Intergenerational Equity

International Development can be defined as creating a sustainable lifestyle for all human beings that increases their social and economic opportunities. It is a lifestyle that promotes freedom of choice. In order to improve the quality of life of the impoverished, many changes need to be made and many problems need to be overcome such as alleviating poverty, adapting to climate change, protecting our natural resources, promoting education etc. Sounds like something that you have heard before? 

International Development issues have become a common occurrence that hardly any new statistic, advert, or cause, strikes a nerve. Unfortunately, poverty and hunger have become so common that when you travel to a country that has extreme poverty, or learn about a new tragedy in the news, you more often than not brush it off because these things seem to always be happening, and they are never going to end. How many of us actually follow up on some of these calamities after the news channels stop reporting on them? The negative results of Hurricane Katrina, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Tsunami that took place of the coast of Japan are still in effect. I don't blame us for feeling this way. You may have been more excited or concerned with fixing International Development issues in the past, after hearing about campaigns such as the Kyoto Protocol or the Millennium Development Goals that were widely promoted as the cure for development issues. But after constant failure you might have lost hope and even concern for these problems. 

So let me remind you why working towards solving development issues is important. It is imperative in order to create intergenerational equity. Intergenerational equity refers to the responsibility of the current generation to preserve their living space and create a sustainable lifestyle that can be used by future generations. Our current actions impact the lifestyle of future generations, this means your children, and their children and many generations after that. If we continue to live in a world where poverty and environmental degradation prevail, imagine the world our kin will be subjected to live in. We are accountable for our actions and how we treat our planet. Remember this the next time you take the car to work instead of the bus, or the next time you leave the water running while brushing your teeth, or the next time you hear about a fatal tragedy.If nothing else, think about your families. Your parents and forefathers must have sacrificed and worked so hard for you to be able to live the life you are living today, so we need to be mindful of our actions to ensure intergenerational equity for future generations. It is your responsibility! 

Bottled Water: Scam?

I have never understood the concept of bottled water in the Global North. In the Global South it is a necessity due to the inaccessibility of clean water. But here in the North, where the water that comes out of our taps is free and safe, I fail to understand why people buy bottled water which costs 2000 times more. Some people say it tastes better, I think I need to get my taste buds checked because I can not tell the difference. Some people say the quality is of a higher standard because it comes from some exotic natural spring but are you really sure about that? I think its all a big scam and here is why.

We live in a world where advertising is everywhere. It plays into our emotions and desires and it is defiantly one of the major driving forces of the economy. In the 1970's, giant soft drink companies such as Coca Cola and Pepsi realized that their growth projections were starting to level off and they were in need of the next big product. The health craze was just around the corner, and people were soon going to realize how unhealthy soda is, which would result in more people drinking free tap water. So what did these mega corporations do? They manufactured demand through advertising. First they manipulated people's insecurities by undermining the city's purification procedures. Second they seduced consumers by using marketing techniques such as pictures of luscious mountain streams to make people believe that is the source of the water that they are consuming. But in reality, most bottled water such as Dasani and Aquafina are actually tap water. 

So what's the big deal if you don't mind spending your money on a product that you can acquire at no cost? Its your money after all. Well producing bottled water has many detrimental effects on our environment. The amount of oil that is used to produce plastic bottles in the U.S is enough to fuel millions of cars. Disposal is another huge concern. Have you ever thought about where your bottles end up? Most of them either end up in landfills where they take thousands of years to decompose, or they are burned in an incinerator which releases toxic pollution that affects the entire globe. Most developing countries do not have access to clean water because of polluting industries such as bottled water companies, and as a result the water crisis is rampant. Did you know that more people have access to a phone than clean water? Water is a basic human right that should be available to all. Sadly the cost of just one case of bottled water could supply a person in Africa with clean, safe drinking water for a year.

The choice is yours. If you live in an area where clean water is inaccessible then you have a right to bottled water, otherwise there is simply no excuse. If we continue to buy into fads such as these, who knows if we will be buying air in the near future. Sounds pretty delusional don't you think? Well this is no different!  

Source: http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water.asp#.UU5HxaXU5SU

Lollipop Moments- A New Take on Leadership

As idealistic as this may sound, I want to change the world.This may sound cliché coming from an International Development student, but it is the aim of all 'indev' students in some shape or form. I started this program believing that changing the world meant eradicating poverty and that I would acquire the skills to create significant changes, that benefit the impoverished on a large scale. I hoped that I would one day be a great leader who would change the world. But after three years of university I've realized that I can't change the world as I had hoped because in our world, some level of poverty will always exist. Therefore my interpretation of becoming a great leader has changed. 
  
