Blog Action Day

Today I will be writing about a issue that I think needs changing:

Environmental Issues: 
CARS

Cars are everywhere we drive around town, cruise in the passenger seat and go on road trips. A modern diesel car pumps out more toxic pollution than a bus or heavy truck, according to new data, a situation described as a “disgrace” by one MEP.

The revelation shows that effective technology to cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution exists, but that car manufacturers are not implementing it in realistic driving conditions.

Diesel cars tested in Norway produced 4 times the NOx emissions of large buses and lorries in city driving conditions, according to a report from the Norwegian Centre for Transport Research. A separate study for Transport for London showed that a small car in the “supermini” class emitted several times more NOx than most HGVs and the same amount as a 40-tonne vehicle.

“It is crackers,” said emissions expert James Tate from the University of Leeds. His own research, which uses roadside equipment to measure passing traffic, also shows the latest diesel models cars produce at least as much NOx as far heavier buses and trucks.

The issue of NOx pollution, thought to kill 23,500 people a year in the UK alone.

As you can see from this News Report from The Guardian cars are a threat to not only the wild life but us as well.

We Did This

We are the main cause of pollution. 

Emissions from industries and manufacturing activities

We built factories with chimneys, built high into the air, with lots of smoke and fumes coming out of it. Waste incinerators, manufacturing industries and power plants all emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live effecting them and the environment.

Household and Farming Chemicals
We crop dust, fumigate homes, use household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertiliser dust all emit harmful chemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many case, when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, sometimes we will fall ill when we breath them in.

What I am most worried, sad and angry about is the fact that WE did this, that WE are being effected by pollution and that WE let it get this far.  I think we need to Raise Our Voices. Everyone says how bad pollution is, but whats being done about it? Together we CAN make a difference. 

Exhibition Review

The Exhibition was a big process that we went through over 8 weeks. We learnt a lot about the inquiry process over the course of Exhibition:

We documented most of this in our books.

My group worked well through out Exhibition although towards the end we got a little tense and started arguing, but it was probably because of the tension. I think my group was pretty successful in spreading awareness of Child Abuse.

Thank You, to the Teachers for helping us with exhibition.

Exhibition Day

On the 23rd of September the day had finally arrived, Exhibition Day. As the time for presenting drew closer my group was ready.(Left to Right): Me, Renee, Brooklyn and Rachel.




 

We had set up a station with our Video, Book, Poster and Hand Outs ready to go. When the school came through we played our video and talked about our book.

 

We identify 4 different forms of child abuse which is:

• Emotional Abuse
• Neglect
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Abuse

 

We wanted to focus on Emotional Abuse because  most people ( from our survey below ) and included our group think that this form of child abuse is the most effective form. We wanted to inquiry into why it’s hard to carry out and how can we help.

 

This is our survey.

 

Which form of child abuse do you think effects them the most and why? (Please Comment)

	Name/ Room	Forms	Reason
1	Miss Thompson	Emotional	It effect on most people.
2	Mrs Hogg	Physical	Emotional is too big too explain.
3	Paige J. Rroom 8	Emotional	We have more ideas.
4	Connor Room 8	Physical	It happens the most.

 

Emotional Abuse

 

It can be more harmful than physical abuse because it is something that we can’t see. Emotional abuse can happen anytime. It can come from the words or attitude of the abuser.

Effect on children’s feelings and health.

Children feel upset or discomfort when they are around others because of what they been through. It takes their trust away from trusting others.

 

What the children been through not just affecting their mind, it’s also affecting their health. When they hurts and upset sometimes it could makes them don’t want to eat.

 

No matter who you are or what you work you do, you have opportunities to  support and help keep children safe. The sooner we reach out, the sooner they can get help.

 

Look out for:

• parents stress or unhappy
• parents not enough money to raise children
• drugs
• medical issues eg. mental illness

Some ways to help:

• Provide encouragement and offer practical support
• talk to someone experienced, for a different point of view or ideas for helping

DID U KNOW

 

- New Zealand and the fifth worst child abuse record out of 31 OCED countries.

 

- On average one child is killed every 5 weeks

• Most of these children are under five and large group is less than a year old.

 

- Near 9,000 children per year are born at risk ( 1 in every 30 )

 

- Studies have found abused not neglected children to be at least 25 percent more likely to experience problems such as; delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic, achievement, drug use and mental health problems.

 

- In 2014 there were 9,499 children who were emotionally abused.

