Monday, June 18, 2012

Winners of Teen Essay Contest, May 2012


Winners of Teen Essay Contest: Tammy Ha, Junjie(Jangey) Lu and Shuangcai Li.

From Tammy Ha, 10th Grade, Lowell High School (English Essay)
I'd like to thank the SF Public Library for the annual Teen Essay Contest. It gave me an opportunity to write about topics that interested me, rather than the theme of a book for English class. Now I feel more confident about my writing since someone thought it was worthy of a prize. I would never think I'd say this, but writing these essays made up a fun experience since it was for a contest rather than for a grade. I'd encourage other teens to participate in the future.  

From Junjie Lu, 陸俊杰, San Francisco International High School (Chinese Essay)
写作可以陶冶情操,提升内心的修养。
征文比赛可鉴定青少年的写作水平与知识量。
不同的写作题材能够从不同的方面了解不同的文化。
俗话说“读书破万卷,下笔如有神”。多增加自己的阅读量,读不同类型的文章能够充实各个领域不同的文化。

From Shuangcai Li, 李雙彩, Galileo High School (Chinese Essay)
Feeling about Teen Essay Contest: I think Teen Essay conetest is a good activity for teens because you can write about your feeling about the topic and you can get the prize for writing that. I aslo very happy to being one of the winners in Teen Essay Contest for past years. I want to encourage teens to participate this event. If you want to share you writing and win prize for yourself, please join this event. That's was a good opportunity for teens to show your talent in writing. Take action and be happy.

Teen Essay Contest 2012: English Essay

Winner of English Essay: Tammy Ha, 10th Grade, Lowell High School
Energy Saving

Can you imagine a world without technology? Imagine not being able to communicate through your convenient cellphone. Or how about having to use snail mail rather than e-mail for emergency messages? Everywhere you look, technology surrounds us in our daily lives. Technology makes our lives more efficient and has its benefits. However, the use of it comes with risks—although it helps us keep up with our fast-paced world, energy used for advanced technology harms our environment. By saving energy through adjustments in appliances and a change of habits, however, we can minimize the emission of harmful gases and therefore reduce the damage to our planet.

Making minor adjustments to appliances we use every day can save otherwise wasted energy. For example, the use of lighting brightens up our home at night. Switching from candescent light bulbs to fluorescent ones can greatly reduce the amount of energy consumed. A fluorescent light bulb can produce the same amount of light as a candescent light bulb, but uses only a third of what a candescent one would use. Fluorescent light bulbs also last up to ten times longer, so you don’t need to buy as many bulbs and can also reduce the amount of material used to make them. Another adjustment that can be made is the temperature of your water heater. While most are set at 140 ºF, 120 ºF is acceptable as well. Lowering the temperature by 20 ºF can reduce as much as 1,200 pounds of CO2 a year. If every household made this change, the combination would prevent more than 45 million tons of CO2 emission per year.  The temperature of your refrigerator can also be adjusted to conserve energy. Approximately 20% of the electricity used in your house is for this appliance since it is always in use. Having it too cold wastes more energy than it has to, so you should adjust the temperature of your refrigerator to about 37 ºF and 5 ºF. While the refrigerator has to always be plugged in, other appliances do not. Unplug all appliances that are not in use, such as a microwave or toaster, since they still use energy when plugged in. When shopping for new appliances, you can also check the product for the Energy Star logo to buy products that use energy efficiently and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they emit. Although the household appliances that make our lives more efficient also use up a lot of energy, making small adjustments can lead to an overall change in the amount of energy consumed and level of greenhouse gases emitted.

Conserving water is also a great way to save energy. "Water heating is the third most energy consuming function in the home," according to statistics from the Department of Energy. When doing laundry, you should always try to wash with a full load so that you can clean more clothes while using less energy and water. Also, use cold water whenever possible so you don’t have to use heated water. When showering, try to limit the amount of time you spend. Cut back on your shower time and using warm water instead of hot. After washing your hands or showering, remember to completely turn off the faucet. If it is leaky, fix it. Conserving water not only lowers your water bill, but also helps to reduce the energy needed to bring running water to your home.

When around the house, take notice of electronics that use energy when unnecessary. Unplug all devices that are not in use, such as game consoles or your television. If not unplugged, they continue to consume energy 24/7. This is called “standby power,” and can account for up to 10% of the energy used in your house. You can also turn off the lights of an unoccupied room since it would otherwise be wasted electricity. For phones, unplug the charger after the battery is full. You can also do this other electronics, such as laptops or iPods. Leaving the device charging only wastes energy, much like the standby mode of your unplugged TV.

