Zoo Magnet Center

Recycling Redux by Anneka Christie The Los Angeles Zoo Magnet High School has stepped up their recycling and composting program in the last couple of years, and it is making an impact. The average American produces 4.5 pounds or trash a day, while 75% of the solid waste is recyclable, only 30% is recycled. Our program relies on student and faculty participation by picking up trash and recyclables, and putting this waste in the correct bin. The leader of this initiative,... Mrs. Benitez, is passionate about the environment and encourages her students to "go green." The effort to make our school "waste-free" is spearheaded by the campus Sierra Club and the A.P. Environmental Science students who empty bins, sort bottles and cans, and take them to the recycling center. Despite these efforts, some see room for improvement. Zoo Magnet freshman Nicolette Del Barrio, maintains that "[the recycling program] isn't enough... too many students remain unaware of it." Others say that the program needs to be better organized and cover a wider variety of recyclable materials. Sophomore, Joy Gursky observes, The recycling here is pretty good, definitely compared to other schools." Likewise, classmate Carey Diaz adds, "If there is better awareness and increased incentive, it will make a big difference." Many places in L.A., and across the country, are trying to become waste-free. In 2009, there were approximately 9,000 Angelenos sorting their trash. While recycling still seems like an unnecessary hassle to many, it has become a popular, and eco-friendly way of fundraising for schools. Oak Grove Elementary School, in Sebastopol, CA, has achieved an 80% waste diversion rate and is now generating only four cubic yards of landfill trash monthly, down from a previous average of 32 cubic yards. On our campus, a dedicated corps of active students are determined to make the Zoo Magnet an environmentally sensitive and sustainable school. See more

http://www.theguardian.com//doris-lessing-death-margaret-a Adieu, Doris Lessing. Prominent among the writers who have left an indelible mark on my heart and psyche, Doris Lessing is the only one I ever met. While I never connected with her "Canopus in Argos" series, her more conventional novels are powerful, challenging, humane, and deeply resonant. Reading and a careful re-reading of "The Golden Notebook was a graduate education, and a vital milestone on my path to adulth...ood. I saw Lessing speak in Portland, OR in 1986, where she generously shared her time with those of us who remained after her talk. She was gracious, straightforward, and down to earth. Many were struggling to find an audience for their writing, and her simple and sage advice was to set aside their precious completed work, and "keep writing." Immortality is most often hyperbole, but I suspect people will be reading Doris Lessing and carrying her voice in their heads and hearts for generations to come. See more