Your Favorite Part of the Earth Charter
Because we did not manage to have time to go through this discussion during today's session, please answer to the questions here:
• What was your favorite principle?
• Write down your understanding of this principle.
• Why you chose it
• Give two examples of where this principle is used?
• How can you apply it in your own life? Do you already do so?
This post was edited on: 2011-03-08 at 04:06 PM by: Jaana Laitinen (Moderator)
8 Replies
My favourite principle is RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE.
I choose it because its reflect the lifestyle of my community in which I live in Sierra Leone.
Examples where this can be used are:
1. Mabayla sea side community
2. Croo bay Community where every year lives and properties are destroyed due to environmental disaster. Community have no respect to the fact that all beings are independent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
This principles can be apply not only to my own life but also, having got this great lesson there is need to take the skills gained to the community in practies through project implementation in order to eduate the community on the issues and the important of life not only human but all life on earth.
This pronciples teaches me that every live thing is equal or has a value to live, move freely without supprssion but with love and ompassion to each and everyone. Also, there is a symbiotic relationship among living thing on earth. One should not undermind the other ie the Universal human rights, democracy, sustainable development,universal responsibility of everyone own something, power or who so ever live on the earth we are today.
The video talk about the history of the Earth Charter International since 1992 in Brazil and the draft of the charter in Netherlands in 1995 and the official Launching in 2000. I am also moved by the way children are used as example to demostrate the issues relating to the environment. Also I am so much impressed by the worldwide contributions such as the contributions from different leaders aroud the world in values to put policies and programs to make the world a safer place to live.
My favorite section of the Earth Charter is The Challenges Ahead from the Preamble, and the quote is, "We must realize that, when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more."
This value is important to our changing world today because, as we advance our technology and make more and more things, we are required to become smarter, more earth-conscious people in order to keep that technology from destroying the environment. As we make more, we have to become more too.
This applies to all technology in that, when we no longer need our electronics, like our cell phone or our computer breaks down, we must figure out new ways of recycling in order to keep these materials from filling landfills. Our factories that manufacture all this technology have to be instructed and forced to limit the carbon dioxide that they produce in the process, because otherwise, they would only pay attention to the product they were manufacturing.
In my life, I use more food, more plastic products, everything by the day. I have these available to me but I have to have the values to realize that these aren't the most important things in life: the environment is. And I value it and limit my use of everything to protect it.
1)Social and Economic Justice
2) For me the social and economic justice is to provide equal opportunities for development and success to humans.
3)I chose this principle because it is the solution to the ills that blight humans on Earth.
4) Several armed struggles in Africa and the world revolve around a problem that is the maldistribution of wealth of the state (egg: The Niger Delta) and a fair distribution of wealth can save lives and bring men to engage in the resolution of other problems like the environment.
Hunger, food insecurity, real handicaps to development. Through the social and economic justice we can free the Cape of famine in developing countries and a commitment to genuine development.
a social and economic justice in my personal life is to recognize the rights of others, understand that it is equal to me, whatever its sex, and especially to know and understand that I have a duty of solidarity and fraternity towards him .
yes, i try
-My favorite part is
" Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative. "
-I chose this principle because only by eradicating poverty, we would have people who care about how to give back and become responsible for Earth and enlightened about ecological issues.
-This principle is applied at "International Education and Resouce Network" in Egypt, which one of its principles is eradicating poverty
-I already do apply this principle by simply acknowledging my responsibility to give back to the poor and spreading knowledge by taking part of organized campaigns that aim to spreading the word about how poverty is not an unavoidable status quo; its just a result of us not maintaining the balance of nature.
1. My favourite principle in the Earth Charter is the very first principle that states “Respect Earth and life in all its diversity”
2. This principle basically means that mutual respect must be given to all life forms on Earth, including the Earth itself. It means treating the environment, animals and humans among others with the same level of respect that one would expect. Respecting the Earth or other diversity means we do not abuse diversity but create environments that are not inimical or counter productive and thus a better environment to live.
3. I selected this principle because I believe the other principles of the charter are spin offs of this concept. If as individuals we respect earth and all its diversity then it means many of the other principles can be achieved. Respecting diversity means that we will not exploit or treat humans, the environment and other entities around us with disdain. If we do respect all level of diversity then it means we can achieve stable democratic societies, sustainable environments, integrated communities, and help to eradicate poverty among many others which will take us a step closer to achieving sustainable development.
4. This principle is used by mostly human rights organization. These organizations promote mutual respects for all. It is also used by environment agencies.
5. I have tried to apply this to my life by treating everything around me with respect. I have started my own recycling habits though this is not popular in my country. I ensure that I discard my garbage properly, treat my friends and family with respect, and treat all the people I work or relate to with respect. I have tried to understand all level of diversity.
• What was your favorite principle?
• Write down your understanding of this principle.
• Why you chose it
• Give two examples of where this principle is used?
• How can you apply it in your own life? Do you already do so?
- My favorite principle is the following:
12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.
This principle is for me all about solidarity against discrimination. I've worked a few years in the Arctic in a Inuit community, in a Inuit family. I have been able to open myself to their native culture. (Inuit are first nations from Canada, also known as Eskimos)
I've found that them and I have many things in common. We wish for equal rights, ethical treatment of all living beings. They have a keen sense of what I call the Earth Equilibrium. I've just begun to explore what that means for me, but I know that the Earth Charter reflects this philosophy.
This principle is about enabling each human being to be all that he or she can be. In Canada, which is a very industrialized and developped country, there are still many issues to deal with. Human rights, war and peace issues, gender rights, LGBT rights and many more issues don't get enough talk time in the legislature.
I also see in this principle the value of citizenship. Citizenship is my primary cause for which I work. I want all, especially youth, to take charge of their citizenship. This means being able to be heard by democratically elected decision-makers. It also means that youth can also play a role "IN" the decision making. We just have to build and maintain an environment where this citizenship can shine.
So I chose this principle because it is resounding. It makes my heart tick. It makes my job as a youth worker that much more amazing. I apply this principle in the work I do, but also in the words I use in person, online, and at work.
It's nice to read everyone else's contributions.
Cheers from Canada.
Jason Doiron
My favorite principle is “ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY“
I believe that the race of industrial development has led to the overexploitation of the natural resources world over and it’s the developing countries which have been badly hit. Whether it be land or air or water, each and every element necessary for human life has been contaminated to a certain extent.
But now it’s the high time when all humans have to think and work together so that we could lead a happy life and bring about a thinking of sustainable development so that our coming generations could witness the nature and its resources as they are in present.
I am proud that I am working in the same field. We at our NGO have worked on various water conservation techniques, have established various water tanks and rain water harvesting models in desert prone areas. We are presently working to initiate a Green City Project in which we would go for massive plantation in and around the city.
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future.
Way forward- We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice and culture of peace.
I choose this because of the fact that two or more people can not achieve a common goal without agreeing to do so. United we stand, but devided we fall. Unless we agree as n entity to fight a common foe, we can not bring forth a sustinable global society, founded on all the principles mentioned above.
Santigie Bayo Dumbuya
Mar 13, 2011 at 12:13 PM