Jade Boyd
I am a final year Hispanic Studies PhD student at the University. My research focuses on the experience of colour in the theatre of Federico García Lorca.
Location Gloucestershire
Activity
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Jade Boyd replied to Rebecca Matthews
I'm terrible at taking my own advice :) but we try!
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Very important advice - the more you push on the longer it will take to get better. Feel better very soon!!
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Thanks for this Colin :)
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Absolutely :) I think all we can do is try our best like you say - and there will be bumps along the way. The world is your oyster :)
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Both very important sentiments :) Life is short. One of my friends told me to ask myself "will this matter in a year's time?" and I find that very helpful.
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Jade Boyd replied to Matilda Davis
I absolutely agree. I love this quote: “A ship in harbour is safe — but that is not what ships are built for.” — John A. Shedd.
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I'm so glad you're completing the course with a hopeful attitude :) I'm a great believer that nothing is ever insurmountable.
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Jade Boyd replied to John Hendry
Sounds like a great coping strategy - and you make the important point that sometimes it doesn't work and that's okay. Just keep swimming!
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Jade Boyd replied to Colin Johnstone
Couldn't agree more. I believe very strongly in being honest about our feelings :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Katya Leuchtenberg
I absolutely agree and have found that sentiment very helpful. :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Tharienee Pillai
I think a positive attitude can make all the difference in the world :)
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Jade Boyd replied to John Hendry
Thank you for sharing your personal experience John, it's very brave of you. Often we can't see the wood for the trees when it comes to these things - the beauty of hindsight! I'm very glad that you were able to move forward from that experience. I agree that we need to 'maintain' our mental health and learn our triggers, warning signs, and most efficient...
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Jade Boyd replied to Matilda Davis
Resources are certainly a problem. Often if people approach a counselling service then they are already at a crisis point and need help sooner rather than later. Dialogue is key :)
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Thank you so much for sharing your personal story, Colin, it's a big deal. I'm glad you had the support you needed from your workplace and that you found coping strategies that work for you. As horrible as these experiences are we do learn a lot about ourselves at the same time which mean we are better prepared if problems resurface in the future.
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Jade Boyd replied to Susie Martin
Thanks for sharing this resource Susie :)
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I think you're absolutely right, Diane. Hopefully we can encourage more of a dialogue about this. I remember the pressure of A-level year being the worst in my life to date - and unable to admit going to Leeds uni was a mistake. Thankfully I am much more aware of what my needs are these days :) Young people need to know that life works in funny ways and that...
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Thanks for your comments Matilda. You have just reminded me of a quote from a very over-the-top Baz Luhrmann film [Strictly Ballroom]: 'a life lived in fear is a life half-lived'. Sometimes we have to be brave and take leaps of faith but it's hard.
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I do think self-confidence and being comfortable with having a different opinion is something that comes with time for many people. I'm glad you realise it now :)
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@JohnHendry take a look at Eleni's feedback video at the end of the week too :)
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Hopefully there are other options before forgoing clothing altogether!! Maybe when clothes need replacing you can look for pure cotton ones :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Rubab Nazar
Laura discusses this in her video in the next step :)
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Thanks for your thoughts, David. How do you think we can combat this trend?
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Jade Boyd replied to Izzy Bennett
Thanks for sharing this Izzy sounds great!
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Thanks for sharing, Richard. Here's hoping you can expand this fantastic initiative.
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Jade Boyd replied to Julia Araujo
Thanks for your comments, Julia. I'm intrigued about the link you suggest between plastic waste and homelessness - can you expand?
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I can't think of a greater accolade either :)
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It's great that you've taken this brave step to find a more fulfilling role. Sounds like you have a good idea of what this might be - good luck :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Laura Cook
Thanks for the feedback, Laura. The intention was to make us all think a bit more about the concept rather than make any concrete conclusions but there are evidently some areas which could be improved.
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Jade Boyd replied to Alexis Farr
Thanks for the feedback, Alexis. Hopefully it did make us all think a bit more about what makes us happy - glad you still found it interesting.
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Jade Boyd replied to Manevasoa BODA
I think you're absolutely right. Do you have any suggestions?
