LEBANON

Lebanon was a beautiful country and the people who lived there lived in peace. It is a small country that is in the Middle East. I asked many people who have been in Lebanon said that it is a lovely country and people who live there are very friendly and kindly. There are many kinds of nature there like snowy mountains, green farms and sandy beaches. There are many types of weather there such as cold, hot and moderate. It is surrounded by many countries Syria, Turkey, Jordon, Cypnhs and Palestine or Israel. I’m going to write about modern history and Lebanon now. The Lebanon was called in the bible the land of milk and honey. The nickname of Beirut is Paris of the East.

Many tensions happened between Muslims and Christians. In 1943 Lebanon gained independence from France. In 1975 the tensions reach their peak because of a radical member’s Christian group the Phalange attacked and killed a bus full of Palestinians in downtown Beirut. The result of tensions was a complete breakdown in trust between followers of the two religions. In 1982 Israel invaded the city and the aim was removing the PLO. The peace deal was reached in 1989. All these conflicts caused between 150000-200000 people to die and 300000 were wounded and the economic was paralyzed.

The economy in Beirut is recovery. There are four sights of social and economic recovery in Beirut first Beirut City Center, Second Beirut Souks, Third Garden of Forgiveness, Forth Heritage Trail. The country still has some problems such as deadly terrorist attacks and a lot of bombers.

ountry still have some problems such as deadly terrorist attacks and a lot of bombe"Eye on Lebanon." www.globaleye.org. Mar. 2005. 26 Mar. 2008 .

Describing a Cool City

There are some problems some of the problems associated with economic development since the start of the industrial revolution are environmental issues and cause rise pollution and traffic dilate. Then it will lead to increase energy conception as CO2 emitted to the air. If we continue by this lifestyle without solving these problems so we need another earth to live on it and of course all of us know that it’s impossible to replace the earth. We have to live with in our needs and at the same time decrease the amount of CO2 that emitted to the air by one half. Over 90% of CO2 emitted to the air come from building 55%, transportation 35% and other 10%. There is a project called Cool Cities and it is a city that include a new technology and knowledge with member of SDCJ using activities that reduce CO2 emitted to the air and it is very good environment. It can reduce the CO2 by 60%. It is makeup of central business area, around which residential zone and across the canal lights a green built with a cultural and sports zone and a resort zone. Around the city itself there will be solar powered, plants farms surrounding by forest to prevent sand shifty. There are 3 zones business, cultural and residential are compactly arrange so it’s easy to move in these three areas by foot. They use nature energy and they use trees and water not just for attractive but also useful in preventing in heating effect. Trolley is the best way to enjoy the city. The main transportation terminal complex system involve monorail station, light rail transit station, water transportation and hybrid car parking areas.

Summarize Johann Hari's opinion

Johann Hari is a very good man. He gives us what the environment was and what is it now. The climate change because of people activities that destroy the environment. He is against the countries that increase in global warming without thinking about what they cause or what will be the reasons. He is really angry about the government because there are some people who worry about global warming and they are doing some thing to reduce global warming but Johann Hari want some thing more than this because still there is increase in global warming because not enough to stop global warming. He wants from the government to force all people green and anti-green to be cleaner behavior by put strict rules for anyone who produce or create any type of global warming. All people must change their behavior it is not enough for you to change your behavior. I’m absolutely agree with him in that the government should force the people because people don’t like to change their comfort lifestyle but by force them they will like it. I hope all people to be co-operate to make a new environment without pollution and stop global warming.

Planned developments by TDIC 2

I sure they will make it cool city but I don’t know when because it will take a time may be more than 10 or 15 years and during these time global warming will increase too much. I hope that all people co-operate to be all together one hand to reduce global warming and make Abu Dhabi cool city in near future and let our children and families interest in fresh and beautiful environment.

about Saadiyat Island, Yas island or Al Raha beach

Planned developments by TDIC

Visit http://www.tdic.ae/Default.aspx.

I think the coolest development is Cultural District in Saadiyat Island. This development will be very useful and attractive for the local people and also for the tourists because it will be much respected global museum and performing arts centre. One of these museums called Guggenheim museum it will be only one of its kind in the Middle East and also the largest museum in worlds. Also there is Sheikh Zayed National Museum will show us our father Sheikh Zayed lifespan and how he made this city and change it from desert to green city. In my opinion I think this development will make Abu Dhabi very famous by attract tourists and also will reduce global warming by depend on culture and show us how old people was live in pace and without any pollution and increase in global warming.

