The human global footprint is changing our planet. Yet another study has analyzed the heavy impact of the Anthropocene era – it is estimated that since the dawn of civilization, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants. In fact, of all the mammals on Earth, 96% are livestock and humans, only 4% are wild mammals. What a shocking statistic.
We do indeed have our work cut out for us. Which is why Transition Earth advocates for a world in balance – one where people and nature thrive together as part of the web of life.
|
|
|
Rewilding Shines a Light on Family Planning
Given the above scenario, we are pleased to share that we’ve had an article published by the Rewilding Institute, an organization that works to protect wildlife and wildlands. Our piece, Why Family Planning is Good for People and the Planet, highlights the importance of family planning and reproductive health to biodiversity.
Most people would agree that we need to undertake many difficult endeavors to effectively protect the world’s amazing biodiversity and also recognize the human right to basic services (and more) – let’s start with something relatively easy and support reproductive rights and family planning, here in the U.S. and in all countries.
|
|
|
Let’s Talk Population
Transition Earth recently held a small, exploratory meeting with some key researchers, activists and leaders on how to better engage with people – in particular environmentalists – on population issues.
The main opinion was that population is, unsurprisingly, such an interconnected issue for social and economic justice, health, environment, and global resource depletion. Amongst many topics that were discussed, two main ones were to focus on supporting voluntary family planning as an achievable and wanted solution, and to figure out how to tackle the difficult issue of consumption.
We are committed to continue exploring and engaging with others on such critical issues. While we are in the U.K. (see below), we will also be part of a strategy meeting sponsored by the Population & Sustainable Development Alliance to talk about messaging and framing from a “Northern” viewpoint on topics such as reproductive rights and health, population and environment.
|
|
|
Bringing PHE to Planetary Health Advocates
Next week we will be in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second annual Planetary Health Alliance conference. This is shaping up to be a very dynamic event, with an array of speakers addressing the nexus of human health and the environment, including Robert Engelman of the Population Institute presenting a keynote on population and consumption.
There is also a population, health and environment (PHE) contingent, of which we are part, that will be raising the importance of these issues with planetary health advocates from around the world.
Transiton Earth will also be presenting on PHE at a side session on the need to link human health, education and livelihoods with environmental health.
|
|
|
Maasai, Empowerment and Cattle
Last month, we introduced a new Transition Earth project, Masaai Harmonial Development and Sustainability – U.S. This project is implementing an integrated approach to help support and empower this Maasai community in Emburbul, Tanzania through community-based solutions, such as girls’ education, voluntary family planning and health services, and promoting conservation initiatives.
|
|
|
|
Young Maasai herder in Tanzania. [Photo: Andreas Lederer, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]
|
|
Read more on the work of MHDS and the importance of cattle and culture to the Maasai in a post by Karen Gaia Pitts, our MHDS-U.S. project director, called Cattle, Culture and Sustainability: The View from the Ground. She notes how “problems having to do with the cattle business must be addressed in order to achieve sustainability, women’s empowerment, and smaller families.” |
|
|
Image of the Month
There is a global gag rule, and now, a domestic gag rule. Learn more about how this impacts the rights and health of women everywhere here.
|
|
In support of people & the planet,
Suzanne
|
|
|
|
|
