Mongolia holds national global warming seminar

Meeting for the second time since August 2008, noted scientists and statespersons, including the first Mongolian President Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, discussed the causes and effects of global warming through topics such as biodiversity, methane hydrates and human health.

Special focus was given to Mongolia’s own urgent ecological issues such as deforestation and water scarcity, and how individuals could take action.

Dr. Batimaa Punsalmaa – Project coordinator, Strengthening of the United Management of Water Resource in Mongolia (F): We develop animal agriculture, animal agriculture generates this greenhouse gas, and we also produce a huge amount of trash. Besides solid trash, we generate the fluid trash which is polluted water and it adds to greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Choimaa Sharav – Executive Director, Ecology Research and Sustainable Development (M): There is a Mongolian proverb that says, “The dirt in the heart is worse than the dirt of the clothes.” A pure heart will create a pure atmosphere, a peaceful life. If we don’t make everyone realize this, we cannot win in the end if we fight only by making many scientific researches about ecology. Meanwhile some people will cut down the trees, some will hunt and some will remove the soil for mining gold while others will dig in the earth searching for many resources under the land, and all these activities will only deepen.

VOICE: Solutions raised covered not only technical and political changes, but also raising social awareness that humans have a responsibility to treat the environment with greater care.

Dr. Batimaa Punsalmaa (F): Humans themselves caused this global warming, so they also can be part of the solution. It depends on our consciousness.

Dr. Choimaa Sharav (M): The main point that I wished to convey in this seminar was that we should start from kindergarten with every young citizen of Mongolia to purify their minds by teaching the inherent noble quality of human beings, or the Buddha nature. This will be the main solution to the climate change issue and many problematic issues related to Mongolia’s ecology.

 VOICE: We laud the concerted efforts of Mongolia’s concerned influential citizens and scientists to identify and solve these most pressing issues. With Heaven’s grace and humanity’s prompt, wise actions, surely our planet and her co-inhabitants can flourish in harmony once more.
 

HP, Motorola Announce Groundbreaking Recycling Initiatives

Hewlett Packard announces recycling initiative. Available for all brands of equipment, US-based electronics company Hewlett-Packard in the USA is offering an online service to recycle computers, monitors, digital cameras and smart phones, often for cash. Even if the equipment cannot be redeemed for money, the company will still recycle it for free. Kudos Hewlett-Packard for being a great corporate eco-citizen through this electronics program! May we all be inspired toward a greener future through endeavors such as these.


South Korea, India and Japan have all announced major plans to incentivize clean energy and invest in environmental projects.

Japan, South Korea, and India to expand green industries. South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Seung-soo has announced plans to spend US$38 billion for green projects that will create nearly a million jobs, while the Japanese Environment Ministry said it would similarly boost the economy while seeking to curb climate change as well. India’s government is also mandating that all utilities buy 5% of their energy from sustainable sources, with annual 1% increases over the next decade. Many thanks South Korea, Japan and India for your programs to improve our care of the environment and look forward to the day that our planet is completely sustainable and pollution-free.

Queen’s joins unique international climate change monitoring project

North American forests monitored for climate change. As a collaborative project between researchers at the University of New Hampshire, USA and Queen’s University, Canada, Phenocam uses remote web cameras to observe changes in forests. Images recorded from the 12 cameras stationed throughout the region will track the forest carbon cycle, thus providing a better understanding of forest health and specific responses to global warming. University of New Hampshire and Queen’s University scientists, we appreciate this valuable study. May it aid us in understanding how we may better protect the vital life-giving trees of our Earth.