Browsing by Author "Madushanka, M.A.D."

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    Awareness on E-waste: A Case Study in Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2019-02) Madushanka, M.A.D.
    E-waste is the popular informal term for e-products nearing the end of their useful life and it has silently become one of the growing segment of our national waste stream. Ewaste can be defined as all secondary electronic-electrical appliances whether sold, donated, obsolete or broken. Migration from analogue to digital technology has influenced the replacement of new e-products and it also has intensified the growth of discarded electronic-electrical appliances as e-waste. The objectives of this study were to identify the consumption pattern of e-gadgets, the different modes of exposing e-waste into the environment and the level of awareness regarding the impacts of e-waste among special degree undergraduates of faculty of Arts. The study was conducted in the Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo as a case study, Out of 360 second year special degree undergraduates, 40 undergraduates were selected through the purposive sampling technique, structured questionnaires and two in-depth interviews to collect primary data. Results revealed 90% of respondents were known about e-waste before. According to the data outcome 42.5% of respondents claimed that Social Media were the key source of information about e-wastes. Though respondents have awareness about e-waste in various degrees the majority of both male and female respondents 95% were not much aware about the e-waste collecting bodies in Sri Lanka. When considering the health impacts of e-waste 65% of respondents were conscious about health impacts of e-wastes but 12.5% have reported that they were not totally aware of it. The awareness on e-waste among second year special degree undergraduates of the faculty of Arts is critically high, and the impact of social media as a source of information about e-waste has been a key factor of awareness regarding e-waste for them.
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    Livelihood Environmentalism and Judicial Activism: A Critical Review of Sri Lankan Experience
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2021) Thilakarathna, K.A A.N.; Madushanka, M.A.D.
    Environmentalism refers to the methods and tools used for the protection of the environment from the adverse effects caused upon it by the humankind. While the concern is common, the approaches utilized under environmentalism has differed across the rich and the poor where the poor have advocated for a livelihood approach for the protection of environment where the environment protection is advocated as a means of protecting their livelihood. When one considers this situation from a Sri Lankan perspective, the livelihood approach has been utilized and is responsible for invoking the judicial activism of the courts in acting as a protector of the environment through its adjudication process. Using a qualitative method by employing the doctrinal approach, this article looks at the intersection of the livelihood approach and the judicial activism in advancing a right to a clean and healthy environment. The results have shown that, the courts have played an active role when it has been called to adjudicate on environmental matters that involves a livelihood aspect and this has led the judiciary to take a conscious effort in getting itself involved in the protection and preservation of the environment in the absence of Constitutional provisions which specifically grants a justiciable right to a clean and healthy environment. The judiciary has been bold enough to declare that a meaningful interpretation of Article 12(1) of the Constitution should include a right to a clean and healthy environment. However, it is concluded that, while the livelihood approach has made a significant impact on the judicial law making in the country when it comes to advocating for a right to a clean and healthy environment, having a specific right to a clean and healthy environment under the fundamental rights chapter of the Constitution itself must be the final endeavour in helping those who to vindicate their right to a clean and healthy environment through fundamental right adjudication. Keywords: Livelihood Environmentalism; Judicial Activism; Right to Environment; Sociology