TOXIC CHEMICALS

Sunday, 30 May 2010


FROM GREENPEACE

Dell can do better. Tell CEO Michael Dell to honour his commitments and phase out the use of toxic chemicals.

Dear friend,

I've got a short story to share with you: it starts in 2006 when computer giant Dell announced they'd quit using the most harmful toxic chemicals in their electronics by the end of 2009.
At the time that was a great start and CEO Michael Dell set the bar for the rest of the industry with his public commitment.
Now it's almost June 2010 and Dell still hasn't made a single computer that's free from PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs).
Meanwhile many of its competitors have already done so. Why is Dell going back on its very public promise? There's no excuse.

What have we done to the world?

Wednesday, 19 May 2010



We need to think about our sons and daughters, we need to stop thinking just in ourselves. Michael Jackson thought the same and he tried to call our attention. We just don't care. And why? We are too egocentric. The Earth needs us, we can't turn our backs.
Enjoy it.
Ana Pereira

You don't have to be green, to be green!

Tuesday, 18 May 2010



This is MTV Switch green awareness commercial. MTV Switch is MTV Networks International's global climate change campaign.
Our "big old planet" is slowly dying and human beings are provoking this phenomenon. Taking care of the environment is everyone's responsibility! Values like respect (for nature and especially) for life, humility, democracy, (self and collective) responsibility and sensibility must prevail!
Environmental problems are strictly related to the economy and to social justice issues and that's the reason why some developed countries put their interests first and forget that the Earth is our home!
I like how this ad makes the eco concept fun and natural, without taking its original meaning. It doesn't use big words or confusing terms, it just uses basic concepts and gives solutions!
It's time to Switch!!!
I hope you like it :)
Daniela

Official video of the International Year of Biodiversity 2010

Monday, 17 May 2010




  Well, unfortunately the dance isn´t everything and to aggravate the situation a problem arose  in my leg and I will have to stop dancing for a month, which makes me very sad. However, I'll take this month of rest for me to improve my English.
   Since we are learning biodiversity, I gathered some data on the subject and also a video to complement.


   2010 is the year to address the issue of biodiversity of the United Nations 2010 Biodiversity target. This target was adopted by the Convention of Biodiversity and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly at the 2005 World Summit. The target encourages countries of the world to commit "to achieve, by 2010, a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level, as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth"
      The United Nations has deep concern regarding the continued loss of biological diversity and the social, economic, environmental and cultural implications that this is having and will continue to have. In the Resolution of the General Assembly in 2007 member countries, including Australia, were encouraged to:
- Consider establishing national committees for the international Year of Biodiversity;
- Take advantage of the International Year of Biodiversity to increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity by promoting actions at the local, regional and international levels,
- support the activities to be organized by developing countries, especially least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition.
      This makes 2010 a great year for us to think about biodiversity. Not only should we celebrate the amazing diversity of our planet, we also need to reflect on the targets to change our atitudes towrds our "HOME"

    By:Joana Marques

A change is possible - Findhorn Eco Village

A sustainable community, harmlessly integrated into the natural environment.


Findhorn Eco Village combines local organic food production, ecological building, energy systems, and cooperative, social economies to create a fully sustainable community: it is an ecologically respectful built environment, providing a good example to local rural communities. It provides a sustainable way of life for residents, demonstrates co-creation with nature, and supplies a place to educate in living sustainability. The Findhorn Community, which began in 1962 in a caravan park in northeast Scotland, is known internationally for its experiments with new models of holistic and sustainable living. Cooperation and co-creation with nature have always been tenets of the community’s work, ever since it became famous in the late 1960s for its remarkable and beautiful gardens grown in adverse conditions on the sand dunes of the Findhorn peninsula.
There is an increasingly urgent need for positive models that demonstrate a viable, sustainable future for humans and the planet. The Findhorn Foundation, established by the community in 1972, is a major centre of holistic education, conducting programmes for more than 4,500 residential visitors a year from more than 50 countries. Today it is the heart of what has become one of largest holistic communities in the world and is the centre of this rapidly developing eco village. Since 1981 the foundation has been involved in the development of the Ecovillage Project as a natural continuation of the community’s work with nature. A number of other organisations within the community work in partnership with the foundation to help create and develop the Findhorn Ecovillage Project.

The benefits
Society
Holistic living means establishing a direct, harmonic relation between nature and man and promotes tolerance and respect in the society

Environment
Findhorn integrates local organic food production, ecological building, and energy systems in a fully sustainable community.

Economy
New tools for low-energy living have emrged, as have new business models that enable technical innovations to be disseminated.

Environmental Sustainability




This video has got not only a very nice song from Evanescence, but it also sums up a few ideas about our topic in class. The goal of learning for sustainability is to guide us to take actions that result in sustainable living for the benefit of present and future generations. Besides, there's loads of vocabulary you should know by the end of the unit.

Dance in Spain

Saturday, 15 May 2010


Hi
I bring a video with me dancing again . This championship was held in Spain in February this year. I confess that this championship was very important for me because after nine years of practicing ballroom dancing I have reached the highest step. Adult International. This is the last level of dance which can only be achieved with hard work and dedication.

The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes

Saturday, 8 May 2010

Severn Cullis-Suzuki was born on November 30th of 1979, when she was 12 she attended the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 with some members of a group she created when she was only 9: the Environmental Children's Organization (ECO), a group of children dedicated to learning and teaching other youngsters about environmental issues.

While in the summit she made a 5 minute-long speech to the delegates present, the speech and the video that followed made her famous as “The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes“ and in 1993 she was honored in the United Nations Environment Program's Global 500 Roll of Honor.

Here’s the video of her speech, although the subtitles are in portuguese there are a bit off and came with the video. Hope you like it.












Think green by Andreia Pinto

Friday, 7 May 2010


Although this video has nothing to do with the theme that we started in class, I thought that it was a good idea to show you what we can do together. It was a different day that will certainly be unforgettable!
by Daniela Pineu.

The World Around Us

Tuesday, 4 May 2010

Can anyone be indifferent to climate changes? This powerpoint was cretated as a warm-up for the students who will have to be able to discuss about issues such as - Global environmental threats; Overpopulation, genetics and bioethical issues; Changing our living patterns.


The story of stuff

Monday, 3 May 2010



As we are going to start looking into "the worls around us", it is of the utmost importance that you all watch this movie. I am sure it will help you understand how we are treating our "home", the planet, and that it is urgent to change our atitudes and our consumerist habits.

How I edit my Character by Vânia Amaral

Sunday, 2 May 2010


Finally I did it. Here you can see how I edit my character Akemi Hangeng.
Hope you enjoy it

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