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JOHN HOPKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

GOING GREEN

The J.Hop Times is produced fourtimes a year by

journalism students.For more news on

John Hopkins, checkout the JHop Times online,

coming Feb. 23 @http://jhoptimes.pcsb.org TIMES

J.HOP

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Cover photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDCover photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDCover photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDCover photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDCover photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARD

Photo by JENNA REESEPhoto by JENNA REESEPhoto by JENNA REESEPhoto by JENNA REESEPhoto by JENNA REESE

Green heroesMeet two people who aremaking a difference in the

city and at our school.Page 4-5

Cover storyPhoto bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto by MARIAH WAy MARIAH WAy MARIAH WAy MARIAH WAy MARIAH WATTSTTSTTSTTSTTS

All over the county, schoolsare changing the world,one lightbulb at a time.

Page 3

Photo by ANTONIO BARNUMPhoto by ANTONIO BARNUMPhoto by ANTONIO BARNUMPhoto by ANTONIO BARNUMPhoto by ANTONIO BARNUM

Survival GuideTake a look at what you

can do and what studentsare already doing!

Page 2

Cover photoA water droplet hangs from a leaf after a rain shower

on Oct. 31 at school.

PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 12, 2009

By MIKAILAH BRYANT,GRACE MALDONADO and

HELLEN SENGAROUN

1. Turn off unused lights to conserve electricity.2. Use reusable bags at the grocery store.3. Turn off running water when brushing your teeth.4. Copy and print on both sides of the paper.5. Avoid washing dishes with the water continuously running.6. While waiting for the water in your shower or sink to get hot, use a large cup or bucket to catch the water. Use the collected water to water your plants or wash your car.7. If you see trash on the ground, pick it up and throw it away in a trash can.8. Get a laptop instead of a desktop computer. It uses 75% less energy.9. Re-use water bottles, then recycle them.10. Recycle this newspaper in the recycling bin by the car circle after you’re done reading it!

Sources:www.greenlivingtips.com, www.planetsave.com and www.divinecaroline.com

J.Hop

SurSurSurSurSurvivivivivivvvvvalalalalal

GuideGuideGuideGuideGuide

“I recycle cans, paper, trash, and I alsoput aluminum in the recycling bin, and Iam in the Go Green competition onNickelodeon.”

- Trevion Wortham, 6th grade

“(I) turn off all lights when I am not usingthem.”

- Joshua Register, 6th grade

“I turn off the lights. I recycle cans andbottles, and I turn off the water when Ibrush my teeth.”

- Vancent Edwards, 8th grade

“(I) cut off the TV when I’m not using it.”- Ariel Williams, 6th grade

“If I’m not using lights, I leave them off.”- Daja Davis, 8th grade

“ (I) turn off all of the lights if I’m not usingthem and the TV.”

- Andre Smith, 8th grade

“I turn off lights. I don’t run that muchelectricity, and I don’t waste food.”

- Daniel Oliver, 6th grade

“I save energy by picking up trash andrecycling. I recycle a lot of stuff becausemy mom tells me to, and when I see awhole bunch of trash on the ground Ipick it up and put it in the recycling bin.”

- Jamal Jackson, 6th grade

“If I’m not using something, I unplug itand turn off the lights when I leave theroom.’’

- Jerry Cano, 7th gradeReported by JAMES THOMAS-BOWLES,RYAN FLORES, JUSTIN GRIFFIN andKAMDON MARTIN

saveenergy?

What do youdo to

• Local pig farmers oftenappreciate any kitchenscraps that you can offerthem. If you know of any inyour area, get in touch withthem and find out if they areinterested in your kitchenscraps.• Get a couple of hens forthe household. They eat allthe kitchen scraps andprovide fresh eggs as abonus.• After children’s drawingsand paintings have beendisplayed for a while, theycan be used to wrappresents - this also makesthe present special.

