The last few years have been a serious test for the Russian economy. The result is increased unemployment, unaffordable home loans. Own housing for many Russians today is a sky-high dream. However, there are still oases on the map of the country that have bypassed all these problems. These are ecovillages, the inhabitants of which provide themselves with everything they need - housing, work, food. How did the crisis affect the development of ecovillages in Russia and the near abroad?
In 2009, there were about 70 ecovillages in Russia. At the beginning of 2010, there were already about 80 such communities in our country1. In Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, Kazakhstan, the movement is not so developed, there are no more than five such settlements in each of the listed countries.
“The number of ecovillages has grown over the past two years. However, their fullness is low, - says eco-sociologist, FSC consultant Ivan Kulyasov. - I saw the same picture in the countries of the European Union and the USA - there most of the ecovillages are filled only on guest days or during seminars, conferences and festivals.
For most of the year, the territory and infrastructure is managed by a small "directorate" of the founders of the settlement and a few volunteers temporarily living there. In the opinion of the eco-settlers themselves, there is no “free” land left in Russia. Therefore, I suppose that the "growth limit" is coming for the second wave of Russian ecovillages. The movement for ancestral estates as part of the movement for the creation of eco-settlements has not become widespread, rural areas continue to empty. "
Andrei Pertsev, founder and resident of the Smogilevka ecovillage (Belarus), agrees with these conclusions. When Andrey founded "Smogilevka", he believed that there would be many who would like to live in it. But all year round, alas, he lives alone in it. “As for the“ Anastasiev ”2 settlements? then the general trend is the extinction of the interest of the townspeople and the settlers themselves, the outflow of residents from them. There are no people willing to live in ecovillages, but all the abandoned plots of land were plowed up and sown with potatoes, ”says the founder of“ Smogilevka ”.
The arguments about the impossibility of obtaining land plots for ecovillages are confirmed by residents of the Kovcheg settlement (Kaluga Region). “The land is empty and overgrown with forest, and on huge, unimaginable areas. Everyone who has traveled to central Russia can see this. However, it is impossible to get it for any business, even if it is three times useful and a priority for the country and the government.
And at the same time, small pieces of these immense land areas are being sold at absolutely astronomical prices, "notes in one of his publications on the official website of the settlement Fedor Lazutin (settlement" Kovcheg ").
The settlers of “Nevo-Ekovilia” (Novgorod Region) talk about the problem of the small number of settlements: “Psychologically, people are hindered by the fact that a beautiful idea attracts a considerable number of“ party-goers ”or people who do not compare their strengths and ideas about life in such objective reality ”.
Valery Kapustin, a resident of one of the large ecovillages "Grishino" (Leningrad Oblast), notes that the development of such settlements is proceeding, but not as fast as their creators would like: "Ecovillages have not gained mass popularity, it is still a rather small movement."
Slightly more optimistic assessments of the process of creating ecovillages are given by those who are still planning to establish them or are working in related fields, for example, developing ideas for green development - the construction of energy-efficient buildings from environmentally friendly materials. They believe that there is a silver lining: the economic crisis has given impetus to the growth in the number of such settlements.
“I believe that the crisis has pushed some of the people to live in ecological settlements, to green building. The cost of housing is growing every year, and many understand that the only way to acquire a house is to build it yourself or to order, but from inexpensive materials, ”says architect Sergei Erofeev (“ Sergey Erofeev's Architectural Workshop ”). Designer Svetlana Lal, the founder of the White Lotus club in St. Petersburg, also speaks about the new emerging wave of eco-settlers.
“Russia always follows its own special path. This also applies to the development of ecovillages. I got involved in the eco-movement in the early 1990s. Now, together with like-minded people, I am at the stage of creating an initiative group for founding my own settlement. The first wave was in the 90s of the last century, in the post-perestroika time. Then I had a desire to leave Russia altogether, - says Svetlana. - A little later, another wave began in the eco-movement, when people began to understand that cities and megalopolises do not give them opportunities for development.
A lot of people just moved to live in the village. They left the urban environment, trying to change something in their worldview. Many young people believe that there is no clean air, natural products, and water suitable for drinking in cities. They are simply afraid for the future generation, many do not even want to give birth to children in a modern metropolis. So, most of the new wave of future eco-settlers are young families. "
Ecosociologist Ivan Kulyasov says about different types of eco-settlers: “The first group is settled eco-settlers. They have houses and a farm, they spend the winter, make decisions about the rules of life in settlements and the admission of new residents, manage the territory of the ecovillage and the surrounding natural areas. These people are interested in sustainable nature management, including sustainable integrated multipurpose forest management. They have a negative attitude towards clearcutting because it deprives them and their children of the forest. Unpopulated areas in ecovillages can be a resource for their descendants. They are thorough and successful in everything. A nucleus of such people has already formed in each ecovillage ”.
Another category of settlers is the so-called mobile; they like not so much the status of the owner of their land as communication and team. “Such people find it difficult to build housing on their land plots, they rarely use it. They need an ecovillage for identity with like-minded people and communication with them, - the expert adds. “They are always ready to help sedentary eco-settlers.
Nourishing the hope that their children will need the ecovillage more, they are engaged in the upbringing of the younger generation, engaging them in work on the land of ecovillages and participating in the holidays that take place there. " The third category of eco-settlers is those who temporarily live as guests (volunteers / volunteers) or seminarians / ecotourists (receiving services from eco-settlers for a fee). “There are more and more foreigners among them, participants in global networks of environmentalists, anti-globalists, anarchists and participants in many different ideological and religious movements,” says Mr. Kulyasov.
“The problems of instability of ecovillages mainly arise due to the fact that people have little knowledge of how to live on earth,” says Svetlana Lal. - In fact, there is a large layer of knowledge about how to build housing and cultivate the land correctly and most effectively. Today it is possible to carry out agriculture without high energy costs, an example of this is the world-famous permaculture of Sepp Holzer. "
So, as the interlocutors note, one of the main problems of the movement of eco-settlers is the instability of ecological settlements. As a rule, at the initial stage, all like-minded people want to live there, few people get it to build a house, and only a few remain to winter and live in settlements.
Sustainability issues
Instability arises for various reasons - because of conflict situations within the settlement due to disagreements with neighbors, legal problems, when it has not been possible to transfer land from one category to another for years. And because of environmental problems - illegal deforestation, forest fires, which sometimes come close to ecovillage and threaten their existence.
