Promoting obesity prevention together with environmental sustainability

There is mounting evidence that current food production, transport, land use and urban design negatively impact both climate change and obesity outcomes. Recommendations to prevent climate change provide an opportunity to improve environmental outcomes and alter our food and physical activity environments in favour of a ‘healthier’ energy balance. Hence, setting goals to achieve a more sustainable society offers a unique opportunity to reduce levels of obesity. In the case of children, this approach is supported with evidence that even from a young age they show emerging understandings of complex environmental issues and are capable of both internalizing positive environmental values and influencing their own environmental outcomes. Given young children's high levels of environmental awareness, it is easy to see how environmental sustainability messages may help educate and motivate children to make ‘healthier’ choices. The purpose of this paper is to highlight a new approach to tackling childhood obesity by tapping into existing social movements, such as environmental sustainability, in order to increase children's motivation for healthy eating and physical activity behaviours and thus foster more wholesome communities. We contend that a social marketing framework may be a particularly useful tool to foster behaviour change beneficial to both personal and environmental health by increasing perceived benefits and reducing perceived costs of behaviour change. Consequently, we propose a new framework which highlights suggested pathways for helping children initiate and sustain ‘healthier’ behaviours in order to inform future research and potentially childhood obesity intervention strategies.

The drivers for port city sustainable development : what triggers these and what changes does the current economic climate facilitate?

Over the last decade various waterfront cities have undergone major redevelopments, for example Wellington, Southbank (Melbourne), Baltimore, Sydney and Canary Wharf (London). These were all completed prior to the global financial climate of 2008/10. The world has changed. This paper explores the drivers for past port city redevelopment projects; What impetus drove these projects forward? What tools supported the projects to go ahead? In an unstable financial market do these remain viable? And if not are there new drivers which are stepping in to replace the classic drivers of the past? A literature review of academic, practitioner, policy documents and social media is analyzed to establish the drivers of the past, comparing these to current and future drivers. The review will be based on a survey of 40 international cities based on or near a port which have undergone significant redevelopment prior to or during the 2008/10 financial crisis. It assesses the drivers for sustainable development in port cities and explores the potential for establishing a matrix for successful sustainable development.

Alzheimer's disease, media representations and the politics of euthanasia: constructing risk and selling death in an ageing society

Drawing on extensive data including news media reports and commentaries, documentaries, courts and court reports, films, websites, professional literature and government and non-government agencies, this book explores the 'Alzheimerisation' of the euthanasia debate, examining the shift in recent years in public attitudes towards the desirability and moral permissibility of euthanasia as an end-of-life 'solution' for people living with the disease - not just at its end stage, but also at earlier stages. With attention to mediarepresentations and public understandings of Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Media Representations and the Politics of Euthanasia sheds light on the processes contributing to these changes in public opinion, investigating the drivers of vexed political debate surrounding the issue and examining the manner in which both sides of the euthanasia debate mobilise support, portray their opponents and make use of media technologies to frame the terms of discourse. Paving the way for a greater level of intellectual honesty with regard to an issue carrying significant policy implications, this book will be of interest to scholars of media and communication, social movements and political communication, and the sociology of health and medicine, as well as researchers and professionals in the fields of palliative and end of life care.

Understanding sustainable policy paths and their influence on the built environment

Sustainable development is an international problem as it affects everyone everywhere.Up until recently, it has been pursued on a national scale leading from a confused understanding of sustainability from the international community. The various international summits and meetings on the topic have allowed establishment of general guidelines and attitudes that need to be taken by national policy writers. Because of the lack of understanding on the topic, as it encompasses many aspects of social, economic and environmental behaviours, there has been a general individual interpretation of these ideas that has then shaped national policies. These policies differ in nature and therefore must be analysed to identify these differences and their implications on the built environment. The Melbourne 2030 plan and the London plan are two of the leading and highly mentioned policies stemming from the advanced nature of the respective economies. These nations’ polices have implications that trickle down to the very core of building design and lead stakeholders in certain directions as opposed to others. The research attempts to highlight the paths taken by these different nations and what influence this has had on the overall state of sustainable development in the localised communities respectively. Analysing the state of sustainable development ideas from the international, to the national and down to the local policy strategies will give a clear picture of the state of policy direction in the localised context. Looking then at two buildings in these contexts identifies how policy can play a major role in shaping sustainable design related outcomes. The research finds that the UK and London plan is well-structured and pays close attention to the built environment while there is much less evidence of this in the Australia and Melbourne policy plans. This can be seen in the overall outcome of the chosen building case studies where the chosen London building shows more promise in its sophisticated use of technologies to achieve a highly sustainable building as compared to the chosen Melbourne building. It has been suggested that because of the differences in rating tools and their applications, there may be problems in successfully comparing two buildings in different contexts. This gives rise to the question of global sustainability where it is understood that sustainability is a global problem and cannot be tackled on a fragmented basis. This then may suggest that the international stage of sustainable understanding should be holistic in that it should be tackled at a global stage instead of the current fragmented national stage.