Sources:www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/,planetsave.com

Cartoon by SAMUEL DELONAY

Wacky tips

Tips for

Going green

Cover StoryPAGE 3J.HOP TIMES

Changing the worldChanging the worldChanging the worldChanging the worldChanging the worldOne lightbulb at a time

By TRENIECE GREENAND SABRINA HAMILTON

For some students it’s hard to fitschool, recycling and energy efficient inthe same sentence. But the PinellasCounty School District is slowlyturning a deeper shade of green. Fromrecycling to toilets and sinks thatreduce the use of water, the schooldistrict is making a difference one bluerecycling bin at a time.

J.Hop is participating in a district-wide energy project where older “lessgreen” appliances are being switchedout with more energy efficient ones.

For example, Hopkins’ lights wereswitched to smaller more efficientlightbulbs about four years ago, andthe new building being constructed fornext school year will have special low-flow plumbing fixtures and motion-censored lights.

Dr. Michael Tomalesky, assistantsuperintendent of facilities and opera-tions, works with a team of people tomake Pinellas County schools moreenergy efficient.

The school district wants to helpthe environment, Dr. Tomalesky said.

“In addition to that goal there is adesperate need to reduce the amount ofmoney the school system spends onutilities…,” said Dr. Tomalesky. “Everydollar that is not spent on buyingelectricity can be spent on other thingslike classroom materials and services toour school and students.”

Dr. Tomalesky and five energycoaches work alongside the head plantoperators and school administrators inPinellas County schools to analyzeschools’ energy bills and find ways touse less electricity to power the airconditioning and lights.

Over the last four years Dr.Tomalesky said his team has saved the school district $5.8-million.

Dr. Tomalesky said the air conditioning and lights arethe most costly electricity users. Every month his staff checkseach school’s energy bill for mistakes. They also offersuggestions on how to use less energy.

Mr. Morris, the head plant operator of John Hopkins,said the school has an air conditioning schedule, which means

BY MARIA GUARDADOand BENJAMIN KETMANY

It’s popping up all overJ.Hop. It is gray, green, black, blueand white. It’s a soda can tabnecklace made of string and tabsfrom soda and energy drink cans.This is something eighth-graderKayla Garcia brought from NewPort, N.J, to Florida. It’s a newunique way to recycle aluminum.

“My friends gave it to mebefore I moved here, so it’s amemory,” Kayla said.

She said she made thenecklace using soda can tabs fromher friends and from cans shedrank.

Eighth-grader LeonTomlinson, one of Kayla’s friends,also wears a soda tab necklace.Leon said he likes to wear thenecklace because of the differentcolors. He started collecting tabs atthe beginning of the school year,and his necklace has about 80 tabsfrom cans. He drank all the canshimself.

Eighth-grader Briana Silverwears a soda tab necklace withabout 30 tabs from sodas she andher friends drank.

“I think it’s a good way torecycle,” she said. “If you don’thave jewelry, you can just makeyour own.”

that it is checked every so often.“I have to keep it to a minimum;

even on holidays I have to make surethat the lights and AC are turned off,”he said.

But making our school environ-mentally friendly is easier said thandone.

“The hardest part about theplant operators going green is theupkeep of the equipment for the bestresults as far as energy savings,” saidMr. Morris.

The school district’s greenefforts aren’t new.

Dr. Tomalesky said PinellasCounty schools have had a recyclingprogram for at least 10 years. “Sothere has been some effort to gogreen even back before the term waspopular,” he said.

Last school year, the schooldistrict recycled 1,750 tons of paper,2,600 tons of cardboard and 257 tonsof metal.

The transportation departmentalso recycles batteries, tires, motor oil,oil filters, parts, cleaning fluid andFreon. They also have a strict “noidling rule” (meaning buses aren’tallowed to wait for students with theirengines on) that reduced the amountof diesel fuel last year by 113,400gallons, according to Dr. Tomalesky.

And the daily salad is not theonly thing that is green in thecafeteria. According to Ms. Dew, JohnHopkins’ cafeteria manager, aboutonce a month a company comes andpicks up the used fry grease and usesit to make gasoline.

Some students didn’t know thatthe school recycled or conservedenergy.

