecological commitment. The Museum Hundertwasser is part of KUNST HAUS WIEN, which was established in 1991 on the basis of the Hundertwasser's philosophy and artistic principles. The architectural remodelling of the former Thonet furniture factory was effected in accordance with Hundertwasser's own designs.
Hundertwasser's Painting Individuality and Significance A major part of the effect of Hundertwasser's painting is colour. Hundertwasser uses colours instinctively, without associating them with a definite symbolism of even his own invention. He prefers intensive, radiant colours and loves to place complementary colours next to one another to emphasize the double movement of the spiral, for instance. He also likes to use gold and silver, which he pastes onto the picture in a thin foil. Two large groups of motifs determine the content of Hundertwasser's painting: one comprises a world of forms representing analogies to vegetative growth and an animistic nature; the other is the repetitive use of architectural code symbols: houses, windows, gables, fences, gates. It is one of the idiosyncrasies of Hundertwasser's art that both motif groups are inextricably linked: vegetative forms seem static, to solidify to architecture in order to last, whereas everything constructed seems to have grown organically, to have been produced by nature herself. His painting technique is also his very personal affair. Hundertwasser likes best to use paints he has pulverised or prepared himself, which he applies without mixing. Similarly, he prepares the priming ground himself; for prime coating, paint mixture and varnish he has developed various recipes of his own, all of which are designed to guarantee a long life for his pictures. In many of his pictures he uses oil, tempera and watercolour techniques in one picture to achieve a contrasting effect between the matte and radiant parts of the picture.
Hundertwasser's colour! There is no limit to its sensuality; it grows richer and richer, in a triumphant, exuberant warmth; greens, blues, and luminous violets exalting the shrill carmines, vermilions, and yellows; and still more sumptuous when the vividness is heightened by applying genuine gold and silver foils. Before such a feast for the eyes one forgets that up until 1957 he had been living on the edge of survival, virtually deprived of everything, for all his meagre requirements and legendary sobriety. One forgets, too, that he had unfolded treasures of ingenuity in the recovery of scraps and trash-can rakings and by painting on anything, with anything, provided it would last – which indeed it has done, as well as if not better than the newest and most costly materials.
Hundertwasser's Graphic Work Hundertwasser mastered and innovated many graphic techniques, among them lithograph, silk screen, etching, colour woodcut and many others. He was one of the first to demand and practice complete transparency in terms of technique, dates of creation and editions for each sheet. Hundertwasser never really created large editions of one and the same graphic work. His graphic editions comprise several colour versions and variants, which are not numbered separately, but instead numbered throughout the entire edition. It was his aim to make many different unique pieces within the art of the graphic, thereby going beyond machine production. Hundertwasser always took great care to provide exact information about the work on each graphic sheet, in order to arrive at as complete a disclosure of a work's techniques and creation dates as possible.
Hundertwasser's Tapestries Hundertwasser's first tapestry 133 Pissing Boy with Sky-Scraper, was created in 1952 as a result of a bet. Hundertwasser had asserted that it was possible to weave a tapestry without a template, i. e. a cardboard model of the image in the size of the planned tapestry. All Hundertwasser tapestries that have been executed afterwards by weavers of Hundertwasser's choice have been created without cardboard templates. When transforming his works into a tapestry, Hundertwasser's main concern was to have this done freehand – a transmission of one of his works into a different medium and the quality of the artistic interpretation by the weaver without pattern or cardboard template. In Hundertwasser's opinion, only this procedure, without a cardboard template, could breathe life into the work, thus an authentic work of art could evolve and not just a soulless copy of the model. This is the reason why all Hundertwasser's tapestries are unique works.
