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In Luderitz, public participation in environmental activities is extremely limited. This could be attributed to limited interest from the public in ‘green issues’ and/ or insufficient efforts to engage the public in environmental projects/ activities. Irrespective of these limitations, there is consensus that an acute need for stimulation of public interest for effective engagement in environmental projects/ activities prevails. But how best can the required public participation – that is likely to culminate in/ contribute to increased environmental consciousness in society - be triggered, is a logical question that one might ask?
This simple yet difficult question led some youngsters (and a diverse group of community members, ranging from scientists to administrators) in the coastal town, Luderitz to establish the Luderitz Environmental Society (LES) – in response to the above question/ challenge. Although not yet a legal entity, the forum is providing a platform to initiate activities and processes that contributes towards cultivating a-care-for-our-environment culture. With its core focus on environmental education with the youth as the prime target group, the forum aims at creating environmental awareness through a number of interventions – including specialist presentations/ lectures on selected environmental issues, generic discussions/ debates, drama/ theater, educational tours/ excursions, environmental clean-up activities and video/ films. Regarding the latter, an informative environmental film festival presented by DLIST, which is expected to commence within two weeks in Luderitz, will set the scene for environmental awareness-raising within the Luderitz society. Judging from positive responses this far, this first-ever event (environmental film festival) is a highly anticipated talk-of-the-town! A bird-counting exercise is on the next to-do list of the LES.
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This is a very exciting and important development for what is essentialy
a small town - it is critical that the people of such communities are
empowered through knowledge to take thier issues forward. I believe the
only thing holding back strong participation in such issues is the lack
of confidence to participate in what are often technical and overly
bureaucratic processess. However once the steps to participation have
been sorted it is clear that these sorts of engagements are not too
difficult. its just a matter of making the means available.
I know for instance that WESSA (the wildlife and environment society of
SA) has put together a booklet on how to apply the various environmental
laws. This is an essential tool that should go out to every small
community group around the country and esp the West Coast region.
Strength in your work Jacob and well done so far. I trust the film
festival will be a great success and will spur you on to collectively
deal with these important issues!
glenn
Jacob Ntintin Orange wrote:
> In Luderitz, public participation in environmental activities is extremely limited. This could be attributed to limited interest from the public in ‘green issues’ and/ or insufficient efforts to engage the public in environmental projects/ activities. Irrespective of these limitations, there is consensus that an acute need for stimulation of public interest for effective engagement in environmental projects/ activities prevails. But how best can the required public participation – that is likely to culminate in/ contribute to increased environmental consciousness in society - be triggered, is a logical question that one might ask?
>
> This simple yet difficult question led some youngsters (and a diverse group of community members, ranging from scientists to administrators) in the coastal town, Luderitz to establish the Luderitz Environmental Society (LES) – in response to the above question/ challenge. Although not yet a legal entity, the forum is providing a platform to initiate activities and processes that contributes towards cultivating a-care-for-our-environment culture. With its core focus on environmental education with the youth as the prime target group, the forum aims at creating environmental awareness through a number of interventions – including specialist presentations/ lectures on selected environmental issues, generic discussions/ debates, drama/ theater, educational tours/ excursions, environmental clean-up activities and video/ films. Regarding the latter, an informative environmental film festival presented by DLIST, which is expected to commence within two weeks in Luderitz, will set th
> e scene for environmental awareness-raising within the Luderitz society. Judging from positive responses this far, this first-ever event (environmental film festival) is a highly anticipated talk-of-the-town! A bird-counting exercise is on the next to-do list of the LES.
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I echo Glenn's sentiments. Yes Wessa has a few resources that could help
like the environmental rights booklet that will come out electronically
soon.
Best
Patrick
----- Original Message -----
From: "ekogaia" <ekogaia@iafrica.com>
To: "General Discussion" <discuss@dlist-benguela.org>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 3:00 PM
Subject: Re: [DLIST Discuss] Environmental consciousness through public
participation
>
> This is a very exciting and important development for what is essentialy
> a small town - it is critical that the people of such communities are
> empowered through knowledge to take thier issues forward. I believe the
> only thing holding back strong participation in such issues is the lack
> of confidence to participate in what are often technical and overly
> bureaucratic processess. However once the steps to participation have
> been sorted it is clear that these sorts of engagements are not too
> difficult. its just a matter of making the means available.
> I know for instance that WESSA (the wildlife and environment society of
> SA) has put together a booklet on how to apply the various environmental
> laws. This is an essential tool that should go out to every small
> community group around the country and esp the West Coast region.
> Strength in your work Jacob and well done so far. I trust the film
> festival will be a great success and will spur you on to collectively
> deal with these important issues!
