The most beautiful thing that I can see comes out after the Sun goes down. Slowly but surely they emerge from the empty void. Stars that form vibrant constellations. They are uninhibited by any form of light pollution due to the remoteness of this area. Up there Lucy is truly In The Sky With Diamonds….
Sunday was a very special day for me, it was Mother’s Day. This was the first Mother’s Day I have ever spent away from my Mom. This gave me a chance to reflect on what motherhood is. My first thoughts were on how I have felt her presence while we’ve been so far apart. Her…
As we enter April we hope you and your family are safe and staying home to help stop the spread of the Corona Virus. It is a different world right now. It is encouraging to see the world coming together (by staying apart!) to work together to eliminate the Corona Virus threat. We hope when…
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. International Women’s Day began in 1911 with the support of over a million people. The celebration has continued to grow around the globe, and is…
The Virus It’s all we can talk about this “Covid 19” – and no wonder. What started just a short while ago in China has swept across the world. Countries are closing their doors. From Asia to Wall St., markets have crashed. So have airlines. Streets and stadiums, shops and shop floors are empty. Unemployment…
Climate Change, Food Security, and Biochar What do these all have in common? Climate change is impacting our food security, changing weather patterns are wreaking havoc on small farmers. According to UN reports, “the share of small-scale food producers in terms of all food producers in countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America ranges from…
Age 15 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Somphop just finished the first semester of 8th grade. He is still struggling in school with a 1.26. We are working with him to identify any learning disabilities and emotional issues. Interests: Football Wishes and Dreams: Be a football player Worries: Fear that don’t get to be a…
Age 14 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Ying just finished the first semester of 8th grade. This is her second year at Warm Heart and she continues to excel in school with a 3.5 GPA and 10 “A”’s. She is doing well in all her core subjects – Thai, Math, Science and English. Hobbies: Reading…
Age 13 Grade 7 Recent Report Card Pong just finished the first semester of 7th grade. This is his first year of Warm Heart as well as a new school. He earned 1.4 GPA. He needs to focus on his homework and study. Pong is from the Lisau hill tribe village of Pang Farn. He…
Hobbies: Reading Interests: English Wishes: Doing best in studies Dream: Nurse Worries: Acaemic results Personality: I enjoy my own time, I’m diligent Slogan: Dream to the limit Age 14 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Tangmo just finished the first semester of 8th grade. This is her first year at Warm Heart and she excels in…
Age 14 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Waanissa just finished the first semester of 8th grade. This is her second year at Warm Heart and she is maintaining her GPA at 2.8. She is doing well in all her core subjects – but is getting extra help in Math. Waanisaa comes from the Lahu village…
Age 14 Grade 7 Recent Report Card Sorrotan just finished the first semester of 7th grade. This is his first year of Warm Heart as well as new school. He earned 1.51 GPA. He needs to focus on his homework and study. Sorrotan “Sor” is from the Akha hill tribe village of Aboricha. He is…
Best wishes for 2020! We are taking a break this month with our newsletter. Smokey season has already begun here in Northern Thailand, and we are putting a lot of energy into biochar training before the season hits us full blast. We hope to have really positive information to report soon. In the meantime, we…
Age 14 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Gai just finished the first semester of 8th grade. This is her second year at Warm Heart and she continues to excel in school with a 3.53 GPA and 10 “A”’s. She is doing well in all her core subjects – Thai, Math, Science and English Gai is…
Age 13 Grade 7 Recent Report Card Ice just finished the first semester of 7th grade with 3.41 GPA, 8 “A”s! It was her first year at Warm Heart and a new school but she showed her talents. She did great in some core subjects – Thai, Math, English, Art, Sociology. We can’t wait to…
Age 16 Grade 8 Recent Report Card Duchanee just finished the first semester of 8th grade. This is her second year at Warm Heart and she continues to excel in school with a 3.66 GPA and 10 “A”’s. She is doing well in all her core subjects – Thai, Math, Science and English Duchanee is…
