A Brighter Future Emerges 29 Years After Rwanda's Genocide

April 12, 2023

Rwanda's unwavering determination and spirit shine as a source of optimism for the rest of the world.

Rwanda Genocide Memorial. config manager.CC BY 2.0.

This week marks the 29th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, a 100-day period of violence in 1994 in which more than 800,000 people were killed. The repercussions of this tragedy continue to linger, leaving survivors and their family members with deep emotional traumas. Almost 30 years have passed since the devastating genocide in Rwanda, and the country has made some commendable progress in rebuilding its economy and mending its relationships with other nations, while also acknowledging its past mistakes and the sacrifices made during the massacre. The scars of the past may still be visible, but they no longer define Rwanda. Its developments shed light on the country’s journey toward healing and growth, with infrastructure, technology, and education driving its transformation.

The genesis of the Rwanda Genocide three decades ago can be attributed to years of systemic oppression that eventually culminated in one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history. Surprisingly, the two primary ethnic groups involved in this conflict, the Hutus and Tutsis, shared no religious or linguistic differences at the outset. A deep dive into their origins reveals that the Hutus migrated to the Great Lakes region of Central Africa between 500 and 1000 BC, while the Tutsis arrived four centuries later, migrating from the highlands of Ethiopia. The Hutus primarily worked as land cultivators, while the Tutsis were cattle herders, thus creating an economic divide that eventually led to a hierarchical system. In a strange colonial mythology, Tutsi cattle herders were labeled Hamites — a separate and exceptional group — who hailed from an ancient Christian tribe supposedly linked to people of old Palestine. This system placed the Tutsis, as a minority ethnic group, in a position of disproportionate power over the majority Hutus.

Colonial powers subscribed to this concept of racial hierarchy and origin stories, believing the Tutsi to be natural leaders and granting them preferential treatment. After taking Rwanda as a colonial possession in 1897, the German Empire built a power structure that firmly established a hierarchy that favored the Tutsis. They bestowed upon the Tutsis a superior status, owing to their taller stature and lighter skin, giving them greater influence over the Hutus. However, in the aftermath of Germany’s defeat in World War I, Belgium took over the reins of Rwanda’s governance, and, rather than attempting to bridge the cultural divide, exacerbated it. The Belgian administration continued to uphold the Tutsis’ superior status while disregarding the Hutus, creating a further chasm of inequality that only grew wider with time. The introduction of identification cards during the 1930s that explicitly listed one’s ethnicity, for example, further polarized the population, and the stage was set for the tragic events that culminated in the Rwanda Genocide.

In 1973, Rwanda witnessed an event that would forever alter the course of its history. General Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu tribe member, rose to power and established the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (NRMD) party to secure his authority. Meanwhile, in Uganda, a group of Rwandan exiles in Uganda who had tasted victory in Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Army during the Ugandan Civil War formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). This organization was largely dominated by Tutsi figures and posed a challenge to the incumbent regime. The Rwandan Civil War began, which pitted the Hutu-dominated NRMD government against the primarily Tutsi RPF, while social tensions began to simmer. It was midsummer in 1993 when Hutu extremists hatched their plan, creating a platform for propagating their racist ideology and spewing hatred against the Tutsi people. Thus, Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) came into being, which soon became a tool to incite violence and hatred against the Tutsi, using propaganda and malicious rhetoric.

Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines broadcasted from this office during the Rwanda Genocide. kigaliwire.CC BY-NC 2.0.

April 6, 1994, was the beginning of a nightmare for Rwanda and Burundi. The presidential plane, which was carrying the heads of state of both countries, was hit by gunfire. The news of their deaths, broadcasted by the radical Hutu RTLM radio station, served as a call to arms, sparking a wave of violence against the Tutsi population. The initial attack was planned by a group of military leaders, politicians, and business owners, who were later joined by an increasing number of supporters. This resulted in a devastating genocide, with Tutsis flocking to ostensibly safe havens like churches and administrative centers only to find them transformed into places of horror. 75% of the Tutsi population was wiped out, including many children who were labeled “little rats” and killed alongside adults. The perpetrators killed people of all ages indiscriminately, committing rape and torture on a regular basis. With nowhere to call home, over 2 million people fled the country, including many Hutu ethnic group members, while a million more were internally displaced, leaving 75,000 children orphaned.

The aftermath was massive destruction, with infrastructure reduced to ruins and hundreds of thousands of citizens dead, dealt a crippling blow to progress and development. Rwanda, however, refused to give in to despair. The RPF won the Civil War and took power after four months of horror, ending the genocide. The nation embarked on a journey of healing and reconciliation by embracing a deliberate strategy of transitional justice and transformative programs, characterized by the visionary “Rwanda Vision 2020” campaign launched in 2000. Rwanda embraced a path of renewal through initiatives such as “I am Rwandan,” which encouraged deep reflection on the nation's painful history, acknowledgment of past atrocities, and promotion of healing and reconciliation among all its people. Another example is “Umuganda,” a day of community service in which people from all walks of life work together to improve their communities. Though challenges remained, these initiatives instilled a renewed sense of vigor and solidarity, bringing new life to the difficult task of rebuilding Rwanda.

The modern capital of Kigali is safe, clean, and orderly. Dylan Walters. CC BY 2.0.

Rwanda also undergoes significant changes in its economy. The government has introduced the “Girinka” program, which provides one cow per poor family to combat poverty, with the first female calf being passed on to another family. Poverty has decreased by 23.8 percent from 2000 to 2010, and Rwanda has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Africa, with four years of eight percent GDP growth between 2011 and 2014. These developments are positive indicators for Rwanda’s future.

Despite the indelible mark of shame left by the horrific acts, Rwanda has sought reconciliation by embracing its rich heritage of traditional pre-colonial Rwandese customs and values, while also welcoming contributions from the international community. The genocide has prompted profound reflections on critical issues such as the efficacy of peace operations, the urgency of ending international crimes, and the delicate nature of maintaining civility. These pressing issues necessitate international attention and are still relevant today.

TO GET INVOLVED:

World Help: Over the last decade, World Help has worked to bring healing and restoration to Rwandan communities through initiatives like trauma counseling, children’s homes, child sponsorship, construction projects, clean-water wells, sustainable agriculture, vocational training, and more. To learn more and get involved, click here.

IBUKA: IBUKA is an umbrella organization supporting survivors in Rwanda. Representatives from institutions like IBUKA and the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide are invited to speak at commemorations to provide expert histories and testimonies. To learn more and get involved, click here.

Hope is a Chinese international student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina studying sociology, statistics, and journalism. She dreams of traveling around the globe as a freelance reporter while touching on a wide range of social issues from education inequality to cultural diversity. Passionate about environmental issues and learning about other cultures, she is eager to explore the globe. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Asian cuisine, reading, and theater.

The True Culprits of Poaching

April 4, 2023

The causes and consequences of the illegal wildlife trade.

Elephant Calf - Madikwe, South Africa, Vince O'Sullivan, CC BY-NC 2.0.

In 2019, a man and his four companions entered South Africa’s Kruger National Park, dead set on killing a rhino. They botched the job- the man was trampled by an elephant and killed. His four companions fled the scene. Later, the man’s body was found eaten by lions. For many, this was a story of nature’s revenge on an aggressor. Some even took to social media to celebrate his death, claiming that “It’s a shame all five didn’t die.”

But the digital peanut gallery likely did not know that this man was from South Africa’s Eastern Cape, the country’s poorest region where the average annual income per year is less than $3,700. And, they probably didn’t know that even if he and his companions had successfully killed the rhino, taken its horn, and bolted, they would have remained in poverty, having sold the horn for a tiny fraction of its value on the international market. From there, the horn would go through multiple stages of middlemen to hide its origin and be shipped to a foreign nation, likely Vietnam or China. There, poaching kingpins such as Vietnam’s Nguyen Mau Chien would receive the horn and sell it to consumers for a huge profit.

Unwrapped Rhino Horn, cropped, ukhomeoffice, CC BY 2.0

This story is not unique. The United Nations estimates the poaching market to be worth a minimum of $7 billion per annum. The poaching kingpins who lead these operations are akin to drug lords. With few moral qualms, they are making millions, exploiting those working lower on the food chain and putting the environment in danger, all while taking very few risks themselves.

Over the past few years, dozens of species have gone extinct largely due to poaching, with hundreds more being driven to the brink of extinction. They range from smaller, lesser known species to large, iconic megafauna such as the Western Black Rhinoceros, a subspecies that went extinct in 2011.

The impact of these extinctions goes far beyond the animals themselves. The world exists as a closely connected ecosystem. When one species becomes endangered, it affects every other species in that ecosystem. One clear example of this is the North American Gray Wolf. The wolf’s regional near-extinction caused a surge in the elk population in Yellow Stone, which nearly ate the aspen tree into extinction.

Poaching also is detrimental to countries, like South Africa, that heavily rely on animal-based tourism. When iconic animals become extinct and ecosystems are damaged, ecotourism becomes much less successful. Even worse, poaching is incredibly dangerous to those working in conservation. Each year, across Africa, 600 rangers' lives are lost in the line of duty.

Ranger and rhinos, Kruger National Park, South Africa, anoukpilon, CC BY-SA 2.0.

In addition, poaching poses a huge risk to the world at large. COVID-19, Ebola, and SARs all started in animals. In fact, 60% of all infectious diseases are thought to have begun in non-human animals. Whether through the murder of animals directly or the transfer and consumption of illegal animal products, poaching puts thousands of hands and bodies in contact with wildlife, and therefore at risk.

TO GET INVOLVED

The International Anti-Poaching Federation (IAPF), founded in 2009, aims to hire 2,000 women by 2030 to work in anti-poaching units in their local communities, as part of the all-female Akashinga Project. The IAPF has managed to reduce poaching by over 80% in the 8.5 million acres it manages, making them one of the most successful anti-poaching organizations in the world. If you want to help stop the poaching epidemic, you can donate to the IAPF here.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Fund has been Operating in Kenya since 1977. Over the past 45 years, they have become one of the best Elephant rehabilitation organizations in the world, raising over 300 orphan elephants. Beyond this, the Fund has 23 anti-poaching teams working with the Kenya Wildlife Service, employing both Aerial and Canine Units. If you want to support them, you can donate here.

Jeremy is a Writing Seminars and International Studies major at Johns Hopkins University. He is an avid writer and the Co-Founder of Writers’ Warehouse, Johns Hopkins’ first creative writing group. He is an advocate for Indigenous rights, and studies how Indigenous philosophies can be used to help prevent climate change. Using his writing, he hopes to bring attention to underrepresented voices in today’s world.

9 Activist Movements You Might Not Know About

April 4, 2023

From Australia to Bolivia, social movements are paradigms of collective power and triumphs of the human spirit.

Sudanese Protesters Welcome 'Positive Steps' Taken By Ruling Military Council, demonstrators rally near the military headquarters in Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April 15, 2019. Omer. Public Domain Mark 1.0

It's easy to brush off textbook knowledge as outdated, but academic theories of social movements can provide a powerful lens to understand the changes happening in the world. The 21st-century witnesses social movements erupting all over the world, led by activists fighting to bring about change. Sociologists categorize social movements as a form of collective behavior that emerges during the political, cultural, or economic upheaval. It is precisely this decentralization that gives activists immense power to effect change, leading the masses in protest against the upper crust. With that in mind, below is a list of nine groundbreaking social movements of the 21st century that you might have missed.

