Your contribution…

This last week, I want you to make a contribution to the future of this course and to one another. Select one website, book, or organization that has spoken to any of the problems/issues in this course and inspired you. It cannot be one that was assigned for this course... if you don't know of any, go find one! Post the link on your blog (if a book, post a link to its Amazon page). Describe what it is, what you learned from it, how it speaks to the specific issue we tackled in this course, and what you would hope other students would gain from it.

After reading one of the articles in the book Life and Death Matters regarding the radiation exposure the people of the Marshallese Islands suffered due to the Atomic Bomb testings. While looking for websites that speak out against war and radiation in the US and the effects on the American people, I came across The Human Radiation Experiments website. This website has several main issues dealing with radiation use in the United States as a method of prevention against any nuclear attacks that resulted from the Cold War and World War II. Alan R. Cantwell, Jr. MD explains the different ways the United States used its people as guine pigs to experiment on. This was done through disinformation and Nuclear Fallout of testing nuclear missles. With this the government miscommunicted the dangers of exposure to radiation contamination through fallout and experiments. Another form the US used the people of america as guine pigs is through secret experimental uses of radiation . In which many of the people were injected with radiation to test its effects on the human body. In were many times it was tested on children like Injecting 7 newborns (six were Black) with radioactive iodine, explains Cantwell. Cantwell also details the effect of Uranium on the miners who worked for Atomic Energ Commision (AEC) in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. This website is very informative and helpful in regards to the use of the United States of its own people to test the limits of radiation on the human body that were conducted secretly and with the use of misinformation to the people of America.

http://www.whale.to/a/cantwell9.html

Pollution and Waste:

Discuss the two readings on mining, focusing particularly on stakeholder groups and the impact inequality has on a person's experience of the polluting, negative effects of mining. Then, reflect more broadly the impact of first world consumer habits and pressures on the natural world (and peoples of the third world). Watch the following clips from the film Human Footprint and take the ecological footprint analysis. Explain how your consumption habits relate to issues of pollution and waste in the world, and provide two ideas of how you could reduce your negative impact (reasonable, real ideas).

In the article, The Master Thief: Gold Mining and Mercury contamination in the Amazon, written by Leslie E. Sponsel describes the reason the Yonomami people of Brazil begin mining for gold in the Amazon region. The Yanomami indigenous people are poor and often times don't have the resources to maintain their families. When the mining for gold began in the Amazon region the poor indigenous people saw it as a get rich quick job. Often times being ignorant of the dangers and harmfull effects of the use of mercury for gold mining. As Sponsel states in her article the gold rush of the 1980's greately influenced the decision for many of the poor indegenous farmers to begin mining. A large part of the influence of gold mining was due to the increase on the price of gold that began in the 1970's for U.S. $30-$35 to the 1980's price of U.S. $850(Sponsel). The Government and International businesses are largely benefited by the gold rush. The Government of Brazil, as Sponsel states in the article, that although the government acknowledge the health hazards of mining with mercury it will not go out of its way to find a solution for the problem but rather "ignore, deny, minimize [the severity of ] the problem." Another issue that is important is the "severe economical and political problems that render concern for the indigenous" (Sponsel). The international businesses are benefited by the gold rush because they provide the material for the miners and there fore increase their profit. An example Sponsel uses is the companies that provide the mercury tht is being used for gold mining by the miners. The use of mercury benefits them because their profits will increase with a higher use of mercury in the mine. As oppose to eliminating mercury from the mines will decrease their profits they have accustomed to. The impact of mercury on the person's experience with pollution is at times very drastic because the waste that is produced to mine an ounce of gold is about nine tons of waste, according to Sponsel. This amount of waste in their water systems will affect their food supply they obtains from the rives as well as their drinking water. Just as the Marshalles people were affected by the radiation in their food supply. Also, the mercury that is being inhaled by the miners is also very bad for their lifestyle. One of the major issues of women affected by the mercury waste that is absorbed in the food supply is their pregnancy. Sponsel states that at many times a pregnant women may be spared from mercury poisoning because it will all be absorbed by the fetus. This resulting in still births, spontaneus abortions, gross birth defects, paralysis, physical impairment, and mental retardation.