UnitingWorld : Partnership for effective involvement in mission including development

This chapter argues that, both theologically and practically, development is a form of mission and therefore dividing 'mission' and 'development' is artificial. A theological understanding of mission clearly incorporates upholding rights especially of people most excluded and vulnerable, the core task of development.One church agency involved in both development and supporting partners in communicating the gospel is UnitingWorld – the national agency of the Uniting Church in Australia responsible for international partnerships including development. The Uniting Church was formed in 1977 from the merging of three denominations, all of which had a long history of overseas engagement – for example with Fiji since 1844 and Korea since 1889. Such partnerships have endured and spread to the point where the Uniting Church now has thirty six formal partners, mainly in the Pacific and Asia.Over the past 20 years, a range of social trends, such as decolonisation, climate change, and increased global commitment to justice, as well as changes in missiological thinking, have influenced collaboration with indigenous churches as well as organisations not explicitly Christian.Recolonising approaches by international inter-government bodies and by the Australian government through promoting predominantly western neo-liberal economic values to neighbours, invites the church to collaborate in valuing partner cultures, spiritualities, values and world-views. For UnitingWorld this is most evident in its Pacific engagement, especially with programs arising from the Pacific Conference of Churches.These factors have further relativised the tensions between what was seen as “mission” and what was seen as “development”. Evangelism as communication of good news exhibits a different hue – now coming out of the natural conversations between partners and speaking of God’s life- giving alternatives to destructive social and economic models. Whilst development is inherent in mission, the major challenge faced by UnitingWorld is with Protestant partners strongly influenced by an era of church teaching that emphasised personal commitment tied to distinctive religious expressions.In this chapter we use case studies from the Pacific to show how UnitingWorld is partnering with a range of church and other organisations to support people in exercising their rights and re-engaging Australian church communities in this task.

Asian Cities: Cultural heritage and the interplay between nation building and internationalism

It is over a decade since the volume The Disappearing Asian City (Logan 2002) was published. An edited volume bringing together a number of experts on the region, the book identified the threats facing buildings, archaeological sites and the historic character of cities, as well as the myriad of challenges of raising civic and regulatory awareness about the value of cultural heritage in times of rapid transformation. It was a set of concerns and arguments that remain as pertinent as ever. Those who have lived and worked in different parts of Asia over the past decade on cultural heritage issues, frequently use the terms 'extraordinary' or 'bewildering' to describe the scale and speed of transformation that has taken place. Indeed, for those concerned about maintaining continuities between past and present - whether they be social, spiritual or material - the development of cities, the wholesale movements of communities in and out of urban landscapes, together with the dramatic increase in industries like tourism, has often been disorienting, and in some cases deeply confronting: both professionally and emotionally. And yet, to focus on loss and destruction would miss a whole set of other fascinating, emergent and important trends. As numerous publications in the intervening period have shown, cultural heritage has become a topic of intense interest and debate in the majority of Asian societies, for a host of reasons (Askew 2010; Broudehoux 2004; Pai 2013).

Explaining the environmentally sustainable consumer behavior: a social capital perspective

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of social capital within a community on the adoption of consumer eco-behaviour or environmentally sustainable behaviour of consumers. The authors draw on the behavioural perspective model (BPM) of consumer behaviour and social capital theory in arguing that social capital shapes a consumer's knowledge of environmental issues and pro-environmental attitudes, which in turn influence a consumer's perceived capability to engage in eco-behaviour. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling of survey data involving 1,044 consumers in the Philippines. It involves testing of a measurement model to examine the validity and reliability of the constructs used in the study. This is followed by testing of the structural models to test the hypothesised relationships of the constructs. Findings - The results suggest the substantive influence of social capital on environmental knowledge, pro-environmental attitudes and eco-capability. Both knowledge and attitudes have positive effects on eco-capability, which in turn positively shapes eco-behaviour. Research limitations/implications - Future studies can examine how social capital as a multi-dimensional construct impacts context-specific consumer behaviour. Practical implications - Social and environmental marketing may focus on social network activation to encourage eco-behaviours of consumers. Social implications - Findings highlight the role of social capital within one's community as a resource channel to encourage environmentally responsible consumer behaviour. Originality/value - The study extends the BPM by offering a social capital view as a more nuanced explanation of consumer eco-behaviour.

Interview with Dennis Stamper

In his January 12, 2015 interview with Michelle Dubert-Bellrichard, Dennis Stamper shares his memories of being one of the first male, day students from 1969-1972. Stamper details his studies and professors from the Philosophy and Religion Department, as well as the Psychology Department. Stamper includes his perception of the atmosphere at Winthrop during a time of great change in the country, and how that experience coupled with his work in the Wesley Foundation and the influence he received from professors paved the way for he currently lives his life. Stamper concludes his interview detailing his studies and careers after Winthrop. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.

