The Forgotten 1 Billion

The holidays are a time for putting others before ourselves. And with the recent news that the world’s population has surpassed 7 billion, there are a lot more “others” to consider this year. Nearly 1 billion people in the world are hungry, for example, while almost the same number are illiterate, making it hard for them to earn a living or move out of poverty. And 1 billion people—many of them children—have micronutrient deficiencies, decreasing their ability to learn and to live productive lives.
“As our global community continues to grow, so does the need to consider—and act on—the challenges we all face,” says Robert Engelman, President of the Worldwatch Institute. “Far too many women, children and men are living with less than they need and deserve.”
Fortunately, there are thousands of organizations working tirelessly in communities at home and abroad to fix these problems.

One Billion Hungry
“Although the number of undernourished people worldwide has decreased since 2009, nearly 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night, a number that is unacceptably high,” according to Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch’s Nourishing the Planet project (http://www.nourishingtheplanet.org/). Malnutrition contributes to the death of 500 million children under the age of five every year, and in Africa, a child dies every six seconds from hunger.
But more and more organizations, such as the United Nations’ World Food Programme, are using homegrown school feeding (HGSF) initiatives to alleviate hunger and poverty. HGSF programs in Brazil, India, Thailand, Kenya, and elsewhere work to connect local producers with schools, helping to provide children with nutritious and fresh food while providing farmers with a stable source of income.

One Billion Tons of Food Wasted
Roughly 1.3 billion tons of food—a third of the total food produced for human consumption—is lost or wasted each year. Within the United States, food retailers, food services, and households waste approximately 40 million tons of food each year—about the same amount needed to feed the estimated 1 billion hungry people worldwide.
Organizations around the world are working to educate people on the importance of conserving food. In New York City, City Harvest collects surplus food from food providers and distributes it to more than 600 shelters and other agencies. And in West Africa, farmers are using the power of the sun to dehydrate fruits such as mangos and bananas. Experts estimate that, with nearly all of their moisture removed, the fruits’ nutrients are retained for up to six months, allowing farmers to save the 100,000 tons of mangos that go to waste each year.

One Billion Micronutrient Deficient
Nearly 1 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, including a lack of vitamin A, iron, and iodine. Each year, between 250 million and 500 million children with vitamin A deficiencies become blind, and half of these children die within 12 months of losing their sight.
These problems could be alleviated by improving access to nutritious foods. In sub-Saharan Africa, AVRDC–The World Vegetable Center works to expand vegetable farming across the region, boosting access to nutrient-rich crops. And Uganda’s Developing Innovations in School Cultivation (Project DISC) educates youth about the importance of agriculture and nutritious diets. Students learn about vegetables and fruits indigenous to their communities, as well as how to process and prepare these foods for consumption. “If a person doesn’t know how to cook or prepare food, they don’t know how to eat,” says Project DISC co-founder Edward Mukiibi.

One Billion Overweight
Lack of access to healthy food doesn’t result only in hunger. More than 1 billion people around the world are overweight, and nearly half of this population is obese. Nearly 43 million children under the age of five were considered overweight in 2010. Surging international rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis are being attributed to unhealthy diets, and 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of overweight or obesity.
The UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, has urged countries around the world to make firm commitments to improving their food systems. In Mexico, where 19 million people are food insecure yet 70 percent of the country is overweight or obese, De Schutter has called for a “state of emergency” to tackle the problem. He attributes the hunger-obesity combination to the country’s focus on individual crops and export-led agriculture, and argues that a change to agricultural policies could tackle these two problems simultaneously.