Auziah Gaye, seventh grade,said she thinks it’s a good thing. “Our

school won’t look junkie because we leave a lot of trash around,and they probably recycle that,” said Auziah.

It may seem like your average middle school — the brownbricks, the chaotic teenagers and even the stressed teachers. ButJohn Hopkins is a piece of a planet-saving puzzle.

Reporter Tyler Holcombe contributed to this report.

Photo bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto by KAy KAy KAy KAy KATTTTTALINALINALINALINALINA D’PA D’PA D’PA D’PA D’PARDOARDOARDOARDOARDO

Kayla Garcia shows off her soda cantab necklace in front of the office onNov. 13. A soda can tab necklace isone way to re-use items instead ofthrowing them away.

Save tabs,Save tabs,Save tabs,Save tabs,Save tabs,save thesave thesave thesave thesave theplanetplanetplanetplanetplanet

going green

Trends

Photo Illustration by QUADDAFEE SEYMOURPhoto Illustration by QUADDAFEE SEYMOURPhoto Illustration by QUADDAFEE SEYMOURPhoto Illustration by QUADDAFEE SEYMOURPhoto Illustration by QUADDAFEE SEYMOUR

Top: This energy saving lightbulb is made to lastat least five years. Above: Adjusting the thermo-stat can help save energy and money.

Photo Illustration by PETER BRINSONPhoto Illustration by PETER BRINSONPhoto Illustration by PETER BRINSONPhoto Illustration by PETER BRINSONPhoto Illustration by PETER BRINSON

PAGE 4

going green

Heroes

By MESHANDRA FORMAN and ASHLEY WILLIAMS

Knock, Knock! Who’s there? Greg Foster! Greg Fosterwho? Greg Foster with St. Pete Recycling Solutions.

Fresh out of college at the age of 23, Mr. Foster saw aneed for recycling pick-up in St. Petersburg, so he went doorto door around the city to see if people would be interestedin a business that would pick up their recycling from theirhouses weekly.

He placed a large ad in the St. Petersburg Times,posted flyers around the city and bought 2,000 greenrecycling bins from Canada. This was the start of hiscompany, St. Pete Recycling Solutions.

Mr. Foster started the business in 2007 because hewanted people to re-use their trash to make new things. “It(recycling) gives a new life or new beginning to things thatcan be normally thrown away,” he said.

His company picks up recycling bins from people’shouses once a week and takes them to landfills, where thetrash is recycled. People fill the bins with newspapers, officepaper, magazines, phonebooks, cardboard, junk mail, plastic,glass, steel cans and aluminum.

Before his company began, anyone wanting to recyclein St. Petersburg had to drop off recyclable items at a drop-off site, like a school or park.

St. Pete Recycling Solutions charges $15 a month forthe service. The company began with 100 customers andnow has about 1,000 customers. Since he started hisbusiness, he has recycled more than 450,000 pounds of stuff.

One of those customers is his mother, Kathy Foster.Ms. Foster said when her son first decided to start his owncompany she was worried that he was not ready to startright after college, but she accepted it.

“I was very proud of him, that he decided to startrecycling for residents in St. Petersburg… We supported himand think he’s done a great thing,” she said.

At home, Mr. Foster uses recycling bins and tries toget his food wrapped up in foil instead of Styrofoam whenhe eats at restaurants. He also tries not to use plastic bags.To save water, he keeps the water that he doesn’t finishdrinking and saves it for later instead of pouring it down thedrain.

In September, city officials announced plans to teamup with Pinellas County to offer free curbside recycling to St.Petersburg residents. The start date for this is January 2010.

Mr. Foster has mixed feelings about the city’s plans. “Ithinks it’s a great idea…it’s about time,” he said. But he isafraid that he may be put out of business by the city. He saidhe supports their plans, and he wants to be a part of theirefforts. “I was just trying to do the right thing. …I think it’s agood thing to do,” Mr. Foster said.

EntrepreneurEntrepreneurEntrepreneurEntrepreneurEntrepreneur“trying to do“trying to do“trying to do“trying to do“trying to do

the right thing’’the right thing’’the right thing’’the right thing’’the right thing’’

By YOLANDA WILLIAMS

John Hopkins Middle School teachers know a lot about the subjectsthey teach. But they also know a lot about saving energy, which saves moneyand helps the environment.

