· September, 2007

Stories about Environment from September, 2007

Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Maharaj's New Novel

  18 September 2007

“I was more interested in the ambivalence that many West Indians feel about the canefields, a reminder of more oppressive times and also a means to a livelihood”: Geoffrey Philp's Blogspot features Trinidad-born author Rabindranath Maharaj as he discusses his new novel.

Jamaica, DR, Cuba, Haiti: Sugar Protocol

  18 September 2007

The Latin Americanist reports that ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries are calling on the European Union to uphold the “Sugar Protocol” agreement, which guarantees that EU states buy and import agreed quantities of sugar at certain prices.

Banned Chlordecone Pesticide in Used in Martinique

  18 September 2007

le blog de [moi] writes that the pesticide chlordecone has been used in the French Antilles as recently as 2002, despite being banned in the United States since 1976 and in France since 1991. Although the scandal broke five years ago, [moi] says the most damning details were kept quiet...

Japan: Monju reactor trial to begin Sept. 20th

  16 September 2007

Blogger tokyodo-2005 writes about the famous sodium leak and fire at the Monju fast-breeder reactor in Fukui Prefecture (Japan) in 1995 [Ja] and about the subsequent cover-up of a video taken immediately after the incident. tokyodo-2005 reports that a trial about the case is set to begin on Sept. 20th...

Trinidad & Tobago: Beach Cleanup

  14 September 2007

“I hope that this post makes you more appreciative of your environment…it really was sad (and gross) how much plastic debris we cleared. I wish that here in Trinidad and Tobago we took our roles as collective custodians more seriously”: TriniGourmet.com takes part in a beach cleanup effort and posts...

Iran: Dogs arrested

  13 September 2007

The blogger Dastan reports on the arrest of dogs by Iranian police on September 9th, to rid the country of ‘western influences’ and ‘immodesty’. The dog owners are shocked at the arrests and are worried about the fate of their pets. Furthermore, dastan notes that the dogs are neither fed...

Kazakhstan: Energy Twists and Media Tricks

  13 September 2007

Be it the crisis of the country's biggest oil project or the biases of the national media: Both big stories from Kazakhstan this week demonstrate that power is concentrated in very few hands, while social indicators point at huge income inequalities.

St. Kitts & Nevis: Volcano Hike

  12 September 2007

“Mt Liamuiga is St Kitts tallest mountain at 3,792ft, and a ‘potentially active’ stratovolcano with a very well defined crater…” Steve's Dominica goes hiking.

Japan: Protecting the Kyoto Cityscape

  12 September 2007

While many countries around the world are struggling to tackle Kyoto at home, the city the environmental accord was named after is caught up in its own struggle. The capital of Japan for over 1,000 years (794-1868), Kyoto was once a picturesque ancient city surrounded by mountains. Today it is...

Yemen: Locust Invasion

  12 September 2007

Hadhramout in Yemen is being invaded by swarms of locust, writes Omar Bursawad. “For the last few weeks I have been hearing of how swarms of locusts have descended here and I have seen too – the great, unbelievable damage done to the crops and fields around,” he explains. Click...

Africa: Africans need to “villagize” the Internet

  11 September 2007

Despite advances in information and communication technologies, rural stories in Africa remain untold: “Ngurumo told the Indaba that Africa has to “villagize” the internet and make sure that people in the rural areas blog, podcast and tell their stories to the world.”

Paraguay: 48 Tough Hours

  11 September 2007

Elyacare [ES] writes about 48 tough hours in Paraguay in which a law that would regulate agricultural waste was rejected, a former general involved with a coup was freed and one of the responsible for the fire in an Asuncion supermarket was also freed.

Russia: Oil and Gas

  10 September 2007

In his “third oil and gas blog post of the day,” Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert writes: “In the summer of 2007, the Russian government backed themselves to deliver what no other country has yet managed: a route to prosperity based almost entirely on a nationalised oil...

Liberia: Millenium Villages Project in Liberia

  10 September 2007

“I have it from an unimpeachable source that the controversial Millennium Villages project is coming soon to Liberia, probably first to Kokoya District, Bong County, and later to somewhere in the Southeast, per the president's request. The proposal is still in draft form,” writes Liberia Ledger.

D.R of Congo: War affecting Gorilla protection efforts

  9 September 2007

There is a very fluid situation unfolding at the Virunga national park in Congo. The Congo war is spreading into the protected Gorilla sector in the Virunga mountains, which is now under the control of the rebels. The blog Gorilla Protection is following the situation and posting regular updates. The...