Body image is commonly linked to our self esteem, as such it is a contentious issue that provokes much heated debate amongst men, and more particularly, women, across the globe. When it comes to our bodies, one must consider the question: should anyone apart from ourselves have an opinion on what size we are? Because the issue of body image is also intrinsically linked to our overall health, medical professionals have often weighed in on the issue, urging us to observe a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid ill-health. Nutritionists and personal trainers exist to advise us on how to best work towards adopting a healthier diet and sculpting a leaner body. However, there are also many businesses that thrive on the desire that some men and women have to achieve an unrealistically slim body without adhering to the more sustainable lifestyle techniques such as healthy eating and regular exercise. There are crash diet plans, appetite suppressant pills and meal replacement programs. Procedures such as liposuction and gastric band surgery are more extreme examples of the lengths some people are going to in order to achieve what they perceive to be a more idealistic body.

Of course, one would be remiss in not mentioning the contribution of media to the body image issue. Women's fashion magazines often reinforce the idea that slim equals beautiful, whether purposely or otherwise. To the same affect, celebrities too have been known promote embracing ones own body at any size; such as evidenced in a recent article on Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan who exclaimed she loved her "killer curves". Similarly, Beth Ditto exhibited her comfort as a larger woman when she posed naked on the cover of Love magazine. Extremism on either end of the body image debate is almost certainly detrimental to ones health - so how can a person establish a strong sense of what is best when it comes to their own body, without feeling pressure and inadequacy?

An important consideration to acknowledge is there is no body image norm, nor should there be, we are all built differently.

We were not all built to pull on a size 0 and look like Jennifer Hawkins or Miranda Kerr, nor were we all made with curves to rival the likes of Kate Winslet or Nigella Lawson. But then, this is why the body image debate is so topical - because we have made it an argument based around how we look, often comparatively, not how we feel.


Christina Hendricks, Kate Moennig.
So, while there is no such thing as a "normal" body type, there is an average body size. In Australia, this average size of women is on the rise, with recent studies confirming that Australian women are getting fatter, faster. Earlier this year, there was national controversy about the use of Australian model Jennifer Hawkins on the cover of Marie Claire magazine. Many Australian women objected, claiming that Hawkins was not indicative of a 'real woman' or the average Australian woman. And with the average size currently sitting at around size 14-16, these women are correct, Hawkins is not average. But would a woman who merely ticks the box of being that "average" size, be a more positive body image role model for women? This is where the argument becomes complicated. Should we allow the justification of our size by comparative means, based on the fact that a majority of woman around us look similarly, or should we go further and question the average or perceived "norm" and attempt to discover what is best on an individual level?


Jennifer Hudson, Miranda Kerr.
Justification of our body based on the size of others should be irrelevant, though for many women, it is not. We compare our bodies to that of our friends, classmates, coworkers, celebrities, models and the general public. In order to achieve a healthy attitude towards our bodies, we must move away from this sort of comparison. We must also recognise that our self worth is not derived from the size of our waist. We can achieve a more positive attitude towards our bodies by acknowledging that body image is a health issue, not an aesthetic issue. To this end, we should focus on achieving our own healthy body, rather than attempting to emulate what may be healthy for our best friend, or a celebrity we admire.

So how does one determine their bodies comfortable healthy size? We can start by forgetting about fad diets, regular rapid detox plans, diet pills, surgery or unhealthy workout obsessions - similarly, we should forget about eating takeout four times a week, constantly snacking throughout the day on unhealthy foods or soft drinks or doing little to no exercise in a week. To find what size your body is comfortable plateauing at, one must observe what is widely acknowledged to be a healthy lifestyle - eating predominantly healthy meals at appropriate portion sizes and exercising at least 3 to 4 times a week, doing both cardio and resistance training.

Photos by Leanne Surfleet and natawiedee.

When you know how your body looks and feels when healthy, this is the norm to which you should compare your body going forward. If eating a healthy diet and regular exercise does not get your body to the point at which you believe is optimal for your health, you should consult a nutritionist to ensure your diet contains all the vital ingredients that are necessary to obtain best health, and a personal trainer who can tailor a custom work-out plan. You can additionally consult a General Practitioner who can help uncover any underlying health issues that may be blocking your progress.

In the end, you may find that your comfortable healthy weight is a size 16, or maybe it's a size 8. By being aware of what weight or size your body is most comfortable at when observing a healthy lifestyle, you are able to move away from rationalising or hiding behind slim pride, fat acceptance or national average solidarity.


This is a loaded topic, please be constructive in sharing your thoughts. How do you feel about the body image debate? Are you happy with your body? If you're not, what would make you happy?

The 10th of December is Human Rights Day and in 2009 the focus is on non-discrimination. 60 years ago the United Nations established the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can learn more about Human Rights Day and what is happening around the world here.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights"
UN Declaration of Human Rights

So what about some of the simple ways we can make constructive contributions to supporting human rights for all? Here are a few ideas:

• Attend a lecture, seminar or event in your community to learn more about a pertinent social justice issue. Check for event listings in your local newspaper. Learning is a catalyst for creating powerful positive change.
  
  
• Instead of walking by the charity collector outside your train station or supermarket, donate your lose change.
  
  
• Instead of skimming over the world news, have a read about what's going on in Iran.
  
