Sunday, May 17, 2009

UNA-USA's YouTube Channel

The United Nations Association of the USA - UNA-USA - is now presenting videos on http://www.youtube.com/unausa01 . These include some videos produced by the United Nations, tapings done by UNA-USA of events such as the UNAUSA Model UN Conference held at the UN in May 2009, and interviews conducted by UNA Board Member Bill Miller, producer and moderator of Global Connections Television. Other materials include interviews with students participating in the UNA HERO project. If you're not familiar with YouTube - it's possible to go to the UNA-USA Channel link above, and sign on to alerts for updates.

Monday, May 11, 2009

The Story of Stuff



Although it's not directly related to the United Nations, The Story of Stuff, a 20-minute video available online and as a DVD, gives an important global message. The narrator and researcher, Annie Leonard, shows a cartoon-approach to the proliferation of "stuff" and its history. Extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal are shown in clear ways, with limited graphics and symbols. The main message is how to aim for sustainability and equity and the role of people in making such decisions. This is worthwhile for anyone from elementary school on up. It relates to finding ways to consume less (raw materials, energy) and thus to help reduce global warming and to leave a more sustainable earth for our children.

The Story of Stuff is available in eleven languages at www.storyofstuff.com/international (Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Taiwanese Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai. Teasers are available on YouTube. Here's a sample of a teaser about externalizing costs of goods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3tPxUFGbY

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

UN's New Website!



What a great surprise to find a pleasant, accessible new website for the United Nations. Worth exploring: http://www.un.org/ . On the home page, just tap on Welcome in the language you want to read.