The forest is indeed the main factor in the sustainable development of any ecovillage. Today the forest has passed into the category of movable property and is no longer viewed as a single ecosystem. For many years now, neither the Ministry of Emergency Situations nor various specialized committees and departments have been able to solve the problem of effective forest fire fighting and prevention.
Proactive eco-settlers take the solution of this problem locally into their own hands. When extinguishing large-scale forest fires, it is important, first of all, to be provided with means to fight the fire, as well as the ability of eco-settlers to act correctly in a fire. There are also examples of such a successful organization. A fire brigade was initially created in the Kovcheg settlement, whose members underwent long-term WWF training on extinguishing forest fires. And in 2008 they managed to stop illegal logging near their settlement. They were convinced from their own experience that one misfortune drags another along with it.
Residents of Kovcheg talk about how they had a chance to put out a large forest fire in the Kaluga Region in the summer of 2010. The cause of a large forest fire (10-12 hectares), which damaged the forest and young growth near the ecovillage, was violations that were made back in 2004 during felling.
“The felling turned out to be a weak point,” the residents of the “Ark” are sure. - Firstly, a lot of heaps with branches were left at the felling site (that is, the area was not cleaned normally). Second, quite a few trees were felled or withered at the edge of the clearing. The fact is that felling changes the moisture regime in the forest, on the border with the rest of the forest. In addition, many trees in the thick of the forest stretch upward during growth, so they do not have such a strong root system as the trees at the edge. As a result, within 4-5 years after clear felling in a 20-meter strip at the cutting edge, trees either dry up massively, or fall from the wind and dry out. It was just such a section of the forest with dried trees that caught fire. And already from the felling the fire went into the forest ”.
Despite the fact that eco-settlers and residents of neighboring villages actually saved the forest from a large-scale fire on their own, they did not receive any help or support from the forestry. The reason is simple - after all, foresters need to fulfill the plan to fight fires, report to the authorities on their own work, and the activity of the local population spoils all statistics.
It is no secret that almost any ecovillage to one degree or another is faced with the problems of soil depletion and erosion, clear and illegal logging, forest fires. And yet, despite the existing difficulties, ecovillages are developing. Experts see their future in the formation of large network and public organizations - in such communities it is easier to defend their rights, make decisions regarding forest management, protect territories from fires, and give legal status to settlements.
Ecotourism is the future?
In his research, ecosociologist Ivan Kulyasov speaks of two new directions of the Russian movement of ecovillages. The expert notes that domestic ecovillages form public and network organizations, joining international networks of ecovillages, which have finally received UN recognition. There is one more way - the development of ecotourism in Russia. “The implementation of the international project“ Eco-Settlement for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas (2010-2012) ”, supported by the Baltic Regional Program of the European Union“ Promotion of Innovation in the Baltic Region ”and the Swedish International Cooperation and Development Agency (SIDA), has begun.
The participants of the project are scientific institutes and networks of ecovillages in Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland and Russia, - says Ivan Kulyasov. “The goal of the project is to identify and summarize the best practices of ecovillages in the field of eco-technologies (green building, agriculture, recycling, al-energy), community creation and functioning”. The ecosociologist also notes that among the main tasks of the project is the description of the identified practices using a single methodology for all participating countries and the creation of an international guide to the best practices in ecovillages.
To draw the attention of the general public and politicians to the movement and achievements of ecovillages in greening their way of life; to present ecovillages as one of the models for sustainable development of rural areas. As a result, in addition to creating a reference book, a tourist route for ecovillages and eco-objects of the Baltic region should be developed.
A stranger among his own
Residents of "Nevo-Ekovil" note that they have to fight the already established public opinion about eco-settlements - to explain that "our settlement is not a sect, not a" party "and not a collective farm."
“An ecovillage is an alternative to life in a metropolis, and therefore, like any alternative, is doomed for the time being under suspicion of a revolt against the existing order,” summarizes the eco-sociologist Ivan Kulyasov. - It took even European countries about 50 years to understand the idea of \u200b\u200bgreening. However, in Europe, the idea of \u200b\u200bcaring for the environment did not take the form of ecovillages - green municipalities remain the exception. These ideas took the form of so-called "green markets" for services, goods and products. "
Indeed, in Western countries, the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a green economy - industries that form and increase the natural capital of the land or reduce environmental threats and risks - is in the spotlight today.
And the actual ecological settlements around the world remain only an alternative to urban life and a club of interests, but by no means the basis for the formation of a green economy.
In Russia, the movement of ecological settlements is too small in number to influence the restoration of agriculture, the revival of abandoned villages. And the mass relocation of young people to ecovillages, which those who today plan to create settlements hope for, most likely will never happen.
Oksana KUROCHKINA
Today, there are about 3000 ecovillages in the world, in which more than 30 thousand residents live on a permanent basis. These people are building alternative communities in which our society could live in harmony with itself and nature. Let's take a look at the 10 most popular and influential ecovillages in the world.
What do we know about ecovillages and their inhabitants?
It is believed that the beginning of eco-settlements was given by "hippies" in the early 60s. They went away from people, meditated, sang songs and planted carrots. But this is only part of the truth, what these cities and villages are today. Some of them are indeed Places of Power, where people from all over the world come for spiritual development, but mostly these are settlements that deserve the title of the most autonomous and sustainable cities.Modern ecovillages are well thought out developed communities with a set of life rules. They strive to harmonize all environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects of our lives in order to create a more sustainable environment that takes care not only of our physical needs, but also of our spiritual ones.
These ecovillages are diverse and scattered throughout the world, but each has a lot to learn.
10 most famous ecovillages
Be careful ... you can migrate!
1. Auroville - Place of Power, India.
The population is about 3000 people.
Auroville was founded in 1968 in southern India with the aim of spiritually embodying the ideals of human unity. In this philosophy of seeing our biophysical reality as an evolutionary expression of Spirit, the eco-city of Auroville has become a world-class leader in its methods of earth building, rainwater harvesting, plant wastewater treatment, solar and wind energy.
2. Clear waters, Australia
Founded in 1984 in northeastern Australia, Crystal Waters was the first permaculture village in the world. In a drought-stricken region, these 200 residents have turned their land into a small oasis, through intricate networks of dams, canals and rainwater, now a thriving place of streams and lakes. It is very common to see local wild animals, kangaroos and wallabies, walking free. Residents have their own bakery, development center, and amazing fairs that take place once a month.
