Your Planet Needs YOU!
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The UNEP Magazine for Youth for young people · by young people · about young people Your planet needs YOU! Copenhagen countdown Save Jaws! Diverse harmony Trash to treasure Growing together T 77.1.1 EEngng vv4.indd4.indd 1 99/4/09/4/09 110:45:060:45:06 TUNZA the UNEP magazine for youth. To view current CONTENTS and past issues of this publication online, please visit www.unep.org Editorial 3 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Countdown to Copenhagen 4 PO Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya Tel (254 20) 7621 234 Fax (254 20) 7623 927 Environmental fi esta 4 Telex 22068 UNEP KE E-mail [email protected] Trash to treasure 6 www.unep.org ISSN 1727-8902 One Planet Living 6 Director of Publication Satinder Bindra Editor Geoffrey Lean Growing together 8 Special Contributor Wondwosen Asnake Youth Editors Karen Eng, Joseph Lacey TUNZA answers your questions 10 Nairobi Coordinator Naomi Poulton Head, UNEP’s Children and Youth Unit Theodore Oben Garden shelters 11 Circulation Manager Manyahleshal Kebede Design Edward Cooper, Ecuador Wishes for WED 12 Production Banson Front cover photo Robert vanWaarden Diverse harmony 14 Youth Contributors Eugina Capalbo, Argentina; Chan Sze Meun, Malaysia; Claire Hastings, Canada; Paulina Monforte Herrero, Mexico; Ruchi A sporting chance 15 Jain, India; HyunJin Jeon, Republic of Korea; Nelson Kamau, Kenya; Ely Katembo, Democratic Action stations 16 Republic of Congo; Carlos Bartesaghi Koc, Peru; Sinead McNamara, Ireland; Rose Maria Laden Nielsen, Denmark; Maurice Odera, Kenya; Safety fi rst 17 Elizabeth Akinyi Odhiambo, Kenya; Rohit Pansare, India; Samuel Lim Yong Peng, Singapore; Jason Save Jaws! 18 Rozumalski, United States of America; Hodei Rubio-Lacey, Ireland; Lívia Maria dos Santos, Brazil; Sara Svensson, Sweden; Ramanathan It’s only natural 20 Thurairajoo (NYAA GAHA Exco), Singapore. Other Contributors Jane Bowbrick; Duncan Seven energy wonders 22 Bridgeman; Jamie Catto; Pooran Desai, BioRegional; Mark Eng; Elizabeth Girmaye, Timret Le Hiwot; Richard Harvey; Joseph Jagero, MYSA; Liza Malm; Sara Oldfi eld, BGCI; Mike Rutzen; Rosey Simonds and David Woollcombe, Peace Child International. Printed in the United Kingdom The contents of this magazine do not necessarily refl ect the views or policies of UNEP or the editors, nor are they an offi cial record. The designations employed and the presentation do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part UNEP and Bayer, the German-based around the world and develop new of UNEP concerning the legal status of any country, territory or city or its authority, or concerning the international enterprise involved youth programmes. Projects include: delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. in health care, crop science and TUNZA Magazine, the International materials science, are working Children’s Painting Competition on together to strengthen young people’s the Environment, the Bayer Young environmental awareness and engage Environmental Envoy in Partner ship UNEP promotes children and youth in environmental with UNEP, the UNEP Tunza environmentally sound practices issues worldwide. International Youth/Children’s globally and in its own activities. This Conference, youth environmental magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper, The partnership agreement, renewed networks in Africa, Asia Pacifi c, using vegetable-based inks and other eco- to run through 2010, lays down a Europe, Latin America, North America friendly practices. Our distribution policy aims basis for UNEP and Bayer to enlarge and West Asia, the Asia-Pacifi c Eco- to reduce UNEP’s carbon footprint. their long standing collaboration to Minds forum, and a photo competition, bring successful initiatives to countries ‘Ecology in Focus’, in Eastern Europe. 2 TUNZA Vol 7 No 1 T 77.1.1 EEngng vv4.indd4.indd 2 99/4/09/4/09 110:45:190:45:19 EDITORIAL COOL & COOLER COOL: It takes more energy to bring a pan of water to ackling climate change presents a curious paradox. 