An electronic that you can also change to save a lot of electricity is your laptop or computer. According to one source, "the emissions by computers account for 2% of world's total carbon dioxide emissions, almost equal to that contributed by aviation.” It’s no wonder, since our computers are used so much for work and leisure. Some people like to leave a computer on when they’re gone for a bit so that when they get back, it will be easier to continue what they were doing before. In this way, they do not have to go through the trouble of turning off and on the computer. It stays on with a screensaver and continues to waste valuable electricity. One alternative is putting your computer to sleep, which still uses energy, but less than if you just left your computer on. But you can also choose hibernate, which saves all your files and does not use energy. When you get back, it resumes in the way you left it. In this way, you have your convenience while cutting back on energy consumption and your electricity bills. You can also make sure to unplug your computer when not in use or your laptop when done charging. My laptop also has an option, the Samsung eco mode, which “minimizes the damage done to the environment by minimizing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.” You can make a great difference to the environment by changing the way you use your computer.

By making small adjustments to appliances and conserving energy by limiting the use of water and electronics, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, we can help save our planet from pollution. Technology has certainly changed the way we communicate and made life easier through efficient household appliances, but it has also lead to an environmental crisis. If we don’t educate ourselves on easy ways to reduce energy use, our planet will further be polluted. Only then can you really imagine a world without technology. Because there won’t be one anymore.

Teen Essay Contest 2012: Chinese Essay

Winner of Chinese Essay: Junjie Lu, Age: 17, San Francisco International High School
中文組優勝者: 陸俊杰, 17歲, San Francisco International High School

题目:《节约能源》
在如今科技发展日新月异的21世纪,节能减排成为了人们关注的焦点。人们在追求卓越的生活品质的同时忘却了生态问题。因过度的采伐各种能源来维持经济与社会的发展,而导致如今各种能源短缺,各种物种灭绝,生态环境恶化。因人们的浪费能源,过度采集资源,对木材的需求与严重的砍伐森林而导致水土流失和环境恶化。直到新闻开始报道各种负面题材时,人们才开始意识到节约能源。

能源这一词,是我们日常生活中所不可缺少的一类事物。不知有没有人想过如果缺少了能源,我们的生活会变得怎么样呢?而电是能源中的一种,也是我们生活中所使用最频繁的能源,电的使用普及到了每家每户。当明月高照时,你站在城市的最高处眺望整个城市的时候,你会发现万家灯火与霓虹灯下过往车辆车水马龙,五彩缤纷的城市夜景呈现在你的眼前,这都是电所创作出的绚丽景象。然而,地球上任何能源都是有限的。当你过度的消耗,自然而然的就会造成能源短缺等各种负面影响。当然,电也不例外。由于电是人们生活中所不可缺少的能源,不可避免的自然是电源短缺。但事实上的负面影响并没有想象中的那么简单。由于人们过度的使用各种能源,而导致现在的地球已经承受不起人类对生态的各种破坏。面对着全球变暖,南极空洞,过量二氧化碳排放等种种因过度使用能源而导致的生态问题。难道人类还要继续坐视不管吗?在2007年,世界自然基金会向世界发起了一项倡议来呼吁人们节约能源,激发起人们对保护地球的责任感情。“地球一小时”是在每年3月份的最后一个星期六熄灯一小时。但这熄灯一小时并不是为了节省电,而是为了提高人们的环保意识。

与电相对而论的能源当然是水。水与电都是我们生活中不可缺少的。相对于电来说,水更于珍贵。电源可以通过多种途径去获取,而水却是有限的。然而地球上能够供给人们生活的淡水资源更是仅占着总储量的0.3%。这微乎其微的水资源连百分之一都不到的资源却供给着全球七十亿人的生活。而水的使用却是与电一样,使用得非常频繁。而且人类与地球上的各种生物都要通过水的补给保持生存。既然我们知道水是如此的宝贵,那么我们应该如何去节约水资源的使用呢?想要通过节约用水其实我们可以从日常中的一些小习惯开始,我们平常用水可以多次循环利用。洗菜水可以用来拖地,紧接着拖地的水可以留着冲马桶。这样既能多次循环利用水资源又能起到保护水资源的作用。有的人在漱口的时候水龙头是一直长开不停,这也是很浪费水的,当你不需要用到水的时候就把水龙头关闭,可节约大量不必浪费的水。据不完全统计,自来水开着是时候每秒会流出100厘米的水珠,一厘米水柱按一毫升计算。如果我们的刷牙过程是30秒,那么一秒一百高升,30秒也就是3000毫升。一天刷牙两次也就是6000毫升。假如全世界每个人每天都浪费6000毫升的水,那么日复一日紧接下来剩余能够给予人们使用的水还能足够我们用多久呢?在日常用水的时候,我们在关水龙头常常不会完全关紧。而一滴又一滴的水就这样滴下来。流失的一滴滴水看似不起眼,但滴水成河,我们浪费的一点点堆积起来就会越来越多。所以我们要从身边的生活开始,从自身做起,留心身边的每个细节,尽可能的避免浪费。

