eco shenanigans

I know exactly what you’re thinking. Well I don’t know, but I can guess. “WTF? You’re expecting me, the highly intelligent reader, to buy into a bunch of bollocks linking climate change to the Coalition cuts and to the tuition fee rise? Haven’t we heard enough about climate change already? And anyway, what has it got to do with education?” It’s a great question. Thank you for asking these questions, fictionalized reader created for literary purposes. What I’m going to do in this blog post is discuss the links between the two movements and to evaluate the Climate Justice movement and its relevance to the biggest youth movement in Britain of my generation. The student occupation at UCL is, in many ways, a mini Climate Camp, with consensus-based decision making and several working groups to keep the site running (media, security, outreach, kitchens, process, etc.). As one girl put it, the only difference is that the students at UCL don't have to use compost toilets. And I ...

Just discovered this... I went off on a tangent and never finished it, but I suppose there are a few good points in there. This was originally written on 10 November 2010. By now, you've probably read and heard a lot about the student rally/protest/riot that happened on Wednesday. In the midst of all the stereotypes regurgitated by the media there has been a lot of quality writing on the subject. This blog entry is an attempt to compile some of the best examples I've seen so far with my own observations of the event and its significance. But first of all, why did I go in the first place? As a foreign student, I have to pay international fees and education cuts don't affect me directly. And I certainly wasn't the only foreigner to attend. I spent the day with a core group of seven people, including myself. We consisted of two Brits, two Italians, one German and two Americans. At times we were joined by a group of three or four more Germans. So why should foreign st...

I spent so much time writing this that I thought I ought to save it somewhere - so here it is! Further information: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/15527.aspx I think it is a bad idea. It doesn't apply to the area I live in but I still have a valid opinion! 1. Many people who work in jobs with a low income have to take buses to work. The efficiency of these buses is dependent on the level of traffic on the roads they operate on. Removing the congestion charge for half of London will INCREASE the number of cars on the road. This will make the daily commute for poorer people more difficult. 2. More cars on the road also means a more difficult and hazardous journey for cyclists. 3. The only people who are going to benefit from this are the rich. Yummy mummies who spend all day at the spa and then drive their Hummers on the school run will be delighted. Meanwhile, mothers who are juggling full time careers with children at school and no childcare will suffer from a m...

Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”, and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and to authentic and integral human development – wars, international and regional conflicts, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”. -Pope Benedict XVI, If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation , 1 January 2010 Good to see that the Pope is taking leadership in this issue, because Christianity is responsible for a de...

When it comes to climate change, the 'doing our bit' approach to saving the planet has more in common with medieval theology than it does with any kind of progress in reducing global emissions. As a response to manmade climate change, the 'Cult of Self Sustainability' is ineffective, self indulgent and downright dangerous. Like our more pious ancestors who struggled to adhere to the rules of Christian morality, it is virtually impossible for the majority of us to live a carbon free lifestyle. Eat meat? A kilogram of beef has the same footprint as a three hour car journey. Vegetarian? You might eat a lot of cheese and yogurt and many these products have a larger footprint than eating poultry. Drink alcohol? It's produced from crops grown on land that could otherwise be used for food or that could have been preserved as forest. Own a pet? The carbon footprint of a dog can nullify whatever efforts you've made to live sustainably. And wherever you are, it's pre...