Nearly One Billion Illiterate
Over three-quarters of a billion people worldwide—793 million adults—are illiterate. Although the number of people unable to read has decreased from 1 billion in 1990, illiteracy continues to prevent millions of people from moving out of poverty. For farmers in particular, being illiterate can limit access to information such as market prices, weather predictions, and trainings to improve their production.
New communications technologies are providing part of the solution. A team of researchers known as Scientific Animations Without Borders is helping illiterate farmers around the world learn how to create natural pesticides or prevent crop damage using solar treatments, by producing short animated videos accessible on mobile phones. In India, farmers can receive daily updates via text or voicemail on weather and crop prices through subscription services set up by major telephone companies. Kheti, a system operated by the U.K.’s Sheffield Hallam University, even allows farmers to take pictures of problems they are having with their crops and to send them in for advice. With more than 4.6 billion mobile phone subscriptions globally, projects such as these have the potential to reach and improve the lives of many around the world.
As we gather together this holiday season to reflect on the things most important to us, let us also take the time to remember the billions of others who share our planet. Too many of the world’s neediest people will start the new year without sufficient food, nutrition, or education. But by acknowledging and supporting those organizations around the world that are finding ways to nourish both people and the planet, we can all make a difference.

Twelve simple steps for going green in 2012

As we ring in the New Year, here are 12 steps that we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment. This article was written for an American audience, but its 12 steps apply here in South Africa and around the world. And if some of the measures mentioned in this article don't exist where you live, then why not launch them? (Images courtesy Worldwatch Institute)

As we head into 2012, many of us will be resolving to lose those few extra kilograms, save more money, or spend a few more hours with our families and friends. However, there are also some resolutions we can make to make our lives a little greener. Each of us, in whatever country in which we live, can make a commitment to reducing our environmental impacts.

"The global community, and particularly people living in industrialised societies, have put unsustainable demands on our planet's limited resources," says Robert Engelman, president of the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental research organisation based on Washington, D.C. "If we expect to be able to feed, shelter, and provide even basic living conditions to our growing population in years to come, we must act now to change."

The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. Broadening access to sustainable energy is essential to solving many of the world's challenges, including food production, security, and poverty. "With so many hungry and poor in the world, addressing these issues is critical," says Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet project. "Fortunately, the solutions to these problems can come from simple innovations and practices."

The Nourishing the Planet team recently travelled to 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and will be soon travelling to Latin America, to research and highlight such solutions. The project shines a spotlight on innovations in agriculture that can help alleviate hunger and poverty while also protecting the environment. These innovations are elaborated in Worldwatch's flagship annual report, State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.

Hunger, poverty, and climate change are issues that we can all help address. Here are 12 simple steps to go green in 2012:

(1) Recycle

Recycling programs exist in cities and towns across the United States, helping to save energy and protect the environment. In 2009, San Francisco became the first US city to require all homes and businesses to use recycling and composting collection programs. As a result, more than 75% of all material collected is being recycled, diverting 1.6 million tons from the landfills annually - double the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, for each kilogram of aluminium recovered, Americans save the energy resources necessary to generate roughly 16.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity - enough to power a city the size of Pittsburgh for six years!

What you can do:

Put a separate container next to your rubbish bin or printer, making it easier to recycle your bottles, cans, and paper.

(2) Turn off the lights

On the last Saturday in March - March 31 in 2012 - hundreds of people, businesses, and governments around the world turn off their lights for an hour as part of Earth Hour, a movement to address climate change.

What you can do:

Earth Hour happens only once a year, but you can make an impact every day by turning off lights during bright daylight, or whenever you will be away for an extended period.

(3) Make the switch

Photo courtesy Mr. Selbam Muniandy STK electronics

In 2007, Australia became the first country to "ban the bulb," drastically reducing domestic usage of incandescent light bulbs. By late 2010, incandescent bulbs had been totally phased out, and, according to the country's environment minister, this simple move has made a big difference, cutting an estimated 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. China also recently pledged to replace the 1 billion incandescent bulbs used in its government offices with more energy efficient models within five years.

What you can do:

A bill in Congress to eliminate incandescent in the United States failed in 2011, but you can still make the switch at home. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use only 20-30% of the energy required by incandescents to create the same amount of light, and LEDs use only 10%, helping reduce both electric bills and carbon emissions.

