In this post from GV environment, we check in with bloggers around the world who are writing on diverse topics; from ornithology, energy efficiency to forest preservation.
The Bahraini ornithologist blog Bahrain Obs posts pictures and gives an update on bird migration.
The migration is in full swing now - the Swallows on the wires have now been joined by European Bee-eaters, Sand Martins, and the odd Red-rumped Swallow which are putting in a very early appearance.

Image courtesy of Bahrain Obs.
On the Carbon Smart blog, Rory discuses recent news on conversion of biofuels to hydrogen, and also considers the implications of energy efficiency and cost reduction on transportation systems.
The writer of Changing Climates blog posts a video collating photos from their travels during their fellowship. The shots span from Fiji, Vietnam, Thailand, Namibia, Mozambique to Egypt.
Do you recycle? Ever had to sort rubbish 34 ways and wash the bottles thoroughly? Justin McCurry writes on ChinaDialogue, of a Japanese town called Kamikatsu where recycling and reuse is mandated in a quest for zero-waste by 2020.
An hour's drive from the nearest city and about 600 kilometres from Tokyo, the town was forced to change the way it managed its waste in 2000, when strict new regulations on dioxin emissions forced Kamikatsu to shut down its two incinerators.
“We were no longer able to burn our rubbish, so we thought the best policy was not to produce any in the first place,” said Sonoe Fujii of the town's Zero Waste Academy, a non-profit organisation that oversees the scheme.
Despite initial opposition, the zero-waste declaration, passed by the village assembly in 2003, has spawned an unlikely army of eco-warriors.
The Environmental Justice Foundation(EJF) has written about illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing operations or ‘pirate fishing' in African waters, particularly in the SADC region (Southern African Development Community composed of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Mauritius, Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar). The article by EJF gives details on how the pirate fishing occurs, particularly in Guinea, and gives steps that can be taken to end this practice.
An update from The Electricity Governance Initiative indicates that EGI has been launched in South Africa;
…a new effort in South Africa with the aim of improving governance of the electricity sector. The initiative will analyze government and regulatory capacity to create the right conditions for the promotion of renewable energy, efficiency, and social equity, in line with sustainable development and public interests.
Electricity issues are high on the political agenda in 2008 as South Africa confronts a crisis where reserve margins are unprecedentedly low, resulting in inadequate power supply to meet demand. The crisis presents an opportunity for improved integration of clean energy into South Africa’s energy mix – yet robust governance frameworks will be necessary in order to help manage tradeoffs between environmental, social, and financial considerations.
The Ethical Co-op blog writes about the sale of rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) business by Monsanto to the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, noting that
In some senses it’s a perfect fit. Genetically-modified rBGH is associated with a host of ailments, including, amongst other things, diabetes. Diabetes drugs are a highly profitable line for Eli Lilly. Monsanto also used to profit financially from diabetics, as one of their creations, aspartame, is used by some as a sugar-replacement.
But of course that may all be coincidence. Naturally, the first thing you see on Eli Lilly’s website is their commitment to helping people ‘live longer, healthier and more active lives’.
If you’re looking to replace refined sugar in your diet (and you should be!), there are much better options to use in moderation, such as honey, dates and xylitol.
The Green Prophet writes about the the announcement by Israel's ministry of Tourism, that it would ‘go green' for 2009, and also looks at how private businesses like Avis Israel are making eco-friendly decisions that are part of the tourism industry. Karen cites several examples of the initiatives undertaken.
When you book your car rental with Avis, one of the leading car rental companies in Israel and worldwide, you now have the option of paying a little bit extra to neutralize the effects of your driving on the environment by planting trees. To date, Avis, its staff, and its customers have planted over 200,000 trees together. Avis also claims that its fleet of cars is highly efficient, which hopefully makes the fuel consumption more efficient as well. (Of course, its no fleet of hybrid cars such as the Prius… but baby steps.)
And if you don’t trust Avis’s carbon neutral tree planting but would like to offset your car rental emissions yourself, consider planting some trees through Keren Kayemeth L’Israel (KKL) - it’s very easy and you can even do it online.
What can five little raisins teach you about values and sustainability? La Marguerite finds out and writes about differing values as it relates to food resources.
