Monthly Archives: October 2011

Cacique Update

Cacique Update September 30, 2011

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By Cacique Ihna

As our van pulled up beside a field covered with more rocks than open land, multiple “Are we here?” remarks filled the car. My scrutinizing eyes surveyed, in confusion, the surrounding area that appeared to be just a random unharvestable plot. Going to the “farm”, I had an image of big, open fields with neat rows of crops, but, instead, random blotches of fruit trees welcomed me. I was a bit ashamed of myself; all term, I have been learning to always keep an open mind and to try to rid all my preconceived notions but that is not what I did. I quickly thought of the farmer, Reverend Nixon, as someone who must have been careless, but, after I met him, I realized how industrious he actually is. Continue reading →

Uncategorized

Salutations to the Sunday

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My alarm sounded. Confused, I turned it off and rolled over. Today is Sunday, the one day at The Island School when students and faculty alike take advantage of sleeping in. I was content nuzzling back into my pillows until I remembered: today was the day Griffin had asked me, or maybe convinced me, to lead yoga at the sandbar. I left my house in the dark noticing the silence of campus, the brilliance of the stars in the morning sky. Stepping into the boathouse I made out the silhouettes of students sitting with lifejackets as promised: 6:10 am and ready to go. We groggily filled two boats and headed out as the first glimpses of daylight shone through the clouds in the distance. The water was quiet, each movement of our boat breaking the steady silence of the sea. The pale pink of a sunrise reflected on the glassy surface as we all came to life. [slideshow] Continue reading →

CEI, research, Uncategorized

Need Support for November Shark Expedition!

Attention alumni! Edd Brooks, shark project manager, is in need of some support on his upcoming shark expedition and is looking to The Island School alumni network for help. November 6-18, Edd and his team will be in Little San Salvador to recreate shark surveys that were conducted in the late 1970s. Their goal is to identify any shifts in the diversity and abundance of sharks in the last 30 years. If you are interested in applying to join this expedition or have any other questions, please contact Edd at eddbrooks@islandschool.org by October 14th. Continue reading →

research

Introduction to the F’11 Biodigestion Research Project

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By Tyler Courville and Ihna Mangundayao

[slideshow]

Did you know that 5.2 million people die every year from waste related diseases? Now you do! This is a result of irresponsible and inappropriate global waste management – 50% of which is organic and 35% is unsorted recyclables. This is becoming a major problem in both developed and less developed countries with the latter usually suffering the consequences. Developed countries like the US often dump their trash in less developed countries that cannot always meet the waste demands. People have been trying to find alternative ways to dispose of waste more responsibly and sustainably. To solve this crisis, scientists turned to Nature for a solution – creating an emerging field known as biomimicry, which copies Nature’s processes to make the world a better place for humans. From this, a solution arose: Biodigestion. Continue reading →