Jan 25

A Micro Solution to a Massive Problem?

In today’s world exercise has become a daily routine for millions of people. Just about every town has at least one gym where herds of people flock in hopes to drop a waist size or two. We’ve all seen them, rooms that house a sea of stationary bikes, with pounding music, rhythmic humming of the machines’ gears, fluorescent overhead lights, and the faint stench of sweat. On these bikes are people that look as if they just jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed as they burn away their unwanted calories.

Calories are simply a unit of energy. In order to “burn” a calorie, a person must engage in exothermic activity in which they release this energy from their body. Most of the time, this energy is released into the environment and not captured in any form. What if, however, we could capture this energy that we burn and turn it into electricity that can be used to help power everything from our lights to our refrigerators? Seems like something out of a sci-fi novel, right? However, the truth is that this technology already exists.

Imagine the well-known cartoon of the hamster running around in his wheel helping to power a city. Better yet, imagine the SportsCenter commercial of Lance Armstrong powering the ESPN office building by biking. This is of course a very exaggerated version of reality, but to an extent this idea is possible, and is even in use throughout the country.

Green Microgyms are gyms that utilize a specific type of stationary bike in order to harness the energy produced by the humans’ cycling. The energy is then used to power the rest of the building, helping to reduce the carbon footprint and save money on energy costs. Two types of stationary bikes are capable of this feat. The first, and more popular bike, is the PlugOut Cycle. This bike allows for the energy created from the person’s pedaling to be sent back into the buildings power grid via the electricity outlet. This bike does not allow for the actual storage of surplus energy. The more expensive bike, made by Green Revolution does allow for the storage of surplus energy.

Unfortunately, this technology is not very popular, and to most people unheard of. Only 80 gyms in North America utilize these revolutionary bikes. Why not create government programs, which encourage the purchase and use of such machines? This country is constantly trying to promote green technology and the reduction of energy usage. Look at New York’s Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS). An initiative to reduce New York’s forecasted electricity usage levels by 15% by 2015. The EEPS calls for utilities to establish energy efficiency programs. Some of these programs even give customers cash incentives to recycle their outdated and inefficient refrigerators. I believe the same approach should be taken for exercise equipment. Government promotion of bikes that harness human energy can help replace existing bikes.

The most popular Green Microgym is in Portland, Oregon, and is the originator of the name “Green Microgym.” This gym produces 36% of its own electricity through the use of their PlugOut bikes. The government should encourage utilities to provide gyms with incentives – similar to the programs for old refrigerators – to follow the Green Microgym’s model. A 36% reduction in electricity needs is massive.

I also believe that, in this case, consumers have all the power. If gym-goers are made aware of these new Green Microgyms then they might choose to switch from their old gym in favor of a Green Microgym. The more success these gyms see, the more their model will be imitated. Therefore, I am a strong supporter of publicizing Green Microgyms and encouraging existing gyms to substitute their equipment for stationary bikes that harness human energy.

I think steps need to be taken, beyond government incentives, in order to make the general public more aware of this technology. Why would anyone choose to use a standard stationary bicycle rather than one that can help generate electricity? I think that if more of these revolutionary gyms existed and people were given the option to belong to a standard gym or a Green Microgym, the overwhelming majority would choose the latter.

I believe that pressure should be exerted on large gym franchises to switch to electricity generating equipment. The pressure in my mind needs to come from the consumers. If consumers are made aware of this technology and are told to ask their current gyms to begin to transition into these energy-producing bikes, then maybe we will start to see a change. However, the strongest pressure comes from competition, and until we start to see more gyms utilizing this technology, I believe large gym franchises will be reluctant to change equipment because of the costs associated. However, in this case knowledge is key. If the costs of changing equipment are offset by the energy saved – and gyms are made aware of this – then large gym franchises might be more willing to switch.

The potential for Green Microgyms is enormous. A three-pronged approach should be taken. First, the government should provide incentives to switch to energy-producing bikes in order to help meet energy efficiency goals. Second, large gym franchises should be made aware of the benefits of this new technology and the potential money they can save from reduced electricity costs. Finally, consumers should exert pressure on gyms to switch to this new technology. This pressure can come from either voicing their preference for these new bikes or by joining gyms that use energy-generating bikes. Hopefully, this cool, new technology will gain popularity and help to make a dent in our society’s carbon footprint.

Luke Richner is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on global health issues, energy markets, and economic development. He is a senior at Duke University, completing his final semester.

