ISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS - xtec. · PDF fileISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS ISSUE 3: ... the video clip...

ISSUES FOR

ALL SEASONS

ISSUE 3: A FAIRY TALE OF NEW YORK

Llicències retribuïdes 2005/2006

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CHRISTMAS

FAIRY TALE OF NEW YORK

INTRODUCTION

The title of this unit is inspired on the Pogues’ song Fairy Tale of New York, a Christmas song which was one of the Christmas hits in the 1980s, which tries to bring about an alternative version of Christmas. Through the song and its video clip, we shall meet the protagonists of this song who portray the loss of hope, which will drive them towards desperation and addictions; so this unit will deal with addictions among teenagers: drugs and alcohol.

Christmas is not the happy merry time for everybody. Let us analyze how the real spirit of Christmas has been manipulated until it has become a celebration that cannot be understood without massive consumption. In addition, not only the marketing purpose of Christmas will be discussed, but also the ecologically unfriendly aspects of this celebration.


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HOW TO DEVELOP A UNIT

GUIDELINE FOR TEACHERS

All units have a similar structure. Each unit has an introduction to the subject, a guideline with the explanation of all the activities and two grids to check how you can carry out the activities, what concepts the pupils will learn and what skills they will be practicing.

The teacher is provided with information on all and every topic to be developed. It is not necessary to carry out all the activities featured in the unit. Therefore, the teacher is free to choose what activities he or she considers interesting.

Before the beginning of the unit, each pupil is furnished with a handout called background file. This is an activity to be carried out surfing the internet with the use of the URLs provided in the handout. This activity is design so that at the beginning of the unit each student has minimum information on the topics to be presented by the teacher. Complete a background file is an easy and attractive activity and, at the same time, with the handing out of the pupil’s exercise, the teacher has the possibility of evaluating how well the pupils have performed this activity.

Some units feature a warming up activity with the aim of encouraging pupils to take an active part in the following activity.

The brainstorm activity always follows the warming up activity and has the purpose of furnishing the pupils with the useful vocabulary they will need in order to carry out the activities featured in the issue. However, it is up to the teacher to decide how to adapt this activity to the pupils, according to their needs.

Next, there is always a wide rage of activities planned to develop all skills while learning about the topics featured in the issue. There are texts to read with worksheets to check the student’s comprehension; short essays to develop either the writing skills, as well as songs, films or recorded conversations to practice oral skills. In addition, some of the activities provide short essays on the topic for the teachers to read before hand.

Finally, there is an activity called food for thought , which is a short passage for the pupils to read, think and express their own ideas in the final activity. This last activity is called let the discussion begin. According to the level of English the pupils have, the teacher can either let the students discuss about the subject dealt in the unit, or prepare a role-play. The latter will be a directed oral activity, easier for pupils who have less fluency in English.

At the end of each unit, there is also the bibliography with useful books or URLs on the topic.


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GUIDELINE TO DEVELOP UNIT 3

Background file: This task can be completed in 45 minutes and the teacher will collect the pupils essays and evaluate their work. p6

Brainstorm: This activity is performed in class using the board. It can last 30 minutes or longer if the teacher wants the pupils to exercise, their vocabulary. The brainstorm activity gives the teacher the possibility of introducing the pupils to the topic to be developed and to make the pupils aware of what values will be dealt with in the issue. p7

Warming up activity: This is an activity the pupils will enjoy. The teacher plays the video clip of the song Fairy Tale of New York and the pupils can express their opinion about the story. Is it really a Christmas song as all traditional carols are, or is it trying to tell us something else? The teacher can give the pupils a handout with the song lyrics in order to make sure the pupils understand the meaning completely. (15 minutes ) p8

Reading comprehension: This activity features an article, taken from the internet, about the sad fact of Kirsty McCall’s sudden death in Mexico. This article will provide the pupils with a very good background to follow the next activity, which will be rather difficult. The activity will last for 55 minutes and the teacher can decide whether to mark the answers as a test or do it in class. p10

Shane McGowan’s DVD: If I should fall from Grace. This is an activity based on a DVD on the story of Shane McGowan, the singer of the punk-rock Irish group The Pogues. There is a guideline to follow the DVD. However, it is not necessary to watch it all, so only some parts of it have been selected. It is interesting to follow Shane McGowans’ story to understand why he decided to use traditional Irish songs and change their lyrics. (two sessions of 55 minutes ) p14

Reading comprehension: Teen and Drugs: This activity features an article about the problem of drug consumption and addictions among teenagers. The activity will last for 55 minutes and the teacher can decide whether to do it in class or to assign it as homework. p17

Food for thought:Alcoholism.Take the test. It is known that today there is a number of teenagers that start dinking alcohol at a very early age. Therefore, it is not strange that some teenagers have already become alcoholics. This is a test taken from AA AA homepage, is specially designed for teenagers. (10 minutes ) p19

Let the discussion begin: The teacher should encourage the pupils to talk starting with questions on their weekend drinking habits, binge drinking at weekends, and so forth. They are sensitive to this topic, so they will probably want to give their opinion. (15 minutes )

Being environmentally responsible at Christmas: This activity provides the teacher with a series of suggestions about the massive waste that we tend to gather at Christmas holidays, as well as the extravagant amount of money we spend on those days. The teacher should photocopy the articles and give every two pupils one of the suggestions, as how to recycle your Christmas trees and other waste, etc.


