International Environmental Projects

Posted on April 25, 2012 by lathamsa

The 42nd anniversary of Earth Day was last Sunday, April 22^nd. Did you do something to celebrate? Around the world people held festivals, seminars, classes, clean ups and other exciting and fun activities to honor the earth.

In honor of Earth Day, we are going to spend the next few days explore some exciting international stories about what people are doing to help conserve the environment! Check out two below!

Conservation International: Kampong Parak Fish Sanctuary, Cambodia

Conservation International Tonle Sap Cambodia Project

Conservation International (CI) received a small grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Regional Environmental Office in Bangkok , in August 2010 to improve the protection and management of the Kampong Parak Freshwater Sanctuary on Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap inland lake.

The Tonlé Sap is actually a combined lake and river system of critical environmental importance to Cambodia and the Lower Mekong Delta. The lake, present only during the season when the river floods, is considered the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia. It is also one of the most productive inland fisheries in the world, providing over three million people with food and income, and accounting for more than 75 percent of Cambodia’s annual inland fish catch. Further, the Tonlé Sap is home to rare endangered species including the Mekong Giant Catfish.

Conservation International Tonle Sap Cambodia Project

Through this small grant, CI provided the Cambodia Fisheries Authority’s (FiA) lake patrol teams with a ranger station, powerful boats, and other equipment needed for efficient patrolling, and trained them in use of MIST – Management Information Systems software designed to help monitor ranger activities and findings. CI also worked with local communities to select six dry season ponds for conservation, as these were identified as key for fish breeding and dry season wildlife refuge. The six ponds were mapped and physically demarcated with signs. Community management plans were then developed.

To create new habitat for breeding fish and as a refuge during the fishing season, CI also created artificial reefs at key sites. The artificial reefs consist of large concrete rings with holes where the fish can hide. The rings will also help to prevent illegal fishing activities, as they damage trawling nets pulled through the area during the peak fishing season when the water levels are low. In consultation with the local communities, 80 units were deployed in two key areas.

Finally, CI prepared a series of awareness and education sessions for Tonlé Sap patrol teams and communities on topics such as the Tonlé Sap ecosystem, use of natural resources, threats to resources, relevant laws, and human health. These were distributed to the target population groups between January and March 2011.

Lower Mekong Initiative Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Workshop

Lower Mekong Initiative Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Workshop

The REO team attended the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Train-the-Trainer workshop held at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand from January 23-28. The week-long workshop was another Regional Environmental Office funded small grant program awarded to Thailand’s Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) which catered to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educators with the support of the GLOBE program. The GLOBE program focuses on collaboration among student, teachers, educators, scientists, government officials and others around the world to improve education and attain better understanding of the earth system.

The workshop served as a unique opportunity for participants to become officially certified by GLOBE as national trainers qualified to lead teacher training in their respective countries, leading to a collaborative research among students, teachers and scientists on Earth System Science. The workshop qualified 60 trainers and 5 master trainers from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. The material covered at the workshop included atmosphere, hydrology, land cover and soil protocols.

Lower Mekong Initiative Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Workshop

The LMI GLOBE workshop began with an opening ceremony where Rick Switzer, Regional ESTH officer, gave introductory remarks on the importance of science activities as a means for having a sustainable environment. After the welcoming ceremony concluded, participants were split into two groups to begin training on the basic GLOBE protocols. The first two days were dedicated to land cover and soil, while the remaining time was spent on atmosphere and hydrology protocols.

The break-out sessions were particularly useful and entailed several different teaching methods to keep the participants engaged. The instructors utilized computers, textbooks, visual demonstrations and field work to help the participants fully understand the protocols. A large part of the day was dedicated to practicing experiments outside on the beautiful campus. Participants were able to get their hands dirty as they physically practiced the experiments in order to be better able to teach them in the future.

The workshop was deemed to be a success by all involved. As Dr. Sompong noted, “the goal of this program is to get your students to think about their environment in a different way and ask ‘why’.” By instilling curiosity and the desire to learn about the environment in children at an early age, you promote thoughtful communities and help create adults that can make informed decisions. Not only was this workshop a success as each country was able to increase their stock of qualified trainers, but it also served as a platform for LMI countries to network and share ideas.