1. Equality Australia, Australia

Reason Party (Australia) supporters with placards at Yes Marriage Equality rally Sydney Town Hall 10 Sept 2017.Robert.CC BY-SA 4.0.

Despite progress in other western countries, Australia still faces criticism for a dearth of LGPTQ representation in politics. For example, in 2021, the Australian government under Scott Morrison almost passed a deceptively named religious discrimination bill that in reality had the potential to legalize discrimination based on sex, disability, and age under the disguise of religious freedom. This bill not only undermines the rights of the LGBTQ community but also perpetuates stereotypes and biases. The bill was shelved after religious lobby groups withdrew support and, due to Scott Morrison’s defeat to the Australian Labor Party in 2022, seems unlikely to be reintroduced.

To compensate for the lack of legal protection for the sexual minority population, Equality Australia, an organization dedicated to improving the lives and circumstances of the LGBTQ community in Australia, has launched multiple initiatives. It tackles the pressing issues that gay, trans and queer Australians face, from being able to freely express their identity to receiving adequate healthcare and support.

2. “Great March of Return” Protests, Palestine

Child survivors of Israeli massacres gather on the Gaza beach to finish an incomplete match.Catron.CC BY-NC 2.0.

In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian exclave on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, 70% of the population are refugees suffering from the blockade by the Israeli military occupation. Essential needs like electricity, sanitation, and healthcare are a luxury for these refugees, who live constantly under the shadow of military clashes between Hamas and Israel.

The Great March of Return demonstrations (GMR), which began on March 30, 2018, brought a glimmer of hope to the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. The GMR was a call to end the Israeli blockade and the right of return for Palestinian refugees through non-violent protest at the Gaza border.

But while most refugees marched peacefully, Israeli forces have taken a brutal toll, killing at least 210 Palestinians and injuring over 18,000 since 2018, according to Gaza health officials. The aftermath of these marches has left many with life-long physical and psychological scars from generation to generation. A staggering 80% of all children treated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were injured by gunshot wounds. In contrast to the aggressive response from Israel, the largely nonviolent Great March of Return “restored credence to the concept of peaceful struggle”, according to Palestinian journalist and peace activist Ahmed Abu Artema.

3. EndSARS, Nigeria

Protesters at the endSARS protest in Lagos, Nigeria 92. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Nigeria's history of police brutality and unjust criminal investigations reached a boiling point in 2020 when the world was shocked by a viral video of two men being dragged out of a hotel and shot by members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Despite being established in 1992 to arrest and prosecute those involved in violent crimes, SARS quickly became known for its human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, extortion, and murder.

As the hashtag “EndSARS” quickly spread across social media, fueled by the support of high-profile celebrities like footballer Marcus Rashford and actor John Boyega, the movement transitioned from an online trend to a physical reality. Peaceful protests erupted in cities across Nigeria, from capital Abuja to metropolis Lagos, and in major centers like Ibadan and Osun, as the people took to the streets to demand an end to the police brutality and human rights violations. Though the Nigerian authorities made empty promises to disband SARS, the movement continues to fight for justice and accountability to this day.

4. India's Farmer Protest, India

Protests outside Odisha Bhawan New Delhi. Brick. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

In September 2020, as the pandemic and economic woes plagued the country, the Indian government passed three farm acts that many farmers regard as a breakdown of the existing, stable relationship with agricultural small businessmen.

The farmers were furious and took to the streets, shutting down railways, taking over highways, and protesting en masse in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh to demand change. On Nov 26, 2020, millions struck in Delhi, calling for a change in labor laws, but were met with violence and teargas. The protests coincided with the Covid outbreak, leading some to view the government's social distancing requirement as a conspiracy to shut down its critics.

After ten rounds of talks, the government agreed to grant farmers’ unions a rare concession in January 2021, with the Prime Minister allowing the repeal of the controversial reform due to public pressure. The Indian farmer protest highlighted the deep frustration with the government's handling of the agriculture sector, which 60% of rural households depend on for their livelihoods.

5. Subway Fare Protests, Chile

Students take part in violent Protests in Santiago de Chile. C64-92. CC BY 2.0.

In Chile, a tiny $0.0 was all it took to ignite social upheaval in 2019. What started as a protest over a 30 peso, equivalent to $0.04, exposed the massive wealth inequality in the country, where the per capita income of the bottom quintile is $140 a month.

During the height of the protests, high school students started to overrun the turnstiles, using the hashtag “Mass Evasion” on social media to encourage others to join the cause. The young protesters soon joined in mass demonstrations by many other Chileans who are frustrated with rising living costs, low wages, and an inadequate education system.

The protests and counterforce led to the death of at least 18 civilians, the burndown of 21 metro stations, and the destruction of several trains, buses, and buildings, including 200 supermarkets. Eventually Chile’s militarized national police managed to suppress the October riots, but the protests and their aftermath shed light on the ongoing fight against wealth inequality in Chile.

6. Velvet Revolution, Armenia

Velvet Revolution in Armenia. Armineaghayan.CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Velvet Revolution, otherwise known as the “Reject Serzh” civic initiative, is the archetype of a social movement that succeeded in overthrowing an entire regime without a single bullet fired. In 2018, the protest called for the removal of former President Serzh Sargsyan from his third consecutive term. Sargsyan took office as president in 2008, following a violent suppression of anti-government protests in which at least 10 people were killed. A youth movement was established soon after, contributing to the formation of current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party.

This peaceful protest was politically motivated, with support from human rights advocates, journalists, and information organizations. The demonstration started on March 18, 2018 when Pashinyan began his protest walk in Gyumri. It reached the peak when over 250,000 protesters gathered in Republic Square for the largest demonstration in Armenia's post-Soviet independence period. The movement was able to unite all Armenians regardless of political views and sparked hope for a lasting democratic government.

7. “Slipper uprising”, Belarus

Protests in Minsk, Belarus. Shnipelson. CC0 1.0.

The “Slipper Uprising” broke out in Belarus in 2021, as protesters used the simple yet powerful symbol of a slipper to push for change. The series of protests followed a controversial presidential election that declared Alexander Lukashenko, the incumbent Belarusian President, as the winner.

The call, “stop the cockroach” came from popular blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky's video, in which an elderly woman compared Lukashenko to the main character of the children’s poem “The Mighty Cockroach.” This nickname, combined with opposition supporters’ demand for Lukashenko's resignation, fueled mass protests in the streets.

Demonstrators showed their defiance against Lukashenko’s rule by waving slippers high in the air. Over 360 people were taken into custody for protesting in just one weekend, but the fire of dissent continued to burn. The “Slipper uprising” proved that even the simplest of symbols can be a catalyst for change.

8. Wildfire protest, Bolivia

March in favor of Evo Morales. Santiago Sito.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The heat is on in Bolivia as hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets to voice their outrage over President Evo Morales’ government's response to the wildfires that ravaged the country’s forests in October 2019.

Many of the protesters were residents of Santa Cruz, Bolivia's largest city and home to vast areas of the biodiverse Chiquitano dry forests. Protesters called for a “punishment vote” against Morales in the upcoming presidential election. The rallies have drawn massive crowds, with an estimated 350,000 people marching through Santa Cruz in late October, according to reporting from Reuters. The growing public anger and frustration highlight the urgent need for action to address environmental justice and protect the country's precious forests.

9. “Million-man March”, Sudan

Demonstrators hold placards against the Khartoum regime, April 28, 2013. Sari Omer. Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Sudan’s "Marches of the Millions" was a massive demonstration held in the capital city of Khartoum on June 30, 2019. The nationwide protests were orchestrated by the Sudanese Professional Association (SPA), an influential activist coalition. The protesters had six demands, including a swift transfer of power to a civilian government and aid to the victims of government-initiated attacks.

The nationwide protest also exposed the danger of police crackdown, as national security agencies used violent tactics, such as teargas, to confront the marching citizens. Despite the violence, the protest movement continued, leading to the agreement between the military and its opposition in August 2019. The agreement marked the first step towards a democratic transition for Sudan.

From trending hashtags and posts that amplify the voice of activism on social media, to throngs of individuals marching in the streets and rallying for a shared goal, social movements embody the spirit of resistance against oppression and tyranny. It is through the eruptive energy of collective action that humans can truly exhibit their strength and determination in the face of injustice.

The Disappearing Snows of Mt. Kilimanjaro

March 31, 2023

As the mountain's snow melts, its ecosystem faces escalating pressures from tourism, climate change, and deforestation.

Mt Kilimanjaro. Tambako the Jagua. CC BY-ND 2.0.

If you have perused Ernest Hemingway’s “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” you'd be moved by the writer's introspection and memories, and no doubt recall its breathtaking descriptions of Mount Kilimanjaro’s wintery peaks. Nestled in Southeastern Africa, where temperatures often soar to scorching heights, a mountain graced with a frozen crest appears as a natural wonder. Nevertheless, before many have had the opportunity to appreciate its miraculous summit, the pristine snow has begun to melt at an alarming speed.

Rising above the plains of Africa, Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Its snow-capped peak is created through a combination of freezing temperatures and precipitation at high altitudes, where the mercury can drop to a frigid 15.98 F, calculated according to the linear relationship between altitude and temperature. Long-term averages indicate that, in the middle of February, snowfall occurs three days per week on Mount Kilimanjaro.

The captivating ice-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro renders it a highly coveted destination for tourists visiting Tanzania, with many foreigners and locals flocking to the site each year. As far back as the 1860s, Europeans had launched their quest to summit Kilimanjaro. In 2006, Kilimanjaro National Park Authorities (KINAPA) registered 40,701 climbers on the mountain, with the Machame trail reigning supreme, welcoming 15,879 adventurers. Today, numerous guiding companies, including the African Zoom and Abercrombie & Kent, offer luxury expeditions and comprehensive travel guides for those seeking to conquer the “roof of Africa.”

While Hemingway’s story may have brought Kilimanjaro to the attention of the world, the mountain has long been revered by locals who have given it names like “Mountain of Greatness” in Swahili and “That which defeats the caravan” in Chagga. The Maasai, who have a deep appreciation for Kilimanjaro, affectionately refer to it as the “Mountain of Water” due to its crucial function as the primary source of water for the surrounding area.

Regrettably, as mentioned above, generations to come might be deprived of the privilege of admiring the captivating natural beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro. Several complicated factors contribute to the rapid disappearance of its ice cap. Scientists have established a link between global climate change and variations in greenhouse gasses, along with transformations in land cover. The consequences of climate change loom over developing nations, and Tanzania is no exception. Additionally, glaciers located in tropical regions are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change, and they can only be sustained at exceptionally high altitudes, where the weather is colder than regional averages.

A recent study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in late 2022 suggests that 1/3 World Heritage glacier sites will disappear by 2050 due to global warming, including Mount Kilimanjaro. Even if global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the melting is unlikely to be reversed.

The danger to Kilimanjaro’s ecosystem has not only inspired a widespread climate advocacy campaign but also sparked controversy. In 2002 a group of scientists led by Ohio State’s Lonnie Thompson published a paper predicting that Kilimanjaro would be devoid of ice by 2020. This claim was picked up in 2006 by former Vice President Al Gore in his documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth,” designed to raise awareness about global warming, emphasizing the melting glacier as a potent symbol of the impending environmental catastrophe. A decade later, the World Mountain Forum in Uganda saw the release of a report by the United Nations, revealing that the warming of the Earth’s temperature, caused by climate change, has led to a marked increase in the occurrence of wildfires on Mount Kilimanjaro, which has resulted in a hastened loss of forest cover. The report stressed the gravity of the situation and called upon Tanzania to protect Mount Kilimanjaro’s water catchment area, including reforestation, early warning systems, and climate adaptation strategies.

