Growing up in Nigeria, I always assumed that the ever present blue-green tinge that often appeared after it rained was common everywhere and came from oil and petrol everywhere. I assumed that the ever present natural gas flares visible near the coast where a staple of oil mining. I never once considered that it was a sign that my city Warri, was just the urban face of a continual multi-decade pollution business plan.

Most Americans remember the BP Oil spill last year, and the wave of public (American) outrage against BP, Britain and what they saw as an affront to their nation and a lack of ownership by the management of BP. In the coming weeks, the amount of scrutiny paid by the American media and news-watching public was severe and critical.

At first, I was equally as outraged, but also resigned. But then when I saw the wave of public indignation, and the fact that BP was taking responsibility for the spill, I became very outraged. In the Niger Delta, spills the size of BP’s spill occur multiple times every year.

Oil in Nigeria has always been an incredibly political issue, one that remains very dangerous to speak up about. In 1995, a peaceful activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, lead protests against the environmental degradation of his land—and he was promptly arrested and executed by hanging after a tribunal. It is incredibly naive to assume that the Oil companies and their close relationships with Nigerian politicians then, and now, had nothing to do with the execution. In fact, with the help of several human rights activists, the Wiwa family sued Royal Dutch Shell for human rights violations including: summary execution, crimes against humanity, torture, inhumane treatment and arbitrary arrest and detention. And….then days before the trial could begin, Shell paid the family $15.5 million while still denying any liability for his death

As I watched the news programs attacking BP, I thought about the three largest oil companies in Nigeria—Shell (a Dutch company), Exxon Mobil (an American company) and Chevron (also an American company)—and how they must be sitting in their tidy offices laughing at the powerless Africans they’ve trampled on for years. While the Americans raised their fists and raged against the British company—perhaps bringing up their inherited or adopted anti-Britain sentiments—they (and the media) remained firmly closed to the fact that their own American companies are doing the same things in places where a $15.5 million settlement is rarely if ever seen and thus justice could never really be brought.

But I refuse to the deny the parts that my own people have played in the environmental crises. I have written countlessly about the corruptness of the Nigerian government. In fact, the last Governor of Delta state was arrested for money laundering. These officials make deals for the betterments of their pockets and not with the consent or care of the people who supposedly elected them into office. This has led to widespread loss of livelihood with the destructions of numerous waterways and fish sources. The oil companies—Shell in particular—have also blamed the people for the spills, stating (and proving in some cases) that civilians cut into oil pipelines to siphon oil to sell on the black market. In fact, in my father’s village in 1998, an oil leak resulted in people attempting to siphon oil for later sale, however an explosion soon occurred, killing about 1000 people.

To add more intrigue to the Jesse fire, there have been several arguments and testimonies that the oil company and the government was to blame:

“The company and the government then sent a helicopter to the area. The officials in the helicopter warned the people in English to disperse or something would happen to them. Most of the crowd did not understand what was being said and the sight of the helicopter added more fun to the fetching of the liquid gold manna.

The officials followed up their threat with firing nerve gas at the crowd, which made it impossible for them to run. Those who attempted to run could not move their limps with agility. Then the horror came; the place was set on fire with the intention of killing everybody present and to prevent anybody from giving evidence.”

I personally have a complicated relationship with Shell. My mother used to work as a nurse in state government hospital, when she got a position with Shell that offered her over 3 times her salary as a public servant. She took the job, and I learned to swim in the Shell pool, I attended the summer camp for children of Shell employees, our house was built in part with money from bonuses given to my mother from her work with Shell. But I refuse to be grateful for them, and I would rather the whole world realized this and stood up and raised their voices and fists at Shell, Chevron and Mobil till they were forced to acknowledge that they were destroying lives.

The UN has been conducting research and writing a report to ascertain the causes of the leaks in the Niger Delta, especially in Ogoniland which was the subject of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s protests and later execution. At first, reports indicated that the UN intended to blame the people….and here I lose my objectivity and refrain from writing what I think, but you are welcome to use your imagination. This early reports were in 2010, but the UN was quick to recall and rebuke the early birds, stating that:

Media reports over the past days and weeks have indicated that it is UNEP’s determination that 90 per cent of oil spills are linked with so-called ‘bunkering’ and criminal activity. In referring to this data, UNEP clearly indicated that these figures represented official estimates of the Government of Nigeria, based in part on data supplied by the oil industry. They therefore do not represent nor reflect results of UNEP’s current assessment process which is still ongoing. To link this data with UNEP’s study or indeed any future attribution of responsibility is incorrect.

