We as individuals can do alot, in fact we do. We recycle all our rubbish, well at least i do at home. We recycle glass, paper, and metal. Also we can have an impact as individuals by reducing the amount of water we use by switching off taps when they are not needed and using rain water to feed the plants rather than using clean drinking water from the taps.
We can also reduce the amount of electricity we use, for example by not over filling the kettle and turning off appliances when they are not in use, and maybe just turning them off and finding other things to do.
Also the amount of cars on the road has a major impact on sustainability as there are too many and this is mainly due to people travelling alone. Whether this is to work or elsewhere. This could be reduced by individuals if they shared their cars or travelled by public transport. Public transport is not alwasy the most comfortable way to travel at the moment, however it would seem that the government is trying to improve it. An example of this is the Manchester Metro which the carriages are to be replaced by more comfortable and efficient replacements. So it would seem that in the future there may be more individuals travelling in a more sustainably and making a difference.
However even though there are individuals making a difference by doing all of these things it may be worth considering how much of a difference they are making? Does turning off the tap here in Britain mean that in Africa a poor child gets a drink? Does one person getting public transport for a year reduce the emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere to make a significant difference to global warming?
I dont believe so. Therefore it may have to be considered that individuals can make a small difference, however there would have to be an awful lot of people doing these changes to make a significant impact and without this happening there would not be much change.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Un Debate review
I learnt alot about other countries i had never really taken an interest in before. I was especially interested in the countries with very little money but were still trying to tackle the promblem of making a more sustainable future.
The US was quite hard to find sustainable stratagies for, especially for climate change. However i was surprised to find that it was trying to make a change even though it refused to join the kyoto protocol. I was especially surprised that it is aiming to meet some of the same targets that the kyoto protocol would have required of the country.
I think our presentation went quite well, i think that we could have mentioned some more strategies that the US was using towards sustainable development. I think if i was to do it again i would have thought about it more and practised what i was going to say before the day. If i was to do it again i think it would have been easier if i had a little more time to research the information as it was quite a rush at the end.
The US was quite hard to find sustainable stratagies for, especially for climate change. However i was surprised to find that it was trying to make a change even though it refused to join the kyoto protocol. I was especially surprised that it is aiming to meet some of the same targets that the kyoto protocol would have required of the country.
I think our presentation went quite well, i think that we could have mentioned some more strategies that the US was using towards sustainable development. I think if i was to do it again i would have thought about it more and practised what i was going to say before the day. If i was to do it again i think it would have been easier if i had a little more time to research the information as it was quite a rush at the end.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Waste Management Strategy.
As each region has new goals to meet on recycling evey region reduces its waste at different rates. CBD has increased its recycling rates by 7.5% from 2001 to 2005 to 11%. Whereas
SNC has increased its recycling rates from 11% to 28%.
The differences between these figures maybe due to the councils waste collection services. CBD has its waste removed only every two weeks and only has a 240l waste bin, this may mean that if this bin gets full they may choose to bin and not recycle the rest.
Whereas SNC has the same however the paper and glass is recycled every week. Paper and glass is one of the major waste products due to packaging.
To improve these rates it may be considered that people should be able to recyle more as often the council will refuse to take overflowing rates also this should be more available, for example taking the waste one or two times a week.
Other iniatives that have been brought forward more recently that will improve this rate is inbuilt bins when houses are originally built. This will soon become compulsory for all houses making it easier for them to recycle.
However there will always be a problem with waste so new iniatives will always be welcomed in society.
SNC has increased its recycling rates from 11% to 28%.
The differences between these figures maybe due to the councils waste collection services. CBD has its waste removed only every two weeks and only has a 240l waste bin, this may mean that if this bin gets full they may choose to bin and not recycle the rest.
Whereas SNC has the same however the paper and glass is recycled every week. Paper and glass is one of the major waste products due to packaging.
To improve these rates it may be considered that people should be able to recyle more as often the council will refuse to take overflowing rates also this should be more available, for example taking the waste one or two times a week.
Other iniatives that have been brought forward more recently that will improve this rate is inbuilt bins when houses are originally built. This will soon become compulsory for all houses making it easier for them to recycle.
However there will always be a problem with waste so new iniatives will always be welcomed in society.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
How reliable do you think UK newspaper reports are about climate change?
