Family Values

Essential Family Values Family values are rules or ideals that all family members agree to live by and stay true to. Having strong well defined family values helps solidify the foundation for a strong, tight knit family. Strong and consistent family values are important in building trust and confidence in each family member. The list of essential family values would be a mile long no doubt and the top lists for each family would be as unique as the one that came up with it. Here are my top essential family values. 1. Belonging. It is important that each member of my family feel that they are loved, that they belong and that they matter. Being a cohesive family could mean that you spend every spare minute together doing family activities but keep in mind that everyone is different. Creating a strong family unit is great but each person should be allowed the space and freedom to explore the activities they think they may enjoy. People are more courageous and more willing to take chances if they know they have a safe place to come back to when things don’t quite work out. Coming together for special occasions and holidays and just spending time together as a family is what helps build that sense of belonging. 2. Respect. This is a bit more difficult to define. For my family, to respect each other is to take feelings, thoughts, needs, and preferences in to account when making decisions. It also means acknowledging and valuing everyone’s thoughts, feelings and contributions to the family as a whole. Respect is indeed earned and there is a very fine line between it and fear. The only way to earn and keep someone’s respect is to first show them respect yourself. Respect as an important family value will extend out of the home and into school, work or other social settings. 3. Honesty. This is the foundation of any relationships that are meant to last. Mother-daughter, husband-wife, sister-brother. Without honesty a deeper connection will not form and certainly won’t last. Encourage honesty by practicing understanding and respect when someone tells you of their wrong doings. If we lose it and get angry when we’re told what has happened the other person will be more likely to hide it from you next time simply to avoid the disrespect. 4. Forgiveness. Forgiving people who have wronged you is an important choice to make. Yes, forgiveness is a choice. It is not some feeling that randomly washes over you when you feel the other person has “suffered” enough. This can be tough since a lot of us tend to equate forgiveness with saying what you did was okay. They are not the same thing. Holding a grudge, is not conducive to a close family with mutual respect. Keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes, we all occasionally say things we wish we hadn’t and none of us are perfect. 5. Generosity. Giving without thinking “what’s in it for me” is an important value for anyone wanting to be a responsible, contributing member to society. Through generosity we build empathy since we tend to think more about what people want or need. Being generous doesn’t mean simply handing over money to someone in need. It can also include giving your time, love, attention or even some of your possessions. 6. Responsibility. We’d all like to be considered responsible people. Some of us are and some of us are decidedly less so. Responsibility is something that is learned. As a child you may have been shown how to put your toys away after playing, how to tidy your room or how and when to feed the dog. This sense of responsibility extends well into adulthood. An adult who has an intrinsic sense of responsibility doesn’t require a lot of prodding to show up to work on time, return phone calls or meet deadlines. Setting out individual responsibilities for family members works to instill this quality in everyone. 7. Traditions. This is by far the most fun for me. I think traditions are what make a family unique, they draw people together and create a sense of belonging for everyone. Traditions don’t need to be expensive, elaborate or a lot of work. It can be something as simple as a lazy Saturday morning sipping coffee and chatting or an annual fondue dinner to ring in the new year. If you don’t currently have traditions in your family, create them! All traditions started with one person why not let your family traditions start with you? Get creative and have fun. So those are my top family values. Of course there are others I’ll be incorporating but these are the most important to me. Do we have many in common? What is in your top?

Environment

The Earth is the only planet in the solar system where there is life. If you look down at the Earth from a plane you will see how wonderful our planet is. You will see blue seas and oceans, rivers and lakes, high snow-capped mountains, green forests and fields. For centuries the man had lived in harmony with nature until industrialization brought human society into conflict with the natural environment. Today, the contradictions between man and nature have acquired a dramatic character. With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature has increased. Every year the world’s industry pollutes the atmosphere with millions of tons of dust and other harmful substances. People who live in big cities are badly affected by harmful discharge from plants and city transport and by the increasing noise level which is as bad for human health as lack of fresh air and clean water.

1. People say that our planet is in danger. Do you share this opinion?

I’d say that “our planet is in danger” is not the opinion, it’s a fact. Among the most urgent problems are the ozone layer, acid rains, global warming, toxic pollution of atmosphere, disappearance of forests, contamination of underground waters by chemical elements, destruction of soil in some areas, threat to some flora and fauna representatives, etc.

