World School 2006: Student Charter
The Environment: Creating Sustainable Urban Communities.
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© World School 2006. (07/11/2006) |
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1.0: Introduction |
g I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority .h - E. B. White US author & humorist (1899 - 1985)
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In the past 200 years, the world's population has increased dramatically by over six times, from just 1 billion in 1800 to a mammoth 6 billion reached by 1999. The world is struggling to meet the basic needs and wants of all these extra people. This is resulting in overcrowding and stress on the entire world's resources. This has been worsened through inappropriate technological advance, rampant rates of industrialization and urbanization, increased levels of materialism and wasteful consumption. This has led to a great impact on the natural environment, the built environment and people's general way of life. These circumstances create a massive increase in waste output, pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and species extinction. There is only one viable solution that our generation must initiate, a move to a more sustainable way of living ? a way that is socially responsible and fair, environmentally sensitive and economically viable, especially in the densely populated urban jungles of humanity scattered around the globe. Vast changes must be made on a global scale, such as stabilizing population growth, reducing consumption rates, adjusting technology, management and planning, and empowering individuals and the communities in which they live. Further, each of us as individuals and collectively must take actions that change us and our way of life and that of our community for the better, this includes creating more sustainable systems in our schools and our home. The people of the world can and will overcome these issues by working together for the common good .
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2.0: The Environment |
2.1: The Environment (natural and impacted environment)
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The most precious natural resource, the environment, shapes our very existence. It guides behaviours and allows people to live and thrive in a magnificent world created especially for each individual. Unfortunately, people seldom fully appreciate the vast natural opportunity the environment offers, and rather, attempt to shape the environment in their own fashion. In doing so, the natural environment is corrupted and destroyed because of a lack of consideration for its well being. For example, the rapid destruction of the rainforests poses a great threat to the world's ecosystems. Biodiversity is seriously threatened with the disappearance of such natural environments. Every day, the natural environment loses parts of its identity. The growing disregard for the environment is a major obstacle in ensuring a promising future for the world. When the countries of the world are able to create harmony between habitat and inhabitant, then the future of the world will be secure for successive generations.
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2.2: Environmental Hazards
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Environmental hazards are often unpredictable, devastating and cause irreversible damage around the globe. These hazards can be forces of nature, brought on by human initiated activities or a combination of both. Natural hazards include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, droughts and heat waves. Human lifestyles, particularly over the last century, have had negative effects on the environment, causing acid rain, landslides and ozone depletion among other hazards.
In the environment certain hazards are inevitable and are a part of how the world works naturally to create balance in the cycle of life. However, humans are having serious impacts on this natural cycle. Human production of greenhouse gases through transport and industrial activities as well as deforestation are some of the main causes of unnatural hazards.
Some hazards such as ozone depletion are less apparent in everyday life but cause serious long term damage to the earth.
Humans are the earth's guardians not its owners. Global understanding of human impact on the environment is vital to the future of the planet. Education is the first step to creating a sustainable environment, the second step is action. Every individual must be aware of his or her effect on the earth and act responsibly for the sake of the world. Time has come to make a change, before it is too late.
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3.0: The Built Environment |
The built environment is the use of nature in order
to create a sustainable space to satisfy human
needs.
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3.1: Domestic, Retail, Commercial and Industrial Structures |
gThe built environment is based on human needs, but humanity has to find a balance in satisfying their own needs and in preserving the natural environment in order to safe the future!h
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A wise man once said, gMan is a Megalomaniac; no force on Earth can change that.h The built environment today forms an integral part of the human society and ever since its origin has continued to devour the Earth, bit by bit. Over the last century, the delicate balance between man and global eco-systems has shifted away from nature and therefore it has no other choice but to self-destruct! The modern cities people inhabit are broadly composed of retail, commercial, industrial and domestic structures. For example, looking at retail structures, one tends to observe the growing trend of small vendors replaced by larger than life supermarkets and mega-malls. This causes traffic congestion which leads to an increase in air pollution. Through research, one can observe how the various commercial and industrial structures gdo their bith to degrade the environment and can give rise to new problems (e.g.light pollution) through their respective effluents. The solutions though numerous are pretty simple, provided we adopt a systematic approach. Humanity needs to learn how to use the natural resources by adopting stringent laws that support the environment and complementing those with innovative and eco-friendly solutions so that life will continue on planet Earth and our future generations will be able to admire her eternal beauty.
