The Digital Divide is; information rich people who have easy access to computers and all the benefits that it provides while others are cut off from computers because of poverty, living in underdeveloped countries or rural areas without Internet access. In “Intermediaries: Bridges Across the Digital Divide”, written by Maung K. Sein and Bjorn Furuholt, both authors attempt to meet the digital divide by introducing Intermediaries. An Intermediary is an instructor who teaches underprivileged people how to read, write, and use computer technology. Sein and Furuholt list three vignettes of Intermediaries; Sengerema Telecentre (STC) in Mwanza region, Tanzania, Sea Boys Internet Café in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Kantor Pelayanan Terpadu (KPT, One-Stop Services) an e-government in the District of Sragen in Indonesia.
EcoPeace Middle East Environmental Peacemaking Newsletter
Friends of Earth Middle East.
Climate and Air Pollution
Smog over Shanghai
Although the United States is one of largest contributors to global warming, it appears that we were late in the game for initiating changes towards energy efficiency. By 2015 however, there have made substantial gains in modernizing power plants, reducing dependency on foreign oil, fuel economy standards, and doubling wind, solar, and geothermal energy. (The White House, 2015) Surprisingly though it was Japan, Europe, and Germany, who put forth the initial effort in energy efficiency and now it is time for the U.S. to do the same. (Turk and Bensel, 2014) Continue reading
Reinforcing the U.S.-Africa Partnership
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Three main greenhouse gases—CO2, CH4, and N2O—are rising because of human activities such as the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Resulting pollution is visible above Shanghai, China.
A study released by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2010 said; “Climate change is occurring and is caused largely by human activities and poses significant risks for and in many cases is already affecting a broad range of human and natural systems.” The climate will continue to change for decades as a result of past human activities but scientists say that the worst impacts can still be avoided if action is taken soon.
Warming has not been limited to the Earth’s surface; the Oceans have absorbed most of the heat that has been added to the climate system resulting in a persistent rise in ocean temperatures. Over time, the heat already absorbed by the ocean will be released back to the atmosphere causing an additional 1 °F of surface warming. In other words, some additional atmospheric warming is already “in the pipeline.”
Turk & Bensel, 2014
