It is William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday this week, and the Bard is still doing great at your library. Queens Library has you covered whether you are an old fan or just discovering his works. Check out these great reads!
Will the Man
Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt is fantastic because it not only discusses what we know of Shakespeare’s life (which frankly isn’t really all that much), but also puts it into the context of Elizabethan England so we can actually understand the world that the man came from.
Shakespeare’s Lives by Samuel Schoenbaum is an incredibly fun account of all the various debates, discussions, and dissensions regarding the life of the Immortal Bard. It is a great introduction to the perennial academic debate over Shakespeare.
Easy Intros
The Essential Shakespeare Handbook - This bright, heavily illustrated guide will give you a great overview on each and every one of Shakespeare's plays. It also includes good discussions of the historical era and what the different forms of plays (comedy, tragedy, history) are all about.
The Elizabethan World Picture - This short little guide is essential reading for fans of the literature of Elizabethan times. It is a quick read and establishes the norms of the world that Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Johnson were all writing in.
Shakespeare in Film
Anonymous - This movie takes the scholarly debate about Shakespeare’s authorship and turns it into high political drama, espionage, and thrills.
Shakespeare In Love - A lighthearted romantic comedy with Shakespeare as the protagonist. Will it inform your interpretation of Hamlet? Nope, but it will make a great date movie!
Shakespeare Behind Bars - This inspirational documentary tells the story of a group of inmates in a Kentucky correctional facility who perform Shakespeare's final play, The Tempest.
West Side Story - Sharks vs. Jets = Romeo & Juliet. Still the best Shakespeare retelling out there. Rita Moreno is a genius.
The Plays are the Thing
If you are just getting started with Shakespeare, take a look at the No Fear Shakespeare Series
http://www.queenslibrary.org/item/romeo-and-juliet-8
http://www.queenslibrary.org/item/hamlet-9
The great thing about these editions of Shakespeare's classics is that they have the original (beautiful but sometimes hard to understand) language on one side and a modernized retelling on the other. You can go back and forth between them to make sure you are getting every nuance.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you want fantastic annotated editions check, out the Arden editions:
http://www.queenslibrary.org/item/othello-44
http://www.queenslibrary.org/item/a-midsummer-nights-dream-61
These are true scholars’ editions, with fantastic introductions, great inline notes, really tip top Shakespeare over here.
Every month, Queens Library's expert staffers are looking for the best new materials to add to our collection. Check out our music recommendations for April:
Rick Ross -- “Mastermind” (Parental Advisory)
Going straight to No. 1 upon its release, Rick Ross’ sixth album “Mastermind” stays true to the brash hip-hop formula that has served him so well. Featuring guests like Jeezy, Kayne West and Lil Wayne certainly pumps up the talent and guarantees at least three hit singles. The first one, “The Devil Is a Lie,” features Jay-Z and has already been climbing the charts.
Listen to the clean version here.
Young Money -- “Rise of an Empire” (Parental Advisory)
Young Money isn’t one artist; it is a collection of talent on the Young Money
label. Well-known names on the album include Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj, but up and coming stars like Euro also shine. It’s a mixture of novices and veterans that doesn’t always work but offers an early clue to some new directions.
Listen to the first single “We Alright” (clean version) here.
St. Vincent -- “St. Vincent”
St. Vincent (real name Annie Clark) got her start as a member of the Polyphonic Spree. She is a multi-talented singer-songwriter and her self-titled fourth album is one of the most highly acclaimed releases of 2014 so far. St. Vincent’s musical style is hard to describe, somewhere between ’80s new wave, indie rock and jazz/cabaret. Whatever you label it, it will certainly get your attention.
Watch the video for the single “Digital Witness” and decide for yourself.
Foster the People -- “Supermodel”
“Supermodel” is the sophomore release from the group who brought you the infectious tune “Pumped Up Kicks”. Hoping to catch some of that viral mania again, Foster the People have kept the upbeat melodies while adding some darker, angrier lyrics. The band hopes to raise awareness to their causes without alienating their dancing fans. A series of short documentaries was filmed during the making and promotion of the album and it is all available on their YouTube channel.
