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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn about consumer responsibilities

I will reflect on the impact of my shopping.

I will learn about the impact businesses have on the environment through the production of clothes.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video provides a great introduction to Fast Fashion - defining the problem and outlining the role of social and financial organisations in the industry.

Support resources: the question quadrant provides open and closed questions to support student discussion.

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Leaning Intentions
I will learn about workers rights

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Learning outcomes:
1.1
2.4
Learning Intentions:
I will learn about production responsibilities
I will learn about the SDGs
I will reflect on the impact of agricultural practices
I will learn about the opportunities and challenges associated with food production and waste

How might you use this stimulus material in class?
- the video introduces  "Sustainable Livestock for Sustainable Development Goals" as a topic - defining the problem currently and outlining possible solutions
Support resources: SGD website https://sdgs.un.org/goals particularly looking at information about SDG goal 12

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Learning Outcomes
> 1.7, 1.9 and 3.11
Learning Intentions
> Learn about consumer responsibilities
> The positive impact of switching to Wind Energy for consumers
>The drawbacks of making this switch
> The benefits of this for Government
> The drawbacks of this for government

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Learning Outcomes
- 3.1/3.6/3.7

Learning Intentions
- I will understand what clean energy is
- I will reflect on how my consumer choices affect the environment
- I will learn about how businesses can make better choices around cleaner energy

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Green Hydrogen – A Galway Solution to a Global Crisis | Rory Monaghan | TEDxGalway

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Learning Outcomes
1.5, 1.9, 3.3,

Learning Intentions
- I will know how to identify reasons for saving & borrowing.
- I will be aware of ethical & sustainability issues around consumption of goods/services.
- I will learn how I can contribute to sustainable development through my behaviour as a consumer.
- I will learn how changes in supply & demand affect prices.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?
- YouTube video provides a starting point for a discussion around renewable energy.
- This can then lead into a debate around the potential benefits and costs associated with renewable energy.

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Renewable Energy 101 | National Geographic

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Income inequality: Why people earn differing amounts of income, socio-economic factors, education, career gaps, sectors with high income earners, rent of ability, links tobfactors of production especially labour and minimum wage. Problems associated with large gap between rich and poor, possible government actions to counteract/balance income inequality

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Income inequality: Why people earn differing amounts of income, socio-economic factors, education, career gaps, sectors with high income earners, rent of ability, links tobfactors of production especially labour and minimum wage. Problems associated with large gap between rich and poor, possible government actions to counteract/balance income inequality

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2.2 Describe the skills and characteristics of being enterprising and appreciate the role of
an entrepreneur in an organisation, in society and to the economy

learning intentions
The role enterprise plays in a community
The role of a social entrepreneur

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FoodCloud: Transforming Surplus into Opportunity

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Equal Pay Day spurs debate over the wage gap between men and women

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Wednesday marks Equal Pay Day in the U.S., a day that symbolizes how far into the new year a woman needs to work to earn as much as her male counterpart made in the previous year. The House Reform Committee is holding a hearing today on equal pay.

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Learning Intentions
I will learn how governments distribute resources amongst government departments

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A ranking of the world's most developed countries using the latest Human Development Index (HDI) from the UN Development Programme.

Human Development Index (Public Domain)

Used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure a country's development, the Human Development Index (HDI) is an index assessing three key dimensions of human development:

1. A long and healthy life measured by life expectancy.

2. Access to education measured by expected years of schooling of children at school-entry age and mean years of schooling of the adult population.

3. A decent standard of living measured by Gross National Income per capita adjusted for the price level of the country.

The HDI was created to shift the assessment of human development away from economic growth alone. The HDI puts emphasis on people and their capabilities, as opposed to their economic situation alone.

Thirty years ago, UNDP created a new way to conceive and measure progress. Instead of using growth in GDP as the sole measure of development, we ranked the world's countries by their human development: by whether people in each country have the freedom and opportunity to live the lives they value.
- United Nations Development Programme

10 least & most developed countries

Human Development Index (HDI) - complete ranking

The table below ranks the world's countries by their HDI score - the mean of the normalized indices for each of the three key dimensions listed above.

Some countries and territories may have been omitted due to insufficient data.

Very High Human Development

High Human Development

Medium Human Development

Low Human Development

The following countries or territories have been omitted due to insufficient data.
Source: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

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Ranked: the world's most developed countries

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A ranking of the world's most developed countries using the latest Human Development Index (HDI) from the UN Development Programme. Used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure a country's development, the Human Development Index (HDI) is an index assessing three key dimensions of human development: 1.

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Inequality and working conditions: the ‘exhaustion’ of labour | etui

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Growing inequality in Europe should not only be seen from the perspective of pressure on wages but also in terms of deteriorating working conditions at the workplace. Flexibility, intensification of work and loss of autonomy are key indicators of the “exhaustion” of the current productive model, acc…

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Learning Outcome
2.3/2.4

Learning Intentions:
- The difference between employment/volunteering/work
- The rewards/benefits of each type
- The rights of both an employee and employer
The responsibility of both an employee and employer

Stimulus material:
Video
Article about the Ivy workers
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/the-waiters-who-took-on-the-ivy-restaurant-and-won-1.4811932

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The difference between living wage and minimum wage

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Learning Outcomes
- 1.10, 3.3 and 3.7

Prior Learning
- Market Demand and Supply Curves and Market Equilibrium.

Learning Intentions
- I will learn how changes in demand and  supply of goods impacts on prices and illustrate this on a demand and supply curve.
- I will learn about new technologies impact on consumer choice
- I will evaluate the effectiveness of the development on environmental sustainability of the country of Ireland.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video provides a good outline of how solar energy has become so affordable - defining how increases in demand due to Government regulations cause the supply chain to ramp up production bringing prices down.

Support resources: Demonstration of impact of an increase in supply on market equilibrium price.

Local Cork Example: https://www.independent.ie/regionals/corkman/news/work-to-finally-start-on-cork-solar-farms-in-april-40103545.html

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How solar energy got so cheap, and why it's not everywhere (yet)

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Special report : Inside the Congo cobalt mines that exploit children

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https://youtu.be/6t01z8Pd4Zk

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Learning Outcomes
1.2 2.4 3.11

Learning Intentions
I will learn how men and women may receive different pay for same work
Traditional Male versus Female jobs
roles are now changing.

Stimulus Material:
Video introduces lower prize for female golfer.
CSO statistics on women in workforce.
Personal Investigation of job of parents v's grandparents.  1980 v's now.
Worksheets on average rates of pay in various sectors.
Role of government in promoting equality

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A genuine first for tournament golf in Europe takes place at the World Invitational starting in Northern Ireland on Thursday as it encompasses separate men's and women's events.

English star Charley Hull is in a women's field which includes European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew.

The men's event retains the European Challenge Tour status that predecessor the Northern Ireland Open had.

European Tour winners in the men's field include Australia's Richard Green.

Green's partner Norwegian star Marianne Skarpnord is in the women's field while the family element to a week, which has equal £207,000 ($250,000) prize funds for both sexes, includes the participation of last year's Northern Ireland Open runner-up, Scotland's Scott Henry and his wife Kylie.

Skarpnord, who narrowly missed out on Solheim Cup selection on Monday, and Green have both previously competed and emerged victorious at the Vic Open in his native Australia, which has the same format as the new Northern Irish event.

World Invitational 'huge' for Horan

Meadow unfazed by weight of expectation

"The model worked in Australia and I think it can work here in Northern Ireland," said 48-year-old left-hander Green, whose last European Tour win came at the 2010 Portugal Masters.