Hudertwasser’s Architecture As early as 1958, Hundertwasser formulated in his „Mouldiness Manifesto Against Rationalism in Architecture" his denouncement of rationalism, the straight line and functional architecture. In 1968 Hundertwasser presented his manifesto „Los von Loos (Loose from Loos) – A Law Permitting Individual Building Alterations or Architecture-Boycott Manifesto". For Hundertwasser the tradition of rational, sterile architecture with its deadly monotony begun by the Austrian architect Adolf Loos was responsible for people's misery. He called for a boycott of this architecture and promoted creative freedom to build and the right to individualise buildings. In his architectural models from the 1970s he demonstrated the afforestation of roofs, the tree tenant and the window right and created new architectonic forms such as the spiral house, the eye-slit house, the pit-house or the terrace house. As an architectural doctor he took on the responsibility of transforming ugly, monotonous and sterile buildings. In numerous exemplary architectural projects that Hundertwasser was able to realise from the 1980s onwards, he drove a path out of the cul-de-sac of modern architecture. His buildings are witness to his encouragement of diversity over monotony, for romanticism, for the organic and for unregimented irregularity, for spontaneous vegetation and for a life in harmony with nature.
Earth Hour
Earth Hour is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in the world. Born out of a hope that we could mobilize people to take action on climate change, Earth Hour now inspires a global community of millions of people in 7,001 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories to switch lights off for an hour as a massive show of concern for the environment. *********** Earth Hour is about collective impact, beyond the hour. Earth Hour has now become much more than a symbolic action. It has evolved into a continuous movement driving real actions, big and small, that are changing the world we live in.
Now is the time for our interconnected global community to mobilize others through each of our actions for change and build momentum and motivation for the next person. Sign up now to find out how you can become the inspiration for the change you want to see in the world. Earth Hour happens because of the committed teams around the world that work tirelessly to get lights switched off. Coordinating their tremendous efforts is a small team of people based in Singapore – the Earth Hour Global Team.
www.earthhour.org
UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum
Promoting Responsible Leadership in Diversity and Dialogue Inspired by the vision that respect and tolerance among human beings in all their diversity of belief, culture and language are fundamental values for building inclusive societies as well as boosting peace and sustainable development, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations operates in a field in which choices and attitudes of a wide range of actors from all walks of life matter to turn its goals into achievements.
Politics, business, civil society, religious communities as well as academic circles, professional organizations, youth, and the media are all jointly in a position to shape a new agenda for living together in a diversity and dialogue. At a time of global changes when our world is more interdependent than ever, it is crucial that such actors become further aware of their shared responsibility in forging consensus in an environment where economies are interconnected, power is diffuse, politics diversifying and various worldviews and conceptions of domestic and international order compete.
Therefore, responsible leadership in all spheres and at all levels is needed. A leadership that understands the complexity of the world we live in and integrates value-based and ethical decision-making as well as the
cross-cultural bridge-building is imperative in a medium/longterm perspective. This is the specific angle or perspective that the Vienna Forum will take.
More specifically, the Vienna Forum will focus on how responsible leadership can make a difference in the following three major issues:
→ promotion, protection and full enjoyment of the right to religious freedom in a context of religious pluralism which consists not only of greater diversity, but also of perceptions of that diversity and new patterns of interaction among religious groups;
→ media pluralism and diversity of media content and their contribution to fostering public debate, democracy and awareness of diverse opinions;
→ shaping a new narrative for migration, integration and mobility in the global economy
In addition, the Vienna Forum will focus on the regional dimension of the Alliance of Civilizations as integral to its mission since it has to translate general prescriptions into local, regional settings and different cultures in order to deliver action on the ground. Apart from looking at existing regional initiatives within the UNAOC , the Vienna Forum will further explore the possibilities of enhanced cross-cultural cooperation in the Danube and Black
Sea region, the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.
Whenever appropriate, panel discussions will be supplemented with small group discussions, offering participants an opportunity to focus on more specific topics or to work together to take action on specific challenges.
Regional Perspectives The Vienna Forum will dedicate two special sessions to regional perspectives. One session will look at the regional developments of the work carried out by the UNAOC over the past year. This session will bring together representatives from a wide range of stakeholders engaged in regional action promoted by the UNAOC in order to achieve its goals. Participants will address some cross-cutting issues - such as education, youth, media, and migration and/or minorities - and will discuss them from a regional perspective. They will share best practices and discuss further possibilities of cooperation. Some of the projects developed in South-East Europe, the EuroMediterranean Region, Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific will be presented and new commitments to action announced.