3. Damanhur, Italy
Founded in 1975, Damanhur is considered the fastest growing high tech eco village in the country. The 600 inhabitants of this village are divided into 30 small communities, which they call "nucleosides". They settled in a huge subalpine valley in northern Italy. Each of the communities in Damanhur specializes in a specific area: solar energy, organic farming, education, healing, etc. They are known for having their own molecular biology laboratory that tests products for. All residents of the ecovillage have smartphones and their own currency circulates in the communities. They value the creativity and playfulness that has been the driving force behind the creation of beautiful and impressive temples.
4. Ithaca - surroundings of the future, USA
Eco-Settlement Ithaca was founded in 1991 in upstate New York by anti-nuclear march activists. This eco-village is built on the principle of cohousing, where social life is mixed with significant individual independence. In the immediate aftermath of the march, community organizer Liz Walker was established, who formed a non-profit organization to buy land to create an "attractive, sustainable alternative lifestyle for Americans." These included green buildings, renewable energies, community cohousing, independent, open storage space and social entrepreneurship. Ithaca has 160 residents who live on 70 hectares of land. There are trails for walking and cross-country skiing, a pond for swimming and ice skating, as well as all the fruits that are grown on the two organic farms of the ecovillage. The non-profit community is run by a board of directors along with all residents. The houses are privately owned by residents who pay the monthly dues that are typical of conventional buildings with shared facilities. Several times a week they organize communal lunches prepared by the chefs on duty and volunteers on schedule. At lunch they share their impressions, exchange experiences.
5. True eco-park, Peru
Eco Truly Park is located an hour's drive from Lima in Peru. It is an ecological and artistic community based on the principles of non-violence, simple life and harmony with nature. Both the architecture and organization of the community are based on Indian teachings. The True Eco Park aims to be fully self-sustaining and currently has a large organic garden. Open to volunteers, the community offers workshops on yoga, art and Vedic philosophy.
6. Finca BellaVista - an ecovillage on trees, Costa Rica.
Finca Bellavista is a complex of man-made buildings that are entirely housed in trees in the mountainous South Pacific coastal regions of Costa Rica, surrounded by jungles that are full of life. There is no electricity here, all houses are carbon-neutral and connected by hanging walkways. In the center of the village is a large community center with a dining area, barbecue and living room. Gardens, cable cars and hiking trails have made it even more like a tropical paradise. Community members can design and build their own tree houses. Some of the owners rent out their homes and the village is open to the public.
7. Findhorn - educational center in Scotland
The Findhorn Eco-Village was founded in 1962 and is the grandfather of all Eco-Villages. The community grew out of the personal quest of three people, Peter and Eileen Cuddy and Dorothy McLean, homeless and living together in a small caravan. With little support, they tried to supplement their meager incomes with. Their spiritual discipline slowly led to mystical communication with the spirits of plants, soil, and place. This became the backbone of their horticulture until they started producing almost incredible yields. Their story became a series of coincidences that led to the founding of Findhorn, an eco-village and related educational foundation, where everything is based on spiritual organic farming. Today Findhorn has about 450 resident members and is the largest community in the UK. Findhorn has the smallest Ecological Footprint of any community in the country by various measures (with half the average resource use and half the environmental impact rate), for which it received the Best Practice award from the United Nations Center for Human Settlements.
8. Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka.
Founded in 1957, Sarvodaya Shramadana is an educational non-profit foundation of 15,000 villages in Sri Lanka that collaborate with him. The organization operates on minimal funding, preferring to mobilize volunteers to help retirees who have the experience and skill needed for a new generation. Volunteers come from these fifteen thousand villages, offering technical assistance and advice in moving from a market-dominated production model to more sustainable forms of agriculture that operate on the no-poverty, no-abundance principle. In Sarvodaya, they believe that everyone has the right not only to water, food and shelter, but also to spiritual development, the right to a beautiful environment and meaning in life.
9. Seven Lindens, Germany
Founded in 1997, the Sieben Linden ecovillage originates from land remote from infrastructure, on which seven linden trees grew. Now a community of about 150 residents has formed here, who live on 80 hectares of fertile agricultural land and pine plantations. Sieben Linden focuses on closed energy and resource cycles, natural construction from local straw, clay and timber; organic farming; Horse breeding for agriculture and forestry is practiced here, which in all respects consume minimal resources and create production waste (about 1/3 of the average German).
10. Tamera - Exploration of the World, Portugal
Tamera was founded in Portugal by proponents of a nonviolent lifestyle for cooperation between humans, animals and the philosophy of nature. It is currently home to 250 staff and students who are exploring how people can live peacefully in sustainable communities, in harmony with nature, and most importantly, in relationships with each other (including factors such as work, jealousy, sexuality, etc. .). The village includes a peaceful non-profit foundation, the Solar Village test lab, a permaculture project with an edible landscape, and a horse refuge.
The development of ecovillages around the world has led to the creation of organizations that bring communities together and represent them to the world at conferences on sustainable development. One such organization is the Global Ecovillage Network. Here we have developed courses on the correct organization of alternative communities and the creation of eco-villages.
No matter how rosy the thoughts of creating their own ecovillages may look, only 10% of them today are really sustainable.
Our key drivers of this movement were people who read Megre's book "Anastasia".
What is an ecological settlement?
I would like to define the concepts right away.
Ecovillageis a group of like-minded people living on land plots of at least 1 hectare. The goal is to create a harmonious space around yourself, your family and loved ones.
The history of the first ecovillages ... Oh, that was a long time ago. Some scientists suggest that we originally lived in this way, only recently cities began to appear, in the form we see them now.
What is a city? To summarize, we can say this: cityis a place where people who want to be closer to sources of income (work) live. The unifying idea is the normal (acceptable) well-being of oneself, one's family and loved ones.
Outwardly, there are many similarities. But in fact, these are very different organizations.
Average overview of life in an ecovillage.
In an ecovillage each family has in use one or more hectares of land.