The women's entry also includes talented German duo Olivia Cowan and Laura Fuenfstueck, Sweden's former Solheim Cup player Linda Wessberg plus home hopes Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire.

Rio Olympian Maguire, the former world number one amateur, is joined in the field by her twin sister Lisa who is also being tipped for big things in the pro ranks despite not making the same impact to date.

Leona has earned two wins on the second-tier Symetra Tour in the USA this year and is on course to earn her full LPGA playing privileges for 2020.

"It's great to showcase such a unique week, a first for Europe," said Maguire of this week's event which sees action at Massereene in addition to previous Northern Ireland Open venue Galgorm Castle.

Pop star Niall Horan, through his Modest Golf management company which guides the careers of a number of top young players, is maintaining the involvement that he had with Northern Ireland Open and was instrumental in the decision to transform the tournament in to a men's and women's event.

"The only way to grow the game is through women's golf," Horan told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"Once girls are into it, everyone is into it."

Hill's chance for instant European Tour promotion

Other European Tour winners joining Green in the men's field include French duo Gregory Bourdy and Gary Stal, England's Ross McGowan and home hope Michael Hoey.

Calum Hill will be aiming for a repeat Galgorm triumph on Sunday after benefiting from compatriot Henry's late collapse last year to win the Northern Ireland Open.

Hill also has the incentive this week of knowing that victory will ensure immediate progression to the European Tour under the three wins in a season rule after his Made in Denmark Challenge triumph last Saturday added to his success in Austria last month.

The event's title sponsor ISPS Handa have been at the forefront of attempts to make golf a truly inclusive sport and to that end, one of the world's leading disabled players, Dundalk man Brendan Lawlor is in this week's field.

Lawlor, 22, was born with a bone growth disorder which leads to shorter limbs, but the four foot 11 inch County Louth man plays top level amateur golf in Ireland in addition to having a long-term ambition of representing his country at future Paralympics.

The amateur entry, meanwhile, includes Northern Ireland talent Tom McKibbin.

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A genuine first for tournament golf in Europe takes place at the World Invitational starting in Northern Ireland on Thursday as it encompasses separate men's and women's events. English star Charley Hull is in a women's field which includes European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew.

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Official education portal of the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland. Curriculum focused resources and support for primary and post primary teachers.

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Learning Outcomes/ intentions:
Rights & responsibilities employers and employees  2.2 2.3 3.4 2.5 3.6 3.11 1.2 1.9

Wage slip tax liability 10 1.2 1.4 1.6 3.4 3.5 2.3 1.5 1.12 1.13 2.8

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Ireland is the 3rd best country on Earth in which to live according to the United Nations Human Development Index.
-By Joseph Kelly, Teacher, Naas CBS Irish Education and Economic Maintenance
The impending reopening of schools is predicated on the fact that much of our economic cohesion depends upon it. Politicians have made this blatantly and unashamedly clear. It is increasingly possible that we will open schools, for whatever length initially, regardless of what conditions of virulence we will face. Teachers have now become vital, not necessarily as educators and carers, but as cogs in an economic machine. We need to 'open the schools' because keeping them closed indefinitely will effectively bleed money and resources at a rate our government simply cannot countenance.
Competitive Tendencies
Lurking in the shadow is the fact that education exists in a competitive world, in a global league, and has done so for decades. From small-scale competitive comparisons between schools, the national league tables of college entry and school completion, right up to international trends and standings, the insatiable desire to classify, rank, and evaluate national 'performance' is ever-present.

Whether we open or not, and for how long, and how successfully, will be subject to international scrutiny and classification. 'If they can do it in Denmark', etc., will be the cry from some media quarters - we have heard it already. Even though many teachers choose to ignore such judgements, statistics, and reports, in favour of the more altruistic, voluntary, and vocational aspects of the job, a glance at the macro-picture every so often is a useful exercise.
Human Development Index
It is a fact that Ireland is among the best countries in which to live. And despite everything up to the emergence of Covid-19, it remains one of the best places in which to attend school. The United Nations Human Development Index(HDI) is a worldwide classification of almost 200 countries that evaluates the quality of life experiences around three key metrics: life expectancy, education, and income. In crude terms, it measures how long you will live, how educated you will be, and how much money you will earn if you live in a certain country. When all the qualifying factors are considered and statistical anomalies smoothed away, Ireland is the 3rd best country on Earth in which to live.

This might come as a surprise to some - and yes, success and failure are relative concepts. But there is no harm in looking to the positive aspects of this result. Without doubt, the quality and depth of education in Ireland should be celebrated right now, as they clearly contribute to our top-tier ranking by the UN in human development.

The figure for education in the HDI is measured by combining average adult years of schooling with expected years of schooling for children, each given a 50% weighting. According to the latest figures available, we finish 7th in this educational metric when adjusted for inequality in society. While this puts us behind some education heavyweights such as Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia, we are still ahead of the much-lauded Finland and Sweden, our neighbours in the UK, and the wealthiest nation on earth, the United States. Add in our life expectancy (82.1 years) and a per-capita average income of over €55,000, and this elevates us to the bronze medal on the HDI podium.
Small Comforts
These are small points of comfort in a global pandemic, but they do tell us two things. Firstly, Ireland is well disposed to cope with short-term upheaval in education, compared to what other nations must face. This is mostly because we have coped admirably with having the largest primary-school classes in Europe and a longer school day than most of our neighbours for many years. None of this is ideal or entirely justified. Teachers have managed tough conditions for years, so I suspect they will not abandon all hope now that we face such huge uncertainty. Our teachers' professionalism, resilience, and empathy are the hallmark of what we do and could be the envy of other nations.

Secondly, the emphasis on education, for both children and adults, particularly on things like inclusion and school completion, has contributed massively to our elevated status in the HDI. This needs to be seen in the longer historical context of how greatly we have improved in these areas since the 1980s.

We must continue to value education for all, irrespective of school closures, short-term outcomes, and crude league results. Part of educational excellence is not in scoring best in the tests, or whether we 'keep the schools open regardless', but in our engagement with difficult processes and overcoming barriers and obstacles. Covid-19 is a major obstacle to be managed and overcome, however that may be achieved. I am confident that teachers in Ireland, despite massive misgivings and genuine concerns about health and well-being, will do what they do best and manage to see through the current crisis.
Future Results?
We are all living through a situation of great change and upheaval. When the next HDI figures are released, hopefully post-pandemic or at a time when a vaccine eases our global concerns, I hope that Ireland does not slip from its lofty spot. The index could be seen as purely academic, but this is not an excuse to undervalue, ignore, or trample on the contributions made by the teaching profession in earning this position.

Quality teaching and learning remain central means by which Ireland 'takes its place among the nations of the world'. If our healthcare workers flattened the curve and dealt with the first wave of the coronavirus, the teaching profession will play a significant role in managing any subsequent waves in the future. I hope we are properly resourced, supported, and recognised in doing so.

Voice For Teachers has spoken - but who is listening?

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Education in Ireland and the Human Development Index: We Are Still Among the Very Best - Education Matters

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Ireland is the 3rd best country on Earth in which to live according to the United Nations Human Development Index. -By Joseph Kelly, Teacher, Naas CBS Irish Education and Economic Maintenance The impending reopening of schools is predicated on the fact that much of our economic cohesion depends upon it.

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Britain's top-listed businesses have made further progress on gender targets but still have too few women in senior leadership positions, a report has found.

The research, by Cranfield School of Management, found the proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards was at an all-time high, but concluded there still were not enough female chairs, chief executives and chief financial officers.

Just eight of the CEOs in the top 100 UK companies were women. Nevertheless, this was the highest figure for the female FTSE board report since it was first published in 1999.

