Articles Comments

Dickinson to Durban » Entries tagged with "South Africa"

What do Apartheid, COP17, and Poverty Have in Common?

What do Apartheid, COP17, and Poverty Have in Common?

By Timothy Damon ’12 The answer: South Africa. Apartheid and COP17 may both have ended, but the effects of racism still continue to this day and climate change has only begun to manifest its seriousness. Poverty and unemployment, old problems, yet reign, as does the constant impact from HIV/AIDS.  It was against this backdrop that I experienced South Africa during the three weeks of our Mosaic. It was a trip that has left me with much … Read entire article »

Filed under: Environmental Justice, Environmental Politics, Mosaic Action, Student Research

Reversing the Cycle of Poverty

Reversing the Cycle of Poverty

By: Anna McGinn ‘14 While in the Valley of 1000 Hills, we witnessed the reality of poverty in rural South Africa. Children playing along the side of the highway, one room houses often with patched or collapsed roofs and crumbling clay walls, and outhouses next to most houses characterized the communities we travel through as we distributed food and clothes on behalf of the Makaphutu Children’s Village. The need is stark and the resources are scarce. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Environmental Justice, Mosaic Action

Day Two: Ahhh This is a Global Conference!!!!!

Elena Capaldi `14.  So having finally found my bearings today on the second day of the conference, like Esther posted, I now have noticed the nuances of attanding an international conference. While yesterday, i was simply overwhelmed hearing English accents in the same minute as a participant speaking Zulu, I now appreciate (and am less overwhelmed) by the diverse number of people here! This afternoon, for example, I caught a break outside sitting on a beautiful lawn and munching on a spicy vegetable sandwich. For some reason, it finally clicked in my brain that I am eating something totally new, from people totally different from me, in a land I’ve never been. The simple act of eating this meal reminded me of all the different foods I’ve seen and heard about … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Consumption, Student Research

It’s here! But are countries ready to negotiate and compromise?

It’s here! But are countries ready to negotiate and compromise?

By: Anna McGinn ’14 COP 17 begins on November 28, 7 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes and 35 seconds from now to be exact.  As exciting as it is that most of the countries in the world will be coming together once again to address the issue of climate change, I am not sure if the world is prepared to make an agreement which will have an impact, once again.  Looking a Kyoto alone, Bangladesh and the most … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics, Key COP17 Issues, Mosaic Action