Gold Mining in Guyana (Re)visited
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007In an earlier post I examined a diagnosis of the environmental and health problems posed by current practice in small- and medium-scale gold mining in Guyana and the recommendations for addressing those problems and improving the policing of mining practices. Guyana’s official news service, GINA, reports that last week Cabinet members ventured out to see […]
Motorola Launches Cell Phone Take-Back Program in Latin America
Saturday, July 28th, 2007Synopsis in English: Motorola has announced that it is extending its take-back program to Latin America. Under the program, all Authorized Motorola Service locations in each country will have bins in which cell phones, two-way radios and accessories (chargers, wires, earphones) and batteries. Motorola began taking back cell phone batteries in Brazil 1999, and to […]
The Mercury Threat Posed by Mining in Guyana
Monday, July 23rd, 2007Not long ago I discussed the various environmental and health challenges posed by gold mining in Guyana in the context of a Harvard study on the issue. Now comes word of a new study presented last week at workshop in Guyana co-sponsored by the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) and WWF on “Mercury […]
Cleaning Up Gold Mining in Guyana
Thursday, May 31st, 2007In March the International Human Rights Clinic of Harvard Law School‘s Human Rights Program (HRP) issued an indictment of the failings of Guyana’s gold mining regime and its adverse impacts on Amerindians in that country. With a catchy name like “All That Glitters,” the report’s PR caught the attention of several bloggers and regular media […]
The Metals Industry Stance on Recycling and Recycled Content
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007At the end of November a coalition of entities representing major segments of the mining and metals industries* issued a joint “Declaration on Recycling Principles.” As you may have discerned by now, everything having to do with waste and recycling interests me. I downloaded the Declaration, jotted notes and questions in a draft post, and […]
A Free Online Library of Environmental Education Videos / Filmes para Educação Ambiental Grátis na Internet
Saturday, March 24th, 2007This week the Brazilian Environment Ministry (MMA) announced the creation of an online “videoteca” (video library) of environmental education videos that have been made over the years with funding from the National Environment Fund (FNMA). The videos are free for download and use for non-commercial purposes. The first tranche of 80 videos and animations can […]