World Car-Free Day - 22 September

22 September is World Car Free Day, an event that aims to promote ecological awareness among the world's citizens, contributing to the care of people's health and the environment.

Car use makes our lives easier by allowing us to travel comfortably from one place to another, but the increase in the number of vehicles circulating in large cities significantly increases their carbon footprint, causing irreparable damage to the ozone layer.

How did World Car Free Day originate?

The origin of this world day dates back to 1973, when several European countries saw their oil and therefore fuel reserves limited because the Arab countries allied in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) suspended the sale of oil to the countries that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur war.

Thus, some alternatives to reduce the use of vehicles began to emerge, such as the rationing of petrol, as well as the promotion of the use of more efficient means of transport.

In October 1994, a number of cities around the world began to implement Car Free Day. The pioneers were Reykjavik (Iceland), La Rochelle (France) and Bath (UK).

Great Britain became the first country to adopt this initiative on a national level in 1997. As early as 2000, the European Commission declared 22 September as World Car Free Day, extending the activities associated with the celebration for a whole week, known as European Mobility Week.

Why is it advisable not to use the car?

The reason for proclaiming a World Car Free Day was mainly focused on raising awareness of the real use that should be made of this means of transport.

Generally, people tend to travel comfortably in their cars even for short distances, increasing traffic, chaos and air pollution.

Road traffic contributes to the emission of highly harmful gases and particles generated by the internal combustion engines of vehicles, such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxides (NOx).

On the other hand, the continuous use of vehicles implies a fixed cost that affects household income: petrol, parking, preventive and corrective maintenance, insurance payments and taxes.

Cars not only generate more environmental and noise pollution. They also contribute to an increase in traffic accidents and loss of life.

They also encourage people to be sedentary by not walking to get around, causing consequences in the body, such as morbid obesity.

The initiative to create this World Walking Day allows us to reconnect with our bodies and the environment. It also promotes the various transport and mobility alternatives, such as the underground train system (metro), the use of bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades and, why not, simply walking.

Share useful and interesting information on social media about World Carfree Day, using the hashtag #worldcarfreeday

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10 activities to do with your children in autumn

Autumn is the third season of the year after summer and just before winter. Recursos Educativos y actividades en inglés Otoño - Activities Autumn 🍂🍁🍄

With autumn comes rain, wind and therefore mushrooms! Children especially like the colours of the trees, which go from red to orange and yellow.

1. Playing in the leaves

In autumn, children especially love to play in the leaves and collect them in large quantities to fight with friends, draw mazes on the ground or make piles to throw themselves into.
Let them take advantage of this season so that they can run and be in the wild.

2. Making an herbarium

Autumn is also an opportunity to teach children to recognize trees. Suggest that they make a pretty herbarium of tree leaves.
Remember to dry your leaves and flowers well in a newspaper under a large book before sticking them in your herbarium.

3. Playing in puddles

Children love water and when it rains, they have the ability to turn it into a fun activity like jumping into puddles.
So don't resist any longer: equip your children warmly, bring boots and good trousers and off you go to jump from puddle to puddle.

4. Making nesting boxes

From the very first frost, the little birds encounter some difficulties in finding food, which always saddens the children.
Suggest that they make a pretty nesting box or decorate one. They will be doing a good deed and may get a chance to observe the birds more closely.

Choose a nesting box and a suitable place (away from cats), at a reasonable distance from a small water point and add some seeds to attract them.

5. Going to the cinema

When the weather is too bad, go to the darkened rooms for a family or friends movie session for the older children.

With autumn comes an anthology of films and you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to animated films.

6. Walking in the forest

Away from the screens and the stress of the week, take advantage of the weekends and days off to head off to the forest with your family.
Observe the mushrooms, collect nature's treasures and leaves to add to your herbarium, run and take pretty pictures. Quite a programme!
And we can only advise you to vary the walks and, if you can, go to the sea, which also has all its charm in autumn.

7. Preparing for Halloween

When autumn sets in, it also means that the Halloween party is not far away. Whether you are for or against this festival, whether you decide to participate in the distribution of sweets or not, Halloween remains a time of the year when children's imaginations are particularly solicited.