O Conselho Municipal de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (CMDS) e a gestão de recursos hídricos: um estudo na Bacia do Rio Itabapoana (RJ)

O objetivo desta dissertação é analisar a forma de atuação do CMDS, e sua contribuição para a gestão dos recursos hídricos nos cinco municípios do Rio de Janeiro pertencentes à bacia do rio Itabapoana. O presente estudo foi conduzido a partir de uma discussão teórica sobre os temas: desenvolvimento local, cidadania, desenvolvimento local com cidadania e gestão social. Posteriormente, foram realizadas entrevistas temáticas, baseadas no método não probabilístico, com uma amostra composta por 38 pessoas, entre conselheiros do CMDS (membros do poder público e sociedade civil organizada), técnico, consultores e gestores do Sebrae/RJ. No tratamento dos dados foi utilizada a análise de discurso. Foram identificados aspectos negativos e positivos no que diz respeito à atuação e funcionamento do Conselho nos municípios analisados. Mesmo assim, pode-se verificar que grande parte dos conselheiros tem experiência anterior em Conselhos e movimentos sociais, e que o Projeto Managé, por meio da atuação dos CMDS, ajudou a construir uma identidade territorial para a bacia e também despertou a necessidade de maior conscientização e preservação do meio ambiente. Pode-se concluir que a forma de atuação do CMDS depende da interação e do nível de comprometimento do poder público e da sociedade civil organizada. Portanto, as condições institucionais locais exercem importante influência nas formas de mobilização social e participação dos indivíduos, visto que o processo de gerenciamento de recursos hídricos da bacia encontra-se ainda em fase de construção

Responsabilidade social em arranjos produtivos locais: a prática do APL de confecção de Nova Friburgo e região

Esta dissertação apresenta uma análise da proposição de ações de responsabilidade social empresarial em micro e pequenas empresas, a partir de uma orientação da governança de um Arranjo Produtivo Local. A atualidade do tema o aproxima do desenvolvimento sustentável, entendido como alternativa de inserção econômica e social num ambiente em que predominou a globalização de mercados sob orientação neoliberal. Para a pesquisa de campo foi escolhido o arranjo de moda íntima de Nova Friburgo e região, no Rio de Janeiro. O elevado grau de informalidade que ainda existe em empresas de confecção, bem como a quantidade de resíduos que geram, reforçam o interesse em se conhecer o escopo e o alcance das práticas de responsabilidade social. A hipótese é de que as ações existentes não estão consistentemente consolidadas na orientação da governança, nem se constituem em caminhos decisivos para um desenvolvimento sustentável.

O que e como negociar com uma empresa

Este estudo de caso se propõe a reconstituir o processo de negociação entre, por um lado, a Prefeitura de Santo André e agentes sócio-políticos locais (ONGs, Partidos, movimentos populares, associações de bairro, etc.) e, por outro, a empresa RR Power Ventures, subsidiária da Rolls Royce, tendo em vista a instalação de uma usina térmo-elétrica naquela cidade, em meados do ano 2000. Pretendemos extrair desta experiência orientações de como os agentes locais, especialmente as prefeituras, poderiam negociar e o que exatamente poderia ser demandado das empresas.

Um estudo exploratório sobre as práticas socio-ambientais de empresas multinacionales no setor de mineração do Peru

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo conhecer as práticas socio-ambientais no setor de mineração do Peru. Setor que esta dominada pela presença de empresas transnacionais que se encontram com duas realidades de regulamentação de meio ambientais muito discordantes, a primeira, as normas corporativas onde se encontra a matriz e, a segunda, a regulamentação do país onde esta a subsidiaria, neste caso o Peru. Com a internacionalização do tema socio-ambiental, se dá a devida importância ao tema da Responsabilidade Social Corporativa, já que as empresas transnacionais estão pressionadas a manter uma boa imagem internacional, que pode ser vulnerável a criticas negativas em relação à heterogeneidade, já que suas praticas socio-ambientais têm que ser as mesmas em qualquer parte do mundo. Na presente dissertação se enfatiza as praticas socio-ambientais das empresas com relação às comunidades circundantes, sendo um tema pouco difundido na mineração peruana. As desconformidades das comunidades frente aos projetos de mineração constituem o maior problema social atual, gerando a paralisação das atividades nesse setor. O Peru não tem Ministério do Meio Ambiente, embora exista um Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente (CONAM) que é um organismo público descentralizado e, esta aderido ao âmbito da Presidência do Conselho de Ministros. Nesta investigação se analisa a função do Ministério de Energia e Minas do Peru, já que ele é um ente que incentiva a promoção de investimento privada no setor de energia e minas e, por outro lado, mediante a Direção Geral de Assuntos Ambientais do Ministério de Energia e Minas aplica a guia de gestão ambiental emitidas pelo CONAM. Finalmente, no estudo de caso, são analisadas duas empresas transnacionais maiores do setor de mineração peruano, aplicando entrevistas e um questionário com perguntas abertas para poder conhecer suas praticas socio-ambientais. Desenvolve-se uma análise dos resultados obtidos no estudo de caso, utilizando o referencial teórico para situar a realidade peruana, numa realidade internacional. Pelos dados obtidos, podemos interpretar que as empresas estudadas não se encaixam totalmente nos parâmetros internacionais do auto-regulamentação. Observamos a falta de políticas públicas sócio-ambiental, é por esse motivo, a conclusão desta investigação propõe a criação e aplicação de políticas públicas a dois problemas socio-ambientais, o primeiro, a geração de emprego indireto e a segunda, a recuperação dos passivos ambientais.