One Planet Living and Masdar City

Visit http://www.oneplanetliving.org/

If everyone lived like an average North American we would need five planets.

If everyone lived like an average European we would need three planets.

If everyone lived like an average Emirati we would need eleven planets.

Our global footprint grew by 150% between 1961 and 2003. It is now 25% above the planet's biological capacity to support life on earth.

The WWF has developed an initiative called One Planet Living. It has ten guiding principles.

Masdar is going to be developed using these principles.

1- Zero Carbon: CO2 emitted to the air because of the activities that human make it.
2- Zero Waste: waste product that make a bid pollution in the earth.
3- Sustainable Transport: transportation that people used all the time and cause a lot of pollution.
4- Local and Sustainable Materials: many factories that destroy the environment and reduce he benefit of local community.
5- Local and sustainable food: food that make it by factories agricultural is very harm and it is effec in the transportation.
6- Sustainable water: because of pollution some government can't offer a freshwater for people.
7- Natural Habitats and wildlife: because of using nature area by changing and replace it so we can't have bio diversity.
8- Culture and heritage: globalisation is lead to loss our local cultural heritage and also forget local identity and knowledge.
9- Equity and fair trade: there is no equity between the Some of the industrialised world and developing world in the trade.
10- Health and happiness: health and happiness are increasing and the people asking about true basis of well-being and contentment.

Which principles do you think will be difficult for Masdar City to maintain?

1- Local and Sustainable Materials.
2- Local and Sustainable Food.

What are the three goals of the One Planet Living programme?

1- Build a world-wide network of One Planet Living Communities and other exemplary projects to demonstrate One Planet Living in action.
2- Establish One Planet Living Centres in each One Planet Living community as a focus for education.
3- Promote the imperative for One Planet Living and its guiding principles to catalyse change with governments, business and individuals.

Masdar is one of the Emerging One Planet communities, where are the others?

Panyu Jinshan in China, Sibaya in South Africa, OPL London in UK, Montreal.

Where are the Officially Endorsed One Planet Communities?

One Gallions in UK, Sonoma Mountain Village in Canada & USA, Mata de Sesimbra.

live in Masdar City

Would you like to live in Masdar City? Why?

Yes of course I would like to live in Masdar City and I think most of the people also would like to live in Masdar City. There are many reasons that attract me to Masdar city. First of all I’ll not use my car anymore so I can walk and every thing will be not far away and also the weather will be very nice not cold and not hot but it will be cooling by ambient. It is real life and it is place that will be continually lifestyle. It will be no pollution and no crowded and also no noisy. There are a lot of garden and trees that refresh our mind and our city. The CO2 will be 0% and it is the first cool city will do that. Also I’ll don’t have to worry about the petrol or air-condition and also the electricity because every thing will be use by nature energy. My family will live in a good environment and they will be very happy. I can walk comfortably to the shops and I don’t need to go by a car and switch on the air condition. I hope that build it soon and build also other cities for other people because one city it will be not enough for people and also not enough to reduce the CO2 because there are still many activities outside Masdar city that produce CO2 and destroy the environment.

PhotoStory global warming

A conversation about Global Warming

American Cool Cities

Charlotte North Carolina:

The government has changed the fuel of cars to a hybrid gas.

Washington DC:

Has changed their buses to natural gas which is less than the diesel fuel to improve air pollution and cut global warming pollution.

St Paul Minnesota:

Providing electricity by using a renewable resource as its primary fuel.

Houston – Texas:

The government has started to reduce emissions by using hybrid vehicles. By the year 2010 they will have no petrol cars. A hybrid vehicles are produce about 43 tones of carbon less than the average of other cars.

Seattle:

They have replaced old vehicles with a “ clean and Green fleet and have sett strict rules about CO2 emission. They have already reduced green house gases by 60 percent.

Fort Collins:

Fort Collins uses renewable energy wind to reduce global warming and has reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 472,000 tons.

Waverly Lowa:

Waverly Lowa municipality has used wind energy to reduce the emission of CO2 in the city. This method that helps provides local economic development.

Marion County Florida:

The government bought the Toyota Privs vehicles because it’s hybrid and useless oil.

My Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is the measure of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that produced by activities of people that effect our environment. Carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide caused by the actions of an individual over a period of one year. I measured my carbon footprint and my score was 9.05. It means I’m living as if there were 9.05 earths. I’m going to write about my carbon footprint problems and their solutions.

I have many carbon footprint problems. First of all, my transports depend on my car and at the same time we have more than one car at home. So I’ll effect our environment by increasing the CO2. Secondly, I travel a lot during my vacation and I travel to more than two countries. Then I’ll damage the atmosphere by producing a lot of CO2 and the climate will get hotter. Finally, I use my laptop more than 6 hours daily and also most the time I don’t switch it off when I leave or I don’t use it.

There are a lot of solutions for my carbon footprint problems. First, I have to buy a bicycle and motorbike to reduce using my cars and I’ll reduce CO2 and decrease global warming. Next, I should start stop traveling and if I want to travel I’ll travel to not far countries and by doing this I’ll not damage our beautiful environment. After that I must switch off my laptop when I’m not use it and not use it too much.

In conclusion I hope that people care about their carbon footprint (their activities) and be aware that it will affect us and our children in the future. So don’t be selfish and share information with others and try to help and do some things for global warming.

http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/e/perhodes/images/MyCarbonFootprint_DB82/reduce_carbon_footprint.jpg

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/gri/lowres/grin673l.jpg

http://www.myfootprint.org/en/

What should be done in Abu Dhabi to make people more aware of the situation (global warming)?

In Abu Dhabi there are many things they should do to stop global warming and make people know about how dangerous it is. First of all the government should make some transport that doesn’t effect the environment such as make metros or use boats to transports especially in Abu Dhabi it will be successfully because Abu Dhabi is island and the sea in all direction or also use bicycle. Put a notice for all people to know about the global warming and what will be the result if we don’t stop global warming. People here in Abu Dhabi during the summer they are traveling a lot and they should reduce traveling because the planes are effects the atmosphere and increase global warming. Children must learn by teach them in the schools or at homes about global warming to share others to stop global warming. At nights people should close the lights while they are sleeping and try to not have so many lights on in the house so you can save your light bill and the energy. It is advisable from everyone make a garden near or front his house to decrease CO2. Make some things to get your energy from the sun. The government must put strict rules for people they don’t care or people who increase the global warming. Try to not make a lot of garbage because they will burn it and it will cause a lot of pollution. Use the electricity as low as possible so you will reduce the energy. Live in small house that’s enough for your family.

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/23/tulsa_river.jpg

http://www.porthuron.org/images/Cool%20City%20Logo%201.gif

http://greenseniors.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/chicago1_1.jpg

Why is it called “An Inconvenient Truth”

The truth will damage the environment. If we are not going to do some thing about global warming and the truth is inconvenient because people like their lifestyle and they don’t want to change it. They don’t like to do the difficult things they just want to relax and be comfortable.

My Reaction

I’m feeling really very bad because there are a lot of things happening and I don’t know about it. I saw this movie and I am now aware about one of the most dangerous things that are coming soon and will destroy the environment. I want to tell everyone about global warming and tell them to see the movie. I’ll try as much as I can to help the environment because we can’t live without our environment. From now on I’ll change a lot of things to stop global warming and I’ll tell my family and my friends to do anything that they can to stop global warming. Thins movie makes me feel about me, my family, friends, my beautiful wife and my children in the soon future. I’ll buy bicycle and try to use when I’ll go to the college or work. Every day I’ll buy flowers and trees and put it at home.

Summary of film “An Inconvenient truth

An inconvenient truth is film about global warming. This video shows us what happened, what is happening now and what will happen soon. The environment is very cool and very nice. If we just think about it is a really peaceful area. Nobody wants to destroy this comfort and benefit of place for our health and life. The video shows us the change in the climate now more than before especially the last years. People don’t know about how dangerous it is. It will produce Global climate change if the amount of human generated greenhouse gases is not reduced in the near future. Some say that global warming is unproven or that warming will be unimportant. If the major ice sheet in Greenland or in West Antarctica collapses, which could raise global sea levels by about 20 feet (6m), flooding coastal areas and producing 100 million people that they wouldn’t have a home, food, jobs and they will really need help. Maybe because melt water from Greenland is less salty, it stops the currents that keep northern Europe warm and quickly cause dramatic local cooling there. We can reduce the increase of CO2 by planting more plants to use up existing CO2. We must co-operate together and we calls people to learn how can we stop global warming.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYJYx5K8lFJWyquYEg2xtRrTddB1h2DMs-Mbr5ZuoFlHexJf0zBR21S3EV72A9ncW7KKIjTh8_6rola2idHaRBv73Cm0CFD-l2dBMF6nHDgm9CA48ivVZP-6nrIjhn6CUpAccZaViQjhJ/s400/an-inconvenient-truth.jpg