100°C – i.e. boiling – than it does to heat a small room from It seems so big and overwhelming a task that it is freezing to 21°C. So it saves energy to cook one-pot meals Thard to see how anything we do, as individuals, can – like stews, soups and stir-fries with chopped ingredients, possibly have any effect on bringing it under control. And which take less time to cook. And it saves on the washing yet the truth is that unless we, in our hundreds of millions, up, and the energy used to heat the water for it. take simple actions to reduce our carbon footprints, there is no chance of being able to save the climate in which COOLER: Even more energy can be saved by just boiling food human civilization has grown and fl ourished. The trouble briefl y, removing it from the heat and letting the hot water is that – since such a vast collective effort is needed – it is do the rest. And it enhances fl avour too. A recipe? Here’s all too easy to do nothing until everyone else acts. But that whole poached Chinese-style chicken. Cover the chicken would be a recipe for disaster. As UN Secretary General with water, put the lid on, bring to the boil and simmer for Ban Ki Moon puts it: ‘We are on a dangerous path. Our 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken to poach planet is warming. We must change our ways.’ in the water for one hour, keeping the lid on to prevent heat loss. When the chicken’s juices run clear when pricked, drain Of course governments must introduce the measures that off the cooking broth and save it for soup. Chop and serve on make it easier for us to do the right thing, and remove rice with a dressing of minced spring onion, ginger and oil. the perverse ones – like subsidizing energy or energy- intensive practices – that keep us in bad habits. They must COOLEST: Many foods – like vegetables, seeds, fruits, nuts reform tax systems and other fi nancial incentives to make and cereals – are great eaten raw. Nutritionists say they are it more profi table not to pollute. They must introduce often healthier that way too. And eating raw foods can have regulations, where necessary, to curb destructive practices a big impact on a family’s energy consumption. and products and establish binding targets to ensure that global emissions of greenhouse gases are rapidly and permanently reduced. And, above all, they must reach a COOL: Starting a no-plastic-bags campaign in local shops. comprehensive new agreement at December’s crucial climate change negotiations in Copenhagen to avert the COOLER: ‘Carrotmobbing’. What? It’s a new idea for getting dangerous heating up of our planet. lots of people (the ‘mob’) to reward good commercial behaviour (the ‘carrot’ as opposed to the stick) – for example But, in the end it is down to us. Never before has it been so when a shop promises to devote part of its proceeds to imperative that we observe the old maxim that we should environmental improvement and is rewarded by customers ‘be the change we want to see’. It starts with reducing spending to support it. The fi rst ‘carrotmob event’ took our own impact on the planet, not least by eliminating place in San Francisco in 2008 when environmentalist Brent wasteful use of energy. It may go on to mobilizing others Schulkin arranged for consumers to fl ock to a grocery store to take action or mount campaigns. This issue of TUNZA that promised to invest 22 per cent of the day’s sales in contains examples of both. We must all – and not just our energy-effi ciency improvements. leaders – UNite to combat climate change. Your planet needs YOU! 3 T 77.1.1 EEngng vv4.indd4.indd 3 99/4/09/4/09 110:45:200:45:20 Countdown to Copenhagen Negotiations for a new treaty to combat climate change culminate in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. We asked TUNZA readers what they are doing to prepare for it. Rose Maria Laden Nielsen, Denmark, says: My hope is not just for an agreement strong enough to cut ‘Being the host country of the meeting – which could change greenhouse gas emissions, but for one that does not neglect human activity – places a large responsibility on the Danish biodiversity and human rights. Sustainability and ecological people. But we are ready, and there’s excitement in the air. justice are both important if any accord is to succeed in the long The world will see our effi cient heating and waste-to-energy term. But I do have faith that my country will do its very best to systems, our energy-conserving households and industry, ensure that an ambitious climate agreement is reached.’ some of the world’s highest fuel taxes and – not least – our iconic wind turbines. But our coal-based energy generation, Ely Katembo, Democratic Republic of Congo, says: diesel-powered public transport, and increasing private car ‘As a youth delegate at last year’s negotiating conference ownership and meat production and consumption will also in Poznan, Poland, I was often asked what I thought were be exposed. the most important things to consider in achieving a new agreement. My answer is that climate change dispro por- Copenhagen is already preparing for a huge infl ux of young tionately affects poor countries, yet African people who are people from around the world. So far, four Danish ministries directly affected by it do not even know why and how it is have coordinated meetings in preparation for the youth happening. Instead, they blame God for severe drought, events and statements on action, trying to get an overview of hunger and civil confl ict.