 

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Jan 25

Reflections on a Month in Colombia

This week, I got back from a month long trip working and traveling through Colombia. Since you are reading this article, clearly I have made it back in one piece, but apparently this was a shock to most of the people I told I would be traveling.

Before leaving, I was subject to all sots of jokes about getting involved in the drug underworld or caught up in a violent hostage shootout. Comments came from everyone I discussed my trip with, so inevitably I set out on the journey a bit apprehensive.

To backtrack, I was traveling down to Colombia with my school to take a class on consulting. This opportunity afforded a hands-on chance to work with a real project and present tangible information. The experience itself I found rewarding as well as educational, and reminded me of why I relish the chance to travel whenever the opportunity strikes.

Returning to the jokes, I think that these were an unfortunate testament to the way Americans perceive Colombia. By focusing only the drug culture that was prevalent until very recently, and the violence that persists around the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) I feel like Americans are not giving the country the credit or recognition it truly deserves. I must admit, that after listening to enough of these comments about my safety, I did some research about how much danger I would potentially be in when traveling.

The FARC are a revolutionary movement who base their beliefs in agrarian, anti-imperialist theories (basically communism). They believe themselves to be the representatives of the lower class and rural poor people and in 1948 sparked “La Violencia” where 300,000 people were killed. Today, they are present in roughly 1/3 of Colombia, predominantly in the south and east. Luckily for me, I was going to Bogota located right in the center of the country.

My research also found that the FARC were predominantly funded by drug trafficking and kidnapping. While drug trafficking did not seem to pose a large or immediate threat to my life, the occurrences of kidnapping foreigners for ransom caught my eye. While this was common in the past, 2008 saw an 88% decrease in numbers of hostages taken. This has been attributed to the slow decline in numbers of the army, as well as harsher penalties for such crimes. Similarly, Colombia has been proactive both domestically and internationally to eradicate the narcotics production and trade coming from their country. While in the past over half of the world’s cocaine supply was produced in Colombia, 2008 showed a 57% decrease in cocaine production.

While these improvements sound steady enough, in 2004 the UN declared that Colombia was in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, caused by this civil war. With over 2 million internally displaced people, Colombia was third after Sudan and the Congo for committing such crimes. This has caused another host of issues surrounding human rights political disenfranchisement.

The previous president Alvaro Uribe who took office in 2002 pledged to work closely with the United States on the eradication of both the FARC and cocaine production. He appeared to have minor successes in each, and the current president Juan Manuel Santos has pledged to maintain these policies into the future.

Politically, this history is a heavy burden for Colombia to bear as the country struggles to develop and join with the rest of the world. This stigma has prevented businesses and tourists alike from coming to Colombia.

From my last month of traveling through the country, I think that this is an unfortunate position for Colombia. I found it to be one of my favorite countries in South America. The people are friendly, the food is amazing, and most importantly I felt safe. While I have traveled extensively and know when to take precaution, I also feel that this has afforded me an opinion to offer in comparison to other places I have been. And yes, while I was predominantly in the developed and more expensive parts of town, we were not totally removed from the poverty or dangers found in big cities. Instead, we met entrepreneurs and politicians who were looking into the future of Colombia, and have returned to bring their country back on to the development trajectory that it has begun.

I was lucky in that I was working for two weeks and then had the chance to travel north to Cartagena and then on to the national park. My friends and I hiked for 4 days through the jungle and slept on hammocks. I cannot think of a more exposed position to place ourselves, but I never once felt unsafe or threatened. In fact, I will continue to talk about my great experience in the country, and I will definitely make plans to go back in the near future.

–Katherine Peterson is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on theories of development, globalization, and political ramifications of development work.
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Jan 24

Child Poverty in America

When the recession hit in 2008 I was living in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  Port St. Lucie is a small city on the east coast side of Florida about midway in between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.  Florida was hit particularly hard by the recession and the unemployment rate jumped from 8% to 16% in some counties during 2008 to 2011.  My husband and I took turns being unemployed.  It was a difficult time for all Americans but particularly for families with young children.  St. Lucie County was one of the worst counties in Florida to live in and we were feeling the economic pressures.

This last year I relocated to Colorado to be closer to family.  The unemployment rate is substantially better at around 8% compared to Florida, which is around 10% currently.  Americans everywhere felt a pinch from the recession.  Hundreds and thousands of jobs were lost and the unemployed stayed unemployed for over a year and in some cases, over two years.  People started dipping into their 401K and retirement plans just to survive.  Forget vacations or big ticket items, people were just trying to get by.