I recently watched a TEDx video by Drew Dudley entitled 'Leading with Lollipops' (click here to watch the video). Drew talks about what it means to be a leader. He says that we have made leadership into something bigger than us. We have made it about changing the world.We spend so much time celebrating things that are almost impossible for the average person to accomplish, that we are convinced that those are the only things worth celebrating, and we start to devalue the things that we can do everyday that truly makes us leaders. These everyday moments are what he calls lollipop moments- a moment when someone said something or did something that fundamentally made your life better. How many times have you experienced a moment like this? Even if you can only remember being on the receiving end of a lollipop moment, I am sure that we have all had a positive impact on someone's life. These moments are true leadership moments but as long as we continue to uphold leadership as something that is beyond us and about changing the world, we are making excuses not to expect it from ourselves in our personal and professional lives on a daily basis.

We have made leadership about changing the world, but the world is simply six billion different understandings, so as long as we can change one persons understanding of what they are capable of, how important they are, and how powerful an agent for change they can be, you have changed everything. Leadership is about valuing the impact that we can have on each other's lives that is greater than money, power, influences, and titles.

My goal is still to change the world and become a great leader but in a different way. My aim is to create as many lollipop moments as I can with the people that I will be interacting with on my upcoming field placement. I hope to inspire them to multiply this effect and create positive change.

Plura....what?

plu·ral·ism

  [ploor-uh-liz-uhm]

noun

Pluralism can be defined as the capacity to see those from different backgrounds as equals.

How many off us can say that we value people of other races, religions, ethnicities, and beliefs in the same regard as our own? Kudos if you do but I am sure that for most people this is highly unlikely. Maybe its not your fault. A pluralistic outlook on life is not a skill that we are born with. Experience tells us that people are not born with the innate ability nor wish to see others as equal members of society...but this is no excuse. The struggle  for people of different races, beliefs and religions to coexist within society is a battle that we have been faced with since the beginning of time and it has taken a huge toll on mankind. This age old problem is now boiling at the surface due widespread globalization which leads to a loss of cultural diversity. 

The daunting question: How do we maintain our cultural identities and promote equality?

According to His Highness The Aga Khan, Pluralism is a value that must be taught and it should be integrated into a students education. In His address at the Peterson Lecture His Highness says "Together, we can help reshape the very definition of a well educated global citizen. And we can begin that process by bridging the learning gap which lies at the heart of what some have called a clash of civilizations, but which I have always felt was rather a clash of ignorances. In the years ahead, should we not expect a student at in Atlanta to know as much about Jomo Kenyatta or Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a student in Mombasa or Lahore knows about Atlanta's great son, the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.?"

However it is important to remember that Pluralism is much more than accepting diversity, tolerating other cultures and knowing facts and figures. There are four key points to remember.

1. Pluralism is the energetic engagement with diversity. Relationships must be built.

2. Pluralism is actively seeking to understand. Questions must be asked.

3. Pluralism involves sticking to your commitments. Hold on to your differences, identities and culture, not in isolation but in relation to one another.

4. Dialogue is key and conversations must take place. This does not mean that everyone agrees but pluralism involves the commitment to engage in conversation. 

Our culture, beliefs, traditions, and values make us who we are. Lets work together to live in society where everyone belongs and feels equal. 

Welcome!

Blogging is something I've always wanted to do. Three of my best friends have blogs and I have always admired their ability to effortlessly write about their passion. My passion is development and travel and surely there is a lot to be written. So you might be wondering why I never gave it a try? and why now? Well, the lack of trying comes from the fear of being judged so I am thankful that my Marketing Professor finally pushed me to start my own blog and share my thought with you all- because trust me, I have a lot to share and learn.

This september I will be embarking on an 8 month field placement as a part of my undergraduate degree where I will be working with a non-for-profit organization. I am hoping to go to Vietnam, a country that I have never been to before. I am excited to experience the Vietnamese culture, make new memories, work for a cause and experience another part of life. I have no idea what is in store for me, but I know that this is going to defiantly be a life changing experiance. This may sound cliche but I really believe that I am going to 'find myself' on this journey.

I hope to share my journey with you through this blog. I promised to be open and honest. Your thoughts and comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated!

Happy Reading!