The report, sponsored by EY and covering the 12 months up to 20 July, found the wider group of FTSE 350 companies had exceeded the voluntary target of 33% women on all boards, set by the Hampton-Alexander review. For the UK's biggest 100 companies on the FTSE 100 the figure was 38%, while for the medium-sized firms on the 250 next-biggest companies - the FTSE 250 - it was 35%.

On the FTSE 100, the drinks group Diageo was leading, with women occupying 60% of board positions. The online grocer Ocado was lagging the most, with only 17% women on its board.

Just over a fifth (21%) of FTSE 100 boards and 32% of FTSE 250 boards had yet to reach the Hampton-Alexander target of 33% women on their boards. "This highlights the drawback to voluntary targets and prompts whether it is time to make these targets mandatory," the report said.

Amanda Blanc, CEO of Aviva. Photograph: Aviva/PA

Alison Kay, EY's managing partner for client service in the UK & Ireland, said the report raised the valid question - "the progress in executive roles is actually far more of an important metric than the number of women on boards as a whole".

The report recommended more companies prioritised succession planning and talent management on their board agenda to improve the appointment of women into executive roles.

The percentage of female non-executive directors on FTSE 100 boards was at an all-time high at 44%, with 14% women chairs, 25% women senior independent directors and 35% women chairing board committees, the report found. However, the proportion of female executive directors had flatlined for a second year at 13.7% for the FTSE 100, and 11.3% for the FTSE 250.

Among the UK's top 100 listed companies, 31 women hold executive roles in 27 companies. Eight are chief executives, and 15 chief financial officers or finance directors.

The female CEOs are Alison Rose at NatWest Group, Emma Walmsley at the drugmaker GSK, Carolyn McCall at the broadcaster ITV, Alison Brittain at Premier Inn owner Whitbread, Jette Nygaard-Andersen at the sports betting firm Entain, Amanda Blanc at the insurer Aviva, as well as Liv Garfield at the water company Severn Trent and Mondini de Focatiis at the insurer Admiral - the last two companies also have female chairs.

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Only eight of UK's top 100 companies headed by women, report says

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Britain's top-listed businesses have made further progress on gender targets but still have too few women in senior leadership positions, a report has found. The research, by Cranfield School of Management, found the proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards was at an all-time high, but concluded there still were not enough female chairs, chief executives and chief financial officers.

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Learning Outcome:

1.7/2.4

Learning Intentions:

Distinguish between and appreciate their rights and responsibilities as consumers.
Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a legal, social, environmental and ethical perspective

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The Covid-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but its effects have been felt particularly acutely by workers in the garment sector. As the pandemic took hold across the globe and many countries entered national lockdowns, demand for shop-bought clothes decreased significantly, leading many major clothing brands to cancel orders, delay payments, and impose discounts on suppliers.

The impact of Covid-19 on the global clothing industry

The shockwaves broke most heavily on factory workers. Clean Clothes Campaign ( CCC), a global network dedicated to improving working conditions and empowering workers in the global garment and sportswear industries, estimates that in the first three months of the pandemic alone, garment workers around the world were owed between $3.19 billion and $5.78 billion in wages.

In many garment-producing countries the national minimum wage, if it exists, is set far lower than what is actually required - the perceived need for governments to attract international capital being in direct tension with workers' rights. For example, in Bangladesh the minimum wage for garment workers is $94 per month, whereas the living wage is estimated to be $569 per month.

For this reason, even a slight decrease in wages can push workers and their families into destitution, which is exactly what has happened.

In 2020, the Worker Rights Consortium conducted interviews with 396 garment workers across nine countries and found that 77% reported that they or a member of their household had gone hungry since the beginning of the pandemic, with 20% experiencing hunger on a daily basis.

Garment workers in Pakistan continue to endure extreme hardship during the pandemic
Khalid Mahmood, the Regional Urgent Appeals Coordinator for Clean Clothes Campaign, based in Lahore, Pakistan and Director of the Labour Education Foundation, sheds light on the effect of the pandemic on garment workers.
Over a year has passed since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis and garment workers are still facing an unrelenting combination of job loss, unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, and harassment at work.

Unfair working practices

Even before the pandemic, wages in the industry were set at poverty levels. Garment workers in Pakistan often earn less than the legal minimum wage (the equivalent of £79 per month for unskilled workers). Women workers are routinely paid less than men for work of equal value or are employed in roles with lower piece rates than male colleagues. These inadequate wages meant that most workers had no savings when the Covid-19 crisis hit.

Only one garment factory out of hundreds in Faisalabad in Pakistan, paid workers their full wages during the 2020 lockdown. Even then, workers relied on support from extended family, friends, and charitable organisations. After lockdown, almost all factories dismissed half of their workers, whilst others only worked on alternative days, earning half their salary. Despite registering with the government's support programme, many did not get any provisions. Factories justified the job losses, saying they could no longer sustain the full workforce after a reduction of orders from global brands.

Poor working conditions

In addition to unpaid wages and job loss, workers highlighted that, even before the pandemic, occupational health and safety (OSH) measures were non-existent in smaller factories. In large factories, despite the presence of fire extinguishers and emergency exit doors, there was not enough training for workers on safety measures.

During the pandemic, workers have been required to wear masks. However, from our observations, only two factories out of 30 provided masks and sanitizer for workers, meaning that the majority of workers were left out of pocket. The same two factories were the only ones that checked workers' temperatures and installed sanitation facilities at the gate. These safety measures were a double-edged sword: if workers had a fever, they were sent home without pay.

Verbal abuse and harassment have also increased during the pandemic as job security has eroded. Mass lay-offs, in combination with workers facing extreme financial difficulties during the lockdowns, have resulted in a growing fear of job losses. Workers who are desperate to stay employed are forced to endure poor treatment from supervisors and management.

Abuse against female workers

Women workers report that gender-based harassment is common in almost all the factories. They are vulnerable to harassment from male colleagues and management, as well as unwanted attention on their journeys home, especially at night. Supervisors often use abusive language, and target women workers if they refuse their offers of 'friendship'.

There is no training to combat harassment and discrimination, and women workers cannot see any solutions. Complaining is seen as counterproductive, as management will often dismiss the complainant along with the perpetrator, saying that she must have done something wrong to invite this kind of behaviour.

Financial difficulties

Workers should not have to pay for the pandemic, but that is exactly what is happening. Over the last year, workers have suffered huge losses in the form of severance theft and unpaid wages. This has forced them to take out loans and sell household items to cover the costs of food. Whilst workers face destitution, the global brands which profit from their labour continue to profit.

As the situation has deteriorated during the Covid-19 crisis, workers are raising their voices to claim their human rights. The right for workers to join a trade union and have freedom of association is under attack. In many factories there are no effective unions to bargain with employers, and this means that workers have little hope of improving their working conditions.

Taking action for the future

Over 230 trade unions and labour rights organisations are echoing workers' demands and are calling on brands and employers to commit to a negotiated and legally binding agreement on wages, severance and basic labour rights. Brands and employers have turned their backs on workers during the pandemic, and we must make sure this can never happen again.

To find out more and join the #PayYourWorkers campaign, sign the petition online and visit the Pay Your Workers website.

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh

In 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,133 people and critically injuring thousands more, making it the deadliest garment factory disaster in history. Following this, The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, commonly referred to simply as 'the Accord', was created.

The Accord is an independent, legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions to work towards a safe and healthy garment and textile industry in Bangladesh and is generally seen as the gold standard for safety. 220 brands signed the first five-year accord, leading to significantly safer working environments for millions of garment workers in Bangladesh.