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The pupils should read it and present it to the class. There can be a discussion about this issue, too. (55minutes ) p20

Blog Talk: Christmas is a time for good will and happiness, but we must not forget that we live in a society with a double moral that tends to turn a blind eye when it comes to face serious but uncomfortable problems. This activity features a series of short articles that are taken from a blog, where people are very critical with aspects of Christmas they dislike. Pupils should read the articles first and then in groups they well be assigned one of the articles. They will have to discus it in the group and write their opinion. Finally, they will have to read their opinion aloud. (55 minutes ) p27

Food for thought : The spirit of Christmas

In turns, pupils read the article aloud in class. After reading it, they will have to express their opinion about the Christmas suggestions. Then split into groups, the teacher will assign them one of the following topics and they will have to write a conclusion, that can be read aloud to the class.(55minutes ) p30

• Being alone, old or/and disable at Christmas • Being a homeless at Christmas • Why should everybody be happy at Christmas? • Has Christmas lost its true religious meaning? • Spending too much money at Christmas time

BACKGROUND FILE Check the web sites provided and find out the information required. At Christmas, we sing typical songs. What are their names in English? http://www.wordreference.com/ Can you name the original name of the most famous Christmas song? Who wrote it? Where? http://silentnight.web.za/ In Spain the Magi bring the children toys. Who brings them in the UK? And in the USA? http://www.santas.net/englishchristmas.htm Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. By the way, where was he born? http://www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/nativity/index.htm Why were his parents in that particular place at the time of his birth? http://www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/nativity/index.htm The anti spirit of Christmas could be called Ebenezer Scrooge. Who invented this character? What is his favourite expression? http://www.answers.com/topic/ebenezer-scrooge What is the name of the traditional Christmas dessert in the UK? What does it look like? What do you have to do just before eating it? http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/article_256.shtml The Pogues is the name of an Irish band. What was its original name? Why do you think they chose that name? http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/thepoguesx12x12x05 Why isn’t “A Fairy Tale of New York” a typical Christmas carol? Why did The Pogues get this title from? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairytale_of_New_York


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BRAINSTORM

Let’s make our own vocabulary file

What do you know about Christmas?

What do you think is traditional about Christmas Day?

What do you know about…

The spirit of Christmas

How should people feel at Christmas?

How about the people who are alone, disable, homeless…?

Spending money at Christmas

The American Dream

Fairy tales

Punks and punk music

How do you think you can mix traditional Irish music, rock and punk music?

Drugs

Alcohol


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Watch the video clip and read the lyrics

The song features two Irish immigrant, lovers or ex-lovers whose youthful hopes are all but crushed by alcoholism and drug addiction. It is Christmas Eve in New York City. Kirsty. McColl’s melodious singing contrasts with the harsh sound of McGowan’s voice and the lyrics, which are sometimes bittersweet. Read the lyrics and try to guess any unknown words.


was Christmas Eve babe In the drunk tank An old man said to me, won't see another one And then he sang a song The rare old mountain DEW I turned my face away And dreamed about you Got on a lucky one Came in eighteen to one I've got a feeling This year's for me and you So happy Christmas I love you baby I can see a better time When all our dreams come true They've got cars big as bars They've got rivers of gold But the wind goes right through you It's no place for the old When you first took my hand On a cold Christmas Eve You promised me Broadway was waiting for me You were handsome You were pretty Queen of New York City When the band finished playing They howled out for more


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Sinatra was swinging, All the drunks they were singing We kissed on a corner Then danced through the night (chorus) The boys of the NYPD choir Still singing "Galway Bay" And the bells were ringing out For Christmas day You're a bum You're a punk You're an old slut on junk Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed You scumbag, you maggot You cheap lousy faggot Happy Christmas your arse I pray God it's our last (chorus) I could have been someone Well so could anyone You took my dreams from me When I first found you I kept them with me babe I put them with my own Can't make it all alone I've built my dreams around you


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READING COMPREHENSION

Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl:

End of a Christmas Story...

MacGowan and Kirsty

MacColl in a down-to-the-

gutter duet on «Fairytale of

New York». It is perhaps the

best Christmas song ever.

But who would have thought

that the notorious drunk

Shane should outlive Kirsty?

Everybody has heard The Pogue's Christmas single «Fairytale of New York» from 1987. Many associate it with the good and fair Christmas spirit, but not at all the sentimental one. Some even regard it as the best Christmas song ever in the history of rock.

The Face of Death The content of the song starts in New York, sometimes in 1920-30s: The Pogues vocalist Shane MacGowan wakes up behind bars, arrested for being drunk on Christmas Eve. His old lady, Kirsty MacColl, gives him the all-time yelling: She calls him "a bum" and "a punk", and he replies that she is "an old slut on junk". It continues with scumbag and maggot, the last of course, rhymes with faggot, before MacColl declares "Happy Christmas your arse, I pray God it's our last".