Ms. Holz, an eighth-grade science teacher, said it is important toconserve our electricity and has come up with some ways to do it.

“I save energy by unplugging my phone charger and taking shortshowers,” Ms. Holz said. “Also I use a Brita water pitcher so I don’t have tobuy water bottles.”

She said she does those things because “it’s important to conserve ourelectricity, and it lowers my power bill.”

Mr. Goodwin, seventh-grade geography teacher, saves energy byfocusing on the lighting in his home.

“I buy low-watt bulbs and turn off lights when I’m not using them,” Mr.Goodwin said. “It saves money and helps the environment.”

Coach Lundin, eighth-grade health teacher, saves on electricity at homeby adjusting her comfort level. For the last year she said that instead of

Mrs. Altenore, the Literary Arts

turning on the air conditioner she oon the electric bill.

J.Hop’s biggest energy saver“I have taken to using the clo

groceries,” Mr. Shumilak said. “I walk to the supermarket n

another one. I have switched my hopossible including designer CFLs i

Most compact fluorescent ligemit 4 times more light per watt thaless electricity, according to www.f

When it comes to reading mathan waste paper.

“I have discontinued newspa“I read them online. It’s less expeneditions are often much more curre

He also rides his bike for shotrips.

Teachers saving electTeachers saving electrTeachers saving electTeachers saving electrTeachers saving elect

Photo bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto by Jy Jy Jy Jy JANETTANETTANETTANETTANETTA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLER

A Lays barbeque chips bag litters the ground near the seventh-grade lockers Nov.18.Some items that are thrown out can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Going Green Around J.Hop PAGE 5

going green

J.Hop Hero

By SABRINA HAMILTON

Sometimes J.Hop teacher Ms.Grass wonders whether she’s parthippie. She’s got the organic diet, theearth-friendly philosophy and an eyefor the well being of future genera-tions.

Ms. Grass has recycled sinceshe was a kid. “I loved nature andspending time outside,” she said. Sheis even more passionate about it sincethe birth of her daughter 10 monthsago. “I wanted her to have the same earth and the sameanimals that I had,” she said.

Ms. Grass recycles many things. She sorts out paper,glass, plastic and metal in her garage. Then she takes it tothe Treasure Island Drop-Off Center.

She also eats as much organic food as she canafford. She says you have to get used to the boxed organicfoods, but the vegetables taste much better. She growsvegetables in her own garden, things like lettuce, red bellpeppers, sweet peppers, cilantro and basil.

When Ms. Grass had her daughter, it made herconserve even more. She doesn’t use regular Pampers;instead she uses gDiapers. They are a brand of diapers thatcan be flushed down the toilet. This company’s motto isthat one regular diaper takes 500 years to decompose butone gDiaper only takes 150 days.

She’s even making the world a better place with herfurniture. She bought her daughter a special bed that wasmade of chemical-free materials. She also bought herdaughter an unfinished dresser and bed set that can be acrib, a toddler bed and a full-sized bed. It is furniture thatyou have to paint or stain, but she thinks it’s better thanbuying baby furniture that won’t last.

“Instead of making trash, I’m giving her somethingshe can keep until she eventually moves out,” said Ms.Grass.

Even when she’s out in public, she keeps an eye outfor litter bugs.

“When I see people throw things out the windowwhile they are driving, it drives me crazy,” said Ms. Grass.She also makes her students re-use paper for questions.

Ms. Grass cares about our planet. “There’s only somuch space for a landfill and pretty soon, we are going tobe living in our own trash,” she said.

