Articles of Interest Week of November 21-28, 2010

"Xerox Saves 'Green' by Going 'Green'" By Richard Lee

Xerox offers incentive to their branches to improve their business while also benefiting the world by going green through their Earth Awards Program. This year, five Xerox branches received this award. Notable changes  in operations include:  controlling the amount of ink released on paper (saving $132,000 and keeping 70,400 pounds of material out of landfills); improving the waste water process (reducing wastewater by 60 percent and saving $80,000 per year); and, creating the smallest package possible for the Colorcube solid ink, using 43 percent recycled materials in the shipping package.

"Growing a Forest, and Harvesting Jobs" By Elisabeth Malkin

“We’re the owners of this land and we have tried to conserve this forest for our children, for our descendants” --Alejandro Vargas

Three decades ago, the Zapotec Indians of Southern Mexico fought and won the right to communally manage the forest in the state of Oaxaca. Beforehand, state-owned corporations exploited the forests with little to no government laws protecting the land. Today, the Zapotecs own a lumber business that employs 300 people and has become the “gold standard” of community owned and cultivated forests. The Zapotec continually protect their environment--and also earn a profit--$230,000 in 2009, of which 30 percent went back into forest preservation. Mexico plans to showcase their success in community forestry at the global climate talks in Cancun next week. Paying developing countries to protect  their forests is one of the current solutions under serious discussion.

Articles of Interest Regarding Renewable/ Sustainable Energy

"The Benefits of Solar With the Beauty of Trees" By Todd Woody

A significant problem facing solar energy is that the installation of solar panels on rooftop homes may mean cutting down trees. To solve this conundrum, companies such as CleanPath Ventures in California created "community solar power plants" on the city's outskirts from which they sell "garden plots" to homeowners. Homeowners own a piece of power plant that generates electricity to their homes. In this way, those who do not want to or cannot use rooftop solar power can still use solar power to generate energy in their homes.  Additionally, the forests of California are protected while the advantages of solar energy are made available.

"Solar-Panel Maker to Close a Factory and Delay Expansion" By Todd Woody

Solyndra, a solar-panel maker in California, faces dangerous competition with Chinese solar-panel companies. Even after receiving half a billion dollars in government funding, Solyndra must shut down its original plant. Instead of maintaining two branches, the CEO of Solyndra believes funding only the second plant will benefit its products' price and efficiency. Despite China's more competitive prices, Solyndra's owners stay optimistic. Experts foresee Solyndra's solar panel production for commercial rooftops to double from the previous year in 2011. Both Solyndra and sustainable energy proponents remain confident in clean energy initiatives due to this figure. 


"As Glaciers Melt, Science Seeks Data on Rising Seas" By Justin Gillis

The melting ice sheets and glaciers close to Greenland bring uncertainty to environmentalists and they hold potential consequences in relation to sea-level rise and global warming in the future. As part of a contentious debate amongst scientists and politicians, some of the key issues raised include whether this phenomenon is a naturally occurring event due to climate variability or if the emissions of heat-trapping gasses are to blame. Also, will the earth's land ice melt too fast for society to adjust? Other important concerns mentioned describe the lack of funding for climate and ice study, as well as considering some of the measures coastal settlements should adopt in preparation for an estimated sea-level increase of at least 3 feet by 2100.

“BP Disaster and Future of The Energy Business” Conference

President Roma Stibravy joined the “BP Disaster and Future of The Energy Business” conference organized by Baruch College, City University of New York on November 18, 2010.

The conference looked at the BP oil spill and ramifications for the energy industry, following a discussion address the legal, legislative and policy responses to the disaster.

The primary speaker at the Conference was Steven Mufson, a staff writer at The Washington Post concerned with renewable/ sustainable energy. 

Science and Society: IPCC Reform and the Global Climate Challenge

U.N. NGO Sustainability’s president, Roma Stibravy, attended the meeting “Science and Society: IPCC Reform and the Global Climate Challenge.” The meeting took place on November 16, 2010 at Columbia and was hosted by Columbia’s Climate Center.