Earth Day Stories: Italy and Thailand

Posted on April 24, 2012 by lathamsa

On Sunday, millions of people around the world participated in Earth Day. Here is the last set of international stories about Earth Day celebrations from the people who bring you Earth Day each year: the Earth Day Network. Tomorrow we will recap some of the history of how the yearly celebration got started and explore more international environmental projects.

Italy

Crowd at Earth Day event in Rome, Italy (Photo credit: Earth Day Network)

Naples is mobilizing for Earth Day 2012 through a massive day-long festival. Earth Day Network partner Earth Day Italia is organizing the event – which will feature musical performances and fashion shows – to draw attention to environmental problems in Italy and around the world, raise money to support ecological preservation initiatives, and promote a green lifestyle. Last year’s event took place in Rome; this year’s Mobilize the Earth-themed event is expected to draw 10 thousand participants. The event will also be screened online so people all over the world will have a chance to participate.
“Since its inception, the Italian Earth Day has worked to host our event in order to raise public awareness on critical environmental problems on Earth. Through music and fashion, Earth Day Italia brings people together who are working to form a more sustainable Italy and a more sustainable planet. The Giornata della Terra or Earth Day is an event that will stay in the minds of Italians for years to come.” – Claudio Sestili, President of Earth Day Italia.

Thailand

In Thailand, Earth Day Network partner Plant a Tree Today (PATT) Foundation is mobilizing by holding a Family Planting Day on April 22 in Khao Yai. All of the trees planted will be added to Earth Day Network’s environmental service campaign, A Billion Acts of Green®.
The event is designed to raise awareness about climate change and other environmental problems while helping children learn about different tree planting techniques, forest evolution, and the difference between reforestation and forest restoration.
“Not only is it beneficial for the planet to plant trees but it’s also important for children to understand the benefits that reforesting our planet brings. And what better way than to get the whole family out there to help us ‘save the planet one tree at a time!’.” – Andrew Steel, Founder of PATT Foundation.

*These events are two of thousands being held around the world for Earth Day 2012. To find or start a local event and learn how you can get involved in Mobilize the Earth™, go to www.earthday.org/2012.

Earth Day Stories: Malta and Oman

Posted on April 20, 2012 by lathamsa

Today we continue with more great international Earth Day stories from the Earth Day Network!

Malta

Youth at a Nature Trust event in Malta learning about the importance of a healthy environment (Photo credit: Earth Day Network)

In Malta, Earth Day Network partner Nature Trust is mobilizing on Earth Day to help young people understand the importance of a healthy environment.

Nature Trust, one of the oldest and largest environmental organizations in Malta, is collaborating with the U.S. Embassy in Malta to organize local schools to send students to an Earth Day talk by a climate change expert. The following morning, the students will attend an event at Xrobb I-Ghagin Nature Park. And that afternoon, there will be a roundtable discussion on climate change between representatives from the University of Malta and local politicians from Malta’s three main political parties.

“The event is to commemorate Earth Day in Malta and focus this year on the issue of climate change.” – Vincent Attard, President of Nature Trust

Oman

Tree planting and environmental education event in Oman (Photo credit: Earth Day Network)

Oman’s Ministry of Education is mobilizing to hold Earth Day events in 1,043 schools, engaging more than 524,000 students throughout the country. They also published Earth Day Network’s green schools lesson plans on their education portal in Arabic and English.

* This event is one of thousands being held around the world for Earth Day 2012. To find or start a local event and learn how you can get involved in Mobilize the Earth™, go to www.earthday.org/2012.

Earth Day Stories: Mexico and Malaysia

Posted on April 18, 2012 by lathamsa

Today is day three of our week of international Earth Day stories leading up to Earth Day 2012 on Sunday, April 22. Today’s stories are about Mexico and Malaysia. Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s stories about Iraq and Jamaica!