8. Playing games with the family

Is it raining, is it windy? How would you like to spend Sunday playing board games with your family?
Children love these relaxing times where we all play and have fun together. It keeps them away from the screens and builds nice family memories.

9. Making cakes

In autumn, we spend less time outdoors and much more at home. Cooking is the star activity for children.
They love mixing, tasting, putting it everywhere, seeing a cake take shape through the oven window and above all tasting it. Fascinating steps to be carried out as a family!

10. Preparing the Advent calendar

It is possible to have as a project in autumn to prepare the Advent calendar which the children will be able to discover on a day-to-day basis. What a delight!

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In the Ribera of Oka - Children's tales of peace

Recursos Educativos en Inglés - Stories in English

Cuentos en inglés sobre la paz - Peace Stories

In The Ribera Of Oka - Stories for children peace day

On the banks of the Oka many peasants lived happily; the land was not fertile, but if tilled steadily, it produced enough to live on, and there was still enough to keep a little in reserve.

Ivan, one of the farmers, was once at the fair in Tula and bought a beautiful pair of hounds to guard his house. The little animals soon became known all over the fields of the Oka valley for their constant raids, in which they would wreak havoc on the crops; sheep and calves did not usually fare well.

Ivan's neighbour Nicolai bought another pair of dogs at the first fair in Tula to defend his house, fields and land.

But as each peasant increased the number of dogs to better defend himself, the dogs became more demanding. They were no longer content with the bones and other leftovers from the house, but had to be reserved for the best parts of the slaughter, and covered enclosures had to be built for them and more time had to be devoted to their care.

At first, the new keepers quarrelled with the old ones, but they soon became friends and the four of them went on the rounds together.

The other neighbours, when they saw the danger increase, also got hounds, and so, after a few years, each farmer owned a pack of ten or fifteen dogs. As soon as it got dark, at the slightest noise, the hounds would run furiously and make such a racket that it seemed as if an army of bandits were about to attack the house. The frightened masters locked their doors and said:

- My God, what would become of us without these brave hounds who self-sacrificingly defend our houses?

In the meantime, misery had settled in the village; the children, covered in rags, grew pale with cold and hunger, and the men, no matter how hard they worked from morning till night, could not find enough food for their families. One day, they complained about their fate to the oldest and wisest man in the place, and as they blamed it on heaven, the old man said to them:

- It is you who are to blame; you lament that your house lacks bread for your children, who languish thin and faded, and I see that you all keep dozens of fat and lustrous dogs.

- They are the defenders of our homes," exclaimed the husbandmen.

- Defenders? of whom do they defend you?

- Sir, if it were not for them, the strange dogs would wipe out our cattle and even ourselves.

- Blind, blind! -Do you not understand that the dogs defend each one of you from the dogs of others, and that if no one had dogs you would not need defenders who eat all the bread that should feed your children? Suppress the hounds, and peace and plenty will return to your homes.

And following the old man's advice, they got rid of their defenders, and a year later their granaries and larders were not enough to contain their provisions, and on the faces of their children smiled health and prosperity.

León Tolstoi

♦ Canciones día de la Paz en Inglés - Songs Peace's Day

♦ The Seven Coloured Knights - Diversity and Tolerance

♦ Seeking Peace - Children's tales of peace

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Recipe for making Oreo Milkshake

Cooking recipes - How to Oreo Milkshake?

Ingredients:

For the shake

• 6 Oreo biscuits
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• Vanilla ice cream

For the chocolate syrup

• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (160 g) corn syrup or agave nectar
• 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 55 g finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

To decorate

• Liquid whipping cream or whipped cream

Steps for making Oreo Milkshake:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, syrup and cocoa powder.
2. Bring to the boil over medium heat.
3. When it starts to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until it melts.
4. Leave the syrup to stand for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving to give it time to thicken.
5. Spread homemade chocolate syrup on the sides of the glass in which you will pour the milkshake.
6. Crush the 6 Oreos in a plastic bag with the base of a glass, or use a food processor.
7. Place the crushed Oreos, milk and 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream (about 3/4 cup) in a blender or mixer.
8. Blend until well combined and frothy.
9. Pour the smoothie into prepared glasses.
10. This Oreo milkshake is delicious as is, but if you add whipped cream it will take you to another dimension, promise! Top it with chocolate syrup and an Oreo biscuit and you have the perfect Oreo shake.