Beck -- “Morning Phase”
It has been six years since the last album from Beck and 12 years since his critically acclaimed “Sea Change.” This is significant because all the producing he’s been doing the past six years has basically led to a technically better version of “Sea Change.” It’s not necessarily a bad thing for someone better known for re-inventing himself than rehashing old material. This may not be the groundbreaking comeback his fans were hoping for, but it will do nicely for now. If you still think of him as a “Loser” you have a lot of catching up to do.
Listen to the track “Blue Moon” here.
Aloe Blacc -- “Lift Your Spirit”
Aloe Blacc is well-known to the rest of the world for his smash hit “Wake Me Up”. He hopes to find an audience in America with his third solo release “Lift Your Spirit”. The album is a happy mix of retro-soul, hip-hop and singer-songwriter styling. If you enjoy Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder or Gil Scott-Heron you should find yourself smiling while listening to Aloe Blacc.
Hear why the title track was iTunes’ “Single of the Week.”
Ledisi -- “The Truth”
Ledisi is best known as a soul balladeer from New Orleans. She is one of Oprah’s favorite artists and she has performed at the White House six times for President and Mrs. Obama. She hopes to gain more crossover popularity with her latest album “The Truth,” which brings the tempo up and allows for some rhythm to go with the soul. She describes her new sound as a personal awakening, an epiphany. You may feel the same way if you’re already a fan.
Hear samples from the album here.
Eric Church -- “The Outsiders”
Outlaw country singer Eric Church cites Waylon Jennings and Metallica as influences, so you know this album isn’t your typical Grand Ole Opry music. Since being signed in 2005, he’s been nominated for dozens of country music awards and won “Best New Solo Vocalist,” “Album of the Year” and “Song of the Year,” among others. For those who are a little bit country AND a little bit rock & roll.
Listen to the title track here.
Sara Evans -- “Slow Me Down”
Straddling the line between country and adult contemporary, Sara Evans isn’t afraid to blend styles to showcase her talent. Her latest album “Slow Me Down” covers many bases and she collaborates with pop and folk artists to keep things fresh. Traditional country fans don’t have to worry -- there’s plenty of toe-tapping twang as well.
See the video for the title track here.
In honor of National Poetry Month, Queens Library poses a question: Did you know that the Borough of Queens has a poet laureate?
It does! Since 1997, a borough president-appointed poet laureate has been the ceremonial ambassador of the spoken word across our borough of 2.3 million.
Paolo Javier is our current poet laureate. He’s the author of several books and chapbooks of poetry, as well as the publisher of a Queens-based tiny press, 2nd Avenue Poetry.
He organized the ETERNiDAY: Queens Poet Lore Festival at the Queens Museum. The event featured more than 100 poets from the borough, presenting in a multitude of languages. He’s also helping us all this month by curating great poems to share with all of you on social media!
We sat down with Paolo to discuss his life, poetry, and the literary atmosphere of Queens.
Where were you born?
I was born in Manila. When I was 12, my family moved here. We lived in Westchester County, but pretty much New York City was my second home. I had two aunts who were living in Queens. One was in Sunnyside, one was in Astoria, so practically every weekend we would come down and hang out. I’ve been living in Sunnyside since 1999.
How did you become interested in poetry?
Rap was what got me to actually write my first poem. I wrote my first poem when I was in the fourth grade. I got introduced to Run DMC some time that year. We had to do a poetry assignment, and I didn’t prepare beforehand. I just did a freestyle poetry thing that just came out. I would say that experience gave me a lot of permission. I didn’t get back to writing poetry until I was in the eighth grade.
It just became something very serious for me when I was in college. I embarked on a quest for a very meaningful sort of life-centered study and experience an immersion of poetry
How did you become the Queens Poet Laureate?
In 2010. there was a call for candidates for poet laureateship and I threw my hat in the ring and I was chosen by a poet laureate committee that is put together through the Borough President’s office. It actually surprised me as much as it delighted me. The kind of poetry I write, you probably won’t be such a poet and serve such a public role. It was a great honor. Three out of four books I’ve written, I’ve written here in Queens.
What has been your top moment in the position?
I would say the ETERNiDAY festival. So many people participated in it, and it drew from so many different poetry communities, and it took place in the Queens Museum, which is my favorite museum in the entire world. And I was just able to curate freely and execute my vision.
So what is the poetry scene like in Queens?