So basically upon facing public outcry, they quickly went back to the drawing board. This statement was released on August 23rd 2010. It was almost a year after that in August when the report was finally released. And here are some of the fun facts it contains:

In one community, at Nisisioken Ogale, in western Ogoniland, families are drinking water from wells that is contaminated with benzene- a known carcinogen-at levels over 900 times above World Health Organization guidelines. The site is close to a Nigerian National Petroleum Company pipeline.

UNEP scientists found an 8 cm layer of refined oil floating on the groundwater which serves the wells. This was reportedly linked to an oil spill which occurred more than six years ago.

Control and maintenance of oilfield infrastructure in Ogoniland has been and remains inadequate: the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s own procedures have not been applied, creating public health and safety issues.

The impact of oil on mangrove vegetation has been disastrous. Oil pollution in many intertidal creeks has left mangroves-nurseries for fish and natural pollution filters- denuded of leaves and stems with roots coated in a layer of bitumen-type substance sometimes one centimetre or more thick.

I write this article not to be self-righteous, or bash the American public for their lack of international knowledge. I write this to raise awareness, and to bash the American media for the creation of a circular and inclusive space in which while living in and watching the news in America, even the international news, all I end up hearing about is America and not the rest of the world—thus creating and upholding a double standard.

There: I’m done. (I would appreciate any comments that perhaps indicate my increased objectivity or lack thereof).

And by the way, the UN calls for an initial $1 billion dollar fund over a 30-year period to kick-start restoration of the Ogoniland alone. I am not even from the Ogoniland. The Ogoniland is only a small part of the Niger Delta. I have lost my objectivity, and I am proud to say it.

But there has been progress. Shell has admitted responsibility for an Oil Spill in the Bodo community in the Niger Delta (once again, only a small part of the Niger Delta). The oil spilled was 20% that in the BP spill, but spilled in a small creek which represented the livelihood of the Bodo community—a fishing community with no more fish. Shell was told of the spill about 6 weeks after it started, and the spill was not mended for another 4 weeks. So when pushed against the wall, Shell had to admit responsibility. But responsibility is simply not enough. Shell needs to no only pay up, but clean up.

Also, after the UN report, Shell is starting to take responsibility. So is there hope? Yes. But as long as there are Nigerian politicians, hope becomes a tiny sliver only seen through the eye of a needle.

References:

http://hqweb.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2649&ArticleID=8827&l=en

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/un-report-on-ogoni-oil-pollution-fg-to-sanction-shell-if-%E2%80%A6-2/

http://hqweb.unep.org/dnc/Portals/155/countries/nigeria/press_release_ogoniland_en.pdf

http://www.unep.org/nigeria/

http://www.waado.org/Environment/IdjerheFire/CausesOfFireDisaster.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8090493.stm

http://wiwavshell.org/

http://allafrica.com/stories/201107200794.html

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.Print.asp?DocumentID=646&ArticleID=6727&l=en

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/22/shell-niger-delta-un-investigation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/aug/09/niger-delta-shell-oil-spills?INTCMP=SRCH

http://allafrica.com/stories/201108040967.html

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Distribution of Agent Orange in the Amazon Rainforest

The use of Agent Orange is still ongoing today, even with prior knowledge of both the health effects and detriments to the environment that it has caused. On July 6, around 450 acres of land in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest were cleared away by the use of Agent Orange. Though the forest is being cleared away to make room for cattle ranching or agricultural purposes, the chemicals being used to clear away the forest are being stored and distributed incorrectly. Authorities found over four tons of chemicals along the side of a trans-Amazon highway, and the chemicals were being distributed through the use of an aircraft. Spraying of the chemical by aircraft can lead to in accurate deployment of the herbicide, affecting areas that may not have initially been part of the intended target area.

Improper use of these chemicals can lead to further detriment to the environment. The chemicals can seep into the groundwater and prove harmful to the organisms in the surrounding area. In addition, there has been an increase in deforestation activities in the Amazon Rainforest due to the reformation of environmental laws as well as increased product costs.

With a shift in mentality towards an increase in productivity and cost-effectiveness, it would seem that fundamental concerns such as the maintenance of the environment or the ecosystem are being prioritized less highly. The aftereffects of dioxin use during the Vietnam War still remain a blatantly obvious reminder of the reasons why this chemical should not be used despite its effectiveness in deforestation.