(4) Turn on the tap

The bottled water industry sold 8.8 billion gallons of water in 2010, generating nearly US$11 billion in profits. Yet plastic water bottles create huge environmental problems. The energy required to produce and transport these bottles could fuel an estimated 1.5 million cars for a year, yet approximately 75% of water bottles are not recycled - they end up in landfills, litter roadsides, and pollute waterways and oceans. Moreover, while public tap water is subject to strict safety regulations, the bottled water industry is not required to report testing results for its products. According to a study, 10 of the most popular brands of bottled water contain a wide range of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizer residue, and arsenic.

What you can do:

Fill up your glasses and reusable water bottles with water from the sink. The United States has more than 160 000 public water systems, and by eliminating bottled water you can help to keep nearly 1 million tons of bottles out of the landfill, as well as save money on water costs.

(5) Turn down the heat

The US Department of Energy estimates that consumers can save up to 15% on heating and cooling bills just by adjusting their thermostats. Turning down the heat by 5 to 8°C for eight hours can result in savings of 5-15% on your home heating bill. Turning your hot water geyser down to 55°C can also save you a lot on your electricity bill.

What you can do:

Turn down your thermostat when you leave for work, or use a programmable thermostat to control your heating settings.

(6) Support food recovery programs

Each year, roughly a third of all food produced for human consumption - approximately 1.3 billion tons - is lost or wasted, including 34 million tons in the United States, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Grocery stores, bakeries, and other food providers throw away tons of food daily that is perfectly edible but is cosmetically imperfect or has passed its expiration date. In response, food recovery programs run by homeless shelters or food banks collect this food and use it to provide meals for the hungry, helping to divert food away from landfills and into the bellies of people who need it most.

What you can do:

Encourage your local restaurants and grocery stores to partner with food rescue organisations, like City Harvest in New York City or Second Harvest Heartland in Minnesota.

Go through your cabinets and shelves and donate any non-perishable canned and dried foods that you won't be using to your nearest food bank or shelter.

(7) Buy local

"Small Business Saturday," falling between "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday," was established in 2010 as a way to support small businesses during the busiest shopping time of the year. Author and consumer advocate Michael Shuman argues that local small businesses are more sustainable because they are often more accountable for their actions, have smaller environmental footprints, and innovate to meet local conditions - providing models for others to learn from.

What you can do:

Instead of relying exclusively on large supermarkets, consider farmers markets and local farms for your produce, eggs, dairy, and meat. Food from these sources is usually fresher and more flavourful, and your money will be going directly to these food producers.

(8) Get out and ride

We all know that carpooling and using public transportation helps cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, as well as our gas bills. Now, cities across the country are investing in new mobility options that provide exercise and offer an alternative to being cramped in subways or buses. Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C. have major bike sharing programs that allow people to rent bikes for short-term use. Similar programs exist in other cities, and more are planned for places from Miami, Florida, to Madison, Wisconsin.

What you can do:

If available, use your bike to run short errands or commute to work. By eliminating transportation costs, as well as a gym membership, you can save quite a bit of money!

Many cities and towns are incorporating bike lanes and trails, making it easier and safer to use your bike for transportation and recreation.

(9) Share a car

Car sharing programs spread from Europe to the United States nearly 13 years ago and are increasingly popular, with US membership jumping 117% between 2007 and 2009. According to the University of California Transportation Centre, each shared car replaces 15 personally owned vehicles, and roughly 80% of more than 6000 car-sharing households surveyed across North America got rid of their cars after joining a sharing service. In 2009, car sharing was credited with reducing US carbon emissions by more than 482 000 tons. Innovative programs such as Chicago's I-GO are even introducing solar-powered cars to their fleets, making the impact of these programs even more eco-friendly.