And now, Kirsty MacColl has already had her last Christmas. She was killed in a diving accident on a Christmas holiday in Mexico in December. Before that the whole world has been waiting to see Shane MacGowan be picked by death. A couple of years ago someone talked with a roadie who followed Shane MacGowan on the Europe tour. Some of the things the roadie had to do was to sit in the bus and pour warm white wine down Shane's troth, who hardly could open his mouth. "I have seen the face of Death," the chocked roadie could say, "and it's name is Shane MacGowan".


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Shane MacGowan Tired of keep up with Shane MacGowan and his messy drinking the rest of The Pogues asked him in 1991 to leave the band, whose original name was Pogue mo Thóin (Kiss my ass). Since then the band have been sliding down, and the drunken poet has been going both up and down, mostly down. The autumn of 2000 was a low-point when his neighbor Sinead O'Connor asked the police to intervene against MacGowan's misuse of heroin. In October he was once more a patient on the clinic The Priory, who later tossed him out, the third time within one year. MacGowan, the artist without a dentist, has been writing music for nearly 25 years, from the early punk days of The Nipple Erectors through the wild days of The Pogues to his present band, The Popes.

For both Shane and Kirsty will «Fairytale of New York» be standing as their greatest moment. It's written by MacGowan and The Pogue's Jem Finer and recorded on The Pogues' third CD «If I Should Fall From Grace With God» (1987). The song was originally thought as a duet between Shane and The Pogue's female bass player Cait O Riordan. But she left the band, and the CD's producer Steve Lillywhite suggested another name, his own wife, Kirsty MacColl, who was an establish singer with one CD and a handful of fine singles behind her.


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Down and Out on Christmas Eve «Fairytale of New York» was released in December 1987 and was a new Christmas classic from day one. Kirsty MacColl's pure vocals provide a bitter sweet contrast to Shane MacGowan's toothy roar. One critic wrote that "«Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl use words that were not common in my childhood's Christmas, but this is not an innocent story for children. It's about being an adult and face realities, being drunk and forget again, the hopes for better times, become friends, and not friends, and perhaps friends again, and perhaps having a nice time in Christmas, and perhaps not..."

"The song seems to be a song between two people who have a major arguement," said Kirsty MacColl once about «Fairytale of New York». "But it is much more human and much more romantic than those so-called romantic songs that for instance Whitney Houston sings. What kind of people is she really singing about? Barbie and Ken?"

Kirsty MacColl The song reached number two on the British charts on Christmas 1987. About three years later Shane was asked to leave the band, and in 1996 the band fell apart. Kirsty MacColl continued with a handful of nice solo albums, and the best-of collection «Galore» (1995) sold to platinum in England….

Killed in Mexico Kirsty intended to spend the Christmas in 2000 on vacation in Cozumal in Mexico with her two children. She died 18 December after an accident on a diving holiday in the sea close to the coral island of Cozumel, off the Yucatan peninsula. She was hit by a speedboat, which was in an area reserved for swimmers. Her two sons were both with her in the water, but they are said to be unhurt. Their father and MacColl's former husband, music producer Steve Lillywhite, flown out to Mexico to comfort them.

Strangely enough was «Fairytale of New York» once again on the British hit lists. This time sung by teen pop singer Ronan Keating from Ireland (former member of the boys band Boyzone) and ex-Clannad singer Maire Brennan. But something have happened to the song. Except from being dragged down into cheap Irish sentimental sauce, squeaky clean Ronan has decided to clean up the song in case he could offend his young audience, and the lyrics «You cheap lousy faggot» has been altered or censored into «You're cheap and you're haggard...» Shame on Ronan Brennan. Kirsty MacColl would turn over in disgust. Shane MacGowan on the other hand has given the thumbs-up the sanitized version of the Christmas classic. And why not, he is a drunk. •

http://www.fab.net/

Art/Music topics

Dec. 2000


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Answer the following questions:

1. What relationship did McGowan and McCall have?

2. Why is it the end of a Christmas story?

3. What happened to Kirsty McCall?

4. What serious problem did Shane McGowan have?

5. What problem did he have with the Irish singer Sinead O’Connor?

6. Who are the The Erect Nipples, the Pogues and The Popes ?

7. What relationship do Fairy a Tale of New York and If I Should Fall From Grace With God have in common?

8. Why isn’t Fairy Tale of New York a traditional Christmas carol?

9. What is The Priory?

10. What did Ronan Keating and Marie Brennan do to Fairy Tale of New York ?


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Activity on the film IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WI TH GOD:The Shane McGowan Story

The film starts with the song Paddy Public Enemy No 1 . The Pogues at a concert in Dublin, 2000. Song: If I Should Fall from Grace . You see Shane when he was young and also in recent years. Then he talks about his childhood in Tipperary, Ireland. Shane’s mother explains that in the 60’s it was very difficult to get a job in Ireland. That is why they, Shane’s parents, among many other Irish people, immigrated to England. Around 1975 Shane starts to be interested in the SEX PISTOLS mainly, he jokes, because Johnny Rotten .was Irish. Shane likes the idea of provoking people with their wild use of drugs and alcohol as well as swearing. The sex pistols sing their song “Good Save the Queen” against the Monarchy.