In the article, War on Subsistence: Mining Rights at Crandon/Mole Lake, Wisconsin, written by Al Gedicks describes the constant battle of the Indian tribes in Wisconsin of preserving their reservation from pollution and contamination. The concerns of the Indian Tribes in the Northern parts of Wisconsin of having a Mines built next to their reservations. The mines would affect their water supply, in turn affecting the natural resources they rely so heavinly on, as Gedick states in his article. The Indian Tribes of Wisconsin are fighting against "Exxon's propsed underground shaft mine….that would produce 44 million tons of waste, over its lifetime" (Gedick). The dramatic effect of having 44 million tons of waste run through the water supply of the indian tribes would not only affect its food supply but also their culture. It would unbalance their lifestyle not only whith the harmful health hazards but to their customes and traditons, their way of life. Since the Indian Tribes rely so heavily on mainting their tribe with only natural resources. Resources that would be usesless for their as a way to provide a healthy food supply for their families and also to maintain their culture if they want to survive. One of the major inequalites that resonated the most to me in the article by Gedick, is the enviromental racism that existed in the second battle of the Indian Tribes with Exxon. Gedick explains that the reason for the exclusion of the racial minority( of the Indian Tribes) in the decion making process was due to the disproportionate impact that racial minorities experience from the enviromental [health] hazards. Exxon was not the only interested busines in the construction of the mines in Wisconsin, several church groups that held stock in other mining projects were also "willing to raise social and corporate responsibility through shareholder resolution" (Gedick). This was an effort to have Exxon provide the information necessary to substantiate its claims that its mines would not affect the Indian Reservations with the waste that would be produced by their mines. An effort that would not go unchallenged.

The impact of the first world consumer habits and pressures effect the natural world and the peoples of the third world by polluting the air we breath, when driving cars that produce smog. By reducing the use of vechiles driven we reduce the carbon emmisions that are release into our atmosphere. For example, I use my car to commute to school( one hour drive each way), to work, and for daily errands. But if I reduce the usage of my car and either carpool, ue the train, or bus to school I would be reducing my carborn foot print of 4.8 earths.You can find your carbon foot print at www.myfootprint.org Also by eliminating the use of the drive-thru and parking the car instead when ever possible would also reduce my carbon foot print. People now days become to lazy to walk to certain places that even a simple thing like walking into the restaurant is to much for them, so they rather use the drive-thru. On the other hand, there are also those people that don't have the time to park the car, walk in, place an order, and wait for it to be ready, because they live a fast pace life that doesn't allow them room to do so. Another habit and pressure that affects the natural world is the use of produce that is grown with chemical pesticides. Although, the chemically grown pesticides are cheaper for a consumer under a budget, specially a lower middle class family living conditions don't allow them to go to their local farmers market and buy organic produce. But for those who can, this would be a simple way to resude your carbon foot print. Another upside to that is your obtaining healthier produce for yourself and your family because its free of the chemical pesticides that can harm your health. Small energy saving habits such as turning of the lights in the room when leaving it can also reduce the amount of electricity that is consumed and in turn reduce pollution levels not only in the first world but would also trickle down to the third world people who are affected by the pollution being created by the first worlds.

Blog #10 Topic:

All of us have heard about the problems associated with being dependent on oil for energy, as it inherently is a one-time resource (and therefore cannot be sustainably used, as it will not replenish). Various sources of energy are used around the world, most commonly nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, geothermal, wind, and wave. Nuclear energy is often touted as sustainable means to energy production. Using details from the readings, discuss your views (1) on whether or not nuclear energy is sustainable and (2) the problems associated with it and how they play into issues of inequality, both within nations (between groups of people) and between nations.

 I don't believe that nuclear energy is a sustainable source of energy because of all the harm it can cause to the people's health and lifestyle. An example of the harmful effects of nuclear energy as a sustainable source of energy for weapons is in the article, Complex Problems and No Clear Solutions: Radiations Victimization in Russia written by Paula Garb. In this article Garb discusses the harmful effects of radiation poisoning on the villages in Russia from the explosion and mishandling of radioactive waste. Garb explains in detailed her studied on the communities in Russia that have been exposed to radiation poison from nuclear weapons facilities and its effects on the health and lifestyle of the villages, as well as their reaction. The three villages that Garb mentions in her studies are: Muslyumovo, Kyshtym, and Dal'naya Dacha all in the Chelyabinsk region in Russia. Garb discusses in her article the excitement of the people for the creation of jobs the Mayak nuclear weapons facility in 1945-1949 brought to their villages. But as soon as construction was complete, there was no more need for the unskilled workers and therefore were laid off. Although no one really questioned the use of the facility by the military, many believe it was used for military purposes, "although this was never confirmed officially" (Garb). The use of nuclear weapons facility eventually reached the communities water supply in the early 1950, as mentioned by Garb. Many of the villagers noticed "pink pieces of fluff" (Garb) in their water supply. Many of the villages were evacuated and relocated to other villages, and although many of the officials believe it to be a very smooth and fast evacuation, "people were not evacuated until eight months after the accident: they consumed contaminated food for three to six months without restrictions" (Garb). Another example of why nuclear energy is not a sustainable source of energy is in the article, Building a Clean, Green Nuclear Machine? written by Barbara Rose Johnston. In this artcle Johnston poses the argument is nuclear energy truly the clean, green machine that its proponents (enviromentalist) make it out to be? In this article Johnston discusses the exposure levels of radiationa and its effects on the human health and lifestyle. She argues that acute health diseases can develop from low levels of exposure to nuclear radiation if it is consistent exposure. An example Johnston uses is the Navajo uranium minors, who developed chronic health problems including cancers as well as birth defects, such as cleft palates.