Mexico

Students participating in an Earth Day event at the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve near Querétaro, Mexico (Photo credit: Earth Day Network).

In the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, near Querétaro, Mexico, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda is mobilizing for Earth Day 2012 through a series of Earth Festivals in schools. The festivals—running from February until the end of April and involving thousands of students and parents—will feature a play entitled “Everyone Listen to the Call of the Earth.” The group will engage the students with environmental songs, as well as educational activities about forest-fire prevention, recycling, and the Reserve’s biodiversity.

The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve is 1 million acres with 100,000 residents in 638 communities who own 97% of the mountainous area which is removed from modern society three and half hours from the cities of Queretaro and San Luis Potosí. Yet, for the last 25 years the schools and communities have been celebrating close to 40 Earth Festivals per year; celebrating Mother Nature and all her gifts despite the extreme poverty that characterizes the region. To us, every day is Earth Day. In 40 different strategic communities, hundreds of students, parents, teachers, local authorities, and local businesses all gather and present skits, poems, songs and dances; grandmothers prepare the traditional dishes otherwise forgotten; and that is how we celebrate our connection to the Earth and the kinship that demands we take action to protect her.

– Laura P. B. Pérez-Arce, Director of Sierra Gorda

Malaysia

Participants in a waterfall cleanup in Malaysia (Photo credit: Earth Day Network).

In Malaysia, Waterfall Survivors Malaysia is mobilizing for Earth Day by hosting a waterfall clean-up on April 22 as part of its “Save our Waterfalls” campaign. The campaign aims to expose local residents and tourists to Malaysia’s pristine waterfalls, while promoting civic awareness about the importance of preserving and cleaning up these natural areas.
On April 22nd, approximately 500 participants will travel to Templer’s Park in Selangor, Malaysia with the goal of removing all waste and litter from the magnificent waterfalls in the park. The event will also feature activities and discussions to educate the participants about the environmental threats facing Malaysia’s waterfalls. The event will mark the fourth straight year that Waterfall Survivors Malaysia has participated in Earth Day.

* These events are two of thousands being held around the world for Earth Day 2012. To find or start a local event and learn how you can get involved in Mobilize the Earth™, go to www.earthday.org/2012.

Earth Day Stories: Iraq and Jamaica

Posted on April 17, 2012 by lathamsa

Over the next week leading up to Earth Day on Sunday, April 22, we will have a series of stories from around the world about what people are doing to celebrate Earth Day. Today’s stories are about Iraq and Jamaica!

Iraq

His Excellency Dr. Barham Salih, Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government, planting a tree in honor of Earth Day (Photo credit: Earth Day Network).

In Iraq, the provincial government in Kurdistan is mobilizing to plant five million trees for Earth Day 2012. Other important Iraqi government agencies have participated, such as the Agency of Protection and Improvement of the Environment, the Ministry of Municipalities, and the Ministry of Education. And Earth Day Network partner “Together” has already planted 400 trees in honor of Earth Day 2012 in Salah Al-Din Province.
“We’re proud to be joining so many people all over the world who are taking action for Earth Day 2012. By planting these trees, we’re improving the environment of Kurdistan and the surrounding communities, but we also hope to set an example for the rest of Iraq, the region and the world.” – His Excellency Dr. Barham Salih, Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government.

Jamaica

Children in Kingston, Jamaica, participating in a “Building Appreciation for Nature in Children at Risk” event in the run up to Earth Day (Photo credit: Earth Day Network).

The Jamaica Environment Trust—based in Kingston, Jamaica—is mobilizing for Earth Day by hosting a day of festivities to mark the completion of its “Building Appreciation for Nature in Children at Risk” project. The project seeks to expose children from inner-city communities to the natural world. Since the project started in October of 2010, 150 children from Cockburn Pen, Olympic Gardens and Drewslnd in Kingston have participated.

The event will feature environmentally-themed games, arts and crafts, and educational activities. There will be a concert held during lunch, as well as an opportunity for the children to showcase the artwork that they’ve created throughout the project.