There is actually a very vibrant poetry and writing scene in Queens, but they are legion, and they’re not just located in one area.
The poetry centers are many, are varied, diverse, which is what I love about Queens. I t’s a completely decentered experience. There’s no “92nd Street Y” kind of scene where you’ve got this hierarchy of literariness and value. It’s all across the borough. I have to credit the Queens Library to a great extent, because there are a lot of readings at local libraries. They’re doing their own thing for their own communities.
What do you think is the biggest misconception most people have about poetry?
I think there are three:
1. That it’s difficult.
2. That it’s precious and that’s why it’s difficult -- that it has to be handled with kid gloves.
3. When you read a poem, the poem automatically has this complex meaning that the reader is beholden to unpack and unravel and if they’re not able to find this profound meaning, they fail.
I can ask a room full of strangers whether they’ve ever made a short film and I may get at best one or two hands up. But everyone in that room is comfortable talking about movies. They’re not intimidated by it. But then I’ll ask a roomful of strangers if they’ve ever written a poem. I guarantee you every single hand will be up. But when I ask them to talk about poetry, not one hand will go up.
Could you offer these strangers any advice on appreciating poetry?
Read prose out loud and read a poem out loud: There’s a big difference because of all the senses that the poet brings to bear on the making of the poem. And meaning is often actually the last step that the poet cares about.
The language instinct is something we all have. If you go to Germany and you don’t speak a word of German, you’re going to apprehend a sign any way you can — and that’s how most poets work. They heighten all the senses. Sight, sound and “sense-sense.”
The reader should always trust their intelligence when they’re reading a poem. Their own reading of the poem -- how they read it out loud -- if it made sense to them, it counts. How it looks on the page? That counts. It’s not a problem that needs solving. It’s not a question that has an answer. It’s poetry.
Annd, as a special treat, Paolo has agreed to curate a selection of poems for us to tweet! (Hey, that rhymed!) Follow us on Twitter @QueensLibrary and look for the #PoemADay.
Every month, Queens Library's expert staffers are looking for the best new materials to add to our collection. Check out our music recommendations for March:
“My Own Lane” is the second album from LA rapper Kid Ink. Production by DJ Mustard and other luminaries, along with collaborations with Chris Brown, Elle Varner, Machine Gun Kelly and some new faces, elevate this CD above the average California mixtape release. Be aware, there’s a Parental Advisory for explicit lyrics.
Mac Dre -- “From the Ground Up”
The soundtrack to the DVD “From the Ground Up” helps to show how Mac Dre built the Thizz Nation and how other artists including Kilo Kurt carried the torch after his death. This CD serves as an aural history of the Thizz Entertainment label and stands as a testament to Mac Dre’s vision. (Parental Advisory)
Juvenile -- “The Fundamentals”
Juvenile’s latest album “The Fundamentals” is being criticized as being too formulaic and thuggish, but his fans seem to disagree, making it one of the hottest rap CDs of 2014 so far. The Southern rapper isn’t breaking any new ground, but his club hits are infectious and there are sure to be more chart-topping singles on the way. (Parental Advisory)
Jennifer Nettles -- “That Girl”
Formerly the lead singer of the country duo Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles has released her first solo album, “That Girl”. The album covers a variety of styles, from bossa-nova to 70’s arena rock to lite FM and a little bit of soul. In each, Jennifer’s distinct voice is unmistakable and Rick Rubin’s production allows it to shine.
Check out the video for the title track
Roseanne Cash -- “The River & the Thread”
“The River & the Thread” is an intensely personal album for Roseanne Cash. The songs trace her dad’s life growing up in the Deep South and pay homage to historical landmarks such as the site of Emmett Till’s murder. She refuses to be defined by “country music” and the result can only be labeled as purely Americana, with a good sense of pop.
Casting Crowns is a Christian rock band from Daytona Beach, Florida. They are Grammy and Dove award winners and have set Billboard chart records for sales. Their new album “Thrive” keeps the faith of their previous recordings while adding some songs in a new low-key groove.
Bruce Springsteen -- “High Hopes”
Bruuuuce! On April 14, 2014 HBO will premiere the documentary “High Hopes”, featuring behind the scenes footage of the making of the album. Springsteen and his collaborator on the album, Tom Morello (formerly of Rage Against the Machine), will explain the concept of the album and how old fans will find some new twists. Listen to the CD first so you know what they’re talking about.