The actions of people on their sites are guided by the desire to create an environment around them that is attractive aesthetically and practically would be beneficial. For example, the desire to plant an apple tree, and later harvest from it. This crop can be eaten immediately, converted into winter preparations, or donated to everyone. It is not forbidden to give fruits to neighbors for money. But! Each person's family receives food, caring for their area at their own pace. You can do nothing at all, rest until you have a desire to express yourself. Coming from the city to the site, at first, many feel the need to do nothing. And it is right. The body adjusts itself to the environment, or rather, enters into harmony with nature.
An average overview of life in the city.
Now back to the city. A person wakes up in an apartment in the morning, prepares food, gets ready, goes to work, works, comes home, eats, rests, does something pleasant for himself, goes to bed. And approximately 5 days pass in this mode. Then 2 days you can do any business. What do we prefer to do these days? Those who have a summer residence may remember with a shudder that they need to go to weed the beds. Those who do not have - they are glad that they do not need to weed the beds, and choose more pleasant activities - shopping, meeting friends, travel and more, which allows the wallet. And now the weekend is over. Work again. After six months or a year of such alternations, a person feels exhausted and takes a vacation. The number of days on vacation depends on the job. More often 2-3 weeks. Educational workers have an average of 1.5 months in summer. Not much, considering that a person constantly lacks what is necessary for happiness and health.
AND manin the ecovillage, even though the garden is flying, digs a pond, does something else on the site, I'm already happy!
Ask yourself:
Where is it better to relax: outdoors or bowling?
Which berry is more pleasant to eat: fresh from the bush or frozen from the supermarket?
What's more difficult: painting a doghouse, then digging up a couple of beds and planting flowers, or sitting for 8 hours in an office doing monotonous work?
City structure
We know about the city from life experience. You can describe it like this: multi-storey buildings, crossed by roads, recreation facilities (parks, alleys, lawns).
A person's living area depends on his wealth and family capabilities.
People often commute to and from work for several hours a day.
The ecology of the city is aggressive towards humans. Because of this, diseases develop that become chronic. It was noticed that there are a large number of pharmacies and hospitals in the city. But there are not very many healthy people among the population.
The emotional state of the townspeople varies widely: from cheerful (often young people) to apathetic and aggressive people. It is interesting to peer into the eyes of passers-by in order to determine: is the person happy at the moment?
Ecovillage device
In the ecovillage, the settlement is divided into sections of different shapes.
Between them there are paths 3 meters wide. Site owners are planting a green fence instead of a fence around the perimeter of their land. Green hedges are trees, shrubs and other plants that are a natural barrier to entry into the site. Over time, all the variety of planting is intertwined into an impassable wall.
In a convenient place, ecovillages have places of general gathering and collective activities. Here, seminars and master classes are held to exchange experience between residents of one or several ecovillages. Of course, all activities take into account the principles of good neighborliness and humanism.
Projects for the implementation of the area of \u200b\u200bplots are different for everyone. There is no standard plan. But many have reservoirs, planting of fruit-bearing trees and beds. In the early years, special attention is paid to planting trees in order to get a mature garden and an attractive appearance of the site in a few years.
Practice has shown that a house “for centuries” is not built in the first place. Many people buy a plot, look closely at its features, draw up a project for the location of objects on the plot, and live in a temporary dwelling. Six months or a year later, the family starts building a permanent house. There is already a great variety! Fantasy is not limited by anything except the financial side of the issue. And more often than on garden plots, people express themselves by using “non-standard” construction technologies. Preference is given to natural materials - wood. Also now the technology of making houses from straw has spread.
(Future house made of straw in the village "Rzhavets")
The ecology of the settlement depends on the area. With the increase in the length of the family on the site, it becomes more and more favorable. But finding a person, as we say, "in nature" always has a positive effect on him. With a goal in life, small problems go into the background, it becomes easier to overcome difficulties. An indicator of this is the fact that families in ecovillages have more than one child, although in cities there has been a tendency for girls of childbearing age to refuse to have children, seeing no prospects.
You can endlessly look into the eyes of a resident of the ecovillage! How many facets open up in a person!
and an operating eco-settlement in the Moscow region "Kovcheg")
(Eco-settlement "Grace". Holiday)
Money in the ecovillage
Of course, the question of money cannot be ignored. Fact: Residents of Russian villages receive fairly low wages. And this is generally subject to the availability of work in the village. People live by their own economy: meat, milk, beekeeping, food from the garden and more. In an ecovillage, all this can be realized with greater success. There is enough space! You can choose some priority area of \u200b\u200bactivity - what you like to do more.
There is a variant of organizing rural tourism. Nice site? So you can boast of them! Invite those who want to relax. Payment for accommodation can be taken both in money and barter - services, if desired. Exotic countries will soon be unable to compete, because the choice before: to go to a foreign country or to visit relatives on the estate will increasingly be made in favor of the latter. The enticing pictures will fade before the beauty of the ecovillages. By the way, capital outflow from the country will decrease! This will have a positive effect on the budgetary sphere of Russia.
Good harvest? This means that there is something to make canned products. They are several orders of magnitude better in terms of the quality of the store ones: environmentally friendly raw materials, handmade, personal recipes. How sometimes you want cucumbers, like your grandmother!
Beekeeping opens up great opportunities for earning money and family health. Honey is always valuable. Its beneficial properties are known to everyone.
Bath, hunting, fishing, kvass, borscht - this is still an undeveloped niche of Russian business.
Ecovillage analogs
Yes, there were and are operating ecovillages in other countries.
For those who would like to get acquainted with foreign experience, it is suggested to read about the Auroville settlement. But, unfortunately, the craving for money began to prevail among the residents. But this is only a consequence of the fact that the land does not belong to a particular family, but everything is common. Therefore, working for the good of someone gets bored at some point.
The rise of ecovillages in Russia began more than 10 years ago. And, oddly enough, our experience is now being taken as a basis for building ecovillages in other countries.
A person tired of the city comes with pleasure to rest in an ecovillage. Ecosettlement is a great alternative to the city. And this is a new form of life organization!
See the change and join a humane lifestyle! Build and nurture your future!
GDZ to the second part of the workbook The world around us, grade 3 \u003e\u003e
Answers to assignments in the workbook on the subject of the world around us for grade 3, 1 part of the workbook, authors Pleshakov and Novitskaya, Perspective program. Reshebnik will help you with your homework. The workbook is organized in the same style as for the previous grades 1 and 2 (we also have the answers to them on our website), but the tasks, which is logical, are more complex, and it becomes more and more difficult to find answers to them. Our ready-made homework will help you navigate the world around you and do your homework easily and 5-plus!
