It was a beautiful sunny morning; unlike the previous three months, it was neither raining nor snowing. At 7:30 in the morning, there were already more than 20 cross-border commuters lining up for the public transport. On the same street “Place de la liberté”, there was a local bus waiting for the traffic light to turn green. We watched in disgust as four teenage girls opened its window and threw empty cartons of orange juice that landed in front of the queueing passengers. I got out of the queue and picked these up then gave them a disappointing look wondering whether they realised that they had just exposed publicly their uncivility. When I returned from the nearest bin, their bus had left and mine had arrived, and no one uttered a word.
I didn’t think twice; picking up that litter was an instinctive reaction. I didn’t expect or want recognition from anyone; however, if I see you removing a piece of rubbish left lying in a public place, I’ll definitely give you some words of encouragement. Littering is hazardous for our health and environment.
During my first two years in France, while in parks and playgrounds with my toddler, I used to pick up wrappers of snacks and boxes of juice and put these in the bin while asking myself whether it was the kids or their parents who littered.
Whose responsibility is it when children litter: parents or society?
We, as parents, have an immense responsibility and opportunity in educating our children to be respectful of people, properties and our environment. Our words and actions help shape our children’s values and behaviours. If they deliberately litter, we must tell them why this is unacceptable. (When my son was 3 years old, he said, “Mummy’s bag is a fridge and a bin” because I had water, snacks and fruits every time we went out and kept all wrappers till we found a garbage bin). If the parents litter, their children are likely to do the same, and this is a societal problem.
Is the onus on the society (i.e. governments, school, association, neighbours, families, etc.) to ensure that children don’t litter?
Although we learn values and behaviours from our parents, our society and cultural environment play an important part in making us “who” and what we are. If our teachers, politicians, relatives and friends reinforce the message at home that littering means being disrespectful and irresponsible, we grow up with an attitude that is averse to littering; otherwise, we get confused and may not appreciate the importance of collective duty of care for our global planet.
According to an Austrian activist living in Sri Lanka, Ms Carolin Baumgartner, different cultures have different attitudes towards nature. She reasons that in Europe and the USA there is waste management (bins everywhere, garbage collecting and recycling plants) unlike in Sri Lanka where there’s a lot of garbage throwing, plastic burning, turtle eggs eating or dolphin killing.
It’s not only the children and those in developing countries who litter. Sometimes, I take umbrage to the roadside litter, which is mainly recyclable plastic bags and beverage containers, in some places in Italy and France. Whether littering is cultural or not, it should be stopped through education at home and at school, effective government policies and programmes, and community involvement. (from Being Intelligent Gifted - www.beingintelligentgifted.com)
Okinawa 2 (I love Okinawa)
I visited Okinawa last month. Okinawa hosts 74 % of the U.S. bases on 0.6 % of the land. Despite overwhelming opposition, the Japanese government is taking the lead in efforts to build a new U.S. military base in Henoko Bay, emphasizing the deterrence value of the U.S. bases in Japan. Our policy makers want to proceed with the construction "shuku shuku to (calmly and solemnly)."
It is shockingly mindless and undemocratic to disregard the Okinawans' will. Here are some of useful websites on anti-U.S. base acitivities and protests (see the Japanese version – four of eleven sites are in English).
辺野古(新基地阻止)基金
[[http:tamutamu2011.kuronowish.com/sosikikin.htm|Tamu Tamu @ Kuro no wish]]
Economics of U.S. base redevelopment sway Okinawa mindset
[[http:www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/17/national/politics-diplomacy/economics-u-s-base-redevelopment-sway-okinawa-mindset/#.VWg8NFIppf6|Japan Times Journal]]
Looking at Flaws in the Henoko Landfill Permit Process from the Standpoint of the Right to Self-determination
[2011-11-14 Japan Focus Journal] Amartya Sen's Capability Approach, Democratic Governance and Japan’s Fukushima Disaster - アマルティア・センのケイパビリティ・アプローチ、民主政と福島の大惨事 (Mizohata, S)
Right to water
Nice documentary film recommended. Watch below:[[http:www.bottledlifefilm.com/index.php/the-story.html|www.bottledlifefilm.com/index.php/the-story.html]]
As a citizen, it is time to ask oneself if it is worth or simply feasible to fight against international corporates and local industries for the human right to good-quality, drinkable, and affordable water.
...and of course, the excellent film of Annie Leonard and her team:[[http:www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-bottled-water/|"Story of stuff: Story of bottled water"]]
Also, you may be interested in:[[http:www.stopcorporateabuse.org/campaigns/challenge-corporate-control-water/think-outside-bottle/|"Challenge corporate control over water: think outside the bottle!"]]
[[http:www.stopcorporateabuse.org/campaigns/challenge-corporate-control-water/public-water-works/|...and this: "Public water works!"]]
[[http:warisacrime.org/node/40335|...and this: http://warisacrime.org/node/40335]]
Longue vie au Shidōkan!
Cette année marque le dixième anniversaire de Shidōkan, club de iaido à Libramont, en Belgique, fondé par d'ardents disciples de Ogura Noboru Sensei, Gérard (Gési) Simon et Gérard Gatelier. Maintenant, le club entretenu avec succès par Gatelier et d’autres. Beaucoup de membres consacrent une bonne partie de leur vie à la pratique et à l’amélioration de leurs techniques de iaido et la connaissance des aspects philosophiques afférents à la discipline. Une personne, par exemple, fait chaque semaine 120 kilomètres de route pour aller pratiquer, tandis qu’une autre personne pratique près de 6 jours par semaine, gardant un jour libre pour que sa femme puisse le voir!
Je me demande ce qui est si fascinant dans le iaido (s’entraîner pieds nus dans un dojo pendant des heures). Une personne m’a dit que c’était "la poursuite du bien-être, celui qu’on gagne et celui qu’on partage."
Je suis reconnaissante de cette opportunité d'apprendre ma propre culture et ses valeurs traditionnelles de mes amis belges japonophiles! Vive le Shidōkan!
1) Photo de certains membres (les Sept Samurai de Libramont) au dojo.
2) Photo de Gési, à la fête d'anniversaire du club, qui reçoit un cadeau des membres représentés par Philippe Lesire
Une vidéo (en anglais) montrant les techniques de base du iaido: [[http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5_JaRaOtQ|Ogura Sensei - ZKR demonstration]]
Si vous êtes intéressé(e), voici les coordonnées du club et le point de contact:
Club Shidōkan (membre de la BKR et de l'ABKF)
Place communale, 6800 Libramont-Chevigny
Responsables:
Gérard Simon - Gérard Gatelier - Philippe Lesire
+32 (0)498/44 15 56 ou +32 (0)494/28 46 56
Entraînements:
Jeudi à partir de 19h30 (1h iaido, 1h jodo)
Dimanche 9h30-11h30