Age 14 Grade 7 Recent Report Card Attabae just finished the first semester of 7th grade with 0.77 GPA. This is his first year at Warm Heart as well as a new school. We know he has a lot of potential, we are working to keep him focused on his future. Rattapong “Attabe” came from…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/aluNTQEaeX0″ ] 20 Questions Just for fun we asked our kids some questions. Below are Lalita’s answers to some of the questions. Who’s your best friend? Nipa What do you want to be when you grow up? Police Officer If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? Invisible…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/lFskfUWiAUU”] [space_40] Michael’s Observations: In the past year, Nuey has emerged as one of the real stars at Warm Heart. She is often too self-effacing, but nonetheless, is a natural leader whom the other kids follow and imitate. She can be quiet and observant, but also very funny and fully engaged. Nuey…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/Q6CptthbuhY” ] 20 Questions Just for fun we asked our kids some questions. Below are Tanakorn’s answers to some of the questions. Who’s your best friend? Jaran What do you want to be when you grow up? To be a soldier If you could have one superpower, what would it be and…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/K3mAAli-zCU” ] Age: 14 Grade: 9th Recent Report Card Not finished the first term of 9th grade with a strong improvement with a 3.03 average (up from 2.72). She has earned a volleyball scholarship to Chiang Mai Polytechnic College and is thrilled to be going there for high school. She has gained…
Age: 15 Grade: 9 Recent Report Card Jaran finished the first term of 9th grade with continued improvement – 2.94 up from a 2.88 GPA and earned 4 A’s. He earned an A in Math, and technology. He’s a good role model and leader of the boys. [columns] [span8] [/span8][span4] [/span4][/columns] [columns] [span6][kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/WgaFy16Fk48″ ]…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/zZFzuKRV4eU” ] [clear] Jamkam is starting her second year at Warm Heart. She has made this her home and has lots of friends. She’s a good mentor to the younger children and is always ready to offer her help when needed. Like many of our kids, Jamkam is Karen, but Karen from…
Age: 17 Grade: 10th Recent Report Card Jiu completed the first term at Phrao High school with a solid GPA of 3.22 and 10 “A”s total! Michael’s Observations 2019: Jiu is one of the sweethearts of Warm Heart. She is the best adjusted 16 year old any of us have ever known. She does…
[columns] [span8] [/span8][span4] Age: 17 Grade: Technical College Recent Report Card Nipa finished her first term at Panich Technical College vocational high school in Chiang Mai with a 3.76. She is thriving and making new friends. [/span4][/columns] [columns] [span6] 20 Questions Just for fun we asked our kids some questions. Below are Nipa’s answers to…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/Dmtto0Ou_yw” ] 20 Questions Just for fun we asked our kids some questions. Below are Saran’s answers to some of the questions. Who’s your best friend? Jaran, Pokpong and a friend from school What do you want to be when you grow up? A pilot If you could have one superpower, what…
Age: 14 Grade: 7 Recent Report Card Tawatchai just finished the first semester of 7th grade with 2.25 GPA and 2 “A”s. This semester was his first one of new school so he dropped some points, but still he did well in 2 subjects. We know he has a lot of potential, we are working…
[columns] [span8] [/span8][span4] Age: 13 Grade: 7th Recent Report Card Busaba just finished the first semester of 7th grade and has made a significant improvement in her studies. Her GPA jumped to 2.82 from 2.38 in the last term in primary school. She also got first “A”s of her score in Art and Health classes….
[columns] [span8] Age: 12 Grade: 6th Recent Report Card TuiNuiy just finished the first semester of 6th grade and is continuing to grow in her academic abilities. She completed the year with 4A’s and a GPA of 3.56, up from 3.25. Her teachers believe that she can keep working hard and improving next year! Art…
Age: 13 Grade: 6th Recent Report Card Ying Tida just finished the first semester of 6th grade and has made a significant improvement in her studies. Her GPA jumped to 3.32 with 3 “A”s, from 2.77 in the last term. Considering the emotional toll of her family’s problems, she continues to make strides at overcoming….