Another special session will be devoted to the Danube and Black Sea region, the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia. For centuries, peoples in these neighbouring regions have witnessed growing cultural diversity. Building upon existing regional strategies the following questions will be discussed:
Where are the needs for more intercultural and interreligious dialogue in these regions? Which existing cross-cultural projects in these regions dealing with the themes of the Vienna Forum can be shared as best practice examples? Where are possibilities for new cross-cultural initiatives bringing the citizens and peoples of the regions closer to each other?
World Nature Heritage Site: The Danube Delta
The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes. The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes. The reserve is vast in European terms with numerous freshwater Lakes interconnected by narrow channels featuring huge expanses of aquatic vegetation. This is the largest continuous marshland on Europe and the second-largest delta (the Volga being the largest), which includes the greatest stretch of reedbeds in the world. The marsh vegetation is dominated by reeds which form floating or fixed islands of decaying vegetation Reeds cover some 1,700 km2 and the floating reed islands (plaur ) 1,000 km2 , whereas the total area not inundated is only 148 km2 . The Razelm-Sinoie complex to the south comprises several large brackish lagoons separated from the sea by a sandbar. The overall basic hydrological and ecological system of the delta, although strongly degraded, is intact. The higher ground supports stands of willow, popular, alder and oak. There are also sandy areas covered with feather grass and other steppe species. Forest elements are best observed in Letea Forest where a series of bands occur along dunes up to 250 m long and 10 m wide. The delta has been classified into 12 habitat types as follows: aquatic, lakes covered with flooded reedbeds; 'plaur', flooded islets; flooded reeds and willows; riverine forest of willows and poplars; cane-fields; sandy and muddy beaches; wet meadows; dry meadows (arid); human settlements; sandy and rocky areas; steep banks; and forests on high ground.
The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes.
Over 300 species of bird have been recorded, of which over 176 species breed, the most important being cormorant, pygmy cormorant, white pelican and Dalmatian pelican. There are numerous multi-species heron colonies and raptor species including white-tailed eagle. The marsh tern colonies are especially notable. The delta holds huge numbers of geese in the winter whitefronted geese, red-breasted geese (a globally threatened species with almost all the world wintering population present), teal, mallard and pochard. The delta is very important for fish, with 45 fresh water species present. Otter and weasel are to be found on the floating islands. The Danube Delta is a remarkable alluvial feature constituting critical habitat for migratory birds and other animals. It is the major remaining wetland on the flyway between central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean and Middle East and Africa. It is exceptional for its contiguity of wetland ecosystem and currently supports endangered flora and fauna. The threats remain numerous and include intensive fish farming, shooting, canal and dyke construction and pollution and eutrophication.
Historical Description In 1938 the Council of Ministers passed Decision No 645 declaring 'Letea Forest' as a nature reserve. In 1961 it passed Decision No 891 declaring Rosca-Buhaiova (14,60Oha), St George-Perisor -Zatoane (16,40Oha), Periteasca-Gura Portitei (3,900ha) and Popina Island (98ha) as nature reserves. In 1971 the Management of Forestry declared the Caraorman Forest (840ha) and Erenciuc Forest (41ha). In 1975 the Council of Ministers passed the Decision No. 524 extending the Danube Delta protected areas to cover 41,500ha. In 1979 an area of 18,145ha combining Rosca-Buhaiova Reserve and Letea Forest was designated as Rosca-Letea Biosphere Reserve. An area of 500,000ha including all previous designations was declared a biosphere reserve under National Decree No. 983 with supporting Articles 5, and 6 on 27 August 1990. Further legislation is under preparation. This area was further enlarged in early 1991 to cover 547,000ha. International recognition is imminent with submissions in May 1991 to Unesco for biosphere reserve nomination and to the Ramsar Bureau for nomination as a Ramsar site. The latest legislation gives patrimony of the biosphere reserve to the Delta Authority. Decree 264/91 passed on 12 April 1991 places all institute, agency and inspectorate staff under the administration of the biosphere reserve. The environment agency for Tulcea Judet is also subordinate. All public domain and aquatic and natural resources generated are the ownership of the biosphere reserve authority. Further legislation will significantly strengthen the administration of the site.
World Water Day: Water Cooperation
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation. The fullfilment of basic human needs, our environment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are all heavily dependent on water.
Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its unique characteristics: it is unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydrological cycle is highly complex and perturbations have multiple effects. Rapid urbanization, pollution and climate change threaten the resource while demands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a growing world population, now at over seven billion people, for food production, energy, industrial and domestic uses. Water is a shared resource and its management needs to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This provides opportunities for cooperation among users. In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, the UNGA recognizes that cooperation is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace. Promoting water cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions. At the following address you can find out very useful facts and tips on resource efficiency, including water saving advice: http://www.generationawake.eu/en
International Day Of Forests
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. In this inspirational 1 minute clip the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) invites people all over the planet to consider the extraourdinary gift that represent our forests and to participate in their well being by planting trees: http://www.fao.org/news/audio-video/detail-video/en/?uid=9697.
On the first International Day of Forests, celebrated by the United Nations today, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva proposed that countries support a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015 debate. “In many countries, illegal deforestation is degrading ecosystems, diminishing water availability and limiting the supply of fuelwood – all of which reduce food security, especially for the poor,” Graziano da Silva said at a ceremony marking the International Day of Forests. “Stopping illegal deforestation and forest degradation would do much to end hunger, extreme poverty and bring about sustainability.”
“This is why, I would like to encourage countries to promote tree planting and to consider a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015 debate. These two goals should be closely linked. We can achieve positive results if countries, the international financial institutions, the UN, civil society and the private sector join forces to tackle these issues.� Mediterranean countries respond to forest threats In parallel, the countries of the Mediterranean are meeting today at the Third Mediterranean Forest Week, taking place in Tlemcen, Algeria (17-21 March), to discuss the state of Mediterranean forests and adopt a Strategic Framework on Mediterranean Forests. The Mediterranean forests are expected to be hard hit by climate change and are under severe pressure from population growth, according to the first FAO report on The State of Mediterranean Forests, also published today. This results in ever-increasing competition for already scarce food and water resources in the region. Climate change and population growth Temperatures in the Mediterranean increased by one degree during the twentieth century while rainfall decreased by 20 percent in certain Mediterranean areas. By the end of this century, it is expected that temperatures will have risen by a further two degrees, which is likely to put some forest species at risk of extinction and result in loss of biodiversity. Population growth is expected to rise from around 500 million people currently living in the Mediterranean to 625 million by 2050. This will put additional pressure on forests as sources of food and water.
“The Mediterranean region is undergoing many changes in their societies, lifestyles and climate”, said FAO Assistant Director-General for Forests Eduardo Rojas-Briales. “If unmanaged, such changes could lead to negative impacts on livelihoods, biodiversity, wildfire risks, watersheds or desertification. There is an urgent need to regularly assess the state of Mediterranean forests using objective and reliable data and to manage endangered forest resources more sustainably.” New strategies to ensure environmental services Mediterranean forests are a significant carbon sink. In 2010 they stocked almost 5 billion tons of carbon, which represent 1.6 percent of the global forest carbon stock. They also provide valuable ecosystem services such as water and climate regulation, the provision of wood and non-wood products, and biodiversity conservation. The Mediterranean region is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. There are more than 25,000 plant species in the Mediterranean region, compared with about 6,000 in central and northern Europe. The report stresses that the value of Mediterranean forests and their vital role in climate change adaptation and mitigation should be recognized at local, regional and national levels. It calls upon governments and foresters to promote the use of wood and non-wood forest products such as cork for long-term carbon storage, and to reinforce the investment potential of smallholders working in wood and non-wood, forest-based industries (pine nuts, esparto grass, mushrooms, honey, etc.). The report urges foresters to use the variety of forest genetic resources in their silvicultural practices and promote forest species best able to adapt to changing climate conditions. On a local scale, foresters should also improve forest planning to manage forest ecosystems with the optimal density of trees and to deal with water scarcity, whereas the large scale activities should include systematic forest fire prevention.