What you can do:

Join a car share program! As of July 2011, there were 26 such programs in the US, with more than 560,000 people sharing over 10 000 vehicles. Even if you don't want to get rid of your own car, using a shared car when travelling in a city can greatly reduce the challenges of finding parking (car share programs have their own designated spots), as well as your environmental impact as you run errands or commute to work.

(10) Plant a garden

Whether you live in a studio loft or a suburban McMansion, growing your own vegetables is a simple way to bring fresh and nutritious food literally to your doorstep. Researchers at the FAO and the United Nations Development Programme estimate that 200 million city dwellers around the world are already growing and selling their own food, feeding some 800 million of their neighbours. Growing a garden doesn't have to take up a lot of space, and in light of high food prices and recent food safety scares, even a small plot can make a big impact on your diet and wallet.

What you can do:

Plant some lettuce in a window box. Lettuce seeds are cheap and easy to find, and when planted in full sun, one window box can provide enough to make several salads worth throughout a season.

(11) Compost

And what better way to fertilize your garden than using your own composted organic waste. You will not only reduce costs by buying less fertilizer, but you will also help to cut down on food and other organic waste.

What you can do:

If you are unsure about the right ways to compost, websites such as HowToCompost.org and organisations such as the US Composting Council, provide easy steps to reuse your organic waste.

(12) Reduce your meat consumption

Livestock production accounts for about 18% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for about 23% of all global water used in agriculture. Yet global meat production has experienced a 20% growth rate since 2000 to meet the per capita increase of meat consumption of about 42kg.

What you can do:

You don't have to become a vegetarian or vegan, but by simply cutting down on the amount of meat you consume can go a long way. Consider substituting one meal day with a vegetarian option. And if you are unable to think of how to substitute your meat-heavy diet, websites such as Meatless Monday and Eating Well offer numerous vegetarian recipes that are healthy for you and the environment.

The most successful and lasting New Year's resolutions are those that are practised regularly and have an important goal. Watching the ball drop in Times Square happens only once a year, but for more and more people across the world, the impacts of hunger, poverty, and climate change are felt every day. Thankfully, simple practices, such as recycling or riding a bike, can have great impact. As we prepare to ring in the new year, let's all resolve to make 2012 a healthier, happier, and greener year for all.

For more information, visit www.worldwatch.org.

21st International Children’s Painting Competition

2012 painting competition will be “Green communities" Submit your entries......,

Theme:
Green communities

Sub-themes:

How would you like to see our environment - our communities, cities, forests,oceans and atmosphere? What don't you like about

our environment - our communities, cities, forests,

oceans and atmosphere?

The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is organized every year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation. It has been held since 1991 and has received more than 3 million entries from children in over 150 countries. The theme of the 21st painting competition will be “Green

Communities”and children will have until 15 February2012 to submit their entries. The organizers are inviting children all over the world to submit their paintings to the UNEP office in their regions. Addresses of these offices are indicated below.

Entry Rules and Conditions:

 

Children between the age of 6 and 14 years.

1) Paintings must be done on A4 OR A3 papers.

2) Full name, age (day, month, and year), gender and full

address including phone and e-mail (in English) must be on the back of the painting.

3) Style of painting is free: crayons, coloured pencils, watercolours, etc.

4) Paintings that have been shown or accepted elsewhere will not be accepted in this competition.

5) Paintings that show a particular person, an organization or a brand name will not be accepted.

6) Do not include any words or descriptions in the paintings.

7) Only hard copies of paintings will be accepted.

8) You can submit more than one entry.

The 1st Prize:

One entrant - US$ 2,000 with a fully paid trip for the winner and a chaperone to

the Tunza International Children’s Conference (date and venue to be confirmed

later). The winner will also receive a plaque and supplementary prizes.

The 2nd Prize:

One entrant - US$ 1,000 each and a fully paid trip for winners and chaperones to

the Tunza International Children’s Conference (date and venue to be confirmed

later). Each winner will also receive a plaque and supplementary prizes.

