Tunza The UNEP Magazine for Youth - For Young People, by Young People, About Young People

What good can I do for the environment when the problems are so far away? Julien Asselin, France		The problems are not really so distant. How come we cry if we are hit hard on the nose or break a leg? The nervous system sends the pain signal, and the eyes react. What happens to the environment is similar. If you damage - pollute - one area it has an impact in other places too.

What is the point in recycling and saving energy and water if everyone around me is so wasteful. And does it make any difference to the real world? Ingrid Heindorf, Germany		You have to live and lead by example. Others should not discourage you. As long as you maintain your commitment to environmental causes and willingness to do better, and take it as far as you can, people around you will recognize it and follow suit. You cannot win the heart and minds of others by discouraging yourself: you can by engaging them.

I live in the city so there is no natural environment for me to protect. What else can I do? Yukiko Sakurai, Japan		A lot. You can grow a plant in your house, you can be engaged in clean-up activities, you can write or paint about the environment. Any of these will provide you with a sense of connectedness with the natural environment.

We know that the sea gets its water from rivers. These are freshwater. so from where does the sea's salt come? Assan Mfouapon Ngapout, President of the Association of Young Environmental Workers, Dschang, Cameroon		Surprising as it may seem, much of the sea's salt has come from rivers, which have picked up salts and minerals from the rocks and riverbeds over the ages. Even now they carry an estimated 4 billion tonnes of dissolved salts to the seas each year. The salt is then concentrated as the sun's heat distills almost pure water from the surface of the sea, leaving the salts behind. So over hundreds of millions of years, what were originally slightly saline seas became saltier and saltier. The Red Sea and Persian Gulf, which have very high evaporation rates and receive little freshwater from rivers, are the saltiest on Earth. The polar seas are the least salty, because both melting ice and a lot of rain dilute the salinity.

Should I spend my time campaigning with large organizations as they have more effect than I could ever have? Jamie Wakefield, UK		It is not the size of the organization, but the size of the issue that rallies the hearts and minds of the grassroots. If you have the determination to do so, you can make a difference no matter how big or small the situation may be.

How can I get my parents and teachers to be more sustainable when they say they work really hard already and haven't got time? Christopher Lewis, UK		Think about things that will not infringe on their time. Have you considered suggesting your parents and teachers buy and use bio-products and recycled paper? The more you can involve them like that, the more they will be inclined to adapt to your way.

How can I do things to protect the environment in my community when no one is interested or knows what I am talking about? Bennedetta Rolando, Italy		Why not consider why they are not interested. Is there an opportunity to talk or write about it, or to do something practical about it? You could form a small environmental club in your school or community where you could engage your peers to be active. When they see action, others will join you.

Will anything I do in my daily life make a difference to the world's environment, especially when other people waste so much? Amaidhi Devaraj, India		Every single action you take has an impact on the environment. If you show people you can live a normal life by consuming less, they will side with your actions and lifestyle.

Do you have questions on environment and development issues that you would like the experts at UNEP to answer? Please send them to cpiinfo@unep.org, and we will try and answer them in future issues.

<< Back

Next >>