  
• Pick up a copy of your favourite national newspaper and write a letter to the editor in response to an article on a national or international humanitarian issue that was covered in the paper ie. Tamil asylum seekers on route to Australia or reaching a fair and binding deal in Copenhagen.

Photo by isafmedia, simminch.

• Wear a badge, patch, bag or create your own slogan t-shirt showing support for a humanitarian cause. Craft a succinct, non-patronising response to give when you get asked what your badge, patch, bag, t-shirt is about.
  
  
• Instead of buying a latte or bottle of coke today, donate a few dollars to a charity such as Oxfam who are currently assisting the survivors of Myanmar's 2008 cyclone to rebuild their communities.
  
  
• Help sponsor Jeanima in Haiti. An initiative by one clever blogger that allows us to come together to provides Jeanima with food, clean water, medical care, and fees for school.
  
  
• Visit the websites of non-government organisations and read about what's happening around the world. Find out about how you can get involved in eradicating human rights abuses. Amnesty International's How You Can Help page is a great place to start.
  
  
• Spread the word of a cause you feel passionate about by tweeting from act.ly, or you could even start your own twitter petition campaign for others to join with you in a call to action.
  
  
• Support the work Oxfam International does in seeking social justice for all by choosing a truly unique Christmas gift from the Oxfam Unwrapped catalog.

Causes that need your support right now:

• Call on Belarusian President to Free Youth Activists
  
  
• Call on Honduras to Hold Security Forces Accountable for Human Rights Abuses
  
  
• Help stop Catastrophic Climate Change

What will you do to mark Human Rights Day 2009? What humanitarian cause (in your own country or abroad) concerns you most at present?

It can be easy to become trapped into wondering how we can help and make a difference in the world when we don't have a lot of money to throw at a cause. Money certainly goes a long way towards improving the social standing of disadvantaged individuals, families and communities but so too do other contributions. In times when money is tight it's important that rather than discounting the opportunity to contribute to a charitable organisation, we rather take a fresh look at the ways we can contribute.

So how can progressive & positive change be achieved when money is not something we have in abundance? Let's take a look at just a few ways:

Donate clothing, books, cd's, movies, homewares. The old saying is true: one mans junk is anothers treasure. Don't throw out your old belongings if they still have some life in them. Charity stores are always looking for new bits and pieces to sell and raise funds for their cause, without donations these sorts of stores would not be able to operate. Try and take a look around your house quarterly. At the beginning of each season, look at what you may have that has sat in your apartment collecting dust for the past few months. Ask yourself if someone else would find greater value in the item? And while you're at the charity store donating your goods, why not purchase a few items that you may require. Buying at charity stores is eco-chic and charitable too!

Donate time. To local school, charity stores, outreach programs. Life can get hectic and charities often have difficulty filling volunteer slots at their organisations. Look for charities that operate locally and see if they are looking for help - even a few hours a week can make for a valuable contribution to the life of an individual or group that is at present less fortunate.

Swap your purchases. Instead of buying Marie Claire buy The Big Issue; instead of shopping at Top Shop try the British Heart Foundation charity store.


Photo by rofanator.

Spread awareness. Chances are there is a social issue that makes your stomach churn and conjures up exciting thoughts in your mind. Think about the topics that rile up passion and anger and leave you with an urge to set things right. Put your thoughts to paper, or screen. Blog it, submit a piece to your universities magazine, write to your member of parliament, organise a fundraising event, speak to your friends. Be a conversation starter! Words create ideas, ideas become actions and actions change the world. It all starts small, but someone needs to start it, why not be that someone?

These actions are just as important as giving big sums of cash, your time is valuable, as are the possessions you no longer require. Don't underestimate how important what you have can be to someone else.


What are your good deed ideas?

Linguistically playing on the word 'whitewash' and utilising the colour green, as is now intrinsically linked to the concept of environmentalism, GREENWASH refers to "...the practice of companies disingenuously spinning their products and policies as environmentally friendly" (source).

'Greenwash' is not a new concept. The word was first used by environmentalist, Jay Westerveld, in 1986, when referring to the hotel industry and specifically the concept of guests being encouraged to re-use towels. The concept was spruiked as a way for the guest to 'save the environment'. However, the hotel industries business policies remained unenvironmentally conscious, leading one to inevitably consider that this was more an exercise in cost cutting than in genuine support of a cleaner, greener environment.

Climate change is an inevitable and globally pertinent issue and as such, we as consumers from across the world are becoming more aware of the simple ways that we can contribute to acting ethically when it comes to environmentalism. In becoming aware of the existence of greenwash we can avoid supporting companies that are deliberately misleading us, as consumers, by cashing in on our desire to shop ethically.

Driving company profitability can be a key factor behind employing this sort of tactic - that is utilising public relations companies or advertising campaigns to push products and services as an eco-friendly option, or going further, to rebrand a company on a whole.

Companies are very aware that 'green' sells. A key reason why it is so important to ensure we are do not support these companies that falsify or exaggerate their environmental pursuits is that we are allowing them to profit and gain greater power within their industry - essentially, we enable their growth.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

For more information about how to identify whether companies are genuine in their support of environmentalism, click to download the pdf 'The Seven Sins of Greenwash'.