Age: 13 Grade: 7th Current Report Card Nuey just finished the first semester of 7th grade with 3.45 GPA and 7 A’s! She is maintaining her grade even in a new school. She is doing well in all her core subjects – Thai, Math, Art, Athlete, Computer. Michael’s Observations: One of “the twins,” Nuey (pronounced…
[columns] [span8] [/span8][span4] Age: 14 Grade: 7 Recent Report Card Jambo just finished the first semester of 7th grade. He earned 2.93 GPA with 3 “A”s in 2 Sociology classes and 1 Agriculture class. Although there were no improvement this semester, we know he has a lot of potential. We are trying to help him…
[columns] [span8] [kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/CYgefY-DEys” ] Recent Report Card Jaa finished first term of 11th grade 2.35 GPA. She is trying to decide what to do when she graduates and we are working to keep her motivated. 20 Questions Just for fun we asked our kids some questions. Below are Jaa’s answers to some of the…
Age: 10 Grade: 3 Recent Report Card Jaan is now in the second term of Grade 3 and continues to be strong academically. Her final GPA was 3.8 with 8 A’s! She is doing great in her school. [columns] [span8] 2018 Update Jaan does well in school, both socially and in the classroom. As one…
Age: 14 Grade: 7th Recent Report Card Cafe just finished the first semester of 7th grade. She ended the semester by earning 6 A’s and a GPA of 2.93. She earned high marks in core subjects – Thai, English, Math, Art ! We look forward to continuing to see Café learn and grow. Michael’s…
Age: 13 Grade: 7th Current Report Card Nui just finished the first semester of 7th grade. She earned 3.53 GPA with 8 “A”s ! She is maintaining her grade even in new school. She is doing well in all her core subjects – Thai, English, Art, Athletics. Michael’s Observations: One of “the twins,” Nui (pronounced…
[columns] [span8] [/span8][span4] Age: 13 Grade: 6th Recent Report Card Obchoei has completed the first semester of 6th grade and had made a great improvement in her studies. This semester she was able to earn 3 A’s and raised her GPA to 3.64 from of 3.02. She shows a lot of promise in her abilities…
Age: 10 Grade: 5th Recent Report Card Mattew is an energetic boy who has completed the first semester of 5th grade. He has been getting better at school this year as well as last year. He slightly raised His GPA 2.43 from of 2.24. We will keep motivating Mattew to try his hardest and work…
We are trying something new with our December Newsletter! We are making it interactive, we hope you will be inspired and participate! The first 2 weeks of December United Nations Climate Conference will be meeting to discuss the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. Groups and individuals from around the globe are joining…
Dear Friends, As we reach the end of 2019, Warm Heart wants to thank you for your overwhelming support and to report to you about what your dollars have accomplished. You have changed the world. Honest. All four of the Warm Heart projects that you have supported have outperformed, accomplishing major goals without yet reaching…
There is an activity that we consider our resources which decline every year by humans and nature. The mangrove forest is provided hugely overlooked for environmental health and diversity habitat. This proposed is started in hugely act to replant mangrove in the wetland area. We can restore the mangrove forest by contributing to making up…
A simple technique for making biochar from crop waste is rapidly catching on and spreading through East Africa. Most of those who live in East Africa see wide, treeless vistas of straggly corn, degraded, dusty, red soil. Rains are increasingly unpredictable and storms more terrible. Temperatures are rising, crop pests multiplying and old diseases spreading…
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Hopefully, this is a sentiment you’ve heard many times. Unless you grew up in a household where these were already the guiding principles your family lived by, it’s far more likely you have to make a concerted effort to think green. While those three words inspire many to think within the long-term…
Warm Heart strongly supports the Chiang Mai Breathe Council efforts to reduce the haze that plagues Chiang Mai every burning season. We are excited by the Council’s plan to “Start the operation of the smoke stove or bio-burner stove in collaboration with Maejo University. Operate in communities in Mae Taeng District, Hang Dong, Mae Rim, Mae…
The Power of One Thinking about climate change can be overwhelming. Too often people, like you and me, feel powerless to do anything significant to make a difference. I can recycle, and try to live my life leaving behind as small a carbon footprint as I can, but how is that going to help alleviate…
We are so excited and wanted to share this news with you! Warm Heart Malawi Biochar Project reaches captive audience to reduce countrywide malnutrition! Zumba, where the hunger relief project is located is also home to the Zomba Central Prison, one of Malawi’s biggest. Like all of Malawi’s prisons, Zomba Central feeds itself from large, prison…
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to teach English as a Second Language in a foreign country? We interviewed one of our returning volunteers about what his experience has been like teaching here in Thailand. What is your professional background, does it include teaching? Since my high school years I have been…
The Amazing Resilience of Mother Nature Chernobyl Revisited Thirty-three years ago the environment suffered from the disastrous meltdown at Chernobyl Nuclear Power plant. 30,000 people had to be evacuated, a 2,000 square mile area was designated as an uninhabitable Exclusion Zone. The damage to the local environment and wildlife within the exclusion zone was devastating….