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3.2: Infrastructure |
The urban jungles of today are the primary cause of the destruction of the natural environment. One of the major problems is the transport systems, which result in huge amounts of air pollution. These CO2 emissions are one of the primary contributors towards global warming, which is slowly destroying the earth. A few solutions to this problem would be to upgrade the public transport throughout the world and look at designing, building, and using eco-friendly vehicles. Another problem is water, it is a limited resource and therefore water conservation is very important, we should use it thoughtfully. Sewerage is a big problem in many cities because of the increasing population, we need to manage it in a suitable way in order to keep the environment clean. After careful analysis of various power generation sources, many things can be concluded. Non-renewable power generation sources such as coal and nuclear power are a dead end and they aren't a long term solution. The future of power generation lies in renewable resources. Wind, hydro-electric and solar power are cheap and effective alternatives, providing that the countries who use them have the right environment. Environmental education in schools can always be improved. Every school no matter how advanced in their environmental practices can do more to the encourage their students to work with the environment, not against it. Programs such as the Eco-schools project are a valuable learning tool for students who are willing to make a difference.
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4.0: Community and Culture Practices |
Value systems emerge from the culture and circumstances of particular communities. The traditions and practices from the past have innate strength. It is an ethical responsibility of the community and government to combine their efforts to create the finest cultured and cultivated citizens to preserve our rich and resourceful environment.
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4.1: Government Policies and Practices |
Organizations, governments and individuals all over the world are greatly concerned about the present state of the world's environment and are working towards restoring man-earth relation through a more sustainable approach. Sustainability involves governments setting higher environmental standards in every aspect and making legal provisions for strict implementation of the policies and legislative measures. Governments must act more promptly, and pay closer attention to consumerism. They must not wait for drastic events to happen. Government should provide training so that every individual is made aware of how people affect the environment. It should help in acquiring the skills and insights into a whole range of eco-friendly technologies based on renewable resources. Governments must not hesitate to allocate a large corpus fund for environmental research programs. The nations of the world must unite together to work out a new global partnership to meet the challenges for suitable development. We need decisions about achieving a more efficient and equitable world. Due to the growing interdependence between nations, sustainable development should become a priority item in the agenda of international community. It is increasingly important to overcome confrontation, and create an atmosphere of cooperation and solidarity in order to achieve success in the partnership. Local, Regional, National and International policies need to be strengthened, and all nations must adapt themselves to the new realities emerging in the increasingly changing world.
eThe past is over with us and all that we are and that we have comes from the past.'
- Jawaharlal Nehru
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4.2: Community and Individual Practices |
At this present stage it is obvious that the world is facing a crisis, a crisis of immense proportions. By making a little effort - not only as an individual but also as a community - we can make a difference, and perhaps there might be hope for our planet after all. The environment is fast becoming the most talked about issue in the modern world. But talking about it is not enough, we must each act on the problems that our world is facing. There are two levels at which we can make a positive impact on the environment: as individuals and as communities. The things that we do as individuals and communities that negatively impact environment can be solved by working to fix the present problems and to prevent future concerns. A single citizen cannot fix the problem without convincing the community to work together and to provide the opportunities. Some of the major concerns that we need to address on both levels are land pollution, the use of non-renewable resources and air pollution. Individuals can make a small impact on these things, but if lots of individuals begin using the same practices, it results in a much larger impact. Therefore individuals working together in their communities, changing their practices to make a positive impact is what can begin our move forward to helping our environment.