Peça por peça: sistematização de um programa de responsabilidade social

O objetivo da dissertação foi analisar o processo de desenvolvimento e a aplicação de ações sociais e trabalho voluntário, que demonstram a preocupação da empresa com o seu papel social, através de uma participação mais ativa, concreta e efetiva, influenciando na ocorrência das mudanças que a sociedade necessita. O foco do estudo foi analisar um dessas empresas, notadamente a Robert Bosch Limitada, de capital alemão, radicada no Brasil desde o início da década de 1950. Sendo considerada, mais especificamente, uma de suas unidades, localizada no Paraná desde 1975. A Bosch Curitiba, através da implementação de um programa de ação social baseado principalmente na educação e no desenvolvimento sustentável, pretendeu criar condições para que a comunidade de um bairro da periferia de Curitiba pudesse identificar oportunidades de desenvolvimento econômico e social. Esta dissertação é o resultado dessa discussão e se desenvolveu por meio de um programa de ação social que evidencia a importância da participação ativa da empresa na comunidade, baseada em projetos que evidenciam a educação como a essência para o desenvolvimento social. A Vila Verde, comunidade da periferia de Curitiba, foi escolhida pela empresa para implantar o programa de responsabilidade social (Peça por Peça). Nessa comunidade, o foco principal foram os membros da faixa etária de O a 18 anos. O programa, portanto, teve a participação de uma empresa, dos seus colaboradores, como voluntários, e das escolas da comunidade envolvida. A coleta dos dados deu-se por diferentes procedimentos: pesquisa bibliográfica, pesquisa documental, observação participante e entrevistas. Os dados qualitativos foram comparados, e foram apresentados em forma de relatório. Os dados quantitativos foram tabulados e avaliados, servindo de apoio e confirmação aos resultados apresentados pela análise dos dados quantitativos. A atuação do programa social, Peça por Peça, foi no sentido de sensibilizar, estimular e criar condições de conscientizar os envolvidos que as mudanças necessárias somente serão efetivas na medida em que aumentar o seu nível de comprometimento, ou seja, tomar-se uma população capaz de se organizar e de preservar e defender seus interesses e anseios, desenvolvendo seu papel natural do exercício da cidadania e de uma convivência social que assegure direitos básicos para qualquer processo e evolução de uma sociedade. Sistematizar um programa de responsabilidade social, mais do que pretender criar soluções inovadoras, busca consolidar um outro pressuposto, em que a maioria das atividades sociais implementadas, sejam elas de cunho filantrópico ou não, dificilmente conseguem se manter e alegando várias razões, mas de que alguma forma sempre se reflete na falta de uma sistemática de trabalho, com metas, monitoramento, resultados esperados, com um planejamento estratégico que projete as ações a curto, médio e longo prazo. Isso também é uma evidência de que um projeto social não direcionado para atividades assistencialistas, mas sim para a busca de exercer efetivamente a responsabilidade social, não deve ter no fator tempo a principal referência de sucesso do empreendimento, mas sim de pequenas ações de melhoria de forma continuada e planejada, auto-sustentada, efetiva, mensurável e compartilhada.

A responsabilidade social como resposta do sistemas ao ambiente institucional brasileiro pós-década de 1990: O caso do Sesc

Analysis of the influences exerted by the Brazilian institutional scenario on SESC ¿ The Social Service of Commerce, focusing state-market-society relations in the 1990 decade, states the core issue of the present dissertation. It also aims to discuss the suitability of adopting corporate social responsibility oriented actions in accordance with these changes. In the first place SESC's institutional setting, and questions addressed to it, as well as pressures to which the organization has been submitted since the mid 1980's are presented to the reader. Following, elements of particular significance closely related to SESC's present institutional framework are described: the country's political redemocratization, social and organizational networks, state reform, and the like.