A recession is an awful experience to have to endure but I often wonder about the effect that it has on our children.   Children are particularly vulnerable when it comes to the economy.  They depend on their parents for support and if one or both parents are either unemployed or under employed they are affected in a major way.  For the extremely poor there are programs such as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Medicaid for healthcare, or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).  However, benefits are being cut substantially to these programs and in order to qualify for them one has to be extremely poor.  If a family is just slightly over the income guidelines then they don’t qualify.

Child poverty has risen in the U.S. from 18% in 2007 to a staggering 22% in 2010.  Of course for every impoverished child there are impoverished parents.  The difference and the concern is that children have needs that have to be met developmentally and living in child poverty means some children will go without food for one or more meals per day.  Some of these children will not receive the medical or dental care they may need.  Some will even go without proper clothing such as a warm coat or proper shoes for school.

Poverty impacts our children in every way, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.  One of the saddest and most visual impacts of poverty is homelessness, which has also increased drastically over the past few years.  The United States is still one of the most powerful countries in the worlds and is still considered a hegemon or country of great leadership and influence.  So why do we allow our precious children to live in poverty?   This is a problem that needs to find a solution, and fast.

I think as a community we need to try to resolve this problem.  The answer is in every community and every member can contribute.  There are charities that get directly involved with children and can make a direct impact on their lives.  Charities such as Big Brothers Big Sisters help children facing adversity which is also a result of poverty.  There are other charities such as Catholic Charities USA which focus specifically on working to reduce poverty in the USA.

Perhaps we all need to donate more to local charities, for those of us who are in a position where we can.  I personally donate clothing to a local women’s shelter every month and food to a local ministry.  I don’t have much to donate but every little bit helps.  Volunteering is also a great way to help out.  If everyone was to donate one or two hours a week or even a month, think about what an impact we could make in changing the lives of our children.  What part can you do to help put an end to child poverty? Maybe if we all do our part we can end child poverty in the U.S.  Doing something is better than nothing at all, especially when our children will inherit our tomorrow.

Sarah Anderson is working towards her Ph.D. at Nova Southeastern University with a focus on Conflict Analysis and Resolution. She also holds a Master’s degree in Diplomacy with a concentration in international conflict resolution from Norwich University. Sarah has ten years of experience working in plaintiff’s civil litigation with an emphasis on civil rights issues. She has experience in community mediation, restorative justice, and community conflict resolution. She has a general passion for Diplomacy and improved Public Policy Change with regards to issues of terrorism and human trafficking. Sarah’s focus areas with the SISGI Group are global public policy on terrorism and human trafficking, the growth of U.S. domestic poverty, and international women’s issues.
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Jan 23

Understanding the Connections: Refugees and Education

A few years ago, my friend introduced me to a new author she really enjoyed, Dave Eggers.  I first read his work You Shall Know My Velocity, then moved on to his autobiographical book Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius.  Not only did I love his writing, but also when I read his life story, I became so intrigued that my behavior began to border obsessive (to give you context, I searched through the entire Real World 1994 San Francisco season to find the thirty second clip that he was featured in).  So naturally, I was really excited to read yet another of his books.  What is the What had a different impression on me, however.  Instead of my curiosity being sparked by the man behind the words, I was suddenly fixated on the new man the story depicted.  A Sudanese refugee, Valentino Achak Deng shares his true story with Eggers to create a tale of the struggles of a refugee both during a crisis and in the aftermath of the event.  This book opened my eyes to the immense challenges a refugee child faces when fighting for their life during the war and in their new home and in the numerous camps and placements where they must make a new life for themselves afterwards.  Researching more about the experience of a refugee, I discovered an important disconnect that seems to be commonly overlooked; education and its place in a refugee’s story.

I believe it’s incredibly important to study conflicts from a multitude of perspectives.  When we first explore the refugee crisis across the world, we may see the issue as a numbers problem. With 43.7 million refugees and internally displaced people worldwide, a growing number of individuals must survive without a state to protect and provide for them.  This figure seems overwhelming and difficult to comprehend on a person-by-person case.  From here, we may struggle with who actually qualifies as a refugee.  Examining the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) definition as “any person who is unable or unwilling to re-enter their home nation due to a well-founded fear of persecution,” we can question the meaning of the terms “unable” or “well-founded” as generalizations for multiple conflicts in different countries with diverse demographic populations.  But while we can debate the technicalities, we cannot deny the needs of these victims.