It’s obvious by now that Thompson et al. and Gore overestimated the future decline of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers. This has led websites such as Climate Realism and The Climate Record, as well as anti-regulation groups, to attempt to use Kilimanjaro’s lingering snow and ice to discredit climate science and Al Gore’s environmentalist stance. H. Sterling Burnett, a senior fellow, and head of environmental programs at the National Center for Policy Analysis criticized the Kilimanjaro snow melting prediction, stating that it is just one of many scare stories that scientists have had to revise or abandon in the face of significant counter-evidence. Although these specific predictions were false, the result of extrapolating past data far into the future, overgeneralization of a complex system, and neglecting the impact of yearly fluctuations in precipitation, this does not mean that Kilimanjaro or the planet at large are safe from the effects of climate change.

Although perhaps relieved by the presence of snow on Kilimanjaro’s ice cap in 2023, residents of nearby settlements confront other severe environmental problems such as dried streams during the sowing season and deforestation, problematic for a country that is heavily reliant on wood products. Additionally, even if the melting of the snow cap is not affected as much as predicted by Thompson and Gore, the vegetation communities’ altitudinal zonation will inevitably change in the medium-to-long term as the climate warms.

Ultimately, it is crucial to prioritize safeguarding the closely-knit ecosystem that surrounds Kilimanjaro’s snow-covered peak by taking necessary steps to bolster its resistance to the escalating pressures from tourism, climate change, and deforestation.

To Get Involved:

If you are looking to explore Kilimanjaro, there are various sustainable approaches to consider. Visit the site of Responsible Travel to learn more.

Mount Kilimanjaro is managed by Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro National Park, which strives to protect wildlife and provide eco-friendly tourism services around the mountain’s local community. Visit the site of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park to learn more.

The African Blackwood Conservation Project (ABCP) focuses on replanting the tree species Dalbergia melanoxylon, also known as grenadilla, African blackwood, or mpingo, in eastern Africa, including the Kilimanjaro area. The ABCP has played a significant role in Mount Kilimanjaro reforestation efforts. Visit the ABCP website to learn more.

US Lags Behind Other Nations in Recycling

March 30, 2023

Germany, Austria and South Korea recycle 20% more trash than the US. Can they lead the US to a new era of recycling?

Landfill in Danbury, Connecticut, United Nations Photo, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The United States recycles 32.1% of its trash, meaning the other 67.9% of U.S. waste ends up in landfills, is incinerated, or gets lost somewhere else in the environment. Moreover, only 5 to 6 % of plastic ends up being recycled, while 85% of plastic American plastic goes to the landfills, and another 10% is incinerated. These numbers are especially concerning given that plastic is the one of the most difficult types of waste to biodegrade.

Nationally, there are few to no laws in the U.S. that mandate recycling. There have been efforts to change that. On March 5, 2021, Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Alan Lowenthal reintroduced the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, a bill that would ban single use plastic bags and discourage the use of plastic utensils and straws. In addition, it would increase post consumer recycling minimums to 25% by 2025 and 80% by 2040. However, like many similar bills in the United States, it has not been passed.

While the federal government lags behind, certain states have been considerably more active in promoting recycling. Since 2022, New York has passed two important laws; one demanding that the carpet industry becomes more responsible for its waste and the other allowing consumers to fix their own electronics. California has banned certain types of produce bags, and Michigan has committed to overhauling its recycling system, striving for a 45% recycling rate, albeit without a clear deadline as to when this needs to be achieved.

With that said, even with state efforts, the US still remains far behind the world’s leaders in recycling; Germany, Austria, and South Korea. They recycle 56.1%, 53.8%, and 53.7% of their waste, respectively, each of which is over 20% more than the current US figure and around 10% more than Michigan's new recycling goal. This largely is due to enhanced recycling laws, as well as cultures and practices in those countries that incentivize and engage their populations to be environmentally conscious.

Germany

German Recycling Bins, 3268zauber, CC BY-SA 3.0

The first pillar of Germany’s recycling success is its Deposit Refund System (DRS). In Germany, when consumers purchase a bottle that can be recycled, they must pay a deposit between 0.08 and 0.25 euros. Single use plastic bottles and more environmentally harmful products tend to have a higher deposit. Once the items are returned to a retail store, the consumer will be reimbursed for their deposit. This system has proven to be incredibly successful, reaching a 98.4% return rate. In 2024, Germany plans to expand their DRS to include all milk and dairy product containers.

Germany also has a mandatory recycling system. Each household has four different recycling bins: yellow bins for lightweight packaging, green or blue bins for waste and cardboard, black or gray bins for residual and household waste, and brown bins for compostable kitchen and garden waste. If the waste is not sorted correctly, workers at the recycling plant will go through the waste and sort it manually, and the household that failed to sort the waste will be fined.

Austria

Plastic Bags Package, zeevveez, CC BY 2.0.

Three major policies contribute to Austria’s high recycling rate. First, like Germany, Austria has a rigorous recycling sorting system. Second is the country’s blanket landfill ban. This policy instructs that any item with a total organic carbon emission rate of more than 5% is banned from going into landfills, meaning that the most harmful products have to be recycled. Finally, in 2020, Austria prohibited the use of plastic bags, completely removing one of the longest lasting products in landfills, with a decomposition time of 200-500 years.

South Korea

South Korea’s “pay-as-you-throw” recycling system requires consumers to buy specialized food waste bags, costing about 20 cents. The profits from the food waste bags goes straight back into the recycling market, greatly minimizing the cost of recycling to the government. When these bags are full, consumers leave the bag in a special bin. These bags are then picked up and composted, leading South Koreans to recycle almost 100% of their food waste.

In 2022 Keppel, a Singapore-based company, spent about 600 million dollars to buy EMK Co, South Korea’s biggest waste management and recycling company. Keppel expects the value of their investment in EMK to almost double in five years. South Korea has created a system in which private companies are able to make a profit buying and selling waste, greatly increasing the percentage of their waste being recycled.

It's important to recognize that while all these systems are successful in their own countries, the cultural, political, and economic environment in the US is very different from that of Germany, Austria or South Korea. Additionally, the US has a population about four times the size of Germany, the biggest of the three countries, meaning any recycling measures are much more difficult to implement. Yet, with the US lagging so far behind the world leaders in recycling, it would be foolish to not at least consider the solutions that have worked so well for these other countries.

GET INVOLVED

Keep America Beautiful was founded in 1953. Since then, they have created many different recycling programs, including recently a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program. Within a ten year period, they earned their communities over a billion dollars in economic value, have planted millions of plants, flowers, and bulbs, cleaned over 500 kilometers of roads, and collected over 750 million pounds of litter. You can donate to Keep America here.

Ample Harvest Inc. was founded in 2009 by Gary Oppenheimer as a way to reduce food waste by having gardeners donate their surplus food. Beyond this, they have created an Emergency Food Assistance Program to help food insecure families. Currently, they are working with over 62 million gardeners, spread over all 50 states, allowing them to generate billions of pounds of food they donate to over 8,000 different charities. This has given 4,200 different communities a sustainable food supply free of charge and, in 2020 alone, saved 1.6 million pounds of produce from being discarded. You can donate money to Ample Harvest Inc. here and give your excess food produce to your local food pantry here.

The Container Recycling Institute functions much like a Think Tank, researching recycling so they can provide recycling options and insights to local communities and governments. With a perfect 100% score for Finance and Accountability on Charity Navigator, The Container Recycling Institute, since its founding in 1991, has grown into an incredibly trustworthy Institution. As a leading recycling resource, they helped expand the Connecticut recycling Bottle Bill, the largest expansion of this kind in 10 years. In California, they helped raise the annual consumer recycling budget to over 100 million dollars. You can donate to The Container Recycling Institute here and become a member here.

Japan’s Population Crisis Hits a Record Low

March 28, 2023

Japanese birth rates are falling exponentially, and it could have major effects on the country’s economy.

Harajuku District in Japan. @paulkrichards. Instagram

Many around the world consider Japan a futuristic country, a view drawn from its creative technology and its unique culture. A popular destination for tourists all around the world, this East Asian country makes up 1.6% of the world’s population with its approximately 125 million residents.

However, this number is set to rapidly decline as Japan teeters on the precipice of a population crisis. Its Prime Minister has issued a dire warning, saying that the country is “on the brink of not being able to maintain social functions” due to the falling birth rate. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which means that most will grow old and require care from others, but the workforce is shrinking as aren’t enough young people to fill the gaps in Japan’s stagnating economy.

Why is this? To use simple terms, Japanese people are having fewer babies. Women are postponing their marriages and rejecting traditional paths to focus on their professional lives, and the percentage of women who work in Japan is now higher than ever. However, there are also fewer opportunities for young people, especially men, in the country’s economy. Since men are still widely viewed as the breadwinners of the family, a lack of good jobs would also mean the men would avoid having children — and settling down — knowing they can’t afford it. With Japan’s high cost of living, it adds more reason for couples to steer clear of having a family.

The problem has only gotten worse since the Covid pandemic. In 2021, the birth rates in Japan declined to around 805,000 — a figure that was not expected until 2028. With much of the population choosing to focus on their careers instead, this number will only continue to fall.

In the early stages of the pandemic, there were jokes circulating that the lockdowns would cause another baby boom. However, the opposite came true. Japan experienced a reduction in birth rates, as well as other countries such as Taiwan and China — to an estimated 1.07 children per woman.

Japan’s population pyramid in October 2021. Kaj Tallungs. CC BY-SA 4.0

There are more and more elderly people in the country and not enough working-age adults to support them. The economy is at risk. But Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promises to combat the low birth rate.

With Japan “standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society,” Kishida urges the national government to focus on policies regarding children and ramp up child-related programs, saying it “cannot wait and cannot be postponed.” He wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs and in April, he will launch a new Children and Families government agency to help in the endeavor.

This agency will unify policies across multiple government ministries to better deal with issues that concern children, such as declining birth rates, child poverty, and sex crimes. Kishida has plans to double the budget if necessary, without elaborating.

In the mid 1990s, the Japanese government launched a series of programs addressing their country’s low fertility, hoping to provide parenting assistance through increasing provision of childcare services and advocating for a better work-life balance. And in the 2010s, fertility policies were incorporated into Japan’s macroeconomic policy, national land planning, and regional and local planning.

Despite all these efforts, however, Japan’s goal to boost population remains unsuccessful. By forming the new agency, Kishida hopes these problems will be taken more seriously.

One thing remains clear, though — Japan is facing a population crisis. And if birth rates keep falling, the country’s economy will struggle under its effects.

The Forgotten Chinese History of Vladivostok

March 23, 2023

A brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Chinese community in the 1930s had a lasting impact on the Russian Far East.

31st Infantry on a practice march near Vladivostok, Siberia about Dec. 1, 1918. Lane Genealogy. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

The coastal city of Vladivostok, in the easternmost reaches of Russia, harbors a secret past with Chinese laborers who helped construct its famous naval base before being discarded. Once brimming with the bustle of Chinese workers, today’s Vladivostok features a mere handful of Chinese-owned establishments despite being fairly close to the Chinese border, in contrast to other Russian cities far to the west, such as Moscow, that have sizable Chinese communities. Across a vast expanse of nearly 250,000 square miles in northern China's Heilongjiang province, this forgotten chapter of history remains shrouded in controversy, while the city’s development and the contribution of Chinese laborers are waiting to be uncovered.

