Sustainability
 There is no single definition of the term 'sustainability', but it is commonly understood to mean balancing the demands of people, profit and the planet. It is also about ensuring that these demands can be met now, and by people in the future. Sustainable development therefore means improving the quality of life for everyone and meeting their needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The problem is that globally we are not even meeting everyone's needs in the present let alone considering the needs of future generations. In other words we are living beyond our means. From the loss of biodiversity with the felling of rainforests or overfishing, to the negative effect our use of energy and consumer goods are having on the environment and the climate, our way of life is placing an increasing burden on the planet. This cannot be sustained. |
 IFM-SEI is committed to the development of a more sustainable world
where everyone's needs are met. To this end, we have undertaken an
extensive educational programme to ensure our members are well educated
on this matter and empowered to make a change in their own lives as
well as influencing decision-makers and other young people.TUNZA : The UN Children's International
Congress for the Environment 2008 Stavanger Norway. IFM-SEI was represented by Ocean O'Hara as she explains:
"I was a delegate in this years TUNZA congress and participated as a
Woodcraft member.
I found most of the time I attended TUNZA interesting and fun because there
were lots of different things you could do. But there were lots of long
meetings where there were a lot of adults speaking. However some children did
speak about what they were doing about the environment which inspired me a lot
to do a little bit more to help the environment than I was doing before.
One example of a young person doing something was a boy from America who
asked for computers which people were throwing out, he then stripped them down
and made new computers again to give to people who can not afford a new
one.
Another group performed a song and dance from Indonesia about what they
felt was important to do.
Another girl from New Zealand was protecting a nearly extinct bird that
only lives in her part of New Zealand. She was taking the young birds and hand
feeding them, but the hand was within in a bird puppet to look like the mother
bird. This was done until they were strong enough to go out on their own.
After coming home I have had different ideas of what I would like to do,
one of my ideas was that we could travel around primary schools and talk about
how we can help the environment and what TUNZA and The Woodcraft Folk is all
about. I have two schools so far who have invited me to talk later this
term."
Ocean Maj O'Hara
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