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4.3: Economic and Environmental Objectives and Practices |
Our current economic objectives and practices which uphold our life styles have a significant impact on the very environment that supports our existence. The economy is a way of meeting the requirements of a population. The consumers demand what they want and the businesses supply it; therefore the attitudes of the consumer dictate what industries produce. This constant supply and demand concept along with the assumption that Earth's resources are limitless means that the global economy is developing at a rate which cannot be sustained. A main contributor to the uncontrollable economic growth is the political focus on increasing the GDP with disregard for the long term effects on future generations. The consequences of this are global warming, pollution , the abuse of limited resources, the exploitation of human labour and the distribution of wealth. The success of an economy can be indicated by its rates of employment, international trade, and resource usage, however, the condition of the environment in not considered in this evaluation. The three indicators are all linked in a continuous cycle of environmental degradation. There are many short term solutions to the economy's abuse of the environment. Methods such as using interest or inflation rates to help control an economy along with reducing unnecessary consumption will assist in minimising the negative impact that an economy has on the environment. An underlying, yet far more significant solution to this potentially catastrophic issue is the attitude and mentality with which we live our daily lives. By initiating fundamental values such as respect, humility and stewardship into both consumerism and production it is possible to change the dominance of profit over sustainability for an economy that can support an environmentally conscious lifestyle.
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5.0: World School and Creating Sustainable Urban Communities |
World School offers a chance for people from all around the world to individually contribute to global sustainable urban living. As young citizens of earth, delegates can make drastic differences for a better future.
e We are the ones who make a brighter day'
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5.1: Our Schools and the Environment |
The physical environment of schools affects the well-being, leisure and quality of life of all students and teachers, as well as that of the wider community. In schools across the world, lack of awareness and consideration for the environment cause waste of natural resources, (especially energy and water) as well as pollution.are many small problems in all schools; however, collectively, many waste great amounts of energy. The chief cause of these problems is the overuse of facilities such as computers, heating, air-conditioning, lights and fans. As a solution, schools should introduce sensor lights and fluorescent bulbs, use insulation instead of overheating and cooling, and more appropriate uniforms for the seasons, as these solutions will be more effective in the long term. There are similar problems with water being wasted, caused by dripping taps and toilets. To improve this situation, schools should use sensor taps, half and full flush toilets, and everybody should remember to save as much water as possible. As well as energy and water waste, individual problems like rubbish, paper-usage and transport issues increase pollution in the surrounding school environments. To reduce pollution, schools and councils should improve transport options and waste disposal. However, perhaps the largest problem of all is our attitude towards these issues. If individual attitudes do not change, these problems cannot be solved on a larger scale. Consequently, schools should increase awareness of the importance of these problems and ensure all students and teachers understand their individual responsibility to the environment. If all schools work to improve their current situations, there is hope for a brighter future for many generations to come.
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5.2: Our Homes and the Environment |
While many World School delegates live in relatively large independent houses, the majority of them live in apartments that are not necessarily as big. Most of them in big cities have 3 to 4 bedrooms, depending on the size of the family, whether it be independent houses or apartments. Across the world people use timber and wood or bricks, concrete and steel to build their houses. Although the per capita consumption of energy varies from country to country, it is on the rise the world over. This includes electricity, attained mostly from coal i.e. thermal energy and petroleum products; more and more of which is being consumed to satisfy the ever increasing population and technological consumerism. As the world gets lazier and more materialistic, people seem to want more appliances to work for them, as against the traditional practices of manual labour. Water is another major concern, with many areas facing either droughts or floods, which are the result of climate change and global warming. The waste disposal methods, including solid waste and sewage, in some countries are good, but most of them need drastic improvement. History and traditional practices across the globe show that earlier people lived in harmony with nature, but with an increase in population and a rapid advancement in technology modern man seems to have forgotten how to live in peace with the environment. Settling for smaller houses; using energy-saving devices; conserving electricity and fuel whenever possible; reducing use of washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioners; separating waste; using recyclable material; understanding our interdependence with the environment and learning from the past could be some of the solutions to our problems and should be practised by individuals at home.