But while Vladivostok’s history may be veiled in mystery, the roots of Chinese presence in the region extend back centuries. The Treaty of Peking, signed in 1860 and one of a series of Russo-Chinese boundary settlements, officially transferred ownership of what is now Vladivostok from China to Russia after the former’s disastrous defeat to England and France in the Second Opium War. The treaty saw Russia gain control over all territory north and east of the Amur River, with the Chinese Qing Dynasty retaining sovereignty over the area to the south and West. Russia had not been involved in the conflict, but acted opportunistically to force the Qing government to hand over 133,000 square miles of territory. However, before the establishment of Vladivostok, the region was sporadically inhabited by Chinese fishermen, hunters, fugitives, and collectors of ginseng and wild sea cucumbers, tube-like animals distantly related to starfish that are far less appetizing than the land variety. The place was known as the “Sea Cucumber Cliffs” in Chinese due to the abundance of the creatures in that region. Under Russian control Vladivostok would get its current name and become a vital naval base, connected to European Russia by the Trans-Siberian Railway and Chinese cities thanks to the Chinese Eastern Railway. The city remains the hub of Primorsky Krai, a region in Russia’s Far East with a complex history shaped by geopolitical machinations

Territories that have become part of Russia under the: Aigun Treaty and the Beijing Treaty of 1860, Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, CIA. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

The treaty gave Russia de jure control over Vladivostok, but Chinese migrants continued to move into the region en masse. Chinese laborers continued to move to the area, working on a variety of projects, from building the Trans-Siberian Railway to developing ports in Vladivostok and engaging in agriculture, forestry, and mining in smaller towns and rural areas. By 1910, there were nearly 100,000 Chinese living in the region, while Russian newspapers commented on the prevalence of Chinese merchants selling paper flowers and other inexpensive products at every train station from Vladivostok to St Petersburg on the Baltic Sea.

Morphine use in the Millionka. State Archive of Primorsk Region (Gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Primorskogo kraia) in Vladivostok. Obtained by Austin Jersild.

Things changed after the 1917 Revolution. Throughout the 1920s, the new Soviet authorities in the Vladivostok region implemented increasingly aggressive policies towards ethnic minorities, including Koreans, Germans, Estonians, and Chinese. Driven by xenophobia, these policies were designed to eliminate foreign influence in the region. By 1938, the situation had escalated to the point where the Politburo, the highest governing authority in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, had authorized a massive campaign of terror against various non-Russian nationalities, including Chinese settlers. In total, an estimated 800,000 individuals of all ethnicities were arrested, deported, or executed as part of this brutal ethnic cleansing campaign.

While the exact number of Chinese victims is unknown, the legacy of this brutal purge has had a lasting impact on the Chinese community in Vladivostok and beyond. By 1936, the Soviet Union began deporting Chinese expatriates in groups, causing panic among local Chinese and eventually leading the Chinese Embassy to intervene. However, the purges in the Soviet Union intensified, leading to the mass relocation and deportation of “unreliable elements” from the border areas, including minority ethnic groups living in the Soviet Union. In December 1937, Soviet repression was directed against the Chinese in the Far East, leading to the arrests of Chinese in various parts of the region, including the largest concentration of arrests made in Vladivostok and the surrounding areas. Soviet authorities issued a secret order to arrest all Chinese individuals who committed provocative acts or had terrorist intentions, allegations which were themselves of dubious veracity. The first mass arrest of 853 Chinese individuals, known as the “Chinese Operation”, occurred in Primorsky Oblast on December 29 and 30, 1937. In February 1938, more than 200 Chinese individuals were arrested in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, and Spassk, and they were tortured to make them confess to the crime of espionage.

Chinese in Vladivostok, Collection of the Primorsky Krai Museum, Russia

Still recovering from the Soviet horrors inflicted on their ancestors, many Chinese today hold on to the hope that Vladivostok will one day be returned to China and become Haishenwai once again. Chinese visitors to the city have expressed similar sentiments, with some believing that the land was unjustly taken from China. This view has been amplified by a social media campaign against Russia following a tweet by the Russian embassy in India in 2020, which touted the founding of Vladivostok. Chinese internet users criticized what they saw as Russia's glorification of its unlawful annexation, expressing discomfort and resentment.

Regardless of its tumultuous history of Chinese immigration and labor, Vladivostok’s intricate Chinese legacy remains a poignant reminder of the city’s multicultural past. The arrests and deportations of Chinese and other diaspora nationalities have transformed the city and the region as a whole, leaving scars that have taken decades to heal and for some remain open. However, today there is a growing interest in recovering the multi-ethnic heritage evident in the city’s history even as fears about the geopolitics of Chinese immigration to the Russian Far East continue. As the city moves towards the future, it must grapple with its past and find ways to honor the contributions of Chinese laborers and victims of Soviet repression while addressing the complicated political and social tensions that continue to shape the region.

Bangladesh: Ground Zero for Climate Change

March 16, 2023

Where the worst affected are among the least culpable.

Bangladesh Ground Zero, SuSanA Secretariat, CC BY 2.0

Despite being home to only 4.21% of the world’s population, the United States is responsible for a full 14% of all carbon emissions. Bangladesh, a densely populated country surrounded on three sides by India, has released a mere 0.21% of the world’s carbon emission, despite making up a substantial 2.14% of the Earth’spopulation. This means that on average, a person in the US releases about 33.67 times the carbon emissions of a person in Bangladesh.

Yet, it is Bangladesh that is facing among the most dire consequences of global warming. Often called “Ground Zero” for climate change, Bangladesh was ranked number 7 in the latest Global Climate Risk Index, and has a higher population than every country ranked above it. With nearly 75% of Bangladesh below sea level, the South Asian country will be drastically impacted as sea levels rise. Consequently, by 2050, the World Bank predicts that Bangladesh will have almost 20 million climate refugees.

Cyclone Aila Climate Change, Mayeenul Islam, CC BY-SA 3.0

These aren’t just empty statistics. A historically large flash flood in May 2022 displaced more than 4.3 million Bangladeshis . For context, the entire population of Los Angeles is 3.84 million people. Moreover, climate change does not just cause huge events like these. Every day, about 2,000 people move from the countryside to Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. About 70% of those who move say this is due to either natural disasters or climate change.

For those who move to Dhaka life continues to be difficult. Many migrants end up among the 4 million people already confined to Dhaka’s 5,000 poorest neighborhoods, where they will likely suffer from an extreme water shortage. In 1963, when Dhaka had a population of less than a million, the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewage Authority (DWASA) needed to supply only 130 million liters of water a day. Now, with its exploding population of about 23 million, the DWASA must provide 2,590 million liters every day, and dig hundreds of meters deeper to reach groundwater. A similar water shortage is ongoing in Bangladesh’s second biggest city, Chittagong.

Korail, Dhaka / BD, 2014, william veerbeek, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Bangladesh does not have the resources to survive this crisis on its own. The World Bank estimates that Bangladesh needs about $5.7 billion per year to fund climate adaptation programs by 2050. Today, the country is spending about one billion dollars annually, approximately six to seven percent of its GDP, on climate adaptation. Of that money, only 25% is from international development partners. In 2009, at the 15th UN conference of parties, the world’s developed nations committed to spend 100 billion USD per year on climate action in developing countries by 2020. In 2019 however, only $20 billion of global climate finance funds went to climate adaptation.

TO GET INVOLVED

The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) is the largest Non-Governmental Organization in the World. They work in 11 countries in the global south to counter climate change, eliminate extreme poverty, and support locally led climate adaptation. According to the Executive Director of the BRAC, the largest Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the world, it would cost them only $350 to provide safe drinking water to a Bangladeshi household for 20 years, $8,000 dollars to build a climate resilient house, and $126,000 to create a climate adaptation clinic that can support 3,500 farmers. If you would like to support BRAC, you can donate to them here.

The Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) works to balance humans and nature, mitigating the harmful effects of climate change. Recently, they have focused on supporting citizens on the sundarban coast by supporting nature based solutions such as mangrove based livelihoods and integrated farming. You can support BEDS here.

In 1992, Friends of the Earth International founded the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers association (BELA). Beginning as a local young advocacy group, BELA uses the law to protect the environment, and the people that live within it. While there is no way to donate to BELA specifically, you can support Friends of the Earth International as a whole here.

BANGLADESH: Lost in Dhaka

Super Cyclone Amphan Ravages East India and Bangladesh

Underground Schools for Women and Girls in Afghanistan

March 14, 2023

The Taliban reconquest of Afghanistan brought an education ban for women and girls, but secret schools have emerged.

A burqa-clad woman in Kabul in September 2021, Milad Hamadi for the Tasnim News Agency. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The life of every Afghan citizen changed on August 15, 2021, when Taliban forces seized the capital city of Kabul and, for the first time in decades, were able to impose the group’s severe intolerance on the whole nation. Those most affected have been young girls and women, who are limited in going about their daily lives and barred from many activities that they previously were able to enjoy freely. As the Taliban continue to ban women from schools and universities, a new generation of young Afghan girls are left wondering what their future will look like. Recently underground school operations have opened up, taking place both virtually and in person, allowing many Afghan girls the ability to continue their education despite the repression, keeping hope alive in a society that faces deep political and societal challenges.

According to the Taliban’s Minister for Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, women are not allowed to go to school because they weren’t following the rules of how “proper ladies” should act in a public setting, including not adhering to the Emirate’s strict dress code. However, this issue transcends the regime’s hijab policy. The Taliban use religion to justify their strict policies, arguing that it goes against Islamic principles to have girls and women go to school, even stating that the sciences as a whole are no place for them. The Taliban is able to impose its own interpretation of Sharia Law, the traditional Islamic legal code, which is known for including strict guidelines for how girls and women should live. Many professional Muslim scholars have rebutted the Taliban, asserting there is no justification for banning women from having an education, including that “gender-based denial of education has no religious justification.”

An Afghan girl in Oruzgan Province, John Scott Rafoss. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite these obstacles, women and young girls across Afghanistan are fighting for their rights not only to obtain a just education, but to be recognized as important parts of society and claim back their dignity and honor. In an effort to help girls achieve their dreams and achieve literacy, underground schools have started taking shape across the nation, even holding virtual classes. In order to keep an entire generation of young girls thriving, parents are finding alternative means, going as far as risking their lives to create a hidden education system that will serve as primary education and even providing university level courses for older students. One of the pioneer women behind this movement, Sodaba Nazhand, told The Associated Press that “when the Taliban wanted to take away the rights of education and the rights of work from women, I wanted to stand against their decision by teaching these girls.”

While girls and women are able to pursue knowledge and obtain skills through these underground schools, there is much fear among family members and the students themselves, who know the consequences of getting caught disobeying the Taliban. Several of these schools are held virtually for safety and easier access, although not everyone has access to electronics or wifi. Taliban rule has led to widespread poverty across Afghanistan, leaving families and individuals unable to support themselves economically, making internet access unattainable for many. Some schools have even begun to be held in person, as houses become secret classrooms. Nafeesa is a young girl that attends an underground school in her small, rural village in the Eastern part of the country. When asked by reporters how she is able to get away with attending a secret school, she said that “Boys have nothing to do in the kitchen, so I keep my books there. If my brother comes to know about this, he will beat me." Despite the fear that she feels in going against rigidly enforced new social norms, Nafeesa and many others continue to defy the status quo to make a better future for themselves, using education as a portal to freedom.