By making smarter environmental choices we can be the change that the world so desperately needs.


When you are shopping is an environmentally friendly product/service important to you? Would you purchase an obviously 'greener' product/service if you had the option?

Apathy
Originally uploaded by Toban Black

When you don't see first hand the detriment of gun crime, it can be difficult to gauge the scale of the problem. It's like all of the television commercials about poverty in third world countries - it can be simple to switch off when you can't relate. The key to overcoming this sort of apathy is to become aware.

So let's break it down a little and get across the agenda of the United Nations and in particular, the first committee - because right now, it may just seem like a whole bunch of guys and girls in suits, shaking hands and pushing paper, but what happens inside the walls of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City is pretty spectacular. There may not be designer gear and post-conference parties that see delegates spilling out of cabs at 5am looking scandalously worse for wear - and for this reason the UN won't make the cover of People magazine - but the work that is done at the UN? It's well worth page space and it's well worth your time.



Photo by scazon.

The United Nations: It's an international organization, founded in 1945, comprised of 192 member states (see full list here). These member states have agreed to accept and uphold the obligations of the Charter (view the charter here). In brief, the UN does not make laws, what it does do is provide a global body that works towards "solve[ing] problems that challenge humanity" (source). The UN has a focus on peacekeeping, development and human rights. You can learn lots more about the United Nations at the official UN website.

General Assembly (GA): The GA provides a forum for the 192 member states to discuss and make recommendations on the issues outlined in the Charter of the United Nations. For a more detailed outline of the functions and powers of the General Assembly, click here.

First Committee - Disarmament and International Security Committee: This is a committee within the General Assembly at the United Nations. It deals with issues surrounding international security and disarmament ("the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons" source)

Treaty: A treaty, in the context of the United Nations, is a binding agreement that the UN member states can opt to sign and uphold.



Image by JimBowen0306.

Arms Trade Treaty (ATT): An ATT was first addressed in the UN in 2006. Since then, diplomats have been discussing this potential treaty. Also since then, 2.1 million people have died, that's 2000 a day, as a result of armed violence (source).

The ATT is about regulating the conventional arms trade. There is presently no international regulation standard governing the import, export and transfer of conventional arms. This means that conventional weapons, like guns, that are intended for military purposes end up in the hands of criminals and other human rights abusers. These weapons are used to kill and maim civilians, as well facilitating the narcotics trade and other crimes such as armed burglary and rapes. This sort of criminal activity at the hands of conventional weaponry holds direct links to lack of development, which in turn makes for economic underdevelopment and poverty.

A key focus of an ATT would be on Risk Assessment - where are these weapons going? For what purpose? Does the end user have a history of negligent use of weaponry?

In 2006, 153 of the UN member states voted in favour of Resolution 61/89, a document that set out to achieve support on implementing an common international standards for the conventional arms trade (view Resolution 61/89 in full). 24 countries chose to abstain from voting (these counties included: Bahrain, Belarus, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Marshall Islands, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe (source). Only 1 country voted against the resolution, that country was the United States.

For more information about why an Arms Trade Treaty is needed urgently, watch the short video below:



For a more in depth look at the reason an Arms Trade Treaty is required, download the Oxfam report 'Dying for Action' (pdf).

What are your thoughts on an Arms Trade Treaty and the role of the United Nations?

Skeptics of twitter will spend boundless energy on discouraging it's use and dismissing it's value. Their argument based on the belief that the tool is used primarily as a means to promote ones self and in particular, the mundane aspects of ones day. However, the value of twitter as a platform truly transcends that of Facebook style status updates. Twitter offers an outlet for all people to become citizen journalists and break up-to-the-minute news. It allows us to connect with politicians and celebrities with whom we would otherwise have had no level of conversation with. It also offers an opportunity to learn about topical issues through use of the search function.

The immediacy of Twitter has allowed for access to groundbreaking news from around the world, even before it has been picked up by traditional media outlets, such as television networks and radio stations. What follows are some examples of how twitter has been used to break and share up to the minute news:

In November 2008 twitter saw a flurry of texts offering accounts of the terrorist attack in Mumbai, as the tragedy unfolded. Soon after, twitter was used as a means of communicating the urgent need for blood donors to assist with those injured in the attacks (source).

January 15 2009 saw Janis Krums posting a photograph of the US Airways flight that crashed into the Hudson river, he was soon contacted by television networks to offer an eyewitness account of the events.

At London's G20 demonstrations in April 2009, Alok Jha reported on the Police tactic of kettling demonstrators and noted that those disallowed to leave the guarded pen outside of the Bank of England included accredited press (Alok Jha is a science and environment correspondent at The Guardian).

Examples of this sort of news reporting are limitless and citizen journalism will continue to see social networks like Twitter at the forefront of eyewitness accounts on breaking news stories from across the globe. For this reason, we will continue to turn to online for the latest news.



Images by mfilej and treslola.


As well as offering citizen news reporting, twitter is also a great tool for communication with those who we may otherwise have the opportunity to reach. From Ashton Kutcher to the Mayor of London, The X Factor to the United Nations - everyone who is anyone is using twitter to share with the world, 140 characters at a time. And you too can use Twitter to share with them, in fact, it would be inopportune not to.