Ms. Grass isMs. Grass isMs. Grass isMs. Grass isMs. Grass isbringingbringingbringingbringingbringing

‘green’ back‘green’ back‘green’ back‘green’ back‘green’ back

Photo bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto bPhoto by Jy Jy Jy Jy JANETTANETTANETTANETTANETTA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLERA SEGLER

s assistant principal, picks up litter on Nov.18, outside the eighth-grade hallway.

opens windows, which saves a lot of money

r may be Mr. Shumilak, an ESE co-teacher.oth bags and my backpack for taking home

next to my house instead of driving toome to all compact fluorescent bulbs wherein some places.”ghts (CFLs) have a 4 to 1 savings. Theyan regular bulbs and use about 80 percentfastcompany.com.aterial, Mr. Shumilak would rather go online

aper and magazine subscriptions,” he said.nsive, less costly to produce and onlineent than printed editions.”ort errands and drives a diesel car for longer

Some people wonder whether it’s a good idea to unplug electrical itemswhen you’re not using them. Microwaves, coffee makers, stereos, phones,cable boxes, televisions and computers are called “phantom appliances”because they still suck power if they’re plugged in when you’re away oraren’t running them.

According to consumer experts the total phantom loss in most Americanhomes can be as much as 4 kilowatt-hours per day or several dollars permonth. The best solution is to plug those appliances into a power strip withan on/off switch.

J.Hop’s computer teachers – Ms. Garner, Mrs. Lynch and Mrs. Payne –all leave the computers in their classrooms on all day. The reason is so theycan get their regular updates and because they were told not to turn them off.

Experts say this isn’t too serious. “In short, it is neither good nor bad toturn off the computer each day or for you to leave it on all day every day,”according to www.computerhope.com.

— Cornell Granville, Peter Ho, Cassidy Klier, Tiffany Laws and Jordan Peel contributedto this report.

ricity and money, tooricity and money, tooricity and money, tooricity and money, tooricity and money, too

Photo by LEONPhoto by LEONPhoto by LEONPhoto by LEONPhoto by LEONTOMLINSONTOMLINSONTOMLINSONTOMLINSONTOMLINSON

Ms. Grass

PAGE 6 FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Going Green: J.Hop recycling

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By MIKAILAH BRYANT,QUENTERRIOUS POWELL,and HELLEN SENGAROUN

The Incredible Hulk isn’tthe only person turning green.The teachers at John Hopkinsare too. But the difference iswhen the Incredible Hulk turnsgreen, it’s smash time, but whenthe teachers turn green, it’s forrecycling and conserving paper.

Mr. Schneider, TV produc-tion teacher, is turning green byfocusing on the white… paperthat is. He has a system called“micro blogging” in which heposts prompts on the Internet forhis students. His studentsanswer the prompt on theircomputer. He grades them

Teachers turning greenTeachers turning greenTeachers turning greenTeachers turning greenTeachers turning greenClassrooms recycling, conserving paperClassrooms recycling, conserving paperClassrooms recycling, conserving paperClassrooms recycling, conserving paperClassrooms recycling, conserving paper

without any paper at all.Akisha Fussell, an eighth-

grader in his class, said, “I thinkthat it’s good that he is doing itbecause it is good for the earth.”

Mr. Schneider isn’t a lonewolf; he’s part of a pack. Mr.Miller, a seventh-grade mathteacher, also conserves paper.

Mr. Miller uses half-sheetsof paper for quizzes. Instead oftextbooks, he gives studentsCDs that help conserve paper. “Ido this to be environmentalfriendly,” he said.

But he said he has nochoice but to use paper some-times because in his classroomhe uses workbooks. And hisstudents don’t seem interested.“I don’t think kids really care

because they don’t bring theirown paper to school anyways,”Mr. Miller said.

Sixth-grade geographyteacher Mr. Frump is also tryingto save a stump. He’s willing toconserve paper by using theoverhead projector andwhiteboards instead of resortingto paper.

Mr. Frump puts effort intoputting as much as he can onhalf sheets of paper and has aclass set for reading activities.Hopkins teachers are eachallowed to make 1,000 copies amonth, but he saves between 300to 500 sheets of paper monthly.

“It’s important for us toconserve our resources and saveour money,” Mr. Frump said.

By KIMM DUONGand MIA SOUKVILAY

Last year John Hopkinsreceived a $100 award forrecycling more newspapers thanany of the middle schools southof Ulmerton Road.

