Sustainable living Learning objectives are to understand more about; Definition Carbon footprint and trash town The 3R’s Renewable energy Ireland and the environment. Community work. Energy day and earth hour. Paris climate change agreement and previous climate change talks. Animal world and endangered animals

Define Sustainable living We are all entrusted with the care of planet earth and all of its resources so that we can pass planet earth (in good condition) to the next generations to come. We live a sustainable life by not over using the earths resources, by protecting nature, by using renewable energy, electric cars and by the 3R's of reduce, reuse, recycle

Problems planet earth faces People and organisations are using too much fossil fuels which is leading to Climate change resulting in extreme weather, spreading of disease, disruption of ecosystems, extinction of nature and animals, flooding, sewage issues, drought and shortage of water in regions. Fracking for oil leading to destabilization of the earth's crust. Over using earth's resources. No wild fish left in 50 years if we continue to use same trawlers with massive nets and expert radar for finding fish. Too much rubbish and waste.

Carbon footprints How many tonnes of waste do you use? 12 tonnes per person in Ireland whereas .3 tonnes per year in Kenya. Carbon footprint is a measure of how much a person's activities affect the environment. How much greenhouse gases do our actions produce? Measured in CO2 (carbon dioxide) Primary footprint: burning fossil fuels(oil, coal, gas etc) by transport and energy.e.g petrol or diesel for the car or oil and gas at home. Secondary footprint: The products we use and how they are made, binned and transported.

Trashtowns and the 3 R’s To improve our towns we can repair and use - Solutions to problems in stewardship continued: Solar power. Huge new plants in Meath. Nuclear power: Sellafield in England across from Dundalk. Wind farms in Wexford , Donegal and the midlands.

Ireland and the environment The water pollution act 1997 Letter pollution act 1997 Tax on plastic bags 2002 Weee charge to retailers if electrician goods aren't disposed of responsibly. 2009 ban on high energy waste light bulbs 40% vehicles electric by 2030 and building electric points for charging . Education campaigns and green schools Earth hour 28th March and earth day 22 April.

Communities helping the environment Rush beach and park clean ups Tidy towns. (Meet every Sat morning in Rush) National spring clean every April. Community gardens and flower upkeep. Riverbank clean ups E.g Dundrum UNESCO young environmentalists awards. I could turn lights and red lights off. I could turn tap off. I could cycle to school and everywhere local. I could join orgnisations that help the environment .

EU and our Minister for Environment Denis Naughton was Minister for the Environment and the department was called the department of the environment, housing and flooding who is the new one and what's it now called? Eu wants to promote switch off electricity, recycle and walk more. Passes laws. Provides grants and has meetings. Having your own Pet: What ifyou go away on holiday or go away for a weekend? What about feeding and walking every day? Are you responsible enough yet?

Paris climate change agreement and previous deals Paris climate change agreement 2015 21st agreement with 195 States Parties, including the UK. USA have recently pulled out under trump. limit global temperature rises to at least 2 degrees Celsius (above pre-industrial times), highlighting that the impacts would pose a threat to humanity and could lead to irreversible climate change. a transition to a clean economy and low carbon society. The key points of the Paris agreement are summarised below. The agreement is due to come into force in 2020. Mitigation: reducing emissions Governments agreed: A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels; To aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, countries submitted comprehensive national climate action plans (INDCs). Come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as Governments agreed to: Strengthen developing societies’ ability to deal with the impacts of climate change; : Recognises the that sustainability, environmental resilience and global responsibility at the heart of all decision making.

Animal welfare and endangered animals Animal rights: conditions, testin, zoo, circus, sport. Animal welfare: Look after them well and ensure they don't suffer needlessly.

Helpful organisations World Wildlife Fund Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Conservation is trying to save species from extinction like the dodo bird extinction. Black Rhino, Polar bears, Giant Panda and the Blue whale. (Size of 5 elephants)