In 2018, over 190 brands signed the 'Transition Accord' which renewed the initial agreement. The current agreement came to an official end in May 2021, though a three-month extension has been approved while negotiations between trade unions and brands continue.

According to Clean Clothes Campaign, the Accord's renewal is proving difficult because

"negotiating companies suddenly turned out to have backtracked from their commitments and only offered a watered-down version of the Accord."

Supporting the Accord

It is essential that the Accord is renewed once again to prevent tragedies such as the Rana Plaza collapse from happening again.

Labour Behind the Label and other campaign groups are urging brands to renew their commitment but by July 2021, only ASOS and Uniqlo had made positive statements of support for renewing the Accord. However, in August 2021 brands and unions agreed on a new International Accord to be in effect from 1st September.

By 2nd September, over 90 brands had signed up to a renewed Accord, binding for 26 months, including H&M, Inditex (Zara), John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Matalan, New Look and Next.

How can consumers support the Accord?

To find out how you can support the campaign to renew the Accord, go to the Clean Clothes Campaign website.

You may also want to contact high street brands to encourage them to support it, and avoid shopping with ones that haven't signed up, either now or ever.

Brands that have never supported the Accord

Of the brands in our guide to high street clothes the following brands source considerable amounts of clothes from Bangladesh, yet have never been a signatory to the Accord:

Support campaigns for garment workers

As well as supporting ethical brands and steering clear of unethical brands, supporting political campaigns is an important way to affect change. We outline some of the campaigns you can get involved with to help improve conditions for garment workers around the world.

#PayYourWorkers campaign

Throughout the pandemic, the Clean Clothes Campaign has been pressuring brands to meet their obligations and ensure that the workers in their supply chains are paid. The #PayUp campaign focused on getting brands to pay suppliers for orders placed before the crisis and has helped recoup around $22 billion in cancelled orders. However, this is no guarantee that workers will actually be paid.

The #PayYourWorkers campaign, also run by CCC, aims to do just this. It is calling on brands to publish a wage assurance statement committing them to pay all apparel, textile, and footwear workers in their supply chains their legally mandated or regular wages and benefits.

To sign the petition asking brands to commit to the wage assurance and find out how else you can support the campaign, visit the Pay Your Workers website.

Make company directors legally responsible for supply chains

The campaign group Fashion Revolution have argued that company directors need to be made legally responsible for the conditions in their supply chain, a step that has been taken in other nations.

"The scope of the recently introduced loi de vigilance in France covers the activities of subcontractors and suppliers with whom a company has an established commercial relationship, and this sort of legislation is essential if we are to see real change, particularly amongst the laggards in the industry. Under French law, Boohoo directors would have been held legally responsible for the many human rights abuses identified in their supply chain."

Purchasing practices and the call for a Fashion Watchdog
Ethical Consumer spoke to Fiona Gooch, the senior private sector policy advisor at Traidcraft Exchange about purchasing practices and the campaign for a Fashion Watchdog.
What is meant by 'purchasing practices'?

Fiona Gooch: Purchasing practices include a lot of things: the price, the design, the delivery date, the volume, the payment terms of the order, and the way these are communicated and negotiated.

Some companies behave fairly and properly when they negotiate these things; many don't.

What is the problem with current purchasing practices?

FG: The way brands and retailers buy in clothes causes job losses, poverty wages, excessive overtime, and unsafe conditions for the people who make our clothes everywhere in the world.

UK garment retailers are among the worst offenders. Many retailers pay suppliers up to 6 months after receiving the products. While factories are waiting to be paid, they have to pay interest on loans to cover ongoing costs such as material and wages. In effect, fashion retailers are using suppliers in developing countries to subsidise their business, passing risks and costs onto them.

Other ways brands squeeze their suppliers is by changing designs while keeping the same delivery date; changing the volume of orders they've agreed, or even telling suppliers that they'll only pay them once a majority of the stock has been sold through their shops. These abusive practices have disastrous knock-on effects.

Suppliers have to find a way to absorb the extra costs passed on to them. They can't recover the cost of fabric and materials, so they squeeze their workers to make up the shortfall - dropping pregnancy and maternity rights, demanding unpaid overtime, or failing to make factories safer.

In China, the relentless squeeze from UK fashion brands continues to create demand for forced labour of Uyghur Muslims.

What can be done to solve the problem?

FG: We're calling for a new Fashion Watchdog to break this vicious circle. Getting this watchdog will save lives. We fought for a similar watchdog for supermarkets which drastically improved the abusive way supermarkets bought in food from suppliers (reported breaches dropped from 79% to 29%). When suppliers are treated fairly and paid quickly, they can pay their workers properly and invest in making their factory a safer and better place to work.

In March this year, an important group of MPs echoed our call for a regulator and the Government is considering the proposal, but the UK ministers for Business are in a muddle about the root causes of labour rights abuses.

How can people support the campaign?

1. Sign the Traidcraft Exchange petition for a new #FashionWatchdog that will hold UK garment retailers to high standards.

2. Share the petition with friends and family, and share the explainer video 'The cost of fast fashion #FashionWatchdog' by Traidcraft Exchange.

3. Contact your MP - you can use the petition text as the basis of what you write.

How to make your clothing choices more ethical

1. Read our shopping guide to ethical clothing choices including 28 recommended brands.

2. Avoid shopping with brands who aren't signed up to various regulatory frameworks - see our guide to high street clothing for more info.

3. Support the campaigns outlined above including:

4. Use our 10 top tips for avoiding fast fashion to change your habits with smaller and bigger tricks.

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Workers' rights in the clothing industry and what consumers can do | Ethical Consumer

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The global clothing industry has a history of poor working conditions and unfair treatment of its workers. We take a detailed look at the impact of the pandemic on the industry, whether anything has improved since the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, and profile some campaigns you can get involved with to help bring about change.

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Learning outcomes:
2.5 and 1.9
Learning intentions:
I will learn what about what sustainable development means.
I will learn about ethical and sustainability issues from my consumption of goods and services.
I will learn about how I can influence sustainable development from the choices I make as a consumer.
I will investigate the positive and negative impacts of a product that I consume economically, socially and environmentally.
Learning activities:
Individually complete a diary of family expenditure on fresh food (vegetables and fruits) and packaging used.
In groups compare results.
Choice of completing a podcast / powerpoint / infographic on findings and how to make more sustainable choices on products we choose or the positive and negative impacts of a certain product economically, socially and environmentally.

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Design for Recyclability | Sustainable solutions for food packaging

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Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics. If you have been treated differently from other people only because of who you are or because you possess certain characteristics, you may have been discriminated against.

The Equality Act 2010 highlights 9 protected characteristics:

1. Age

2. Gender

3. Race

4. Disability

5. Religion

6. Pregnancy and maternity

7. Sexual orientation

8. Gender reassignment

9. Marriage and civil partnership

Discrimination that occurs because of one or more of the above characteristics is unlawful under the Equality Act. Considering every person has at least some of these characteristics such as age, race or gender, the Act protects every person from being discriminated against.

If you are treated unfavourably because someone thinks you belong to a particular group of people with protected characteristics, this is also unlawful discrimination.

Types of Discrimination

Discrimination can occur in the following forms:

Direct Discrimination

Under similar circumstances, when a person with a protected characteristic is treated less favourably than others, it is direct discrimination. For example - you have the qualifications and experience necessary for the job but your application is turned down because you are 'too young' or 'too old'.

Indirect Discrimination

If there is a rule or policy in the workplace that puts you at a disadvantage as compared to others, it may be considered indirect discrimination. For example - an organisation includes a clause that forces all employees to work on Sunday. This puts Christians at a particular disadvantage as it is common knowledge that Sunday is a day of worship for Christians.