Forest fire prevention Climate change could lead to more frequent and more severe fires, the report warned. Between 2006 and 2010, around two million hectares of forests were affected by fires in the Mediterranean region. Without adequate fire prevention measures, including fire hazard reduction and prescribed fires to burn biomass during the winter season to reduce fuel levels, extreme weather conditions could cause catastrophic forest fire events. The report was developed by more than 20 scientific and technical institutions and non-governmental organizations and nearly 50 authors and other contributors coordinated by FAO and Plan Bleu, the main support centre of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development. FAO intends to publish The State of Mediterranean Forests every five years, providing further opportunities to unify and mobilize partners in the management of Mediterranean forests and other wooded lands. Based on the key recommendations adopted in the Tlemcen Declaration during its high-level segment, the future implementation of the Strategic Framework on Mediterranean Forests could be a useful regional tool to adapt national forest policies in the face of ongoing global changes which are affecting the Mediterranean region.
Forests and Water
Photo Essay
Changing Of Season: Spring
Finally, after months of waiting and enduring the cold, the moment we were all waiting for has come: spring is here at last. That is at least what the calendar says, anyway. Even though in some places the winter is still trying to impose its will, there is no turning back now. The sun will shine longer and cast a warmer light upon us, the trees will blossom and the numb world will come back to life. This is what makes spring the most loved season of all: it is the symbol of a new beginning, a new cycle of life that is starting, a new world full of possibilities. Since ancient times, people have created special celebrations to greet the arrival of spring. And even if many of them are lost today or have been replaced by others, the joy of spring coming cannot be hidden and it is still warming up our hearts just like every other year.
The equinox This year, on March 20 at 11:02 a.m. Universal Time, the March Equinox (also known as the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox) occured, meaning that the sun was directly overhead the equator. On this day, there were twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness at all points on the earth’s surface. The sun rises at the North Pole to the horizon on the March Equinox and the North Pole remains lit until the September Equinox. At the same time, at the South Pole, the sun sets after the South Pole having been lit for the previous six months (since the September Equinox).
It has been a tradition that spring “officially begins� on March 20, and the three other seasons begin on their solstices or equinox. However, there is no set scientific standard for the beginning of the seasons. March, April, and May are most commonly thought to be the spring months. On March 20, most consider that spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn begins in the Southern Hemisphere. The beginning of spring often represents a mild transitional climate between the extremes of winter and summer. Seasonal changes primarily impact the higher latitudes (those above 23.5 degrees). The areas between the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south effectively do not have seasons because the sun is always high in the sky. And now that the spring is here, the sun is shining and the birds are singing, what to do with all the energy that we have stored during the winter? We think this is the best time to be outside, enjoy and connect to the nature. Here are a few suggestions for you.
Planting a tree After the autumn planting round, the next best period to plant a tree is in early spring. At this point, trees are still dormant and the chances of their survival are better than when the weather turns warm. If you do decide to try tree planting this spring, either with your school or in your own garden, here are some steps that you should follow:
1. Choose location and tree species. Do some research to find out what trees are best suited for your soil and moisture conditions. Don’t forget the tree’s eventual height and spread, and plan for its size at maturity. If you have a restricted planting area or overhead power lines or buried pipes, this will limit the size of the tree you plant. Before getting started, give entire planting area a soaking (the day before so you don’t work in muck) or plant after rain has moistened the soil. 2. Dig the hole. Be careful at its size: too deep and the roots don’t have access to sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth; too narrow and the root structure can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree. As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself. 3. Place the tree in the hole. Balled and burlapped trees should always be lifted by the ball, never by the trunk. The burlap surrounding the ball of earth and roots should either be cut away completely (mandatory, in the case of synthetic or plastic burlap) or at least pulled back from the top third of the ball (in the case of natural burlap). Any string or twine should also be removed. In the case of container trees, once carefully removed from the container, check the roots. If they are tightly compressed or ‘pot bound’, use your fingers or a blunt instrument to carefully tease the fine roots away from the tight mass and then spread the roots prior to planting. For extremely woody compacted roots, it may be necessary to use a spade to open up the bottom half of the root system. The root system is then pulled apart or ‘butterflied’ prior to planting.