Let's consider the ways that we could make best use of this dynamic online tool: from tweeting a politician or ambassador to act on pressing issues to sharing petitions and promoting causes - twitter has the power to transform and we, as individuals can provoke transformation.

Tweeting a Treaty, an Oxfam initiative held at the Beekman Hotel, just uptown from the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, was an event that saw international diplomacy and social media collide. Speakers from Avaaz, Witness and Social Change Camp as well as Ambassadors to the UN from both Netherlands and the United Kingdom gathered and shared how they were able to use social media as part of their humanitarian and diplomatic outreach.

Avaaz is a global movement with a simple goal 'to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want'. Brett Soloman spoke of their campaigns which
have seen Avaaz members rapidly responding to calls to demonstrate on urgent humanitarian issues, from petitioning for justice in Guinea to Climate Change demonstrations that saw Gordon Brown agreeing to attend Copenhagen. Avaaz are leading the way when it comes to global humanitarian calls to action.

Bukeni Waruzi from Witness, a website that 'uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations', spoke about The Hub. The Hub, he said, is essentially 'a humanitarian youtube', where users are able to watch and upload videos to create global awareness for humanitarian causes or to share their own human rights stories.

UK Ambassador to the United Nations for Multilateral Arms Controls and Disarmament is particularly passionate about twitter as a means to reach an audience that has opted in to the information he is sharing on twitter. In a separate conversation with John Duncan that took place earlier in the week in the United Nations delegates lounge, Ambassador Duncan spoke of the twitter as a very powerful tool with international reach that allowed for the formation of relationships, but not before recommending his Twitter client of choice, Hoot Suite. Duncan said Twitter was 'unlike the press', explaining that it had allowed him to reach '700 people who are articulate and informed and interested in what I want to say'.

John Duncan speaks further on 'digital diplomacy' and his use of social media in the video below.

So how can you make greater use of twitter, right now? The ways are many and varied but why not start by tweeting a petition? David Miliband will meet with Hillary Clinton this Sunday and he needs to persuade her that the United States should support a strong Arms Trade Treaty. You can show your support by clicking the little red button below - tweet your support, click now:

Act.ly is a fantastic tool by which to tweet for change - check it out, tweet your cause and encourage your followers to do so too.


How are you using twitter?

I'm in New York City, sitting across from me in the United Nation's cafeteria is Novelette Grant. Novelette cuts a chic yet bold figure and as she introduces herself there is no mistaking that Grant is a woman on a mission. As Jamaica's Assistant Commissioner of Police, Grant is here to address diplomats at the UN's First committee and explain why it is that an Arms Trade Treaty is so important to Jamaica.








Photographs by fightingtheboss, Radio Capsula.

For most people the most pertinent image of Jamaica is that which was forever cemented in our minds after the release of the 1993 box office hit Cool Runnings: Jamaica as a a pretty island nation, and it is. However, Jamaica is not all dreadlocks and cool vibes - there is a gritty criminal underbelly that is facilitated by the transfer of guns and ammunition into Jamaica.

'Gun crime numbers are horrendous ... a huge percentage of sexual assaults and robberies are accompanied by the use of fire arms' Grant explains, 'Jamaica does not manufacture guns and yet we are on the receiving end of the misuse of fire arms'. Grant goes on to tell me that that weapons intended for military purposes are on the streets, in the hands of criminals and that a staggering 77% of murders are committed by guns.

The dilemma facing Jamaican police is that seizing guns and ammunition from criminals is having little impact on the rate of violent crime, this is due to the continuing flow of illegal arms and ammunition into the country. So where are the guns coming in from? Grant says 'If we knew, we'd stop them'.

After our conversation Novelette Grant addressed diplomats at an Amnesty event, held in the United Nations headquarters, where the question was asked 'How can an Arms Trade Treaty help stop arms fuelling human rights abuses?'.

For Jamaica, the persistent and cyclical nature of the guns trade has so many detrimental effects on the nation: murder and abuse of innocents, facilitation of the narcotics trade and direct economic cost and impact on development. To put a monetary figure on the cost to Jamaica, Grant told delegates, that the cumulative loss to Jamaica since 1960 is about 75% of GDP.

Grant is determined to see a resolution, she explains that her expectations as a police officer are simply that there needs to be proper governance and regulation over the arms trade, just as there is for all other trades. Speaking on the need for an Arms Trade Treaty be put in place, Grant asks delegates '[to] consider that the arms trade is no less important than any other legal trade that criminals are misusing .... we are asking you to come up with the kinds of standards necessary'.

Her argument is simple and befitting, just like all other trades, governance is necessary, there needs to be accountability when it comes to the transfer of guns. Finishing her impassioned address, Grant puts it simply, 'Look at countries like Jamaica and look at the devastation'.

Get involved - tweet your questions or comments on an Arms Trade Treat to @conflictvoice and watch the event at http://www.conflictvoice.org, live streamed from the United Nations at 1.15pm 7/10 New York time.

No I'm not talking about Peter Andre's latest musical offering - today I am inside the United Nations headquarters in New York City. It's big, it's secure and I'm still waiting for someone to tell me and my shiny red dell netbook that we really don't belong here and to kindly move along....









Photographs by Fox Fotography.

