Equilibrium Interview
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Swine Flu
What is it?
The new strain is a combination of swine, avian (bird) and human influenza all rolled up into one deadly concoction.
The strain is named H1N1.
What is going on?
The World Health Organization has issued a "public health emergency" warning. This is because there is a worry that this strain may produce a pandemic.
Since March 2009 in Mexico over 1,000 people have been infected and up to 80 have died. It was when health authorities noticed the outbreak in the US that it became clear what was going on. So far, cases are concentrated in Mexico with cases in California and Texas and students in New York also infected. Students from New Zealand who were in Mexico were found to be carrying the virus, and have been quarantined. Montreal seems to have placed two people in isolation in a hospital after their visit to Mexico. Japan has started testing in airports .
The new strain is a combination of swine, avian (bird) and human influenza all rolled up into one deadly concoction.
The strain is named H1N1.
What is going on?
The World Health Organization has issued a "public health emergency" warning. This is because there is a worry that this strain may produce a pandemic.
Since March 2009 in Mexico over 1,000 people have been infected and up to 80 have died. It was when health authorities noticed the outbreak in the US that it became clear what was going on. So far, cases are concentrated in Mexico with cases in California and Texas and students in New York also infected. Students from New Zealand who were in Mexico were found to be carrying the virus, and have been quarantined. Montreal seems to have placed two people in isolation in a hospital after their visit to Mexico. Japan has started testing in airports .
How does it spread?
The way that other types of influenza do, through contact with those who have it. It can be transmitted from pigs to humans and from human to human. Human transmission is usually through coughing/sneezing or touching an infected person and then touching one's mouth or nose.
You cannot get it from eating pork.
What are the symptoms?
Flu like symptoms like aches, fever, lethargy and chills. Sometimes nausea and runny nose.
What to do if you fear you are in an area with an outbreak?
- Wash your hands well and often (especially before touching food or your face)
- Avoid busy public spaces.
- Go to get medical help as soon as symptoms appear, but remember there is no vaccine yet.
- The nightmare that is possible when fear and panic lead to indefinite quarantine have been fictionalized in Jose Saramago's Blindness.
- Follow the incidence of diseases worldwide on the HealthMap
- The Huffington Post has a piece about how to prepare for a possible pandemic of Swine Flu.
Books:
The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918
DVD:
Secrets of the Dead: Killer Flu
What are you doing for Earth Hour?
All team members at Equilibrium will be turning off anything on standby like computers, dvd players, TVs. But we do that anyway because we are vampire killers :)
We will also be turning off all our lights and enjoying our amazing solar powered LED Flashlights from SunNight Solar.
We will also be turning off all our lights and enjoying our amazing solar powered LED Flashlights from SunNight Solar.
We cannot stop gushing about these.. They need so little light to charge and they last and last and last... And not only that but you can buy one and have one (or more) sent to Gaza.
Here is some brief info on what is happening around the country.
Water
We had a tip from a reader, Simon Owens, that lead us to the World Water Day pages that Good magazine put together.. They re-imagined classic films that would be completely different had clean water not been available..They also have a disturbing but pretty chart that shows us how much water we waste in everyday activities from washing to eating a burger..Now have a look at this:
Happy World Water Day
...and boy do we need a day where water is brought to our attention.
"1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera); 90% are children under 5, mostly in developing countries." WHO
27 thousand people have been meeting to discuss water and the many crises that stem from its misuse, abuse and scarcity.
Water rights activists criticized the meeting saying:
Surfrider Foundation
"1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera); 90% are children under 5, mostly in developing countries." WHO
Water rights activists criticized the meeting saying:
"We demand that the allocation of water be decided in an open, transparent and democratic forum rather than in a trade show for the world's large corporations,"AFP
The meeting has unfortunately come out with a statement that calls water a 'need' rather than a 'right'... Both of which have different consequences for the world. Global Issues explains the problems for you.
ENN has more facts for you while World Changing has a roundup of Water news some of which are quirky and interesting, others more serious.The ICRC wants to ensure water for civilians caught in conflict zones.
Take a look at what one little boy (now a young man) did to get water to people in need: Ryan's Well
How can we help?
1- Stop wasting water - When we shower, brush our teeth, wash our cars, wash our floors, etc...
2- Filter our tap water and enjoy municipal water instead of bottled water that is in unhealthy/ eco-nightmare plastic anyway.
3- Avoid using chemical fertilisers, avoid disposing of things down the drain.
4- Get a waterless toilet system.
5- Insist that our representatives make clean affordable water a right for all, and that they have regulations to stop water waste and contamination.
6- Have a garden? Landscape the Xeriscape way
6- Help organizations that ensure clean water and water saving projects:
Charity:Water
Water Aid
NRDC
Water Partners
Conservation InternationalENN has more facts for you while World Changing has a roundup of Water news some of which are quirky and interesting, others more serious.The ICRC wants to ensure water for civilians caught in conflict zones.
Take a look at what one little boy (now a young man) did to get water to people in need: Ryan's Well
How can we help?
