-------------------------------------------------- G D R C M o s a i c www.gdrc.org December 2003 -------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL MESSAGE: This is the last message for 2004 and GDRC would like to thank all its virtual fellows, partners, and friends for their support and encouragement during the year. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2005 too! -------------------------------------------------- THIS MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT: Integrated Waste Management from GDRC's Programme on Urban Environmental Management "A continuum of action, from waste disposal to waste processing, waste recycling and waste minimization is important to manage waste" The need to look at waste in an integrated holistic manner (both the causes and effects of waste generation) lies at the core of the shift we are seeing today – from waste disposal to waste processing and recycling, finally to waste minimization. Local governments, communities, business and industries, and NGOs are coming together to tackle the issue at every stage of a material's life cycle. This is generating interest in a 'life cycle' economy with 'zero emissions' where wastes from one set of users become raw material for another set of users. Indeed, the first step to effective waste management is to stop calling it 'waste'! GDRC recently compiled a series of resources on the issue of waste management, and has made it available online at: http://www.gdrc.org/uem/waste/waste.html As with all sections of GDRC, contributions, comments and suggestions are always welcome from users and subscribers! Please contact GDRC's Coordinator at - mosaic@gdrc.org -------------------------------------------------- FOCUS ON GDRC: LEARNING LESSONS Overhead as a joke during a public meeting, the term "1+1=11" illustrates a number of trends that we are looking in our current interconnected society. The causes and effects of a particular action - say drinking a cup of coffee - have implications that goes beyond perceptions limited by space and time. 1+1=11 highlights this issue, but also that simple single actions, taken by an individual on an everyday basis, can cumulatively have impacts that are felt globally. 1+1=11 has become a guiding term for GDRC in the way it presents information in its various features, and the interconnectedness of the issues involved. And emphasize the need for us to have the skills to see such linkages. -------------------------------------------------- MONTHLY STATISTICS FOR GDRC'S WEBSITE Total hits encountered - 646,780 Total files downloaded - 523,057 Total pages viewed - 218,568 Total web visitors - 73,421 Total KBytes - 4,899,500 Pages per day - Avg. 7,806; Max. 12,428 Visits per day - Avg. 2,622; Max. 3,893 -------------------------------------------------- WHAT'S NEW AT GDRC'S WEBSITE? - Environmental Decision-Making: Three documents added: (1) Expertise and the Policy Cycle, by Jack Barkenbus; (2) Participatory Decision- Making Indicators by UN HABITAT; and (3) Building Bridges between Citizens and Local Governments by Fred Fisher - Sustainable Development: Innovative Communities feature - added bibliography - Oceans, Coasts and Small Islands: Small Islands - The Barbados Programme of Action - Urban Environmental Management: Disasters - new section on documents added. - Urban Environmental Management: City Networks - Unión de Ciudades Capitales Iberoamericanas - NGO Cafe: Kickstart an NGO - NGO Credibility and Legitimacy -------------------------------------------------- ABOUT GDRC MOSAIC The "GDRC Mosaic" is a monthly email newsletter that provides information bites, and summarizes programme activities of GDRC, including new items added to the website. To subscribe: http://www.gdrc.org/about/newsletter.html To unsubscribe: unsubscribe-mosaic@gdrc.org Comments, suggestions and contributions: mosaic@gdrc.org -------------------------------------------------- CONTACT ADDRESS: Global Development Research Center 5-13-3-1601, Nakano-cho, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka 534-0027, Japan Tel / Fax: +(81-6) 6925-8005 Email: mosaic@gdrc.org Web: http://www.gdrc.org/ -------------------------------------------------- Copyright (C) 2003-2005, GDRC. All rights reserved.