The 3rd Prize:

Three entrants – A diploma for each winner (No cash)

The 4th Prize:

Ten entrants – A diploma for each winner (No cash)

The 5th Prize:

Thirty five entrants – A diploma for each winner (No cash)

Regional winners:

One winner only from each region: Africa; Asia and the Pacific; West Asia; Europe;

Latin America and the Caribbean; and North America.

US$ 1,000 and fully paid trip for each winner and chaperones to the Tunza

International Children’s Conference (venue and date to be confirmed later).

(Note that by entering the Competition, you have assigned copyright of

your painting(s) to the organizers. The painting(s) will not be returned and will be

used to raise environmental awareness through exhibition, websites, posters,

publications etc) and to raise funds to further promote environmental activities by

children.

Selection of winners:

Winners will be selected through a fair and impartial selection by the organizers.

Announcement of winners:

(1) Regional winners will be announced on 22 April, 2012.

(2) Global winners will be announced on 5 June 2012 which is also World Environment Day.

Contacts :

UNEP Regional Office for Africa

Ms. Angele Luh Sy

Information Officer

Regional Office for Africa (ROA),

Block A - Room 120

United Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP)

P.O. Box 30552 - 00100

Nairobi, KENYA

Phone: (+254 20)762 4292

Fax: (+254 20)762 3928

E-mail: Angele.Luh@unep.org

UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Tanawan Sarabuddhi (Ms)

Staff Assistant

UNEP/ROAP

2nd Floor, United Nations Building

Rajdamnern Avenue, Bangok 10200 Thailand

Tel: +66 2 288 2314

Fax: +66 2 280 3829/ 288 1029

Email: tanawan.sarabuddhi@unep.org

UNEP Regional Office for Europe

Heidi Mayhew, Assistant

Information & Public Relations

UNEP - Regional Office for Europe

11-13 Chemin des Anémones

CH-1219 Châtelaine-Genève

Tel: +41 (0)22 917 8279

Fax: +41 (0)22 797 3420

E-mail: heidi.mayhew@unep.org

UNEP Regional Office for Latin America & the

Caribbean

Montserrat Valeiras

Unidad de Comunicación

United Nations Environment Programme

Regional Office for Latin America and the

Caribbean

Building 103 - Morse Avenue, City of

Knowledge, Clayton

Panama City, Panama

Tel.: (507) 305-3114 (direct) (507)

305-3100 (Central)

Fax: (507) 305-3105 P.O. Box:

0843-03590

C.E.: montserrat.valeiras@unep.org

UNEP Regional Office for North America

900 17th Street NW, Suite 506

Washington, DC 20006

USA

Tel: 1 (202) 621-5037

Fax: 1 (202) 785-2096

Website: www.unep.org/rona

E-mail: andrea.dipaola@unep.org

UNEP Regional Office for West Asia

Marie Daher Corthay

Information and Outreach Officer

United Nations Environment Programme

Regional Office for West Asia

Mob: +973 36 955 988

Fax: 00973 178 25 110

Marie.Daher@unep.org

Deadline:

Entries must reach the relevant UNEP regional office by 15 February 2012.Entries received after this date will not be

included in the competition.

 

Global winners:

Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year to All

Christmas wish is the ideal way to pray for love and peace for all. Wishes can be given to anyone, whether you know a person or not. It is the way to share your feelings and happiness with all those whom you come across on this sacred occasion of JESUS BIRTH. You never know; you might make a lonely person smile because of your Christmas wish. The idea of Christmas wishes can go a long way in maintaining relationships and creating a bond that can only become stronger with time. Christmas wishes come in many different forms but have one single essence - To spread peace and happiness on this sacred occasion.

Bible Accounts Supported by Dead Sea Disaster Record?

New evidence suggests body once vanished, could again.

Sediment cores from the Dead Sea (map) reveal that the water body may once have completely dried up, researchers say. The discovery raises fears the sea could vanish again.
The same cores also show records of droughts and earthquakes that could be interpreted as supporting accounts in the Bible.

