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FW: Youth Sustainable Consumption Challenge (fwd)
Subject: Youth Sustainable Consumption Challenge (fwd)
>> To all Canadian youth interested in promoting sustainable consumption!
>>
>> "Since 1950 the global economy has nearly quintupled. The consumption of
>> grain, beef and mutton/lamb has all but tripled, and the same for water,
>> while paper consumption has risen six times. The combustion of fossil
>fuels
>> has grown nearly four-fold, and carbon emissions likewise. Some of this,
>> e.g. consumption of water and paper, could become sustainable through
>> greater recycling, but much of the rest cannot be made sustainable with
>> current and foreseeable technologies." Our consumption oriented economy
>and
>> culture is a extremely important issue that needs to be addressed. The
>> Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) in partnership with the United Nations
>> Environment Programme is concerned about current unsustainable
consumption
>> patterns and we are ready to do something now.
>>
>> EYA is a non-profit charity dedicated to improving our urban environment.
>> Some of our work consists of environmental construction, energy/climate
>> change models, and urban water stewardship project that educate through
>> hands-on experience. We have created greenspaces that reintroduce native
>> plants back into the city and gardens that can be used by community
>members
>> to grow food. We believe that youth are the cornerstone of our community
>and
>> we promote this through programs focused on enhancing youth community
>> involvement.
>>
>> EYA in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program is
>currently
>> beginning a project called the 'Sustainable Consumption Challenge', which
>is
>> centered around promoting awareness of sustainable consumption in Canada.
>> Sustainable consumption means using, disposing, and transforming
resources
>> in a way that minimizes harm to the environment, while supporting the
well
>> being of people. The project will invite youth (up to and including
>30yrs.
>> of age) from across the country and from all walks of life to tell us
what
>> they are doing and what ideas they have to encourage sustainable
>consumption
>> in their community.
>>
>> There are two categories to the challenge. The first will be examples of
>> projects or activities that youth are doing in their community which best
>> demonstrate what they believe to be sustainable consumption. The second
>will
>> be ideas that youth have on how all Canadians can consume more
>sustainably.
>> All entries will be peer-evaluated and there will be $1500 in prizes for
>the
>> winners.
>>
>> The final result will be Step Lightly: Youth Action on Sustainable
>> Consumption, a booklet that will include the best practices and ideas of
>> youth on sustainable consumption. There will be a special section to
>> highlight the winners of the challenge. We will also include the best
>> practices from other youth around the world participating in theUNEP
>Global
>> Youth Sustainable Consumption Strategy. Information about and contacts
for
>> the Youth Round Table Advisory group to the Minister of the Environment,
>the
>> Canadian Environmental Network youth caucus, the United Nations
>Environment
>> Programme Youth Advisors, Environment Canada, and all the profiled
>> participants will be available in the booklet.
>> This booklet will not only profile the projects and ideas of young
people,
>> but will also provide a wonderful resource and inspiration for youths
>> interested in starting their own projects. The project will also raise
>> awareness of consumption as a key environmental issue, bringing the term
>> 'sustainable consumption' into people's vocabulary. The booklet will be
>> able to be used as a fundraising tool for individual groups and will
>> hopefully help us to find funding for the best ideas.
>>
>> To make this project happen we still need a few things, some of which you
>> may be able to help us with. They are:
>>
>> CONTACTS We will be sending out a package containing much more
>> information on sustainable consumption, this project, and will have an
>> application guide inside. More importantly, we need people to send this
>> package to! Please give us the names and contact information (including
>> e-mail addresses) of any people or groups that may be interested in
having
>> any part in this project. We want the booklet to be all inclusive and
>would
>> appreciate as many contacts as possible. As well, inform us if you or
>your
>> group would like to receive your own package.
>>
>> EVALUATORS An evaluation committee will be compiled of a small group
of
>> youth who have had significant experience with sustainability issues and
>are
>> not representing organizations that are participating in the challenge.
In
>> other words, evaluators are not eligible for prizes, but will have a
>special
>> place in the booklet. Preference will be given to those who are
bilingual.
>>
>> A FRANCOPHONE CONTACT This person will carefully evaluate francophone
>> submissions based on the evaluation criteria and will also review
>anglophone
>> submissions.
>>
>> We hope you choose to participate in the 'Sustainable Consumption
>Challenge'
>> or at least help us out by providing us with contact names. If you need
>any
>> more information or to send us contact names, EYA can be reached by
phone,
>> (604) 689-4463, or by fax, (604) 689-4242.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>> Sara Wickert,
>> On behalf of Karun Koernig,
>>
>> Direct all correspondence to:
>>
>> unepyac_canada@hotmail.com
>> Environmental Youth Alliance
>> PO BOX 34097 Station D Vancouver BC V6J 4M1
>> Phone 604 689 4463
>> Fax 604 689 4242
>>
>> BACKGROUND ON THE UNEP YOUTH ADVISORY
>> The UNEP Youth Advisory Council was created to link UNEP more closely
with
>> youth ENGO activities on the ground in countries all over the world.
>> Currently there are over 40 associate advisors, and a core group of 12
>youth
>> advisors who make decisions about coordinated international activities.
>> Karun Koernig (of Environmental Youth Alliance) is one of the twelve
>> advisors (two from each region), who is in this core group of advisors.
>>
>> At the 1999 governing session, where all the ministers meet to give UNEP
>its
>> direction for the next two years, UNEP YAC decided to ask for a concrete
>> youth mandate to be added to UNEP's workplan. The proposal that was
>accepted
>> was the "Global Youth Strategy for Sustainable Consumption."
>>
>> The Global Youth Strategy for Sustainable Consumption is being launched
>> simultaneously in 25 countries in mid-December 1999. The purpose of the
>> strategy is to:
>>
>> - · investigate the role of youth in promoting sustainable consumption,
>> - · engage a global process of consultation on this topic,
>> - · set-up actions to promote sustainable consumption among youth.
>>
>> The role of youth in reaching sustainable consumption patterns is
>essential
>> because:
>>
>> - youth make up a distinct consumer category, its nature requires a
>> different approach than the so far adopted in sustainable consumption
>> activities;
>>
>> - a large portion of family consumption is directly or indirectly
>influenced
>> by youth;
>>
>> - youth must be considered as tomorrow's consumers, the consumption
>patterns
>> and desires acquired today will influence their adult life style, hence
>the
>> future global consumption patterns.
>>
>> In order to meaningfully address environmental issues it is important to
>> look at the consumption (or demand side) of development. Both in
developed
>> and developing countries perceptions of desirable consumption patterns
>will
>> greatly affect the future patterns of production. Consumption and
>production
>> can be two sides of one coin, however most of the worlds attention has
>been
>> focused on policies and measures to change production patterns without
>> looking at underlying assumptions about consumption behaviour.
>>
>> ______________________________________________________
>> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>--------------------------
>***************************************************************************
*
>********
>Alberta Environmental Network Ph:(780) 433-9302 Fax:(780) 433-9305
>(Affiliate of the Canadian Environmental Network)
>10511 Saskatchewan Drive, Edm. AB, T6E 4S1
>Email: aen@web.net
>Website: Http://www.web.net/~aen/
>
>AEN Staff: Barry Breau - Managing Director
>***************************************************************************
*
>*******
>
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