I’d like to begin to examine these needs beyond the physical basics necessary to survive, such as water, food, and shelter.  These basic resources are obviously critical for survival, but what is also critical is the need to build peace and create a lasting solution to the conflict that originally caused the lack of food, shelter, and water.  In order to tackle this massive problem, new and innovative ways to looking at the refugee crisis should be explored.  I believe focusing on the individual, and especially on the children, is the first step to finding impactful solutions.  By making the connection between education and refugees’ path to a peaceful and sustainable future, a new way to strategize solutions to the refugee crisis can be considered.

Growing up in a world of violence and conflict, such as Valentino did, refugee children have little to no access to stability and consistency in their day-to-day life.  Although access to education is a worldwide issue not limited to displaced persons, it is especially important for refugee children, as time in a classroom creates a safe environment and helps establish a productive routine.  Additionally, considering all of the hardships these violent conflicts create, these children should not have to also sacrifice the early years of their development by missing access to an education.

In recent years, the issue of education improvement has been addressed globally; however, a lack of attention and resources has been given to refugees and their education.  The UN has defined education as “universal and inalienable” entitlement that everyone must be provided, regardless of his or her religion, gender, ethnicity or economic status.  This recognition of education as an entitlement is an important step in bringing education access issues to the forefront of international policies.  Consequently, the 2000 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include the pledge “to ensure that, by [2015], children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.”  However, the implementation of the MDGs fail to put resources and attention on refugee children.

Some important organizations have worked to bring educational opportunities to refugees.  The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) works for primary aged children and provides educational resources in refugee camps.  In addition, the UNHCR partners with organizations such as NineMillion.org and the Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative to help with extracurricular activities and secondary education scholarships.  These programs not only lack funding, but in my opinion, miss an important opportunity; education for refugees can be used as a tool for peace-building.  By linking educational opportunities to fixing the conflict itself, refugees can be transformed into their own agents of change.  By providing an education and job training opportunities to young refugees, you’re creating an empowered new generation. Through education, economic self-sufficiency can be an important step to end reliance on countries of asylum and on the UNHCR.  Additionally, this next generation will be the agents of peace and conflict resolution in their country of origin, creating solutions to the original problems that caused conflict and displacement.

Many issues face all children across the globe.  With the additional problems refugees face, namely their loss of home and family stability, the world should pay particular attention to creating a sense of consistency and control in the refugee child’s life.  Moreover, education is both a tool of stability in the present and a tool for peace-building in the future. We need to begin to understand the refugee crisis from all angles, and start to connect improved access to education to ending the refugee crisis.

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Jan 23

The Bitter Taste of Chocolate

As a chocolate aficionado, I can safely say that I consume chocolate on an almost daily basis.  The sweet treat is something that I always have stashed in my backpack or purse, and it always leaves me with a smile on my face.  However, I was surprised to learn that there is a sad and horrifying aspect to the chocolate industry.  Thousands of young children have been bought and sold via human trafficking rings in order to work in the cocoa fields of the Ivory Coast.  This modern day slavery system has gone unnoticed by millions of consumers, and it is extremely important for people to learn about where and how their chocolate is produced.

The Ivory Coast is one of the most cocoa rich countries in the world, and produces almost half of the world’s supply of cocoa.  Children from the Ivory Coast, as well as from neighboring countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, work in the cocoa fields with little food, no pay, and suffer from beating and life threatening accidents.  According to a human rights report by the State Department in 2000, there are more than 15,000 children between the ages of 9 and 12 that have been bought and sold onto cocoa fields in the Ivory Coast.  The number has steadily increased, and there are thousands of more youth working on the cocoa fields.  Many of the children, who were either living in slums or told that they would be given money to help their impoverished parents, have never received the payments they were promised, and are kept from returning to their homes.

In 2001, the chocolate industry came under attack for the use of child labor and human trafficking, and promised to solve the issue by following through with the Harkin-Engel Protocol.  The protocol’s main objective was to stop the use of child labor in chocolate production by the year 2005.  However, chocolate companies asked for the deadline to be extended till 2008, and then asked for another extension till 2010.  Today, in 2012, many companies like Hershey’s and Kraft-Cadbury state that they have been working relentlessly to end child slavery, but the task is long and arduous.  Though these companies and many others state that they are working to end child slavery in cocoa fields, the fact is that this human rights issue has not been completely resolved under the protocol.  In fact, the number of young children being connected to slavery on cocoa fields seems to have increased rather than decreased.