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Cómo usar Must y should - Diferencias

Gramática Inglesa - English Grammar - Recursos Educativos en inglés

Should y must son modales que se utilizan para expresar la noción de deber u obligación, pero en diferentes grados.

En resumen, must expresa obligación, mientras que should expresa la idea "debería", que es menos fuerte que la obligación.

Must: expresa obligación o prohibición

Si yo digo:

You must work if you want to succeed. Esto significa que debes trabajar, estás obligado a hacerlo, si quieres tener éxito.

Esto es más fuerte que si hubiera dicho "You should work if you want to succeed." En este caso, la idea es más bien que "debes trabajar si quieres tener éxito". Es más bien un consejo, una sugerencia.

Should: Expresión de un consejo, una recomendación

Tomemos un segundo ejemplo, con el must, y luego con el should:

You must eat now. Debes comer ahora. Es una obligación, debes hacerlo.

Según el contexto, es una orden, o una situación en la que es muy importante comer inmediatamente.

Por otro lado, si tomo la misma frase con should, se da:

You should eat now. En este caso, estoy diciendo que "deberías comer ahora". Es un consejo que te doy, una recomendación. No es tan fuerte como con con must.

Forma negativa - Mustn’t, o must not

Must en la forma negativa se escribe must not o mustn't. Ambos significan lo mismo.

Expresan exactamente lo contrario del must: es decir, la prohibición.

Pongamos un ejemplo:

You mustn’t walk on the carpet. No debes pisar la alfombra. Lo que significa que debes mantenerte alejado de la alfombra.

Forma negativa - Shouldn’t o should not

Should en la forma negativa se escribe should not o should't. Expresa una crítica o sugerencia más bien negativa. Significa "no debes...".

Tomemos el mismo ejemplo:

You shouldn’t walk on the carpet. No deberías pisar la alfombra. Te estoy dando el consejo, te estoy diciendo que no debes caminar sobre ella. También en este caso, no es tan fuerte como el mustn't.

Otro uso de MUST

También podemos utilizar must para traducir algo de lo que estamos bastante seguros. Por ejemplo, digamos que no tengo reloj, pero estoy seguro de que son las diez. Puedo decir: It must be around 10 o’clock now. Deben ser alrededor de las 10 en punto.

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Chocolate, caramel and graham cracker bark recipe

Cooking recipes - Desserts - How to make Chocolate, caramel and graham cracker bark?

Ingredients :

• 24 graham crackers
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bag (300 g) milk chocolate chips

Preparation :

Toppings of your choice (pretzels, chocolate candy, peanuts, almonds, unsweetened shredded, coconut, mini marshmallows, etc.)

Line a large rimmed baking sheet (10" x 14"/25 cm x 35 cm) with parchment paper. Cover the bottom with graham crackers. Set aside.

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let cool, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and mix well.

Spread the hot caramel over the reserved graham crackers. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 10 minutes. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips to completely cover pan and allow to melt for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, smooth the chocolate over the biscuits. Sprinkle with candy and refrigerate for 1 hour. Unmould by lifting off the parchment paper and break into pieces.

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Chocolate, marshmallow and strawberry bites recipe

Cooking recipes - Desserts - How to make Chocolate, marshmallow and strawberry bites?

Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 24 marshmallows, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 oz milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation :

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until the dough holds together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Press dough evenly into 3/4-inch (2 cm) deep mini tart pans, using about 1 heaping teaspoon (about 10 mL) at a time. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Prick bottom of crusts twice with a fork. Bake in preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.

Immediately spread 1/4 tsp (1 mL) jam in each crust and top with a marshmallow half, cut side down. Continue baking in oven for about 2 minutes or until marshmallow is slightly melted (do not let brown). Place the bites on a rack. While the bites are hot, lightly press the marshmallows into the crusts to make them stick. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn out onto the rack and let cool completely.

In a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot but not boiling water, melt the bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate with the oil, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Dip the tops of the bites into the melted chocolate so that the marshmallows are well coated. Place the bites on the rack and let stand for 30 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. (You can prepare the bites in advance and place them side by side in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature).

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