节约能源成为了我们今日关注的焦点,而电源与水源更是焦点中的重点。这两项能源与我们的生活密切相关,与我们紧密联系在一起。有没有人想过假如有一天我们的生活中缺少了这些能源的话会怎么样呢?没有了电源,所有机械都瘫痪;没有了水源,生物渐渐灭绝。一切的一切的后果都因浪费为源头而引起的。为何我们不在这些事情发生之前做好现在所能做的一点一滴呢。从现在开始,节约能源。尽自己的微薄之力发起倡导,呼吁身边的人加入到节约能源的行列里,让节约能源的呼吁一传十,十传百。让节约能源的行动流传开,从自身做起,从你我做起。

Teen Essay Contest 2012: Chinese Essay

Winner of Chinese Essay: Shuangcai Li, Age: 18, Galileo High School
中文組優勝者: 李雙彩, 18歲, Galileo High School

节约能源
能源离不开我们的生活和工作,就像我们离不开我们紧密相连的父母。能源不知不觉好像一直在我们身边使用和开发,就像我们的氧气。我们依赖着氧气,缺少能源就像缺少氧气。能源陪伴人类生存和社会的发展。我们不能缺少它。我们依靠它生活,那么能源是什么呢?

能源包括什么呢?能源分为三大类:来自地球外部天体的能源(主要是太阳能)。地球本身蕴藏的能量。如原子核能、地热能等。地球和其他天体相互作用而产生的能量。如潮汐能。中国的能源蕴藏量位居世界前列,同时也是世界第二大能源生产国与消费国。中国是能源消费以国内供应为主,环境污染状况加剧,优质能源供应不足。中国经济发展主要建立在国产能源生产与供应基础之上,能源技术装备也主要依靠国内供应。90年代中期以前,中国能源供应的自给率达98%以上。随着能源消费量的持续上升,以煤炭为主的能源结构造成城市大气污染,过度消耗生物质能引起生态破坏,生态环境压力越来越大。世界银行认为,中国空气和水污染所造成的经济损失,大体占国内生产总值的30%中国是发展中国家,顾名思义依赖能源也就越多,科技与事业发展需要能源。中国离不开能源。每个国家需要能源发展与生活。我们每天使用的电能,太阳能, 地热能,都是能源的种类。我们使用的石油和煤炭是不可再生资源。石油用于国家的科技的运输,我们使用的船和游轮都是使用石油呢。煤炭更是国家燃烧的燃料。这些不可再生能源时刻陪伴我们与我们紧紧相连。我们生活依赖能源,能源被我们开采和开发。它就像我们的母亲为我们奉献和被我们使用,却没说一句辛苦和劳累。


我们做为世界的一员和能源母亲的后代,看见能源的枯竭和过度的开发,造成空气的污染的全球变暖,我们是不是要坐以待毙呢? 我们是不是要看着地球母亲流泪呢?我们应该负起节约能源和保护能源的责任。那么这么做呢?从我们的身边做起吧。出门前看看电灯有没有关。洗完手看看有没有关水龙头。睡觉前看看有没有关灯。多利用太阳能计算机。那么国家方面呢?我们要关切国家的政策。中国方面:开发核电、风电等新能源和可再生能源,另一方面还要节流,即调整能源结构,大力实施节能减排。还有大量实施能量转化,可以利用各种风力机械(如风力机)和水力机械(如水轮机)转换为动力或电力。煤、石油和天然气等常规能源一般是通过燃烧将燃烧化学能转化为热能。积极开发新能源:太阳能、风能、地热能、生物质能等。那么风能和太阳能对于地球来讲是取之不尽、用之不竭的健康能源,他们必将成为今后替代能源主流。节能减排是能源可持续发展的必由之路,也是世界得以继续发展的要求。节约能源,保护能源,我们的地球和人类才能一直生存。我们的后代才能开心的在地球生活和成长。记住,能源是我们的氧气,我们需要氧气。地球是我们的家哦。

Teen'Zine Gaming in Summer 2012

Let's play Wii games: Mario Kart Wii, Wii Sprots etc. In the 1st Floor Community Room of Chinatown Public Library.
Saturday, June 23, 2-4 pm
Wednesday, July 18, 3:30-5:30 pm
Saturday, August 18, 2-4 pm

請來參加華埠圖書館暑期電玩遊戲競賽,遊戲有Mario Kart Wii, Wii Sports 等.地點於華埠圖書館一樓社區會議室.
星期六, 六月二十三日, 2-4 pm
星期三, 七月十八日, 3:30-5 pm
星期六, 八月十八日, 2-4 pm