Speakers discussed the format for dealing with the climate change through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The most suggested idea was developing a Panel Three dealing with public outreach and communications.

The program was introduced by the Director of the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Jeffrey Sachs.

Speakers included:

• Simon Buckle (Director, Climate Policy, Grantham Institute, Imperial College),
• Peter Haas (Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst),
• Syukuro Manabe (Senior Meteorologist, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton),
• Gavin Schmidt (NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Columbia University),
• Laurence Tubiana (Director, IDDRI, Sciences Po and Alliance Visiting Professor, Columbia University)

Articles of Interest Regarding Women's Issues

"Here’s a Woman Fighting Terrorism. With Microloans." By Nicholas D. Kristof
"Bullets and drones may kill terrorists, but Roshaneh creates jobs and educational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people — draining the swamps that breed terrorists."

Summary:
Roshaneh Zafar, an American educated banker, started a Microfinance organization located in Lahore, Pakistan named The Kashf Foundation in order to help fight terrorism by providing education opportunities and jobs for hundreds of thousands of people who would normally find themselves in "the swamps that breed terrorists." The Foundation develops initiatives and successes as an effective strategy undermining extremism. Through the implementation of market-based solutions such as job creation and educational opportunities, the author suggests the United States reevaluate its approach towards defeating extremism by shifting investments from firepower to development. 

"A School Fights for Life in Battered Haiti" by Deborah Sontag

"We can't let C.C.F. fail, just like we can't let Haiti fail" -Marie Alice Craft, Director of C.C.F.

Summary:
Sontag describes the difficulties within the educational system in Haiti that have been amplified due to the earthquake. Sontag focuses on a particular student, Caroline (22 years old), from The College Classique Feminin (C.C.F). C.C.F. is an all girls school, which has been very affected by the earthquake. Currently, students cannot attend school due to their building not meeting code. Haitians seem divided on the importance of rebuilding these schools and how to begin the rebuilding process. Some believe the education system will lay the foundation for rebuilding Haiti, while others find they have "bigger problems" to tackle, particularly medical concerns. The Inter-American Development Bank has provided Haiti with $500 million to aid with the $4.2 billion educational reform plans. 

7th World Chambers Commerce 8-10 June 2011, Mexico City

At the World Chambers Congress in Mexico City in June 2011 NGO Sustainability working with Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) and North Pakistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) will seek to add a sustainability/ renewable energy dimension to its presentation “Women’s Empowerment Principles: Equality Means Business.”

We are anxiously awaiting a response as to whether our proposal to speak at the 7th World Chambers Commerce 8-10 June 2011 Session is accepted. We should have our answer this month.


The World Chambers commerce offers chamber executives a forum where they can network, share experience and development new ideas to tackle remaining challenges in their respective countries. The conference occurs every two years in a different location. This year it will be for the first time in Latin America,  in Mexico City. For more information please visit: http://www.iccwbo.org/Congress/2011/Home/

“Introducing Small Scale Solar in Liberia”

NGO Sustainability’s project, “Introducing Small Scale Solar in Liberia,” seeks to support community participation through training in the use and production of solar cookers, improved cook stoves, solar pumps, WAPIs and solar lanterns. It is also anticipated that upon successful completion, this project would be replicated in other parts of Liberia as an initiative that helps in the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.

According to the World Health Organization, “1.6 million women and children in developing countries die from fumes from indoor biomass stoves." Close attention must be paid especially to women and children, who are mainly responsible for wood-gathering and cooking. As an alternative, we recommend an ecologically conscious cooking approach that includes both solar cookers and improved cookstoves because they are convenient for rural villages and because they are simple to assemble and cost effective.  Additionally, solar cookers, instead of using fossil fuels, can be used in conjunction with water pasteurization devices. Solar cookers would alleviate the potential health problems associated with people drinking contaminated water, such as cholera and diarrhea.

Liberia population’s dependence on biomass for fuel has accelerated environmental degradation, and has had adverse health, social and economic impacts.Therefore, NGO Sustainability’s project to introduce sustainable energy into Liberia would not only serve the country’s interest, but would also provide a significant example for carbon-neutral energy options in developing countries.