The idea is to do for gold mining what the organic and fair trade movements are doing for food production.
“This is a sector that can transform itself,” says Lina Villa, who heads the Alliance for Responsible Mining in Medellín, Colombia. Her organization promotes techniques that cut back on mercury use, but don’t eliminate it altogether. Things like better storage and handling techniques can reduce accidents and toxic emissions, and miners who adopt them are eligible for a 10 percent bonus from Fairtrade and Fairmined.
“Miners are willing to change and to do things in a different way,” Villa says. “So once you have that evidence that change is possible, not embracing change doesn’t make sense.”
Click here for the entire story: “Colombia Sets Sight on ‘Green Gold’”
Colombia’s second largest city was once dominated by the drug cartel of Pablo Escobar. Violence in the city has decreased since those days, but crime remains high, as does the impact on Medellin’s young people. Which is why several groups in the city are determined to provide peaceful alternatives for young people through art and music.
In the past few years, Medellin, Colombia has seemingly been transformed from a blighted haven for drug trafficking to an award-winning place of smart urban design.
And the man who gets a lot of the credit for that transformation a mathematician turned politician. Hear Marco’s interview with the former mayor, Sergio Fajardo:http://ow.ly/ilNhv
Medellín’s Outdoor Escalator Part of Plan to Remake City
The Colombian city of Medellín was once the murder capital of the world and ground zero for Pablo Escobar’s cocaine cartel. But Medellín has lately emerged as a hotspot for urban planning and innovative mass transit. The projects are part of a long-term plan to fight poverty and remake the fortunes of the city.
(Source: theworld.org)
Today in The World Digest, we hear from John Otis on Bogota’s new mayor (and former leftist guerrilla) Gustavo Petro.
Also in TWD (who doesn’t like acronyms?!) Ben Gilbert reports on concerns about Tunisia’s new government which is now headed by the formerly-banned Islamist party called Ennahda.
Finally, what a would digest be without Elizabeth McGovern from Downton Abbey (insert excitement here) who talks about the new season? And, we have a story on Peter Frampton being reunited with his long lost guitar that he used in “Do You Feel Like We Do.”
(Source: soundcloud.com)
Hollywood film, “Whip It” starring Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page inspires a group of women Colombia to lace up their skates. Interested in starting your own roller derby? Then you definitely want to check out Bogota Rock and Roller Queens in action.
Big-butt ants… taste like day-old popcorn