God save the queen

The fascist regime

They made you a moron

Potential H-bomb

God save the queen

She ain't no human being

There is no future

In England's dreaming

Don't be told what you want

Don't be told what you need

There's no future, no future,

No future for you Around 1976 Shane puts a band together. His first band is called THE NIPS. They intended to call the band THE NIPS ERECTORS trying to shock the audience, but they were not allowed. Philip Gaston and Deirdre O’Mahony talk about the time when they met Shane. They talk about the punk band. At that time: peed and alcohol seemed to matter. Later on THE NIPS split. Shane starts The Pogues, which is a short term for “Pogue Mahone” ,which is another name they were neither allowed to have (it means “kiss my arse” in Gaelic) Song : Waxie’s Dargle


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It’s interesting to observe how they merged traditional Irish music with contemporary punk, with the anger of punk rock in their lyrics. Deirdre O’Mahony states that in the late 70s and early 80s it was very brave to play Irish music and to be proud of being Irish. There was a lot of racism against Irish people in England at that time, due to the bomb attacks of the IRA. So with The Pogues , Shane McGowan takes old Irish songs, changes the lyrics and writes new arrangements . The lyrics are always about fighting, drinking and… Song I’m going where streams of whiskey are flowing In the early 80’s with “boring”electronic music, The Pogues really make a difference. They have a real big band and play a great variety of instruments. Song Fiesta is a song with a video clip recorded in Spain.

• Where in Spain?

• What stereotypes do the Pogues mix up?

• What image of Spain does the song portray?

Nick Cave says that Shane is a master at writing the beginning of songs. In Fairy Tale of New York he is inspired by Enio Morricone’s sound track of Once Upon a Time in America .

• By the way, who plays the role of the police officer in the video clip?

Chevron tells how they almost got to no 1in the TOP OF THE POPS. Actually, the Pet Shop Boys got the no 1. Joey Cashman, The Pogues manager at that time, talks about the problems they faced while being on the road.. Above all, problems with alcohol. He tells how sometimes he was ashamed of being their manager. Victoria Clarke, Shane’s girlfriend, says that it was a normal thing to drink and take too many drugs and stay up all night. She adds that Shane seemed to drink as a desperate need. She says that at the beginning, he liked to socialize and drank with people, but later on, he needed to drink a bottle of gin to be able to get onto the stage. So much touring made Shane pay a high toll because he could not stop drinking. He had to quit or rather The Pogues fired him in Japan. Song I wanna be haunted Shane sings together with Sinead O’Connor and she reports Shane’s drug addiction, stating she is very concerned with his health. At an interview, Shane would not admit his addiction. In addition, he says that Sinead would do anything for getting publicity. Nick Cave tells how at a point in his career he had to make a choice whether he was going to continue being an artist or he was just to be a junky. Therefore, he decided to stop. He talks about Shane and says that he is responsible for his decisions whether he wants to continue destroying his health with drugs and alcohol. Victoria Clarke admits that Shane would no be the same without his drinking. She accepts him the way he is.


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Philip Gaston tells that many other members of the Pogues admitted being alcoholics and decided to give up drinking, but Shane would rather go on exhibiting his drinking Chevron also admits that there was a point when he had to make a choice and give up drinking or die. Sing-along-songs Waxie’s Dargle The Irish Rover ( in concert with The Dubliners) That Woman’s Got Me Drinking.

• Who plays the role of the drunkard at the bar?

• Does Shane tell us that unlike the drunkard in the video clip, he was successful

with women, in spite of his drinking? Write a short essay on Shane McGowan’s story .

• Has anything in the film made an impact on you? • What are your conclusions?


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TEENS AND DRUGS

READING COMPREHENSION. Read the text and answer the questions.

Teens and drugs

A drug is any substance that changes the way the mind and body work. Some drugs, such as alcohol are legal while others - such as heroin, ecstasy, cannabis, cocaine and LSD - are illegal.

Legal drugs

Tobacco is the most widely used, most potentially dangerous drug available. Recent surveys have shown that almost a quarter of 15-year-olds smoke regularly, and 85% of teenagers who smoke become addicted. Teenagers are drinking more alcohol than before. About a third of teenagers aged 13-17 drink at least once a week. Alcopops (alcoholic fruit drinks) that often contain more alcohol than many adult drinks, are popular with young people.

Solvents

These are substances whose fumes teenagers deliberately breathe to get ‘high’. They include cigarette lighter refills, glues, aerosols and petrol. Sniffing is usually carried out by teenagers in groups. Most sniffers give up glue in favour of alcohol or other drugs when they can afford to.

Illegal drugs

Most teenagers come into contact with drugs and know where they can be obtained. Research shows that almost a third of 15-year-olds have tried an illegal drug at some point, usually cannabis. Thankfully, most teenagers who experiment with ‘soft’ drugs (such as cannabis) do not move onto hard drugs (such as heroin) or become addicted. What’s more, only a few young people use illegal drugs regularly.