“As a voice for Jamaica’s natural resources, JET has always found Earth Day to be a great opportunity to spark public interest in our environmental programmes. Earth Day allows us to promote different aspects of the important environmental education work JET is doing, giving Jamaicans, particularly our young people, a cause to rally around and an opportunity to learn more about the environment in which we live.” – Suzanne Stanley, Programme Director, Jamaica Environment Trust

Children in Kingston, Jamaica, participating in a “Building Appreciation for Nature in Children at Risk” event in the run up to Earth Day.

Let’s Mobilize the Earth for Earth Day 2012

Posted on April 16, 2012 by lathamsa

By Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network

Earth Day 1999 poster created by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs.

Earth Day 1999 poster created for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs.

The first Earth Day – on April 22, 1970 – was the birth of the modern environmental movement. Twenty million Americans took to the streets in cities all over the country to demand that something be done about the destruction of the environment. The events of that day led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Since then, Earth Day and a global environmental movement have grown exponentially. Today, more than a billion people in 192 countries participate in Earth Day-related activities. It is the largest civic observance in the world.

Back in 1970, the Earth Day movement achieved a rare political consensus, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, urban and rural, business and labor, rich and poor. People recognized that the air we breathe, the water we drink, the environment our kids play in, the continued enjoyment of our natural resources – these are not liberal or conservative issues. And today, Earth Day remains the single best tool to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement.

This year, though, the movement has some work to do.

Environmental issues have largely taken a backseat for world leaders, but the problems our planet faces aren’t going to go away if we just ignore them. Moreover, with so many important elections taking place around the world this year and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) happening in June, 2012 will be critical in shaping environmental policies for the next decade. If we are to avert the worst of climate change and protect our planet, if we are to create the new green jobs – jobs of the future – that we need to bolster the struggling economy, we must raise our voices and let world leaders know that we want swift action. That’s why the theme of Earth Day 2012 is Mobilize the Earth™.

Thousands of Mobilize the Earth events will be held all over the world on April 22nd. From Rome to Rio, London to New Orleans, Beirut to Muscat, Kolkata to Jakarta, Beijing to Melbourne – to the flagship event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. – we’ll harness the power of Earth Day and demand that environmental issues become a top priority.

Also for Earth Day 2012, Earth Day Network is inspiring A Billion Acts of Green® to demonstrate the breadth of support for this movement. A Billion Acts of Green is the world’s largest environmental service campaign and is being called a global referendum on the environment. Hundreds of millions of environmental actions have been registered by individuals, governments, businesses, and faith-based and civic organizations. We’re almost there, but we still need your help to make it to a billion.

To learn more about Earth Day 2012 and how you can get involved, go to www.earthday.org/2012 and watch this video:

About Earth Day Network:
Earth Day Network’s mission is to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. As the global coordinator of Earth Day, EDN mobilizes over one billion people in 192 countries on environmental challenges impacting our health, quality of life and the natural world. Year-round, EDN is a U.S. leader on environmental education and green school buildings, providing teachers, parents and children with curricula, lesson plans and many other tools that are necessary for achieving a higher quality of life and an environmentally literate society in an increasingly complex world. EDN also works to expand the emerging green economy and is engaged in protecting natural lands and planting millions of trees worldwide. With the leadership of the founders of the first Earth Day, EDN has grown to 22,000 partners in 192 countries, giving us the strength to tackle the most challenging environmental issues of our time. www.earthday.org

Wildlife and Wild Habitat Conservation

Posted on April 13, 2012 by lathamsa

Conservation of wild animals and their habitats is incredibly important, and people all over the world have recognized this and are taking action. Earlier this month, we learned about some large international conservation organizations you might be familiar with. Now let’s explore some organizations specifically focused on wildlife conservation: protecting animals and their habitats.

