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‘Can you imagine a more
sustainable lifestyle?’
Student Essay Competition on Sustainable/ Responsible living
Ruby Bartolo
[email protected]
University of Malta
Bachelor of Education(Hons.)
Nutrition, Family and Consumer Studies
(2010-2014, Year 1)
Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
Introduction
Home Economics and Textile Studies, also known collectively as Nutrition,
Family and Consumer Studies (NFCS), draw from many disciplines with the aim
of helping to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and
communities.
NFCS is known for its role in developing human growth;
however, it can also serve as a means of empowerment through offering
knowledge which can influence domestic decisions and policies related to our
well-being, such as working towards obtaining a more sustainable future. In
Maltese schools, Home Economics and Textile Studies both encompass
education for sustainable consumption and production.
Sustainable development
The term sustainable development is described in the Brutland Report in 1987
as ‘development which meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. In other words, as a
nation we should work together and ensure that everyone around the world is
able to live a decent quality of life, yet with care and consideration so that
future generations will also have the opportunity to live decently. Through
Home Economics and Textile Studies we learn how to adopt strategies for
living in a more sustainable manner, by efficiently managing our resources. In
order to justify that we are following the principles of sustainability we must
keep in mind the three pillars of sustainable development. These include the
economy, society and the natural environment (which is also classified under
health.)
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
By referring to the three main areas of the current Maltese Home Economics
syllabus we can come up with ideas on how to make Malta and its citizens
more sustainable.
Food, Nutrition and Health
One of the main areas of the Home Economics syllabus includes Food,
Nutrition and Health. Food is indispensable to the body since it provides us
with energy, nutritional requirements and a feeling of satiety. Food in Malta is
an important part of the Maltese culture and is taken seriously especially
during feasts and times of celebration where many Maltese families gather
together to eat a variety of traditional Maltese dishes. However, do we realise
that most of the food and ingredients we buy at supermarkets and grocers are
all imported from all over the globe? Do we realise that through our choice of
foods we are increasing our carbon footprint? Our carbon footprint results
from buying foods which have been imported, since the transportation of that
food, caused a lot of pollution from greenhouse gasses such as methane,
carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides.
In order to limit such harmful
environmental impact, encouraging people to buy local produce is much more
sustainable.
Another possible solution which may be more practical is organic farming. In
Malta farmers can start growing and rearing organic produce. Organic refers
to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. For crops it means
that they were grown and processed without the use of synthetic fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, preservatives and other chemical
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
ingredients. For animals it means that the live stock has been raised free from
hormones and antibiotics and that they had adequate grazing conditions and
the use of organic feed
(Dolceta- organic farming).
Home Economics teaches that
organic farming is a type of farming that involves soil fertility, crop rotation and
biological pest control.
Organic farming is beneficial both to human health, as well as for the natural
environment.
(Dolceta- organic farming)
Organic products are safer for consumers
because one is eliminating the risk of ingesting chemicals applied to the
produce during growing and manufacturing. Unfortunately these chemicals
are absorbed into the crops as they grow, and washing them may have little or
no use. Such chemicals may have side-effects on the human body if taken in
significant amounts. Organically grown foods are also healthier since they
contain increased amounts of some phytochemicals.
(Dietitians of Canada- Are organic
foods better for my health?)
The natural environment is also helped to improve through the practice of
organic farming. Organic farming limits the risk of harming the different flora
and fauna. By eliminating the use of pesticides and other chemicals, we are
also keeping the sea clean and free from the harmful effects of eutrophication
(caused by the leaching of nitrates and phosphates from farms into the sea.)
Thus, ecosystems are not damaged. Organic farming also limits soil erosion.
Soil erosion by wind and rain is also at a minimal level when hedges or
traditional Maltese rubble walls are used to help to maintain plant cover.
Building more rubble walls around the Maltese countryside also helps
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
ecosystems to flourish since they serve as a habitat to many living organisms.
Other organic farming strategies, such as crop rotation, green manuring and
composting, all help to increase soil fertility.
Hence, organic farming is beneficial to our health, as well as favourable to our
surrounding environment. Purchasing locally produced organic food in Malta
can help improve our quality of life, due to decreased amounts of pollution
and the various health advantages of organically produced goods. Thus if we
adopt these principles in Malta, organic farming is a way how we can become
more sustainable.
Family Well-Being
The second area of the Home Economics syllabus is about Family Well-Being.
Ideally within the community we should try to live a better life socially by
communicating well together and interacting to reach common goals. Working
together in the neighbourhood to achieve sustainability in our community is
desirable. The Maltese, known for their friendly ways and manners, should not
the least find it problematic to collaborate together and work towards a
sustainable lifestyle. Suggesting to Local Councils what improvements could be
done around the neighbourhood with regards to waste management may help
communities to live more sustainably and may have positive effects on family
well-being of all those involved.
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
Part of the Home Economics syllabus is about waste and waste management
where students learn about the negative environmental impact as well as
positive potential aspects that waste can generate. Another part of the
syllabus is based on how we can manage and dispose of waste in a more
sustainable manner.
One strategy that may contribute to family well-being is Clean-up campaigns
organised by the Local Councils. Local Councils may organise regular Clean-up
events in which members of the local community may participate voluntarily.
The Council should provide disposable plastic gloves for hygienic purposes, as
well as garbage bags to collect and separate waste in.
Engaging in Clean-up activities in the area helps improve the life of the whole
community. Through such an activity one can raise environmental awareness
about correct waste disposal, neighbourhood aesthetics and cleanliness and
contribute positively to the local environment. Conservation activities such as
preserving biodiversity and maintaining habitats for various eco-systems would
be among the benefits of such Clean-up schemes.