Source: http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0706-agent_orange_amazon.html

Karen Ngo

Toronto, ON

Team 5: International Health

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As this dictionary definition clearly states, polluting is the introduction of harmful substances or products in the environment. But not just the introduction of it, but the continuation, and a real life example would be the earth, right now, just as I am typing this, and will probably continue for a long time until something serious is done about it.
Pollutants are the elements of pollution and can be anything that contributes to the pollution, either naturally (although this does not frequently happen) or manmade (which is the most common source).
Pollution is occurring all throughout the world. China, the Dominican Republic, India, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and Zambia are the top worst polluted countries. Each country has their own unique reason for being so polluted. From coal dust, lead contamination, metal processing plants, and nuclear meltdowns, each is dangerous and quite a toxic place to live in.
Linfen, China currently holds the world’s most polluted place on earth. I go to China around once a year and all my relatives live there except my mother, father, sister, brother, and I…maybe a great aunt and uncle lives in New Jersey but the majority do not. When I go there I usually stay in Yangzhou, which has a population of around five million people mostly around eighteen to sixty years of age. I don’t deny it; the pollution there is pretty bad. There is smoke all over the place and the traffic is terrifying, considering how many people there are. But also, smoking plays a big role. Two thirds of people smoke there and lung cancer continues to be something that contributes largely to their death rate and pollution rate. So I always though Yangzhou was pretty bad, until I researched a bit on Linfen.
The reason for this cities high pollution rate is automobile and industrial emissions and this is a coal and particulates pollutant. So far there have been three million people affected and this city is located directly in the heart of a coal-production site. Many people suffer from lung cancer here as well and poisoning because the water is infected with arsenic, which is a chemical element that is with sulfur and metals.
Many people report not even being able to see through the thick haze and clouds of toxic gases that are ever present in the air. But although this problem is the worst in Linfen, it is also in all of China. Twenty of the thirty most polluted cities in the world are in China.
The earth is becoming more polluted and it seems as though China is taking a turn for the worst.

http://www.livescience.com/4226-world-10-polluted-places.html

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pollution

http://www.chinatouronline.com/china-travel/yangzhou/yangzhou-facts/yangzhou-population.html

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One of the most well-known shoe charities is Soles4Souls, founded by Wayne Esley. After the 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia, Esley made efforts to contact shoe companies and have millions of pairs donated to the people after the disaster as well as during the time Hurricane Katrina had hit in 2005. Since then, this organization has delivered over 14 million pairs of new or gently worn shoes to people in over 127 countries. It is already astonishing to even know that there are that many countries that don’t have decent footwear. In 2010 after the earthquake struck in Haiti, Soles2Souls donated 1.3 million pairs for the survivors of the disaster. Ever since, many other non-profit groups, businesses and celebrities have collaborated with Soles4Souls in donating shoes or initiating show drives to benefit the rest of the shoeless world. During times of crisis, several school clubs have also worked with this organization and collected thousands of pairs overtime. This organization took a step further in launching a second organization called Clothes4Souls. This sister group was able to extend to more partnerships with various other companies as well as deliver clothing and more relief to the people of these disasters such as in Haiti. As well as donating shoes and clothing, anyone is free to donate money where a single dollar will be used to donate an additional pair of shoes. With their single and simple mission to “procure shoes and get them to those in need,” they continue to make a difference for millions of lives through footwear.
Along with Soles4Souls, Toms Shoes is also a well known shoe charity based on their One to One movement. This movement founded by Blake Mycoskie was created so that every pair of shoes sold by TOMS would be matched by a pair of shoes donated to children in other countries. The inspiration started in Argentina when Mycoskie traveled and witnessed several children barefoot and felt the need to act. Ever since, TOMS has been able to donate several pairs of shoes and has become a success, being featured on commercials as well as producing their own documentary of their journey. They have even gone so far as to create a day to spread awareness of the impact shoes make in the lives of people, naming it One Day Without Shoes. Thousands of events are held worldwide where people spend a day barefoot, initiate conversations as to why they are barefoot and thus spread the word of change. This awareness event is one of the few and amazing ways that this company has outreached to the global population and especially to the youth who are helping other youth simple through word-of-mouth and purchasing TOMS shoes.

