sustainablog: Oftentimes, situations like these arise from limited economic opportunities. What other means of making a living are available (or could become available) to people in the Eastern Congo? Are there options for these people that couldn’t be as readily exploited by armed groups in the area?

David Sullivan: Impoverished Congolese miners and their families are often entirely dependent on their meager income from mining, and they currently have few viable economic alternatives to lift them out of this indentured servitude. What could be the most promising alternative to mining is agriculture, but the threat of violence often forces Congolese farmers to abandon their fields to flee for safety.

Efforts to end the trade in conflict minerals absolutely must be accompanied by international support for livelihoods and economic opportunities in eastern Congo. Rebuilding roads is a key opportunity, so that other sectors can benefit from trade. Infrastructure projects with guaranteed labor at decent wages can help lure miners out of conflict mines and create opportunities for demobilized combatants. Larger firms can raise miners’ living standards if independently verifiable mechanisms are put in place to ensure that the corporations are not contributing to armed groups, and health, safety, and labor standards are observed at mining sites. International investment should be stepped up in agricultural development initiatives in eastern Congo, which mining has displaced in recent years.  Good models for agricultural investments in mining areas exist in Sierra Leone. Other livelihood initiatives, such as small business development projects, should also be promoted. All projects should be designed in close partnership with miners themselves, and should also be followed up with education initiatives for miners.

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Do you recycle your cell phones? It’s a great practice for insuring that toxic materials in those old phones don’t make their way into the environment. But what about the other side of the cell phone lifecycle? Do you know where the materials come from?

It turns out that many of the minerals in that phone have an ugly story behind them, similar to that of blood diamonds. TakePart.com, a project of Participant Media, produced the PSA above as part of a larger campaign to educate the public about the role “conflict minerals” such as tin, tungsten, gold, and tantalum play in funding armed groups fighting in the Eastern Congo. According to Raise Hope for Congo, a campaign of the Enough Project,

The conflict in eastern Congo, the deadliest in the world since World War II, is being fueled by a multi-million dollar trade in minerals that go into our electronic products from cell phones to digital cameras. Over five million people have died as a result of the war, and hundreds of thousands of women have been raped in eastern Congo over the past decade. The armed groups that are perpetuating the violence generate an estimated $144 million each year by trading in [the above-mentioned] four main minerals…

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After 136 years, the Ontario government is planning on revising its 136 year old mining law to reflect modern circumstances (including prohibiting exploration on private land in Southern Ontario). Drafted in the 1873 when the exploitation of natural resources was seen as the key to economic success, mining was treated as an activity that superseded anything else. Based on a “free entry” system, a mining company could explore and stake land anywhere in the province, including personal property, aboriginal lands, and some zones of ecological sensitivity.

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]]> http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/05/03/ontario-updates-its-136-year-old-mining-law-to-limit-exploration-rights/feed/ http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/03/27/russia-to-create-special-military-force-to-protect-the-arctic/ http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/03/27/russia-to-create-special-military-force-to-protect-the-arctic/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:50:31 +0000 Amiel Blajchman http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/03/27/russia-to-create-special-military-force-to-protect-the-arctic/ Russia’s Security Council released its Arctic strategy for the year 2020 this week. The strategy includes the authorization of a special military force to “guarantee Russia’s military security in diverse military and political circumstances”, like the country’s controversial claims to large portions of the Arctic shelf. With the possible opening of the NorthWest Passage and the subsequent opening of natural resource deposits, Russia has also been steadily pushing its claims to the Arctic.

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When GD (that’s Green Diva folks) Jen brought me a goody bag for my birthday, among the treats which included a box of my favorite organic earl grey tea, I immediately gravitated to the large candy bar with the words, ‘Nutritious Chocolate’ on it. It was all VERY well timed. Let’s face it, for women, there are times of the month when chocolate saves lives - keeping raging hormones at a dull roar and the homicidal outbursts to a minimum.

Having tried some ‘nutritious’ chocolate, I didn’t expect much, but I tucked it into my work bag and figured it would make a sweet treat after lunch.

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When we experience stress too often, our autonomic nervous system rarely has a chance to activate the relaxation response.  This can eventually lead to physical or emotional illnesses such as high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and depression to name just a few.

Making simple diet changes can help reduce stress, here are a few tips to get you started:

(Remember to always use organically grown foods when possible, it’s healthier for you and for the planet.)

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Arcona is a genius natural skin healing line created by a chemist and pioneer in holistic skin care “long before it became trendy, she developed skin care products and treatments that would provide Hollywood celebrities—and women and men everywhere—with an alternative to cosmetic surgery and other harsh treatments to forestall the effects of aging.”

Their products may be found online and at select spas offering facials. None contain petrochemicals, binders or fillers, chemical stabilizers, parabens, sodium lauryl sulphates, perfumes, dyes, or any caustic, toxic ingredients.All Arcona ingredients are enzymatic-based which means they include high concentrations of antioxidants, plant lipids and extracts, sea vegetables, essential oils, vitamins and minerals. Think of live food for your skin in a sense. Since everything we put on our skin is absorbed by our bodies, the richer the nutrients the healthier our skin becomes.

ARCONA has a philosophy of beauty springing from within and truly believe everyone’s skin can and should look beautiful at any age whatever their history.

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