You have a right to challenge the clause if it affects you directly.

Discrimination by Association

If you are treated unfairly because someone you know or are associated with has a protected characteristic, this may be construed as discrimination by association. For example - you are refused service in a restaurant because you are with someone who belongs to a particular race.

Discrimination by Perception

Receiving unfair treatment because someone thinks you belong to a group with protected characteristics, you may be experiencing discrimination by perception. For example - you are heterosexual but an estate agency refuses to lease out a flat to you because they assume you are gay due to their misconceptions about how gay people look, dress or behave.

Harassment

Harassment comprises of unwanted behaviour that makes another person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. Unwanted behaviour could include physical gestures, abuse, jokes, spoken or written words or offensive emails and expressions. For example - male gym members passing sexual comments or telling unwelcome jokes within earshot of a female gym member could constitute harassment.

Victimisation

When a person is treated badly or subjected to detriment because they complained about discrimination or supported another victim of discrimination, this may be considered victimisation. For example - you are denied training or advancement avenues at work because you filed a sexual harassment complaint against your boss.

Understanding When And Where You Are Protected From Discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 specifies several situations where you are protected from discrimination. Some of these situations and settings include but are not limited to the following:

As an employee in any kind of workplace including offices, factories or construction sites amongst others

As a student or staff in schools, colleges and other educational institutions

When looking for a place or property to rent or buy a property from estate agents or housing associations

As a client of a business or organisation that provides services or goods such as banks, shops and utility companies

When using transport services such as buses, taxis or trains

As a patient or resident at any healthcare setting including hospitals, private clinics and nursing homes

When interacting with public bodies such as local authorities and government departments

Special Clauses In The Equality Act 2010 Regarding Disability Discrimination

Under the Act, it is against the law to discriminate against disabled individuals or put them at an unfair disadvantage in educational settings, at work, when renting or buying property or when providing goods, services and other facilities. The only time when disability discrimination is considered legal is if it is possible to justify the action on health and safety grounds or because of unavoidable business reasons.

In the workplace, employers must make reasonable adjustments to the workplace so that disabled workers have access to the all the facilities and benefits as workers who do not have any disability.

Special Clauses In The Equality Act 2010 Regarding Discrimination In The Workplace

The Equality law protects you from being discriminated against at work during every phase of employment, including:

Recruitment

Training

Employment terms and conditions

Salary and benefits
Promotion, transfer and other advancement opportunities

Redundancy

Dismissal

Understanding When It May Not Be Considered Discrimination

In some instances, it may not be considered unlawful discrimination if someone treats you unfairly on the basis of any of the protected characteristics, provided that they have good enough reason for this unfair treatment and are able to justify the discrimination.

These few examples demonstrate when discrimination may not be considered unlawful:

A construction company requires all applicants for a high-rise construction job to take a series of physical tests. While this might put older applicants at a disadvantage and could be considered as indirect age discrimination, the company is justified as an older worker may not be able to meet the physical rigors of the job.

A shelter for women posts an advertisement for female counsellors only. In this case the employers could escape any potential sex discrimination complaint by arguing that all of their clients are women who have suffered domestic violence by their male partners and they would be reluctant to speak to other men about their experience.

A Roman Catholic school is justified in restricting applications for a job as a scripture teacher to only baptised Catholics.

If an employer turns down an application because a prospective worker insists they be given time off at certain times for religious observance, it could be construed as religious discrimination. However, if the time off coincides with the employer's business time and all workers are required to be on the job to ensure customer's orders are met, then the employer may be justified in taking this action by citing the 'occupational requirements' clause.

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Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics. If you have been treated differently from other people only because of who you are or because you possess certain characteristics, you may have been discriminated against.

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TFI Local Link Regular Rural Bus Services operate on a fixed route between towns and villages and have a scheduled timetable, just like any other public transport bus service. Regular Rural Bus Service timetables are designed, to maximise connectivity with Bus Éireann, commercial bus services and Iarnród Éireann networks to facilitate passengers who may need to connect to the national TFI network.

These services are frequently used by local residents, commuters, students and tourists alike.

Door-to-Door Bus Services

TFI Local Link Door-to-Door Bus Services are bus routes with the added benefit of collecting and dropping off passengers directly at their homes. These services require pre-booking with your TFI Local Link office, ideally at least the day before travelling. Door-to-Door Bus Services operate a timetable that is subject to change. Timetables frequency for Door to Door Bus Services can vary from daily to once a week, or fortnightly.

Door to Door Bus Services offer great peace of mind to passengers living in rural areas who might otherwise have no way to access public transport and the freedom it brings.

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TFI Local Link Regular Rural Bus Services operate on a fixed route between towns and villages and have a scheduled timetable, just like any other public transport bus service. Regular Rural Bus Service timetables are designed, to maximise connectivity with Bus Éireann, commercial bus services and Iarnród Éireann networks to facilitate passengers who may need to connect to the national TFI network.

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I also use this to explain ethical business behaviour.

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Learning Outcomes 1.7   1.9   3.1

Learning intentions:
The students will understand the environmental damage caused by our current system
The students will learn about the need for a good transport system in an economy.
The students will familiarise themselves with a cost/benefit analysis.

Stimulus material:
SUTD Explains: Sustainable Transport - YouTube

Learning activity:
In groups conduct a cost-benefit analysis for Metro North - taking in mind they will have limited access to information. They will be able to go online.

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SUTD Singapore University of Technology and Design

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Introduction

Employees have a number of legal employment rights and protections in Ireland. Here we provide a summary of these rights and entitlements, which are governed by employment legislation.

Am I an employee?

An employee is a person engaged under a contract of service. If you have this type of contract, you are protected by the full range of employment legislation.

The term, contract for services, is generally used when an employer is engaging an independent contractor or self-employed person for a job. If you have this type of contract, you may not have the same rights as an employee under employment protection legislation. You can find more information about different types of employment, self-employment and contracts of employment.

Minimum wage

The national minimum wage for an adult employee is €10.20 per hour since 1 January 2021. Lower minimum hourly rates may apply if you are younger. For example, a person aged under 20 may get paid less than the national minimum wage. You can read more in Minimum rates of pay.

Some minimum rates of pay are set for particular industries or sectors in Employment Regulation Orders (EROs), Registered Employment Agreements and Sectoral Employment Orders. You can read more about Employment agreements and orders.

Maximum working week

In general, your maximum average working week cannot exceed 48 hours. This does not mean you can never work more than 48 hours in a week, but that your average weekly hours over a 4-month period should not exceed 48. There are some exceptions to this, which you can read about in our page on the working week.

Statement of terms and conditions

If you work for an employer for a regular wage or salary, you automatically have a contract of employment. You must be given a written statement of 5 core terms within 5 days of starting your job and you must be given the remaining terms of employment in writing within 2 months. Read more about what terms should be included in a contract of employment.

Statement of pay

You must be given a written statement of pay or a pay slip with every payment of wages. A pay slip will show your gross wage and details of all deductions. Your employer must have your permission to make deductions from your wages, unless these deductions are authorised by law (for example, PAYE, PRSI and USC).

Breaks during working hours

You are entitled to take breaks while you are at work and have rest periods between working days or nights. You are entitled to a daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period and one period of 24 hours' rest per week, preceded by the 11-hour daily period - in other words, your usual 11-hour break followed by a whole day off.

In general, you are entitled to a 15 minute break when you have worked for 4 ½ hours. If you work more than 6 hours, you are entitled to a 30 minute break, which can include the first 15 minute break. Your employer does not have to pay you for these breaks and they are not considered working time.