TOMS Shoes donating several pairs to barefoot children

Both organizations have made a significant difference for many of the barefooted human beings who continue to travel daily in their already difficult living situations. Through the forces of communication, collaboration and understanding, these charities have definitely been a great source of youth outreach and will continue to thrive for many generations onward, one step at a time.

Brynn Olivia Sy
Team 3: Youth Outreach

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To most Nigerians, Oil is quite simply a Curse. While to the elite politicians and stakeholders who are able to control a majority of the revenue from Oil, the proposed positives of Nigeria producing 3% of global oil reserves, and 12-15% of U.S. oil imports is a source of great trepidation for the country (Time Magazine). The reason? So much money made and very few rich people who would prefer for the current system and regime to continue. 66% of the country is in poverty, and the rich…are very very rich.

I was born and raised in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the area with the Oil, and remember sometimes driving by and seeing the natural gas flares off the coastline, and hearing about the destroyed water supplies and increasing end of fishing revenue. A good case-study of just how devastatingly poor resources are being used was aptly covered in Time Magazine. Oil drills suck up crude oil, but also suck up natural gas. But instead of burning the gas, Nigeria flares it (illegally, but very obviously: you can stand on the street and see it clearly), and burns $2.5 billion a year as a result. However, these flares could generate enough power for the entire country with exports to spare.

Further more, the there is an increasing tide of action by the people against the government. The effects of the pollution caused by oil drilling (more than 5 BP sized oil spills per year) and the general disillusionment of the people is being voiced. This disillusionment combined with rampant inter-tribal wars (remnants from the European border drawing), religious wars in the North, and an extremely young population (62% under 24), creates a very volatile environment further agitated by a 20% official unemployment rate (just imagine what the actual rate is). This is an environment that is actually much worse than that in Egypt.

The Time article focuses on the upcoming presidential elections and attempts to show that Nigeria’s democracy (unlike Egypt), and the awareness of its politicians of the country’s disillusionment could be reasons for hope. However, I am a bit more cynical than that. The Nigeria I grew up in was one in which you could predict the winners of elections months before the actual election and be completely correct. You could see the very obvious illegal stealing of ballots. And one wonders why people are apathetic and hopeless? But the article brings up the point of a so-called biometric (and hence fool-proof: an idea I highly doubt) voting system. But as has been shown time and time again, Nigeria can turn the most legal thing illegal.

So far, this post has been all doom and gloom. Is there any hope you might be asking. And here is my answer: fire any politician over 25 years old and then we can maybe start something. Now that is completely unreasonable, but it is the only way I can depict the fact that the corruption that plagues Nigeria is an entrenched system: everyone from the guy at the airport, to the principal in school, to the police officer expects a Bribe before they do their jobs. If you doubt this, try to go to a Nigerian embassy in America and observe the happenings. So what needs to happen is a complete change in the ideals of the current system. Perhaps there is a better way to do this than a youth overthrow of government—in fact I would rather not have an Egypt like situation in my country. But something drastic needs to happen. If the fact that Nigeria is now becoming the target of several bombings isn’t enough of a wake-up call, I do not know what is.

So what can we draw from this? For every problem identified is an entrenched system that benefits from the problem. To fix the problem, you must overthrow or change the system. Oil is not the only good Nigeria is capable of exporting. It is a tropical country—it can export food, livestock. It is a country of rich culture—we already export enough movies to be #3 in the world. There is hope, but first the system must change. Do I know how? Definitely not. I am only an 18year old Nigerian-American student currently writing while in Australia. I may be marginally traveled, but I hardly have the know-how to change a country. I simply know that you cannot ignore the signs (and bombs are very loud signs) that change is needed—not an Obama change nor an Egypt change, but something tailor-made for Nigeria alone. I just hope for the day I do not look for news on Nigeria with dread in my stomach. Perhaps global health with amazing numbers is a possible idea, but there are various systems of power that must be addressed before this is even a possibility.

Reference:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2065187,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1983837,00.html

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The situation is appropriately described by Titus Warimi, an agricultural officer in the Rift Valley region, when he says: “It will be difficult for the country to make any money from the agricultural sector if farmers are hardly making any money”. (allafrica.com)

Luckily, this situation was noticed by the African Union, which then created CAADP (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) to help member nations move further to meet the MDG goals of cutting hunger and poverty in half by 2015. The government has now being involved in this crisis, and funds of up to 925 million dollars have been pledged with 321 million dollars already approved and disbursed. This is great news, and I eagerly anticipate seeing the results of these funds. However, as I have often pointed out, most good intentions are eventually strangled in the harsh light of bureaucracy. So perhaps we should look to the private sector for answers.