Why do teenagers take drugs?

The reasons young people take drugs are often similar to the reasons adults drink and smoke. They’re associated with relaxing with friends, listening to music or watching a video. In addition:

Teenagers like to experiment: some will try drugs just because they are curious and want to find out what the effects are. They may experiment with a range of drugs for a short time and then stop. They haven’t become ‘addicted’ or dependent, nor have they suffered any lasting effects.

The influence of peers is huge, so it may be easier for teenagers to have a go than to say no and look uncool. Teenagers like to rebel and kick out against parents’ rules. Independence is part of growing up. Others want the thrill risk-taking brings.


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Teenagers like to have a good time and may enjoy the effects that drugs bring. Many illegal drugs are as cheap, or cheaper than alcohol.

Parents are concerned: How can I tell if my teenage r is using illegal drugs?

It’s not easy to spot when your teenager is developing a drug habit. The drug-associated equipment will be hidden away unless your teenager wants you to find it. A search of your son or daughter’s bedroom will almost certainly lead to a breakdown in trust. The most likely signs of drug abuse are changes in behaviour, although all teenagers have mood swings and act unpredictably. Look for a persistent combination of:

• change in sleeping pattern • lethargy • sudden mood changes • altered appetite • unexpected aggression • loss of interest in normal social life • severe lack of personal hygiene • disappearance or shortage of cash.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why is starting to smoke at a young age a risk? 2. What is the reason for young teenagers to sniff solvents? 3. What alcoholic drink is popular among teenagers? 4. Which illegal drugs are consumed by teenagers? 5. Why do teenagers like to try alcohol and drugs when being with their friends? 6. Is it really bad that a teenager tries drugs and/or alcohol? 7. Will a moody teenager mean that she/he is consuming drugs? 8. Why is it not easy for parents to tell when their daughter or son is taking drugs?


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Alcoholism is a rough word to deal with. Yet nobody is too young (or too old) to have trouble with booze. That's because alcoholism is an illness. It can hit anyone. Young, old. Rich, poor. Black, white. And it doesn't matter how long you've been drinking or what you've been drinking. It's what drinking does to you that counts. To help you decide whether you might have a problem with your own drinking, we've prepared these 12 questions. The answers are nobody's business but your own. If you can answer yes to any one of these questions, maybe it's time you took a serious look at what your drinking might be doing to you. And, if you do need help or if you'd just like to talk to someone about your drinking, call us. We're in the phone book under Alcoholics Anonymous. If there is no AA service close to you write or phone the General Service Office for Great Britain.

TAKE THE TEST

A Simple 12-Question Quiz for Teenagers The 12 questions below were developed by Alcoholics Anonymous, especially for young people.

1. Do you drink because you have problems? To relax? 2. Do you drink when you get mad at other people, your friends

or parents? 3. Do you drink because you are shy with other people? 4. Are your grades starting to slip? Are you goofing off on your

job? 5. Did you ever try to stop drinking or drink less — and fail? 6. Have you begun to drink in the morning, before school or

work? 7. Do you gulp your drinks? 8. Do you ever have loss of memory due to your drinking? 9. Do you lie about your drinking? 10. Do you ever get into trouble when you're drinking? 11. Do you get drunk when you drink, even when you don't

mean to? 12. Do you think it's cool to be able to hold your liquor?

If you can answer yes to any one of these questions, maybe it's time you took a serious look at what your drinking might be doing to you.

Copyright © 1988, 1998 by A.A. World Services, Inc. All Right Reserved

http://www.friendsofchoices.org/TTT_YP_alcoholism.htm


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Being environmentally responsible at Christmas

Christmas Card Recycling Scheme

Hundreds of thousands of trees are felled to make the 1 billion Christmas cards that it is estimated we send in the UK during the festive season, millions of which then end up in our rubbish bins afterwards. In Neath Port Talbot there needn't be waste, we can recycle our Christmas cards to help reduce the amount of rubbish thrown away and help save the nation's woodland.

Last January thousands of old Christmas cards poured into Council collection points for recycling by the Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme. The 2005 scheme, which recycled 58 million Christmas cards or 1,150 tonnes nationally, saving many thousands of trees, has set a target to recycle 60 million cards for the 2006 campaign.

Neath Port Talbot residents and Authority staff have helped meet the target for the last campaign by taking their old Christmas cards to special recycling bins/boxes at participating schools, libraries, visitors centres and Council Civic Centres throughout January 2006. Around half a million cards weighing over almost 6 tonnes poured into the collection receptacles. Watch this space for details of where to recycle your 2006 cards. Lets help beat this figure and continue to make a difference to our environment.

Not only does the scheme help the environment by recycling but funds raised will support the Woodland Trust's major new campaign - ‘Tree For All’ - helping to give every child in the UK the chance to plant trees.

http://ims.npt.gov.uk/imsapps/waste/waste_cardsrecycling.aspx


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Participants - Christmas Card Recycling Scheme 2006

needn't be waste at Christmas

Christmas is a time of goodwill and celebration but it is also a time when more spending, eating and drinking leads to more waste being produced.