Loosening the root structure in this way is extremely important in the case of container plants. Failure to do so may result in the roots ‘girdling’ and killing the tree. Bare-rooted trees should be planted as soon as possible after purchasing. Care should be taken to ensure that the roots are kept moist in the period between purchase and planting. To plant, first build a cone of earth in the centre of the hole around which to splay the roots. Make sure that when properly seated on this cone the tree is planted so that the ‘trunk flare’ is clearly visible and the ‘crown’, where the roots and top meet, is about two inches above the soil level. This is to allow for natural settling. 4. Fill the hole. Backfill soil (combinations of peat moss, composted manure, topsoil, etc.) is then placed in the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of the ball or the former container level to allow for some settling. Be careful not to over-compress the backfill soil as this may prevent water from reaching the roots and the roots from expanding inside the soil. Compress gently using your hands instead of your feet. 5. Water well after planting, but don’t apply fertilizer until second growing season. If you don’t get regular rainfall, continue to water newly planted trees thoroughly (an inch of water once a week), in the first season. If you have the possibility, apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch to soil at tree base in a 3-foot circle. This helps conserve moisture, reduces competition from grass and weeds and encourages you to keep string trimmers away from trunk. Don’t heap mulch up against trunk, as this can promote decay.
Riding the bike The longer, sunny days and the warmer temperatures are certainly inviting for a trip outdoors. Just hop on your bike (or roller-blades, skateboard or any other un-motorised device that you know how to ride) and take it to the roads. If your local conditions allow, you can expand from just an occasional ride for fun to start riding your bike to work, to the shop, to meet your friends, instead of using a car or a bus. This will keep your tonus high and your carbon footprint low.
Spring Cleaning Since it is spring again, the Spring Cleaning concept should not come as a surprise for anyone. Whether we use it for cleaning our houses from top to bottom or for tidying up our gardens in preparation for the summer, one thing it’s for sure: it does take a lot of energy. So if you feel like putting those muscles to work, this is the activity for you. While you get busy, keep in mind the environment. Try to use environmentally friendly detergents and cleaning products and use water efficiently. Don’t just let that tap running; remember, we just celebrated World Water Day. And if you find things that need to be disposed of, try to see if they match any recycling options.
Positive Examples: Austria
The Austrian programme “Ecologisation of Schools Education for Sustainability” (ECOLOG)
ECOLOG, a key action programme and network on the ecologisation of schools and education for sustainability, was developed by an Austrian team of teachers working on the international project “Environment and School Initiatives” (ENSI) in the 1990s as a national support system with the aim of promoting and integrating the development of individual schools, and attempts are being made to embed the programme in Austria’s federal states through regional networks. Overall coordination is ensured by the Forum Umweltbildung, which operates as a contractor with the Federal Ministry of Education, Sciences and Culture and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. In this setting, the ECOLOG programme may itself become sustainable and be seen as an interface between environmental education and school development.
ECOLOG is based upon an ENSI approach: Schools – so called ESDSchools – define the ecological, technical and social conditions of their environment and, on the basis of these results, define objectives, targets and/or concrete activities and quality criteria, to be implemented and evaluated. Students as well as all the other actors at school should be involved in a participatory way and collaboration with authorities, business and other interested parties is encouraged. The measures concern, among others, areas like saving of resources (energy, water etc.), reduction of the emissions (i.e. waste, traffic), spatial arrangement (from the classroom to the campus), learning culture (communication culture, organisational structure) and health promotion as well as opening of the school to the community. All in all, over 300 schools with about 70,000 students are currently in the network. Many others are reached by the web site, teacher inservice-training seminars and newsletters.
What has been achieved in relation to the goals and objectives of the ECOLOG network: → The pilot phase of the network (1996–1998) successfully achieved its main goals of supporting ecological awareness and fostering school development through environmental projects. → The nationwide contest (Phase II, 1997–1999) called “The Slightly Different Contest—Ecologising Schools”, with 200 participating schools, was a striking success. What made the contest innovative was that it was not the product that was examined but the growth in experience and change achieved in the schools. → In Phase III (since 1999), which focused on the development of regional support networks, the cooperation with school authorities and environmental departments of the regional governments has been successfully established and has been working well in most Austrian provinces. → Some federal states—such as Upper Austria and Styria—are repeatedly mentioned in the interviews as good practice models for this cooperation. → Beside these forms of knowledge management there are also opportunities of gaining new knowledge: regular training workshops (e.g. team formation, curriculum, environmental topics) are offered to network members. → A considerable number of school-development consultants showed a lively interest in participating in the network. These consultants are supposed to provide valuable knowledge and support concerning the further development of the network.
