Education

United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

'...to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.'

The education system is changing to incorporate sustainable development, this will encourage future generations to think of their own and others impact upon their environment. Not only will education emphasise the fear of global warming which we can not escape being told but also on the greater impact of our every day living e.g. the life of our co cola cans.

Education for sustainable development enables pupils to develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and values to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future. There are opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of sustainable development within the school curriculum, in particular their work in geography, science, PSHE and citizenship. (National Curriculum, 1999)

However like many of my peers i had only really touched on the subject of sustainable development within geography lessons. But sustainability is such a vast subject which can be integrated into all parts of our life, I feel that it should also be integrated into all parts of the education system, not just to memorising facts within geography lessons. An example of this could be within the Art classrooms. As i remember throwing away many materials without thought other than card which typically went into the recycling bin. As sustainability is not only about resources it would have probably save my family and school a great amount of money if i had been more resourceful with my projects. (Which after marking usually went into the bin.)


With sustainable development now within the curriculum for key stage 3 and 4 within geography has posed a problem for teachers, as they are unaware how to start. While witching teachers TV it demonstrates fun and encouraging ways to incorporate thinking about sustainability not only within geography lessons but within other subjects such as Design Technology where the main thought is to resources.


By using this technique it takes the stereotypical idea of designing an 'Eco-friendly' house to everyday situations from the food we eat to the transport we used to get to school. Not only will this develop the children's knowledge of sustainable living but also their families as children wish to share the knowledge they learn with everyone around them!!!!


This module has not only provided me with a greater knowledge of sustainability but also developed a variety of skills. As until this course i had never had to take part in a formal debate, write a blog or use a video camera. The skills from this unit will be transferable and useful to future modules.



References
https://webmail.northampton.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=27234%26URL_DO=DO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION=201.htmlHaigh, M., (2005), Geography and the 'European Year of Citizenship through Education. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 29, 173-182.

Mr Martin Selman, (2007), Design and Technology- sustainability:making a start [online], Teachers TV, Avalible, http://www.teachers.tv/video/3305 [Accessed 18 Febuary 2009]

Programmes of study and attainment targets, (1999), Education for Sustainable Development, [online], National Curriculum, Avalible, http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/learning-across-the-curriculum/education-for-sustainable-development/index.aspx?return=/search/index.aspx%3FfldSiteSearch%3Dsustainable+development, [Accessed 18 Febuary 2009]

Our Time

Currently there is an economic CRISIS!!! We all know it as there is no avoiding the constant chatter and new about it. So does this mean that this crisis can be positive for sustainable development?

Well here is some facts and figures about it: with unemployment rising to 1.97million between October and December it is the highest level since 1997. For January, the number of those getting job seeker's allowance added 73,800 to reach 1.23 million.
The unemployment rate hit 6.3%, the highest since 1998, and comes as The Bank of England recently warned of a "deep recession" for 2009. Continually on the radio and TV they are giving advice for those who are unemployed to seek out Citizens advice, who are pitching for those out of work to take part in voluntary work and education. One video that demonstrates a person facing the down fall is on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7882745.stm.

My view of this is mixed. Firstly it could be positive as with a reduction of income for families, living costs will be cut to what is within the necessary needs. Meaning that there is less consumption.

However can this really change a persons' living habits? As to me when going past the large retail shops such as DFS and Curries the car parks are still full. The towns are still buzzing with people spending. To me despite shop closer and a cut in jobs those that have not been hit are splashing out using what money they have without a care. People will continue to see the HUGE red sale signs in the window and take advantage of a "deal".

Though there will be an increase in reuse of products, such as greater second hand car sales. This can only be seen as a positive out look of what is though of as such a bad time.

So will people cut down or live for today? To me those that are really hit with loss of jobs will have no choice while others continue to spend and consume outside of their needs.

But after this period and life picks up it can not be predicted as to if the population will learn from this mistake of human greed or cut down to the essentials. I hope that this situation will bring about change for the better, with people living within their means.

Reference
BBC News, (2009), UK Job loss total at 1.97 million, BBC News, Available,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7882745.stm [Accessed 16.02.09]

Traffic Survey

Last Thursday we started the day wonderfully by stepping outside in the freezing cold as 8 in the morning. This was after we had re-arranged collecting the beautiful clothing.