But even though theschool recycles, a survey ofseventh-period classroomsshows 17 recycle and 46 don’t.Teachers say they don’t recyclebecause either they don’t knowabout it or they have nothing to

I spy a blue recyling binI spy a blue recyling binI spy a blue recyling binI spy a blue recyling binI spy a blue recyling binrecycle.

From class to class youmight see a small flat square binsomewhere in the room or a blueplastic trash can that says “werecycle.” Any paper includingnotebook paper, worksheets andnewspapers is supposed to bethrown into the blue bins/trashcans. Teachers also can create abox for paper to go to therecycling dumpster.

The school recycles alltypes of paper in a dumpster inthe parking lot near the car circle.

Some teachers say theydon’t recycle because thejanitors aren’t taking the paper tothe recycling dumpster. But thehead plant operator Mr. Morrissaid kids and teachers areputting things other than paperinto the recycling bins. He saysthat his staff doesn’t have timeto sort it all out. Sixth-graderJaclyn Wong has seen this kindof thing. She said students putgum in the recycling bins in thelibrary.

“It’s the teachers’ andstudents’ responsibility to putthe right items in the recyclingbins,” Mr. Morris said. “It’s ourresponsibility to take thenewspapers and telephone

books to the recycle bin out-side.”

Ms. Hardison, a sixth-grade math teacher, said, “I thinkeveryone should recycle; I don’tthink it’s the easiest thing to do,but it’s best for our environ-ment.’’

Another avid recycler is artteacher Mrs. Smith. She re-usesthe newspapers to cover thetables for most of her artprojects.

Mr. King, a seventh-gradescience teacher, did recycle butthen stopped. “I haven’t beenrecycling because I just haven’ttaken the opportunity,” Mr. Kingsaid.

He plans to start recyclingagain. “We just need to do ourpart to leave the least carbonfootprints,” Mr. King said.

The JJJJJ.Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop TTTTTimesimesimesimesimes is produced by the students at John

Hopkins Middle School. It ispublished four times a year.

Journalism teachers: JenniferButkus, James BranamanJournalism assistants: LoganMabe, Gwendolyn RogersPrincipal: Robert PothAssistant principal, Literary Arts:Carolyn AltenoreMagnet coordinator: CindyJablonksiVolunteers: Andrew Delong, DaliaColonJournalism advisory board:Gretchen Letterman, St. PetersburgTimes, chair; Gelareh Asayesh,community volunteer; Janet Blair,community volunteer; Carolyn Cloud,director, Starling Day Care Center;David Cook, manager TV operations,Pinellas County Schools; KathrynCox, community volunteer; GoliathDavis, St. Petersburg Deputy mayor;Jacqui Frehling, parent; LeslieGilchrist, parent; John Just, assistantsuperintendent for managementinformation systems with PinellasCounty Schools; Tony Silvia, USF/St.Petersburg; Norm Smith, associatedean/ director Center for the AppliedLiberal Arts, Eckerd College; SolomonStephens, assistant superintendent,Office of EqualOpportunity, PinellasCounty Schools; Nancy Waclawek,St. Petersburg Times; CatherineWeaver, president, 16th StreetBusiness Association; WendyWallace, Poynter Institute

Editorial Staff

Here’s how youcan be heard

1. Write a column or letter or draw a cartoon (keep it clean, no profanity or name calling.)2. Spell and fact-check your work. We reserve theright to correct any factual orgrammatical mistakes.3. Sign your workand bring it to the newsroom, 5-102.

NoteThere is no guarantee your

submissions will be published.

The opinions expressed on this pageare the opinions of the writerswho try their best to get all sides of an issue before writing.