TO GET INVOLVED

Women For Women International - Women For Women has created an Afghanistan program to help women in the nation discover their power and ways they can pursue a brighter future ahead. For more info, click here.

Malala Fund - Malala Yousafzai has created an Afghanistan fund that provides on-the-ground support to help young girls access education. To learn how you can donate, click here.

Having obtained a MA in International Policy, Kimberly seeks to bridge the gap between global development and government legislation. Growing up between the United States and Spain, she believes that travel is the best way to discover yourself and understand the world. Her goal is to promote a deeper awareness of the effects of climate change in society and politics.

Racism in the Fantasy Genre

March 14, 2023

How real stereotypes get pulled into fictional worlds.

Universal Studios - Diagon Alley - Gringotts Money Exchange - Goblin, jared422_80, CC BY 2.0

Gino Boccasile (1901-52) Jewish Bolshevik defending America New York Statue of Liberty, Gino Boccasile, CC BY-SA 4.0

On the left is a goblin from Harry Potter. Like all Harry Potter Goblins, he is known primarily for three things; his big nose, his slightly crummy personality, and his job at Gringotts, the underground bank that controls all of the money in the Wizarding world. On the right is an early 20th century anti-semitic piece of propaganda. Rather than acknowledge the disturbing similarities between their goblins and anti-semitic tropes, the Harry Potter team has decided to double down. On February 10, 2023, the video game Harry Potter Legacy was released, at one point attaining over 1.2 million simultaneous viewers on the Twitch video streaming platform, the most by any single player game ever. The focus of the game is a goblin rebellion taking place in the 1890s.

Orc, Wesnoth community artists of all Wesnoth Portraits, CC BY 3.0

For a genre known for its creativity, fantasy novels and games have a concerning trend of modeling their characters after racial stereotypes. In J.R.R Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings the intrinsically evil race of orcs were formed by the first Dark Lord Morgath. Tolkein described these Orcs as “squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes… degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types.” Elves, in comparison, were the first race created by the supreme god, are immune to illness, and, in the right conditions, functionally immortal. Tolkein’s novels and the early 2–’s film trilogy depict the elves as very pale, tall, and skinny, the classic European beauty standard. J.R.R. Tolkein is considered the grandfather of the fantasy genre. Hundreds of later creatives would go on to include his racial concepts in their books and games.

Half-Orc Barbarian, mephiston_l, CC BY-NC 2.0

Worldwide approximately 13.7 million people play Dungeons and Dragons, the world’s most popular role playing fantasy game. In this game racial differences are categorized and used to full effect. Half-Orcs, a clearly nonwhite mix between a human and an Orc, used to have a -2 debuff to intelligence, and currently are still frequently treated with mistrust by fellow players. Tieflings, infernal humanoid beings, canonically live in the very poor parts of human cities, where their backstories often must start.

However, it is not just racial stereotypes that are problematic, it also is the idea of race in fantasy as a whole. In Dungeons and Dragons, who your character is, what they are interested in, and what they are good at is largely dependent on your race. If a player so desires they can break these stereotypes, and, for example, create a half-orc Wizard, a class that relies mainly on intelligence. Although, even in these cases, characters usually fall into the “exception rule,” where they just manage to individually transcend the “flaws” of the rest of their race.

Toronto: book stacks at Toronto Reference Library, The City of Toronto, CC BY 2.0.

One of the best ways for things to change is to introduce new voices. Yet, between 1950 and 2018, 95% of fiction books written in the United States were by white authors. Since 2018 it hasn’t improved much. Recently, the publishing giant Penguin Random House found that 75% of the American authors it publishes are still white. This same racial disparity exists in fantasy role playing games as well.

Eugene Marshall is one of these new voices. In his new Zine, he proposes replacing the mechanic of “race” in Dungeons and Dragons with “Ancestry and culture." Ancestry would determine who your character’s parents are and what physical traits they passed on, such as height and the ability to see in the dark. Culture would determine the society you were raised in, and the traditions that society upheld. While it's not perfect, resources and authors like this provide a concrete step in the right direction.

Reversing Climate Change One Smallholder Farm at a Time

March 14, 2023

If the world's smallholder farms used sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, they could bring us 53% of the way to meeting the United Nations’ net-zero carbon goals.

A hillside slashed and burned, degrading the soil, destroying wildlife habitats and releasing carbon stores into the atmosphere. Adam Cohn CC 1.0

This past February, I worked alongside Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) and their field trainers in Penonome, Panama. SHI is a non-profit organization that opened its doors in 1997 and operates predominantly in Central America, addressing slash-and-burn agriculture, rural poverty, and their connection to climate change.

The Link Between Slash and Burn Agriculture and Rural Poverty

Slash-and-burn agriculture is practiced by 500 million farmers globally. In fact, 20%-30% of deforestation is estimated to be caused by it, directly resulting from a lack of educational opportunities and resources. Similarly, 3.1 billion people worldwide live in poverty, many starving on land ready and available to be farmed. Looking at these issues as one, we’re faced with poverty in rural places and environmental degradation being unavoidably and intrinsically linked.

A smallholder farmer raises fish and livestock or cultivates crops in a limited capacity. In the developing world, a smallholder farm is typically family-owned, and most cultivate less than 5 acres of land. If all 6 million smallholder farmers had the knowledge and training to implement regenerative and sustainable techniques, they wouldn’t have to worry where their next meal was coming from or if their land was healthy enough to be passed from generation to generation. Farmers would no longer have to walk miles to find ground healthy enough to plant for a single season, forced to move further to the following plot the following season. They would have enough food to sustain their families and communities during, for example, a global pandemic—and sell their organic produce at the market for a living wage. Their food would double as medicines, healing bodies from the inside out and healing the soil at once.

What if being able to farm this way simultaneously drew 6 billion tons of carbon from the atmosphere into nutrient-rich soil—the equivalent of shutting down every coal mine? Then, imagine it only costs ~$5,000 for a smallholder farmer to experience and create this transformation.

Many farmers are left with some of the most difficult to cultivate land. They take advantage of the mountainous terrain with terracing. Raeann Mason

Even in the dry offseason, a skilled farmer tends to crops growing on a lush, terraced hillside. Raeann Mason.

Sustainable Harvest International

This is where Sustainable Harvest International comes in. It began as Florence Reed’s dream to mobilize her knowledge, and the knowledge of others, to heal our planet and its people and reverse the effects of climate change through agriculture. As of today, more than 3,200 farmers have been through the SHI program, planting over 4M trees, regenerating over 26K acres of previously degraded land, and building more than 2K clean wood-conserving stoves. And they’re only just getting started. SHI is working tirelessly to scale its programming; by 2030, its goals are to

transform 1 million farms
plant 1 billion trees
sequester 18 million tons of CO2
regenerate 8 million acres of land
achieve food security for 5 million people

I learned quickly that SHI isn’t interested in promises of “going net zero” or slowing the rate at which the atmosphere is warming through offsets. Instead, they work directly with smallholder farmers to prevent more destruction and undo the damage already done in their lives, their land, and the planet’s climate; their work goes beyond sustainability— it’s regenerative.

Sustainable Harvest International’s Field Trainers demonstrate how to use the wind to separate rice husks. Raeann Mason.

A farmer explains how his terraces are braced with grass to prevent runoff. Raeann Mason

How It Works

With Sustainable Harvest International (SHI), farmers commit to learning new methods and receive hands-on tactical training and education. Each program phase lasts around one year, taking 4-5 years and ~$5,000 to complete. SHl hires local field trainers with sustainable and regenerative agroforestry training, local history and insight, and agricultural experience.

A farmer shares the pictures she drew of her farm in the present day compared to what she hopes her farm will look like by the end of the program. Image courtesy of Sustainable Harvest International.

The Phases

During phase one, farmers and field trainers dream together, planning and plotting how much of their land they’re willing to commit to learning new techniques, discussing long-term goals and drawing a picture of what they hope their degraded land will look like by the end of the program. I was so moved by the hope these colored-pencil drawings provide, and when the program is over, they stand as a testament to the process—how much work it took and how effective it was.

Phase two is about learning new practices, focusing on health and nutrition for the body and the soil. Many of the people I met were subsistence farmers, which means they were growing food to meet their immediate needs to survive; no working farm=no food. When we talk about making changes in our life for the sake of our planet—riding a bike to work, ditching single-use plastics—most of us aren’t faced with the fear that if it doesn’t work out, our ability to survive, for our families to survive, is at risk. This is why when I say these smallholder farmers are the closest people I’ve met to real-life superheroes, I’m not exaggerating. They’re willing to put it all on the line to make a change, not just for themselves but for you and me. Despite years of slash-and-burn tradition and generations of methods passed down, they’re choosing to take the risk on something unknown. They’re choosing to heal our planet. Witnessing this posture of vulnerability, I was forced to grapple with the level of my own (un)willingness to sacrifice and risk-take for the sake of humanity and our shared planet.

A farmer cuts the stalk of a plantain tree for composting. Raeann Mason

Farmers in Panama learn to make “ensalada de vegetales,” in English, “vegetable salad,” which is nutrient-dense compost. Raeann Mason.

I was also struck by SHI’s commitment to maintaining and supporting farmer autonomy, allowing them to choose the type of crops to grow throughout the program. All the farms I visited had a different layout, each an oasis of its own right, with different visions and hopes to meet the families’ needs. Farmers are trained to understand the adverse effects monocropping has on biodiversity and are eager to grow crops ranging from cacao trees, pigeon pea shrubs, herbs and spices, peppers, cucumbers, rice, coffee, yucca, yams, plantains and so much more. One farm, in particular, was set in the trees, a forest of life-giving foods hidden in plain sight, masked by the assumption that farms don’t look like rainforests.

Chocolate growing, hidden in plain sight. Raeann Mason

Phase three shifts gears from subsistence farming and scales to commercial education and training, which centers on environmental stewardship. Here again, I saw how SHI goes above and beyond the work of typical non-profits. Farmers find themselves with an abundance to sell, and the focus on land restoration and conservation begins to turn the heads of neighboring farmers. The farm starts to take care of itself, money earned allows farmers to thrive, and regenerative practices keep the soil nutrient dense for every growing season. Many farmers will choose a select few crops to grow commercially beyond what they grow for themselves. I saw lots of coffee being produced for this, but instead of a flat field of endless rows of coffee under manufactured shade, the crop was planted alongside plantain trees and corn, scattered about the farms and tucked within treelines; everything felt native.

Phase four is all about business development and micro-finance. The farms I worked on in phase four allowed me to listen and learn in the place of laborious volunteer work. Farmers have been relishing the benefits of adopting regenerative practices during this phase. Their history with the land, the tactical support and guidance of SHI’s field trainers, and the confidence from seeing the literal fruit of their labor meant as a volunteer, there was little I could bring to the table aside from profound respect. There’s an indescribable excitement on farms in this phase, or perhaps it’s being able to sense the weight of living in survival mode lifted.

An SHI stove featured in a farmer’s kitchen set up next to the typical stove, which is the pile of rocks in the lower right corner. Raeann Mason

Demetrio dries coffee beans in the sun. Raeann Mason

In phase five, farmers reach that inevitable state of being a community leader and graduate from the program. Graduation is more of a celebration than a formal affair because by now, the farmers and SHI field trainers are like family—bonding through fear, hope, sweat, body aches and success, freedom and trust hard earned. Some farmers go on to work for SHI as field trainers, and others are hired as consultants within their own communities because their farms can be sustained with much greater ease, while others become the experts in their communities which neighbors look to for advice.