During the festive season it is estimated that in the UK we use around 1 billion Christmas cards, 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper, 750 million extra glass bottles and containers, 500 million extra drinks cans and we buy about 8 million real Christmas trees.

But, at Christmas time "It Needn’t Be Waste". As well as being a fun time for exchanging gifts and going to parties, Christmas is a time when goodwill towards our environment can be shown.

Here are some green solutions for minimising our impact on the environment by reducing, re-using and recycling waste at Christmas.

Christmas Gift Ideas

• Buy gifts that will last a long time. Things that break easily and are not durable will end up in the bin and can′t be re-used.

• Avoid gifts that rely on disposable parts. Look for items that use rechargeable batteries and invest in a solar powered charger. Choose energy efficient appliances.

• Buy eco friendly gifts and those made from recycled materials. For examples, see the following sites from our 'Useful Links ' page - 'Cut Outs, Cleanercities, The Green Guide, Green Glass, Natural Collection, Steel City, Re-create, Remarkable and Spirit of Nature.

• Donate clothes, shoes, books and bric-a-brac that are in good condition to charity shops and community fetes. Some charities e.g. Enfys Foundation


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require donations of good quality furniture, electrical appliances and computers, contact Enfys on 08450994646 or visit www.enfysfoundation.org.uk

• Sponsor an animal a gift that will last a year. Contact a national animal welfare group or conservation charity for details.

• Fashionable Christmas Baby. Buy a baby real nappies. Cotton nappies are natural, easy to use and wash, are available in a wide range of fun, fashionable designs and fabrics and are a cost-effective alternative to disposable nappies. Almost 500 disposable nappies are binned every minute in Wales and then disposed of in landfill sites where they can take hundreds of years to biodegrade! For further information contact:

o The West Glamorgan Real Nappy Network 01792 813473, www.westglamnappynetwork.org.uk or email [email protected]

o The Sustainable Wales Real Nappy Advice Line 0845 456 2477 or visit www.realnappies-wales.org.uk See also ‘Real Nappies ’.

• Home composting. Introduce a relative or friend to home composting. For information on composting and details of a selection of low priced composting bins available please contact 01639 764555. See also ‘Be Resourceful Compost ’ and ‘Home Composting Guide ’.

• Purchase a ‘Green Cone’ food digester for disposal of food waste. The ‘Green Cone’ digests all food waste including meat, bones and dairy products. Call 01639 764555 for information.

• Buy a water butt for collecting rainwater for re-use for watering a garden, cleaning garden tools, boots, bikes and the car.

• Dedicate a tree in the name of someone special a unique gift that will continue to grow for a lifetime and will help restore the UK’s native woodland heritage, creating beautiful landscapes for future generations to enjoy and habitats for our wildlife. Contact the Woodland Trust, freephone 0800 026 9650 or visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk .

• Give money or gift vouchers and save on wrapping paper.

Christmas Wrap and Decorations

• Use ribbon, string or wool instead of sticky tape for wrapping so that Christmas paper can be re-used time and time again.

• Re-use wrap, decorations, stockings and advent calendars. When buying new, choose such festive items (recycled, if available) that will last and can be re-used over and over again.


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• Be creative and make unique decorations and cards from scrap materials and gift tags from old cards.

• Ask local schools, community groups and charities if they need unwanted wrap, decorations and cards for re-use.

• Save energy. Keep Christmas lights off during daytime and switch off lights, TV and electrical equipment at the mains, not leave on standby. Switch to low energy light bulbs.

Christmas Trees

• Look after an artificial tree and re-use it year after year. • Buy a real tree with roots and plant or pot it for next year. Contact Afan

Argoed , Afan Forest Park Tel: 01639 850564. Recycle your tree if you can’t plant or pot it. In the UK, over 1 million Christmas trees are recycled each year. Please contact the Council on 01639 764555 or see Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme to find out where and when to take trees for shredding after Christmas. Recycled tree shreds will be composted or used for landscaping, mulch and pathways at the Gnoll Park.

• Christmas trees can also be broken down and put in your green garden waste bags for collection by the Council's Kerbside Recycling Service .

• See also ‘Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme ’.

Christmas Cards and Stamps

• Send an E card and save a tree. Every year hundreds of thousands of trees are pulped to create greeting cards. By sending an electronic card you can help prevent this from happening. See E-Cards and Online Greetings .


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• Recycle old Christmas cards and donate used stamps. There will be collection points for stamps and Christmas and other celebratory cards at the Council’s Civic Centres, participating libraries, schools, country park visitors' centres and Neath Port Talbot College during January 2006. Please contact 01639 764555 for details. Collected cards will be donated to the Woodland Trust, a national conservation charity. Last January, over 260,000 old Christmas cards, weighing over 2.5 tonnes, poured into collection points for re-use and recycling by the Woodland Trust, contributing to the 2005 UK total collected by the Woodland Trust Scheme of 1,150 tonnes or 58 million cards. Let’s help beat this figure and continue to make a difference to our environment. Visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk .

• See also ‘Christmas Card Recycling Scheme ’.