Peacock at the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park, Gibraltar Botanic Gardens (Wikimedia/Gibmetal77)

The Wildlife Conservation Society was founded in 1895 with the mission “to save wildlife and wild places across the globe.” Today, they “protect many of the world’s iconic creatures here [in the United States] and abroad, including gorillas in the Congo, tigers in India, wolverines in the Yellowstone Rockies, and ocean giants in our world’s amazing seascapes.” They are committed to protecting 25% of the world’s biodiversity, and they work to accomplish this by focusing on four main areas of conservation: climate change, natural resource exploitation, the connection between wildlife health and human health, and the sustainable development of human livelihoods. Explore their website for more information about where they work, saving wildlife, saving wild places, and videos discussing survival and migration among other things.

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), “together with the people of Africa, works to ensure the wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure forever.” AWF says “we believe that protecting Africa’s wildlife and wiled landscapes is the key to the future prosperity of Africa and its people – and for over 50 years, we have made it our work to help ensure that Africa’s wild resources endure.” They focus on empowering Africans “living on the land [they] strive to protect” primarily because the people living on the land are “in touch with both its potential and its challenges.” AWF works in 9 areas across the continent, including the Congo, Limpopo and Virunga. For a full list and more information about their mission and methods, check out this page. Their website is divided into three main conservation themes: Conserving Wildlife, Protecting Land, Empowering People. Explore each section for more information and resources about how you can become involved.

The Wildlife Conservation Network puts “the spirit of innovation in conservation.” They are “dedicated to protecting endangered species and preserving their natural habitats…” and they “support innovative strategies for people and wildlife to co-exist and thrive.” Their approach is unique in its emphasis on fostering the “entrepreneurial spirit” in conservation, which they work on by “partner[ing] with independent, community-based conservationists around the world and provid[ing] them with the capital and tools they need to develop solutions for human wildlife coexistence.” Learn more about where they work and what species they are focusing their efforts on here. Explore their special initiatives such as a scholarship program and a solar project that provides solar power to projects in the bush.

Youth Conservation in Kenya

Posted on April 11, 2012 by lathamsa

Conservation issues are not just the focus of big international organizations. Around the world, young people see the need to protect the land they live on, including the delicate ecosystems and wildlife living there. Youth recognize the importance of conservation, locally, nationally and internationally, and they are taking action.

Giraffe in Nairobi National Park in Kenya (Photo credit: Wikimedia/Trachemys)

Youth for Conservation is a non-profit organization started in 1998 by a group of young Kenyans who saw the threat to Kenya’s wildlife and habitats and were passionate about conserving the country’s wildlife heritage. “They came together and formed a forum to safeguard wild animals from poaching and trade, by involving local communities living next to wildlife dispersal areas in the management and conservation of natural habitats and wild animals.” Their mission is to “promote wildlife conservation through collaborative planning, community action and policy advocacy” and they hope to one day have a “society of environment[ally] conscious individuals.” Youth for Conservation works in national parks all over Kenya, including Mt. Longonot National Park, Nairobi National Park, and Amboseli National Park. For a full list, click here. In terms of what action they take, Youth for Conservation works on a variety of different projects, including the Ivory and Elephants Campaign, Environmental Education, and Wetlands Conservation. To learn more about specific programs, check out their What We Do page.

Are you part of a youth conservation organization or movement in your town? If so, what kinds of activities do you undertake?

Harnessing the Sun’s Full Potential

Posted on April 6, 2012 by lathamsa

Jen Butte-Dahl is the head of alliances and the Bright Future Fund at Nokero International Ltd. Nokero (which stands for No Kerosene) designs and manufactures solar lights and cell phone chargers to meet the needs and budgets of communities living without access to electricity.

International citizens using Nokero solar lights.

In a couple of weeks, on April 22nd, it will be Earth Day, and around the world we have “going green” on our mind. We are thinking about how to be more energy conscious and how to live more sustainably. Some of us are organizing recycling programs for our schools. Others are mobilizing our communities to buy local. And some of us – we know who we are – are just trying to remember to turn off the lights when we leave a room. Do not feel bad; no act is too small.

Yet for almost 20% of the people on this planet, “going green” has an entirely different meaning. For these communities, who live without access to electricity, turning off the lights is not an option. There is no light switch.

