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| *The Ecoflag in Pinar del Rio Boxing |
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Sport training and boxing in particular is not exempt to environmental contamination, and we need to care for the health and athletic competence of future generations of boxers and ensure they are able to train a clean and sound environment.
Sport contributes to the health of young people in our society and an important part of this is to ensure a clean and healthy environment for them to practice and perform in.
Teachers and trainers play a key role: At the First Category Provincial Boxing Academy in Pinar del Rio, GSA Cuba has been promoting environmental awareness among trainers, support workers and athletes about the Ecoflag movement.
In addition to providing environmental education at the boxing facilities, a number of actions are proposed, including:
- Fixing water leaks in laundries, bathrooms and other services.
- Keeping the gym clean and well lit.
- Greening the surrounding area
- Limiting the use of chemical products (herbicides, insecticides and fungicides) in the treatment of local grass.
-Preserving energy by turning off lights when not in use.
- Ensuring suitable ventilation.
Finally, it is important to instil in the athletes and local population, the importance of protecting the natural environment for the future of mankind.
Report by: Lic Jesus Alberto Salabarria, MSc. Fernando Emilio Valladares Fuente
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| *National Capoeira Tournament in Hamamatsu |
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January 2010--A National competition of the traditional Brazilian martial art, Capoeira, took place on 29 November at the Hamamatsu City Exhibition Pavilion.
The GSA Hamamatsu Team Captain is the Japan-Brazil Association Vice-Chariman and 200 Brazilian and Japanese athletes from 25 associations across Japan took part in the event.
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| *1st Hamamatsu Junior Karate Championship |
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The 1st Hamamatsu Junior Karate Championship was held on 8 November 2009 with the purpose of promoting health minds and bodies among young people, as well as international exchange.
Kids from 9 dojos in Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures took part and the theme of the event was "Dreams and Wishes" with kids putting up their wishes and photos on panels in the event space.
In addition to the competition, demonstrations of acrobatics and kicks were seen, as well as a demonstration of Capoeira, the Brazilian dance/ martial art.
Report by GSA Hamamatsu Team Captain, Tetsuyoshi Kodama
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| *IRT JAPAN Doubles Title 2009 |
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The Ecoflag flew again this year at this IRT Japan sponsored racket ball tournament on 3 November 2009 at the Tokyo YMCA in Edo-ku, Tokyo.
About 100 athletes took part in the event, including many Japanese players that compete in the States.
The Ecoflag was flying at the events and participants were given (non-disposable) water bottles to reduce the events impact in some small way. We'll keep up our efforts at future events as well.
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| *Ecoflag Flies at International Racketball Event |
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The International Racketball Tour (IRT) Japan is a GSA Partner and promotes the Ecoflag Movement at events, such as the Japan International 2008 at the Tokyo YMCA Wellness Center.
In addition to flying the flag, top athletes Tony Carson and Maiko Sato read out the Ecoflag Oath at the opening ceremony.
The organization plans to continue flying the flag, raising awareness one competitor/ spectator at a time.
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Recently I visited SK Wyverns game (one of Korea's baseball teams, based in Incheon) to research their green efforts and promote Ecoflag Movement at the same time. It seems that they are doing pretty well in terns of arranging basic equipments, such as recycle bins. They also had something like a recycle team that separates reusuable items from trash and send them to a recycle factory.
Most fans seem to be well aware of the importance of recycling. However, what they actually did during and after the game was not very eco-friendly, leaving trashes behind and throwing away reusuable products into regular trash cans.
One of the biggest achievements in this visit was meeting Mansoo Lee (one of the most popular baseball coaches, former slugger/ Chicago Whitesox coach, in the history of Korean baseball) and explaining about this Ecoflag movement and making him understand how important to be green is and why people around sports should act first. He easily agreed to help me to promote the Ecoflag Movement.
Report by JB Woo
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| *Ecoflag Flies at International Racketball Tournament |
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IRT Japan (International Rachetball Sports Association) has registered as a GSA Partner, and the Ecoflag was flying at a IRT Japan sponsored event on 2-3 November last year at the Tokyo YMCA Toyocho Wellness Center. Ranked the top Racket Ball tournament in Japan, the event attracted athletes from around the world, including of course, the birthplace of the sport, the USA.
The Ecoflag Movement and the concept of Ecoplay was explained to the participants and top players, such as Tony Carson and Maiko Sato read out the Ecoplay declaration.
