Daily Archives: July 28, 2021

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No more silent cries! Thursday in Black campaign to end gender-based violence and child abuse continues tomorrow

Petchary's Blog

We have to continue speaking out on issues that concern us. A lot of these issues get forgotten about when they are no longer headline news – but it really needs to be a continuous reminder of what’s wrong in our society (whether people want to hear it or not). Advocacy must be consistent, and persistent!

So the Institute for Gender & Development Studies – Regional Coordinating Office (IGDS-RCO) at the University of the West Indies is requesting Jamaicans’ support and participation in their upcoming Thursday in Black Campaign to End gender-based violence (GBV). If you are on social media, do post and tag people and organizations, and spread the word.

This is an islandwide one-day campaign against violence against women and girls (VAWG), which came about in response to the recent incidents of femicide and other types of GBV directed at women and girls across Jamaica. The IGDS-RCO is…

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Bhutan has managed to execute one of the world’s fastest and most effective vaccination programs – The Washington Post

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The reclusive Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan managed to vaccinate 90 percent of its eligible population in a week, its Ministry of Health said Tuesday, making it one of the world’s fastest and most effective vaccination campaigns executed in the pandemic — after initially waiting for an auspicious day to start the drive.

The small nation nestled between India and China, managed to fully inoculate the eligible population with the second dose from July 20 to 26, with the help of more than 4,800 health workers across the country.

The successful distribution campaign in the country of nearly 800,000 inhabitants included a swift and early outreach by the government aided by a wide network of health workers and volunteers that helped deliver the coronavirus vaccines to small villages in hard-to reach rural areas. A proactive stance by top officials to tackle hesitancy and misinformation also proved key to their success.

Source: Bhutan has managed to executed one of the world’s fastest and most effective vaccination programs – The Washington Post

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They’re Called Containerboard Plants & They Stink – by Erin Brockovich and Suzanne Boothby – The Brockovich Report

“It was so strong,” says Courtney Beltz of Rock Hill, South Carolina, talking about when the stench first hit her town earlier this year. “The smell would wake us up in the middle of the night, even with the windows and doors closed. The smell of rotten eggs would permeate our home. Some people thought they had a gas leak. I first thought, ‘Did my cat have an accident? Did someone not flush a toilet?’”

For weeks, she and many other locals tried to figure out the cause of the mysterious stench.

The source turned out to be the paper mill. The New-Indy Containerboard paper mill in Catawba, South Carolina, to be exact. The company is owned by The Kraft Group and Schwartz Partners.

The hydrogen sulfate (H2S) emissions from the plant spread a foul odor into several counties at the border of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Catawba Indian Nation, causing physical harm to residents who have reported health issues such as headaches, coughs, burning eyes, and nausea.

Source: They’re Called Containerboard Plants & They Stink – by Erin Brockovich and Suzanne Boothby – The Brockovich Report

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​Just 5 Percent of Electric Plants Responsible for 73 percent of Power Sector Emissions – Yale E360

The highest-emitting power plant is in Rogowiec, Poland, a facility that produces 20 percent of the nation’s electricity but spewed 38 million tons of CO2 in 2018. Six of the 10 highest-emitting plants are in China and East Asia; two are in India; and two in Europe, including the Rogowiec facility.

Researchers calculated how much “super polluters” could reduce emissions by boosting their efficiency, switching to lower-carbon fuels, or adding carbon-capture technology. The found that boosting efficiency at hyper-polluting power plants would cut total global power sector emissions by 25 percent. Switching from coal to oil or gas would lower emissions by around 30 percent, while installing carbon capture technology would slash emissions nearly in half. The findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Source: ​Just 5 Percent of Electric Plants Responsible for 73 percent of Power Sector Emissions – Yale E360

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Opinion | Ben & Jerry’s Founders on the Company’s Israel Policy – The New York Times

In its statement, the company drew a contrast between the democratic territory of Israel and the territories Israel occupies. The decision to halt sales outside Israel’s democratic borders is not a boycott of Israel. The Ben & Jerry’s statement did not endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The company’s stated decision to more fully align its operations with its values is not a rejection of Israel. It is a rejection of Israeli policy, which perpetuates an illegal occupation that is a barrier to peace and violates the basic human rights of the Palestinian people who live under the occupation. As Jewish supporters of the State of Israel, we fundamentally reject the notion that it is anti-Semitic to question the policies of the State of Israel.

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‘It could be lost forever’: Community working on economic strategy to save Vancouver’s Chinatown – BC | Globalnews.ca

“We will find ways to get people to come back”: the community is forging ahead to try and make visitors feel safe again in Vancouver’s battered Chinatown.

Source: ‘It could be lost forever’: Community working on economic strategy to save Vancouver’s Chinatown – BC | Globalnews.ca

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Puerto Rico orders government workers to get vaccinated – The Washington Post

Puerto Rico’s governor announced Wednesday that all public employees must be vaccinated against the coronavirus starting next month as the U.S. territory reports a new rise in cases.

The executive order goes into effect Aug. 16 with few exceptions. Those who refuse to get inoculated will be required to submit a negative virus test weekly. If an employee refuses to get tested, they will be forced to use their vacation days and eventually may not be paid, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said.

“To finish defeating the pandemic, this is the step to follow,” he said. “Vaccination is the solution.”

Source: Puerto Rico orders government workers to get vaccinated – The Washington Post