1- Stop wasting water - When we shower, brush our teeth, wash our cars, wash our floors, etc...
2- Filter our tap water and enjoy municipal water instead of bottled water that is in unhealthy/ eco-nightmare plastic anyway.
3- Avoid using chemical fertilisers, avoid disposing of things down the drain.
4- Get a waterless toilet system.
5- Insist that our representatives make clean affordable water a right for all, and that they have regulations to stop water waste and contamination.
6- Have a garden? Landscape the Xeriscape way
6- Help organizations that ensure clean water and water saving projects:
Charity:Water
Water Aid
NRDC
Water Partners
Surfrider Foundation
Things to See
Equilibrium team members were out to explore the exhibitions taking place in Kuwait this week and we liked what we saw:
The KASA Exhibition at the Corniche Club showcases some impressive design projects from the Kuwait Architectural Students Association.
We loved seeing the sustainable designs students came up with. Great work!
It will be on till the 20th of March so go encourage our new generation of designers and architects and artists.
It will be on till the 20th of March so go encourage our new generation of designers and architects and artists.
Here are some photos:
We also enjoyed the Exhibition about the 'Quest for Water in Kuwait' and 'Ma' Sabil' presented by Dar Al-Athar and held at the American Hospital.
If you love vintage photographs of old Kuwait and are history buffs you will like the exhibition. Its not flashy and its not high tech but its interesting.
That is going on till the 27th of March.
If you love vintage photographs of old Kuwait and are history buffs you will like the exhibition. Its not flashy and its not high tech but its interesting.
That is going on till the 27th of March.
Water being delivered in the old town
The first Desalination Plant
News from the Edge
"The risk posed to mankind and the environment by even small changes in average global temperatures is much higher than believed even a few years ago" AFP
"Icecaps around the North and South Poles are melting faster and in a more widespread way than expected ... Arctic sea ice has decreased to its lowest level since satellite records began" The Times
"New evidence of the far-reaching effects of global warming in the polar regions has emerged from the scientific explorations of International Polar Year 2007-2008. Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level." ENS
"Icecaps around the North and South Poles are melting faster and in a more widespread way than expected ... Arctic sea ice has decreased to its lowest level since satellite records began" The Times
"New evidence of the far-reaching effects of global warming in the polar regions has emerged from the scientific explorations of International Polar Year 2007-2008. Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level." ENS
E-Waste and A Detective Story
E-Waste = Discarded electronic equipment
The Independent, Sky News and Greenpeace put a tracking device on a tv that was supposed to have been recycled under the regulations governing e-waste... Their investigation uncovered a web of lies and pollution. Follow that story further by reading Dumped in Africa: Britain’s toxic waste
Ever wondered what is in the electronic devices we use and discard?
Greenpeace has a good interactive guide.
Here is a video by Good Magazine which explains the e-waste problem in a quick and easy to watch way:
Ever wondered what is in the electronic devices we use and discard?
Greenpeace has a good interactive guide.
Here is a video by Good Magazine which explains the e-waste problem in a quick and easy to watch way:
Climate Chaos Watch
News from the Arctic this week is frightening:
- Arctic's Personal Greenhouse Turns up the Heat - New Scientist
- Melt-Pools 'Accelerating Arctic Ice Loss' - The Guardian
"Russia will likely see more forest fires, droughts and floods in the coming century due to global warming" Associated Press
Australia Burning
Australia, in the midst of an 'epic drought', has recently had a more hellish emergency to deal with. Record breaking wildfires reaching 4 stories in height and racing on winds that overtook people escaping in their cars have destroyed towns and killed up to 200 people and counting.
- Time Magazine has an article that links the fires to Climate Change.
- TreeHugger has a piece about the link to Climate Change.
- SkyNews has a slide show of the fires and the devastation.
- The Guardian also has a slide show of photos
- Argentina looks likely to lose $5million due to drought this year alone.
- China 'declares a drought emergency'
- South Asia is facing a water crisis of massive proportions
Climate Chaos Watch
- New Scientist reports on the world's drought emergency and expanding tropics, while the Jordan Times writes about record rain shortages and drought in Jordan.
- A Davos report warns of a planet facing water crisis.
- The Times has an interesting article on the climate change troubles facing the Maldives
- Australia is facing a crippling heatwave.
Gaza
As everyone helps people in Gaza try to heal both physically and psychologically from the assault on their lives and loves, we need add to the list of humanitarian organizations that are familiar to most- like UNICEF, Save the Children, UNRWA, the ICRC, IMC, and Oxfam - a recognition that the environment and working animals in Gaza are vital to the health and vitality of the community.
Emergency help for Gaza's working animals
Help the animals that feed and help the Gazan people farm their land. In these emergency situations where fuel is scarce it is animals that help transport people and help keep their agricultural lands viable.
"Gaza's 1.5 million people are facing a food crisis as a result of the destruction of great areas of farmland during the Israeli invasion" The Guardian
Help the animals that feed and help the Gazan people farm their land. In these emergency situations where fuel is scarce it is animals that help transport people and help keep their agricultural lands viable.