The flag will continue to fly at tournaments, as they event organizers teach participants about importance of protecting the natural environment.
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| *Utase Cup Junior Karate International Tournament |
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The Ecoflag flew at the Utase Cup Junior Karate International Tournament, which took place in Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture. Kids from Italy, Austria, Russia, New Zealand, USA came to Japan to do home stays and take part in the event, and the Ecoflag was flown to raise awareness among the participants.
Report by Hiroyuki Ito, GSA Kyushu/ Okinawa Team Captain
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| *R.I.S.E.49--RISING ROOKIES CUP |
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Martial arts event "R.I.S.E.49--RISING ROOKIES CUP" took place at Shinjuku's FACE in Tokyo on 30 August.
Rise (a GSA Partner) is a new style of kickboxing and the Rising Rookies Cup decided the new champions in 55kg, 60kg, 65kg and 70kg divisions.
There was only standing room available at the packed out event, and the crowd showed a lot of interest in the Ecoflags that decorated the venue, as the MC called on spectators to reduce and separate garbage and use public transportation whenever possible.
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| *Annual Memorial Martial Art tournament |
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At the prior night board meeting, GSA Concord, CA's Team Captain, Fuu Miyatani French spoke to the meeting and disclosed the philosophy and goals of the GSA-Ecoflag organization. After a brief discussion and translation into Chinese so the elder board members could fully understand, the Federation elected to officially endorse GSA's Ecoflag philosophy and participate in promoting Ecoflag at the Chu Kai Memorial Tournament and their schools.
This year's tournament was held again at the Encinal High school in Alameda, Ca. This year's participating schools came from, Concord, CA (Home of the Concord, USA branch of the GSA), Walnut Creek, CA, Campbell, CA, San Jose, CA, Boston, Mass, Los Angeles, CA. San Francisco, CA. Missing this year due to economic reasons and other obligations were, Vancouver Canada, Edmonton Canada, and Richmond VA.
Despite the smaller turnout the spirits were high and the Federation proudly displayed the Ecoflag where all spectators, athletes, and officials could see. GSA brochures, cards and mini flags were made available at the tournament signup registers counter.
The tournament was held in two rings, this year. One ring hosted the Weapons competitors, both from Tai Chi Mantis and Open Categories. The other ring hosted the various hand forms from the Tai Chi Mantis system and open categories as well as Yang Tai Chi , Chiu Tai Chi Palm and Chen Tai Chi, including Tai Chi Sword.
What was different this year beside flying a full size Ecoflag was the addition of school demos in the beginning of the tournament and the continuation of a the Q& A section afterwards that was started last year.
The tournament ran smoothly and was enjoyed by everyone. As was the memorial banquet afterwards.
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This eco-support
for re-stringing badminton rackets is designed to give the badminton
athlete or sport professional a choice to re-use or recycle rackets
out of usage. This alternative improves the manual stringing of the
racket and avoids the importation of costly materials or the more
consumption of fuel, woods and other materials in producing new ones.
The making of this device only requires small pieces of wood coming
from cedar, pine or any other tree. This idea not only favors the
development of sport, but also reduces the production of trash and
damage to our environment. The creator´s name is Maidelín
and she is a member of the GSA Cuba Team.
Report by Lic. Fernando E. Valladares Fuente from The Sport University
in Pinar del Rio, Cuba
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| *American
Zen Association |
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The Fremont,
CA chapter of the American Zen Assoc. held a half-day retreat on Nov
3rd. 2007, at the Taiwanese American Center, USA. A few of the members
were asked to give their experiences and benefits from their study
of Zen.
Fuu Miyatani French, head of the GSA's Concord-Calif, while wearing
a Eco Flag around his neck, chapter spoke on his understanding of
the oneness of all things. That included our oneness with the environment
and how it is not only for our health benefit to care for the environment
, but also our spiritual duty to care for the environment.
In the efforts of Zen practitioners to easy suffering, that should
include the suffering of the earth and all that depend on it for life,
which would be everyone and everything! We are not a separate entities
who get our life nourishments from someplace else. What we do to the
earth we do to ourselves. Reuse, Recycle, Reduce. Think Environmentally,
Think Our Oneness.
All were in agreement!
Report by Fuu Miyatani French, head of the GSA Concord-CA
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