THAILAND: SOLUTIONS BUILT FOR SCALE Other rural communities throughout Asia have come together in support of solutions for local air pollution for a reason that needs no explanation — financial gain. In the mountains of Chiang Mai, a non-profit called Warm Heart, founded by Dr. Michael Shafer and his wife, Evelind Schecter, is helping farming…
Adjusting our Attitude in August Fashioning a Sustainable Trend in Conscious Consumer Clothing Environmentally Smart Movement – Buy less, choose well, make it last!!! “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. “– Chief Seattle,…
By: Dr. D. Michael Shafer; Warm Heart Foundation, A. Phrao, Chiang Mai, Thailand Dr. D. Michael Shafer is a retired Professor of Political Science from Rutgers University in the USA who founded the Warm Heart Foundation in 2008. After first learning about biochar at an ECHO conference, in 2013 Warm Heart began to design and…
May your July be Joyful! It’s easy to point out what’s not working. To find solutions requires conscious action, effort, and positive energy. The world is facing a serious problem with plastic pollution. How can we turn this pollution problem into plastic possibilities, opportunities, and global goodness? “Turn your obstacles into opportunities and your problems…
True, Styrofoam bricks are wonderful, but you shouldn’t get hung up on bricks. The real magic is in the foam cement itself. There are many things you can do with the stuff. Let’s start by reviewing the winning virtues of foam cement itself. Why is foam cement cool? Foam cement has many virtues best divided…
Kudzu Come Kudzu Come Kudzu, conquer the Earth!Far worse than oxygen dearthA horrible greenhouse gasIs accumulating alas!Come cool the Earth ; breathe this menaceThat runs the earthly furnace.Overwhelm the forests of concrete,On every bare spot set your feet,Cover all the expanses in green;Let no naked ground be seen.Man cannot stop burning coal and gas,CO2 is…
A glimpse into the future Climate changes are already here. The people living in the African Sahel, located between the Sahara Desert and the equator, have always lived with an inhospitable climate. But now they are trying to survive the impacts of climate change – rising temperatures, prolonged drought and unpredictable weather patterns. Climate change…
Earth Day + Protect Our Species = Stop The Smoke What do all of these species have in common? (Hint: It is related to Climate Change) Answer: They are all facing extinction! (Click on any image to read about their plight) All species on earth are impacted by Climate Change. Since humans are assumed to…
by Carol Culver De Leo I mean really, why should you care about a small town in Thailand that has repeatedly earned the dubious honor of being the most polluted city in the world for 4 consecutive days? Chiang Mai agricultural fires are killing us, figuratively, and literally. Agricultural smoke is a big contributor to…
From hazy to clean, from black to green: no longer a dream! Stop the smoke forever! Eliminate the cornfields that burn every year. Plant green forest, bamboo and coffee in their place. Be the solution! Help us raise $13,000 (390,000 THB) to supply biochar fertilizer made from crop waste to feed perennial bamboo, coffee and…
Their Plight Coral Reefs these days are not only suffering the hammer-blows of catastrophic bleaching events. They’re also being subjected to a slow, vise-like squeezing, as our carbon emissions steadily increase the background temperature and acidity of the water around them to levels that most corals haven’t encountered before. Source Reduce Global Warming Sources Agricultural smoke…
Their Plight These Antarctic birds mostly live on tiny crustaceans called krill. Krill live on the undersides of ice sheets, where they find refuge and algae as food. But as Antarctic sea ice retreats, krill populations are falling—meaning that the penguins have to migrate farther to find food. Spending a lot more energy to find…
Their Plight Climate change is an additional, rapidly emerging threat to marine turtles globally. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events wash nests away and decrease nesting habitat. In sea turtles, sand temperature determines the gender of developing young – warmer eggs turn into females, cooler eggs turn into males. Under global warming, turtle sex…
Their Plight The majestic Polar Bear, a flagship for climate change awareness, is facing an uncertain future due to dwindling sea ice in its Arctic habitat. Longer, warmer summers are causing much of the Arctic Ocean to be ice-free for extended periods of time, decreasing the bears’ access to their primary prey – seals. Consequently,…
