Stories about Environment from December, 2010
Bangladesh: Power Crisis – Facts and Figures
Jyoti Rahman at Drishtipat Writers’ Collective offers some facts and figures pertaining to the ongoing power crisis in Bangladesh.
Colombia: Gramalote Town Evacuated After Heavy Rains, Sentenced to Disappear
Albeiro Rodas reports that “a Colombian village, Gramalote in North Santander, is being swallowed by the earth. Another chapter of the tragic 2010 winter in Colombia. […] Most of the houses of the town are damaged and others are already buried, said the minister [of interior Germán Vargas Lleras], so...
Bolivia: Drought Kills Llamas
This year, as in recent years, llamas are dying as a result of the drought affecting the Altiplano region of Bolivia. The blogger AngelCaido shares [es] news articles, photos and a video of the affected area.
Venezuela: Farmers in Santa Barbara del Zulia Rebel Against Expropriations
The Devil's Excrement reports that farmers from Santa Barbara del Zulia have rebelled against the expropriation of 47 farms: “[T]he farmers and cattlemen and their workers have decided this time to fight and began blocking the road, demanding the presence of the authorities, blocking the National Guard from going through...
Dominica: Authentic Craft
Dominica Weekly is proud of its craftspeople, saying: “Dominica is ahead of the game when it comes to authentic art and craft.”
Lebanon: Billboards After the Storm
Beirut Drive-by Shooting, a blog specialized in photographing billboards around Lebanon, has images of the devastating effect that the storm which hit Lebanon last week had on some billboards.
Laos: Rural electrification program
Alfredo Bano Leal blogs about the rural electrification program in Laos
East Timor: Unsafe oil power project
La'o Hamutuk reports that the construction of an oil power plant in East Timor is encountering many problems. It observed that the project is characterized by “bad planning, dubious procurement procedures, incompetent contractors, illegal practices, poor oversight, and lack of transparency and accountability.”
Tweet Photos of South Korea on Cold Snap
A cold snap has lingered in South Korea for several days now, marking the lowest temperatures of this winter. Twitterer @Ssanmart, in line with other Twitterers, shared how cold the weather is by posting his photo of a jean frozen at a standing position.
Ghana: Ghana's First Oil: A Blessing or Curse?
Is oil a blessing or curse for Ghana?: “Do you see the first Oil as a blessing or a curse to Ghana? Do you think, Ghana is fortunate in terms of this first oil? Which areas do you think, the oil revenue be used in developing Ghana? What are your...
Guyana: Time for Snow?
Guyana-Gyal thinks that snow is beautiful, but according to her best friend, “There is only one place from which to view snow. The tropics.”
Brazil: Key player at COP 16 but bad example at home?
In Cancún, there is great deal of expectation towards the Brazilian delegation. Meanwhile, back in Brazil, the new Forestry Code proposal suddenly made its way back to the National Congress end of year voting agenda.
Ghana: Let oil flow, let it flow, let it flow
Oil production started today in Ghana: “Today oil in large commercial quantities starts to flow for the first time in Ghana. There's a big ceremony full of pomp and pageantry underway off the shores of Takoradi.”
Israel: The Land of Fire and Ice
Severe winter storms hit most of Israel this week with strong winds, rain and snowstorms causing country-wide havoc. In the North, the Hermon Mountain was blanketed with more snow than the country has seen in 20 years. This happened days after the Carmel region was devastated by forest fires which left 43 dead and caused damage estimated at between 100-120 million Shekels.
Brazil: WikiLeaks and the Pre-Salt Oil Exploration
A WikiLeaks cable revealed that the former Brazilian presidential opposition candidate, José Serra, held talks with the Director of Business Development and Government Relations of Chevron, Patrícia Pradal, to benefit the foreign oil industry at the expense of national Petrobras, concerning the pre-salt exploration contracts, says [pt] André Raboni, at...
Russia: Too Warm in the World's Coldest Place
eYakutia reports on the abnormally “warm weather” in Oymyakon, “the world’s coldest inhabited place”: just -20 ºC/-4 ºF, “the heat record of the Siberian winter.”
Ukraine: Chernobyl Tourism
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe posts a list of errors in the AP story on Chernobyl tourism, supplied by Michael Forster Rothbart, and quotes “a friend in Kyiv who operates one of the companies that offer Chernobyl tours”: “He stated that it looks like the new government has decided to ‘monopolize...
Syria: Let It Snow!
It's been a whirlwind week of weird weather for much of the Levant, as relieving rains and surprise snows blanket the landscape. In the Syrian capital, the streets are covered with snow for the first time in years. Though the Damascus skies occasionally sprinkle snow, rarely does it stick to the ground.
Guyana: Sun/Rain Love
Guyana-Gyal blogs beautifully about the relationship between sun and rain.
Burundi: A documentary on land rights
A documentary focusing on land right issues caused by returning refugees from the Burundi genocides.
Bahrain: Beans and Petrol Prices Going Up
The price of petrol …and beans is set to rise in Bahrain. Mahmood Al Yousif offers his two cents.