Young the Giant -- “Mind Over Matter”
“Mind Over Matter” is the sophomore effort from California’s Young the Giant. Haven’t heard of them? If you like Coldplay and Kings of Leon, give this band a try. Breezy pop leads to anthemic rock and the album as a whole will leave you feeling some good vibrations.
Ruben Studdard -- “Unconditional Love”
American Idol winner Ruben Studdard (AKA the Velvet Teddy Bear) has released his 6th album “Unconditional Love”. It’s a mix of standards and originals and all of them are charismatically old school smooth and romantic. It may be a little too late on the calendar for Valentine’s Day, but that holiday can be every day with tracks like “Meant to Be” and “The Nearness of You”.
Students at Ravenswood Library were inspired to create fruit and vegetable sculptures after reading the book "How are You Peeling" by Saxton Freymann. This book takes a creative approach at teaching children about the emotions that they might be feeling. In this book, various vegetables with facial expressions are used to teach children about different emotions. The book touches on jealousy, anger, happiness, being shy and bullying.
Queens Library invites YOU to explore “Poetic Voices of the Muslim World,” an exhibition and program series to be held throughout Queens from March 5 – May 31, 2014. Admission to the exhibit and all events is free. Check out the full event listings here, or below.
The keynote event will feature actor, Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist and novelist Ayad Akhtar. It will take place on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 6 p.m. at Queens Library – Central, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY. Opening remarks will be made by Queens Library President and CEO Thomas W. Galante and by Executive Director of Poets House, Lee Briccetti. A reception and tour of the exhibit will follow.
Poetic Voices of the Muslim World examines the central role of poetry in the everyday lives of Muslim men and women around the globe. It taps into poetry’s ability to create indelible images, extend the reach of language and to express complex ideas and feelings through metaphor, making it a powerful force for illuminating cultural experiences. It looks at classical poetic traditions and contemporary poets.
The exhibit will be on display at Queens Library – Central through the end of May. It features photography and calligraphic masterworks, as well as the work of poets ranging from the 13th century Rumi to the contemporary poet Adonis. Queens Library has a full schedule of programs (below) for adults and children in libraries across the borough, and of course, books of poetry to borrow and enjoy.
Then, join us for the next three months at a Queens Library near YOU as we continue to celebrate this rich poetic tradition!
Thursday, March 6
Arabic Calligraphy Workshop for School-Age Children
Students will explore diverse Muslim cultures through art and create their own Arabic calligraphy project. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500
Saturday, March 8
An Afternoon of Urdu Poetry in Song
Renowned Urdu ghazal singer Ajay Jha will perform accompanied by tabla and harmonium.
3 p.m.
Queens Library at Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500
Wednesday, March 12
A Magic Carpet Ride: Tales from the Arabian Nights and a Persian Carpet Craft
Listen to the story of Aladdin and other tales from the Arabian Nights. Then create your own “magic carpet” using traditional Persian rug colors, designs, and motifs. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Wednesday, March 19
Book Discussion: “And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini
11:30 a.m.
Central Library, Main Floor Conference Room
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Wednesday, March 19
The Gifts of Wali Dad. Reader’s Theater and Art from the Islamic World
The kind hearted grasscutter Wali Dad finds that gifts can be a mixed blessing. Participants can help tell his story and then make a craft inspired by Islamic art. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Children's Story Room)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200
Thursday, March 20
Arabic Calligraphy Workshop for School-Age Children
Students will explore diverse Muslim cultures through art and create their own Arabic calligraphy project. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Steinway
21-45 31 Street
718-728-1965
Thursday and Friday, March 20 & 21
Poetic Textiles for Young Adults
Turn a poem into a work of art. Materials will be provided. For ages 10 -14
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Pomonok
158-21 Jewel Avenue
718-591-4343
Saturday, March 22
Film Screening and Discussion of “Prince Among Slaves”
View a documentary film about 26-year-old Abdul Rahman Sori, heir to the throne of one of the largest kingdoms in Africa who was captured in an ambush in 1788, sold to English slavers, endured the brutal Middle Passage to America and was purchased by a struggling Mississippi farmer.
