6th Global Conference
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Monday 2nd July - Thursday 5th
July 2007
Mansfield College, Oxford
Session 8: Children, Communities and Environmental Awareness
Chair: Nicoleta Dospinescu
Exacerbation of Childhood Asthma among Children Living
in Highly – Trafficked
Areas: An Unintended Public Health Consequence of Diesel-Emission Control
Technology
Martha
E. Richmond
Director of Environmental Studies and Director
of Environmental Science,
Suffolk University, Boston, MA USA
Diesel is used universally for power in such
heavy duty vehicles as ships, trucks, and buses, and in many countries
diesel-powered automobiles are common. Although contributing less
to greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline, diesel combustion products
contain significant amounts of particulates and nitrogen oxides, which,
when inhaled, may result in development or exacerbation of numerous health
problems. Thus,
many government agencies have established regulations to decrease emissions
of both pollutants. To decrease particle emissions, new technological
controls in the exhaust collection systems have been introduced. These
controls involve particle-filtration devices that trap and periodically
ignite the collected material. Exhaust from these collection systems
contains fewer particles and their size is greatly reduced (many with
diameters of less than 100 nanometers.) These are generally known
as ultrafine particles.
Increasing evidence indicates that ultrafine particles
are a major public health concern, and may actually pose a greater health
risk than the larger particles characteristic of older diesel technologies. The
number of ultrafine particles is highest in locations close to roadways,
dropping off quickly at distances greater than several hundred meters. Thus,
those living, working or spending time close to heavily trafficked roadways
are more exposed, and are at greater risk for any particle-related health
effects. A major concern is the possible linkage between ultrafine particle
exposure and the development or exacerbation of childhood asthma. Two
recent studies have found a relationship between symptoms of asthma in
children and exposure to high amounts of fine particulate matter. In
the heavily-trafficked South Bronx area of New York City, approximately
one of five school age children is asthmatic. In the United States,
asthma has increased significantly over the past twenty years, especially
among African-Americans and significantly among African-American children.
The
exacerbation of childhood asthma, especially among in children of lower
socio-economic status, is an unintended consequence of the new control
technology. However, community representatives from areas most affected
by diesel emissions did not always have an equal voice in the decision-making
process. Although their inclusion might not have
prevented the unintended consequences, by involving the community together
with other concerned parties from the beginning of the decision-making
process, more effective measures might have established for considering,
addressing, and possibly preventing unintended consequences.
Community for Sustainability: Some Initial Findings
on the Influence of Community-based Organizations on Individuals
Lucie
Middlemiss
Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and
Environment, University of Leeds, Leed,
United Kingdom
Academics and policy-makers claim that community-based organisations can mobilise citizens to take on more sustainable behaviours. This entails organisations such as schools, places of worship, clubs and others in the voluntary sector playing a part in persuading individuals to reduce their impacts on the environment and on other people. This paper presents initial findings of a research project into the role of community-based organisations in influencing individuals to live more sustainably. Research has consisted of a number of case studies of interventions by community-based organisations in the UK, including projects in church, school and community garden contexts. The data gathered sheds light on the conditions that are favourable for such interventions, the types of individuals that are involved, the decision-making processes of individuals in taking on targeted behaviours and the outcomes of projects for the individuals involved. One of the themes emerging from the research is the tendency of these projects to work towards multiple goals across the various dimensions of sustainability (e.g. health, local environment, global environment, employment and social capital) and towards multiple potential outcomes for individuals (e.g. behavioural change, attitudinal change, awareness raising). The paper discusses the implications of such a broad focus for involving and influencing individuals.
Environmental Awareness Education at Ritsumeikan's
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in Japan
Subana
Shanmuganathan
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Beppu-shi, Oita, Japan
Carson’s book Silent Spring (1962) on human influenced environmental effects paved the way for many more reports, events such as, the United Nations (UN) Conference on the Human Environment (1972) Habitat (1976), Brundtland Report Our Common Future (1987) and Rio de Janeiro’s Agenda 21 (1992) and protocols, such as the Kyoto Protocol (1997), for the sustainable management and development of our environment. All such initiatives also looked at curbing the environmental effects human influenced by increasing awareness among the public and by incorporating programmes into all sectors of mainstream education. The UN’s Agenda 21 to recent Stern report (2006) that continue to reiterate the need to educate the younger generation on local and pressing global environmental issues are summarised. Consequently, the paper looks at Ritsumeikan’s primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions’ efforts and results achieved in this regard.