If you have already finished the first part of the workbook, go to the second: GDZ to the second part of the workbook The world around us, grade 3 \u003e\u003e
Answers to tasks in the world around the world grade 3 part 1
Scroll through the pages to see the answers to them.
GDZ to the theme The joy of knowledge
Page 3-5. Light of knowledge
1. Pick up the proverbs of the peoples of your region about the power of reason, knowledge, skillful hands. Write them down.
As is the mind, such are the speech.
Growth from you, but mind from the body.
Learning is light and ignorance is darkness.
Repetition is the mother of learning.
It's not a shame not to know, it's a shame not to study.
Skillful hands do not know boredom.
With prayer in the mouth, with work in hand.
You can't get a fish out of the pond without difficulty.
There is no rest for a bad head.
Knowledge is a crown on the head.
2. ... Compose and write down questions about what you would like to learn about in class at school.
Why is the wind blowing?
Why does a bear hibernate in winter?
How does the solar system work?
Menzies' pseudo-slug
3. Look at the corner of nature in the photo above. Tell her what you already know about this plant.
This is Menzies' Pseudo-Slip. The second name of the plant is Douglas fir. This is an evergreen coniferous tree. It grows along the entire coast of the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia to California, Montana, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.
Make up and write down questions about what else you would like to know about him. Try to find answers to your questions.
What are the red flowers on the branches? Red flowers are young cones.
How tall can this tree grow? Can grow above 50 meters in height.
4. Tell me from the photo on p. 5 what you already know about Red Square in Moscow.
Red Square is located in the very center of Moscow. On it are located: St. Basil's Cathedral, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Lenin's Mausoleum, the Moscow Kremlin.
Compose and write down questions about what else you would like to know about the cultural monuments shown in the photo. Try to find answers to your questions.
What is the height of the Spasskaya Tower? 71 m.
What year was it built st. Basil's Cathedral? The cathedral was built in 1555-1561 by order of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the capture of Kazan and the victory over the Kazan Khanate, which happened on the day of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos - in early October 1552.
Page 6-11. Answers to the lesson How to study the world around you
1. What ways do these students study the world around them?
From left to right: Identification of natural objects, observation, experience, modeling, measurement.
2. Practical work "Observation"
Observe the behavior of aquarium fish (or other animals) as they feed. Think over the stages of work and take notes.
1. Objective of observation: to find out which food the fish like most, dry or live.
2. Plan of the observation: throw dry and live food into the aquarium at the same time, observe the fish, which food they eat first.
3. Observation Results: We saw that the fish ate live food first. They showed great interest in him.
4 Conclusions: Fish like live food more than dry food.
3. Practical work "Experience"
Experiment with a magnet. Think over the stages of work and take notes.
1. Purpose of the experiment: to find out what items in the kitchen are made of iron.
2. Plan for the experiment: attach a magnet to objects, observe whether it sticks to them.
3. Experimental results: the magnet stuck to several objects.
4. Conclusions: with the help of a magnet, we learned that there are iron objects in the kitchen: a refrigerator, a battery of a spoon, knives, forks, a sink.
5. Practical work "Measurement of mass".
Add it.
The balance is a device for measuring mass.
6. Practical work "Measurement of length".
Add it.
A ruler and tape measure is a tool for measuring length.
Page 12-13. GDZ from 7 gurus to a lesson Book - a source of knowledge
1. Write down information about the popular science book that you especially liked:
Title: Hot Facts About Ice
3. Read statements about the importance of books and your native language in a person's life.
Mark Tullius Cicero is an ancient Roman politician and philosopher, a brilliant orator. Information taken from the Internet, Wikipedia.
Konstantin Grigorievich Paustovsky is a Russian Soviet writer who wrote in the genre of romanticism, best known as the author of stories and stories for children. Information taken from the Internet, Wikipedia.
4. Come up with your own statement about the benefits of books and reading. Write it down.
Reading books, we learn a lot of new and informative, and also develop our speech.
5. In what reference books can you find out what the ancient Greek city of Troy is famous for? Write it down.
In the encyclopedia, dictionary, guidebook, atlas.
Page 14-17. Answers related site Let's go on a tour
2. Give 1-2 examples.
Art museums: Tretyakov Gallery, Hermitage.
Museum-apartment, house-museum, museum-estate: House-museum of Chukovsky, museum-estate of L.N. Tolstoy.
Reserves, national parks: Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, Sochi National Park, Losiny Island (in Moscow).
4. Independently or with the help of additional literature, the Internet determine which museums are shown in the photographs in the Appendix. Cut out and stick them in the appropriate windows.
Page 18-21. GDZ What the plan will tell you about
A site plan is an accurate drawing of a site using conventional signs.
2. Sign the outline symbols on your own or with the help of a textbook.
city; Orchard; meadow and trail; dirt road.
3. Cut out the conventional signs of the plan from the Appendix and paste them into the corresponding windows.
5. In the lesson, the teacher asked: "What does the scale of the plan depicted in the textbook mean?" ... Who answered correctly? Check the box.
Answer: Ira is right.
6. Practical work "Tourist plans"
1. Review the plan of the zoo in the textbook. Orient yourself along the sides of the horizon and determine in which parts of the zoo live:
a) tigers - in the northern part
b) lions - in the southern part
c) bullfinches and other birds - in the Western part
d) camels - in the eastern part.
2. Consider in the textbook a fragment of the Moscow plan. What sights are shown on it.
Answer: Moscow State University, Vorobyovy Gory, University, Luzhniki Stadium, Botanical Garden, Olympic Village.
3. Consider the plan of the central part of St. Petersburg. Determine how to get from the Moscow railway station to the Winter Palace. Write what you can see on this route.
Answer: You need to walk along Nevsky Prospect to the Palace Square. On the way you can see: Anichkov Bridge, Kazan Cathedral, Alexander Column.
Page 22-23. Replies to the topic Planet on a piece of paper
1. Using the textbook, add the definition.
A map is a reduced image of the earth's surface on a plane using conventional symbols.
3. Color in as indicated on the map:
water - blue, land: plains - green and yellow, mountains - brown.
