The average citizen in the US and the EU spends more than 200 hours a year commuting, and that comes with a lot of emissions. The “15-minute city” model aims to promote accessibility to essential urban services, making them less than a 15-minute walk away. In Minnesota, the 15-minute cities are built from a series of 15-minute neighborhoods, also known as complete communities or walkable neighborhoods. The 15-minute model encourages better green space, with trees acting as canopies in public spaces, solving issues with heat. Reducing car traffic will also lessen air pollution and improve the quality of life for residents in formally redlined neighborhoods. This would make cities more sustainable and convenient, improving the mobility and well-being of resident.
UNICEF (2014) in an executive summary on the issue of discrimination against children and parents based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity state “no person – child or adult- should suffer abuse, discrimination, exploitation, marginalization or violence of any kind for any reason, including on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity …. Similarly, no person should be denied any of their universal human rights, freedoms and basic opportunites” and have the right to a childhood that is safe and healthy and free from discrimination (UNICEF 2014 p.1). Schools should therefore be a safe and welcoming environment for children and young people. Patterson (2013), however found that research had shown that numerous schools were extremely hostile environments.
Many studies and LGBT groups report that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) children are frequently bullied or subject to violent attacks while at school, at home and on social media platforms, which leads to serious outcomes in regards to their health and well-being, leading to depression, hiding their identity and even suicide (Biddulph 2008, UNICEF 2013, Mayock, Bryan, Carr, and Kitching 2009, LGBT group).
In 2012 in an extensive EU online study, of 93,079 respondents, asking about the experiences and perceptions of LGBT people, found that nearly half of all respondents stated they had been discriminated against or suffered harassment on the basis of their sexual orientation in the year leading up to the study. In addition 25% had either suffered violent attacks or had been threatened with violence in the preceding 5 years, with the figure reaching 35% for transgender people, and rarely did anyone report incidents to the police or other authority, due to the overwhelming feeling that nothing would be done or change as a result of doing so (FRA 2013).
Mayock et al (2009) in their survey of LGBT mental health and well-being in Ireland, of 1,110 participants ranging from 14-73years, found that homophobic bullying, violence, invisibility and alienation from friends and family led to a higher risk of mental health problems and even suicide. Of the most vulnerable participants the average age they realized they were LGBT was 14 years, commenced self-harm at 15 years, attempted suicide for the first time at age 17 and delayed coming out until 21 years old. The 7 year period of concealment of their sexual orientation or gender identity, led to mental health problems and psychological distress, a period coinciding with their years at secondary school and entering early adulthood, a time of significant social and emotional growth. Sometimes young people are told they are not old enough to know their sexual orientation or gender identity and are encouraged to wait till they are older, but many say they have always known they were ‘different’ (Acred 2016). Fedder (2005) attest that whilst many you