One of the most important pollution problems is the oceans. Many ships sail in the ocean water- fishing ships, some ships carrying people, some carrying oil. If a ship loses some of the oil in the water, or waste the water becomes dirty. Many sea birds die because of the polluted water. Many fish are dying in the sea, others are getting contaminated. Fishermen catch contaminated fish which may be sold in markets, and people may get sick from eating them. Lakes and rivers are becoming polluted, too. Some beaches are dangerous for swimming.

Another important problem is air pollution. Cars and factories pollute the air we use. Their car exhaust fumes also destroy the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun. Aerosols create large “holes” in the ozone layer round the Earth.

A sore subject is that our forests are dying from acid rains. Deforestation, especially destruction of tropical forests, affects the balance of nature in many ways. It kills animals, changes the climate and ecosystem in the world. People’s activity is crowding animals out of their natural habitat.

There are a lot of places on our planet that need immediate help. Our country is not exception. The nuclear accident atChernobyl, which took place on April 26, 1986., has seriously aggravated the ecological situation inBelarus. That catastrophe can be considered as the largest disaster of the 20th century. As the result of that accident 18% of territories of our republic were contaminated by radioactive elements. The agriculture of our country suffered great losses. More than 20% of the population has also suffered. A death rate among children has increased considerably. The wide researches are carried out, but health state of the people living in polluted areas, is worsened. The level of thyroid gland cancer has increased, the immunity of children and women is weakened, many diseases appear out only a few years later. Everyone understands that this catastrophe is a threat to health of our nation, and though years have already passed, the results will be shown on the future generations.

I’d like to say a few words about animals in danger of extinction. The blue whale is the largest animal which has ever lived. Once there were over 200000 of these creatures living in theAtlanticand Pacific oceans. Since the seventeenth century they have been hunted for their oil and meat. In fact, so many of them were killed that by 1963 their population had been reduced to just 1000. Today it is even less than that. The African elephant is the world’s largest land animal. Today there are fewer than one million of these animals left. Even though they are now protected, they are still being hunted because of their tusks, which are used to make ornaments and jewellery.

2. What do you think people should do to protect the environment?

I believe that environment disasters can be avoided if people broaden ecological education and every person understands that the beauty of nature is extremely fragile and people must obey the unwritten laws of nature. Governments must be prepared to take action against pollution. Air pollution could be reduced if plants and factories were made to fit effective filters on chimneys and car exhausts. Green zones around big cities must be protected and extended. Natural resources should be used economically because their stocks are not unlimited.

The problem of “holes” in the ozone layer round the Earth could be solved by individual action: stop using ozone-depleting chemicals. However, global action was taken to control the problem. The international convention to stop the production of many ozone-depleting chemicals is one of the best examples.

One more problem, greenhouse warming, can also be solved by individual action – reducing energy use. We could do this by turning off lights, turning down heaters and air conditioners, building more energy efficient buildings, shutting doors. These are all simple actions which everyone must do if we are concerned about our planet, yet not many do so. New technology may help, but lifestyle change can have much more immediate affect.

There is only one way to save wild animals and wild habitats – conservation. That means protecting endangered animals by law, opening more national parks, building fewer new roads, planting more new forests, cutting pollution. If this doesn’t happen, many wild animals will soon have just one habitat- the Zoo.

- Everyone should become an ecologically conscious person.

- We should broaden the system of ecological education

- We should be economical with natural recourses (water, gas, oil)

- We should buy and use only ecologically safe products (never use sprays)

- It is advisable to take part in the activities of different ecological organization sand volunteer work: planting trees, picketing …)

- New purifying systems should be fit

- We should be ecologically responsible people: stop littering to prevent air, land and water from being polluted

- We should never do harm to wildlife: stop hunting and killing wild animals

3. What would you like to ask your British friend about measures that are taken to protect the environment in Britain?

- Are there any environmental organizations in Britain?

- Does your school take part in any programmes to protect the environment?

- What measures are taken by your local authority to protect the environment?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14