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Jade Boyd replied to Laura Cook
That's an excellent quote and really astute. The balance between self-care and helping others is really crucial and they feed into each other.
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Jade Boyd replied to Laura Cook
I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, Laura. As society and employment changes and lots of things are now done by technology it can be more difficult to find a purpose perhaps. And not doing everything is great advice. :)
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Jade Boyd replied to David Gascoigne
I agree with you both @DavidGascoigne and @MaysAnsari as we can see happiness finds us in different ways and there are many different type of connection other than social - such as with nature like David suggests.
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That's an excellent summary of the ideas in the video, Marissa. I like what you say about the range of possibilities and also the importance of attitude.
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Some excellent words here. 'Fulfilled' is a particularly apt one for Weeks 1 and 4 I think :)
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Excellent definition :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Tracey West
Welcome to the course Tracey! Sounds like you have a huge amount of experience to share :)
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Jade Boyd replied to George Bryce
Hi George. Thank you for sharing your personal experiences, it's very brave of you. I'm sorry that you haven't had support from a lot of areas - I'm glad you receive care from your community.
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Thanks for your comments Masaru. The freshwater initiative sounds really fascinating and it's great to see that this becoming a global effort. Are there some links you can share?
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Jade Boyd replied to Rebecca Matthews
Thanks for your thoughts Rebecca, I think you've captured the essence of the video perfectly :) And some great advice. I love the quote "Don't take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive".
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Jade Boyd replied to Colin Johnstone
Hi Colin I hope these reflections were helpful as well as challenging :)
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Hi Katya that's a really important point about the role of countries with more economic and infrastructural capital. Are there any particular ways this could be achieved? Do you think more 'developed' countries would be willing to take on a more active role or take more responsibility and if not how could measures be enforced in a democratic way?
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Some great thoughts here Sam. Do you think the creation of new technologies is also part of the problem? I'm thinking of the massive increase in personal consumerism for example. Or is it a matter of a better production process like a circular economy?
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Thanks for your comments Tharienee, I like what you say about the domino effect being more important than the original idea. Are there ways we can encourage a collaborative approach?
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Jade Boyd replied to Matilda Davis
Hi Matilda. I totally agree with you about awareness and communication. If we know the reasons behind an action like collecting food waste and the impact it has if we don't recycle it we are far more likely to do it. Are there any particular ways you think communication / awareness can be increased ? What are the most effective media?
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Jade Boyd replied to Claire Naveh
Hi Claire thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes the social element of these initiatives can be overlooked. Are there similar organisations in your community?
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Those are great examples, Valerie, and all small changes add up. I have just started collecting soft plastics now I can recycle them at the pilot initiative at a Tesco in the Bristol area - you would not believe how much I have already from a week. In some areas its easier to see the difference than others :) I'm definitely going to look in to bamboo...
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Thanks for your thoughts, Katya. It is difficult not to feel guilty but we can turn any privilege we may have on its head by taking actions to help others. There are always people worse off - but everybody's problems are important. All we can do is do what we can to make a difference - and believe that the difference matters :) Hopefully we can combine all our...
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Sounds like an excellent plan, Nicole. It can be difficult to make time for ourselves and just trying to do things we enjoy. I'm very tough on myself - I try to remember to 'speak' to myself like I would a friend :)
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Thanks for your comments. I'm glad that you have learnt a lot from the course and I agree completely about giving people reasons to do things. Sounds like you have learnt a lot personally too. I hope you find your purpose and happiness! Everything has a way of working out in funny ways, from my experience :) There's a lot of truth in the 'when a door closes a...
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Jade Boyd replied to Masaru Nakano
Thank you for sharing your personal experiences Masaru. I'm so sorry that you have been suicidal in the past that can be a very difficult thing for people to understand and it is very brave of you to share. I am so pleased that you now feel you have more of a purpose in life. Nothing is ever insurmountable and there are always people that can help. From...
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Jade Boyd replied to Wendy Williams
Thanks for your comments, Wendy. Sounds like you already do a lot to combat or process food waste. You raise a really important point about 'best before' versus 'use by' dates. You might find this Guardian article interesting. "Wrap surveys businesses to check whether they’re “absolutely sure” (as Parry puts it) that their products need to carry a use-by date....