(Related: "King Solomon's Wall Found—Proof of Bible Tale?")

The salty sea—actually a lake—whose surface now lies more than 1,380 feet (420 meters) below sea level, is not only the lowest nonmarine place on Earth but also the catch basin for water flowing from much of Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.
As such, "it is the most fantastic recorder for past climate," geophysicist Zvi Ben-Avraham said this week at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.
Drilling cores collected in 2010 revealed clear annual layers, almost like tree rings, said geologist Steven Goldstein of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
White layers in the cores represent summer dry periods, when the lake slowly evaporated and calcium carbonate settled to the bottom. Dark layers are mud and silt from winter storms.
"We can use these to reconstruct the climate on a seasonal basis," Goldstein said.
In fact, he noted, the drilling team was able to watch a new dark layer being formed, as a flash flood dumped sediment out of the Israeli hills, turning the waters a muddy brown.

 tremendous amount of salt is what the Dead sea is known for

Dead Sea Bible Links?
The team also found "jumbled" sections in the Dead Sea sediment, where normally rhythmic layers had been stirred together by large earthquakes, Goldstein said.
Because the cores weren't ready for study until last month, he said, scientists haven't had time to count the number of earthquakes, let alone date them.
"What I can tell you," he said, "is that there are a lot of earthquake deposits throughout the core," which stretches back about 200,000 years.
Ben-Avraham, head of the Minerva Dead Sea Research Center at Tel Aviv University in Israel, noted that this is important because, when it comes to earthquakes, the last century in the Middle East was unusually quiet.
"People don't take this into consideration," Ben-Avraham said, "but we have mighty earthquakes."
Looking farther back, one of the seismically active eras revealed by the core samples appears to have been about 4,000 years ago, he said.
"If you believe the biblical chronology, this is roughly [the time of] Sodom and Gomorrah," he said. During this period, according to the Book of Genesis, God "rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed all."
(Find out about the King James Bible in National Geographic magazine.)
A later book of the Bible, Antiquities of the Jews, tells of an earthquake in Judea, an ancient land bordering the Dead Sea—"such a one as had not happened at any other time, and which earthquake brought a great destruction upon the cattle in that country. About ten thousand men also perished by the fall of houses. ... "
(See "Oldest Hebrew Text Is Evidence for Bible Stories?")
The cores also show layers of salt. These, Columbia's Goldstein said, represent eras when the climate dried and the Dead Sea evaporated and shrank.
Some of these occurred during the biblical period, Goldstein added, noting that the dry spells are interspersed with wet intervals.
"So we see lean years and the fat years like those described in the ancient texts," he said.
(Related: "New Life-Forms Found at Bottom of Dead Sea.")

Dead Sea has no exit point and is located 
in Israel and Jordan

The Dried Sea
Even more severe droughts occurred much longer ago, accompanied by salt deposits up to 150 feet (45 meters) thick, researchers said at the meeting.
In the worst such instance, about 120,000 years ago, Goldstein said, there is even a layer of pebbles akin to current Dead Sea beach deposits, suggesting that at this time the entire lakebed was dry—and that it could happen again.
Irrigation and drinking-water diversions have been cutting off the flow of water to the Dead Sea, raising concerns for its future, said Emi Ito, a lake researcher from the University of Minnesota and a member of the study team.
(See "Diverting Red Sea to Save Dead Sea Could Create Environmental Crisis.")
Prior models, she said, had indicated that while the Dead Sea might shrink dramatically, a remnant would remain.
But we now have evidence that the lake once dried completely even without the humans diverting its water sources, "so all of those previous models may have to be reconsidered," she said.
Tel Aviv University's Ben-Avraham added, "The message that comes out from these drill holes [is] that what we see happening in the Middle East mimics a severe dry period" depicted in the geologic record

Story Summary 

The Dead Sea is the lowest body of water on the planet. It averages 1,000 feet deep. Nothinging grows or lives in its salty water. Trying to swim in it, a person bobs like a cork. Trying to wade in it, a person could slip on the salty glaze that covers its shore. It is like nowhere else on earth.
Supplied by the Jordan River plus other smaller streams and springs, the Dead Sea has no exit point and is located in Israel and Jordan. It is near the famous archeological sites of Masada and Qumran.


