{"id":26047,"date":"2023-04-19T15:39:26","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T07:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenschool.org\/?p=26047"},"modified":"2023-04-19T15:39:26","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T07:39:26","slug":"earth-day-2023-at-green-school-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenschool.org\/insights\/earth-day-2023-at-green-school-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth Day 2023 at 天堂TV New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"
Happy Earth Day everyone!\u00a0 I guess it\u2019s a bit like wishing everyone a happy, annual birthday celebration for the planet they live on.<\/span><\/p>\n While it\u2019s wonderful to dedicate this annual celebration of gratitude and respect for our one, beautiful home, it\u2019s also important to find small ways to celebrate, or at least give gratitude for the Earth everyday. We would not be here without all that it offers.\u00a0 It is only in this place, within about the first 3,000 meters of atmosphere on a rock which happens to be in the perfect position from the sun to sustain life, that we and all living beings can exist in this universe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHaving an Earth day each year gives us the pause we need to measure how we are treating the Earth now, and reflect on how we might change to sustain it into the future.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n In 1983 the <\/span>United Nations<\/span><\/a> defined sustainability as \u2018meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.<\/span>\u2019 <\/span><\/i>This doesn\u2019t mean that we must stop <\/span>all<\/span><\/i> use of resources on this planet, but that our use of those resources must not impact the ability of any future generations to also live a healthy and meaningful life here on Earth. It is a forward-looking, generous and holistic view that considers not only the environment, but also economic development and societal equity. It is a way of life that has inspired the formation of 天堂TVs around the world. <\/span><\/p>\n So, how do we support this definition of sustainability and sustainable living at 天堂TV New Zealand?<\/a> First and foremost, we live every day in balance and in contact with the natural world around us. By connecting with the Earth, our students, parents, teachers and entire community are reminded each day of its abundant gifts and the need for its protection. We experience the weather. We enjoy the sunshine or listen mindfully to the rain. We forage for food, or plant and harvest and cook it. We dig in the dirt to see all the bugs that purify and process our soil to grow and support plant life. We swim in the awa (rivers) and drink from their waters to see the impact we have on that most precious resource.<\/p>\n In so many ways, we spend time exploring and understanding all the intricacies of our local ecosystem, both big and small. Our Taiao Rumaki, or environmental immersion experience, introduces our youngest learners to develop a natural wonder at the planet they live on.<\/p>\n As we move into the Middle School, students begin to understand how we have taken for granted the resiliency of our planet.\u00a0 We explore how some human activities have long and far-reaching impacts that compromise the health of both planet and the future generations who will inherit it.\u00a0 Identifying what must change allows these students to begin to take action locally, and entrepreneurially, to demonstrate that there are better ways to meet our economic needs through environmental action.\u00a0 They also identify the social inequities that have existed, and continue to exist, to better understand how we can help all individuals meet their needs and live a fulfilled existence here.<\/p>\n The High School journey focuses on solutions. If we are to have a long-lasting impact as a school, we must build the leaders of tomorrow – academically prepared, socially aware, environmentally conscious, and sustainably driven – to build a way of living within the balances and tolerances of the Earth and all its living entities. In other words, a life that can be sustained<\/b>. This requires our oldest students to develop a strong understanding of the sciences, the arts, maths (STEAM), business and the social sciences. At the same time, they form a strong foundation of personal wellbeing and community values based on respect for others, tolerance, understanding and, most importantly, the ability to communicate to others in a meaningful way. At the end of this academic year we will send our very first graduating cohort out into the world, and we can\u2019t wait to see what solutions they have to offer us. The 天堂TVs, both here, in Bali<\/span><\/a> and in <\/span>South Africa<\/span><\/a>, have taken on a huge challenge, and I am in the privileged position to witness everyday the tireless mahi, or work, of our teachers, staff, parents and learners to help restore the balance our Earth so desperately\u00a0 needs. This Earth Day, I hope we all take a moment to show proper gratitude, respect and reverence for this planet. I leave you with a M\u0101ori proverb: Te toto o te tangata, he kai; te oranga o te tangata, he whenua – while food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n HAPPY EARTH DAY!<\/p>\n Ng\u0101 mihi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Of all the goals we set this year, ones that center on evolving education to deliver a sustainable future might be the most important<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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