 

- In 2014 there were 3,178 physically abused .

 

- In 2014 there were 1,294 sexually abused.

 

OCED

The organization for Economic Co-operation and development ( OCED ) is an international economic organization of 34 countries, found in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade.

 

 

 

Little Valley Farm

Over the holidays I have had a series of showjumping lessons with Mike Lamb (An Eventer) over the 3 lessons I have learnt a lot:

• To stay off of Georges back, George speeds up and rushes when I 'sit on him' so I need to remember to keep 80% of my weight in my stirrups.
• Keep my reins long. George tends to over bend and not understand the jump, then refuse if I hold onto his head.
• Something Mike kept saying to everyone over the 3 days is 'Release over the jump' for everyone else it was at the jump but for me it was 2 strides out.

Little Valley Farm has an AMAZING cross-country course that ranges from Pre-Intro (45cm) to Open (1.05m) So after my lesson was over me and my friends would gallop from field to field jumping as many as possible. Some of them are to big but I can now Jump the 85cm jumps! Here are some picks of me and George on the cross-country course:

Photos

On Sunday it was raining so I decided to take some photos here they are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Some of them were taken outside in-between showers.

Now here is a photo from Monday after I rode George, he is picking up a bucket with his teeth:

 

 

 

Child Abuse in New Zealand Report

Save Our Children 

Do you know, have or even are a child? Child abuse is a sad reality, a real and big issue which affects lots of children all over New Zealand. Can you imagine you or any child bruised  and broken, thinking they are stupid and dumb? Why is this happening to the younger generation?

Raw Child Abuse

Child Abuse is sub categorised into 4 sections; Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Neglect and Emotional Abuse. Physical Abuse consists of  beating, biting, kicking, punching, burning and throwing. Sexual Abuse is: being forced into sexual activity (rape) or touched in a sexual way also photographing inappropriately. Neglect is failing to provide the necessities such as food and water or leaving a child unattended for long periods of time (days) it is also medical neglect (Failing to provide the medical help needed) and emotional neglect (Not telling the child that  you love them.) . Emotional abuse consists of getting bad thoughts into the child's head and making them stay: e.g Telling the child that they are stupid, dumb, not good enough, irrelevant.

Who Can Help?

There are a lot of organisations in New Zealand that are working towards a happy place for kids to live. The main group is Child, Youth and Family (C.Y.F). Visit C.Y.F’s website: http://www.cyf.govt.nz. There is lots of other companies around to help such as Every Child Counts and Child Matters . All companies are working towards a child abuse free New Zealand although this may never happen the least we can do is lower the child abuse rating as we have the 5th highest child abuse rating in the world. 

Help Us Stop Child Abuse

My group consists of Renee (Year 9), Brooklyn (Year 8), Rachel (Year 9) and Me (year 8).  One of our first ideas we decided was to include ‘handouts’ in out display, we also agreed that we should spread awareness of how terrible child abuse is. For the handouts we would put how to get help if you suspect child abuse, the handouts would be hand shaped and painted red and blue. The next step was to decide how we would get the stats and information across, it needed to be an expression of creativity. Finally we decided to create a book, a big book. Another idea was to create a persuasive video, we decided to this as well. Our next question was; will our Video and Book rise awareness of Child Abuse? We finished the video and decided to do something else the other thing came in the form of a backdrop, the backdrop was a sad house with ‘help us’ written on the wall. Our last added idea was to tape our mouths shut and write on the tape ‘Stop Abusing Us’, ‘Abuse Can Be Silent’ or ‘Why Abuse’.  Our intention was to spread awareness and persuade others to report Child Abuse. 

Final Thoughts

I believe that no child should be abused because, why should it hurt to be a child? Although we can’t help every child but the least we can do is report child abuse, don’t be the person who hears a cry in the middle of the night and turns out the light. Be the person who hears the cry and picks up the phone and calls: 0508 FAMILY (0508 326 459).

Free Rice

http://freerice.com

Free Rice is an online trivia game with a twist.
 For every question you get right you donate 10 grains of rice.
Here's a challenge: Donate at least 100 grains of rice then do more and comment below with the number of grains you donated.












Every post I will do a 'Blog Of The Day' here is todays:

Brookes Blog

I really like Brooke's blog because she her posts are regular and interesting, I also like the new background and font. You can see she take pride in her work through her blog.

P.S. Thank You to Mrs Hogg for keeping me motivated with my blog. Check out Our Class Blog Here.