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Jade Boyd replied to Claire Naveh
I'm so pleased to hear that the case studies have inspired you to volunteer for Food Cycle :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Susie Martin
This is a really frustrating example of demand and supply not lining up. How do you think we can tackle this problem?
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Thanks for your thoughts, Susie. I agree that countries can learn from each other's mistakes. Are there ways that delays in infraestructural development etc also have a negative impact on sustainability though?
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Jade Boyd replied to Audrey Miller
I'm thrilled to hear you are enjoying the course and how the different elements are coming together :)
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Hi Katya yes open access can be an issue. I'm pleased to say that there is a drive towards this in the UK as part of the REF framework for 2021 https://re.ukri.org/research/open-access-research/
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Hi Emma you make a really good point here. Online petitions are a great way of spreading awareness.
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Sometimes awareness is all it takes, hope you can enjoy some down time :) There is a great song by Baz Lurhrmann called Everyone's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) and there's a line that goes: "Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life...
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Jade Boyd replied to RAFIDAH MOHD AINAL
We all have different needs and enjoyment and it may be that some of these criteria aren't accurate for you. I am very tough on myself - some great advice I have had is to speak to yourself like you would one of your friends :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Ellen McKee
There are down sides to being a student in the sense that despite greater flexibility depending on the contact hours and the discipline, our work can leak in to evenings and weekends very easily. The social side of uni life can also be very intense. Hope you can find some more Be time!
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Jade Boyd replied to Karelle Siellez
There is a lot to be said for a 'one step at a time' approach :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Leah Christmas
I'm sorry you had low scores, Leah. Hopefully the quiz has given you ideas on what to work on. It is of course not a concrete measure!
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Jade Boyd replied to Ellen McKee
Hi Ellen that's a really important point - the social discourse about what it means to be happy... then the actual individual perspective.
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I think you're right that sometimes it's just about habits. Recycling is second nature now and it is actually easier now we have curb side collections in the UK rather than going to recycling centres.
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What a great attitude. I absolutely agree. Imagine if everyone felt they were only a drop... Don't they say the ocean would be less without the drop ? :) Together all our drops count.
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Hi Kesiah. Sounds like you will have some great thoughts on Food Waste in Week Two.
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Rewilding is a fantastic term thanks for sharing
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Jade Boyd replied to Mays Ansari
Welcome to the course! I'm excited to learn more about Green Architecture and sounds like you will have some important insights about plastic waste in Week Three.
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I'm so glad the resource was helpful! It is very easy to be disheartened due to the scale of the problem but every single thing makes a difference and you are both already taking steps towards this :)
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts Karen and for the links. It's great to hear NZ are committed to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, hopefully that does include CF4 particularly as awareness is growing and the IPCC report is being updated to include more accurate data.
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Jade Boyd replied to John Hendry
That's a really excellent point, John, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Now we are aware of the plastic problem perhaps its a case of going back to different materials. Asbestos and lead are great examples. Do you think that being in a digital age where many people have so many electronic gadgets will hamper this though?
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Jade Boyd replied to Colin Johnstone
This is a great initiative. Also they collect the bottles back to re-use them so it's not a case of necessarily having to recycle a different product either. :)
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Hi Tharienee. Accessibility is a big problem for sure. You've also made me think about skin allergies - for example personally I can only use very specific products which limits my ability to choose products based on their packaging as well as the ingredients.
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Thanks for your thoughts Courtney. You raise really important points about affordability and convenience. Personally I found the Lush shampoo bars impossible to use. The more mainstream approach to reducing plastic use the better as then people who aren't seeking to cut down on plastic will also automatically be doing so.
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Jade Boyd replied to Barbara Gorda
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Barbara :) It sounds like you already make a huge effort to reduce plastic use - I'm really encouraged by everyone's comments :) Zero waste shops are a great idea but seeing the same approach in supermarkets would have a massive impact.
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Jade Boyd made a comment
Everyone might be interested to know that Tesco also now have a facility to recycle soft plastics e.g. food packaging, I didn't realise it was just in Bristol and Swindon areas at the moment https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2019-04-15/tesco-trials-new-technology-allowing-shoppers-to-recycle-soft-plastics-in-bristol-and-swindon-area/ Obviously prevention is...