"Gaza's 1.5 million people are facing a food crisis as a result of the destruction of great areas of farmland during the Israeli invasion" The Guardian
Reuse 2.0
Last week was a busy week for those of us in the environmental field with the successful and interesting three days of Reuse 2.0. The organizers managed to pull off an event that combined art and environmental awareness in a way that will hopefully make people consider the advantages of recycling and waste minimization that are so necessary in Kuwait.
It is Equilibrium's job to now calculate the carbon footprint of the event so that the organizers can balance their load on the environment. This will include measuring their impact through travel and transport and energy use, which had been reduced as much as possible throughout.
Here are some pictures from the event for those of you who missed it:
Some interesting insect sculptures made from scrap metal. The attention to detail in these pieces was impressive.
This is one of a series of very moving photos taken by Faisal Al-Bisher and his partner Jamal Al-Ayoubi of the shocking conditions under which some members of our society live. Their images of sewage in populated streets, unsanitary living conditions and heartbreaking squalor made a huge impression on us at Equilibrium and everyone we spoke to.
University students amazed us with this very popular multipurpose furniture made from cardboard. This surprisingly sturdy piece can be flipped to make two kinds of seating and a table.
The heart of the space was this very colourful and inviting lounge area created by the artist Hassan Hajjaj who also had an exhibit of photographs and clothing at the event.
The well known Kuwaiti artist Ghadah Alkandari had a playful mix of paintings, drawings and chairs which combined the idea of switching to energy efficient lighting with allusions to the fairytale of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.
Bibi Hayat had an indoor lounge area with furniture made from reused cushions and paint buckets where she served delicious sweets from November Boutique.
We hope that all events can take Reuse 2.0 as an example and seriously consider their impact upon the environment.
The well known Kuwaiti artist Ghadah Alkandari had a playful mix of paintings, drawings and chairs which combined the idea of switching to energy efficient lighting with allusions to the fairytale of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.
Bibi Hayat had an indoor lounge area with furniture made from reused cushions and paint buckets where she served delicious sweets from November Boutique.
We hope that all events can take Reuse 2.0 as an example and seriously consider their impact upon the environment.
As the losses from the financial crisis are tagged at $2.8 trillion, and the waves of collapses and bailouts continue to smash little and large alike (including the Gulf), a rising clamour from environmental and financial sectors is drawing attention to the even more frightening and costly crunch looming just ahead:
World is facing a natural resources crisis worse than financial crunch The Guardian
Earth on course for eco 'crunch' BBC
Earth on course for eco 'crunch' BBC
Some Highlights from the reports:
"$4.5 trillion worth of resources destroyed forever each year." link
"US and China account for more than two-fifths of the planet's ecological footprint" link
The Biggest consumers?
The United Arab Emirates, the US, Kuwait and Denmark
Johann Hari asks us to consider the opportunity we have to set our course back on track and reminds us that the "The Wall Street Crash hadn't happened for 80 years. The Arctic Crash hasn't happened for three million years"link
So, as a new report shows that the arctic ice's thickness has 'plummeted', which crisis sounds more ominous to you?
Deutsche Bank has published a report saying that " in this economic downturn, green energy investments offer governments a prime opportunity to stimulate growth. " link
Nicholas Stern says now is the time to build a low carbon future or else "We risk a transformation of the planet so radical that it would involve huge population movements and widespread conflict" link
And yet in keeping with our region's position as prime ecological problem-makers we have headlines like this instead:
So, as a new report shows that the arctic ice's thickness has 'plummeted', which crisis sounds more ominous to you?
Deutsche Bank has published a report saying that " in this economic downturn, green energy investments offer governments a prime opportunity to stimulate growth. " link
Nicholas Stern says now is the time to build a low carbon future or else "We risk a transformation of the planet so radical that it would involve huge population movements and widespread conflict" link
And yet in keeping with our region's position as prime ecological problem-makers we have headlines like this instead:
This at the same time as new climate change plans put cutting subsidies for fossil fuels on top of the agenda and headlines like this are swarming the world:
A new UN report says that climate change will destroy most coastal cities.
"Asia accounts for more than half the most vulnerable cities, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (27 percent) and Africa (15 percent); two-thirds of the cities are in Europe, and almost one-fifth of all cities in North America are in Low Elevation Coastal Zones" ENN
We guess these walking houses would be useful for some people who need to keep moving away from the water, but where will they go?
Green Nuggets
- A guide to climate change for Muslims is being published in London
- California wildfires look like scenes from a horror film
- Bill McKibben reviews Thomas Friedman's latest book at the NYRB
- The hazardous chemicals in bottled water just get more and more terrifying
- Know that batteries are toxic but want to know the pros and cons of disposable v rechargeable? Check this out.
Green Nuggets
- Nokia comes out on top in Greenpeace's "Guide to Greener Electronics".
- Help save the planet from climate disaster... Cut down on meat and milk.
- For stamp collectors everywhere, Australia has 'Living Green' stamps
- Base jumping off wind-turbines... Watch the video
- The National Science Foundation has a great Jellyfish site.
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