Meeting the Needs of the Present without Compromising the Future...

Sustainable Development(Highlights)
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The title of this blog post is what the Brundtland Commission sees as the definition of sustainable development. That we are advancing and developing out technological world, without effecting the next generations to come. I do not believe we are abiding by this at all! We can see all of the topics from the beginning of this course and it is simple to come to the conclusion that we are not participating in sustainable development. From the pollution created through hog farming, climate change issues that have increased drastically over the last 50 years, issues of sustainable living in third world countries and the exploitation of the native Indians. When i think of all the effects technology has had on our environment, it clear we are destroying ourselves and headed on a path of self destruction.
There are many advances in the area of sustainable development, which is a small start to a large global issue.
Solar Power: has become one of the leading forms of sustainable development as we can take the natural rays of the run and convert it into usable energy for cars and homes.




Wind Turbine: A new form of energy creation, where natural wind allows the development of energy for everyday life







These two examples are just some of the forms of sustainable development that we need to consider in order to make sure we leave the next generation with something they can survive on.

What about the Natives?

When Alex came into guest speak last Thursday, regarding the rights to land and resources of the Native people in Ontario, it was a wake up call. I had heard about the struggles that most aboriginals had with the Canadian government in trying to claim what was theirs. But, I did not know the extent to which race and culture played an important role. He made a point that when the 6 Nations Native's moved locations due to a rise in water levels, that the new location did not suffice what they originally had. They were put onto land that did not give them space to grow crops, hunt and live according to their cultural right. They were put into semidetached type 'row homes', totally disconnecting them from the origins of their ancestors. It has created much uproar in the communities both in southern and northern Ontario. When he discussed his experiences in the blockaide in the Ojebewa tribe of the grassy narrows, i was shocked at some of the facts and experience he put forward. He claimed having been dressed fully in black, with a mask even covering his face to make it seem he was of indian decent. This allowed for police to leave him alone, as they have this stereotypical notion that 'indians come in large numbers.' Through this society has created a negative connotation about what Indians are fighting for and what they represent. Not to mention their cultural ties to the land and the resources that reside on their reserves. By taking their trees, and valuable resources these developers are, 'raping their mother' as Alex put it. They are simply trying to reclaim the land that once theirs, and to ask developers to not use their resources to better the rest of society. This is a fair argument in my eyes, it just seems that the media has chosen to make them look like enemies to modern world of technologies.

Unsustainable living...for whom does it apply?

In the presentation from last class, the issues of clean drinking water became the main topic for discussion in regards to countries such as India and Africa. When corporations are coming into these regions and depleting their water sources and eliminating some of them all together, we begin to wonder how they are doing this? Who has the right to prevent a resource that everyone has an equal right to, such as water? That is what I feel is the main argument in this water crisis and the unsustainable living it produces.
No one in my opinion should have the right to OWN water, who is to say that water is theirs and they can prevent millions of people from drinkable water in order to better their company and spread their markets. Companies like Coke, which were referred to in the film from class, have taken this exploitation method of creating their product. Water is taken from villages in India and replaced with unsanitary and undrinkable water for the rest of the community. Fresh water that used to be available is now used in creating coke products in factories across India.
There need to tighter regulation across boarders, which make it illegal to exploit such people in their attempt to live healthy life. Water is a necessity and these communities are being deprived of their right to a sustainable life. These issues would never arise in the developed world, as we have the power to create sustainable lives and adequate access to life resources. So why does this happen in other parts of the world? Just because we are not seeing the effects of our own corporations on other nations, why does this make it alright?
The new solar water filters implemented in parts of India was a smart and successful idea in the aim for a solution. There are other solutions like the life straw and other nations need to catch on to this! and soon!

Climate Change...Believe it or Not?!

In the twenty first century we are being ambushed with this notion of climate change, that humans are destroying the earth at a rapid pace. We know all the facts and the many solutions pitched at us from companies and leaders. But you really start to wonder how much is truely being done and what is really causing this climate change of the world. Should we trust the scientists that have been hired by companies to save their 'asses', to make them look like they are not guilty of any greenhouse gas emissions?
It is hard to honestly come to a conclusion about what this issue really is and how big of an impact it will really have on us in the future. We can deal with now and I think thats where people need to wake up and realize that we CAN help the now, and we should not dwell on what we HAVE done in the past.
In our seminar we showed the video An inconvenient Truth by Al Gore, which shows the effort of the united states in stepping up to the plate. You can question his stats and wonder how much truth he actaully speaks, but the effects are visible and undenyiable. There is an issue with climate change and looking to the state of the arctic just north of Canada, we can see visual evidence. The meltlig of glaciers is not only causing harm to the animals like polar bears which rely on ice caps for rest, but the basic waming of the north causes concern for further warming of the south. If most of the southern states have temperatures almost unabreable fo rhumans, what will happen in the next 50 years when temperatuers are so high we cannot go outside inthe direct sunlight anymore?