3 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Saturday, April 5
Islam and the Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Through images and recordings, award-winning historian Sylviane Diouf illustrates how the blues, which originated in the American South, may have evolved from the techniques of the recitation of the Qur'an and the call to prayer in West Africa.
2 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Monday, April 7
Celebrate Diversity: Poetic Voices from the Muslim World
Children ages 6 – 12 are invited to this bilingual program presented in English and Urdu. Enjoy traditional stories, Urdu nursery rhymes and an introduction to Arabic letters. Participants will paint a truck inspired by Islamic art designs
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Lefferts
103-34 Lefferts Boulevard
718-843-5950
Wednesday, April 9
Pleasing Patterns: Poetry and Art from the Muslim World
Learn about traditional forms of Islamic poetry and write your own poem. Then make a mosaic with a traditional Islamic geometric design. For children ages 6 – 12.
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Friday, April 11
Young Poetic Voices of Woodside
Children and teens are invited to read their own poems or a favorite poem by another author. Each participant will receive a small prize. Adults are welcome!
3:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
718-429-4700
Saturday, April 12
Saturday Science Lab: Spotlight on Muslim Inventions and Scientific Advances
Explore Muslim inventions and scientific advances with hands-on science fun! Children ages 6-12 and their families are welcome to participate.
11 a.m.
Central Library (Areas A & B)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Tuesday, April 15 – Friday, April 18
Muslim World Quilt
Children ages 8-14 will create a quilt inspired by words, poems, patterns and colors characteristic to the Arabic culture
3:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Broadway
40-20 Broadway
718-721-2462
Thursday, April 17
Marbled Paper from the Muslim World
Learn how to create beautiful marbled prints on paper and hear some Arabic folktales. For grades 1 – 6.
2 p.m.
Queens Library at Glen Oaks
256-04 Union Turnpike
718-831-8636
Friday, April 25
Book Discussion: “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Moshin Hamid
11:30 a.m.
Queens Library at Bay Terrace
18-36 Bell Boulevard
718-423-7004
Saturday, April 26
Film Screening and Discussion of “Prince Among Slaves”
View a documentary film about 26-year-old Abdul Rahman Sori, heir to the throne of one of the largest kingdoms in Africa who was captured in an ambush in 1788, sold to English slavers, endured the brutal Middle Passage to America and was purchased by a struggling Mississippi farmer.
2 p.m.
Langston Hughes Community Library
100-01 Northern Boulevard
718-651-1100
Saturday, April 26
Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Composed in sets of two-line verses, the ghazal has long been favored by poets from the Arabic Golden Age and the Ottoman courts to the contemporary English-speaking world. Scholar Syed Akbar Hyder offers a brief history of this form and thoughtful readings of work by two Urdu masters. The lecture is followed by a performance by Indo-Canadian ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia and her accompanist Rez Abbasi, who bring contemporary stylings to this timeless work.
1:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200
Monday, April 28
Ebru Art with Bingul Sevimli (in Turkish)
Learn the techniques of traditional Ebru (paper marbling) and investigate the idea of paper as an art object.
5:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Sunnyside
43-06 Greenpoint Avenue
718-784-3033
Wednesday, April 30
Afghan Calligraphy Workshop with Mitra Dejkameh (in Persian [Dari] and English)
Learn about the major Urdu, Persian and Arabic calligraphy styles and practice the basics.
6 pm.
Queens Library at Pomonok
158-21 Jewel Avenue
718-591-4343
Saturday, May 3
Author Talk with Eliza Griswold: I Am the Beggar of the World: Landays from Contemporary Afghanistan
Eliza Griswold travelled to Afghanistan to collect the couplets of this ancient oral and anonymous form created by and for mostly illiterate people: the more than 20 million Pashtun women who span the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Light refreshments will be served.
3 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (IRC)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200
Sunday, May 4
The Wind of Anatolia
Enjoy a concert that includes traditional, classical, and popular music from a faraway land.
2 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200
Saturday, May 10
Author Talk with Leila Salloum Elias: “The Sweets of Araby: Enchanting Recipes from the Tales of the 1,001 Arabian Nights”
In her slide illustrated presentation, author Leila Salloum Elias discusses medieval Arabic cooking and sweets.
2:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Forest Hills
108-19 71 Avenue
718-268-7934
Sunday, May 11
Love Speaks: A Day of Art and Poetry from the Muslim World
Celebrate Mother’s Day by exploring the many facets of love through poetry performances, workshops, and artist demonstrations in the Islamic Art galleries, followed by a special Sunday at the Met reading and discussion with New York State Poet Marie Howe, renowned poet and editor Kazim Ali, and Columbia University scholar Frances Pritchett. Get free general admission to The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 11 by presenting your Queens Library card. (One free general admission per cardholder.
1 - 4:30 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Ave (at 82 Street), Manhattan
Wednesday, May 14
Tales from Turkey and Turkish Marbled-Paper Bookmarks
Hear folktales from Turkey and then create beautiful bookmarks using a kid-friendly version of an ancient Turkish paper-marbling technique. For children ages 6 -12.
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Thursday, May 15
Recent Fictions: By and About Muslim Americans
Over the last several years, we have seen a rise in publication of fiction about Muslim Americans. Writer and Brooklyn College English Professor Moustafa Bayoumi will discuss this trend and talk about the opportunities and limitations of being a newly discovered cultural trend.
6:30 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700
Saturday, May 17
Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi and Amir Vahab
Scholar and translator Jawid Mojaddedi discusses the 13th century Persian poet Rumi and the beauty of Rumi’s Masnavi: its folk tales, sacred history, entertaining stories and lessons, all written in rhyming couplets. Also enjoy a performance of the poems set to music (in English and Persian) by distinguished composer and Persian classical performer Amir Vahab with his ensemble.
5 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200
Saturday, May 31
E-mails from Scheherazad: Poetry Reading and Talk with Poet Mohja Kahf
Mohja Kahf moved with her family from Syria and grew up in the Midwest. The similarities and differences in culture shape her poetry.
3 p.m.
Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500
Eco-Agents: Environmental Action for Teens is a monthly program at multiple Queens Library branches. In February, we took a hard look at our modern industrialized food system. I addressed CAFOs, overfishing, industrial agriculture and GMOs. While I try to keep the focus on environmental science, it is important to know the underpinnings for these issues so we also touched upon the green revolution, commodification of subsidy crops, the Farm Bill, why vegetarian and vegan diets can be environmental choices, food miles and others interrelated issues. This blog post is meant to be a resource for digging in deeper to the issues we briefly touched upon during the one hour program. I will give a basic overview but provide many links to both academic research, informational videos and basic resources. I was hoping to show "The Meatrix" (http://www.themeatrix.com) but couldn't due to technical issues. So lets define a CAFO, this stands for a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. As the name implies this is where commercially raised livestock is raised in very close quarters. Cow, chickens and pigs are often raised in this manner. We spoke about how these contribute the the fact that the agricultural industry is perennially "the leading source of water impacts" in America (http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/agriculture.cfm) This is in part due to manure lagoons where animal excrement pools and seeps into the local water ecology. CAFOs are also top targets for animal rights activists and campaigns due to inhuman treatment. We spoke about cows being fed corn which they cannot digest with their ruminoid stomachs, which leads to unhealthy animals. This is one of many perverse reasons animals are preemptively injected with antibiotics and hormones. The web site, http://www.cafothebook.org does a great job of outlining the many issues wrapped up in CAFOs. Cruise on over and take a gander at The Issues. Next we talked about fish and over fishing of our oceans. Again, I could not show "Ending Over fishing" but I encourage you to watch it now (https://vimeo.com/42619545). Essentially we are removing fish from our oceans faster than they can reproduce. In the process we are killing "by-catch" and disrupting the largest ecosystem on earth, the ocean. Creating laws to curtail the over fishing problem is one way to try and solve the problem. But in the end, consumers are the driving force behind this, and most other, issue(s). I encourage folks to visit The Monterey Bay Aquarium's web site, peruse the issues and download their Seafood Watch Guide, you can even get the app on your smart phone. Our modern food industry is not the bucolic family farm that is pictured on the label of the products we purchase at our grocery stores. The face of agriculture has changed dramatically since the industrial revolution and the green revolution. Intensive monoculture crop farm practices have increased yields but they rely heavily on oil in the form of diesel to run massive farm machinery as well as synthetic, petrochemical based herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. These