I am here as part of ConflictVoice, an Oxfam initiative that is taking discussions out from behind the closed doors and into a more accessible realm. ConflictVoice is about encouraging conversation between mates and colleagues as well as between diplomats and officials. We all know that change can only happen when the masses shout loud enough - and to be impassioned we need to be educated and aware - so let's get across it and be part of the progress towards an international, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).


"Every day 2000 people die from armed conflict. Since the UN's process towards and arms trade treaty started in 2006, 2,1 million people have died. Unnecessarily. In October, diplomats are meeting again (the UN's first committee on Security and Disarmament) to discuss the next steps. Oxfam, with its partners Amnesty, IANSA and others, are calling for negotiations to start in 2010 with an end date in 2012. We demand a treaty that will stop irresponsible arms transfers fueling conflict, poverty and serious human rights abuses."


It can be really difficult to start conversation like this as it's something that seems so far from home. When we don't see direct consequences in our day to day lives, understanding the scale of impact can be a difficult task. Essentially, an Arms Trade Treaty would prevent the illegal movement of weapons from country to country. The reason an Arms Trade Treaty is necessary is because arms are currently being flowed into countries where they are being used in a way that abuse human rights. This is a nice way of saying that guns are being sold between countries and used to kill and maim people. This is happening every single day.

To break it down even further, this means that American guns could potentially be being used to kill and injure American peacekeepers. By not supporting an international Arms Trade Treaty we are placing our military peacekeepers in harms way - the threat is coming from within and we need to start regulating the arms trade to prevent this.



You can learn more about the unregulated arms trade and what Oxfam is doing here.

Tomorrow Oxfam are launching a report called 'Dying for Action'. This event will be live streamed from Conflict Voice website and will be interactive so if you have a comment or better yet, a question to be put to international diplomats or Oxfam, please tweet it to @conflictvoice and use the hashtag #conflictvoice.

A belief in climate justice...

Photos by neil365, Devina Pereira, Anirudh Koul.

October 1 marked the international release of an all-star remix of Beds Are Burning. Originally written and performed by Midnight Oil, and now rewritten for the 2009 release; the song is as pertinent in rallying global support and creating passion for political justice today as it was in 1987.


"Music is the universal language, capable of transcending cultures, generations, religions and races. A song or an artist truly has the power to translate a message or a movement more than any politician or world leader can on a global scale.

"This will create a voice for all of us who deserve to have a say leading up to Copenhagen in December. The goal is to draw enough attention to an event that will affect everyone's lives on the planet."

Alexandre Sap, CEO of The:Hours (who assembled the artists and produced the soundtrack, source: media release)


The rerelease of Beds Are Burning saw over 60 celebrities and musicians from across the globe have come together to collaborate, for a game of spot-the-celebrity on a scale not seen since the release of Jimmy Kimmels parody clip, "I'm f*cking Ben Affleck". They did it because they care: about something bigger, something global, something that requires all of us, from wherever we are in the world, to band together, to learn about and act upon. Climate change is inevitable and it is now our responsibility to move towards climate justice. The release of Beds Are Burning is a demonstration of the reach of passion for climate justice, "...the greatest humanitarian crisis facing humankind today", from Fergie to Duran Duran, they're doing it because they care.

TckTckTck, a global alliance of non-government organisations, trade unions and faith groups, are the organisation behind this epic release. They are urging the global community to become climate allies by stepping up and saying "I am ready for our leaders to sign a global deal in Copenhagen that is ambitious, fair and binding". The climate talks to be held in Copenhagen this December offer leaders from across the world an opportunity to join together and make a binding and viable commitment to actively working towards combating climate change.

As well as being a killer track with an impressive video and inspired by a most worthwhile cause, the song is free to download. View the video embedded below or at Time for Climate Justice and if you want to load the song onto your ipod you can download the song here. Be sure to stop by tcktcktck for more information on climate justice and Copenhagen.




What do you think about Beds Are Burning? Has it peaked your interest in Climate Justice?

Photos by UN Climate Talks, Net Efekt.

With an overwhelming amount of media attention concentrated around the upcoming climate change talks to be held in Copenhagen, it can be difficult to make head nor tail of the basics - what follows is your guide to the basics of the United Nations Climate Change conference, or COP15, which stands for the 15th Conference of the Parties (the official name of the summit).

What?

COP15 is a two week United Nations conference. It runs from the 7th December 2009 through until the 18th December 2009. The talks are being held to coordinate international action against climate action.

Who attends?

Environment ministers and officials from 192 countries.

Why?

• To negotiate ways to combat climate change. Climate change is now widely regarded as inevitable.
  
  
• For international officials to agree on targets and strategies to "...reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable" (source: UNFCCC).
  
  Quick climate change fact: A recent study by the British Met Office found that if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, the global temperature could rise to the extent that we would see major climate climate change by 2060, a year that is within what most would fore-see as within our lifetimes!
  
  
• Essentially, the aim of COP15 is to sign onto an agreement, regarding climate change, to succeed the Kyoto Protocol and cover the period from the year 2012, going forward.


Kyoto 101: The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement that "set binding targets ... for reducing greenhouse gas emissions" (source: UNFCCC). The commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012 and so Copenhagen is a chance for the international leaders to come together and look beyond 2012.

How?