Problems were identified in relation to cooperation and the flow of information within the network, time pressures, tight deadlines and excessive workloads as a result, varying levels of commitment by staff in the coordination groups, and a lack of material and other resources for coordinators and schools. In the immediate future, keeping a balance between bottom-up and top-down developments, together with the introduction of some new organisational features (i.e. more team-oriented work and more horizontal connections between the network partners), will be the key challenges of the network Ecologising Schools—Education for Sustainable Development. Crucial questions for a sustainable development of the network include how to keep up funding, how to develop local advisory support further, and how to find structural links and cooperation to quality assessment and educational standards development.
Good practice Example of an ECOLOG School Sustainable development is an important part of the school culture at the Upper secondary technical School (HTL) Donaustadt in Vienna. Aspects of sustainability are reflected in numerous projects, diploma thesis and by the certification through environment management systems (EcoManagement and Audit Scheme - EMAS). In addition to high quality technical training, students acquire specialised knowledge in the area of company environment protection by getting qualified as waste-, environment- and sustainability agents as well as by acquiring social competencies. Through this practice relevant and modern training, alumni are sought as valuable employees in companies.
Throughout the year the school organises film and discussion days focusing on sustainability themes. These events have been well attended by students. The selection of topics for diploma theses and projects ranges from optimising waste management to the development of a “reminder-calendar” for vaccination shots in companies. The “HTL Donaustadt” and its highly motivated students also support regional nature protection projects like the resettling of tawny owls with helpful technical solutions. Modern company culture also needs to take into account the satisfaction of its staff and of the students. For this the HTL Donaustadt has a communication platform “we for us”. In a technical school with a high percentage of male staff members and students an active approach to gender mainstreaming is a logic consequence; for this the network called “women-technology-future” has been developed. The “HTL Donaustadt“ sees itself also as a cultural impulse transmitter in the region and organises events to which people of the surrounding district are invited. Highlights of this impulse activity are the “long night of sustainability” and the cooperation with a local business Agenda 21 initiative. Since 2005 this variety of projects and activities has been documented in “sustainability reports“. This documentation allows to analyse strengths and to give room for improvement and helps to act accordingly. The continued improvement has led to numerous awards like the “Environment Award of the City of Vienna”, the Austrian Sustainability Reporting Award, the Mobility Award and the Eco Profit Award.
Seminars for heads and coordinators to enhance quality of ESD schools In November 2007 and April 2008 a two-part seminar was offered to heads of Austrian ECOLOG schools. In May 2009 a further seminar was held for coordinators at the ECOLOG schools. The seminars aimed to spread innovative ideas to the ECOLOG schools through an organised framework in which school representatives could discuss their work and which facilitated a systematic confrontation with the “Quality Criteria for ESD-Schools”. The intention of the seminar was to enhance innovative potentials at the schools and it was the aspect of ESD being “part of everyday school life” or part of the mission statement for the schools that led the Austrian ENSI Team to think of innovative approaches. The task was to keep what was there alive, leading on to intrinsically motivated further development through the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. When school initiatives are recognised as positive and have become institutionalised, there is simply a danger that they may become purely an “institution”, suffer from a loss of impetus and also become the task or even burden of a small group – or at worst, one person – rather than a living part of everyday school life. All in all the feedback from the seminars was very good. An interesting aspect was that the participants were not daunted but inspired by excellent school examples. It was clear that it takes time to reach such a level, that it can only be achieved in a team and step-by-step. A further aspect was that it was the practical examples that clarified the quality criteria. Beyond seminar programmes, the aim is the integration of the quality criteria as a framework for ESD within regular teacher education.