Special rules apply to shop employees. If you work in a shop for more than 6 hours a day, including the period 11.30am to 2.30pm, you are entitled to a one-hour consecutive break, which must occur between 11.30am and 2.30pm. You can read more about rest periods and breaks.

Right to disconnect

As well your right to take adequate breaks, you also have a right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours.

The code of practice on the right to disconnect is effective since 1 April 2021 and applies to all employees, including people working from home. It provides guidance on an employee's right to disengage from work outside normal working hours. While failure to follow the code is not an offence, it can be used as evidence in a case taken to the Labour Court or WRC under employment legislation.

Leave from work

Annual leave

Most employees are entitled to 4 weeks' paid annual leave per leave year. However, your contract of employment may give you more annual leave than the statutory entitlement. Your annual leave can be calculated in a number of different ways. To calculate annual leave, see our case study.

Public holidays

All full-time employees are entitled to 9 public holidays each year. To qualify for pay or a paid day off on a public holiday, part-time employees must work at least 40 hours in total during the 5 weeks ending on the day before the public holiday.

If you have to work on a public holiday, you are entitled to one of the following in exchange (as decided by your employer):

A paid day off on the public holiday

A paid day off within a month of the public holiday

An extra day's annual leave

An extra day's pay

If you work part-time and the public holiday falls on a day that you do not normally work, you are entitled to one-fifth of your normal weekly wage for the day.
Protective leave
You are entitled to certain statutory protective leave, such as maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, parents leave, adoptive leave, and carer's leave.

There are specific rules for each leave type of protective leave and you must comply with the required notice periods, as below.

Maternity leave: You are entitled to take 26 weeks maternity leave from work while you are having a baby. Your contract of employment will state if your employer will pay you when you are on maternity leave (this is not a requirement). You may be entitled to Maternity Benefit. You are also entitled to take up to 16 weeks of additional unpaid maternity leave, which is not covered byMaternity Benefit.

Paternity leave: New parents (usually the father or the partner of the mother, or in the case of adoption, the parent who is not taking adoptive leave) are entitled to 2 weeks' paternity leave from employment or self-employment following the birth or adoption of a child. Your contract of employment will state if your employer will pay you when you are on paternity leave (this is not a requirement). You may be eligible for social welfare paymentPaternity Benefit.

Parental leave: Since 1 September 2020 each parent is entitled to 26 weeks' unpaid parental leave. You must take parental leave before the child is 12 years of age, or 16 years of age if the child has a disability. In general, you must have been working for your employer for at least 12 months to be entitled toparental leave.

Parents leave: Each parent is entitled to 5 weeks' leave during the first two years of a child's life, or in the case of adoption, within two years of the placement of the child with the family. You may also qualify for a payment calledParent's Benefit during parent's leave.

Adoptive leave: One parent of the adoptive couple, or a parent adopting alone is entitled to 24 weeks' adoptive leave, beginning on the day the child is placed with them. Employers have no obligation to pay an employee for adoptive leave. You may be entitled to Adoptive Benefit. You are also entitled to take up to 16 weeks' additional unpaid adoptive leave, but this period is not covered byAdoptive Benefit.

Carer's leave: You are allowed to take unpaid leave to provide full-time care and attention for a person in need of care. The minimum statutory entitlement is 13 weeks and the maximum is 104 weeks. Generally, you need 12 months' continuous service with your employer to get carer's leave. If you have enough PRSI contributions, you may be eligible for Carer's Benefit. If you do not qualify forCarer's Benefit, you may qualify for a means-tested payment called Carer's Allowance.

Equal treatment in the workplace

You have the right to be treated equally regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, religious belief or membership of the Traveller community. Discrimination on any of these 9 specific grounds during the recruitment process or in the workplace is unlawful. You can read more about equality in the workplace.

Safety in the workplace

Your employer is responsible, as far as is reasonably possible, for ensuring that you have a safe workplace. This includes protection from violence at work, harassment and bullying.

Privacy and data protection

You have enhanced privacy rights under data protection legislation (GDPR). Employers have certain obligations and responsibilities in relation to how they collect, use and protect your personal data. You can read more about data protection in the workplace. If your employer uses CCTV in the workplace or monitors your use of email, internet or the phone, you can find information about surveillance in the workplace.

Part-time employees, zero-hour contracts and employment permits

If you are working part-time, have a zero-hour contract, or are working on an employment permit, you have certain employment rights, see below.

Part-time employees

A part-time employee is someone who works fewer hours than a comparable full-time employee doing the same type of work. A part-time employee cannot be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time employee unless the less favourable treatment is justified on objective grounds, such as pension entitlements. You can read more in our document on the rights of part-time workers.

If you are in full-time employment, you do not have a statutory right to change to part-time employment or to other flexible working patterns. However, if you would prefer to work part-time, your employer should consider your request.

Zero-hour contracts

A zero-hours contract of employment is a type of employment contract where you are available for work but do not have specified hours of work. Zero-hours contracts are prohibited in most cases, but there are some exceptions to this rule.

Employment permits

Foreign nationals working legally in Ireland are entitled to the same range of statutory employment protections as Irish employees. To work in Ireland, most non-EEA nationals must have an employment permit.

Minimum notice periods

You have certain entitlements if you lose your job. These relate to notice periods and pay for annual leave that you have earned but have not taken.

If you are leaving your job, you must comply with the notice periods in your contract of employment. If your contract does not state a notice period, you must follow the terms of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973-2005. The requirement will depend on how long you have been working for your employer.

Redundancy and dismissal

Redundancy generally arises where your job ceases to exist. Employees who are made redundant from their jobs have certain entitlements. To qualify for a statutory redundancy payment, you must have 2 years' continuous service and meet other criteria.

Dismissal occurs when you lose your job but the position remains open and could be filled by someone else. Reasons for dismissal can be fair or unfair. Normally, you must have at least 12 months' continuous service with your employer to bring a claim for unfair dismissal.

How to make a complaint

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) deals with employment disputes in Ireland. You should make your complaint to the WRC within 6 months of the alleged incident. This time limit can be extended by a further 6 months if there was a reasonable cause for the delay.

Your complaints can be dealt with by mediation or adjudication. If both parties agree to mediation, a mediator will help you reach a mutually acceptable agreement. This method often prevents complaints from reaching the stage of a formal court hearing. With adjudication, there is a public hearing and an adjudication officer will make a formal judgment.

If you are unhappy with the WRC's decision, you can appeal it to the Labour Court. In general, appeals should be made within 42 days, but this can be extended if exceptional circumstances cause a delay.

To complain to the Workplace Relations Commission, use its online complaint form.

Further information

The Workplace Relations Commission has published a Document to Employment, Labour and Equality Law (pdf) and a booklet on Employment Law Explained (pdf).

You can get further information on employment protection legislation from the Workplace Relations Commission's Information and Customer Service.

Where to make a complaint

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Employees have a number of legal employment rights and protections in Ireland. Here we provide a summary of these rights and entitlements, which are governed by employment legislation. An employee is a person engaged under a contract of service. If you have this type of contract, you are protected by the full range of employment legislation.

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Learning Outcome: 1.9
Especially good with rising fuel prices. Ask the kids to ask their parents if they would choose an electric car if they were to change their car. Link to government subsidies and expenditure also.

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Sign up for alerts from The Irish Times

Just click on "Allow Notifications" on the message appearing on your browser to activate them.

We will send you a quick reminder in the future, in case you change your mind.

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New electric car registrations more than doubled last year

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Sign up for alerts from The Irish Times Just click on "Allow Notifications" on the message appearing on your browser to activate them. We will send you a quick reminder in the future, in case you change your mind.