So the big question for us consumers, after learning about the atrocities of child slavery, is to ask ourselves what we can do.  It is all well and good for us to read and be aware of the problem, but more importantly we need to do our part in helping bring an end to the issue.  One way to help is simply by learning about where goods connected to slavery are usually from, and contacting retailers in order to learn about their practices.  An excellent website, www.productsofslavery.org, provides people with an interactive map that shows goods like chocolate and coffee and their connection to slavery.  The site also provides suggestions with what consumers like us can do to help bring an end to child slavery.  Furthermore, we can all do our part by purchasing Fair Trade items, thus making sure that we do not buy goods connected to slavery.  A Fair Trade app is also available for iPhones and Androids, and is an easy way to find Fair Trade items when on the run.

Child slavery in countries around the world is a serious crime against humanity, and is something that youth today can take a part in stopping.  The Alliance for Positive Youth Development stresses youth to help make positive, sustainable impacts on the world, and focusing on aiding fellow children across the world is an excellent way in which young people can get involved in helping kids their own age.  College, high school, middle school, and even elementary school youth can all get involved in bringing awareness to child labor by starting clubs and raising money to donate to UNICEF.  Another excellent way to help end child slavery is by contacting Fair Trade companies or groups that are willing to come to schools, and set up a sale during the holiday season.  This way, young people will be able to learn more about child slavery, and will be able to learn where they can purchase goods that are not affiliated with child labor.  It is extremely important for youth to know that there are children across the world who are roped into slavery, and that they have an opportunity and responsibility to bring an end to this issue.

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Jan 23

Accomplishing Universal Primary Education

One of the United Nation’s eight millennium development goals for 2015 is to achieve universal primary education. This means that both boys and girls, regardless of where in the world they live, will be able to complete a full primary school education. To give you an idea of how challenging of an effort this is, take a look at the statistics we have thus far. In 1999 one hundred six million children were not attending school. By 2008, the number had dropped drastically; sixty nine million children were not going to school. Granted, that is quite an extreme feat, but in 2015 that number is supposed to be zero. It took nine years to achieve primary education access for thirty seven million children, and we have seven years to give sixty nine million kids that same opportunity.

While the goal has become somewhat more attainable than it seemed when it was first announced, there are still obviously some deep issues that are causing education to be withheld from millions of children. One major problem contributing to this is a lack of effective teachers. In Sub Saharan Africa alone, almost two and a half million teachers will be needed to achieve universal primary education by 2015. NGOs can build as many schools as they want and send endless amounts of supplies, but without competent teachers these donations are useless.

Many nonprofits are using “Band-Aid approaches” to try to solve this problem. Sending books, pencils, calculators, and notepads are all well-meaning, but what good do they provide if the children they are given to do not know what to do with them? Obviously these poverty stricken areas need school buildings that are safe to house children in, but why should they even be built if a teacher will not be present within them?

I would like to shine some light on a nonprofit that I believe has the right idea.  The Nanubhai Education Foundation, whose focus area is India, addresses problems with inadequate teaching. Through their model of teacher mentorship and leadership development, additional training workshops, after school programs and libraries, college scholarships for girls, and continuous research, this foundation has already seen impressive achievements.

The Nanubhai Education Foundation started with realizing how many teachers were not given the opportunity to student-teach before being set out on their own. To remedy this, Nanubhai sends extensively qualified teaching fellows to the schools that they partner with and puts local teachers through a year-long training program. These sessions not only get the teachers up-to-date on their education, but they also train them on how to work with children who have various needs. The teachers gain an understanding of how to advocate for educational change, inspire students, and motivate them to excel with their work. Nanubhai enables these local educators to then act as mentors for other teachers in the area, making the program potentially sustainable without outside assistance.

To ensure that they are making a positive impact, the organization constantly researches and observes their programs in order to continuously improve their results. Both student and teacher success rates are tracked, and the communities that they live in are evaluated in order for Nanubhai to make the most informed approach possible.

While Nanubhai’s teaching fellows program is still young, since 2007 they have already seen huge progress in all aspects of a primary education. They contributed to a 60% increase in the pass rate of science, and a 15% increase in the general pass rate. The English fluency rate for children in the area has increased to 88% since the introduction of Nanubhai.

Sustainability is what will achieve global education, and programs similar to Nanubhai’s teaching fellows are a perfect example of how to go about this. Providing local educators with training and giving them the power to train others will send a wave of education across countries that are yearning for knowledge. While there are other organizations that are taking comparable approaches, it is not yet enough to reach the UN’s goal. We need to deepen our hold on the root of the problem and expand the areas that we focus on.

