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Activities

I organise a "stop smoking" campaign

Work on the concept of a media campaign. Compare the personal and general contribution to climate change with smoking cigarettes. Develop a “stop smoking” campaign for greenhouse gases.

Task 1: Employment sector
 

Many people live from the cultivation of tobacco.
But many more people live from industries polluting the environment.
 
Describe examples.
 

Key words:

airlines
long distance tourism
oil industry
car industry
 

But there must be alternatives either in other employment sectors or modifying the existing employment sectors. Describe examples.

Key word list:

environmentally-friendly public transport
short distance tourism
solar and wind industry
fuel cell development

Task 2 Privileges

Privileges are slowly withdrawn from smokers and can be given to non-smokers
Describe examples.

tobacco tax
higher fees in health insurance for smokers
prohibition of smoking in stations, pubs, public buildings, ...

Privileges can be withdrawn from polluters and can be given to non-polluters
Describe examples.

Key word list:

incentives for houses with solar heating and / or electricity systems
international kerosene tax for aircrafts
international eco-tax for arriving tourists
emissions trading systems
 

Task 3 Awareness of negative effects

Smokers are usually aware that their habit is not good for their own body and for the people around them. Many would like to stop.
Many citizens are aware that our lifestyle causes problems for the climate system. But they have problems changing it.
Describe examples.

Key word list:
living in a village and need of a car
friends around the world and long distance travel.
small income and purchase of cheap imported goods.

3. Energy consumption is often related to luxury which is not indispensable for life. But we got used to it and the demands created jobs, for example in aviation and other service industries. © Photo: Birgit Köhler, Weser Report
 

Task 4 Support in finding a way out

The government and private activities help stop people smoking through campaigns, advice brochures, medical assistance and offers of less harmful substitutes.
The market also offers many alternatives to prevent additional greenhouse gas emissions: renewable energies, public transport, holiday and recreation regions near to our home, ...
Describe what can be done to stimulate the use of such alternatives.
 

Key words:

brochures about how to reduce the personal contribution in energy consumption and waste production.
incentives for helpful personal measures
support of a positive image of alternatives.
fostering a “common sense” attitude.
 

Task 5 Develop a “non-smoking” sign:

Think about who is contributing to climate change. Bring the contribution into a simple symbol and develop a motivating non-smoking sign from it.
 

Send non-smoking signs via e-mail or post to us!

We will present your ideas on this website.

Send your favoured non-smoking sign to your friends and tell them why you made one and that they should also make one.

Contact:

nonsmoking@espere.net

Elmar Uherek
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Department for Atmospheric Chemistry
P.O. Box 3060
55020 Mainz / Germany