The Drought in East Africa Continues.
"Despite knowing their environment well, people in the Turkana or Oromo regions of southern Ethiopia were unable either to predict or cope with the severity of the long drought. In Kenya, drought used to come every five years, and this region has always been food-insecure. Now drought seems endemic, and the local pastoralists' coping mechanisms are overwhelmed", writes Simon Roughneed on May 14, 2010. This devastating drought continues today and increases with catastrophic proportions for all species. The depth and severity of the droughts in the Horn of Africa are the outcomes of climate change today. As more carbon is released into the atmosphere globally snow covered mountains melt, rivers dry and rain ceases to fall. All of our lives depend on making annual steps towards an a 80% reduction in carbon emissions. A 5% reduction a year throughout, in efficiency, use, as well as increases in clean energy can make a world of difference. If we all take a step by step incremental approach throughout all aspects of the energy landscape we can achieve the goal and protect crucial habitat, thus reducing drought and famines in the long-term. I hope my photographs inspire some of you to help in restoring balance to the lives of at least a few of these needy children. Please donate to feed a child today Oxfam or Doctors with Out Boarders.
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| Coming to the end of the food line the healthier kids have to wait until the very end to eat. |
The problem is clear, lets discuss solutions. The destruction of crucial habitat due to climate change and the resulting droughts have led to serious threats of famine for over 12 million people. That is equivalent to fifty 2004 Tsunamis. Dry rivers and crop failure are now common place in East Africa and threaten both animal and human populations. This problem is not due to over population rather it is a systemic problem that is often a result of too little help too late and never addressing the fundamental foundational cause. The roots of the problem run very deep into the system of aid that began during the colonial era. If we instead combined food aid with local restorative sustainable development we may have a better long-term result. Much of this development can be paid for with clean development mechanisms that offset carbon in developed countries by purchasing clean development in developing countries. Population regulates itself in a well educated society that has the opportunity to live with dignity. More trees and more woman’s education result in less violence, fewer and healthier children who statistically build safer more balanced communities. Each reading education reduces population growth, infant death by a factor of 3 per capita.
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| A cup of food (corn or beans) will be the only meal of the day. Some of that cup full is often brought home to share with other family and elders. |
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We can save a life with food, we can save millions with carefully designed systemic sustainable development.
Three ways to save lives and the environment What kind of aid do you think has a positive effect throughout the system? Lets look at three things that make a world of difference to both the environment and the populations of animals and people living in that environment. Many solutions help reduce carbon emissions and poverty while increasing education and habitat. This type of aide begins to heal and change the system and create positive feedback loops that grow in good ways exponentially.
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| A wood fired pot that feeds 350 children in a Nairobi orphanage. I hear the coughing of the children who breath this smoke while taking this picture. |
Solar Stoves Solar stoves for example help reduce carbon emissions and poverty. Girls are not pulled from schools to go look for wood on dangerous roads, crucial habitat that also protects micro climates are not cut down. Children no longer are breathing wood smoke from cooking fires. Carbon emissions in the area are reduced by 75% while increasing education and habitat. Girls are now getting an education which in turn lowers birth rate, and infant death. Women who read teach their children to read. Education fosters sustainable development and healthier communities. That community might begin to manufacture ceramic water filters to share with other communities or begin to grow shade grown coffee which brings income and crucial habitat to birds. Within a short time the crime rate comes down as things return to natural environmental balance. A positive feedback loop has been created that provides positive effects for many years and reduces health risks and the need for food-aid overall.
LED Lighting and small solar Panels Education and life of dignity regulate population growth. Women with a reading education have on average 2.5 children. We can teach girls to read with targeted carbon reduction methods that also protect the environment. LED lighting and portable solar panels reduce the use of wood fires and provides light in the evening for children to read by and for women to make crafts to sell at market after the sun goes down. They can burn less wood fuel, which keeps girls off dangerous roads look for fuel and water. They then have more time to learn development skills that can increase their incomes.
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| A well added in the Maasai Mara five years ago has kept thousands of people alive. |
Clean Water Wells and Portable filtration systems. Even low tech ceramic water filters can provide clean water and cottage industries. There are many water projects in east Africa more than ever we need significant investment and technological achievement to address this problem en – mass. A well that was installed in the area where I have worked extensively has kept 2500 people alive with clean water. It was placed near a school so that girls could carry it home after their lessons. Mothers come to help cook school lunch and carry water back to the village. This successful project has made a world of long-term difference with an investment of under $20,000.
Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM’S) Clean Development mechanisms are development projects that are funded by those who have not achieved the technological ability to reduce emissions at home and so fund carbon reductions in other parts of the world. CDM’s reduce carbon emission and poverty at the same time. They often increase community, education percentages and habitat by their positive systemic effects. In the long term the trillions of dollars of carbon in the atmosphere could fund projects that would end hunger in our lifetime.
Food Aid is an important Band-Aid but not a solution. Food aid may be an important Band-Aid for crisis situations but there will be no end to the growing need for Band-Aids if we do not address the roots of the problem and make positive systemic changes. Development projects that are designed with the whole system in mind may be a more helpful use of much of the funding and reduce aid costs overall within five years. Aid that looks for the connections and effects throughout the system can be carefully designed to solve these systemic problems and create positive feedback loops that often provide economic development while protecting the environment and increasing dignity for those most effected by the threats of climate change.
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| When we look into the eyes of our brothers we know we are fundamentally looking at ourselves and we must respond. |
Your Personal Sustainability Goal. Lastly I believe each of us should make a personal sustainability goal and look into ways that we can individually reduce our emissions and design our lives to be of service to the world around us. We should try to restore systems as we give thanks for the resources they have provided. Please try to reduce your carbon emissions today and inspire those around you and in decision making positions to do the same. Each of us should leave a smaller footprint and we may find that in the end living with intention brings balance to our own psychic poverty’s. If we as individuals do not work toward a restorative economy that protects and builds a healthy environment we can not expect corporate entities and governments to. Desmond Tutu once told me, live by example, you wont believe the world of difference that can make.