The Bookshelf: The Happiness Project
Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times and international bestseller, The Happiness Project—an account of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. On her popular blog, The Happiness Project, she reports on her daily adventures in the pursuit of happiness. In her next book, Happier at Home, Rubin embarks on a new project to explore how to make home a happier place. Starting in September (the new January), Gretchen dedicates a school year—from September through May— to concentrating on the factors that matter most for home, such as possessions, marriage, time, parenthood, body, neighborhood. The book’s title was inspired by a line from Samuel Johnson: “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.” Rubin has emerged as one of the most thought-provoking and influential writers on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in the subject. Though her conclusions are sometimes counter-intuitive—for example, she finds that true simplicity is far from simple to attain, and that used rightly, money can do a lot to buy happiness—her insights resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
http://www.happiness-project.com
Response to Rubin’s writing on happiness has been overwhelming. The Happiness Project is more than books and a blog, it’s a movement. Happiness Project groups have sprung up across the country—and across the world. Rights to The Happiness Project have been sold for more than 35 territories. Dozens of blogs have been launched by people following Gretchen’s example. Psychiatrists tell their patients to read it, professors assign it to their students, book groups discuss it it, families pass it around, and people do Happiness Projects together. Exhausted parents and college students, senior citizens and professionals, clergy and social workers, people facing divorce, illness, and drift have written to tell her how she’s influenced them. The Happiness Project was even an answer on the game-show Jeopardy!
Rubin, an enthusiastic proponent of using technology to engage with readers about ideas, has a wide, active following on Twitter, on Facebook, and on her YouTube channel—not to mention her monthly newsletter and her daily email of happiness quotations. Rubin is a notable example of a traditional author using a blog and social media to create discussion around a subject and a book, even before publication. Rubin’s online presence set the stage for The Happiness Project to rocket to the top of the bestseller list, and to stay there for months. In traditional media, Rubin has a monthly column in Good Housekeeping. A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal and winner of the Edgar M. Cullen Prize, Rubin started her career in law, and she was clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor when she realized she really wanted to be a writer.
Her bestselling Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill and Forty Ways to Look at JFK are succinct, provocative biographies. Power Money Fame Sex: A User’s Guide is biting social criticism in the form of a user’s manual. Profane Waste, a collaboration with artist Dana Hoey, examines the question of why owners choose to destroy their own possessions. She also has three terrible novels safely locked in a desk drawer. Raised in Kansas City, she lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
Notes and Acknowledgments Content / Positive Examples / The Netherlands (we omitted these links in our February Issue, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused) http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/ files/downloads/ lvdo_programmabrochure_engelstalig_tcm24-290166.pdf http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/ files/downloads/learning_sstnbl_dvlpm_tcm24-298876_0.pdf http://www.slo.nl/downloads/2008/sustainable_developmentdef.pdf/
Positive Examples / Austria http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ CEER_A_152761.pdf http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ESD-inAustria_proofed.pdf
Connect Through Art / KunstHaus Wien www.kunsthauswien.com Earth Hour www.earthhour.org UN Alliance of Civilizations www.vienna5unaoc.org World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/588 World Water Day http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/home/en/ Changing of Season / Spring
http://geography.about.com/od/timeandtimezones/a/ marchequinox.htm http://www.tree-planting.com/tree-planting-4.htm http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/how-to-plant-atree.html
Notes and Acknowledgments Content / The Happiness Project www.happiness-project.com
Notes and Acknowledgments Photos / The Happiness Project http://gurpreetlife.blogspot.com www.katiecouric.com World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta www.trekking-tours.ro http://danubedelta.wordpress.com birdlife.org www.transilvaniatours.ro www.theeposhtimes.com Positive Examples / Austria www.dyndy.net danosky.wikispaces.com Pi Day www.edison.k12.nj.us
Missed an Nektarina (S)pace January Issue
issue? Nektarina (S)pace February Issue
Coming up in April World Nature Heritage Site: The Plitvice Lakes Liveable Cities: Belgrade, Serbia Earth Day The Balkans: Connecting Point
Sustainable Agriculture The pains and laughs of fundraising SuperNatural Festival Positive Examples: Montenegro The Bookshelf Our Blockbuster Delish! Recipe of the Month and much more
www.nektarinanonprofit.com www.education4sustainability.org
Nektarina (S)pace is a web magazine published monthly by Nektarina Non Profit, a non governmental, non profit organization registred in Croatia. ISSN 1847-6694