Volunteers take a break from leveling a rice paddy. Kate Herndon.

While most of my time with SHI was spent getting my hands dirty on projects like terracing and planting rice paddies, there was one farm I visited that graduated from the program a decade ago. It was time to size SHI up against the truest test: time. Too often, I see organizations with good intentions come in like a storm, ask people to radically change their methods, and dash once the program is over. But a decade later, Demetrio, the field trainers, and even the founder of SHI, Florence Reed, greeted each other as old friends on a farm resembling a lush oasis or eco-wildlife resort. Demetrio has become so successful with his farm that he’s now hired as a consultant in surrounding communities. He’s a true testament to the effectiveness of the SHI program—friends, community members, and SHI field trainers consider him a bit of a legend because he has been able to grow strawberries on his farm in the mountains of Penonome—something considered impossible for that region. He also attested that during the last government-led health audit, his family walked away with a clean bill of health while neighboring farmers practicing monocropping and slash-and-burn techniques were hit with an onslaught of diagnoses and medications to manage due to a lack of nutrition; an issue SHI trained farmers don’t have to face to the same degree.

Farmers are trained to take advantage of their hilly plots of land by growing tilapia-fertilized and terraced rice paddies. Raeann Mason.

In fact, SHI offers more than tactical agricultural training. Aside from their commitments to climate action and ending and preventing poverty and hunger, SHI is committed to clean water access and sanitation. Many homes utilize unsafe, life-threatening cooking stoves. SHI has worked to increase the life expectancy of women by implementing a safer cooking stove that ultimately requires fewer resources. They also build composting latrines that provide cleaner, eco-friendly, and agriculturally beneficial alternatives to burying human waste. One farm learned to harvest clean, fresh spring water from the mountain top. Another family shared that what they learned about microfinance allowed them to spearhead a community funding program, training other farmers to manage their commercial endeavors and providing grants to help them get started.

An inevitable ripple effect is occurring in Central America, one that you can only understand by listening and learning. It’s always a humbling experience when someone signs up to volunteer, gets their hands dirty, does back-breaking work, and then has the luxury to leave that work behind. But in a more nuanced way, I understand it’s not volunteer work that is planting the seeds of healing, that it’s these smallholder farmers who are genuinely risking it all, making the lifestyle changes and healing the planet by their own hands. So what can we do to support them?

To Get Involved:

There are several ways to support the efforts of SHI. You can start by sharing this article in your network to help spread awareness. Most importantly, there are several ways to donate, including signing up for their Legacy or Sustainer giving programs. You can even see the impact of your donation and travel to a program site in Central America. They offer career opportunities and internships; you could join their mailing list here. Remember, it only costs $1,000 per year, for only 4-5 years, to completely transform a farmer's life and improve the health of our planet.

Ghana’s Cocoa Farmers are Trapped by the Chocolate Industry

Fighting to Keep Mexico’s Floating Farms Alive

Raeann is the Content and Community Manager at CATALYST, an avid traveler, digital storyteller and guide writer. She studied Mass Communication & Media at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism where she found her passion for a/effective journalism and cultural exchange. An advocate of international solidarity and people's liberation, Raeann works to reshape the culture of travel and hospitality to be ethically sound and sustainable.

8 Ways to Get Started with Activism

March 1, 2023

A guide to making social changes through small steps.

Many of us care deeply about social causes and would like to get involved in activism, but struggle to take the first step. Maybe we fear the time commitment and have other pressing responsibilities with work, family or friends. Or maybe it’s just intimidating. Here are eight ways to get started as a part-time activist. They are all relatively easy and a great way to, as Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.”

1. Commit Yourself to Learning

The simplest and most overlooked step to becoming an activist is learning. Through consuming media that promotes or educates on social causes, you can discover a cause you’re passionate about, find an activist group whose mission speaks to you, and learn about the people, animals, countries, social groups, and environment that you want to advocate for. Read nonfiction books, research online media such as journals, websites and podcasts, or even just explore social media accounts by searching through hashtags. This is the first step.

2. Donate

Realistically, economic activism is the bread and butter that allows activist groups to create change, so donating to a cause you’ve researched can make all the difference. More funding and economic investment usually means more social impact, although the relationship is not always linear. Funding keeps activists paid, operations smooth, and costs of office space covered and can also add credibility to a nonprofit's cause.

3. Volunteer

If you can’t make a monetary investment to social activist groups, make a physical investment. Many hands make light work, and volunteering is a perfect outlet that doesn’t require a large time commitment or an official position. Much like donations, the more volunteers an organization has, the greater its potential impact. Volunteering also has the unique benefit of uniting people that are passionate about the same cause, and so can create a strong sense of community around an issue.

4. Vote

Some consider voting a civic responsibility. D.H. Parks. CC BY-NC 2.0

Political theorists may argue civic responsibility, but for many activist groups voting is also a way to express satisfaction or dissent for policies that affect their missions. Voting can mean giving a voice to the causes of social activist groups. Activists vote even if they are not convinced of the power of their individual voices, because social activism derives power from a collective voice. Even a small number of votes can be the difference between starkly different policies.

5. Writing Letters of Dissent

Expressing disagreement with the policy of a company, the politics of a government official, or legislation in general, helps put public opinion in the forefront. Writing on behalf of a particular activist group or a general social action mission can better express the anguish or anger felt toward a particular policy. A letter can contribute to a general dissent toward a policy which could, then, lead to revisions in legislation and corporate actions that threaten the activists’ goals.

6. Political Activism

Find a political candidate, whether local or national, whose mission and policies align with your own beliefs and advocate for their voice with your own. Helping a political candidate share their message might involve volunteering for a voter drive, canvassing for the candidate in your neighborhood to support their campaign or increase grassroots fundraising, or conducting phone calls to personalize the policies of the candidate to their constituents. Through political activism you can promote a candidate whose policies will truly make a difference in your life, your community and beyond.

7. Passive Activism: Petitions and Social Media

Passive activism often means supporting a cause through signing online petitions or using social media to like, post or repost, hashtag, or comment on a post that advocates for social change. While critics deride this form of advocacy as the easiest and, consequently, laziest form of activism, passive activism can build exposure and boost viewership for nonprofits, activists, and candidates. And it's how many more “active” activists get their start.

8. Protests

Amnesty International’s Refugee Day Rally against Britain’s asylum policy. Lewishamdreamer. CC BY-NC 2.0

Before any part-time activist can protest, they need to find a protest relevant to their desired cause and in a not-too-distant location. You can find local protests through the social media platforms of your city’s local government and more specific organizations. The Twitter and Facebook pages of activists and nonprofits in particular can serve as the social media catalysts for protest. Finding a protest also means checking up on the websites of your favorite activist groups under an “Events” tab, where such groups typically post protest dates and locations for protests. Some local governments even have protest calendars on their websites.

Nonprofits and Activist Organizations to Donate to or Volunteer for:

Climate Change

Sustainable Harvest International: Addresses climate, biodiversity, forest and soil restoration and human health in relation to the environment
Environmental Defense Fund: Addresses climate, energy, ecosystem, ocean, and health issues in relation to the environment
Sunrise Movement: Youth political action organization whose mission is to stop climate change and create jobs
Extinction Rebellion: Global pro-environment movement that uses nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action on climate change and environmental protection

Human Rights

International Rescue Committee: Uses donations to fund global humanitarian aid
Amnesty International: UK-based global movement to end abuses of human rights
World Central Kitchen: Provides meals on the frontlines of humanitarian, climate, and community crises

Racial Justice

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP): Promotes civil rights and advocates for Black voices to end race-based discrimination
Black Lives Matter: A global organization dedicated to ending violence against Black people and racial injustice, and promoting the prosperity of Black communities

Women’s Issues

The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network: Anti-sexual violence organization that provides victim services, raises awareness about sexual violence and works to achieve justice for survivors
Malala Fund: International nonprofit that fights for girls’ education by investing in education activists and holding global leaders accountable

Global Health

Doctors Without Borders: Mostly donation-based medical humanitarian project dedicated to caring globally for communities in danger
Partners in Health: International nonprofit that partners with local governments to bring medical care to poor areas

LGBTQ+ Rights

The Trevor Project: Provides and utilizes crisis services, peer support, LGBTQ activism, research, and public education efforts to end suicide for LGBTQ youth.
Ali Forney Center: Offers services like job readiness training, support, and shelter for homeless LGBTQ in New York to protect them from the dangers of homelessness

Veteran

Wounded Warrior Project: Provides programs and services to injured veterans, including mental health care, rehabilitative care and career counseling

Su is a first year student at Columbia University majoring in creative writing. Her love for the power of words and her connection to her Turkish roots spills into her satire, flash fiction, and journalistic pieces among other genres. Su hopes to continue writing fearless journalism, untold stories, and prose inspired by her surroundings.

A Grassroots Youth Movement Is Changing the Political Narrative in Peru

February 28, 2023

Recent political instability in Peru has resulted in violent uprisings led by the nation’s youth, who are fed up with longstanding corruption.

Protesters Take the Streets in Lima, Peru CC BY-SA 4.0

Over the past few months Peru’s political system, and especially its President Dina Boluarte, have come under the scrutiny of protestors demanding fair and just elections. A country that ranks 101 out of 180 on the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Peru is categorized as one of the nations with the most public sector corruption. Facing regional criticism with polarization, impeachment threats, and violent manifestations across the country, Peru’s current turmoil is opening a path towards a new Peruvian identity for young citizens who wish to set their nation on a different course. Seeking democracy and transparency, a group of Peruvian students are increasing awareness of structural changes that they feel must take place in their country.

Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was arrested in January 2023 after an attempted coup from above, resulting in the ascension of the then Vice President Dina Boluarte to head of state. Many citizens, however, especially those outside of the capital Lima, felt that this was an attack on their freedom because there was no democratic input in the transition. Throughout the pandemic Peru suffered an economic downturn that reduced access to basic services, especially for health care and education. Triggered by the political unrest, civilians have since taken to the street in violent anti-government protests, demanding that their nation allow transparent elections and eliminate elite privilege.

Demonstrations at Plaza Manco Capac following the Ayacucho massacre CC BY-SA 4.0

Peru’s youth have been key to these protests, taking a stand and raising their voices to demand what they view as a better future free of corruption with access to quality basic services. Creating their own slogan, #TheyMessedWithTheWrongGeneration, Peru’s younger population warns authorities that they will not rest, and plan on continuing the fight for an end to systematic dishonesty and fraud. Considered a grassroots movement, the non-partisan group is gaining momentum as even some among the older generations feel that the current government no longer represents them and that their country deserves better. One activist in the movement, a 33-year-old publicist named Diego Cruz, gave the following statement to reporters at a march, “It’s not just one generation marching here, it’s everyone, because we feel outraged that [congress] is carving up the country.”

The youth movement also demands university reform, adherents arguing that access to college is not possible for everyone, especially those that live in rural communities far from the cities. Politicians and traditional political analysts mistook the youth’s dissatisfaction of the old ways for political apathy, a supposition which has now proven woefully false. Members hope that their movement can pave the way to a better, more transparent Peru. It remains to be seen whether they will achieve this.

5 Ways AI Will Revolutionize Travel

February 14, 2023

AI is changing the way travelers make decisions through personalized features ranging from customer service to travel planners.

AI is changing global travel. Mike MacKenzie. CC BY 2.0.

