· May, 2006

Stories about Environment from May, 2006

Haiti: CONAREPA, a New Peasant Organization

  12 May 2006

“A new coalition composed of six peasant organizations from different regions was created May 4″ says (Fr) Alterpresse. “CONAREPA's [National Coalition for Haitian Peasant Demands] objective is to look for appropriate solutions to the peasants’ main problems” and “does not embrace a particular political ideology or any political party.” Their...

Costa Rica: Protests Against Free Trade Agreement

  12 May 2006

Scott Pralinsky, describing Oscar Arias’ presidential inauguration says that “despite the numbers of people supporting Arias, several thousand protesters marched outside to demand Costa Rica not ratify the Cafta free-trade agreement.” Uri Ridelman has photos of the prosters. Professor Roberto Gallardo, in a post titled “They Don't Represent Me,” says...

Reunion: Legend of the Bride's Veil

  11 May 2006

According to a local legend, the falls at Salazie, says (Fr) Audrey at Reunion Passion, are shaped like a bride's veil because a runaway bride once fell along the mountain's side. The blogger posts breathtaking pictures.

Interhamwe hiding in DRC

  11 May 2006

Environmentalist, Kim Gjerstad goes looking for gorillias in the DRC. Instead they come across “Interhamwe, “Those Who Fight Together”, hiding in Congo after they committed Rwanda’s genocide in 1994. They appear no worse than any other faction.”

Japan: Chinese chopsticks nonforthcoming

  10 May 2006

The Japandit blogger notes that following a doubling in price last year of Chinese chopsticks, the Chinese government has now decided to block their export altogether in a move aimed at protecting China's forests.

Hong Kong: Islands bear discoveries

  10 May 2006

In which Flagrant Harbour blogger and Hong Kong resident Michael takes an educational tour to outlying Hong Kong island Tung Ping Chau, gets a geography lesson, a geology lesson too, and finds a new swimming hole.

Korea: Geographic history documented

  10 May 2006

Gerry Brevers at Korean Language Notes does his own ongoing research into the history of Ulleungdo island, located in the disputed border region between South Korea and Japan.

Nigeria: Solar power

  10 May 2006

Afromusing reports that Nigeria is to start a N10 million (about $78,00) solar power project that will serve 5000 people – a huge saving on traditional power supply.

Bolivian gas sets Brazilian political debate on fire

  9 May 2006

The Bolivian president Evo Morales has put president Lula in a difficult position. In a move to fulfill his campaign promise of nationalizing oil and gas in Bolivia, he published a decree that affected directly Petrobras, the Brazilian state-owned oil prospection company.

Hong Kong: Supermarket food cleared

  8 May 2006

How much does it cost to raise a child in Hong Kong? No, how much does it really cost? Two sets of answers at Simon World, along with the refutation three weeks later of a food safety story one blogger suggested the downplaying of which would serve the interests of...

Voices of African Women

  8 May 2006

Afromusing continues her excellent reports on solar power in Africa. She has opened up her blog to take questions on alternative energy in Africa and here she answers a question from Mshairi on when will the high costs of installing solar panels come down. Yes, the time is drawing near...

Trinidad & Tobago: Another take on the smelter issue

  5 May 2006

Valarauka mistrusts the information being put forward by opponents of smelter project in southern Trinidad. “My opinion, as an economist, is that there is, as always, a more dynamic solution to this issue than the naysayers suggest,” he writes. “That is, I think we can have our clean air, our...

The State of the Argentine Blogosphere: Jujuy

  5 May 2006

Jujuy a northern province of Argentina, pegged between the province of Salta, Bolivia, and Chile. It's one of the most beautiful places of the country, but also one of the poorest. Jujuy's touristic potential has just begun to be exploited a few years ago. And it also hosts an interesting...

China: Pearl river cleaner

  5 May 2006

The mayor of Guangzhou, notes Richard at The Peking Duck, has jumped with both feet into a project to clean up the Pearl river which bisects the southern Chinese city. Lower-ranking officials, however, are proving not so keen.

Belize: Unspoiled

  4 May 2006

An outing in the Belize countryside renews in Lee Vanderwalker “a sense of urgency in photographing old Belize before the cruise ships and big buck tourists “discover” that Belize is a safe and friendly country and come in and spoil everything.”

Bahamas: Enviromental impact of naval base

  4 May 2006

Sir Arthur Foulkes and Larry Smith weigh the environmental impact of the The US Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre, an the American naval facility on the Bahamian island of Andros. Sir Arthur: “Experience has shown that neither the Americans nor the British can be trusted to make judgments in...

China: Catholics, coal, chemicals

  3 May 2006

China Confidential‘s Confidential Reporter gives a second look at rapidly-deteriorating relations between the Communists in Beijing and the Catholics in the Vatican, preceded with one long dire post: at least twenty-four dead in a coal mine collapse in the Northwestern province of Shaanxi this past weekend, and toxic dumping in...

Barbados: Water park threatens wetland area

  3 May 2006

The future of the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary in Barbados is threatened by a multi-million dollar water park to be built in the area, reports Barbados Free Press. The crux of the matter seems to be the negative environmental impact assessment, which may or may not be ignored.