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6.0: Our Global Community and the Goal of Creating Sustainable Urban Communities |
There are many causes for the problems of the world, many of which are related. The major cause is over-population and urbanisation. This has led to an exploitation of resources, like timber. Demand for products has increased, so the emissions from factories have increased. Also, with more people, rubbish and waste materials have increased. With the majority of people having a materialistic attitude, cars have become widespread. This all results in a severe impact on the environment. The cars and industrial emissions have caused an increase in carbon dioxide emissions resulting an global warming, which causes more natural disasters. The demand for more resources has resulted in deforestation, and the destruction of the natural environment. Materialism results in waste, which causes pollution, and can kill animals. Also, as everyone wants their own backyard, urban sprawl destroys the natural environment with little regard for what lives there. We can, however, solve these problems. The setting up of nature reserves, and reforestation allows native species to flourish in their own native habitat, without fear of destruction or death. The education of the public, and how they can help the environment is probably the most practical solution. It helps the public understand what they need to do, and why. This education can help in changing the materialistic attitude to the attitude of the three R's ereduce, reuse, recycle'.
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7.0: Member Schools and Participants Signatures |
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St Paul 's School, Australia
Alec Gold
Danica Henderson:
Mio Nakatsuji-Mather
Ingrid Pride (S)
Trafalgar School for Girls, Canada
Sarah Elizabeth McBoyle
Michelle Chamandy-Cook
Lauren Blossom Shadley
Nancy Joan Mandigo (S)
Soochow University, China
Zhong Zhang
Yaohua Ming
Zhongyuan Zhang
Xiang Ru (S)
Pui Ching Middle School, China SAR
Pui Lam Ho
Hou Man O
Chong Hin U
Hau Hung Au Yeung (S)
Invicta Grammar School, England
Emily Earl
Eve Russell
Lisa Stevens
Monika Hartwell (S)
Sotunki Upper Secondary School, Finland
Joni Niemi
Eveliina Ruuska
Jenna Venalainen
Tuija Kae (S)
Kopernikus Gymnasium, Germany
Jutta Claudia Eliks
Kim Reisige
Simon Muldbucker
Anke Telgmann (S)
Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, India
Mihir Kekre
Karthikeyan Srinivasan Harith
Swapnil Midha
Sheela Rajendra (S)
SMA Kanisius, Indonesia
Ronald Irsien Wijaya
Edwin Mulianto
Adrian Tjahjadi
Nicolas Widi Wahyono (S)
ITC Enrico Tozi, Italy
Massulo Matteo
Valentina Lucia Gallazzi
Elisabetta Veneziani
Maria Giovanna Colombo(S)
Kanto International School, Japan
Hiromasa Iori
Megumi Saito
Tomomi Kaji
Maristella Aiko Tomoshige
Satoshi Tsuji (S)
New Plymouth Boy's High School, New Zealand
Michael Hayles
Toby Jordan
Nicholas Monk
Pauline Crow (S)
Costache Negruzzi College, Romania
Rares Alexandru Miron
Alexandru Rusu
Adriana Rusu
Smaranda Miron (S)
St Alban's College, South Africa
Sanan Mirzoyev
Richard Van der Byl
Matthew Smith
Ross Barrett (S)
Yang Chung High School, South Korea
Jae-Kyung Kim
Yoon-Ki Hong
Sung-Wan Hong
Jung-Woo Ahn (S)
Royal College, Sri Lanka
Akbo Rupasinghe
Sajith Wijesuriya
Shehan De Silva
Pearl Perara (S)
I-Ning School, Taiwan
Wen-Wen Shieh
Shi-Xuan Lee
Kuei-Shi Wu
Borsin Wu (S)
Khema Siri Memorial School, Thailand
Arinchaya Atthawiboonwong
Sirima Phoowanakulchai
Jiravee Pinchavong
Areerat Chaichavalitskul (S)
Lincoln Memorial University, USA
Madeleine Garren
Alancia Mason
Lutricia-Shalom Wright
Nuzhat Nadvi (S)
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