When the sun goes down, it gets dark. Extremely dark. And darkness is no friend to safety, learning or productivity. Midwives deliver babies by moonlight. Vendors in night markets see by the light of toxic kerosene lanterns. Children study outside – in parking lots or roadside gas stations – clustered together under the light of the one village streetlamp.

Here, “going green” is not just a responsible choice that preserves the health of the planet; it is an opportunity to live a better life.

The benefits of small-scale solar technologies, such as solar lights and cell phone chargers, are proven. They help families escape the cycle of poverty and provide an engine for economic growth. Kerosene is an expensive daily purchase, and removing this debilitating daily fuel cost from a family’s budget leaves funds available for other pressing needs – to send children to school, to pay for medical treatment, or to buy fertilizer. Moreover, the presence of clean, reliable light at home increases time available after dark for cooking, cleaning, studying, and working. In Fiji, solar lights are helping fishermen navigate at night. In Uganda, farmers are using solar cell phone chargers to stay up-to-date on changing weather conditions, seed and commodity pricing, and other business needs, thereby improving their yields and productivity.

Solar lights remove a barrier to education for young children. Here in the US, where 18,000 families in the Navajo Nation live off-the-grid, children are checking out solar lights from their school libraries so that they can read and study at home after the sun goes down. In Kenya, solar is lighting up dark classrooms by day, and community literacy programs by night.

Solar is also a tool for improved global health. The general health of a family improves when the smoke of kerosene, candles, and wood fires is removed from the household. But the use of solar for health goes even further. In Nigeria, solar lights illuminate hospitals and small, rural health clinics. In the most remote areas of the world, where pregnant women are turned away unless they can provide a flashlight, candles, or other light source for a night-time delivery, solar provides an affordable and oftentimes life-saving solution.

Sunlight is an amazing resource, and for those of us who work to capture its power and bring its energy to communities living without electricity, the overarching goal is making this technology available to as many people as we can-people who are often living in very remote areas. Fortunately, innovative organizations and creative entrepreneurs around the world are tackling the challenges of rural distribution to bring light and charging solutions to communities living in darkness.

Together, we are working to apply solar energy to all types of development challenges. Together, we are changing the meaning of “going green.”

Solar is not just an energy solution. The possibilities for solar are infinite. Fortunately, so too is the power of the sun.

Conservation Organizations

Posted on April 4, 2012 by lathamsa

There are large international organizations working in dozens of countries on conservation issues. Here we take a look at three of the biggest and most successful: Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, and the Nature Conservancy. Later in the month we will discuss smaller, community-based organizations working on these same important conservation efforts. Are you familiar with any of the programs of the three groups below?

Conservation International

Conservation International is a non-profit with offices in more than 30 countries, with over 1,000 partner organizations and thousands of projects happening worldwide.
They “are in places such as Raja Ampat, Abrolhos, Andasibe, Tonle Sap Lake and the Nangaritza River.” What do they do, exactly? “Our field work includes expeditions to remote places that are the strongholds of biodiversity, and helps local communities protect the forests, rivers, lakes, mangroves and wetlands that provide shelter, fresh water, food, carbon storage and protection from storms. CI [Conservation International] leverages those discoveries and experience[s] to rally public engagement and call on governments to secure the sustainable management of vast swaths of abundant, threatened ocean[s] and sea[s].” Check out their programs to see if they are working on a project in your country!

World Wildlife Fund

The World Wildlife Fund(WWF) specializes in wildlife conservation, specifically for endangered species. Check out their What We Do page for links and information about all of their various projects. Don’t miss the great Where We Work map on that page that will lead you to this site, which gives you a list by continent and country of everywhere they have programs, from the Amazon to Borneo to Madagascar. WWF says its “way of conserving the planet’s natural resources combines [with their] unmatched global reach with a foundation in science, it involves action at every level – from local to global – and it ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.”

Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy “addresses the most pressing conservation threats at the largest scale” and describes themselves as “the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.” They address threats to conservation that involve “climate change, fresh water, oceans and conservation lands” in over 30 countries. Learn more about their projects, including habitat protection and what they consider the most pressing conservation issues.

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