As food for thought, I’ll leave you with a decision to make. Will you simply donate a book to children in these impoverished areas during the holidays next year, or will you take the next step by supporting an organization that will help empower them to write a book of their own someday?

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Jan 23

The Cultural Forces Behind Obesity

The other day I was driving from New York down to North Carolina. As the day wore on, my stomach began to give me the all too familiar growl letting me know it was time to refuel (my stomach not the car). As I kept my eyes peeled for the universal blue highway signs titled “FOOD,” I began to notice that every sign my eyes darted across listed only fast food and/or chain restaurants – Chili’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Applebee’s… the list goes on.

After deliberating in my head for quite some time I decided to treat myself to a “Baconator” with fries and a large soda from Wendy’s. 15 minutes, 1,810 calories and 89 grams of fat later I was back on I-95 cruising towards North Carolina. It was fast, convenient, cheap, but most importantly it was delicious.

Fast food has become a staple in the everyday American’s diet. Poor nutrition, insufficient exercise and physical activity, and lack of knowledge are all contributing factors to the United States’ growing obesity epidemic. The obesity numbers in the U.S. – for both children and adults – have reached unprecedented highs. A shocking 33.8% of all adults are obese. Obesity’s effects go beyond health issues. In the U.S. alone, obesity is responsible for nearly $150 billion each year in healthcare costs. Not only is obesity a serious issue in our society, but also it shows no signs of slowing down.

The underlying issue behind our obesity problem is our culture. We live in a fast paced and convenience-driven environment. Technology, as fantastic as it is, has pushed people from the basketball courts and soccer fields to the computer desks and couches. I can watch every episode of every television show that interests me without ever being near a television. I can make phone calls, play video games, and surf the Internet all from a single device without ever having to physically move. Technology’s focus on convenience has actually reduced our time physically moving from place to place.

Exercise and physical activity are key factors in weight control. Unfortunately physical activities such as sports – for both children and adults – are taking a backseat to video games and the Internet. Michele Obama’s Let’s Move campaign and the NFL’s Play 60 campaign are two eminent programs in the fight against childhood obesity. Play 60’s goal is to have children be active for 60 minutes every day. This is a great aim, but startling at the same time. Are most of today’s youth not engaged in physical activity for a mere 60 minutes?  While NFL’s Play 60 is a great campaign that is truly helping to combat obesity, it points out a serious flaw in our culture.

Society’s influence on the foods we eat is also a major contributing factor to our problematic obesity rates. I’m sure most of you have seen one of the many documentaries that highlight our culture’s issues concerning the foods we eat. Food Inc. and Supersize Me are two well-known films that shed light on the problems with our diets. People – whether it’s for economic reasons, political reasons, cultural reasons, etc. – are finding themselves nudged towards a diet filled with fatty foods.

The positive side of all this is that many large-scale campaigns are sprouting up to help reduce obesity rates. Obesity is not an incurable condition. We know the causes and we know the cures. The next step in this fight is to educate and make known the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Technology will continue to advance and cater towards our desire for convenience. People will continue to crave that number 7 from McDonald’s. Therefore, we must make realistic adjustments that allow for raising awareness about this issue.

Established culture, when a driving force behind a phenomenon, is incredibly powerful and hard to alter. Therefore, I believe that the government should avoid paternalistic measures when trying to solve this problem. Change in lifestyles are not easily achievable through forced paternalism. Discussions about a “fat tax” is common when talking about ways to encourage people to eat healthier. I am a very strong opponent of such a tax. Fat taxes disproportionately affect low-income citizens, since they are the ones most commonly consuming unhealthy foods because of financial limitations. Taxing fatty foods would only harm low-income families. Furthermore, paternalism is often met with great resistance since people never like the government telling them what to do. A fat tax would cause more harm than good and should be avoided at all costs.

Making citizens aware of the damaging effects of obesity and how to avoid obesity is our best bet at combatting this health condition. Obesity disproportionately affects low-income and less educated citizens. The current campaigns that focus on obesity awareness are only influencing a limited audience. I believe that a perfect vehicle for reaching a broader audience is the public school system.

Learning to lead a healthy lifestyle should be a part of our public education system. Growing up a public school student in New York, I was never taught the importance of eating right and staying physically active. I think instituting strong education programs that focus on healthy living is vital in the fight against obesity. While campaigns, such as Let’s Move, are fantastic starts to educating the public, they will never be enough to overcome the everyday influences of our culture.  Knowledge is power, and the government and our public education system needs to start placing more emphasis on teaching our youth the importance of eating well and exercising.