Symone BrownSamuel Delonay

Grace MaldonadoChazz Oliver

PAGE 7J.HOP TIMES

Through our Eyes

Cartoon by SURMETRIA HAMMOND

StopStopStopStopStoppaper wastepaper wastepaper wastepaper wastepaper waste

SYMONE BROWNPhoto by APRIL KNIGHTPhoto by APRIL KNIGHTPhoto by APRIL KNIGHTPhoto by APRIL KNIGHTPhoto by APRIL KNIGHT

Save our trees

Cartoon by KAMDON MARTIN

The heat is onThe heat is onThe heat is onThe heat is onThe heat is onYou can help stop global warming

They

Help

us

stay

alive

too

By SYMONE BROWN

Rrrrrriiiiiippppppppp, that’sthe sound of precious paperbeing wasted. We kids wasteway too much paper. I know weall can’t be extreme environmen-talists, but kids should at leastbe more conscious of theenvironment. I also understandthat we don’t contribute to allenvironment issues, but we docontribute to the paper problem.So let’s just own up to it and tryto fix it.

It’s not going to kill you tothink about something otherthan yourself. Try thinking of theenvironment for a change. Thereare things you can do to help,with the paper issue that is, andthey are super simple. You couldwrite smaller; write or print onboth sides of your paper; andinstead of throwing paper awaythat you made a mistake on, youcould use it as scrap paper. Alsofor those who like to text, insteadof jotting things down, youcould text it and save it as adraft. (But I don’t suggest youdo that in class since it’s againstschool rules.)

I am living proof to showthat kids waste too much paper. Iuse an average of 10 sheets ofpaper a day. Yes, I was a treekiller (guilty as charged), but I’mnot anymore. If I would havekept it up, my tree killing ways, Iwould have ended up using1,800 piece of paper every year.And later down the road, in allmy 12 years of school, I wouldhave used 21,000 sheets ofpaper.

But now that I know thatthe environment is in trouble, I’mcleaning up my act. If I can do it,I know you can, too.

You wake up one morning and look out thewindow. You see mountains of trash, peoplechoking from the polluted air and dying animals.This is what the environment will look like if wedon’t take action now.

Global warming is when greenhouse gasestrap heat into the atmosphere, which heats upthe earth. Humans have created global warmingover time because of our selfishness andcarelessness, and we really need to do some-thing to stop it and save the earth.

It is up to us to take action and stop globalwarming or else vacation spots will disappearbecause of erosion; animals will become extinctbecause of the dying environment; and beacheswill go underwater because of the meltingicebergs and higher water levels.

Increasing temperatures, more naturaldisasters, melting ice caps and sinking states arewhat global warming can do to the earth. Thereare penguins and polar bears out in the articdrowning from global warming and the melting

icebergs. If the earth gets too heated, the icecaps melt, and Florida could sink into the ocean.

Here’s what we at John Hopkins can do tohelp reverse the effects of global warming.

1. Recycle2. Conserve electricity3. Pick up trashJust doing these simple things can make a

difference, and it’s not hard at all. You can helpsave our environment.

If we spend a few minutes a day we canprevent global warming from happening. So turnout the light as you leave a room; turn off thewater when you are brushing your teeth; re-usewater bottles and buy re-usable grocery bags.Start supporting things like riding the bus oreven walk rather than ride om a car to school.

Crystal clear air, crayon color green grass,overgrowing crops, healthy animals, super cleancommunities and sunshine is the environment wecould wake up to every day if we just help keepthe earth green and everything on it.

JJJJJ.Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop TTTTTimesimesimesimesimes

is produced four times a yearby the students of John Hopkins Middle School701 16th Street S

St. Petersburg, FL 33705727-893-2400

StaffStaffStaffStaffStaff

PAGE 8 FEBRUARY 12, 2009

J J J J J.Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop .Hop TTTTTimesimesimesimesimes

Going Green: Protect J.Hop’s beauty

Photo by SAVANNAH MITCHELLPhoto by SAVANNAH MITCHELLPhoto by SAVANNAH MITCHELLPhoto by SAVANNAH MITCHELLPhoto by SAVANNAH MITCHELL

Photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARD

Photo by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARDPhoto by ANTHONY MOSGAARD

Photo by HANNA HARRELSONPhoto by HANNA HARRELSONPhoto by HANNA HARRELSONPhoto by HANNA HARRELSONPhoto by HANNA HARRELSON

Above: A bee with pollen coated legs inspects flowersin the courtyard Nov. 14 for its next spot to land.