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Learning Outcomes
3.1, 3.3
Learning Intentions
- I will understand the key concepts of scarcity, supply and demand
- I will be able to discuss clean energy from the point of view of the consumer, the business and the government.
Stimulus material:
-Youtube video leads to class discussion/debate around renewable energy and the growing use of electric cars

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How Electric Cars Are Impacting Gas Prices

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Past Flood Event Local Area Summary Report

Click on a Location of Turn all Relevant Past Flood Layers On
The past flood event summary report summarises all past flood events within 2.5 kilometres of a chosen location on the map. To create a report zoom and click on a location of intrest - a ✖ symbol will appear on the map, then click on the button below to view the report in a new tab.
Report Location:(click to add)

Intrest to Create Report

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Past Flood Event Local Area Summary Report Click on a Location of Turn all Relevant Past Flood Layers On The past flood event summary report summarises all past flood events within 2.5 kilometres of a chosen location on the map.

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Learning Outcomes

1.9, 2.2 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn about a "zero waste lifestyle".

I will examine the opportunities and challenges of starting a new business.

I will reflect on ways businesses can be more sustainable in their use of materials.

How might you use this support stimulus in class?
Discussion on packaging and the waste of materials at home or in school. Pose the question how can businesses help. Show videos linked in article and allow students to analyse this idea and discuss other potential ideas.

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Two sisters from Co Cavan say the pandemic has given them the opportunity to realise a dream - by opening the county's first zero waste shop.

Maeve and Bláithín McCormick are the duo behind The EcoShack in Cavan town.

The shop opened last month, but the business has been several years in the making.

Maeve, 37, moved back to Cavan from Dublin in 2018 with the intention of living a zero waste life.

She explained: "I first heard about the zero waste lifestyle four years ago. The first thing I thought was it looked expensive, impossible, and that I couldn't do it.

"I saw a couple of articles that pointed out that zero waste is an aim and that the end game is to have as little waste as possible. I started reducing the plastic I was using. I read a couple of articles about it, and I just started working hard on it and changing my lifestyle."

Maeve admits she initially "struggled to keep to her zero waste ideals", as it required visits to multiple different shops and deliveries from zero waste stores in Dublin to keep her plastic consumption at a minimum.

Meanwhile, Bláithín, 31, was at a crossroads in her career.

She said: "I was working as a receptionist in Dublin. Covid hit, and I lost my job after a month. Maeve and I have been dreaming for years of opening a zero waste store. We have an Excel spreadsheet that's about five years old with possible names and ideas on it! But while we had been planning this for years, we never had the guts or time to do it."

The EcoShack horse box

The pair originally launched the business from a small horsebox last summer, but lockdown restrictions halted their plans.

After realising there was a market for zero waste products, the sisters decided a shop would be their next move. The pair eventually hope to create a zero waste network between businesses in Cavan town.

Loose foods at The EcoShack

Bláithín said: "We have been blown away by the reaction in Cavan. It's so much more ready for it than we thought. I think Covid has given regular people a chance to think about what they're doing and they've become more aware of climate change and they want to make a change.

"This is the best thing that has happened to me. I'm in my dream job."

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Sisters realise zero waste dream with Co Cavan shop

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Two sisters from Co Cavan say the pandemic has given them the opportunity to realise a dream - by opening the county's first zero waste shop. Maeve and Bláithín McCormick are the duo behind The EcoShack in Cavan town. The shop opened last month, but the business has been several years in the making.

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Learning Outcomes:
1.9
3.7

I will learn about consumer responsibilities
I will explore the impact of global companies have on the environment from a transport point of view.
I will reflect on the impact of my shopping.

Stimulus Material....
Use the video to show students the size of the transport network.
Use chrome books/Ipads etc.. to allow students to research information regarding this ship and other large transport vehicles.
Provide a debate/discussion form for students to share their research findings.
Use this discussion to ask students follow up questions on the impact of this on local/national/international level.

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First arrival Ever Ace at Port of Rotterdam | #PortOfRotterdam

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Learning Outcomes 1.7 and 2.8
Learning intentions:
I will learn about packaging as part of the marketing mix, a tool to sell, transport and keep the product safe
I will learn to identify recyclable packaging, to reduce waste from packaging and reuse packaging as a consumer
I learn learn to use responsible packaging as an enterprise
Stimulus material; how can we make packaging sustainable?

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Learning Intentions
I will learn what it means to be sustainable and ethical in my consumption choices
I will learn about the impact of my choices on the world around me
I will learn about the importance of packaging when selling a product
I will learn about the importance of using sustainable materials when marketing my product

Stimulus Material
How can Coca-Cola solve its plastic problem? - BBC News

An introduction to Cocla Cola's 4 ps. Talk about the power of the brand and how its bottle is famous. Play the video, ask students to answer some questions from the video on a question sheet, then have a discussion around sustainability and the impact of business decisions

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Coca-Cola sells over 100 billion throwaway plastic bottles every year. So many of them end up as litter that new figures out on Monday name the company as the world's biggest plastic polluter.

It's a problem that Samoa has just begun to experience for itself, after Coca-Cola switched from glass to plastic bottles on the Pacific island earlier this year.

The BBC's Panorama programme has been finding out what that means for a country too small to operate its own recycling plant.
Viewers in the UK can watch the full story on Panorama: Coca-Cola's 100 Billion Bottle Problem on BBC One at 7:35pm. It will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

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How can Coca-Cola solve its plastic problem?

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Coca-Cola sells over 100 billion throwaway plastic bottles every year. So many of them end up as litter that new figures out on Monday name the company as the world's biggest plastic polluter. It's a problem that Samoa has just begun to experience for itself, after Coca-Cola switched from glass to plastic bottles on the Pacific island earlier this year.

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Ireland is second only to Norway on a United Nations annual ranking of 189 countries measured according to average longevity, education and income.

The measure puts Ireland ahead of countries including Germany (6), Sweden (7), Australia (8), and the UK (13), and is a stark improvement compared with when the country was assessed when the index was first drawn up in 1990.

That year Ireland was outranked by Spain, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Finland, the UK, Denmark, France, Australia, Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and Japan in the Human Development Report.

Now Ireland is in the "very high" camp, ranked joint second with Switzerland and behind only Norway in the ranking.

Overall Ireland's Human Development score has increased 23.5 per cent since 1990, a much faster rate of improvement than comparable countries, according to the measure.

Pedro Conceição, the lead author of the report, said Ireland's improved ranking was due above all to advances in education.

"The Irish economy has almost doubled since 1990, but the biggest driver was actually education. That was the indicator that made relatively more progress since 1990," Mr Conceição said.

Average life expectancy at birth was 74.8 in Ireland in 1990 and has risen to 82.3, while average years of schooling were 9.7 and are now 12.7.

When the index was introduced 30 years ago it was designed to capture a more well-rounded picture of development than simply measuring for economic growth, as was the norm at the time.

Similar profile

In 1990, Ireland had a similar profile to countries such as Italy and Slovenia. But a comparison of the countries' fates over the last three decades shows the countries have diverged, with Slovenia now at 22 and Italy 29.

"I think what explains faster improvement in the case of Ireland is the economy - certainly the Italian economy and Slovenian economy didn't grow as quickly as the Irish economy - but improvements in education were much faster in the case of Ireland," Mr Conceição said.

When adjusted for inequality within the country, Ireland drops three places in the index to be overtaken by Iceland and Finland. However, the level of inequality in Ireland is lower than the average among comparable countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) .