By creating a legally binding agreement that is signed by the attending 192 countries. By accepting a new agreement, a top down approach to tackling climate change is being put in place.

Your key to Copenhagen related jargon

Unlocking the lingo!

UN United Nations
COP15 15th conference of the parties (official name of the summit)
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
GHG Greenhouse Gas
CO2 Carbon Dioxide

Learn more:

Copenhagen negotiating text: 200 pages to save the world?

Official COP15 Website

The essentials in Copenhagen

What do you want to come out of the Copenhagen Climate talks this December?

Image by ceedub13
It's a blustery London evening, but upon stepping into The Borderline in Soho, it could just as likely be a balmy summer evening in the Antipodes. After a seemingly ill-fitting hip hop support act, Blue King Brown, an Australian urban roots outfit, fronted by Natalia Pa'apa'a, took to the stage to rapturous cheers from the crowd, an unpretentious melting pot of straight-from-work types alongside girls and boys in wife-beaters and dreadlocks.

The bands flag, reading 'Positive Movement', flanked the microphone stand, the group filling every corner of the small stage, dressed understatedly with Pa'apa'a's trademark Blade Runner style eye makeup the only notable flourish. What followed was an undeniably captivating blend of reggae, blues and roots fuelled by an outfit equally as passionate for music as they are for social justice.

The anecdotes Pa'apa'a shared in between tracks attested to the groups genuine enthusiasm for the issues that are the backbone of their lyrics. Speaking with the crowd about the groups time spent connecting with indigenous Australian's rural communities and sharing the tribulations faced by traditional land-owners in attaining the right to access their land. Socially conscious and politically driven, Blue King Brown prove able to walk their talk and live their message.

An indisputable highlight of the set came when Pa'apa'a introduced the rest of the crowd and Kiwi bred backing vocalist, Jess, led the women of Blue King Brown in a powerful rendition of Māori Haka chant.

Pa'apa'a closed the set by thanking the crowd for coming together and "celebrating life and music peacefully", a sentiment wholly encapsulating the seamless blend of social awareness and art that Blue King Brown so ardently deliver.


Originally published in the Australian Times, August 11 edition.

• For more info on Blue King Brown, see official Blue King Brown website.
  
  
• Watch Blue King Brown's Stand Up on Youtube.

What do you think of Blue King Brown?

A lot is said about living life to the fullest; as far as making the most of our opportunities, we are quite the entitled generation. We know that we are the captain of our ship, the director of our play, the masters of our destiny. But super confidence in our own infinite potential can only be a positive sentiment, by which to live out our lives, when it is balanced with the question of considering the consequences of our every action.

Sound heavy? It needn't be. Considering the consequences of your actions could be an inbuilt mechanism for you, or perhaps it is something you consider most of the time; whatever the case, taking the time to consider the larger direct and indirect outcomes of your choices is one way to ensure you are being the best person you can be. Achievements in life are not always about being able to tick an item off of your person to-do list for life, some of the greatest achievements can come from developing your emotional self and creating a deep sense of how it is you present to the world.


Images by martapigs and l0ckergn0me.

It is difficult to measure all of the consequence of our actions but one way to attempt this is by consciously asking ourself, "Can my saying/doing this negatively impact anyone else?".

On top of ensuring we do not negatively impact people, we can also consciously look out for opportunities to do good, to any extent, from assisting a colleague, to picking up discarded litter in the street, to offering our time on a charitable project.

Courtesy & Manners;
Start small, keep your manners in check, encourage courtesy and make it common again. Think about this in every part of your day, here are a few places to start:

Consider your actions towards loved ones and strangers alike: in your home, work place, in the street, on the bus, at your coffee shop, on your lunch break, at the grocery store.

Mind your manners: please, thank you, excuse me. Always.

Be aware that we do not all think the same way and as such behaviour that is acceptable to one person, may not be acceptable to you; be sensitive to this. For example, if a tourist is blocking the walking side of the escalators, politely ask them to move over, don't charge at them and knock them aside.

Do not feel that you are more entitled than any other person you encounter. Do not aid stereotypes by strutting by a person in need when you're on your way to your office job in your power suit, for example. Help where & when you can.

Think before you tweet. Tweeting can be impulsive, are you ridiculing someone or being negative? Is this public forum the best and most constructive outlet for your words?


Consume with Social-Consciousness;
Being a good person & making smart behavioural choices need not be limited to your direct actions towards those in what you say or do. Consider the choices you make when you shop. When we do shop, our purchases will have effect, however indirectly you see it to be: on the people involved in the manufacture of the product as well as our environment in your eventual decision of how to discard the product.

In the current climate, one where we are well versed on climate change and ethical injustices occurring in the manufacture of products; we, as consumers, and as intelligent people, should not turn off our social consciousness every time we take a trip to the shops.

We are fortunate that because climate change and social justice is on the agenda, more businesses are helping us out by conducting their businesses ethically. They are giving us options. They are granting us the ability to make better choices. Consumerism no longer needs to be synonymous with waste and unethical behaviour. This is a fabulous thing, because shoes are pretty & designers are continually exciting us with their innovation - living ethically is not about sacrificing this part of our life, it's about making smarter choices: quality, not quantity.