Africa faces severe land degradation that, according to an article in Kenya, could be reversed by private sector investment in tree-based restoration technologies. These technologies which work to reduce resource use in badly degraded areas and allow for recovery, are measures that experts at the internal investment forum, Mobilising Private Investment in Trees and Landscaping Restoration in Africa, mentioned. While I cynically question the effectiveness of any program with such a long-winded name, as my previous articles have mentioned, money is quite the motivator, and the word investment is almost synonymous with money.

The goal of the private sector is to invest in income-generating trees that are also able to improve soil health, but they are also conscious of the time it might take to get a return on their investment (up to 15 years, which could be quite a deterrent for the impatient). But as always, the conclusion was that “a good policy framework is necessary to promote these mutually beneficial goals”.

The Kenyan government has now required farmers to have 10% of their agricultural land under trees, which indicates a possible public-private intersect. And once again while I am wary of such things (as you can now tell, my writings and research in public health have led me to be wary of most things with good intentions) it is the most likely successful avenue, and I hope to see great things.

References

http://allafrica.com/stories/201107060037.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201106140132.html

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As is ‘common knowledge’ some African countries often go through yearly droughts that lead to severe famines. It is also a well-known fact that while the world provides more than enough food to feed its inhabitants, food production remains quite imbalanced. Farmers in the United States grow 5 times as much corn per acre as African farmers. This imbalance is further heightened by the fact that many African countries rely on farming techniques that depend on natural irrigation (rain). Added to that, the high-volume producing countries rely on grains and cereal crops that are usually used industrially, while many African farmers produce “actual food” that are staples and can be eaten with little processing. This mode of farming and the lack of irrigation are part of the reasons why the Green Revolution never succeeded in Africa; other reasons include lack of infrastructure and monitoring services, poor governance and lack of funding.

But as the planet warms, the dependence on rain to bring life could prove a very fatal and dangerous error should it continue to be the main source of food production in African nations. However, as I mentioned earlier, bigger (i.e.. Fertilizer, draining water from deep stores and thus creating potential for even worse droughts, over farming of land) is not always better. Now the problem becomes creating a system that is sustainable in the long run, yet not tasking on the environment. This is being called “sustainable intensification”, and the Gates Foundation, the US government’s “Feed the Future”, increased agricultural lending from the World Bank and funding from the Rockefeller Foundation have now begun—further highlighting the urgency of this need.

The question of using Nitrogen fertilizers is a very touchy one—they help increase crop yields, while destroying the surrounding environment and decreasing sustainability. Increasing the number of acres of farm land leads to deforestation and even more risks for global warming. There is simply a trade-off: more food and destroyed environment, or less food and better environment. Quite simply, but options are bad: destroyed environments leads to un-sustainability, and less food means more people dying and worse global health standards and less people to enjoy the aforementioned better environment.

Solutions to this trade-off are coming with genetically engineered crops created by companies like Monsanto. However, here in America, Monsanto has created a very bad reputation for itself simply because it owns the “rights” to the seeds that it sells and thus can control its use—it is a very interesting story that should be covered more fully on its own. More than just destroying the environment, the journey to produce more crops, will require a semi-industrialized process, which often equals big companies—just like the Oil Companies, and no one wants a second unsolvable crisis. Already, Monsanto has donated rights to a gene-altered corn variety that is drought-resistant, to African countries—however the story of Monsanto and selling rights to seeds in America is a very terrifying one that Africa’s stake holders should keep very strongly in mind.

Even more foreboding is the fact that despite the green revolution, more people are hungry than before the revolution—simply because genetic engineering and chemical fertilizers are not sustainable. And perhaps the strongest evidence against the increase in chemically improved farming is that it simply is not meant for poor people. It creates more resistant pests and less fertile soil that leads to the need for more pesticides and fertilizers which in turn equals more spending which is simply not possible for a continent that seems to be constantly undergoing a battle with money.