practices harm humans and the environment while they deplete soils and are quite simply unsustainable in the classic sense of the word. Peak oil is a concern as we race to feed more mouths with less land and less fuel. Fertilizers run off from crop lands and compound the environmental issues and completes the picture as to why, as stated before, the agricultural industry is perennially "the leading source of water impacts" in America. To compound the issue, the agriculture industry is one of the largest user of water in the US. The problems seem to go on and on... National subsidy programs encourage a few crops while most of the fruits and vegetables we eat are left out of the picture. This has lead to corn and corn derived ingredients being used to make just about everything we eat (and a lot of stuff we don't eat). We also feed it to our cows, which cannot digest the grain as they are grass eaters. The food labels are another topic all together, USDA Organic, Free-Range, Grass-fed. What does it all mean?! Farmaid has a comprehensive food labeling roundup that explains each label. Finally, we talked about GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms, also called Genetically Modified (GM) Crops. This is when genetic material from one species, such as soil bacteria, is inserted into a different species, such as corn. I hoped to show "5 GMO Myths Busted" (http://youtu.be/ptDd9ftNaq8) to outline the issues wrapped up in the GM debate. It is true that herbicide resistant GM crops increase the use of herbicides. Lawsuits against farmers from corporations that have patented seeds are more and more common. In the end, we do not fully understand the ramifications of genetic modification to our food crops. Studies show that gene sequences of plant based foods end up in human blood streams. We spoke about the Precautionary Principle which states that, "When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically." But the story doesn't end there, this has become a major a political issue, at this point the companies profiting from this technology are lobbying and marketing for its widespread use and acceptance. Again I try to keep the conversation during this Eco-Agents program based in science, but it is important to understand why so many adversary ideas enter into the conversation. This 2-page infographic from the Yale Sustainable Food Project summarizes why farm subsidies where started and how they where co-opted. it also details the rise of the overconsumption of corn and subsidies affect on the American diet: http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/S9256YSF_farm_bill_s.pdf.pdf Here are a few more short videos: About the Farm Bill: http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/video/inplay/farm-bill-explained-in-2-minutes/2013/10/30/ec052e8a-41ac-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_video.html This animated clip about food miles doesn't address the processing, packaging and warehousing issues (which often take place in different places, but it is a good intro to the concept and the rest of the series is useful too: http://youtu.be/b7rn5hH5XN8 Note: Water is a recurring theme is environmental issues are complex, compounded and interrelated, please see the notes from last months Water themed Eco-Agents (http://greening.queenslibrary.org/blog/eco-agents-tackle-water-issues-at-broadway) Here is a little more in depth info about GMOs: http://youtu.be/jAP6ZtfP9ZQ What does the USDA Organic Label Really Mean? http://youtu.be/CIgt9JtCeQ8 Corn is in EVERYTHING: http://youtu.be/xThSnJb8miQ Books, documentaries and other resources: http://www.foodsystemsnyc.org/resources http://www.hungrycitybook.co.uk http://firstwefeast.com/eat/20-must-see-food-documentaries-you-can-watch-right-now/ http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139972669/the-unsavory-story-of-industrially-grown-tomatoes
Young Entomologists were introduced to the newest members of Queens Library at Steinway this week.
The extra large beetles are called Bessbugs. These adorable insects help the Earth by recycling decaying trees in the forest. Our beetles are fed small pieces of rotting wood to simulate their natural habitat in their observation tank.
Meet and greet our beautiful bessbugs every Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 in the children's story nook at Steinway Library.
Students in the "Learn to Grow" program @ Ravenswood helped create an aquaponics system this week. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture; the raising small aquatic life in water tanks, and hydroponics; the growing of plants in water. The aquaponic system at Ravenswood is pretty simple. Its called an "Aqua Farm" and has only one fish residing. It has two containers: one for fish on the bottom (aquaculture) and one for plants that sits above the fish container (hydroponics). A small aquatic pump was placed in the bottom container, which pushes up the fish effluent (the fish poop water and ammonia) into the plant container, where the ammonia (the toxic part for the fish) is broken down by nitrogen-fixing bacteria called biofilm, turning nitrates turn into nitrites. These are beneficial nutrients for plants. They are absorbed through the plants submerged roots. The water goes back down into the fish container through a spout and the cycle begins again.