The Dead Sea, that has remained attached to the holy Bible since ages, is not a place for urination. Apart from the sacred biblical history and biblical prophecy, urinating into the Dead Sea can be very much uncomfortable and painful



International Mountain Day 2011

 

International Mountain Day is an opportunity to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world’s mountains and highlands.

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as “International Mountain Day”. This decision results from the success of the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, which increased global awareness of the importance of mountains, stimulated the establishment of national committees in 78 countries and strengthened alliances through promoting the creation of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, known as the 'Mountain Partnership (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2 September 2002). FAO was the designated lead coordinating agency for International Year of Mountains and is mandated to lead observance of International Mountain Day.

This year’s International Mountain Day theme will focus on Mountains and Forests. It aims to raise awareness about the relevance of mountain forests and the role they play within a Green Economy as well as in climate change adaptation measures.

Healthy mountain forests are crucial to the ecological health of the world. They protect watersheds that supply freshwater to more than half the world’s people. They also are the home of untold wildlife, provide food and fodder for mountain people and are important sources of timber and non-wood products. Yet in many parts of the world mountain forests are under threat as never before and deforestation in tropical mountain forests continues at an astounding rate. Protecting these forests and making sure they are carefully managed is an important step towards sustainable mountain development.

By linking this year’s International Mountain Day to the International Year of Forests 2011, we can benefit from the international existing attention and focus on the theme as well as twinning certain communication activities and products to produce a more effective awareness raising exercise.

Rotary Club of Bukit Tinggi in Action

Rotary Club of Bukit Tinggi provide assistance and support to Majlis Perbandaran  service and keeping Klang a cleaner Town.

 ----  Dedicate club time and resources to give back to the local community --



 

Sijil Penghargaan  Majlis Perbandaran Klang yang prihatin dan berjasa kepada Masyarakat
Prez. Richard and Rtn .Gopal ( Treasurer )





Pelancaran Program Gotong Perdana Klang






Tricycle  for garbage collection



Our daily emissions of CO2 are changing our Oceans

 Experts urge action to limit ocean acidification

 

Ocean acidification can no longer remain on the periphery of the international debates on climate change and the environment and should be addressed by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global environmental conventions, urges IUCN and the International Ocean Acidification Reference User Group (RUG) at the climate change summit in Durban.
In the run up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro in June next year (Rio+20), world experts from RUG call for decision makers to urgently address the critical issue of ocean acidification.
“The increasing amounts of carbon dioxide that we emit into the atmosphere every day are changing our oceans, steadily increasing their acidity, and dramatically affecting marine life,” says Professor Dan Laffoley Marine Vice Chair of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and Chair of RUG. “This may also have severe impacts on human life in the future. Only by reducing our CO2 emissions and enhancing the protection of oceans to strengthen their ability to recover, can we effectively address this issue. Policy makers in Durban, and in Rio in June next year, need to recognize this and take appropriate actions.”
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, particularly CO2, which is the main driver of climate change and the main cause of ocean acidification, is one of the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. But the latest RUG publication calls for a broader strategy to reduce ocean acidification, alongside those tackling other threats to the marine environment such as overfishing and pollution.
According to the experts, although both climate change and ocean acidification are caused by excessive amounts of CO2 emissions, and so should be tackled together, not all approaches used to address the former will be effective in the fight against the latter.



