Are you interested in one week's work placement in The Irish Times? Transition Year students can learn firsthand about the workings of this newspaper if their submission is published in Media Scope's weekly Over to You column. Just send us a 200-word piece on a media-related topic.
Neil Callaghan, Franciscan College, Gormanstown, Co Meath
With the ever-increasing volume of refuse being produced by today's Celtic Tiger economy, it is no wonder that the Galway Incinerator Plan has become such a controversial topic. What's the solution and what are the options?
Many conveniently believe that incineration is the one and only option, but protest "not in my backyard". However, environmentalists believe that incineration is only a quick-fix solution, creating toxic ash and dioxins and further disposal problems. They believe our only option is to reuse, recycle and reduce - but are people prepared to do this in today's "cash-rich, time poor" lifestyle?
Dilbeek in Belgium has reduced its waste going to landfill sites by 60 per cent in one year through waste management. The one thing that everyone agrees on is that drastic action must be taken now. Time is of the essence - let's not waste it.
Fiona Sheehan, Scoil Chaitriona, Glasnevin, Dublin
Transition Year - the debate rages on. A mammoth waste of time or a valuable character-builder for the young people of Ireland?
As one of the thousands of 15and 16-year-olds who are in Transition Year I have to say that I couldn't have handled going straight from one stressful exam year into the two-year course for what are arguably the most important exams of your life. Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe that offers an optional "year out" between exams and I think it's a great idea.
Okay, so we might get lazy. But we get a chance to try things we have never done before - learn a new language, take up a new sport and set up our own mini-companies (that sadly have to be put into liquidation at the end of the module, no matter how promising!).
The people who skipped have their reasons. Why spend an extra year in school when you don't have to? It's a waste of time and only makes you lazy. Then why do so many of Ireland's teenagers choose to participate? I'll let you make up your own minds while I go in search of my study skills . . . I know I had them last June!
Write to media scope by posting your comments to Newspaper in the Classroom, The Irish Times, 1116 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, or faxing them to (01) 679 2789. Be sure to include your name, address and school, plus phone numbers for home and school. Or you can use the Internet and e-mail us at mediapage@irishtimes.ie
media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools.
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