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Jade Boyd replied to Hannah Wilkes
Hi @MaryAppleton and @HannahWilkes Tesco also now have a facility to recycle soft plastics e.g. food packaging, I didn't realise it was just in Bristol and Swindon areas at the moment https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2019-04-15/tesco-trials-new-technology-allowing-shoppers-to-recycle-soft-plastics-in-bristol-and-swindon-area/
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Thanks for sharing another great resource Susie :)
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Jade Boyd replied to Susie Martin
Yes it's really fascinating to see the different approaches to raising awareness and consider the impact of areas such as art. It wasn't something I had really considered before.
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Jade Boyd replied to Susie Martin
Hi Susie thanks for your thoughts! I agree that awareness is a promising sign. Thanks for sharing about the mass beach clean up project sounds really fascinating!
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I'm so pleased that you're finding the topic inspiring rather than overwhelming. I think our case studies are an excellent example of how we really can make changes - and are - at an individual, group, and corporate level, even in the face of so many issues. Sounds like a very timely moment to consider the energy aspect of your renovation project! :D Enjoy all...
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That's a really useful idea about actively teaching the Green Lab approach. I will pass it on ! The more awareness the better.
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Yes passion is so important and the impact of a united front and different people coming together under the same aim can't be underestimated :) There are a lot of brilliant people out there!
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I'm so pleased to hear that you have been inspired to volunteer. I hope there are some programmes in you area :)
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This is a great take away from the week, Karen, and a helpful summary of how these different aspects interrelate. I imagine many aspects of sustainability are interlinked but it is helpful to see specific examples of the ripple effect. The good news is that any impact we have or changes we make may benefit more than one area of sustainability too :)
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Student Switch Off is a great initiative. Thanks for sharing and for such a comprehensive answer!
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I agree with you both that it is difficult to see how we can make a difference in terms of energy. There is a lot to be said about the impact of having things switched off when you don't need them and not leaving chargers plugged in, recycling food and rubbish properly according to local instructions, and buying used rather than new when possible. There is an...
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That's excellent news! So pleased to hear that you have found the course so motivating and that it has helped your independent learning skills :)
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Thanks for your thoughts, Emma, a really varied response. The University of Chichester project sounds fascinating. Although there are a lot of other issues which come ahead of higher education, the improvement of job prospects, new social circle, and the possibility of equal opportunities is really important.
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That's a great idea Brenda. Perhaps you could suggest that to your local MP or to the owners of the programme. Subsidised housing - especially with shared social spaces - would benefit many more demographics than students.
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You raise a really important point about the levels of vulnerability that fall under the issue of homelessness. Thanks for sharing about the SEED Foundation and making me think more about the ways in which people might be more vulnerable to homelessness due to social marginalisation.
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It's really encouraging to hear that there was a proactive reaction to this spike in homelessness due to the Mayor. It's also a salient reminder of the counteractive measures a change of government or mayor can bring. I'm thinking now of predominantly two-party systems like the UK when the parties seem to work against the legacy of their rival when they are...
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Jade Boyd replied to Lily Sargent
Given Ailsa's research this is a particularly important initiative and part of the broader charitable work that the Church does as I know you've mentioned in earlier steps.
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That's a really thought-provoking question, Colin. Of course homeless men could also be victims of sexual harassment. This Crisis report shows that 1 in 20 homeless people surveyed have experience sexual assault. https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/latest-news/new-research-reveals-the-scale-of-violence-against-rough-sleepers/ There is also a 2006 report of...
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That's a great point about education. Starting from there is always key to change in the future. Also the more people know the more they will be compelled to act in sustainable ways.
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Some great thoughts here Katya, thank you, particularly about the importance of compromise and the sometimes counteractive changes in government policies. Great to hear you learnt more about the influence of NGOs as well, this was also new to me.
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Hi Tharienee. The issue of how these roles interrelate and also the impact of power structures and hierarchies is really important. Would you say that the power for change thus lies in larger corporations rather than individuals?
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Thanks for your comments John I'm sure they will be helpful for the team! I don't know enough about it I admit but I'm wondering about the drawbacks of using nuclear energy as a renewable source?