4. Using the textbook, add the definitions.
The mainland is huge tracts of land surrounded by water on all sides.
Part of the world is the mainland or part of the mainland with nearby islands.
5. Enter in the table the names of all continents and parts of the world.
Continents: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica.
Parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia, Antarctica.
6. Using the textbook map, give examples.
Seas: Black, Yellow, Okhotsk, Laptev, Barents, Red.
Rivers: Ob, Lena, Yenisei, Volga, Mississippi, Amazon, Ganges.
Islands: Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Crete, Tasmania, Wrangel.
Page 24-25. GDZ on the topic Countries and peoples on the political map of the world
1. Rome is the capital of Italy. Neighbors (neighboring states) - Switzerland, France, Austria, Slovenia.
3. Consider representatives of different peoples in traditional costumes. Write down the names of their countries and capitals.
Belarusians. Country - Belarus (Belarus), capital - Minsk.
Mexicans. Country - Mexico, capital - Mexico City.
Turks. Country - Turkey, capital - Ankara.
Chinese. Country - China, capital - Beijing.
Page 26-27. Traveling, we get to know the world
Make a plan to prepare a trip around your city.
If you are in Moscow, write about the House on the Embankment Museum of Local Lore, in St. Petersburg - about the Nevskaya Zastava State Museum of Local Lore. There is a local history museum in any city.
Purpose of travel: to learn more about the history of the native land.
Place of travel: Regional Museum of Local Lore.
Sources of information about the place of travel: the Internet.
Reference literature: the official site of the museum.
Maps, schemes, plans, guides: a city map to get to the museum.
Equipment: pen and notebook.
Weather Forecast: Doesn't matter.
Dress code: business suit.
My companion (s): parents.
There are many interesting antiques in the museum, the guide told us in detail about the history of our city and region.
3. On the farm "On the edges" of the Belgorod region we will learn the skills of a beekeeper. Cut out drawings from the Appendix. Add them to the photo story, observing the order in the work of the toilers-bees and in the concerns of the beekeeper.
Pages 28-31. Replies to the topic Transport
1. Draw an old means of transportation among the peoples of your region or stick a photo.
3. Project "Inquisitive passenger"
Project name: bus - aquarium.
Vehicle name: bus.
Drawings, photos and texts for decoration inside:
Texts: names of fish and their brief description (where they live, what they eat)
Pages 32-33. Media and communication
1. Come up with symbols to convey information. Draw them on the flags.
You can assign an invented symbol to each letter of the alphabet and write down words with these symbols.
2. Letter to a friend ..
We enter our data! Design example:
From whom Ivanova Ivan
From where moscow, Nekrasov street 67-98
Departure code 105120
To Smirnov Sasha
Where is Moscow, 67-99 Nekrasov st.
Destination zip code 105120
3. Place in a frame information from a local newspaper or magazine about natural phenomena or cultural events that interest you, about the people of your region.
If you don't have a newspaper or magazine, find some interesting news on your city news site and print it.
4. Write down the names of the media and communications from memory.
Answer: Television, radio, newspapers, magazines. Internet - media.
Telephone, telegraph, post - means of communication.
GDZ to the section of the workbook The world is like a home
Pages 34-35. The world of nature in folk art
1. The word "ekos" (oikos) in translation from the Greek language means "house", "dwelling".
The word "logos" in translation from Greek means "knowledge", "word".
The ancient Greeks used the word "ecumene" to name the land inhabited and reclaimed by man.
2. A fragment of an old spinning wheel. Determine how many tiers of the Universe are depicted on it.
This fragment of an old spinning wheel depicts two tiers. The upper is the kingdom of light and the sun, as well as the middle tier is the tier where animals and people live.
In the ancient legends of many peoples of the Earth, a single world consists of three tiers. Here is one of the legends.
The lower tier is the abode of the serpent, the ruler of the underworld and water. The fabulous snake swallows the sun in the evening, when it goes west, and lets go in the morning - in the east.
The upper tier is the sky, the kingdom of light, sun, heavenly life-giving waters. From here, a powerful luminary governs order in the universe.
Animals and people live in the middle tier. This tier is the meeting place of man with the vast Universe, with all nature around. Man is inside, in the center of the world. Man is the middle part of a large whole.
3. Make a chain of questions and answers based on the song "Where, Foma, are you going?"
- "Where, Masha, are you going?" - "To the store." - "Why go to the store?" - "For products." - "Why do you need food?" - "Cooking dinner." - "Why do you need lunch?" - "To feed the family." - "Why do you need a family?" - "Collect apples." - "Why do you need apples?" - "Bake the cake." - "Why do you need a pie?" - "Set the table, roll up the feast!"
Pages 36-39. What is everything
1. Find an extra photo in each row. Explain your choice.
Answer: in the top row there is a mug, since this is a human product, and everything else is natural objects. In the bottom row is a titmouse, since it is a natural object, and everything else is objects created by man.
2. Give examples of natural objects:
Objects of inanimate nature: stone, sand, water, air, cloud.
Wildlife objects: bird, fish, cat, spider, cactus, jellyfish.
3. Using the text and illustrations of the textbook, fill in the table.
Solids, liquids and gases.
Solids: stone, pencil, bed, clock, glass.
Liquids: water, milk, sunflower oil, juice, kerosene.
Gases: oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide.
4. Find out by the description of the substance and write their names in the boxes.
This substance is part of any living organism. the human body is 2/3 of this substance. - WATER
This substance is found in the form of a stone underground, and also dissolved in the water of the seas and oceans. It can be found in every home in the kitchen. SALT.
This substance is added to many products - sweets, pastries, cakes. In nature, it is found in plants. SUGAR.
This substance is our helper in the kitchen, because it burns well. But in the event of a leak, it can spread throughout the apartment, and this is very dangerous. NATURAL GAS.
These substances are created artificially. They are used to make household items, window frames, toys, and many other items. PLASTICS.
5. Underline the names of solids with a blue pencil and the names of substances in green.
Solids (blue pencil): nail, horseshoe, wire, gasoline can, icicle, ice floe, candy, salt shaker.
Substances (green pencil): salt, iron, aluminum, copper, plastic, gasoline, water, sugar.