We split into 2 groups; with one heading out to stand and count the cars as they entered the University, as well as the amount of people within the car. While we continued into the University to find people who had already arrived (and stay warm) to ask them a questionnaire on their modes of transport to the University as well as their attitudes towards the impact of commuting.

We collected most of out of our results from asking people within the canteen or waiting eagerly for the library to open. From the people we asked all did not live within halls, and mainly travelling in long distance. Those that took the car and did not share was not particularly intrested in the enviromental impact.

This survey despite the early morning was intresting to carry out and has provided useful information. However if i repeated doing this research i would change it that so that there was a greater over view of diversity of people in that; ensuring there was a consistant number of people living on and off campus as well as a more even spread of people across the subjects as to their opinion of sustainable transport. As when asking the questionnaire it reflected that those who cared about the impact of their travel upon the environment was taking to applied sciences however when looking at the statiscs it is even to those studying business.

There was few people asked for the arts as that school of education is mainly held as Avenue campus. Therefore to get a spread of data questinnaires could have been also taken at Avenue campus. Another point of thought is asking a spread of those in halls would be to knock on flats and ask pople who are currently within there halls the questionnaire.

Making Light Work of IT.

As individuals we each have our own views upon sustainable development. We all know we should do out little bit. Our own tinny carbon footprint can be calculated (http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home.html?gclid=COWc_ryP9ZgCFQxHQwodOHzx1w&gclid=COWc_ryP9ZgCFQxHQwodOHzx1w) , and how to reduce it is available to all to find. However do we really want to know this?

Are we not in denial of what we are capable of doing? As our individualist behaviour prevents us from further development. As we should act together to tackle the problems.

So there is no more excuses of its not down to me. Its for all of us to take charge of our own responsibilities and do our own little bit, as every little helps.

So we should turn off those lights when we are not in the room, turn off the tap when brushing our teeth and use the right bin for our waste so it can be recycled. As after all its all of our planet to look after and our home so look after it. Not only working individually can we help but also as teams of volunteers around the world work to clean up each others mess. So if we do our bit it, we wont have to rely on the few others who wish to devote their time to changing the damage already done.

But we should use the individualist behvaiour which all humans possess as insentive to change. As we are denying out children and grandchildren the same rights and oppertunities we was porvided with. Is this not enough to encourage people to change?

Also think of the money we can save by switching off out electical equiptment and not leaving it on over night. As according to the Governement we could save up to £300 a year. Ideas to do this are on http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home/in-the-home/save-energy.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term={keyword}&utm_campaign=defra2008Q2&gclid=CMe-g87NypkCFQquGgodvkdDuw. So give it a go and see how big your carbon footprint is and what money your house hold could save.

UN debate

The debate, well while standing up there first was pretty nerve racking, with trembinling hands I managed to struggle through my notes. Which even I knew but was unable to prevent, was the heavy reliance I had upon them. However this debate developed my styles of learning such as communicating to others through email, research and debates.

It was interesting to hear how each country had found a different perspective on sustainable development. With a variation from starting from scratch on a plan to leading helping direct others in the path to sustainable living. As demonstrated through the varieties of approaches a greater step forward can be achieved united, learning from one another. However the US a large country with enormous power ignored their own weaknesses of their resource use to focus on others, such as Africa. Also how not all money would be spent in a similar way. As with the Solomon Islands the money would be to start a programme as nothing had been officially drawn up and implemented for around ten years, and then there would be Columbia using they money to help secure the country from gorilla warfare.

The research for this project was difficult, as there was a huge variation in the information available and what information was relevant. As the decision had to be made as to which direction you would portray about your country. As Lithuania has a high literacy rate but low unemployment rate. So it is difficult to grasp the state in which the country is in. As well as some information found was conflicting as to what the priorities of the country was. So to determine what was most reliable I ordered it according to the date in which it was published.

This project was enjoyable as it was a different style to lectures and greater understanding in how sustainability is a huge subject. I have learnt from it to rely less on notes and to perhaps look at a variety of aspects before choosing a direction.

Dirty Waste

So everyday without fail we all do it, and we all know it, we chuck that innocent can in the normal bin or a glass bottle. You might argue in defence that normally you are so good and take care turning lights off and other small differences. As we are bombarded with messages telling us that it all adds up!