Each year, ocean absorbs appx 25% of all the CO2 we emit 

 "For example, ‘geoengineering' solutions, such as reflecting solar radiation, which are often suggested to deal with climate change, will not address the progressive acidification of the ocean," says Dr John Baxter of the Scottish Natural Heritage and Deputy Chair of the RUG. "Both climate change and acidification need to be taken into account when designing solutions to these challenges."
Each year, the ocean absorbs approximately 25% of all the CO2 we emit. Its acidity has increased by 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and acidification will continue at an unprecedented rate in the coming decades. This can have a negative impact on marine organisms, especially the 'calcifying’ ones such as shellfish, molluscs, coral reefs and various types of zooplankton and phytoplankton. Increasing ocean acidity requires them to use more energy to build their shells, which has potentially severe ecological consequences. If the current acidification rate continues, it could lead to extinctions of some species and impact others that feed on them.
“Through its ability to absorb large amounts of CO2, the ocean plays a crucial role in moderating the rate and severity of climate change”, says Dr Carol Turley from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Knowledge Exchange Coordinator for the UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme, one of the partners of the Reference User Group. “But in many ways our ocean is also a victim of its own success, as this capacity jeopardizes its future health, its biodiversity and its ability to continue to provide us with food and sustainable economic development. Ocean acidification requires urgent and effective action now, before it’s too late. The obvious action is to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere."

To view the publication click following link : http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/oa_11_8pp_web.pdf

Source : http://www.iucn.org/news_homepage/?8697/The-acid-truth-about-our-oceans-experts-urge-action-to-limit-ocean-acidification

Clean Klang Campaign

Clean Klang campaign ( Gotong  Royong Perdana MPK ) :-

Date         :  3rd December 2011
Time         :  7 am – 12.00 noon.
Venue       :  Dataran Seni, Klang  ( opposite shaw centre point )


The MPK has allocated the area around Pasar Jawa. We are meeting at 7.00am in front of Centerpoint Supermarket.  We would like to extend an invitation to you and your family too.

If you need further details call Pres Richard H/p 012 – 2339 102.


Thank
VP George
RC Bukit Tinggi Klang

Photo's and VCD for sale - Cleaner Marina Day

Greetings from the Rotary Club of Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang. We must thank you for your participation in the Cleaner Marina Day held on the 15th October ’11. We had an overwhelming response from the general public.

The event was also widely publicized over the radio, TV and all the local newspapers. Many asked us for the photographs taken on the day. We have good news for you. You can buy a CD consisiting of 650 photographs taken during the Cleaner Marina Day. The CD is RM 25.00 per CD.

 A video recording is also available. The VCD runs for half an hour. It is very well taken by professionals. The cost is RM 25.00 per VCD.



The items are available...
RM25.00
Contact : Rtn Gopal  Mobile :017 8896095





Thank You for your support.
VP George

Why are this trees cut down ??

Location    :   Jalan Batu Unjur off Jalan Kim Chuan & Opposite Giant traffic light Bukit Tinggi

Date          :    3/11/2011

Species      :  Tecoma  ( 15 ) and Rain trees ( 5)

"It's awful that a public green space, an asset to the local community, has been destroyed mindlessly.

I would blame the local council ( Majlis Perbandaran Klang ) who are  lack of awareness and the important of preserving our trees. They must have tree maintenance plan instead of asking the contactors to chop down trees for extra bug. This must be stop immediately.

If you live in Australia,  New Zealand and other part of the world, then you will think twice before chopping down trees or even  trimming. They have Tree Trimming law and Trees removal law.

Do we have such laws here ??

Trees are important, valuable and necessary to our very existence. It's not too hard to believe that, without trees we humans would not exist on this beautiful planet.

We must know the important of trees :-

1. Trees Produces Oxygen

2. Trees Clean the Soil

3. Trees Control Noise Pollution

4.Trees slow storm water runoff

5. Trees are Carbon sinks

6. Trees Clean the air

7. Trees shade and cool

8. Trees acts as windbreaks
9. Tress fight soil Erosion

10. Trees increase property values