Blog
World Social Forum IV comes to a close
Today we saw the World Social Forum IV come to a close under rainy skies. The rain united with many tears from the public and from the assembly groups who said their goodbyes and who once more lifted their hopes for change in the world. Read More
Nanotechnology, Public Engagement and Human Intent
Today we held our final workshop on nantechnology. This workshop was dedicated to the issue of nanotechnology and public engagement. We talked about how important it is for the public to discuss and have decision making power in the development of nanotechnology, which is currently not a priority for many governments worldwide. The very few nanotech public engagement activities we’ve witnessed in the past have mostly been focused on marketing nanotechnology products and new applications. Spaces to discuss the societal and ethical risks of nanotechnology are rare. Read More
Nanotechnology and Worker Safety
Today our World Social Forum workshop focused on nanotechnology and worker safety. We listened to Brazilian worker union representatives and worker safety specialist who talked to the audience about the many risks involved in working with nanoparticles. Carbon nanotubes, for example, have been shown to cause similar damage to asbestos in the lungs -- asbestos causes Mesothelioma and leads to deadly cancer. Read More
Our First Workshop
Today we held our first workshop on the WSF's beautiful grounds by a river that connects to the Amazon forest. We organized the workshop as a space to discuss nanotechnology, public engagement and the technologies novel risks for humans and the environment. I presented along with professors from universities in Brazil, Spain and France. Read More
Marching into our workshops
Today, I took part in a march attended by more than 80,000 people! This march was the start of the World Social Forum. I’ve never witnessed such a colorful and powerful protest. It was peaceful, full of music, drums, singing and dancing. The Amazonian tribes that participated were definitely the highlight of the march. What first caught my attention was their colorful clothing, body art and head dresses. Read More
One forum down, one to go
Meetings took place over the weekend to finalize our activities for the World Forum on Science and Democracy and for the World Social Forum (WSF). Those who have come to the forum have been confronted with not only the challenge of projecting a positive change in the world, as many have had logistical difficulties—from flight cancellations to over booked hotels. Our work has been difficult! Read More
Coal Ash Spill
At the end of 2008, a large swath of Tennessee was flooded with toxic coal ash when a containment pond ruptured. The massive spill -- bigger than the oil released from the Exxon Valdez -- covered hundreds of acres of land, knocking homes off of their foundations and flowing into streams and the Clinch and Tennessee rivers. Read More
Opening the window to a better worldlets jump through it!
I’ve spent the past 24-hours in transit on my way to Brazil. In the midst of reviewing my talks and planned activities for the forum, I couldn’t help but put my documents aside, recline my airplane seat a generous 3 inches and begin to imagine. I imagined what Belem would look like, the people I’d be meeting and the actions for positive change that would take shape during the World Social Forum (WSF). Read More
Act Together for another World
The World Social Forum unites thousands of activists, social movements, civil society groups, NGOs, unions, universities and fellow Friends of the Earth sister groups from around the world and will host more than 2,500 seminars, workshops and other activities focused on environmental and social justice issues. Read More
Deeply Flawed U.S. Climate Action Partnership Proposal
Friends of the Earth released a statement regarding the deeply flawed U.S. Climate Action Partnership (U.S. CAP) Proposal. U.S. CAP's proposed emissions reduction target for the year 2020 is far weaker than what scientists have called for, the proposal calls for the use of carbon offset loopholes and goes against Obama's push for 100% auctions. While it's encouraging to see corporations involved in the climate debate, this proposal goes nowhere near where successful climate legislation should be. Read More