The problems of nuclear weapons associated with issues of inequalites within the nations are more evident when the nation should compensate the victims of radiation poisoning. Garb explains in her article that many of the communities feel doomed and dissapointed because they feel there may never be a solution to their problem because their govement is not willing to help them, even when it says it will. An example of this is when the Russian govermnet allocated funds for recompensation to those victims affected by the radiation poison caused by the Mayak weapons faciltiy many were left disqualified for one reason or the other. Their own Russian Government set many restrictions to disqualify the victims of radiations such as: "anyone who no longer lived in Muslyumovo up to that point…and anyone born after 1958—that is, a child or grandchild of victims who may have genetic aberrations"(Garb). In the article by Johnston inequalties withing their nation exist and become evident when the victims are not allowed to view the archieves and are restricted of information in regards to their exposure of nuclear radiation. The files are classified.

Inequalities at the national and local level are evident in the case of the Muslyumovo Region's weapons facilites, when the authorities and Official at bothe the National and Local level argue in favor of "economic revitalization based on reprocession spent fuel from Soviet-type reactors in the former republics, Finland, and Germany, and storage at Soviet sites(not in vitrified form)" (Gard). Meaning that without consideration of the affected victims of the nuclear explosion of Mayak, the National and Local offical of the Russian government are searching for methods in which they can continue with the use of nuclear energy from the recycled fuel of Soviet-type reactors from other neighboring countries. In comparison to the United States in regard to the use of nuclear energy for weapons testins the example of the Marshall Islands and their disregard for the serios health problems that nuclear energy can cause go hand in hand. Both nations disregard the health risk and when they attempt to recompensate the victims after they have been displaced from their homes and lifestyle set to many restrictions that do not allow the victims to be fully compensted for the health damages. An example Gard uses in her article is of another region who is affected by the inequalites of their nation is Atamanovo located near the Kransnoyarsk-26 facility who is also affected by the contamination of nuclear energy. Lyudmila Fatianova, a high school physics teacher claims that many of her friend are steril or infertile and that many in her community are also suffering from serious cancer abnormalites and many died within a year of diagnosis.

Changing Ideas about Heritage & Heritage Management in Historically Segregated Communities by Antoinette T. Jackson, PH.D

Summarize the lecture and draw links between racism, cultural survival, and heritage management.

The lecture by Dr. Antoinette T. Jackson was about the research she conducted in Sulphur Springs, Florida in regard to building a historical museum and heritage center to represent the community's history. Dr. Jackson explained her passion is to locate unmarked sites of history and heritage. Unmarked sites of history and heritage, according to Dr. Jackson, are locations within the neighborhood that are of importance and significance that most people would not realize it if they were passing by them. An example of such a place would be the site of a home depot. This location was considered to be of historical significance to the people of the community because it was the previous location to an elementary school for all black girls. And how she represented "uncontested history" for the people of Spring Hill, a community among Sulphur Springs who has been neglected and ignored due to their high rates in crime and poverty levels. Dr. Jackson discusses the challenges her and her team faced when conduction the research and resource management of the Spring Hill community. The challenges arose in the interview process, the people of the community did not want to talk about the era when segragation affected their community. Dr. Jackson and her team would ask unrealeated interview questions that would also date back to the segragation era and obtain the information through that. An example of one of those questions would be in reagards to their cooking. The team would collect historical data through oral recollection of accounts. There were also community meetings held in order to include the people of the community in the decision making of what type of information would be represented by the Museum and Heritage Center. Those meeting would unite and also distance a few of the community members due to the similarities or different experiences and view points of their community. Another conflict in the research came up when the community did not want to be portrayed as victims of segragation, race, and slavery; but only show their accomplishments and what their community is now like.

The community of Spring Hill ws greatly affected by racisim in their past. Although the community wanted to exclude those events from their history, Dr. Jackson felt that those were significant parts in the history of Spring Hill that her team and herself would interview people of the community to obtain information in an indirect manner, as explained above. The community was affected by racism through the use of segregation and slavery in the past. Dr. Jackson explains that the community was split up on Water Street. Water St. was used as the boundry line that shouldn't be crossed. Crossing that street would be very dangerous because people would get beat up, chased back to the other side, or end up dead. People would be identified depending on what side of Water Street you were on.