> glenn
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Thanks for the encouragement, Glen. I agree, public participation is mostly not constrained by what we tend to construe as ‘reluctance’ but by an overlooked element called ‘confidence’. The willingness/ eagerness to participate in environmental activities in society is often curtailed by ‘technical/ scientific content or methodologies’ not known – even worse, not understood – by our youth for instance. Thus, the challenge is to find simple yet effective ways to break-it-down to make content understood. What an effective and timely tool to respond to this challnge - the imminant film festival! |
This is good news; I had a look on their website and couldn't find anything.
How would one know once this is available in e form? Any idea more or less
when this'll be available?
Estelle
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Dowling [mailto:patrick@wessa.wcape.school.za]
Sent: 28 August 2007 02:00 PM
To: General Discussion
Subject: Re: [DLIST Discuss] Environmental consciousness through public
participation
I echo Glenn's sentiments. Yes Wessa has a few resources that could help
like the environmental rights booklet that will come out electronically
soon.
Best
Patrick
----- Original Message -----
From: "ekogaia" <ekogaia@iafrica.com>
To: "General Discussion" <discuss@dlist-benguela.org>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 3:00 PM
Subject: Re: [DLIST Discuss] Environmental consciousness through public
participation
>
> This is a very exciting and important development for what is essentialy
> a small town - it is critical that the people of such communities are
> empowered through knowledge to take thier issues forward. I believe the
> only thing holding back strong participation in such issues is the lack
> of confidence to participate in what are often technical and overly
> bureaucratic processess. However once the steps to participation have
> been sorted it is clear that these sorts of engagements are not too
> difficult. its just a matter of making the means available.
> I know for instance that WESSA (the wildlife and environment society of
> SA) has put together a booklet on how to apply the various environmental
> laws. This is an essential tool that should go out to every small
> community group around the country and esp the West Coast region.
> Strength in your work Jacob and well done so far. I trust the film
> festival will be a great success and will spur you on to collectively
> deal with these important issues!
> glenn
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SHARE-NET (WESSA Affiliate) also has a vast range of environmental information packages etc on almost every topic imaginable from info on various biomes, to how to plant a "green" veggie garden, to how to build an enviro-friendly toilet ect. Materials are also available for kids/schools. Information is non-copyrighted and very cheap - so you can buy one booklet/brochure and reproduce these as many times as you like.
One of the most useful materials available is a diary of environmental days so an organisation could host a series of enviro-events and by the end of 12 months would have informed members of most issues related to the environment etc.
They do not have a website, unfortunately, but you can contact them as follows:
Share-Net
PO Box 394
Howick 3290
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +27 (0) 33 3303931
Fax: +27 (0) 33 3304576
E-mail: sharenet@wessa.co.za
They can e-mail you a catalogue form (free of charge). You can then submit your request for material via this form and they will post everything to you relatively quickly.
Thay have placed most of their materials onto a CD-ROM which you can purchase for R50. I found it extremely useful. |
Well done Jacob I am very pleased to see Luderitz, a beautiful peace of
our coast developing its own identity and a common consciousness! Lets
hope your group and plan develops well. Good luck to the newly formed
LES in a town surrounded by a global biodiversity hotspot.
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Orange that was good and for the coastal town like Luderitz there is a lot the communities does not know and with the establishment of Luderitz Environmental Society it will open more eyes for the enviroment.
Contact me when the Bird-counting is about to happen, with the 4years of bird-counting I can learn the youth of Luderitz about Birdlife.
There is a lot roosting places for birds were we can take the youth and count and learn them.
----- Original Message ----
From: Jacob Ntintin Orange <orange@iway.na>
To: General Discussion <discuss@dlist-benguela.org>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 9:20:11 AM
Subject: [DLIST Discuss] Environmental consciousness through public participation
In Luderitz, public participation in environmental activities is extremely limited. This could be attributed to limited interest from the public in ‘green issues’ and/ or insufficient efforts to engage the public in environmental projects/ activities. Irrespective of these limitations, there is consensus that an acute need for stimulation of public interest for effective engagement in environmental projects/ activities prevails. But how best can the required public participation – that is likely to culminate in/ contribute to increased environmental consciousness in society - be triggered, is a logical question that one might ask?
This simple yet difficult question led some youngsters (and a diverse group of community members, ranging from scientists to administrators) in the coastal town, Luderitz to establish the Luderitz Environmental Society (LES) – in response to the above question/ challenge. Although not yet a legal entity, the forum is providing a platform to initiate activities and processes that contributes towards cultivating a-care-for-our-environment culture. With its core focus on environmental education with the youth as the prime target group, the forum aims at creating environmental awareness through a number of interventions – including specialist presentations/ lectures on selected environmental issues, generic discussions/ debates, drama/ theater, educational tours/ excursions, environmental clean-up activities and video/ films. Regarding the latter, an informative environmental film festival presented by DLIST, which is expected to commence within two
weeks in Luderitz, will set the scene for environmental awareness-raising within the Luderitz society. Judging from positive responses this far, this first-ever event (environmental film festival) is a highly anticipated talk-of-the-town! A bird-counting exercise is on the next to-do list of the LES.
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