Pages 40-41. Answers 7guru to the lesson The world of celestial bodies
1. Using the information in the textbook, write the numbers into the text.
Diameter of the Sun in 109 times the diameter of the Earth. Mass of the Sun in 330 thousand times the mass of our planet. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is 150 million kilometers... The temperature at the surface of the Sun reaches 6 thousand degrees Celsius, and in the center of the Sun - 15 million degrees Celsius.
2. Fill in the table.
Difference of stars by color.
White: Regulus, Deneb.
Blue: Sirius, Vega.
Yellow: Sun, Capella.
Reds: Aldebaran, Cephei.
3. Build a model of the solar system ...
Take a sheet of black or blue cardboard and stick colored plasticine circles on it in accordance with the scheme of the solar system:
4. Solve the crossword puzzle.
2. A planet with rings clearly visible through a telescope - SATURN.
5. The planet we live on is EARTH.
6. The planet is a neighbor of the Earth, located closer to the Sun than the Earth - VENUS.
7. The planet is a neighbor of the Earth, located farther from the Sun than the Earth - MARS.
8. The planet located between Saturn and Neptune - URANUS.
5. Using various sources of information, prepare messages about a star, constellation or planet that you would like to know more about.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is called the "red planet" because of its reddish color. Mars has two moons - Phobos and Deimos. Scientists have been studying Mars for a long time. Mars rovers are currently operating on the planet's surface. Source - Wikipedia, Internet.
Pages 42-43. GDZ from Invisible Treasure site
1. In the text of the textbook, find the paragraph where the wind is explained. Please read it carefully. Think up and draw a diagram of the wind.
2. In the diagram, sign the names of the gases that make up the air. Check yourself with the tutorial.
3. Study the properties of air and write down your findings.
1. Is the air transparent or opaque? - transparent.
2. Does the air have a color? no
3. Does the air smell? no 4. What happens to air when it is heated and cooled?
This experience shows that air expands when heated.
This experience shows that air is compressed when cooled.5. How does air conduct heat? Answer: Air does not conduct heat well.
4. What is the name of the equipment used in these experiments?
Pages 44-45. The most important substance
Practical work "Investigation of water properties".
Test 1... Dip a glass rod into a glass of water. Is she visible? What property of water does this indicate?
The wand is visible. This suggests that the water is clear.
Test 2... Compare the color of the water to the color of the stripes shown on this page. What do you see? What does this mean?
Water has no color, it is colorless.
Test 3... Smell clean water. What property of water can be established in this way?
Pure water does not smell, which means it has no smell.
Experience 4.
Dip a flask with a tube filled with colored water in hot water. What are you watching? What does this indicate?
Conclusion: Water began to rise up the tube. This suggests that the water expands when heated.
Test 5... Place the same flask in a plate with ice. What are you watching? What does this indicate?
Conclusion: The water level goes down, which means that the water is compressed during cooling.
General conclusion: water is transparent, colorless, odorless, expands when heated, contracts when cooled.
Pages 46-47. Answers to the topic of the workbook Natural elements in folk art
1. Cut photos from the application. Paste them under the names of natural elements. At the bottom of the table, draw images of fire, water and air that are characteristic of the fine arts of the peoples of your region.
Images of fire, water and air in the art of the peoples of your land.
2. Write down riddles about fire, water and air, created by the creativity of the peoples of your region.
Riddles about fire, water and air in the work of the Russian people:
You feed it - it lives, you give it something to drink - it dies. (the fire)
The red cow ate all the straw. (the fire)
With a tongue, not barking, without teeth, but biting. (the fire)
It flies to the bottom in droplets, to the top - invisible. (water)
No arms, no legs, but destroys the mountain. (water)
Why not roll it up the hill, decide not to carry it, hold it in your hands? (water)
Flowing, flowing - not flowing out, running, running - not running out. (river)
Peas were scattered along a hundred roads, no one would collect them: neither the king, nor the queen, nor the red maiden, nor the white fish. (air)
Peas scattered on seventy roads; no one to collect - neither priests, nor clerks, nor us, fools. (air)
3. Consider the patterns of folk embroidery. Identify the images of fire, water and air.
The image of water is waves below, the image of air is a bird. The image of fire is usually depicted as a wheel or sun. There is a sun in the middle of the picture - this is the image of fire.
Pages 48-49. GDZ Pantry land
1. Add definitions on your own or with the help of a textbook.
Minerals are natural substances.
Rocks are natural compounds of minerals.
2. Practical work "Composition of granite"
Based on the results of the study, fill in the diagram.
Composition of granite. Granite: feldspar, mica, quartz.
3. Do you know what is stored in the Earth's pantries? Cut out photos from the application and paste them in the corresponding windows.
4. Write down the names of the minerals of your region: oil, marl, sand, clay, chalk, shale (Krasnodar region).
Page 50-51. GDZ to the lesson the world around Miracle underfoot
Practical work "Study of soil composition"
Test 1... Throw a lump of dry soil into the water. What are you watching? What does this mean?
Conclusion: The soil settles to the bottom, but not all. There is air in the soil.
Test 2... Heat some fresh soil over a fire. Hold cold glass over the soil. What are you watching? What does this mean?
Conclusion: Glass fogged up. This suggests that there is water in the soil.
Test 3... Continue heating the soil. Wait for smoke and unpleasant odors to appear.
Conclusion: The soil contains humus.
Test 4... Pour the calcined soil in which the humus has burnt into a glass of water and stir. Observe what settles on the bottom first, and what after a while. What does this experience tell us?
Conclusion: First, sand settled to the bottom, then clay. This means that the composition of the soil includes sand and clay.
Test 5... Place on the glass a few drops of water that the soil has been in for a long time. Hold the glass over a fire. What happened to the water? What has become of the glass? These are mineral salts. What does this experience tell us?
Conclusion: The water has evaporated, a sediment remained on the glass. This suggests that the soil contains mineral salts.
General conclusion: the soil includes air, water, humus, sand, clay, mineral salts.
Pages 52-55. Plant world
1. Recognize plant groups by descriptions. Write the names of the groups in the boxes.
These plants have roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits in which seeds ripen. FLOWER
These plants have no roots, stems, leaves, flowers or fruits. Their body is called the thallus. SEAWEED.
Plants in this group have stems and leaves, but no roots, flowers and seeds with seeds. Moscow Art Institute.
These plants have all parts except flowers and fruits. Their seeds ripen in cones. Conifers.
