Drought drives Bolivians from their homes.
A severe drought brought on by an unusually early dry season is plaguing the agriculture in many
parts of Bolivia, forcing rural people to relocate to urban areas to escape starvation. Bolivian Rural Development Minister Nemesia Achacollo said the environmental and economic situation is critical as water shortages impact over 41,000 families in the departments of Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz. Potato farmers have said that their minimal harvests could only be used to make chuño, or freeze-dried potatoes.

Meanwhile, in Los Andes province’s Laja municipality, wells have run dry, leaving farmers with only the water from the Pallina River, which has been contaminated by runoff, with people now seeking treatment daily for illnesses from consuming dirty water.

We are immensely saddened to know of the plight of the Bolivian people. Our prayers for the blessing of rain
as we strive to take the necessary eco-conscious measures to safeguard our precious resources and the lives that depend on them.

Expressing her ongoing concern for the welfare of Earth’s inhabitants, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke during
a November 2008 interview with Ireland’s East Coast Radio FM of the climate refugees’ predicaments,
as well as the need to take preventive actions.

http://www.boliviaweekly.com/drought-hastens-rural-emigration/914/
http://www.plenglish.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202681&Itemid=1
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=133582&sectionid=351020706

Nepali women set out on eco-ascent of world’s tallest peaks – vegan style.
As the first successful all-woman team to summit Mount Everest, the nine accomplished Nepali mountaineers
are now going on to climb the tallest peaks on each of the world’s seven continents. Their mission, called
the Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action, seeks to not only set a world record as the largest team to do so, but is also striving to raise awareness about the urgent issue of climate change.

Receiving their national flag from the country’s Right Honorable President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav before departing from Nepal, the team members officially embarked on Monday, July 5 as they began climbing Mount Kosciuszko in Australia.

Team coordinator Shailee Basnet, who was the first female journalist ever to summit Mount Everest,
reflected on signs of the planet’s perilous state that had come to their attention in previous expeditions.

Shailee Basnet – Team coordinator, Mount Everest summiteer, vegan during expedition (F): We saw and heard from experienced climbers about the changes that were evident in the Himalayas. And in our later trips also in different parts of the country, we kept hearing about how monsoons were not the same anymore,
how the crops were being affected by unpredictable weather, and how new pests and insects were showing up
in higher altitudes. So, all this really motivated us to take the message of climate action with us.

VOICE: On this trip, the nine Nepali climbers are also striving to offset their carbon emissions by using solar lanterns and planting trees. Most of all, they have become aware that meat consumption has the largest human impact on climate change, and all nine have thus pledged to be vegan for the duration of the physically demanding tour. A vegan chef is accompanying them to prepare their plant-based meals.

Shailee Basnet (F): So we need to act now, both at individual levels, things that we can change in our lifestyle, and also at the level of government.

VOICE: Heaven bless the courageous Nepali summiteers for your dedication to these ambitious
physical and consciousness-raising goals. Wishing your journey success in bringing awareness about
global warming as well as the effective vegan solution, which ensures both personal endurance
and a cool planet for all.  

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Women+climbers+take+off+for+sky+high+record&
NewsID=248139
http://www.vegsource.com/news/2010/06/everest-womens-7-summit-team-goes-vegan.html
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/may/may24/news10.php
http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2009/march/international-womens-day/everest-women-of-nepal.en

Extra News
The UK-based Woodland Trust reports that planting more trees in British towns and cities would
improve air quality, lower temperatures and improve overall human wellbeing, as it launches a campaign to plant 20 million trees a year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10434746.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7861514/Clive-Anderson-says-woodland-in-UK-should-double.html

Japan donates US$10 million to Ecuador to develop solar energy for the ecologically fragile Galapagos Islands
as part of a larger effort to enhance cooperation and mitigate the effects of climate change.
http://www.france24.com/en/20100703-japan-donates-10-million-dollars-galapagos-solar-energy

Temperatures during one of the first summer weekends in Europe are already reflecting a heat wave,
with cities like Brussels, Belgium reporting temperatures of 40-degree Celsius, the highest recorded
since 1976.
http://www.euronews.net/2010/07/02/heatwave-hits-europe/
http://www.euronews.net/2010/06/27/moscow-in-grip-of-heat-wave/

Aulacese (Vietnamese) and Laotian government dignitaries affirm their countries’ mutual interest in collaborating to address such areas as environment and rare animal protection as well as sustainable energy development.
http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/life/030710/life_l.htm