One important aspect of global health that was hoped to be a positive was the increase in the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. As most people learned in grade school, “humans breathe in Oxygen and breath out Carbon Dioxide, and plants breathe in Carbon Dioxide and breathe out Oxygen”. But the increase in CO2 levels is causing no visible increase in crop yields, thus leading to ideas that CO2 is not actually a plant fertilizer. The negative aspects of global warming are becoming even more weighed. Further research has also shown that for some crops (corn and soybeans), temperatures above the mid 80s (Fahrenheit) cause extreme decreases in crop yield.

So it appears to be a never ending cycle of poor governance, trade offs between sustainability and hunger, the actions of big companies in Africa, and failing scientific predictions for the worse. And it seems that for every proposed solution, there is a glaring deterrent. But, hope remains, and as stated in the New York Times,

“We’ve doubled the world’s food production several times before in history, and now we have to do it one more time,” said Jonathan A. Foley, a researcher at the University of Minnesota. “The last doubling is the hardest. It is possible, but it’s not going to be easy.”

I do not have the knowledge or experience to attempt to propose a solution , so I only hope that at the end of this burgeoning Green Revolution (which it hopefully does not become), African nations are not left with the same challenges that Black Gold (oil) has created for them.

References:

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/can-the-yield-gap-be-closed-sustainably/?scp=4&sq=africa%20health&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/06/05/science/earth/harvest.html?ref=earth

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/science/earth/05harvest.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=general&src=me

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/damaging-the-earth-to-feed-its-people/

http://www.foodfirst.org/media/opeds/2000/4-greenrev.html

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You might be surprised to learn that relief efforts are still continuing all over the southeast to help victims of the spill, both humans and animals. I was researching various non-profits that had done a lot of work during the months that followed the oil spill, and found massive lists of organizations. So many people have done so much, from picking up oil on the sand to cleaning oil off animals.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) stood out in my mind. They serve 13 parishes of New Orleans which were affected directly by the oil spill through inventing ways to improve the communities, finding donors to meet community needs, finding and funding non-profits, and strengthening the feeling of comradeship in the parishes. GNOF created the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund, so that people from all over the country can donate to the cause, and GNOF turns around and gives the money to various non-profit organizations who work directly in the 13 devastated parishes. They work on research as well: “We also work to address the long-term economic, environmental, and cultural effects of the disaster, while simultaneously focusing on strengthening coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes.”

The Greater New Orleans Foundation currently allocates most of their funds to approximately 15 non-profit organizations, including the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Market Umbrella, Louisiana Justice Institute, and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. These organizations do a variety of things for the New Orleans area, including improving water quality, providing legal assistance to affected fishermen and their families, and coordinating marine research and innovation among many other things.

Everything GNOF has done would not have been possible without donations from the public. If you were affected by the Oil Spill, GNOF would be one of the first umbrella organizations you should contact.

Interested in continuing the relief efforts for the oil spill? The Greater New Orleans Foundation has a way you can donate – either go online to the website at the bottom of the article or send your check to the following address.

Greater New Orleans Foundation
1055 St. Charles Ave, Ste 100
New Orleans, LA 70130

Please make your check payable to GNOF and write “Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund” on the memo line.

Sources: http://www.gnof.org/programs/gnof-oil-spill-fund/

Jenny Combs

Team 2: Servant Scholars

Grade 11

Alabaster, AL

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Factory farming is a practice that “views animals as commodities rather than living creatures,” says Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that works to protect farm animals and to raise awareness of factory farming. A business that engages in factory farming treats its livestock as expendable machines, packing thousands of animals into a small, cramped space for the sole purpose of producing high quantities of, say, eggs or dairy. For example, a hundred thousand hens might be packed into several rows of battery cages—tiny 16-inch-wide cells each containing four to eight hens—where there isn’t enough space for the birds to stretch their wings. “The birds are given less space than a sheet of paper,” says Baur.

Due to the lack of space, the hens often become aggressive and peck one another (the industry tries to prevent this by cutting off part of their beaks); also, they constantly rub against the wire walls of the cages and end up getting bruises and losing feathers. However, despite the poor conditions, each hen is forced to lay around 250 eggs in a year, through such manipulations as being put under constant light to encourage egg production and, after the laying cycle has been exhausted, depriving the hens of food and water to shock their bodies into producing more eggs. Once a hen becomes too fatigued to produce more eggs, it is slaughtered and its carcass is shredded to be used in low-grade meat products such as soups and pot pies.

Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary (farmsanctuary.org)

Why is factory farming a problem?