Therefore, through
participation in local Clean-ups and commitment to managing waste better
everyone is able to enjoy a safe and pleasant environment also for years to
come.
Public participation in decision-making is an essential feature of sustainable
development.
By socially collaborating together with support and
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
encouragement of Local Councils, we are contributing to making at least a
small difference to the state of our environment. Therefore we can live a
better quality of life and introduce it to future generations.
Choice and Management of Resources
The third area of the current Maltese Home Economics syllabus is based on
Choice and Management of Resources.
Efficient transport in Malta is a
necessary pre-requisite for economic development because it helps people
save time which may be utilised for other economical activities, such as
shopping
(The Role of Transport- Transport and Economic Development).
In Malta, the most
common means of public transport are buses; however, the majority of the
Maltese population is mostly over-dependent on private car use
there).
(Dolceta- Getting
Malta has a high population density, so if everyone owns a private car
there would be high levels of traffic congestion and pollution.
Home Economics teaches that air pollution causes many health problems,
mainly respiratory and cardiovascular problems as well as cancer. By inhaling
pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, Votile Organic
Compounds (VOCs) and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) we are increasing
the risk of contracting any of these diseases.
Although owning a car may support the economy, it is not a sustainable form
of transport. Ideally we should look for alternative ways how the government
may boost the economy and be sustainable at the same time. The government
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
is planning a reform in the transport system where buses run more frequently
and will therefore be more reliable. The aim of such a new project is to
encourage more people to use public transport.
Another form of transport how we can make Malta more sustainable is the
introduction of a ‘Metro’. Building a Metro from scratch in Malta requires a
large sum of money; however, such public transportation would enhance state
economic growth over the long run. The Metro is a sustainable form of
transport because it operates only by electricity and therefore produces fewer
emissions harmful to humans and the environment; compared to the extensive
use of private vehicles burning fossil fuels. Therefore, we and our future
generations would benefit from having cleaner air quality. This transport
network is also a rapid means of transport which makes travelling more
efficient and convenient to the public. Apart from reducing the reliance on the
ownership of private cars, such transport facilities would also be promoting
higher levels of physical activity as one would need to walk to and from the
stations.
Since Malta has a land use problem due to its relatively small size, construction
of a Metro underground would help to make the land less crowded than if the
railway station had to be built over ground. Thus we would be making better
use of our resources.
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
To begin working on such a long term investment project, planning the route
which the Metro would be taking is an important and tough part of the
process. Even more so is digging underground tunnels to various destinations
around the island.
These destinations must be supplied with a vending
machine or a shop close by where travellers may purchase their travelling
tickets and passes. Metro stations would be built at the centre of the town or
village and buses operating solely around the locality would transport
passengers to their final destination.
The cost of travelling would be affordable to the public; however, the country
would still be able to benefit economically since many people would start using
this form of transport. The income generated could be used to build new
roads, for maintenance of buses and Metro trains and also improve public
transport facilities to encourage people to use the Metro. Making construction
changes to Metro and bus stations would make this form of public transport
more appealing and attractive and thus encourage people to use this new
system making the project more sustainable.
Construction and maintenance of the Metro may also provide job
opportunities to many unemployed. By finding employment and earning their
own wages the level of poverty would decrease in some families thus bettering
their quality of life.
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
In summary, a Metro in Malta may serve as a means of income for the country
due to citizens’ greater dependence on public transport rather than cars. New
jobs are also created to help boost the economy. Using the Metro also helps
decrease traffic congestion, as well as reduces road accidents. The revenue
from such a project helps the government to make improvements to the
physical environment and provides more facilities and amenities, so that
citizens will be able to live more comfortably and at the same time be more
sustainable.
Conclusion
Home Economics education in Malta has helped many Maltese students to
start thinking about basic and innovative ways how we can live more
sustainably. Through practising the sustainable development principles we
may be able to be happier and live longer. By suggesting possible ways for
lifestyle improvement and development, Home Economics and Textile Studies
can better our quality of life without jeopardising the ability to meet future
needs.
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Ruby Bartolo, B.Ed. (Hons) NFCS (1st yr)
Bibliography
Bidnall Dana, Ways You can Help Clean Up the Earth. Retrieved
December, 22, 2010, from
http://www.alive.com/5902a15a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=59
Briguglio Lino (2009) A Draft Sustainable Development Strategy for
Malta. Retrieved December 23, 2010, from
http://www.pim.com.mt/pubs/A%20daft%20Sustainable%20Development%20Strategy.pdf
Dietitians of Canada. Are organic foods better for my health? Retrieved
December,24 ,2010, from http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/FactSheet-Pages(HTML)/Miscellaneous/Are-organic-foods-better-for-my-health.aspx
Dolceta. Applying Sustainable Development Principles. Retrieved
December, 22, 2010, from http://www.dolceta.eu/malta/Mod5/spip.php?rubrique92
Dolceta. Getting there. Retrieved December, 23,2010, from
http://www.dolceta.eu/malta/Mod5/spip.php?rubrique3
Dolceta. Organic Farming. Retrieved December, 24, 2010, from
http://www.dolceta.eu/malta/Mod5/spip.php?article75
How Stuff Works. Retrieved December, 24, 2010, from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/organic-farming.htm
The Role of Transport. Transport and Economic Development. Retrieved,
December 23,2010, from
http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Publications/TFS_pubs/pub_2017/pub_2017_ch3.pdf
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