Plants in this group have roots, stems and leaves that look like large feathers. But they do not have flowers, fruits, seeds. FUELS.
2. In the lesson, the teacher asked for examples of flowering plants. The children answered like this ... Which of the guys answered correctly? Who made the mistakes?
Nadia has the correct answer, Seryozha has one mistake (the wrong answer is pine), Ira has two mistakes (seaweed, spruce), Viti has three mistakes (thuja, larch, fern).
3. Identify these plants. Sign the names of the plants and the groups to which they belong.
Answer: In the top row from left to right: fuchsia (flowering), salvia (flowering), toadflax (flowering), chicory (flowering). In the bottom row from left to right: bracken (fern), funaria (mosses), fir (conifers), cedar pine (conifers).
4. Using the book "Green Pages", prepare a report about one of the plant species of any group. Write down the name of the species, group, and brief information for your message.
Cedar pine is a coniferous plant (tree) that grows in Siberia and in the North-East of the European part of Russia. It is often called the Siberian cedar among the people. The needles of this tree are collected in bunches of 5 pieces. Tasty seeds ripen in big cones - pine nuts.
Page 56-57. GDZ Fertile land and plants in folk art
1. Color the pattern as we want. Second towel:
2. Draw an illustration for the fairy tale of the peoples of your land, in which the plant plays an important role in the development of action.
Fairy tales in which plants are involved: Fairy tale "Cockerel-golden comb and miracle-baby" (a seed of a bean or acorn sprouted in the house and grew to the sky), "Turnip", "Rejuvenating apples", "Wild swans" (a girl weaved shirts from nettle).
Illustration for the fairy tale "Turnip"
3. Pick up and write down the riddles and proverbs of the peoples of your land about the land-nurse and plants.
Proverbs: Little earth is black, and white bread will give birth. The earth is a plate: what you put in, you take it.
Riddles about the earth: The rain is pouring - she drinks everything, everything else turns green and grows. Everyone calls her mother, everyone runs along her legs.
Pages 58-61. Answers to the lesson Animal world
1. Write the names of the groups of the listed animals.
A frog, a toad, a newt is amphibians.
An earthworm, a leech is worms.
Snail, slug, octopus, squid are shellfish.
Crayfish, crab, shrimp are crustaceans.
Starfish, sea urchin, sea lily are echinoderms.
Spider, scorpion, haymaker is arachnids.
Lizard, snake, crocodile, turtle are reptiles.
2. Identify the animals. Sign the names of the animals and the groups to which they belong.
On page 58 from left to right: amber snail (mollusk), goldfinch (birds), hay spider (arachnids).
On page 59 from left to right in the top row: otter (animals), Kamchatka crab (crustaceans), rhinoceros beetle (insects).
On page 59, from left to right in the bottom row: burbot (fish), tree frog (amphibians), already (reptiles).
3. Compare the frog and the toad in appearance. Tell (verbally) what are the similarities and differences.
First, about the differences. Toads are usually larger than frogs. Toads have a thick, wide body and shorter legs. Frogs do not have large parotid glands, which are located at the back of the head in toads. The skin of frogs is tender and moist, in toads it is dry and covered with tubercles. The eggs of frogs are round in shape, and that of toads looks like long cords.
Similarity: both toad and frog are amphibians. They have bulging eyes. The hind legs are longer than the front ones. They move by jumping. They live more often near water bodies. They feed on insects.
4. Cut out the parts from the application and build the development models.
Development models of fish, frog, bird.
5. Create and write down 2-3 questions for the quiz "In the animal world".
How many days will a chick hatch from an egg?
How is a frog different from a toad?
Does the hare feed her cubs with milk?
6. Using the book "Green Pages", prepare a report about one of the species of animals of any group.
Pink salmon. Pink salmon is a fish that usually lives in the sea but lays eggs in rivers. The length of pink salmon reaches 50 cm. Pink salmon feeds on small fish and crustaceans. During spawning, pink salmon changes color, and males develop a large hump on their backs. Hence the name of the fish. Pink salmon is a valuable fish that needs protection and protection.
Pages 62-63. GDZ to the topic Our journey into the animal world
Pages 64-65. Images of animals in folk art
1. Complete the carving pattern ...
You can glue photos of towels with roosters embroidery, photos with a Dymkovo toy in the form of a turkey, a horse, wooden decorations for the garden and home in the form of animals.
3. Briefly write down the plot of the fairy tale of the peoples of your region, where magic animals help people.
Let us recall the fairy tales: "The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf", "Little Havroshechka", "Turnip", "Magic Ring", "Goby - a pitch barrel".
Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf.
The king had three sons. He had an apple tree with golden apples in his garden, and every night the apples began to disappear. The king sent his sons to trace who is stealing the apples. The two sons fell asleep, but Ivan did not sleep, he saw that the Firebird was eating apples. The king ordered his sons to get the firebird. They each went their own way. Ivan drove up to the fork, on which stood a post with an inscription. Whoever goes straight will be cold and hungry all the way. Whoever goes to the left will die, and his horse will live. And whoever goes to the right will remain alive, but the horse will die. Ivan went to the right. The Gray Wolf ran out of the forest, ate the horse, and then began to serve Ivan faithfully. That wolf helped Ivan to get the firebird, and the bride, and to stay alive.
The Little Humpbacked Horse
The peasant had three sons. The father sent them to guard the wheat. Two sons slept, and Ivan caught a horse. The horse gave him the Humpbacked Horse. The Little Humpbacked Horse helped a friend find a firebird, a ring and a beauty for the king. The king wanted to get married, but he had to swim in boiling water. The Tsar called Ivan to be the first to swim. The horse helped Ivan and he became a handsome man. And the king was cooked. Ivan and the Tsar Maiden played a wedding. (Posted by Maxim Egorov)
Pages 66-67. GDZ from 7 gurus to the lesson Invisible threads in wildlife
1. Read the text carefully. Underline the names of animals of different groups in different colors: green for herbivores, blue for predators, red for insectivores, brown for omnivores.
Summer is a generous time of the year for a wide variety of animals. We often see swallows in the sky. They catch numerous flying insects in the air. A frog hunts mosquitoes by the water. In the forest they find their prey - small rodents - a fox and an owl. A rich table is set here for the hare and moose - these are different branches, leaves, bark. And for crows and boars, any food - both plant and animal - will do.