Their Plight The Koala, Australia’s most iconic fluffy marsupial, is likely to become rarer over the next century due to global warming. Koalas have an extremely specialized diet consisting only of eucalyptus leaves. Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are decreasing the nutritional value of leaves, resulting in Koala malnutrition and starvation. Longer and…
Their Plight A number of traits make them vulnerable to a changing climate, including a declining population size, sensitivity to high temperatures, invasive plant species outcompeting their regular food sources, and susceptibility to disease. Asian elephants also have a low adaptive capacity due to a limited dispersal ability (stemming from increasing habitat fragmentation), a long…
Their Plight Many of the predicted consequences of climate change, such as increasing temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns and more erratic or extreme weather events, will have impacts on pollinator populations. Some of these changes could affect pollinators individually and ultimately their communities, becoming reflected in higher extinction rates of pollinator species. Source Reduce Global Warming…
Their Plight Like most butterflies, monarchs are highly sensitive to weather and climate: They depend on environmental cues (temperature in particular) to trigger reproduction, migration, and hibernation. Their dependence on milkweed alone as a host plant is a further vulnerability, particularly as milkweed abundance is declining throughout the monarch range. They also face a decline…
GlobalGiving “Protect Our Species – Reduce Global Warming” Climate Project Details Every long journey – like reversing climate change – starts with a small step. You can start this critical journey by helping the poor farmers of a mountain village in North Thailand build a sustainable social enterprise to convert their crop waste into eco-friendly…
The Trench: Best biochar technology for the poor We are mesmerized by the new and the high-tech – proven or not. Sure, social media took off really fast, but it is the exception. As a rule, new technologies take a long time to bring to scale. Our climate is at the tipping point; we do…
What’s with the freezing temperatures? [smartslider3 slider=”6″] “We are witnessing the severe impacts of climate change throughout the world. Every credible scientific source is telling us that these impacts will only get worse if we do not address climate change and it also tells us that our window of time for addressing it is closing…
Current Environmental news that matters “Biochar can be used to address some of the most urgent environmental problems of our time – soil degradation, food insecurity, water pollution from agrochemicals, and climate change“Dr. Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University Our January issue focused on Biochar in Africa, highlighting Sister Miriam’s progress with her biochar project. This month…
Warm Heart has a wonderful problem, but a problem nonetheless. Our girls are too successful! Instead of dropping out after 6th grade and getting pregnant at 16, our girls are all going on to college. The cost is killing us! Middle school costs an extra $500/year. High school costs an extra $1,000/year. University costs an extra $5,000/year. We have 2…
Thank you for joining our coordinated effort to spread the word about this important campaign, every vote counts! (see GlobalGiving Terms and Conditions below) Basics To link to our campaign, copy and paste: Supporter Facebook Post Samples Copy and paste one of the posts below, or create your own! Do you remember a time when…
Current Environmental news that matters The new year brings forth the promise of new success in our efforts to educate enough people about Biochar to have an impact. This month’s issue is focused on one such success from 2018. Help us make “biochar” a common, everyday word when talking about reversing climate change! Biochar in…
Fire Disasters Becoming Common
The 2018 fire season was extreme, causing devastation all around the world. Was this an unusual year or can we expect the same again? Is this the new norm?
You are simply amazing! Thank you! On November 27th, GivingTuesday, we launched our Giving Season campaign through GlobalGiving. We had 3 goals, and we reached all 3 in the first 24 hours! Goal 1 – Raise $7,500 so we could finally do a much needed remodel on our kitchen. One of the motivations for moving this…