BUT not everyone is doing there part. It is astonishing to examine the vast range within such a small area as Northampton. As within ENC area (2006/7) only 26.8% of household rubbish was recycled compared to DDC (2006/7) where 47% of house hold waste was recycled. So what can we put this range of 20.2% (just over a fifth) down to? Is it lack of knowledge? Lack of insentive? or laziness?

Well in my opinion we have all been educated as to where the average 201,616 tonnes residential waste per household during 2006 on average in Northampton annually, goes. The LANDFILL. We are have constant leaflets fly through our letter boxes telling us how we should dispose of our waste correctly. But they are ignored with all other junk mail through our letterbox.

So if the education of recycling is out there then there must be another reason for the variation between areas household waste. One reason for this could be the variation within incentives between areas in recycling policies, such as fines for overfilling bins, or paying per the bag of non-recycled household rubbish. however looking at the Main Collection Services Offered by WCAs in 2006/07 there is little variation between areas within the services. However there is a vast gap within the quantity of household waste which is recycled. so what can this be down to?

In my opinion this is due to peoples' view of recycling. I encountered hostility while working at Reading Festival this year as a Green Messenger. And as the title implies the job was to inform them of the recycling projects around the camp sites, such as collecting empty cans to get a new can and collecting cups in the arena to get 10p per a cup. Now that's incentive, as its soo easy when the bands finish the tents empty and its easy pickings within ten minutes 3 of us had made £8 which went great use!

Despite the appealing incentives people said that there was no point to recycling and that they don't and never will. so how can we change this brick wall?

Well one confirmed method of action is shock tactics. Confront people with what is really happening. As for many people seeing a great pile of rubbish in front of them would disgust them and might cause action. Along with this drastic method recycling should be made easier, as many view it as hassle. Saving old boxes for weeks, with little space to store them. Also many people are unaware of the simple recycling of batteries, for me they have to be taken to the recycling center on the other side of town. Its not really viable to pay a visit every time a battery is empty or even the same with a light bulb.

Action plans within councils should consider making recycling accessible e.g. battery collection within super markets. As well as greater incentives such as monetary rewards and make recycled goods at the fraction of the price of goods made from the raw materials.

Councils and individuals have made a great deal of effort to recycle within recent years as within Northampton as a whole, the recycling rate of household waste has raised from 18% in 2001/02 to 39.2 in 2006/07. So the only way now is up with a few more incentives the rate can be a lot higher.



Northamptonshire Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy
http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B63E7599-1BCC-42DF-BF9E-8BC330278515/0/NJMWMSStrategyFINAL.pdf

Media

'bad news sells papers’ How reliable do you think UK newspaper reports are about climate change? To what extent to UK newspaper reports link climate change to ‘sustainable development’?

We are forever told as children 'do not believe everything the TV tells you'. So does this apply to Newspapers as well? Individually we all have our own opinion upon this with a great deal of stigma attached to the types of newspapers people read. As the Broadsheet is aimed at an avid reader who expects great long winded articles containing an intellectual aspect of the news with a large quantity of facts. However the opinion of the Tabloid news paper is that it contains funny pictures with little informative writing. But are we still to trust that either type of new paper is providing us with the correct, mutual information?

Boykoff did a study into 'The cultural politics of climate change discourse in UK tabloids', this showed that the main features with tabloid articles had headlines containing mainly tones of fear, misery and doom. But is it all that way? Well we have done a mini-test of this within Broadsheet newspapers and it reflected the similar results in that few articles contained a positive out look on global warming such as achievements.

Taking newspapers at face value it appears that humans are entirely to blame with little effort made to undo our mistakes. i can take personal experience of continual bad news reported within my area. As continuous flood warnings was dominating the local headlines within Caversham, with predictions that the River Thames will breach its banks within July 2007. The headlines stimulated local shop keepers of the precinct of Caversham to invest in sand bags around the door despite it being over 200yards from the riverbank. With continual high alert the residents expected the water to come yet it never did. However the positive outcome after the worry was never published.

Newspapers vary so much as to whether they link to sustainable development, but it can be said that within broadsheet newspapers there is more in depth knowledge than within the tabloids and it also gives a more idea of sustainable development and research advances. It is up to the reader as in how literally to take the newspapers but always be remembered that this is only one opinion.

Boykoff, M.T. (2008) The cultural politics of climate change discourse in UK tabloids. Political Geography 27 (5) 549-569