The Tribal Blog

Today, 12 August 2009, is the United Nation’s International Youth Day – a special day that celebrates & engages youth from around the globe. Long gone are the days where the philosophy that ‘children should be seen & not heard’ was relevant. Modern times now demand that ‘children should be seen AND heard’!

The youth of today will ultimately shape our future for tomorrow. In 20, 30 or 40 years time, they will be the ones that will take care of us… & their own children. It is therefore essential that they are equipped with the necessary skills to complete this great task. But, more importantly, that they learn not to repeat the same mistakes that we have made – this is especially important when considering sustainable development. Sustainable development, can be described as development that aims to meet human needs (e.g. food, shelter, security, employment etc), while protecting & preserving the environment. In so doing, the needs of people will be met in the present, as well as in the future.

Thus, youth have much to learn about the trends that will secure the future of generations to come. In order to reach these goals, youth have to be actively engaged & motivated to participate in such processes – hence, ‘their voices need to be heard’. As adults, we have the responsibility to ensure that this takes place – that the youth are encouraged, educated, included & supported in their endeavours to create a good life for themselves (& their children). One of the best places to start is in the family. You can start by leading by example (showing your children good behaviour that they can mimic), including your children in the household’s recycling routines, or educating them about the importance of saving water, electricity & the like. If you do not have children of your own, then why not get involved in a youth project in your community?

The secret to achieving these goals, I would say, lies in the notion of ‘living consciously’ – thinking about what you do, how you do it, & how it affects those, or the environment, around you. So begin ‘conscious living’ today, & shape a better tomorrow for our children!

Like myself writing this post, if you are reading it, you are most probably able to enjoy a life of pleasurable ‘excess’. Ok, so what exactly do I mean? Well, let’s look at it this way… computers, email & internet, is a modern luxury that large amounts of people around the world cannot enjoy. For those of us who do have access to this kind of technology, it points to the fact that we most likely have access to other ‘luxuries’ as well. A soft bed, a beautiful home, a garden for the kids to play in & warm food on the table everyday. Even if you do not own your own computer, then you are probably sitting in a library or at work or school right now! We may take these services for granted but for many, access to libraries & schools is, in itself, a luxury.

The list of things that we take for granted in our daily lives is almost endless – hot showers, flushing toilets, television & radio, busses & trains, pens & paper to write with & shops to buy groceries from, are things that have ‘always been there’… it’s just a part of life. We should not feel guilty for having access to these services or items, because millions of others don’t. No, this would be wrong – we are not meant to live a life of guilt because of the plight of others. But, we can live life more consciously… more aware of how our actions affect others, & in so doing, we can begin to produce a change that will ultimately uplift & benefit those in need.

One way to contribute to a better world for all, is to cut down on waste. Whatever it is that you don’t want or don’t need, put it to good use instead of wasting it! The following tips should give you some useful ideas.

1) Start thinking about how you can save water, electricity, heating & the like – not only will it lower your bills at the end of the month, but it will also contribute to a healthier environment.

2) If you are a grocery store, restaurant or hotel owner/manager, donate your excess foodstuffs to a charitable cause (e.g. homeless shelter), instead of dumping unwanted goods. But please, do not donate foodstuffs that have expired etc. This may seem like common sense to some, but I have personally encountered donations of foodstuffs that are bad – if it could make someone ill, then rather not donate it.

3) If you have not worn certain clothes in the last year or two, donate it to second hand stores that resell goods for charity funds, or to an organisation that distributes it to the needy. The same can be said of other household items (e.g. crockery & cutlery), tools, bedding, furniture, curtains, books, toys etc.

4) Find community arts & crafts projects that need materials (e.g. egg boxes, bottle tops, tin cans etc). This is a good way of recycling & helping out a worthy cause. I have seen beautifully crafted products that were made from recycled materials, like handbags made from tin cans.

5) Stop purchasing unnecessary things. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. This will be kinder to your pocket, reduce clutter in the home & in turn it will not contribute to the rubbish dump (hence, the environment will benefit). If you really have the urge for ‘retail therapy’, why not go out & purchase something that someone else could benefit from? For example, buy a couple of toys & donate it to a children’s hospital – you would have fulfilled the need to spend your money, & you would have brightened a child’s day. Try it & see how good it’ll make you feel!

6) Pop your small change into a charity’s collection tin at a store. And if you are a store owner/manager without this facility, then contact a local charity & find out if they have collection tins that you can set up at your check out points. Let’s face it, we’re really not going to miss that cent or two are we? So why not donate it to a good cause?

There are probably many other ways to reduce wastage, but the idea with this post was just to get you thinking about your actions. Living conscoiusly does not mean that you have to sacrifice any of your pleasures. Instead, it should prompt you to think about how you can create a well balanced life – a life that you can enjoy & that will benefit others as well.

World Fair Trade Day takes place on 9 May 2009. This global Fair Trade festival will be celebrated with events worldwide. To find an event linked to this day, visit the following page.

A greater awareness of the benefits of Fair Trade has grown immensely over the years. However, Fair Trade policies are still not practiced in every setting. There is still much work to be done to realise these goals & develop a fair & ethical practice of producing, buying & selling, in every corner of the world. The positive aspect is that the concept of Fair Trade has been firmly established – the idea & practice has already permeated the core of our daily living. Nowadays, we can find Fair Trade labelled products in the local grocery store, in gift shops & even in restaurants.

In order for Fair Trade to make a positive contribution to sustainable development, it needs to continue to grow in popularity & support. As consumers, we can certainly assist in this process by being more aware of the products we choose to buy. Next time, look for the Fair Trade label & purchase a product that guarantees your involvement in creating a more fair & equitable world for all!