Christmas Food and Drink

• SNUB Say No to Unwanted Bags. Every plastic bag takes 500 years or more to decay in a landfill site. Always use a re-usable shopping bag, cotton bag for life or re-use a carrier bag.

• Try to avoid unnecessary packaging. • Try to buy milk and soft drinks in returnable glass bottles that will be re-used or

recycled.

• Re-use plastic bottles and tubs for re-filling and food storage. • Compost kitchen food waste and use on your garden. Please contact the

Council on 01639 764555 for information about home composting and to order a compost bin.

• Help solve food waste problems further with a ‘Green Cone’ food digester. Green Cone is a unique solar powered food waste digester that minimises waste at source by taking all food matter. Please contact the Council on 01639 764555 for further information and to order a ‘Green Cone’.

• Sort and segregate discarded drink and food containers for re-use and recycling. Use the Council’s Kerbside Recycling Service and Household Waste and Recycling Centres .

Household Waste and Recycling Centres


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• Sorted and segregated recyclable household waste materials and hazardous items not collected by the Kerbside Recycling Service may be taken to the Council’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres at Briton Ferry, Cymmer and Pontardawe. Some items may also be deposited in recycling banks located throughout the County Borough. For further information contact the Council on 01639 764555.

• In order to minimise impact on the environment by vehicle emissions and also to save time and fuel costs, remember to plan journeys to these recycling collection facilities around other essential trips, such as going to work and shopping

www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/waste Be Part of the Solution

01639 764555 (9:00am-4:30pm Mon-Fri)


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Christmas Trees/Wreaths

It is illegal to place a Christmas tree in your household garbage.

Reuse Natural Christmas trees make wonderful winter shelter for the birds and animals in your yard. In the spring, bring the tree to a compost site (See Compost Sites).

Consider buying artificial trees, wreaths, and garlands. They can be reused for many years. Donate unwanted ornaments and artificial trees. (See Charities/Non-Profits)

Visit www.twincitiesfreemarket.org – Quick, easy & free. Find someone who will take the clutter off your hands.

Recycle/Compost Christmas trees can be composted. Remove tree bags, tree stands, and tinsel. Wreaths with wire may be placed in the garbage.

• Bring your tree to a compost site (fee). (For locations, see Compost Sites). • Most garbage haulers offer pick-up of trees (fee) 1 to 3 weeks after Christmas.

Call your garbage hauler.

http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/environ/greenguide/display/display_content.asp?content_ID=39


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BLOG TALK

BUYNOTHING CHRISTMAS RISE ABOVE IT . . .

Dreading the holiday season? The frantic rush and stress? The to-do lists and sales hype? The spiritless hours trapped in malls? This year, why not gather together your loved ones and decide to do things differently? With the simplest of plans you can create a new rhythm, purpose and meaning for the holidays. Why not try a Buy Nothing Christmas? If that's too extreme for grandma and the kids, maybe try a Buy Less Christmas. Or a Buy Fairer Christmas. Or a Slow-Down Christmas. Whatever you decide, 'tis the season to reclaim our celebration from the grip of commercial forces. Check out what others are doing and share your low-stress, shopping-free plans here:

http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/xmas.php?limit=30&page=16

IS CHRISTMAS OVER RATED? I think so, it seems to be all about the gifts and spending money money money. The

holiday doesn't seem to hold its true meaning anymore. Americans look forward to this

holiday all year long, and I think it's a bit ridiculous. What do you think?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061126170929AAotL8H


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When gathering with friends for caroling, when’s the last time you sang this song: “Have a pricey, costly Christmas…”? Or what about this one: “O Christmas bills, Christmas bills, how much this season costs me!”? Okay, maybe these aren’t the words to real Christmas songs, but they might as well be since so many of the typical Christmas traditions involve spending. Just think about all the dollars each year that go for gifts, wrapping paper, Christmas trees, decorations, greeting cards, and traditional meals with all the trimmings. While each of these traditions has its place, the cost of them all can be burdensome for families who are struggling this year due to layoffs, unemployment and other financial setbacks. So what do you do if your family cannot afford to celebrate Christmas in the traditional pricey fashion? Are there ways to enjoy the holiday season without all the spending? Thankfully the answer to this question is “yes.” Here are several ideas for keeping the celebration inexpensive, yet meaningful for your family. * Handcrafted gifts and decorations – Experience the joy of giving something made with your own two hands. Handmade gifts are not only unique but they also show you care enough to invest time, energy and creativity into your giving. Check out books from the library or do an Internet search for homemade gift ideas. The same goes for decorating your home. Instead of buying decorations, use your creative abilities plus things you already have on hand to give your home a festive look and feel. http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1314


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LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS by Caro Handley Christmas can turn out to be the most desolate peri od for many. Caro Handley offers invaluable tips on how to survive it

There are few things in life more awful than feeling empty and alone at Christmas. The relentless pressure to be jolly, to feel happy and be surrounded by people, leaves many people feeling isolated and miserable at this time of year.