Look at Louise Galvin, her hair care products are reasonably priced, free of the chemicals usually found in similar products and manufactured in a way that is entirely carbon neutral.

The Body Shop prides themselves on supporting community trade, defending human rights, protecting the planet and are against animal testing - all that on top of the fact that they provide high quality beauty products. Read more on The Body Shop's values.

"If business comes with no moral sympathy or honourable code of behaviours, then God help us all." Dame Anita Roddick. Human Rights Activist. Founder of The Body Shop (Source: The Body Shop online)

People Tree fashion offer quality fair trade women's and men's fashion. Click here to check out there stuff online.

How about some seriously fabulous vegan shoes? It's 2009 ladies, and shoes do not need to be made out of leather to offer comfortable, long lasting quality. Two great eco-friendly shoe retailers that are proving ethical fashion need not be pricey & unattractive are Beyond Skin and Bourgeouis Boheme. Check them out, what do you think??


Images by treslola, jovike and venturout.

Some considerations for the next time you hit the shops:

Is it a quality piece that will live in your wardrobe for years and years or will it be tossed aside and see itself in landfill come next season?

Has that lipstick come from a company that tests products on animals?

Have those tights been produced in a factory that subject workers to poor working conditions as a way to achieve cheap manufacture costs?

Is that coffee you're drinking ethically sourced from fair trade farmers?

Is your meat and dairy produce sourced from free range farms?

Take your reusable bag! These little beauties don't just come in handy for doing your weekly grocery shop, save on wasted plastic when buying your jeans & shoes too! Check out AlphabetBags for a stylish & eco-friendly carrier bag option.

Being ethical and conscious about your shopping does not need to be boring or difficult; there is nothing negative about educating yourself and making the choices you know to be right - share your knowledge with your friends - shop local, buy fair trade, use animal-cruelty free, choose ethically manufactured products, buy fresh product with little or no waste packaging, buy vintage, opshop!

It is also difficult to change the way our minds make consumer choices - huge, sudden change can often prove unsustainable. Instead, take it step by step and it, educate yourself, become more aware. Making the ethical choice will soon become second nature, as you quickly consider where the product has come from and how it was manufactured - it's all about small changes, ladies! Check out this article by Green My Style, Can we find eco on Oxford St?

Being Fabulously Successful;
It won't happen if you slay people along the way, it won't happen if you forget to consider that despite your status as leading lady in this show that is your life, you still need the rest of the cast, they're going to see you make this thing happen and they're going to be there at the wrap party.


Image by .laurie., taminator

Awareness is a gift you can grant yourself and it is an infinitely giving gift that will allow you to see ways to greater grow into the type of balanced person you need to be in order to achieve unfathomable personal success. Be it in your career, family life, with friends, travel; you need to achieve balance as success that is gained by negotiating what is best for yourself by sacrificing the needs and desires of others is success that will be shallow and short-lived.

Chase what excites but give your mate a leg up on the way.

Rise to the top, but don't push away the ladder that helped you get there.

Rallying around the concept of super confidence and self love is wondrous, but achieving balance and love of others as well as yourself is even greater.

Measure your good-will and success on your ability to express kindness to those you do not know and without want for anything in return; it is in these virtuous actions, to extend courtesy and kindness without expectation of return of favour, that we can truly assess our strength of character.

Live wondrously, largely, outrageously - but above all, live ethically - acting with love, consideration and balance is something we can all live out, if we choose to.


Big stuff or small stuff - when have you found yourself facing a difficult choice? Perhaps an opportunity that could have been a sure fire get-ahead for you, but at the expense of another? What did you do?

DISCLAIMER: This article is somewhat of a departure from the usual content found on Tres Lola and as such I feel it necessary to write this disclaimer. When I created Tres Lola, the editorial direction had one key focus and that was to deliver articles that were relevant to young women and that had a focus on positivity. I was also determined to steer clear of personalising the articles by way of injecting excessive subjectivity and using personal story telling to support the information being presented.

Since May 2008 I have stuck to this editorial direction. I have preferred to keep a more neutral tone and I write without date stamps in an effort to reach a wider audience with content that will remain relevant. I try to avoid isolating readers by publishing articles that are only relevant to a minority (ie. I try to avoid writing seasonal, regional, political, religious etc based articles).

However, sometimes issues are too important to be concerned with offending a portion of audience and I feel that in the light of the events that I was fortunate enough to experience today, NOT using Tres Lola as a platform to share knowledge on social justice would be a missed opportunity to showcase something that is truly important and offer some truth that is so often missing from traditional media coverage.

I believe whole heartedly that as young people we should be equipped with unbiased recounts of events. I believe that knowledge empowers and that together we can create great change. I believe that if we have the power to share knowledge and truth and we choose not to; we are part of the problem.

What follows is a report on today's G20 demonstrations outside of Bank underground in central London. This article is not written with agenda to indoctrinate or as propaganda to attempt to align you, as readers of Tres Lola, to any particular political or social justice group, this is also not opinion that is tainted by affiliation with any particular demonstration group. This is merely my version of the events of 1 April 2009. I hope that those of you that choose to read on can appreciate that this is a report of events from someone inside the police barricades, without a press pass or a protest flag. I know anything political is always going to be contentious and so I ask that you refrain from waging war in the comments section, let’s share our knowledge and opinions but keep it mature.

