Throughout the Day:  Seminars and Workshops on Environmental Protection at the Open University

For the first time, Raanana joins the Planet Earth Day, which will be held around the world on 22.4.10.  Together with 14 local authorities in Israel, the municipality will turn out its lights for one hour, from 20:40 to 21:40, at municipal and public institutions in operation during that time.

“The Planet Earth Hour” held as part of the Planet Earth Day, will be organized in cooperation with the Israel Electric Company, the Yediot Aharonot Group- Ynet, Haim V’Sviva (Life and Environment), ISPNI, Adam Teva V’Din (Israel Union for Environmental Defense), Israel Bicycle Association and other institutions.

Mayor Nahum Hofree calls upon all residents to join the Planet Earth Hour, as part of the struggle against global warming.  Residents are asked to turn off their lights in their homes for one hour to make an important contribution in reducing the use of precious resources and conserving energy.  As part of the community effort, the municipality also asks business owners and hi-tech companies in the city to turn off their lights during this designated hour.

Mayor Nahum Hofree:  “The Planet Earth Hour has a powerful global message of change, which lies in the hands of each and every one of us.  I invite you all to join us in turning out the lights for one hour, which symbolizes the importance of our efforts in reducing the damage to the Earth’s climate.”

The municipal education system will also run informative activities on the subject - The Nativ Ha’or children from the 7 elementary schools, who participate in the electricity safety and conservation project run by the Electric Company and the Green Leadership Councils, will hold activities in the classes and prepare information sheets, including material from the electric company that will be handed out to parents, who will be asked to turn out their lights at the designated time.

Also scheduled for that day are workshops at the Open University on the subject of using rain and grey water:  Green Basins and Green Construction; Recycling and Reuse of Materials; Farm-Culture – an ecological lifestyle; and Biodiesel.

Booths will also be set up on various ecological subjects.  The main event will be run by the Nativ Ha’or children, who participate in the Electric Company’s electricity safety and conservation project.  The children will present and demonstrate alternative energies.  Students from Hayovel Elementary School will present the exhibition of illustrator Kfir Weizman – “Ecological Crisis – Another Look at Sustainability” – which consists of a collection of illustrations focusing on the damages caused by man to nature and the environment.  An end of the year event for Nativ Ha’or students will also be held on the campus and attended by Mayor Nahum Hofree, electric company representatives, parents and the educational faculty.

In the afternoon, the Open University will offer a seminar on sustainability – “Here and Now”, which will be attended by Mayor Nahum Hofree and Open University President, Professor Hagit Messer-Yaron.  As part of this seminar, academics in the field of environmental protection, natural and life sciences, Jewish studies and philosophy will lecture on a variety of fascinating subjects including:  The Variety of Species in the Mediterranean Sea:  The Invasion of Jellyfish from the Red Sea and its Impact on Fishing; Environmental Justice and the Planet Earth in Poetry.  At the end of the seminar the film, “Home”, will be presented, which includes a series of photographs of the earth’s beauty, as well as the environmental damage caused by man.