Top, right: A lizard leaps across a drainage grate in thecourtyard to escape on Dec. 9.

Right: Tree branches sway in the breeze as the sunshines through the leaves in the courtyard on Jan. 12.

Studentstalking near atree arereflected in apuddle in theJ. Hop court-yard after astorm passedDec. 16.

Did you knowthat Americansdump theequivalent ofmore than 21millionshopping bagsfull of food intolandfills everyyear?

A-1 BlockReporters: Matthew Lee, Quanesha PettisPhotojournalists: Algernard Brown, Ariana Chever,Triston Evans, Jon’Terious Fleming, Marcus McCall, J’AirShazel, Andy Tanjaroon, Jajuan WebsterResearchers: Curtis Blakey, Linda Corbett, LaquishaOwens, Madison Reynolds, Andrea Williams

B-1 BlockPhoto Editors: Kwam’E Burls, Jeremiah ClintonReporters: Cornell Granville, Peter Ho, Cassidy Klier,Tiffany Laws, Jordan PeelPhotojournalists: Kenyatta Anderson, Bryanna Beins,Reggie Flournoy, Justin Griffin, Brandon Henson, JamesThomas-Bowles, Tabria Smith, Dijon WeaverResearchers: Diontae Corouthers, Anthony Edwards,Nilaja King, Laurel Magin, Le’Zaire Reese

3rd PeriodAdvertising Sales Manager: Shahnaz MoayediAdvertising Design Manager: Arnecia LittleReporters: Nia Cumberlander, Rachelle Gaddy, ArianaHaney, Rickea Harris, Tyler Holcombe, D’Ananetia Jones,Asjanaye StephensPhotojournalists: Domonic Eaves, Alliyah Edwards, AngelHare, Hanna Harrelson, Thang Luong, Brianna Rowe,Y’Ves Walton, Mariah WattsAdvertising Designers: Maggie Donnelly, Ivono Francois,Pauletta JonesAd Sales: Amari Booker, James Michael, Alanis Williams

5th PeriodReporters: Donte Bannister, Jake Burklew, Alex Darnell,Kelly Duong, Ryan Flores, Richard Graham, SamanthaHernandez, Sanela Mehmedovic, Harley WallerResearchers: Kelly Frehling, Julian Gonzalez, MariaGuardado, Ben Ketmany, Hannah Mayer, Daniel Oliver,Aleks SmithPhotojournalists: Brianna Barett, Tatiana D’Pardo, JamariGraham, Kahil Holmes, Jayd’N Lara, Julia Mendez, AlexPersechino, Ajanee Ransom, Dajia Sheeley, MichelleWilliams

6th periodEditorial Board Editor: Kimmie McEntegartReporters: Bobby Chanthavong, June Flowers, SurmetriaHammond, Sabriara Harris,Matthew Hink, QuintazihaLavine, Robyn Perry, Grace MaldonadoPhotojournalists: Peter Brinson, Katalina D’Pardo,Michael Marapoti, Anthony Mosgaard, Justin RobertsJanetta Segler, Quaddafee SeymourEditorial Board: Jelisa Clarke, Conner D’Amato, KenoraFinney, Jared Mulero, Chazz Oliver, Emiliano Sanchez

7th PeriodFreelance Reporting Editor: Sabrina HamiltonInvestigative Reporting Editor: Ashley WilliamsMultimedia: Darion Johnson, April Knight, Tyra Moore,Dennys Nin, Jenna Reese, Trevor Thompson, LeonTomlinsonFreelance: Symone Brown, Mikailah Bryant, TrenieceGreen, Brezzy Rogers-Burrows, Hellen Sengaroun, BrianaSilver, Mia SoukvilayInvestigative Reporters: Samuel Delonay, Kimm Duong,Meshandra Forman, Quenterrious Powell, Kamdon Martin,Yolanda Williams

Ms. Heard’s A-1 block alsocontributed to this magazine.

For more photos, check out our web site, coming Feb. 23: http://jhoptimes.pcsb.org