Save our future The First Annual Conference Group leader Kay Alagidi May 25 th, 2010

" If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." Maya Angelou.

Introduction: Our environment today is totally polluted. Look around you; there is pollution in the air, pollution when organic materials are being burned, when inhaled, air pollutants affect directly our lungs and respiratory system, which can be transported by the blood stream throughout the body. From the deposition in the environment, air pollutants can also contaminate food and water. Our world consists of 70% of water. Yet a big portion of it is contaminated with junk and other things like: oil, chemicals, biological contaminants, etc.. Therefore, reducing pollution is my main cause and its consequences if we do not take positive steps to eliminate and try to reverse its influence on other living things on this planet.

Group Responsibilities  Improve the environmental education of teachers, students, community leaders or public, about human-health threats from environmental pollution.  Advocate for modifying environmental education, and add it to our curricula and media interest.  Help people like: teachers, leaders, educators, etc) understand our goals and sub goals by designing or creating special projects, and advance state or local education to reform goals, and demonstrate these new goals, or disseminate these practices into our government programs.  Distribute the methods or techniques that are considered environmental education and training, and educate citizens of their responsibilities.  Announce the possible ways to get some environmental education grants that provide financial support for environmental education projects that are implemented by schools, universities, state and local government environmental and educational agencies as non- profit organizations.

Group message Who are we? We are a group of CSULA students, and friends that are advocating for a cause that will serve their community. Our contact information is enviromental-education/ What are our core values? advocate the sustainable management of resources and stewardship of the environment through changes in public policy and individual behavior. What do we do? Advocate, protest, educate, volunteer, group, and support other environmental organizations and groups. What do we bring to the table? Our values and a better vision of the expected future after all the distraction happening today.

What do we do too:  We create Environmental Conversations, because it is the process in which one is involved in conserving the natural aspects of the environment. This might happen through reforestation, recycling, or pollution control, environmental conservation sustains the natural quality of life.

 We are getting involved into Environmental health movement, through raising public awareness by focusing on urban standards like clean water, efficient sewage handling, and stable population growth. Environmental health could also deal with Nutrition, Preventive Medicine, Aging, and other concerns specific to human well-being. Environmental health is also seen as an indicator for the state of the environment, or an early warning system for what may happen to humans.

 Then we are trying to emerge to the Environmental Justice, trying to benefit from the experience of those who were ahead of us in that field and were able to make the change. But we are trying to find new approaches that fit with our time. Especially that this movement seeks an end to environmental racism and prevent low-income and minority communities from an unbalanced exposure to highways, garbage dumps, and factories. We are seeking to link "social" and "ecological" environmental concerns, while at the same time preventing De facto racism, and classism.

 We are trying to adapt the belief of the Bright green method, because it is a currently popular sub-movement, which emphasizes the idea that through technology, good design and more thoughtful use of energy and resources, people can live responsible, sustainable lives while enjoying prosperity.

 And supporting the anti-nuclear movement that opposes the use of various nuclear technologies. The initial anti-nuclear objective was nuclear disarmament and later the focus began to shift to other issues, mainly opposition to the use of nuclear power. There have been many large anti- nuclear Demonstrations and protests.

Our belief is: “Our world can have a Sustainable development”. It is a socio-ecological process characterized by the fulfillment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the Natural Environment indefinitely. The linkage between environment and development was globally recognized in 1980.

Raising awareness through: 1 ) Involving media that educate the new generations, we need to see this: ) We ask you to try to visit this website whenever you have time, to increase you awareness, and be prepared. 3) including environmental awareness in the school curricula. 4)Encouraging the youth to participate in save the planet summer camps. 5) Advocate for new laws to protect the rights of planet, the trees, the natural resources, the generations that are not here yet. Raise health awareness, to show the people the type of air we are breathing, that we are having all these new diseases.

Where Do We Go From Here?  Discussion Questions, and answers.  Let us play our role as Environmental groups  Note  Be an active member, to save our future.

Discussion Questions : We will have discussion over these questions for the next 45 minutes: What is pollution? What are the types of pollution? What are the reasons each type? What are the available solutions? What might be the more influential expected solutions for the near and far future ? What is your role ( the citizen role in any part of this life)? What are the expectations of each citizen? What are the consequences if we didn’t act now? How does the future look like? How is our kids health going to be? Did we play our roles as parents, educators, and leaders right? What is our first conference message to the governments of our country and the world?

Our answers in details:  we will advocate for our group goal “reducing pollution and eliminate it, buy the same time we will try to reverse its influence on other living things on this planet”, sign up new volunteers fund raise for our purpose, motivate to improve environmental awareness, and establish a wide population support to advocate for making new legislations that support our cause through discussions, and positive feed back.  Group effort will be realized from members of the group and the way they help to set the goals and can take ownership of the projects. Each member of the group understands that their ideas and suggestions are valuable and are both welcomed and acted upon. Implementation of new ideas, solving of problems and system improvements are all freely communicated within the group and will be shared with the available audiences. Our group offers opportunity for reward and recognition on two levels: individual and group accomplishments. Group members who feel appreciated and rewarded are tending to work harder to meet objectives.

Major forms of pollution : Air pollution: the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common gaseous air pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Our recommendations to reduce air pollution: Combine trips that require multiple stops Carpool when possible Use public transportation when possible; and walk, if distance is not excessive.

Water pollution: It happens when some corporations release of waste products and contaminants into surface runoff into river drainage systems, leaching into groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharges, and littering. Our recommendations to reduce water pollution: Dispose of liquid waste in the proper manner.

Soil contamination: Which occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground leakage. Or it can happen from the melted smog in the rain, that creates an acidic rain. Among the most significant soil contaminants are by hydrocarbons, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated by hydrocarbons. Our recommendations to reduce soil pollution: When gardening or caring for your lawn check the products used to enhance the growth of vegetables or the beauty of flowers.

Radioactive contamination: It is resulting from the 20th century activities in atomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment. Our recommendations to reduce radioactive pollution: Be alert to the building structures that will be used to make nuclear power to be used in warfare.

Noise pollution: which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. Our recommendations to reduce noise pollution: Be aware of the volume on the radio or CD in the car. Light pollution: It is including light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. Our recommendations to reduce light pollution: Be conscientious in the use of lights; turn light out when not in use.

Visual pollution: which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (such from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste. Our recommendations to reduce visual pollution? Properly dispose of garbage and household trash; recycle glass, plastic, aluminum, paper; visit a waste collection plant to appreciate the procedure that separates articles for recycling and assures one that articles are recycled when picked up at the curbside.

Thermal pollution: It is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant. Our recommendations to reduce thermal pollution? This is a bit more difficult to envision a practice, but I would suggest that one check the temperature on the water heater and/or monitor the temperature in the shower or tub in an effort not to “waste” water.

Some Available Solutions : Safeguarding Communities Protecting nature protects people. Strengthening and restoring natural defense systems such as wetlands, forests, and barrier islands, will reduce the effects of climate change on human beings. Our group will complete all required applications for public permits for several services, including posting no parking signs, providing barricades, towing, banner permit, recycling drums, liners, sweeping, electrical services and/or sound equipment. These applications were submitted at least two months a head of the expected date. Our theme colors will be green, blue, and white. We will create an event profiles.

Green Cars, Fuels, and Transportation for the 21st Century Transportation contributes approximately one-third of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, Global warming emissions from the transportation sector can be reduced by increasing the production and use of clean, highly efficient vehicles powered by sustainable low carbon fuels and electricity, and by better designing communities to include accessible and convenient alternatives to driving. **Please be creative and make some of your own.

Note: We want to make sure that we are clear about our goals, therefore our behavior should reflect our understanding to our responsibilities. Please be aware of: Due to a study reported in “The Guardian” that concluded that "people who believe they have the greenest lifestyles can be seen as some of the main culprits behind global warming." Because they were expected to more environmentally conscious; where the problem is they are more likely to take long-distance overseas flights, and that the resulting carbon emissions outweighed the savings from green lifestyles at home.

Let us play our role as Environmental groups: We are members that interested in solving environmental problems such as air, water, and land pollution. We think money is for both basic and applied research to save our future, and should be used to solve these problems first. They argue that, unless these issues are solved, the planet will not be able to sustain itself for future growth. To understand this issue please Google one or two of these keywords. (EcoNet, The EcoSystem, "Our Environment", Save our Beaches, Sierra Club.)EcoNetThe EcoSystem "Our Environment"Save our Beaches Sierra Club

Sign ….. Before you leave.. Please before we are done with the discussion, I need to remind you of small things, that will make a big differences: 1)Make sure you signed up the meeting sheet. 2)Make sure you answered our survey, and placed it in the blue box. We will use the results of the evaluation to improve our future events, and performance. 3) volunteer with us to serve our noble cause. 4) Have lunch with us as indicated on corner signs.

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