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What Is G20 & The London Summit?
G20 is a meeting of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from 19 countries. It exists as a forum for discussion on global economics and was created as a response to the financial crisis of the late 90's as well as to open the lines of communication regarding "...recognition ... [of] key emerging-market countries...". The significance of the 2009 G20 summit lies in the current global economic crisis. The way our elected leaders have responded to issues such as bank bail outs, senior management pensions and bonus allocation is a major driving force behind the demonstrations that have been staged across central London. Learn more about the G20 Summit here.

The London Summit is a gathering of our elected leaders "...to address the global financial crisis.", amongst those leaders present in London ahead of the April 2 talks are Kevin Rudd, Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama - click here for a full list of the leaders participating in the summit. Having this collective, essentially representative of elected world power, sets the perfect stage for those passionate about creating change to step up and make themselves heard - campaigning is about creating awareness and working towards positive change... and all the square mile is a stage.... now that our world leaders are town.


What were the campaigns about?
The "four horsemen of the apocalypse" best represent the key issues that campaigners were focusing campaign efforts on: financial crimes, war, climate change and homelessness.


What Really Went On?
For around 3 hours, from 12:30pm, police officers formed human barricades to block the free movement of demonstrators in and around the Bank of England. Police officers disallowed people the right to leave the campaign area, they decided that the best way to communicate this lock down was to yell at and push back any demonstrator that dared come close to their shoulder-to-shoulder blockade. We were detained without reason and with force.

Essentially, anyone inside this penned off area spent three hours without any provision of water, food, toilet facilities and with limited access to shaded areas. For the most part, those in this area were keen to be there and thus being disallowed free movement around London was not of key concern. I am sure that those in charge of ensuring peace was the order of the day could reason that they were hoping to contain the crowd to prevent violent overspills and rioting in the streets surrounding demonstration spots - but the force used to ensure no one escaped this makeshift lock down was excessive ... thankfully, enough was going on that rather than being angered at this display of undemocratic police sanctioned behaviour we were able to roll up our trousers, listen to some music and lay out in the sunshine while appreciating the peaceful demonstration going on. However, the fact remains that the police decided to hold a group of people against their will and reacted violently to any who dared question this and in a supposed free and democratic country, this sort of behaviour is more than a little disturbing.

After 3 hours of this police imposed lock down, campaigners were allowed to wander freely again. Unsurprisingly, rioting, chaos and anarchy did not break out. This was not enough to assure police however, with media reporting that by 5pm police lock down was back in place outside the Bank of England.


Let's talk about the violence...
Unfortunately, on a day like today, it is far too easy for those in positions of authority to get away with unnecessary force and brutality under the guise of protecting themselves and their city. Defence against risk or personal injury is of course more than understandable, no one should be assaulted during performing their job. However, no one should be abused by the people who we trust to enforce the rules of our 'democratic' society, especially not for being passionate about social justice. It is disappointing and a scary reflection of our society to walk away from a demonstration and be able to say that a large proportion of violence was initiated by those in positions of authority. While for the most part, police officers acted as it seemed they had been instructed and without using force, there were some that abused their role as enforcers of our laws and resorted to displays of exactly the kind of behaviour and exhibited the aggressive attitudes that they were put in place to prevent. Hands and voices were raised unnecessarily far more than once and it is difficult to promote peaceful campaigning amongst an environment of police officers not willing to set an example.

What occurred outside of the Bank of England was a largely peaceful demonstration attended by a multitude of social justice groups. The minority that hurled objects through windows and started small blazes in the street were given extensive media coverage and exceptional focus was placed on these people as if they were indicative of what the greater proportion of campaigners were about. It is true that the way in which this small group of protesters behaved is absolutely not acceptable, but it is so important to understand that these people were such a very small group - a group that will no doubt sell far more newspapers than if coverage were focused on those laying in the sunshine with flowers in their hair while holding out their well crafted signs.

What was really evidenced at this demonstration was that the most powerful messages aren't spread through violence and activist groups do understand this.





...Let's wrap it up.
What I want to understand most is when passion for social justice became so undesirable and unacceptable? The misinformed masses seem so full of fear and so quick to judge those of our community who have the passion to take action against injustice.

A few things to keep in mind:

• 'Demonstration' is not synonymous with 'Violence';
• Demonstrators/Campaigners/Protesters are not all unemployed creative types with nothing better to do with their time;
• Unemployed creative types are not aggressive and uninformed;
• Sensationalism makes a better story than truth.

Passion IS Positive. Passion invokes action. Action brings about CHANGE. We need change.

We need to refocus our energy on educating ourselves on the issues that are truly important to us as a global community. We need to make democracy work. We need to care more and judge less.

And so I walk away from this demonstration with overwhelmingly apprehension. It is truly astounding to feel such monumental hope and intense belief in a better world, as well as witness selfless devotion to brilliant social causes, while at the same time feeling intensely fearful for having seen first hand unprovoked aggression exhibited by those we trust to enforce and uphold our laws. It is concerning that, even for a moment, one could consider the vast and possible truth held in the simple statement adorning one protest sign from this G20 demonstration, 'Democracy is an Illusion'.


Alright, over to you, say your piece and keep it clean....