Luke Richner is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on global health issues, energy markets, and economic development. He is a senior at Duke University, completing his final semester.

 

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Jan 20

Problems and Solutions: How the 2010 Earthquake Has Disproportionately Impacted Women

Two years ago when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, nearly everyone there suffered for it.  In the two years of recovery efforts since then, women continue to suffer.  Although health issues such as cholera and poor housing conditions impact many of the half million people living in camps for internally displaced persons (IDP), women are also becoming victims of gender-based violence, made worse by the poor living conditions and lack of adequate lighting.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, and in efforts to rebuild, reports found that gender-based violence against women was being seriously underreported. This means that the problem is worse than officials had estimated. There are many reasons for the surge in violence against women.  Part of the reason is because of shortfalls in the amounts of money promised by donors in the initial wake of the earthquake.  This shortfall in funding has prevented people from being moved out of camps and into homes as anticipated.  It is also perpetuated by the disruption of work by local authorities, who now have weakened abilities and resources to seek out and prosecute offenders.

Several efforts have been implemented in order to prevent these instances of violence against women.  A truly simple but effective measure has been to improve lighting conditions in the interim camps.  Multiple parties are involved in this initiative.  For example, the UNFPA has recently installed hundreds of solar-powered street lamps, with plans to continue installing more.  These lamps are playing a role in making women feel safer while walking within their camps.  The added benefit of these lights, beyond reducing violence against women, is the additional opportunity for commerce during later hours of the day, as well as a source of light for people living without electricity.

Another project that falls in line with this idea of increased lighting is the one being carried out by International Organization on Migration (IOM). This goal of this project Continue reading

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Jan 20

Farmers’ Markets: The Potential Cure for Food Deserts?

For millions of U.S. citizens their diets consist primarily of fast food. Unfortunately, however, this is not by choice. While no one is sitting these Americans down and forcing burgers and fries down their throats, many people would argue that they are still indirectly forced to eat this type of food.

Now I’m sure you’re thinking for millions of Americans it is difficult to afford anything other than fast food. Yes, this is definitely a factor, but it is not the only one, or even the key one. One of the main reasons that millions of diets lack important foods and nutrients is because of food deserts. Imagine living in a poor inner-city community. You leave your home looking for a place to eat lunch. With no car you’re forced to find a restaurant or food market within walking distance. Every corner you turn all you see are drive-thru restaurants and gas station convenience stores. With no other options, and little money in your pockets, you decide to get the most “bang for your buck,” and order a typical fast food meal.

This is a typical scenario for millions of Americans. Food deserts are a major problem in the fight against obesity and poor nutrition. For the people living in food deserts, healthy food options are simply not available. Little availability to fresh foods is linked to numerous health problems including obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. Society often assumes that obesity is a disease brought about by a person’s informed decisions to choose to eat poorly. However, more often than not this is not true.

The creation of food deserts came about because of the migration of middle and upper class citizens to suburban areas. As the upper and middle classes were able to afford vehicles they began to move away from city centers and towards suburban areas. The large supermarkets and grocery stores soon followed suit, and the citizens in the poor inner-city areas were left with little resources for fresh foods.

Bringing fresh foods to inner-city citizens via supermarkets and large grocery stores is complicated, expensive and very time consuming. A fantastic alternative to the large grocery store chains is the farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets are relatively easy to establish in comparison to large brick and mortar stores. They are a direct injection of fresh and healthy foods into areas saturated with fast food restaurants.

I strongly believe in promoting farmers’ markets, as they not only help in providing healthy food options, but also help to stimulate consumer spending. People are more inclined to purchase products when they know that they are helping to support their community and neighbors. Farmers’ markets bring communities together and foster a sense of pride for one’s neighborhood. Yes, it’s true that food at farmers’ markets can be more expensive than the food found at a Walmart or Kroger. However, as the importance of fresh foods gains awareness I believe people will be willing to spend more on such products. With no stores selling fresh foods in food deserts, farmers’ markets can capture the entire market for fresh food within these areas.

Not enough is being done to help promote farmers’ markets, especially in low-income areas. With the popularity of organic foods and health-conscious living, farmers’ markets are very “in.” Unfortunately though, the crowd they are popular with are the middle and upper class because these are the people that can afford to shop at such markets. Surprisingly, very few organizations exist that help to create new farmers’ markets specifically in low-income areas. The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) is one of the few large-scale nonprofits that helps to promote farmers’ markets across the country.