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Ireland ranked second in the world for quality of life, beating Sweden, Germany and UK

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Ireland is second only to Norway on a United Nations annual ranking of 189 countries measured according to average longevity, education and income. The measure puts Ireland ahead of countries including Germany (6), Sweden (7), Australia (8), and the UK (13), and is a stark improvement compared with when the country was assessed when the index was first drawn up in 1990.

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Learning Outcomes:1.9, 2.4 and 2.5

Learning intentions:

Similar to the previous resource on the padlet but with a particular focus on the responsibility we have as consumers

Stimulus used:

A moving debate to prompt student discussion

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Fast fashion - The shady world of cheap clothing | DW Documentary

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Learning Outcomes
1.9, 2.4, 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will exploring the impact of fashion on people and the planet.

I will reflect on the clothing we/I wear and who makes them?

I will learn about the impact the industry has on the world.

Stimulus Materials

Think/pair/share activity: How do the clothes I/we buy affect the people and the planet? Think local/national and global.

Documentary - The True Cost

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Theme:

Packaging

LO

1.1 & 3.1

Learning Intentions

I will consider the consequences of excessive packaging waste

I will learn about consumer/corporate responsibility in relation to reducing packaging waste

I will attempt to make a change to my shopping habits in order to reduce packaging waste

Possible Learning Experiences

We will discuss the issue of packaging waste after watching the Video

We will, in groups, research and present on companies who are taking steps to reduce packaging e.g. Lidl, McDonalds (design success criteria as group)

We will design advice sheets on reducing packaging and put up around the school

Stimulus in class

Video shows the issue of plastic packaging - should open a discussion around packaging - take in the increase in online shopping during Covid also - personal element

Use Lidl or McDonalds as examples that students are aware of - provide outline of what should be included in presentation (success criteria)

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Learning outcomes:
1.9, 1.7

Learning Intentions:
- I will learn about issues surrounding food waste
-I will reflect on my own choices and how I can make better, more informed decisions about food and wastage
- I will research how businesses can use waste to create new products/forms of energy to help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

How might you use this support in class:
Discussion on video linked above

Debate whether businesses should be doing more to help cut down on food waste.

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How Rotting Vegetables Make Electricity | World Wide Waste

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Learning Outcomes:

2.4 Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a legal, social, environmental and ethical perspective

2.5 Investigate the positive and negative impacts on a community of an organisation from an economic, social and environmental perspective

Learning Intentions:

·       To describe the impacts of purchases in LEDCS

·       To evaluate the impacts of purchases in LEDCS

·       To analyse the impacts of purchases in LEDCS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhPPP_w3kNo

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2no2L-5-yfI

LO-1.9.2.4 and 2.5

LI-
1/I will understand where my clothes are made and come from.
2/I will learn about consumer choice and the impact of my decisions.
3/I will learn about the impact of these factories on the global environment.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video would be used to open the class to discuss the impact of Fast Fashion. Discussions would be around worker conditions and the profit made by these big companies.

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Walk in My Shoes: Nike's Sweatshops (A Culture Jamming Documentary) | Bonettwork

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Learning Outcome : 1.9
Learning Intentions : Understand the importance of being an ethical consumer.
Evaluate practical ways of being an ethical consumer.
Analyse the ethical and social responsibilities of a business.

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Learning Outcome 2.4

Learning Intentions
-Appreciation that rights also bring responsibilies.
- Outline different types of industrial action.

Stimulus Material Spunout fact sheet.

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What is involved when taking industrial action?

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Taking industrial action is any action taken by a group of workers to try and convince their employers to do something, for example to raise pay rates or reverse a management decision. Industrial action is usually only taken after other options, such as talking with management, have failed.

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1.1 , 1.7 , 1.9, 2.5, 2.8 , 2.12, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, 3.7

What impact the different types of packaging has on the 3 strands~ personal , personal cost, attractive products/luxurious products/ gifting. Consumer choice and ability to pay for goods
Environmental~ environmental impact of plastic/ carbon foot print. Use of raw materials
Economic ~ effect on business profits/ job security/ availability of more environmentally friendly products and raw materials. Added research required, can be costly for businesses, availability of grants

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_mRxn0Lj-s

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Compare Ireland's access to health care with an LDC.

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Global Human Development Indicators

Explore human development data from around the world using the interactive tools below. Data presented here were used in the preparation of the 2020 Human Development Report "The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene", released on 15 December 2020. The Human Development Report Office releases five composite indices each year: the Human Development Index (HDI), the Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI), the Gender Development Index (GDI), the Gender Inequality Index (GII), and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Data used in these indices and other human development indicators included here are provided by a variety of public international sources and represent the best statistics available for those indicators at the time of the preparation of the human development report.

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Global Human Development Indicators Explore human development data from around the world using the interactive tools below. Data presented here were used in the preparation of the 2020 Human Development Report "The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene", released on 15 December 2020.

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How To Fit Two Years Of Trash In A Mason Jar | shift | msnbc

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One of the most prominent American female football players said she considers this week's $24m pay discrimination settlement between the US Women's National Team and the US Soccer Federation to be a "heartbreaking and infuriating" failure.

On Tuesday, the USWMNT and USSF a long-running lawsuit accusing the federation of failing to pay the team, the most winning national outfit in women's soccer globally, as much as America's often hapless men's team, violating the Equal Pay Act.

But the settlement is contingent on the USSF and the Stars and Stripes squad working out a new collective bargaining agreement, which former US goalkeeper Hope Solo, who won two Olympic golds and a World Cup with the team, says falls well short of what US women are owed.

"Read the fine print. 'Contingent upon the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement,'" Ms Solo wrote in a post on her Instagram. "It doesn't exist yet and is not guaranteed."

"If the players had ever been successful in negotiating an equal CBA, there would've been no reason to sue the federation in the first place," she added. "This settlement is not a 'huge win.' It's heartbreaking and infuriating."

Though well short of the more than $66m the USWNT was seeking in the suit, the settlement will pay each national team player a lump sum, as well as guarantee an equal rate of pay for the men's and women's teams during international friendlies, tournaments, and the World Cup. It also puts $2m towards charitable efforts around women's and girl's soccer, and a fund to support national team players in their post-competition careers.

The USWNT and the USSF have until 31 March to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.

Other leading US soccer players, including OL Reign and US international midfielder Megan Rapinoe, have offered measured praise to the deal.

​​"There's no real justice in this other than this never happening again," she told ESPN. "With the settlement of the working conditions and this settlement which is contingent upon a CBA that will have equal pay going forward, there's no other way to look at it than just a monumental win for women's sports and women's soccer, in particular."

Though fans quickly rallied behind the team's demands, chanting "Equal pay!" during the US squad's 2019 World Cup win over the Netherlands, the deal's path was far from assured.

At out point, the USWNT's equal pay claims were dropped from the suit, forcing the players to appeal.

But as the lawsuit wore on, the public was increasingly on the USWNT's side, especially in 2020 after a filing from the USSF was made public, which contained baldly sexist language regarding female players.

The USWNT "do not perform equal work requiring equal skill [and] effort" because "the overall soccer-playing ability required to compete at the senior men's national team level is materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes such as speed and strength," it wrote in the document, essentially arguing women should be paid less because they are physically inferior.

The lawsuit also revealed stark differences in how the men's and women's teams, which operate under separate collective bargaining agreements, are paid.

USWMNT make roughly half of what men do in bonuses if they make the World Cup, while the US men's team still gets bonuses if they lose even as the women get nothing.

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Hope Solo says US women's soccer $24m equal pay settlement is 'infuriating' failure

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One of the most prominent American female football players said she considers this week's $24m pay discrimination settlement between the US Women's National Team and the US Soccer Federation to be a "heartbreaking and infuriating" failure.