How reliable do you think UK newspaper reports are about climate change?
Uk newspapers such as The Sun are more likely to have a different view on global warming than a newspaper such as the The Independant.
The Sun is produced for a different audience, people who are more likely to be interested in sport for example. Therefore facts are less likely to be present and it is more likely to be emotive. Over exaggerating the situation. This would make the report extremely unreliable.
However papers such as The Observer are more likely to be reliable as they are aimed at an audience that will be interested in issues such as global warming and will have more of the facts.
However it is suggested that 'bad news sells newspapers'which is evident just from some headlines. E.G 'On our present course, the bold new carbon target is worthless'( The Observer)
This would reduce the reliability of a report as even though it would give some facts and evidence it would not give both sides of the story.
To what extent do UK newspaper reports link climate change to ‘sustainable development’?
The UKs newspapers often report about climate change and sustainable development. Newspapers such as The Sun and The Observer both produce these articles.
However it should probably be considered the validity of the article, as The Sun writes articles on the royal families holidays and how they are reducing their carbon footprint (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/special_events/green_week/article775968.ece)
in 10 short paragraphs with no figures .
Whereas The Observer writes about the IPPC including facts and figures.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/03/climatechange.ipcc
Therefore it can be concluded that newspapers do like climate change with sustainable development, however it is the quality of the article that should be questioned
Uk newspapers such as The Sun are more likely to have a different view on global warming than a newspaper such as the The Independant.
The Sun is produced for a different audience, people who are more likely to be interested in sport for example. Therefore facts are less likely to be present and it is more likely to be emotive. Over exaggerating the situation. This would make the report extremely unreliable.
However papers such as The Observer are more likely to be reliable as they are aimed at an audience that will be interested in issues such as global warming and will have more of the facts.
However it is suggested that 'bad news sells newspapers'which is evident just from some headlines. E.G 'On our present course, the bold new carbon target is worthless'( The Observer)
This would reduce the reliability of a report as even though it would give some facts and evidence it would not give both sides of the story.
To what extent do UK newspaper reports link climate change to ‘sustainable development’?
The UKs newspapers often report about climate change and sustainable development. Newspapers such as The Sun and The Observer both produce these articles.
However it should probably be considered the validity of the article, as The Sun writes articles on the royal families holidays and how they are reducing their carbon footprint (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/special_events/green_week/article775968.ece)
in 10 short paragraphs with no figures .
Whereas The Observer writes about the IPPC including facts and figures.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/03/climatechange.ipcc
Therefore it can be concluded that newspapers do like climate change with sustainable development, however it is the quality of the article that should be questioned
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Private Cars and Sustainability
Private cars, most households own at least one. With the new craze of 17 -19 year olds being to learn to drive and own your new car the government gives out new data on the increasing co2 levels which have risen by 4% since 1990. These levels are not sustainable, causing an increase in global warming and climate change.
However is there a way to make the use of private cars more sustainable?
Recent changes have started to take place with the introduction of the electric car, once not heard of in Britian and a facination and joke in Europe has hit the market with companies such as Mazda leading the market.
Mazdas new car only takes 15 minutes to charge and can travel 400 kilometers travelling at speeds of 150 km/hr.
But is this sustainable?
The use of hydrogen and not fuel suggests it is, however the problem lies in the efficiency of the car. There are no places yet to charge the car on the road and it does not have the capability to travel as far as a fuel powered car.
But maybe if the government keeps pushing the idea and the big car companies such as Mazda keep advertising and improving the idea might catch on and in the future we may have more sustainable cars, creating a more sustainable future.
However is there a way to make the use of private cars more sustainable?
Recent changes have started to take place with the introduction of the electric car, once not heard of in Britian and a facination and joke in Europe has hit the market with companies such as Mazda leading the market.
Mazdas new car only takes 15 minutes to charge and can travel 400 kilometers travelling at speeds of 150 km/hr.
But is this sustainable?
The use of hydrogen and not fuel suggests it is, however the problem lies in the efficiency of the car. There are no places yet to charge the car on the road and it does not have the capability to travel as far as a fuel powered car.
But maybe if the government keeps pushing the idea and the big car companies such as Mazda keep advertising and improving the idea might catch on and in the future we may have more sustainable cars, creating a more sustainable future.
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