http://www.safecom.org.au/images/inconvenient-truth.jpg

Introduction To Cool Cities

Introduction To Cool Cities

No one can deny that global warming in our world it will increase more and more and it will be very dangerous and make pollution and increase the temperatures if we don’t do anything reduce global warming. This happens by anything that produces CO2 in the atmosphere and the problem is that people are responsible for all this because the activities that they use are the main cause for the increase in the temperatures. The main and the percentage of activities are building 55%, transportation 35% and 10% others. Changing in the climate now is faster than before because we just care to develop our world without thinking about the problems that we will cause. Everybody must know about the dangers of global warming and do anything to prevent global warming as much as you can. We should start now by making a cool city one city at a time. Cool cities are very good place to stop global warming by make a city that is almost empty from activities that produce CO2. In the cool cities they use transportation that work by a gases to protect the atmosphere from oil that burning
by any kind of transportation. At the same time we can also save our money by using gas because it is less expensive and have more benefit. Also they use less energy by better technology for streets lights and power building. Because it is one of the most cost effective and fastest ways to get our energy that we need. In addition they use activities that are able to renewable power like sunshade and wind energy to reduce global warming emission and make a reliable source of safe, homegrown electricity. In this project “Cool Cities” I will research and write about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, carbon emission and carbon footprint and about development a cool city in Abu Dhabi

http://knowledge.allianz.com/en/globalissues/climate_change/global_warming_basics/global_warming_definition.html

http://knowledge.allianz.com/en/media/videos/climate_politics_granoff.html

http://coolcities.us/resources/campaignHandouts/cc_factsheet.pdf

http://coolcities.us/images/cityPhotos/Chicago.jpg

http://www.citiapartments.com/care/global_care.gif

http://www.defenselink.mil/transformation/images/photos/2005-04/Hi-Res/050329-N-0000X-0001.jpg

CRITICAL THINKING

Sami : Hello Khalifa.

Khalifa: Hi Sami how are you?

Sami : I’m fine what about you?

Khalifa: I’m good.

Sami : Do you know what the critical thinking is?

Khalifa: I know and I’ll explain to you as much as I can from what I know.

The critical thinking is some thing great that make people use their brain to think and produce a new thing and solution to our problem after understand the problem itself very well and think about it to solve it and think in the future what will happen, but not anyone can be called a critical thinker.

Sami : Why?

Khalifa: Because if you want to be a critical thinker there are several things or steps that should be in this person.

Sami : Can you tell me what these things or steps are?

Khalifa: Yes, First of all a critical thinker collects all things and listen well to all people to understand exactly what is the problem or what they are going to do and he gets proof about what he is doing to make it easy if there are any mistake he can solve it. Secondly, absolutely person thinks in a right way that makes most people to become convinced of these solutions and think mentally. Third, critical thinker thinks while he is interested and enjoying but at the same time he takes it seriously. In addition, he should have a lot of information and good behavior with people by respect them and their information and work together. After that a critical thinker examines and puts in order what he/she did. Finally, he evaluates the cause and get the result and assesses.

Sami : That’s all

Khalifa: In general approximately, yes.

Sami : Of course every one can be a critical thinker doesn’t matter if he is an adult, old or child because anyone who think, really can be a critical thinker and it is higher level of thinking.

Khalifa: Can you give me an example?

Sami: Yes, like the accidents in the UAE. There are many people dead by accidents because of the crazy drivers on the streets. They drive very fast and without attention.

Khalifa: Okay what are the solutions for this problem?

Sami : In my opinion, First parents should advice their sons about the dangers of driving fast. Second, the government should issue strict rules for driving fast. These rules include; licenses should be over 20, increase the fines to become too expensive so people will aware that fines will cost them too much money and make wide streets because there are a lot of cars.

Sami : So that means people should think in this way and know about critical thinking.

Khalifa: Yes I agree with you because a lot of people don’t know about it.

Sami : Thank you

Khalifa: You are always welcome.