· April, 2009

Stories about Environment from April, 2009

Global Recession: “Underdevelopment is a mixed blessing”

  17 April 2009

There are governments which insist that their countries are not affected by the global economic crisis. Most of the time they are not convincing; and their constituents do not believe in the supposed improvement of the economy. Countries with very small economies and countries which are not globally-integrated are usually the same countries which claim that the financial crisis has not affected them so far.

Haiti: Donor's Conference

  16 April 2009

“When it comes to development, it is not a one day conference that matters most but long-term engagement”: Haiti Innovation reviews the recently concluded Haiti Donors Conference, while Haiti, Land of Freedom notes that “the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) plans to go forward with partial Senate elections this weekend.”

Israel: Sandstorm Hits Israel

A sandstorm enveloped Israel last night, whipping branches off trees and sluicing clothing from lines. Yudit of Occupied reports: “After a hot dry Khamsin day, the wind is picking up like crazy, howling around my home and blowing ultra-fine dust into and onto everything and i can hear the sea...

Ukraine: “New Safe Confinement” for Chernobyl

  14 April 2009

Chernobyl and Eastern Europe posts “a short video showing the design of the New Safe Confinement structure that is designed to cover the original Sarcophagus and remains of Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant”: “Work on the New Safe Confinement is still considered to be on schedule.”

Trinidad and Tobago: Saving the Mangrove

  14 April 2009

“Is Essar and mangrove destruction the best way forward and is melting steel the best way for a small country with only a few yeas of gas left to develop?”: This Beach Called Life encourages you to sign a petition to save “the Claxton Bay mangrove and the environment in...

Egypt: Cleanliness Day on April 10

We have been paying close attention to the creative ways in which Egyptian bloggers and activists have been using online social networking to rally support for their causes and initiate social and political change. In this post, Marwa Rakha writes about a Facebook campaign by Mostafa Ahmed and more than 4,500 enthusiasts, who joined hands to mark Egypt's first Cleanliness Day on April 10.

Morocco: A New Green Party

The View From Fez announces that a new green party, called the Environment and Sustainable Development Party (Le Parti de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable), has been formed recently in Morocco.

Guyana: Stupid is as stupid does

  13 April 2009

Guyanese blogger Imran Khan is convinced he must be stupid – why else would he fail to see the logic behind President Jagdeo's advice to flood-besieged farmers to diversify into aquaculture: “Forgive me for thinking that when the place is flooded that the fish ponds…would become flooded and the fish...

Iran: Environmentalists Campaign to Save Isfahan

Iranian environmentalists are using online media tools to save different cultural monuments such as The Si-o-se Pol or "33 Pol" (bridge of 33 arches) an architectural masterpiece in the heart of the Iranian historic city of Isfahan (Esfahan). A battle is ongoing between authorities that want to develop a new metro project and concerned citizens.

Brunei: Creating Environmental Awareness

  9 April 2009

The Earth Hour event highlighted the need for continued awareness on the need to preserve the fragile environment. Many bloggers in Brunei supported the Earth Hour event. But there are also those who believe that it was an insufficient action to preserve the environment.

Kenya: A ‘Cheetah Zoo’ in Nature Conservancy?

  8 April 2009

The Mara Triangle blog is looking into a controversial project that would result in construction of a ‘cheetah zoo’. William posts about the news that the Kenya Wildlife Service had stopped construction of such a zoo, and provides links to more information about the project.

Haiti: Planting a Garden

  8 April 2009

Konbit Pou Ayiti seeks to create sustainable solutions to hunger in Baie d’Orange, Haiti by “working with local officials to plant a garden that can benefit the community.”

Japan: The best remedies for hay fever

  8 April 2009

id: Fromdusktildawn sums up [ja] the best items and treatments against hay fever (花粉症, kafunsho). The blogger illustrates the pollen structure and the allergens that cause the hay fever through graphs and microscope images, and accurately reports on the different masks, vacuum cleaners and air filters purchasable in Japan.

Suriname, Dominica: Updates

  7 April 2009

Two updates from Repeating Islands Blog: a Surinamese victims’ group is considering legal action against the Netherlands for its alleged role in the country's 1980 coup and Dominica has declared that it “will no longer be supporting the whale-killing position of the Japanese government in the International Whaling Commission.”

Trinidad & Tobago: Facelift

  7 April 2009

“Quick! Look busy. Obama is coming. Hide away anything that would suggest that we have screwed up priorities and should be spending $600 million doing the things we are paying lip service to in the Summit of the Americas declaration
”: Attillah Springer wishes Trinidad and Tobago would get its priorities...