The FMC understands the potential benefits of farmers’ markets in food deserts, but their purpose is to strengthen all farmers’ markets, not just the ones in low-income areas or food-deserts. Therefore, I think a massive opportunity exists for the creation of an organization dedicated to the development of farmers’ markets within designated food deserts.

I believe that creating such an organization is only the first half of promoting farmers’ markets in food deserts. The second half is finding a way for low-income citizens to afford foods from farmers’ markets. Recently, more and more farmers’ markets have begun to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cards. Still, only 12 percent of all farmers’ markets accept these cards. In my opinion the ability to use SNAP cards at farmers’ markets is the key to providing affordable fresh food to low-income citizens. Funding for SNAP card readers can come from either the government or organizations focused on combating obesity and/or promoting healthy food options.

Food deserts are a serious problem in our society. Americans needs to be made aware of their existence and their contribution to our astonishingly high obesity rates. Furthermore, farmers’ markets can be key to the elimination of food deserts. The creation of farmers’ markets that accept SNAP cards in food deserts can be beneficial both to customers and purveyors alike. Customers will have access to affordable and healthy food, while purveyors possess nearly the entire market share for such food in these areas. Food deserts will continue to hinder society’s fight against obesity, unless action is taken. Farmers’ markets might just be the cure needed to eradicate these food deserts.

Luke Richner is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on global health issues, energy markets, and economic development. He is a senior at Duke University, completing his final semester.

 

 

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Jan 20

Our Role in the Global Recession

Today I heard on the radio that despite our best efforts to stop a global recession Germany might be joining the ranks of countries like the United States who require financial assistance to move forward with a healthy economy.

Unlike the US, this Western European nation faces the burden of supporting other countries in the Eurozone. Late last year, both the Mediterranean countries of Italy and Greece faced financial instability, rocking the region and forcing the other members to scramble for solutions. Being an economic powerhouse however might not be enough to stop the domino effect of a recession that seems to be affecting the world.

While it appeared that the U.S was beginning to emerge from the slump of the previous years, there is nothing to stop us from going into another decline. The only way to keep us moving forward is to be mindful of our decisions.  We’ve been asked as a nation to be cautious of our spending, to save more and to be smart and know what we really can afford, including understanding how our spending should be proportional to our income. But can small changes make a difference in our economy?  Can we stop a global collapse with our daily decision-making? How?

The process is two-fold.

At the micro-level, we need to make individual changes.  These can be small like not using our credit cards daily to go out to eat or choosing not to change cars this year, to larger adjustments related to where we live or if we can afford to quit our jobs.  These do make a difference especially if they require us to go into debt to make them happen.  The recession has created an atmosphere of fear, frustration and desperation in Americans.  Words like foreclosure, bankruptcy, unemployment and public benefits have become part of our daily vernacular. This fear of an uncertain future has forced Americans to return to basics in many ways. Returning to a simpler way of living seems to hold the promise that we will be able to make things better by being more conscious of how we spend, how we invest, how much we save.

Even though we have been asked to curtail our spending, we also need to infuse money into the economy. It is not about stopping our shopping habits altogether, it is about making better choices. It is about finding a balance. Our previous ways were sending this country into another Depression.

We also need to be more conscientious of deceiving practices created to provide almost fraudulent opportunities for us to spend. The housing bubble and subsequent bank bailouts are examples. While it is difficult to say who first started us in a decline (our spending habits or the creation of these “too good to be true” opportunities), we do have the power to help this nation rise above these problems.

At the macro-level, we can vote for government representatives to influence the change at the federal level.  We can encourage our public official to modify regulations, impose sanctions and make better decisions about national spending and balancing the budget. We can also ask them to be stricter on monitoring companies that regulate housing and education and industries like banking and automobile who were all shaky in their practices and played a major role in the U.S recession. In an election year such as this, the focus on the economy is going to be a key issue that the candidates will focus on and address in their speeches. We need to be mindful of their message and promises and pick the best candidate who we feel is in line with our beliefs on how this country should move forward.

We might not feel we have the power to institute change, but we do. We were part of what created the problem and we can be a part of the solution. We just need to know that, think about our specific role in helping the economy and start making changes. What can you do to change this economy? Can you think of other examples of how we might be able to rise above our financial woes?

Regina Bernadin is a doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University focusing on Conflict Analysis and Resolution. As a SISGI intern, her primary areas of interest are conflict resolution, human rights and Latin American political, economic and socio-cultural issues. Her interest in the development of human rights abroad has taken her to several Latin American countries, including Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname.

 

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