There are plenty of reasons why you might feel lonely at Christmas. Loss is the primary one - the loss of someone you love, who has either died or left you, is bad enough at any other time, but very agonising at Christmas. Being alone is another. You might be new in town, far from your family and friends, or the kind of person who leads an isolated existence and has few close contacts with others. There may be times when this suits you, but Christmas isn't likely to be one of them. Feeling that you don't fit in is a third reason. If your only choice is to spend Christmas with people who are very different from you, then it can dent your self-esteem and leave you feeling lonely, even in the middle of a crowd.

So what do you do? No matter how low you feel and how lonely you are, there are always things that you can do to change your situation and the way you feel. Even though it may not feel like it, you always have choices.


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THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace, love and goodwill to all. But with all the stress and commotion of the season, many of us end up feeling more like Mr. Scrooge than Santa Claus.

Instructions

• STEP 1: Shop early. Nothing takes away the Christmas spirit like fighting for parking and struggling through crowds.

• STEP 2: Wish people that you meet in stores and other casual environments a happy holiday. Say it with a smile.

• STEP 3: Drop spare coins in the Salvation Army collection buckets. • STEP 4: Do something nice for someone. Offer to baby-sit so a friend can do

her Christmas shopping, take cookies to your neighbors, or shovel an elderly neighbor's walk.

• STEP 5: Volunteer your time to a worthy holiday cause. Even if you are busy, you can spare an hour or two to help people less fortunate than yourself.

• STEP 6: Organize a drive at work or in your neighborhood. Collect food and personal items and donate them to a local shelter for the homeless or for battered women.

• STEP 7: Play Christmas music. • STEP 8: Watch Christmas movies. "It's a Wonderful Life" is a good one for

reviving a flagging Christmas spirit, as is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." • STEP 9: Read "A Christmas Carol" and "A Child's Christmas in Wales." • STEP 10: Decorate your house for the holidays. • STEP 11: Don't spend more money than you have. Anxiety over after-

Christmas bills can ruin your holiday. •

Tips & Warnings

• The true holiday spirit is about love and kindness, not materialism and shopping. Do your best not to get caught up in the latter.

http://www.ehow.com/how_3565_christmas-spirit.html


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BIBLIOGRAPHY, RESAURCES AND LINKS 2001,McGowan Shane and Clarke, Victoria, A Drink with Shane McGowam, McMillan Publishers,London FILMS 2001 Sarah Share, If I Should Fall from Grace: The Shane MacGowan S tory IMAGES from Google images INTERNET LINKS Christmass trees/ Eco-friendly Christmas http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/xmastree/xmastree.htm http://ims.npt.gov.uk/imsapps/waste/waste_cardsrecycling.aspx http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/environ/greenguide/display/display_content.asp?content_ID=39 http://www.homeless.org/do/Home http://www.holidays.net/mother/story.htm http://www.clyde-valley.com/Glasgow/peoples.htm http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/AboutGlasgow/History/glasgowgreenhistory.htm http://www.glasgow-guesthouse.net/tenement_house.htm http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/City/History_of_Glasgow/Nineteenth-century_Expansion.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_People Alcoholics Anonymous http://www.aamolly.org.uk/ http://www.aa-uk.org.uk/alcoholics-anonymous-reviews/2005/10/police-target-teen-drunks.html http://www.aa.org.au/info/teenagers.php?nav=nc http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html http://www.aa-gb.org.uk/youngpeople.shtml

Take the test

http://www.friendsofchoices.org/TTT_YP_alcoholism.htm

Alcohol cost calculator

http://www.alcoholcostcalculator.org/kids/

Focus adolescent services

http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html


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The drink wheel

http://www.intox.com/wheel/drinkwheel.asp

Pregnancy

http://www.coolnurse.com/teen_pregnancy.htm

http://www.coolnurse.com/pregnancy2.htm

The Pogues

http://www.shanemacgowan.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_MacGowan#History http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Pistols http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/sex+pistols/god+save+the+queen_20123626.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pogues http://www.contactmusic.com/new/artist.nsf/artistnames/the%20pogues http://www.1ataleoftwocities33.info/wives-tales--leaves/the-pogues-and-kirsty-mccoll-fairy-tale-of-new-york.html http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/thepoguesx12x12x05 Christmas Spirit http://www.ehow.com/how_3565_christmas-spirit.html

Blog Talk-Lonely at Christmas

http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/xmas.php?limit=30&page=16

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061126170929AAotL8H http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1314


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CONTENTS

Introduction

Guideline for teachers

Guideline to develop unit 3

Background file

Brainstorm

Warming up activity

Reading comprehension

Shane McGowan’s DVD: If I should fall from Grace

Reading comprehension: Teen and Drugs

Food for thought: Alcoholism. Take the test

Let the discussion begin

Being environmentally responsible at Christmas

Blog Talk

Food for thought : The spirit of Christmas

Bibliography

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MEMÒRIA LlICÈNCIES RETRIBUÏDES C

2005-2006 MARTA SUÑER MARINÉ

ISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS - xtec. · PDF fileISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS ISSUE 3: ... the video clip...

Documents

Transcript of ISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS - xtec. · PDF fileISSUES FOR ALL SEASONS ISSUE 3: ... the video clip...