Last but not least, an uplifting post from Omar of Safarinotes about Mt.Elgon forest remaining as such after President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda rejected plans to carve off 7500 hectares for human settlement.
Reducing forest cover on and around Mount Elgon will certainly affect the ecological system of the area and gradually have a devastating effect on the Mount Elgon zone. Already, Mount Elgon is directly succumbing to the effects of Global Warming. And human encroachment is only increasing to the destruction. Trees are being cut in large numbers for: charcoal, wood fuel, lumbering and illegal settlement. The Mount Elgon area, normally cool and green, is gradually changing for the worse; mosquitoes, once rare around the area - have now found a breeding ground in swamps created by human activity. And that means more and more cases of Malaria.
Most of Uganda has abundant and very fertile land; people can and should be settled in other parts. Not in an ecologically delicate place such as around Mount Elgon. For leaders and politicians to appease people and attract votes using such tactics, as some are doing now by trying to give away a part of Mount Elgon - is dangerous and short sighted. Hopefully, the Ugandan leadership and government will protect and conserve Mount Elgon's wilderness and environment.

Picture courtesy of Safari Notes.
With very little to go before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan, which is signalled by the sighting of the new moon with the naked eye, Jordan's blogs are already abuzz with greetings, religious observations and personal promises.
The Black Iris wishes his readers on the advent of the Holy Month, adding he is not looking forward for the ritual over the next decade. He explains:
And can anyone blame me? With Ramadan starting on the first of September this year, I can’t help but think of Ramadans to come. Yes, the mere thought of Ramadans to come sends shivers down my spine. I imagine being unable to eat and more importantly drink (H20) until the red hot summer Sun descends some time around 7-ish. I imagine heat and exhaustion. I imagine the average Jordanian’s intolerance capacity increasing substantially, and that includes me. Skyrocketing actually. I imagine everything that would normally go slow due to the heat, come to a screeching halt with Ramadani summers. And to think, with the Ramadan start-date moving back ten days every year, this is a cycle that will take a few decades before getting back to the cooler, appropriately-timed-sunset, months.
Bakkouz [Ar] asks whether fasting has become a social ritual, instead of the religious spiritual experience it is supposed to be. He raises two points in his post about Ramadhan and prayers, which Muslims must perform five times a day, every day.
نلاحظ إقبال المسلمين الشديد على أداء النوافل في المساجد في شهر رمضان، وأخص بالتحديد صلاة التراويح، فنرى الناس تتوافد جماعات جماعات لأداء صلاة التراويح في المساجد. هذا بحد ذاته أمر لا غرابة فيه، ولكن الغريب هو انه في مقابل هذا الحرص الشديد من الأخ المسلم على أداء صلاة التراويح والتي هي صلاة سنّة (اي ليست بفرض)، فإننا نرى في المقابل عزوفا ولا مبالاة فيما يتعلق بأداء الصلوات الخمس المفروضة في المساجد. أي أن المسلم يحرص أشد الحرص على صلاة التراويح في المسجد بينما لا يكترث لا بل لا يكلف نفسه عناء صلاة الفروض كالفجر والظهر والعصر والمغرب في المسجد. فهل صلاة التراويح والتي هي سنة أضحت اهم من صلاة الفرض؟
I notice a large number of Muslims flock to mosques to observe the rituals during Ramadhan, especially the Taraweeh prayers. Groups of people amass on mosques to perform them. This isn't surprising but what is strange is how keen Muslims are to perform those prayers which are not obligatory. In return, I notice that many shun performing the five obligatory prayers in mosques. This means that Muslims are keen to pray the Taraweeh prayers in mosques but not the five obligatory prayers of dawn (fajr), noon (dhuhr), afternoon (a'sr), dusk (maghreb) and night (Ishaa) prayers in a mosque. Have the Taraweeh prayers which are a Sunnah [customary practise/tradition] become more important than the obligatory prayers?
