Environmental News |

Environmental News:

Here is an ECO update of things you should know are going on at ISB. For those who are new, we have an eco club called the Green Panthers, who started 10 years ago and are responsible for numerous eco changes around ISB. Let’s have a look at things coming up and things in our past.

ServICE Conference – All schools to reduce waste, especially plastic.

This is the common theme at the upcoming 2016 ServICE conference in January, whereby 10-15 International schools get together and students present and teach each other about what they are doing for certain global issues. This year the goal is to have every school reduce their waste before the conference. At ISB this will hopefully involve a full effort amongst staff, admin, teachers, classes and parents. If you have ideas please help.

Clothing Collection Box:

In the cafeteria, near the ATM machines we have a new clothing collection box. It can be used anytime. When full I will call the company, Textile4charity, to pick it up and they use it in 3 ways. 1st the best clothes goes to support women needing it for job interviews, etc. 2nd some goes to the Red Cross, and 3rd, lessor items are given to Second Chance Bangkok ( www.scbkk.org ) who use the materials for UPCYCLING and supporting people in one of Bangkok’s poorest slums. All great causes. See picture attached.

Slow Loris Week:

A big thank you to all of you who went to the library to support the Slow Loris week for Lovewildlife ( www.lovewildlife.org ). We were able to educate anyone who dropped by about the issues and also help the sanctuary by raising over 37,000 baht. Apparently, some classes want to continue their help and Lovewildlife will send me something in a few days of how we can do that. Here are some pictures.

Eco Trips:

#1 Tree Planting (pictures here)

# 2 Working with Wildlife (pictures here)

# 3 Kayaking and Rock climbing (coming up. See details)

Elephant Tours (explore before you tour):

Be sure to check out our website (made last year by 4 MS students and myself) before booking any tour. We will show you the ugly side of the industry and how to avoid it by supporting the people doing some great work. www.elephanteducation.info

DID YOU KNOW?

You get a 5% discount at the grind for bringing your own cup? Even the Green Panther cups at the fountain can be used.
You get a discount for asking for small rice in the cafeteria. This was to reduce food waste.
If you ask for a plastic bag you are charged 2 baht more.
Our cafeteria has many organic products such as Jasberry rice (have to ask for it), milk, yogurt, bananas, eggs, and a lot of our greens.
The plastic cups for smoothies are made from plants not oil from the ground. Not a perfect solution, but better than regular disposable cups. Still better to bring your own.
Every classroom and office should have a blue bin for recycling paper. Let me know if you don’t.
We have a NO Idling policy in our parking lot. Buses should start engines 10 minutes before departure.
We have a set of reusable dishes that are to be used for events and ISB has a policy that says groups are to use these dishes or use eco friendly/biodegradable dishes.
We have Meatless Monday’s. It is a volunteer option, so there is meat available, but we strongly encourage you to support it. On that day there are less meat options and no beef at all.
It took a 1 1/2 year and 2 educational campaigns, but we were finally able to get rid of all bottled water at ISB, severally cutting back on plastic waste that was at 300 bottles a day. Milk bottles… be afraid.
Our paper used to come from USA, until 7th grade students changed it to local eco friendly paper from farmed trees. Napkins were also changed to be reused paper and bleach free.
We have a biodigester for food waste, a garden, and aquaponics system. All need to be utilised more.
ISB students are a key player in the reduction of Shark Fin in Thailand. We have been involved in many events and launched the BLUE LIST, that now boasts over 120 hotels and 4 supermarkets all vouching to be officially shark fin free. www.finfreethai.org
ISB worked with the Clinton Foundation to save energy be changing all our lights and air cons to be more energy efficient. As well, we expanded our bike parking and planted more trees around the campus.
ISB Earth Week is the week of April 22 (Earth Day). You and your class are welcome to be involved.

Stay tuned for some eco challenges that the kids will be telling you about in the coming weeks that even you the parents can get involved with.