Imagine 10 years from now, you feel like setting out on a journey. With a few taps on your device you scroll through a customized list of the best travel destinations tailored to your interests, budget, and preferences. After picking a destination you press a button that automatically reserves all the hotels, restaurants, and tickets to the tourist spots along the way. A smart application secures the best flight deal, leaving you to simply pack your bags and prepare for a personalized and extraordinary travel experience.

New digital technologies have greatly impacted the travel industry in recent years, from online platforms for homestays and transportation to travel suggestions. With the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT in various aspects of travel, traveling will grow less stressful, more convenient, and more personal. As the world of travel resuscitates from a hiatus caused by the pandemic, the future of AI-powered travel will open the door to boundless possibilities. Here are five ways AI could revolutionize the travel experience.

Personalized Travel Planner

Designing a highly personalized travel plan with multiple features powered by AI is a growing trend for travelers around the globe. Yearning for a more authentic cultural experience beyond standard hotels, crowded tourist areas, and the overpriced local specialty, one-third of international travelers nowadays are interested in using digital assistants for travel research and booking. These individuals are also actively searching for information on hotels, flights, and destination activities online. Apps such as Booking, Expedia, and Hopper are reaping growing profits through their users by providing a one-stop shop for flights, car rentals, cruises, and other services

With AI algorithms able to analyze vast amounts of data and make predictions about travelers’ requirements, a personalized travel planner could provide recommendations for flights, accommodations, and activities based on a traveler’s specific needs. These platforms will allow users to input their information and leverage machine learning to generate a customized itinerary. Users have the ability to make edits and manage aspects of their trip as needed.

Organize Review

Online reviews play a crucial role in travel decision-making, particularly as an increasing number of travelers opt for an “impulse trip”. Enticing reviews with vivid descriptions of an “ideal adventure” can be a persuasive factor for potential customers. However, the use of generative AI such as ChatGPT in crafting reviews can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, fake reviews produced by AI undermine the authenticity and credibility of the user-generated aspect of travel as a market product. On the other hand, AI can also provide a solution to this problem. Companies like Magpie use AI tools to perform sentiment analysis, which allows them to identify emerging trends and adjust their search ranking algorithms accordingly.

Booking Assistant

You might be familiar with chatbot pop-ups on travel websites, where you can start a conversation with an AI assistant about the details of your journey. Booking flights and accommodations can be a challenging and time-consuming task as travelers sift through various flight fares and hotel prices in search of the best deal.

An AI-powered booking assistant can simplify this process by constantly monitoring and predicting fluctuating prices in the travel industry and finding the most cost-effective options. Travel and hospitality consulting firms, such as Altexsoft, have developed self-learning algorithms capable of forecasting future prices based on seasonal trends, demand growth, and special promotions.

To improve the accessibility and convenience of their real-time prediction for users, popular social media platforms such as Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber integrated chatbots that assist users throughout the booking process, offering a smooth and efficient experience. The deployment of chatbots on these widely used communication channels enables travel companies to reach a wider audience and provide more accessible support to customers.

Virtual Traveling

Bringing the world home might not be a distant dream with virtual reality (VR) technology. VR simulates an environment or three-dimensional space that users can interact with. With the personalizing features of AI, it is possible to create physically and emotionally immersive travel that is unique to each user without leaving the doorstep. After AI recommends the site according to your needs, companies like First Airlines can give you the options for immersive virtual reality travel “trips” to destinations like Hawaii, Rome, and Paris. You can enjoy first-class airline service with four-course meals and VR tours of the destination’s main sights. By using an interactive virtual experience that can accurately reproduce a real-world setting, tourists can gain a comprehensive understanding of a location before they visit it.

Enhanced Customer Service

AI chatbots have the potential to revolutionize customer service for travelers. These chatbots can provide real-time information and personalized assistance, such as helping travelers find their gate or answering a traveler’s questions about their destination. For example, according to Rajesh Naidu, senior vice president and chief architect at Expedia Group, their platform has generated 29 million virtual conversations, saving over 8 million hours of agent time. Some hotels, such as the Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki, already employ multi-lingual robots for check-in and checkout processing. AI-powered instant translation services can help travelers negotiate last-minute changes with accommodation hosts and rental car providers who may speak different languages. Furthermore, each interaction with AI improves the quality of future communications.

Artificial Intelligence is poised to transform the travel industry by providing a customized travel experience. Utilizing its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, make accurate predictions, and facilitate smart communication, AI-powered travel promises to be both more enjoyable and less stressful. As technology continues to advance rapidly, the future of travel looks brighter and brighter.

Rewriting the Code in Africa

Electric Planes: The Future of Air Travel?

OPINION: Why “Symbolic” European Monarchies Should Be Abolished

February 14, 2023

How European Monarchies help to cloak their country’s colonial past.

Queen Elizabeth 1957, Library and Archives Canada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The problem with symbolic monarchies is not the monarchs themselves. The late Queen Elizabeth was known for her steadfastness and dedication to her job. Eighty-five percent of people in Britain believe she was good for the country, and 87% think that she will be regarded as one of Britain’s greatest Monarchs. While not nearly as popular, a September 2022 poll suggests King Felipe VI of Spain is viewed positively by 56% of Spainiards.

Symbolic monarchies, whether ruled by someone good or bad, should be abolished because of the old imperialist powers they represent. Queen Elizabeth’s family ruled over an imperialist and colonialist Britain that denied freedom and self-government to millions of people around the world. In 1947, the same year Britain reluctantly granted India independence, the then Princess Elizabeth gave a speech on her 21st Birthday where, in reference to World War II, she claimed that “the British Empire has saved the world.” In 1948, a year later, the British governor of what is present-day Malaysia used brutal counterinsurgency tactics to fight communist national liberation uprisings. In 1952 in Kenya, to fight the anti-colonial Mau Mau insurgency, Britain created detention camps in which its agents tortured tens of thousands of people.

The British Empire 1921, Vadac., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1953, Elizabeth became the Head of the new British Commonwealth, a neo-colonialist rebranding of the old Empire. Over the next 50 years, she would reign over the destabilizing and messy decolonization of Yemen, Cyprus, Apartheid South Africa, Jamaica, Hong Kong, and more. These poorly planned and often hasty withdrawals have left traumas of their own.

These atrocities are not directly the fault of Queen Elizabeth. She was Britain’s symbolic leader, not its head of government. She was also not blameless. Even if she did not outwardly condone them, many of Britain’s worst atrocities were committed in her name. While Britain was decolonizing, Queen Elizabeth spent years touring the “nations of the Commonwealth,” putting a smiling face on Britain’s remaining colonial Empire and glorifying its imperialism.

It is not just Britain. The Bourbons, the current Spanish ruling family, has been on the throne since the 1700s. They have overseen the murder of thousands of Indigenous peoples, and the violent decolonizations of Latin America, the Philippines, Spanish holdings in Africa, and more. This is not to say Spain's current King, Felipe VI, who was crowned in 2014, is responsible for his ancestors’ actions. However, to have the descendants of such bloody tyrants still on the throne is an direct affront to the nations their ancestors colonized, who must still bear the fallout of European imperialism.

Armada Galleas, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Royal families are stubborn remnants of an imperial past, granting titles and privileges so ingrained in society that they are codified into law.

In a modern democratic nation, there is no place for monarchs or royal families. The Age of Empires is over. It's beyond time to let their monarchies die with them.

8 Independence Days Around the World

The Long Road Home: Should Western Museums Repatriate Artifacts?

Earthquake in Turkey and Syria: What This Means for Regional Development

February 14, 2023

In the early hours of February 6th, Turkey and Syria were struck by a destructive earthquake that will have lasting implications for living standards.

Hatay, Turkey, 9 February 2023. CC BY 2.0

In the early morning of February 6, southeastern Turkey was hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, running all the way through most parts of Syria. About 9 hours later another 7.5 quake rocked the Turkey-Syria border, with over 200 aftershocks recorded. The seismic phenomena have left over 33,000 dead, a number that is expected to rise, buildings turned to rubble, and a region on the brink of developmental disaster. Survivors have been left homeless in the streets in sub-freezing temperatures with no access to food or water, struggling to find their loved ones amid the remains.

Sitting on the Anatolian plate between two major faults - the North Anatolian Fault and the East Anatolian Fault - Turkey is vulnerable to strike-slip seismic activity. The main earthquake that occurred on Tuesday morning had its epicenter in the city of Nurdaği, located in the Gaziantep province, which is home to many Syrian refugees who have escaped that country’s Civil War. A developing nation, Turkey struggles to implement legitimate housing laws that keep buildings up to safety standards. The nation’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has reported that poorly enforced regulations played a role in making earthquakes so damaging, as buildings quickly collapsed due to their already vulnerable state. In Syria 11 years of conflict have made it nearly impossible to enforce building standards, and most cities already host vulnerable living conditions, the war leaving buildings and areas unstable and unprepared for seismic activity.

What are the long-term implications of such natural disasters on this region of the world? Sitting on such an active fault line, with Syria to the south on the Arabia Plate Tectonic, Turkey and its neighbor could experience more quakes. Buildings which have not collapsed from this earthquake are at risk if there is any more seismic activity. At the moment Turkey and Syria both face a deep humanitarian crisis, and will soon have to come up with the money to rebuild. Turkey, already facing a turbulent economic situation, must now spend billions of dollars in a rebuilding project, combined with upcoming elections on May 14. The nation’s economic growth for 2023 could now be up to 2 percentage points less, leaving the nation behind in its development goals.

President Erdoğan has continued to threaten Syria’s Assad regime on political matters, which include his habitual threats to attack Kurdish groups in the northern part of Assad’s domain. However, both nations have agreed to offer each other diplomatic assistance and aid after this disaster, and accept international help for the wellbeing of their citizens. This type of earthquake diplomacy is also paving the way for other states with bilateral tensions, such as the United States and Russia, to collaborate with one another and assist Turkey and Syria for the sake of supporting human life and future development in the region.

TO GET INVOLVED:

UNICEF is accepting donations and financial contributions to help on-the-ground volunteers get aid to children and families affected in both Turkey and Syria. For more information on getting involved, click here.

Save the Children is accepting donations to help surviving children receive food and shelter. To get involved, click here.

CDP has opened a Recovery Fund to help in the reconstruction of buildings in Turkey and Syria, as well as provide aid and resources for survivors. To donate, click here.

Life is Getting Harder For LGBTQ+ in China

February 13, 2023

China has had its reservations about the LGBTQ+ community in its recent history, but under Xi Jinping’s rule only traditional heterosexual values are accepted.

Shanghai Gay Pride 2009. Kris Krug. CC BY-SA 2.0

The LGBTQ+ community has never had it easy in China — from constant surveillance and intimidation to censorship and even police detention, the community has been met with constant repression.

There was a period in the early 2000s, however, when it seemed as if things might have been changing. Gay clubs were flourishing, and there was a feeling of acceptance that came along with increased social services. Those days are gone, and the reality has become quite different under the rule of President Xi Jinping as China slowly becomes a more conservative country.

But it hasn’t always been like this. While many believe heterosexual traditions have been a hallmark of Chinese culture throughout history, this was not the case before the 19th century: centuries ago homosexuality wasn’t just accepted, but celebrated. One text entitled, “Passions of the Cut Sleeve” depicted an emperor and a servant sharing a bed. The emperor wanted to get out of bed, and to avoid disturbing the servant’s sleep, the emperor cut the sleeve the servant was resting on. While this act could be interpreted differently, the standard interpretation is that it was done out of love.

This work was celebrated by scholars and is proof that the intolerance of homosexuality has never been a traditional aspect of Chinese culture. But when Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong rose to power later on in the 20th century, there was a sudden shift in attitude.