Bakkouz also wonders about those who only pray and fast during Ramadhan. He says:
بمناسبة الحديث عن التقليد والعادة الاجتماعية وبمناسبة الحديث عن الصلاة أيضا، فإننا نرى الكثير الكثير من الناس يصومون شهر رمضان وهم لا يصلون. فهل يصح الصيام بدون صلاة؟ أوليست الصلاة عماد الدين؟
And while discussing traditions, social customs and prayer, I notice that a lot of people who fast during Ramadhan but don't pray. Is their fasting accepted without prayer? Isn't performing prayers the pillar of religion?
And Moey announces that his blog will be fasting too and promises his readers a more spiritual approach to blogging. He notes:
Moey’s blog, one of the most famous Jordanian blogs, will mark the Holy Month of Ramadan in quiet contemplation, and post supportive/clean posts for everyone to read. I will refrain from swearing, saying horrible things and using bad language during the holy month of Ramadan. Will rant when I need to, I’ll try to make it less offensive.
I’m taking this Ramadan into consideration, as a diet…
Happy Ramadan I guess.
Arabs really love shopping, they spend hours after hours in malls, and that's why they wanted to show their shopping skills at this year's Summer Olympics. Unfortunately shopping is not included in the games, but this couldn't stop some Arabs from showing their shopping skills.
Kuwaitism [Ar] paints the picture here:
حبيت آخذ هالفرصة لشكر بعض ممثلينا العرب –
سامويل فرانسيس (قطر)
جايمس كواليا كوكوروي (قطر)
فيلكس كيكواي كيبوري (قطر)
سلطان زمان (قطر) الإسم الأصلي أونيسفور نكونزيمانا (بوروندي)
جمال سالم (قطر) الإسم الأصلي توماس كاتيو (كينيا)
دهام بشير (قطر) الإسم الأصلي دايفيد إينياغا (كينيا)
عيسى راشد (قطر) الإسم الأصلي دانييل كيبكوسكي (كينيا)
جابر سالم (قطر) الإسم الأصلي ياني مارشوكوف (بلغاريا) – حول جنسيته بـ1,000,000 دولار عام 2000.
مبارك شامي (قطر) الإسم الأصلي ريتشارد ياتيتش (كينيا)
أحمد حسن عبدالله (قطر) الإسم الأصلي ألبرت تشيبكوروي (كينيا)
بلال منصور علي (بحرين) الإسم الأصلي جون ييكو (كينيا)
مريم يوسف جمال (بحرين) الإسم الأصلي زينيبيش تولا (أثيوبيا)
نادية الجافني (بحرين) الأصل مغربية
يوسف سعد كامل (بحرين) الأصل غريغوري كونشيلا (كينيا)
آدم اسماعيل خميس (بحرين) الأصل هوسيا كوسغي (كينيا)
حسن محبوب (بحرين) الأصل سايلاس كيروي (كينيا)
رشيد رمزي (بحرين) الأصل مغربي
ناصر سعيد (بحرين) الأصل ستيفان لورو كامار (كينيا)
طارق مبارك طاهر (بحرين) الأصل دينيس كيبكوروي سانغ (كينيا)
محمد عبدالله زكريا (بحرين) الأصل مغربي
قطر و البحرين مثلهما 11 كيني 3 مغربيين 1 بوروندي 1 أثيوبي 1 بلغاري 3 غير معروف من أفريقيا
I wanted to take this chance to thank our Arab representatives in the games:
Samuel A. Francis (Qatar) [Nigeria]
James Kwalia C'Kurui (Qatar) [Kenya]
Felix Kikwai Kibore (Qatar) [Kenya]
Sultan Zaman (Qatar) - born Onesphore Nkunzimana (Burundi)
Gamal Salem (Qatar) - born Thomas Katui (Kenya)
Daham Bashir (Qatar) - born David Nyaga (Kenya)
Essa Ismail Rashed (Qatar) - born Daniel Kipkosgei (Kenya)
Jaber Saeed Salem (Qatar) - born Yani Marchokov (Bulgaria) he changed his nationality for 1,000,000 Dollars in 2000.
Mubarak Hassan Shami (Qatar) - born Richard Yatich (Kenya)
Ahmad Hassan Abdullah (Qatar) - born Albert Chepkurui (Kenya)
Bilal Mansour Ali (Bahrain) - born John Biko (Kenya)
Jamal Maryam Yusuf (Bahrain) - born Zenebech Tola (Ethiopia)
Nadia Ejjafini (Bahrain/Morocco)
Yusuf Saad Kamel (Bahrain) - born Gregory Konchellah (Kenya)
Aadam Ismaeel Khamis (Bahrain) - born Hosea Kosgei (Kenya)
Hasan Mahboob (Bahrain) - born Silas Kirui (Kenya)
Rashid Ramzi (Bahrain/Morocco)
Nasar Sakar Saeed (Bahrain) - born Stephen Loruo Kamar (Kenya)
Tareq Mubarak Taher (Bahrain) - born Denis Kipkurui Keter (Kenya)
Mohammad Abdullah Zakaria (Bahrain/Morocco)
In brief, Qatar and Bahrain were represented by 11 Kenyans, 3 Moroccans, 1 from Burundi, 1 Ethiopian, 1 Bulgarian and 3 others.
Although the Lebanese media and bloggers in general are focusing on political topics lately, it is refreshing to see other issues being discussed and reported. But again, as soon as such reports are published, it turns out is it even more bad news. International organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), Immigration Here & There and regional bloggers are publishing alarming reports about the abuse of foreign maids in the region and lately in Lebanon, where reportedly 200,000 maids are legally employed. And with the absence of media coverage of these reports and the lack of attention from official departments in Lebanon, bloggers are taking action to raise awareness online.
Moussa Bachir uses his blog’s space this week to promote what Human Rights Watch has to say about the maids’ situation in Lebanon, which includes:
“Domestic workers are dying in Lebanon at a rate of more than one per week,” said Nadim Houry, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “All those involved – from the Lebanese authorities, to the workers’ embassies, to the employment agencies, to the employers – need to ask themselves what is driving these women to kill themselves or risk their lives trying to escape from high buildings.”
Lebanese Socialist also sheds light on the same report by Human Rights Watch:
HRW said that at least 24 housemaids have died since January 2007 after falling from multi-storey buildings. “Many domestic workers are literally being driven to jump from balconies to escape their forced confinement,” Houry said.
Christa Hillstrom, who dedicates her blog to the danger and the truth of the modern global slave trade, says:
Although the women often come through legal agencies and are somewhat trained for the domestic work, they frequently have their passports confiscated when they arrive and suffer physical and sexual abuse.
The disturbing news continues when Hillstorm quotes Elise Barthet’s report on the situation :
Beirut employment agencies promote them as merchandise or, in extreme case, as pets. They offer advice about which nationalities are supposedly docile, easy to maintain or “harder to break.”
Digging back in time, we can find many bloggers as Moustafa who previously posted his concerns over this growing phenomenon:
Sure they’re starving and living in miserable conditions, but that doesn’t mean that they have to put up with the ultimate abusive environment: The Lebanese household.
Professor Asad Abu Khalil at the Angry Arab News Service finds it a relief that the situation is getting international attention from HRW:
Finally. Human Rights Watch has noticed.
A few months ago Prof Abu Khalil published an article that tackles the maids’ situation in Lebanon, which was later posted at Daily Online Alcohona:
I will never forget Sushar Roxi. Do you remember her? That poor Sri Lankan maid who died by hanging in front of spectators and cameras. Do you remember when the city of Sidon's people woke up to find her dangling from the balcony, after she'd hanged herself with linens? Do you wonder why she hanged herself? Do you wish you could ask her? She dangled from the balcony for hours and nobody noticed or cared. Why did Sushar hang from the balcony and why do we never hear of investigations?
An earlier post by Abullor promotes a documentary (Maid in Lebanon II) that debates workers’ rights, employment, contracts and everyday terms and conditions of work.
Another alarming sign that went largely unnoticed was mentioned by Hanibaal a few months ago. His post focuses on a bill passed by the Ethiopian government that bans works from traveling to Beirut:
…Ethiopia passed the bill after it conducted a thorough analysis into the human right violations and domestic violence Ethiopian migrants face behind closed doors in Lebanon while in duty as maids.
…Past human right records show that 67 Ethiopian women died between 1997 and 1999 alone in Beirut while working. Many were never heard from again and many others remain very difficult to trace because their employers change their Christian name to let them in to the country as Muslims.
On the 15th of August, the 815 Liberation Day led people to gather together and to have a 100th candlelight vigil. While they marched on the street, some of them were taken to the police station. A scandal emerged when it was discovered that in a police station in Seoul officers removed a woman’s brassiere. The reason was that it could be used as a means to commit suicide. It lets bloggers speak out.
18일 인권운동사랑방 등 인권단체들에 따르면 지난 16일 새벽 서울 마포경찰서는 촛불집회에 참가했다가 연행된 김모(26.여)씨를 입감하면서 브래지어를 위험물로 분류해 이를 벗도록 한 뒤 보관했다. 인권운동사랑방은 “여성연행자를 입감하면서 ‘자해위험' 운운하며 브래지어를 수거한 것은 성적 수치심을 주는 행위”라며 “과잉 신체검사로 인한 문제를 시정하기 위해 개정한 ‘피의자 유치 및 호송규칙' 내용을 거꾸로 돌리는 반인권적 행위”라고 비난했다. 이에 대해 경찰 관계자는 “촛불 국면 이후 최초로 연행자 4명이 체포적부심을 신청하면서 유치기간이 길어질 것으로 판단해 규정에 따라 위험물을 수거한 것일 뿐”이라며 “자해 위험 때문에 통상적으로 끈으로 된 것은 입감시 수거한다”고 설명했다. 광복절 집회에서 연행된 시위참가자들은 모두 17일 오후 6시께 귀가했지만 김씨 등 4명은 지난 16일 오전 체포적부심사를 신청해 법원에서 기각되면서 체포시한이 19일 0시25분까지 연장됐다. 위 내용과 관련하여 경찰서에 전화를 해 보았는데, 서울 경찰청에서 마포경찰서 지능팀으로 바꿔 주어서 통화해 보았는데, 경찰에서는 벗긴 적이 없다, 경찰서 앞에서 관련단체들이 기자회견을 했을 뿐 여성본인이 기자회견을 하지 않았다고 답변을 하더군요. 억지로 벗기지 않았다 해도 자해위험때문이라며 자해할 의도가 전혀 없는 여성의 브래지어를 벗기게 만들었다면 오히려 수치심을 자극하여 자해를 유도한 인권탄압행위라고 봅니다. 법가지고 장난치듯이 수치심유발 등 심리적인 자극으로 별 짓거리를 다 하는 것 같다는 생각이 드는군요.[…]
Netizens have a hard time to understand whether it was necessary.
지난 15일. 광복절 사수를 위해 촛불을 든 26세 김모양은 경찰의 마일리지 포획물이 되어 마포 경찰서로 연행됐습니다. 그리고 경찰은 그녀에게 ‘브래지어를 벗어서 이리 내놔!'라고 했다 합니다. 왜냐구요? 브래지어가 위.험.물. 이기 때문입니다. 자살할 위험이 있어서라고 합니다. 유치장에 수감되는 범죄인의 경우 자살 할 수 있을겁니다. 사람을 죽였거나, 사람을 억지로 범했거나, 사람을 다치게 했거나, 또 기타등등의 심각한 범죄를 저질렀을 때 여기서 일케 구치소를 지나 법정에 서고 교도소에 가는 것보다 차라리 죽는게 낫겠다..고 생각할 수도 있습니다. 그런데.. 촛불을 든 사람이.. 정말 그럴 수 있을까요?[…] 한때 가톨릭 교회는 ‘자살'을 ‘자신에 대한 살인'이라 해서 범죄라 한 적이 있습니다. 그러나 요즈음 가장 보수적이라고 할 수 있는 가톨릭 교회에서 마저 이에 대한 생각이 조금씩 변하고 있습니다.자살은 우울증이라는 심각한 질병으로 인한 병사라는 것이지요. 그렇다면 이 여성은 무엇일까요? 우울증으로 보였던걸까요? […]
유치장에 있는 모든 여성이 브래지어를 벗어야 하는가? 위험물질 소지 위험이 있을 경우 그런 규정이 있다. 지금까지 유치장에 있던 여성들중 단 1명도 빠짐없이 브래지어를 벗겼는가? 아니다. 사안에 따라 다르다. 중범죄나 무기 위험이 있는 경우 탈의를 요구한다. 그럼 집회 나가는 것이 중범죄냐? 그렇게 물으면 대답할 수 없다. 본인 생각으로는 연행 자체가 불법이고, 경찰 입장으로서도 경미한 죄일텐데 말이 거부하는데 강요했다는것이 경찰 자체가 불법을 저지르고 있는것 아니냐? 강요하지 않았다. 기사에서는 수차례 거부했다고 나와있다. 왜곡되었을것이다. 내가 직접 참여하지 않아서 잘 모르겠다. 유치장의 여성이 끝까지 거부하면 강제로 벗게 할수는 없는가?
Some netizens opened a campaign to send brassieres to the police station, showing what those policemen have done.
같은 여성으로써 기사를 접하고 손이 덜덜 떨립니다. 그 여성분이 강력범죄자였습니까? 아님 약을 했습니까? 왜 수갑을 채우고 브래지어를 벗게 했습니까? 뭐 본인이 벗었다구요? 경찰서 안에서 그 여성분은 얼마나 무서웠겠습니까? 경찰관들이 계속 벗어라고 하는데 일반 시민인 그 아가씨 누구 대변해주는 사람없고 얼마나 무서웠으면 벗었을까요? 기사를 읽는 내도록 경찰한테 실망하고 ..무섭습니다. 경범죄에 수갑에 브래지어를 벗게하다니..말이 안나오네요 이건 대한민국 여성분들한테 다 성적모독감을 주는겁니다. 저는 그럼 만약 제가 교통사고를 일으켜서 경찰서에 간다면 저도 벗게 되는겁니까? 도저히 있을수 없는 행동을 한 마포경찰서에서는 언론에 공개사과를 하기 바랍니다.[…]
브래지어로 목을 메요? 메봐요. 어디
As the woman, my hands couldn’t help but to be shaken after reading the news. Was she the serious criminal? Or did she do some drug? Why did you lock her hands with handcuffs and take her brassiere off? You said that she took it off by herself. Haven’t you thought about how scared she was in the police station? No one was on her side and the police men kept saying she should take it off. She must have filled with the fear. While I was reading the news, I was so disappointed at the police and scared of them. With the light crime, they locked her with handcuffs and took her brassiere off… it’s absurd. This means that they give sexual humiliation to all women in this land. If I cause a car accident and have to be at the police station, will you force me too? The Mapo Police Station that committed the unforgivable action should apologize in public.[…]
Do you think it is possible to strangle people’s necks with the string of a brassiere? Then try whether it works or not!
Brazilian blogger Alex Castro [pt] posts the Terms of Use of his blog, among them the rights of bloggers and of blog readers. “Blog readers should remember that reading and commenting on a blog is a privilege that can be revoked at any time. Nobody has the “right” to read a blog or to comment on it. (…) Bloggers should remember that no one is obliged to read blogs, that readers can disappear in a flash and to have readers is a not easy to conquer privilege. Nobody has the “right” to be read and reviewed.”
I sing for pleasure, I don't believe in dreams or in destination, what makes me happy is to know I spent years of suffering for the life I have today. In Mindelo, we say that it is better to drink the poison first and then the honey. Now I'm drinking the honey”
Edmundo Galiza Matos [pt] comments on the Angola President José Eduardo dos Santos' 66th birthday party this Sunday 31th, which according to the blogger is just an election stunt. “Two names of Angolan music, acting and living outside their country for alleged spiritual and political “sufferings” have rushed back to Luanda, where, with their concerts, they already show support for former party enemy's election campaign, and as if it wasn't enough, urging voters to vote with confidence for their arch-enemies.”
Brazil's Supreme Court decides today about the future of Raposa Serra do Sol's Indigenous land. Observatório da Imprensa [Press Observatory, pt] have published two texts about the media coverage of the subject. One of them is called The Rice War [pt]: “The press still own us an approach that will help to overthrow prejudices against indigenous peoples and question the idea that the Amazon can survive to the extensive livestock and agriculture.”
groundviews on Sri Lankan mercenaries in Iraq.
Winds from the East on activism and cinema in India.