activism
Grassroots campaigns have proven instrumental in bringing about political, social or environmental change; you've got to start somewhere-might as well start here.
A RANGER'S STORY
“The pressure is continuous, there is no rest! Our minds never rest. Death can come anytime” The statistics are out there, showing just how dire are the dangers and threats that rangers face every day. Only in 2016, 82% of rangers in Africa declared that they have faced a life-threatening situation whilst on patrol. The Thin Green Line Foundation, a Melbourne based organisation dedicated to supporting and helping rangers, has been compiling data on ranger deaths on the job for the last 10 years. A massive percentage of 50% - 70% of the recorded deaths are due to conflict with poachers! And it is not only danger that a ranger will face, but difficult working conditions, being isolated from their families, poor equipment and close to no training, all of this for a mere symbol in remuneration and very little respect.
By Saverio Di Sensi6 years ago in The Swamp
Tax in all its forms
Tax in all its forms. The total collected from citizens is staggering February 2020 Local authorities are due to publish budgets for coming years and already the Face Book activists are screaming “cuts.” At same time some are also complaining about local tax increases. According to some this is the fault of a Tory government.
By Peter Rose6 years ago in The Swamp
Is sustainability equal?
Last year at a sustainability fair, I tested students from the University of Tennessee on their knowledge of environmental leaders. They were asked to pick from a group of 16 influential environmental leaders from around the world and match their face to their name and accomplishment. Out of those 16 environmental leaders, 4 were white.
By Madelyn Collins6 years ago in The Swamp
Painful Integration Memories
In 1970 I was a 13 year old black teen heading to 8th grade. This was the first year of integration and I was apptehesive, The school bus picked me and the other children up and drove us across town. Previously I could walk to the elementary and junior high I had attended, but now I was forced to take the bus. This was new and exciting yet intimidating. I had no idea how this was going to turn out but soon reality kicked in.
By 6 years ago in The Swamp
An Open Letter to Sophia L Thomas
An Open Letter to Sophia L Thomas Whenever a new face steps into a healthcare leadership role, there is a hope that new life and positivity will fill the space another left behind. My wish for you was that you would put patient safety before an agenda to propagate misinformation about the role of physician’s advocacy in America's current healthcare crisis. However, I, unfortunately, was wrong.
By Dr. Megan Babb6 years ago in The Swamp
Ohio Senator, John Becker, You Owe the Women of This Country and My Physician Colleagues an Apology
The anti-abortion movement in Washington makes me cringe. This is mainly for two reasons. One, as a human, I am absolute in a woman's right to choose. Two, as a physician, my education allows me to recognize the unintended consequences of advocating against this, and it so happens, this topic falls in my lane. Yet those who are trying to dictate a woman's right to choose are not physicians and, more positively, rarely women. The issue of woman's health rights, within the political arena, is not for a matter of personal opinion. Rather a place for discussion aimed to find policies that place women in control of their reproductive health. Instead, your version of a woman's right to choose is nothing more than a curtain of lies concealing misogynistic behaviors aimed at creating policies that place women out of the control of their reproductive health. By law, you are no more in control of a woman's arm or the words that come out of her mouth (like mine today) then you are of her uterus. Yet, you use your political position to push agendas that aim to place subjective opinion above objective scientific evidence. This is an unsafe way to operate Senator. Bad business, indeed.
By Dr. Megan Babb6 years ago in The Swamp
Man's Veiws on Equality
Start There are certain people who think that equality is just a myth made up by people who just want to make noise, trying to grasp at something that is too far off to be reached, and fooling people into thinking that this is achievable. I have seen so much in the short time I have been in this world, but what I have seen is enough to make me wonder where this world is headed and what will be left when we get there. Equality is not just a pipe dream that has been passed down from generation to generation, it is something that is desperately needed in order for the world to have a chance at surviving.
By Brittney Mckinney6 years ago in The Swamp
Youth Global Forum: Discussing Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Inclusive Development, and A Well-being Economy
Article highlights: Indigenous knowledge systems have a more in-depth understanding of delicate ecosystems. The synergy between indigenous knowledge systems and modern technology are also drivers for inclusive development and sustainable economic growth. There is no universal answer to cure inequality. While governments play a vital role in shaping the economy and markets, they will not necessarily do so. In most countries, socioeconomic changes are driven by civil society groups, grassroots movements, and social activism. Investing in people, public social structures, education, and lifelong learning (more so for the ageing population) results in a healthier and more productive workforce which may result in skills that will still be usable in the near future. The closest possible option to close the gap of inequalities is to change our perspective on economic growth; shifting solely from GDP into a human-centered foundation. Case studies on countries that have shifted from the outdated GDP-centred economic model suggest that inclusive development and economic growth are not at odds with each other; they are not mutually exclusive and it's possible to achieve and sustain both.
By Karina Thyra6 years ago in The Swamp
It's a Climate Emergency, Shocking.
We're taught about climate change in schools, we've seen increasing intensity in natural disasters, extinction of some extraordinary species and the radical impact deforestation is having on nearly all areas of the globe. Obviously, these signs have been ignored by world leaders and a business as usual approach has prevailed.
By Kelsey Goldstein6 years ago in The Swamp