LGBTQ Flag. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - PNNL. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

He encouraged China to embrace modernity. That meant exposing the country to Western culture, which also included exposure to Western concepts of sexuality and, therefore, Western homophobia. Mao imported the notion that homosexuality was an illness and that same-sex attraction was a mental disorder that needed to be cured. Up until 1997, men caught engaging in homosexual acts could be persecuted with charges of “hooliganism,” a crime that that offended against public order.

Today being gay is not illegal in China, but that doesn’t mean the negative stigma around homosexuality has changed. When Xi Jinping became president in 2012, the old Western-inspired values on what a family should look like have come to dominate society once again, to the point where the pressure to remain in the closet became almost unbearable.

There are many people in the Chinese LGBTQ+ community who refuse to fake their “straightness” and have therefore left their homeland. This is known as “sexual migration” and mostly occurs due to both external and internal pressures.

Internet platforms have also stepped in to enforce the party line. The popular TV show “Friends” had a plotline involving main character Ross’ lesbian ex-wife which has been censored in China, along with any other mentions of the LGBTQ+ community and sex. The gay-dating service app Grindr has also been removed from China’s Apple app store.

China is growing more suspicious and even hostile to homosexuality, labeling it as a “Western influence.” Being bisexual, gay, or trans is ironically seen as a Western import and is increasingly not accepted. Homosexuality may have been decriminalized in 1997, but is still very much confined to the shadows.

Battling Air Pollution in Mongolia

February 11, 2023

Ulaanbaatar’s coal addiction is fueling a public health crisis

Smog impedes mountain view. Mongolia, 2010.. Einar Fredrikse.CC BY-SA 2.0.

Many associate Mongolia with a picturesque scene of snow-white sheep roaming the prairies and a chilly, crisp wind sweeping over Bogd Khairkhan Mountain. In sharp contrast to these images, the level of air pollution is 27 times more than the healthy level that the World Health Organization(WHO) recommends, with 687 micrograms or particulate matter per cubic meter invading the Land of the Eternal Blue Sky. Ganjargal Dembrel, a doctor from the northern part of Ulaanbaatar who responded to a house call, said he no longer “knows what a healthy lung sounds like,” with none to be found in his neighborhood, according to his interview with National Geographic.“Everybody has bronchitis or some other problem, especially during winter, ” he said. As Dembrel suggests, the severity of Mongolia’s air pollution is threatening the public health of the country in a way known as “slow violence.” Coined by Rob Nixon, a professor in the Department of Humanities and the Environment at Princeton University, the phrase refers to the adverse impact of climate change, deforestation, acidifying oceans, and other hazardous environmental crises on underprivileged or minority communities. According to Nixon, “slow violence” is largely invisible in the short term, but is detrimental over years, decades, and even centuries, solidifying environmental injustice in the worst-hit regions. The current situation in Mongolia is the case in point.

The primary cause of Mongolia's air pollution is its reliance on coal and other fossil fuels. Households in Mongolia depend on burning coals to remain warm during the winter season, which is the third coldest winter in the world: the temperature can fall as low as -40°F. F.

During the sub-freezing winter, research found that the residential district in Ulaanbaatar, known as the “ger”, burns around 600,000 tons of raw coal for heating purposes. The coal consumed by ger areas accounts for 80% of the current air pollution in the city. In addition, the geographic features of Ulaanbaatar accumulate the devastation of air pollution. High mountains surrounding Ulaanbaatar’s urban areas, which have lower wind speeds, block air pollutants from dissipation.

Home to 3.3 million people, Mongolia faces substantial challenges posed by the aftermath of its climate crisis. The fine particulate matter in the air of Ulaanbaatar contributed to 28.8% of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and lung disease. Among the impacted population, the children are the most vulnerable. The second leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 in Mongolia is pneumonia, a lung infection. In the highly polluted area of Ulaanbaatar, children have 40% lower lung function than their peers living in rural areas.

Studies have also found that pollution imposes a high risk to reproductive health. In January, the month of peak pollution, the amount of successfully delivered infants relative to conceptions in Mongolia was reduced by 3.2-fold. The alarming infliction of climate disasters hits the next generation of Mongolians hardest.

To reduce air pollution, governments, organizations, and individuals in Mongolia and around the world are taking action. The Mongolian government passed the “Law on Air Quality” in 2012, implementing policies such as subsidizing household electricity. It also bans raw coal starting in May 2019, replacing it with refined coal. Though not without pushback from weak municipal execution and economic depression, the overall situation is improving. Winter of 2019 saw a dramatic decrease of particulate matter by 2.5 falling 42% compared to the previous year. It remains to be seen whether these measures and others will be able to fully tackle Ulaanbaatar's pollution problem.

Non-profit international organizations such as Geres and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also partner with the government to mitigate the pollution. UNICEF is working with nongovernmental organizations on programs including training health workers’ skills and knowledge, increasing families’ access to affordable medication, and raising public awareness of the effect of pollution. Geres, a development NGO working in Europe, Africa, and Asia, coordinates projects such as the energy renovation of fragile housing in Ulaanbaatar that aims to eradicate the primary cause of air pollution.

The future holds promise for Mongolia as long as all parties involved take responsibility and work together to protect the environment and public health. Tackling air pollution is a shared responsibility for the government, international organizations, and individuals, and will require immense effort to transition to a more sustainable urbanization model for the traditionally nomadic nation.

To Get Involved:

The UNICEF Mongolia country office works in close partnership with the Government of Mongolia, NGOs, and local communities to protect child rights in Mongolia from access to resources to educate about the environment and air pollution. Find out more about UNICEF here.

Geres is working on multiple projects that contribute to sustainable, energy-efficient development in Ulaanbaatar and other major cities in Mongolia. Learn more about their program and how you can take action here.

Nomads of Mongolia

PODCAST: Delivering Clean Water Filters to Nomadic Peoples in Mongolia

BOOK REVIEW: Pachinko, A Korean Family Epic

February 1, 2023

Author Min Jin Lee follows a Korean family through years of hardship, interweaving true history to create an emotional and fascinating novel.

Pachinko, a bestselling book by Min Jin Lee, follows a Korean family through three generations and several countries. The 479-page saga begins with the teenage girl Sunja, who must leave behind her family in Korea to move to Japan. Sunja has gotten pregnant outside of marriage, and is presented with the option of marrying and moving to japan with a man who is not the father of her child. While this decision is heartbreaking for Sunja, as she must abandon everything she’s ever known, her other options are worse. Upon Sunja’s arrival in Japan, the novel focuses heavily on Sunja’s experience as a Korean woman living in Japan.

Additionally, the absent but wealthy and influential father of Sunja’s child looms large in the background of the story throughout the novel. The story transitions from Sunja’s experiences to those of her children and grandchildren while always staying focused on the major themes of familial relationships and Korean identity. By the novel’s end, Sunja is an older woman, and the reader will have followed her life as well as her children’s and grandchildren’s.

The incredible thing about Pachinko is how beautifully developed the characters are. It is a book that will bring you to tears multiple times as you genuinely feel like you know the members of this family. At the same time, it emphasizes crucial historical events through fiction—major, global historical events which affected millions—which are unfortunately rarely taught in American schools. Fiction can be an extremely effective mode for portraying the human experience compassionately, and Pachinko is undoubtedly an excellent example of that. Pachinko is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read and one that I would definitely recommend. It is an entirely immersive experience: a book nearly impossible to put down, as you feel like you are traveling with this family across space and time, through tragedies and exultations.

The TV adaptation of Pachinko premiered on Apple TV+ in March of 2022 and is available to stream there. The first season had eight episodes, and the show has already been renewed for a second season. While the novel unfolds in chronological order, the first season of the TV show shifts from Sunja’s perspective as a young woman to her grandson’s narrative as a young man, leaving the viewer wondering what has transpired in the many years between—questions that will undoubtedly be answered as the show progresses. Despite the differing structures, the show’s first season stays mainly true to the plot and events in the novel. The differences between the novel and the show make them both worth the read and watch, respectively, without the show straying too far from the author’s vision.

As noted, the true strength of Pachinko as a story is its characters. Throughout the book each character continues to surprise you while also staying true to the personalities that have been built. Min Jin Lee manages to keep the reader engaged and invested through three generations; while there are too many characters to count, they are all people the reader will care about. By building a narrative around a family—spanning about 70 years—the reader will truly feel a part of the story. It is immersive and emotionally compelling, never failing to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming simultaneously. The many threads created throughout come together in the end in a way that makes sense, and despite the enormity of the story, it never feels like the author has taken on too much. The book is complex and extraordinary, yet it still feels plausible and honest.

Rwanda's unwavering determination and spirit shine as a source of optimism for the rest of the world.

TO GET INVOLVED:

The causes and consequences of the illegal wildlife trade.

TO GET INVOLVED

From Australia to Bolivia, social movements are paradigms of collective power and triumphs of the human spirit.

1. Equality Australia, Australia

2. “Great March of Return” Protests, Palestine

3. EndSARS, Nigeria

4. India's Farmer Protest, India

5. Subway Fare Protests, Chile

6. Velvet Revolution, Armenia

7. “Slipper uprising”, Belarus

8. Wildfire protest, Bolivia

9. “Million-man March”, Sudan

As the mountain's snow melts, its ecosystem faces escalating pressures from tourism, climate change, and deforestation.

To Get Involved:

Germany, Austria and South Korea recycle 20% more trash than the US. Can they lead the US to a new era of recycling?

Germany

Austria

GET INVOLVED

Japanese birth rates are falling exponentially, and it could have major effects on the country’s economy.

RELATED CONTENT

A brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Chinese community in the 1930s had a lasting impact on the Russian Far East.

Where the worst affected are among the least culpable.

TO GET INVOLVED

The Taliban reconquest of Afghanistan brought an education ban for women and girls, but secret schools have emerged.

TO GET INVOLVED

How real stereotypes get pulled into fictional worlds.

If the world's smallholder farms used sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, they could bring us 53% of the way to meeting the United Nations’ net-zero carbon goals.

The Link Between Slash and Burn Agriculture and Rural Poverty

Sustainable Harvest International

A guide to making social changes through small steps.

1. Commit Yourself to Learning

2. Donate

3. Volunteer

4. Vote

5. Writing Letters of Dissent

6. Political Activism

7. Passive Activism: Petitions and Social Media

8. Protests

Nonprofits and Activist Organizations to Donate to or Volunteer for:

Climate Change

Human Rights

Racial Justice

Women’s Issues

Global Health

LGBTQ+ Rights

Veteran

Recent political instability in Peru has resulted in violent uprisings led by the nation’s youth, who are fed up with longstanding corruption.

AI is changing the way travelers make decisions through personalized features ranging from customer service to travel planners.

Personalized Travel Planner

Organize Review

Booking Assistant

Virtual Traveling

Enhanced Customer Service

How European Monarchies help to cloak their country’s colonial past.

In the early hours of February 6th, Turkey and Syria were struck by a destructive earthquake that will have lasting implications for living standards.

TO GET INVOLVED:

China has had its reservations about the LGBTQ+ community in its recent history, but under Xi Jinping’s rule only traditional heterosexual values are accepted.

Ulaanbaatar’s coal addiction is fueling a public health crisis

To Get Involved:

RELATED CONENT

Author Min Jin Lee follows a Korean family through years of hardship, interweaving true history to create an emotional and fascinating novel.

RELATED CONTENT: