CHRISTMAS

Christmas is a one off event which christians ,families and communities should celebrate just like birthdays and wedding gatherings.These are very important gatherings as they bring families,friends and communities and broken families together.Because of the identified reasons christmas is sustainable as it keeps families,friends and communities in close ties.How ever what can be done away with are christmas lights which use extra lighting energy and crackers which polute air and noise.Yes all 'do gooders' should leave our festivals alone. Merry christmas and a happy NEW YEAR to everybody in The University of Northampton.

The best selling news papers like the Star, The Sun do not worry about serios issues because they are paparazzi and are interested in writing about celebrities in order to sell their papers fast and make money.To a greater extent it is their duty because these serious issues of climate change also affect them. They could make agreat impact if they could also get involded since their papers sell fast.The tabliod and soaps have power as they are famous and have many viewers so they need to be involved.

Empowered citizenship

1)To what extent do l think that it is my duty as a citizen to be informed?

To a large extent in my duty as a citizen to be informed as pertinent issues that affect my life and that of those around me are a result of decisions made. For instance, decisions made in the European parliament have a direct impact on my daily life due to the fact that because the UK is a member state, it has to abide to decisions agreed upon. Decisions for example regarding social policy.

2)Am l informed?

Yes l am informed, but could be more so because of the changes that occur on a regular basis.

3)How do l get to be informed about serious issues?

Information about serious issues is gleamed from television programmes such as news channels but even more so, dedicated television channels such as BBC parliament and Euronews.There are also dedicated websites such as www.en.org which have all the information as well as related links to issues and information.Journals (dedicated) reports, white papers, broadpage publications such as The times, the gurdian and financial times are sources of information.

4)To what extent do l think that l should leave the complicated decisions up to others?

Only to a certain extent should complicated decisions be left to others because if they make the wrong ones on our behalf, we then are at a disadvantage.

The impact of global warming on the environment/ extracts from Al Gore

Global warming is a problem threatening to nature and humans though its impact differ among sub regions.The main impacts to occur in the future yet sustainable development should start now.

Global climate change is expected to increase sea-surface temperatures and sea level.Ice melting will decrease sea-ice cover.There have been seasonal melting now.Some of the places identified are the Arctic, North Pole, North America, the Mediterranean, Peninsula and the Kilimanjaro mountains.Also the glaciers have been melting and refreezing rising the levels of sea-waters.

The impact of the Global warming has been floods in Netherlands, Beijing and India.The floods have left people homeless,injured and loss of life.Floods cause droughts, hunger,poverty, population displacements, erosion and wetland loss in coastal areas.

In the Mediterranean, temperatures reduce the traditional peak demand for holidays and cause fire risks.Sea ice diminishing through ice melting has impact for habitats like polar bears die as they travel long distances looking for frozen sea water.Also are fluctuation in fish populations and sea birds are affected by inter-annual and long term variability in ocean graphic and atmospheric processes.Global warming also causes fauna and floral shifts.

Global warming has risks posed to human health.Climate variability would affect seasonality of vector - borne infections diseases like mosquitoes, ticks, tsetse flies which transmit diseases by blood.Increased heat waves increase risk of death and serious illness mainly in older people and urban poor.

Environmental sustainability and lifestyle

O'Riordan (1988 page 30) suggests that sustainability involved embracing ethical norms pertaining to the survival of living matter, to the rights of future generations and to institutions responsible for ensuring that such rights are fully taken into account policies and actions.

From what O'Riordan has staed, sustainability is the presentation and usage of resources to ensure that future generations are catered for in terms of all resources.

To improve the sustainability of my lifestyle, i need to have the knowledge or understanding from policies that promote sustainable environmental development, participation in decisions affecting my welfare and that of my children and the next generations.l must come to terms with the reality of resource limitation so that resources continue to be available for future users.

Also accessing polices on sustainable environmental developments will broaden my knowledge.Equiped with all this information will bring a sense of belonging to the programme.

The idea above is aluded by Serageldin et al(1998) pg 44 developing nations should base their development agendas on their own administrating technical, scientific and economic capacities.

The legal and institutional frameworks and regulations which provide information for environmental protection including the protection of humans willl bring awareness and enjoyment in protecting the environment.For example l can be involved in programmes for sustainable development of tree planting.The involvement in the programme will reduce the levels of vandalism and greater accountability will be benefits of the community.In addition l will develop a greater awareness and appreciation and sense of responsibility for the trees.

Moffat A and McNeill 1994 pg 6, site Johnson (1989)"Participation in a community forest activities can also have a beneficial effect on the social contact between residents"

What might be preventing me from doing the activities l mentioned above is failure to obtain policies, environmental regulations and institutional frameworks which provide information on environmental protection.Participation of diverse people in the action plan and decision making are of paramount importance so that the views even of the poorest people can be accommodated.

Inclusion of sustainable development in education, curriculums at early stages of formal education is so beneficial that they are caught whilst still young.This will make them value, admire and appreciate the environment as they grow.

There is lack of vigorous publicity in the awareness of sustainable environment policies in the electionic media, newspapers, posters, campaigns and in public transports.

Wars and hunger in the developing countries are sacrificing sustainability of the environment through the food production which must be maximized to feed the expanding population.Current patterns of human consumption call for a reversal of what until recently have been normal assumptions about meeting demand and sets of policy of reducing or restraining demand.

In conclusion, acquiring knowledge from policies and participation in decision making will improve sustainability of my lifestyle.Failure to access these policies is inhibiting me from making an impact on environmental development

What does this mean?

I feel this is the raising of environmental issues and abuses hoping to find sustainable and peaceful resolutions and educating of end users.

For example...In the Amazon basin, the indigenous people are taught about the dangers of deforestation and how it impacts on their lives in an immediate as well as a future way. They are educated in the best possible ways of farming whilst harmonising this with their environment. They also are educated how replenishment of saplings help in the reduction of carbon dioxide as well as in the maintenance of natural habitat for the animals they share their environment with.

So do you think then that there is enough environmental development education readily available in a stimulating manner that will help engage the younger generations? If not, what changes in delivery methods could help make this more engaging.