Factory farming is not just an issue of ethics. The cramming of thousands of animals into one small space creates a high risk of spreading infectious diseases (especially since some animals, like dairy cows, are forced to live in their own waste); to make matters worse, these animals’ immune systems are often compromised due to their constant work and the poor quality of their living conditions. These animals are often fed antibiotics in an effort to prevent the spread of disease, which creates more health problems for these animals as a side effect.

In addition, agribusinesses that practice factory farming are notorious for their mismanagement in terms of the waste disposal process. The waste produced by these animals is stored in man-made lagoons, which leak bacteria and contaminants into groundwater and waterways; this, in turn, disrupts the nearby ecosystem.

What can be done to help curb the practice of factory farming?

Baur recommends shopping at farmers’ markets and supporting more local, sustainable farms by participating in programs such as Community Supported Agriculture (in which consumers can buy produce, eggs, meat, dairy, and other farm products directly from a local farmer). “People should get closer to their food sources,” he says.

In addition, Baur, who follows a vegan diet, recommends that people limit the amount of animal products they consume. Baur realizes that not everyone is willing to go vegan, but he encourages others to eat more plant foods, as opposed to a diet concentrating mostly on meat.

For the would-be activist, getting involved in the political process is key. “Be engaged,” says Baur. “E-mail your state legislators to let them know [your concerns about] factory farming.” There are several campaigns that Farm Sanctuary is currently running against agribusiness practices that promote animal cruelty; more information can be found at http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/campaigns/.

Where can I learn more about factory farming?

Farm Sanctuary’s website (http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/factoryfarming/) offers a plethora of information about various aspects of the factory farming issue. It also features ways to help fight against the employment of factory farming, such as rescuing discarded farm animals from dumpsters or campaigning for legislation to curb factory farming. Other good websites to browse are Food & Water Watch (http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/factoryfarms/) and Sustainable Table (http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/factoryfarming/).

Nicole Tai

Grade 12, California, Youth Outreach & Social Marketing Team

This article was first published in Zooey Magazine.

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My love for the mountains started when a man named Rod Taylor visited my middle school and gave a presentation about his experience climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Even though I must have been about twelve years old, I remembered looking around the audience and wondering if other students were as amazed as I was. His narrative of friendship and betrayal on the Roof of Africa was illustrated photos from his grueling climb. Taylor was critically wounded and felt betrayed as his climbing partner Henry Barber left Taylor on the mountain to return to the United States for a promotional event. The main message of his presentation to us was to choose our friends wisely. Some reviews of Taylor’s book are here: http://www.amazon.com/Breach-Kilimanjaro-Conquest-Self/dp/0963018809

I have just graduated from college and am evaluating the friendships that I have made, how wisely did I choose those friendships? While only time may give an answer to that question, I feel confident in the quality of the friendships that I have instead of the typical emphasis on the quantity.

But back to mountain trekking, Taylor’s speech when I was young probably sparked my interest. At the end of my study abroad in China in January 2010, two of my friends and I embarked on an ambitious trip throughout China. My favorite place was Huangshan, not only during this trip, but out of any other place that I have ever been to. We woke up early to see the sun rise after a night on the top of the series of mountains (we took the lift up the mountain). But the 8-hour hike down involved climbing even higher in order to ultimately go down. The wind howled loudly around us, and my fear of heights quickly came back to me. But around one corner, the sight took my breath away. It was soon after the break of dawn and the view over the mist of the mountains was unbelievably gorgeous. I’ll never forget it, and it was the most beautiful sight of my life.

I have already started to plan some other mountain treks. Today, I watched a documentary called “Summit on the Summit.”  A group of celebrities including Lupe Fiasco and Jessica Biel climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with a team of cameramen and Tanzanian porters to raise awareness for clean water. Every 15 seconds, a child dies of a water-borne illness. Water is taken for granted by us in the developed world. Creating clean water is not difficult; the technology for it has already been developed. The documentary showed some powder that was placed into the water and after 30 minutes, the dirt and bacteria coagulated at the bottom of the cup and the top at the top of the cup was safe and clean water.

I think that combining my growing passion for climbing with a worthy cause is an inspiring and meaningful idea. It is how marathon runners fundraise and it also motivates them to keep pushing themselves physically even when they are exhausted during the race. During the documentary “Summit on the Summit,” the celebrities were clearly exhausted but wanted to push forward because they believed in the struggle for clean water and had a huge team of supporters behind them.

http://summitonthesummit.com/

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