The creation of the Museum and Heritage Management Center was a grass movement of the people of Spring hill to maintain their culture alive for future generations to come. This was because today the knowledge of the elders of Spring Hill is not passed down from generation to generation. The Museum is a way to create cultural survival for the community of Spring Hill. The community's control of information that was made available in the Museum allowed for a controlled cultural survival for the community. This was an effort to move away from their image of being a city with high crime, poverty, and low educational standard. Controlling the flow of information with the use of the community meeting allowed for a greater participation on the community's grass root effort to maintain their rich history alive. A piece of their history that the community wanted to be remembered for was the Arcade. The Arcade was thought by many to be their first indoor mall in the city. Although largely segragated, many on the community had nothing but positive comments in regard. A few of those comments are: " it torn down my heart" refering to the destruction of the arcade in 1970's. Versus other statements of excitement to see the Arcade go down, "happy because I never got to go." Many were shocked to hear that people were happy to see such an important historical structure get torn down.

Food, Scarcity, and Purity

-- Using specific examples from the two articles in the reader and from the guest lecture, discuss (1) the problem of food security and its origins in socioeconomic and environmental problems; (2) the struggle to define and practice sustainable agriculture; and (3) the links between food security, environmental sustainability, and traditional ecological knowledge.

In the article, Purity and Danger: Regulating Organic Farming by Valerie Wheeler and Peter Esainko, the problem of food security and its origins are a socioeconomic problem, as well as, environmental problems which arise when dealing with the traditional way of farming and the use of agricultural chemicals as opposed to the "organic" way of farming. As Wheeler and Esainko address in the article the problem of food security in the United States is put into jeopardy when the use of "agricultural chemicals pollute surface and groundwater" as well as having the "toxic residues of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides compromise the food supply." When the uses of agricultural chemicals are used in farming it depletes the soil, as well as the crops. As a result to the harmful effects of agricultural chemicals cause on both the land and its crops organic agriculture was introduced. Although organic farming was "found to be both economically viable and ecologically superior" (Esainko and Wheeler) the traditional farmers resisted against it with the use of more technology. The environmental problems of food security at its origins are the use of agricultural chemicals on the soils and its crops and its effects on human health. For example, the use of consistent agricultural chemicals on a farm will affect the sustainability of the soil, in turn affecting the use of the land for continued use of farming. With organic farming, Wheeler and Esainko state the alternating of crops in the land benefits the sustainability of the soil and will allow a farmer to maintain the soil in a healthy state. This results in the struggle to define and practice sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is defined as a "feel good term that attracts everyone, neutralizes challenges" (Esainko and Wheeler). Sustainable agriculture is also a weary subject for the traditional farmers who oppose to a new way of farming that will not cause any harm to the farming land, the crops, and the health of humans. The links between food security, environmental sustainability, and traditional ecological knowledge is the decision of the farmer and the consumer who are willing to spend more on organically or to spend less in growing crops which are grown with agricultural chemicals. The link of ecological knowledge and food security is lost with each passing generation in America because Americans don't know how to farm, as addressed by Dr. Kirner.

In the article, Resource Access, Environmental Struggles, and Human Rights in Honduras by James Phillips, discuses the globalization of Honduras and the struggle of the Honduran people in their fight for their human rights when they were displaced from their lands and their home by their government. The problem of food security in Honduras is a fight that the peasant farmers are losing to the large land owners who take over their land; land which their own government has recognized as theirs. Since the peasant legally own the land through land grants their own government awarded them (Phillips). An environmental problem the Honduran people face as a result of agricultural farming is "deforestation, generally cited as the most apparent environmental problem in Honduras" (Phillips). As discussed by Phillips deforestation results in soil erosion and depletion, water contamination, and lack of urban waste management. Deforestations is a big concern for the Honduran people because it results in food scarcity, since the soil is eroded and depleted they can no longer crop there, water contamination and lack of urban waste management affects the well being of the Honduran people. The socioecomic problem caused by food security is one the violation of the human rights of the peasant farmers of Honduras when they are displaced from their homes and crops. A way for the government to recognize their fault in the displacement of the peasant farmers, in 1974 land grants were awarded to approximately 10,000 peasant families, but no more were given past 1974 as addressees by Phillips.

In the Lecture by Gene Anderson on The Resilient Maya Agro ecosystem, discusses the varieties of farming methods the Mayas in the Yucatan Peninsula use to sustain their food security. The Mayas use of farming is not for cash profit making but to maintain their family's food security. Many times their families are comprised of an average of 20-30 people, all of who help maintain and grow the farms crops. The Mayas use the forest land for farming by cutting down the forest burning it and then farming on the land. Using the same small piece of land to grow a variety of different crops within the same patch of land. The environmental problems that arise is deforestation due to the cutting down of the forest to create farming land. Although if they see there is useable and strong trees they will farm around it to allow it to grow once they move to the next patch of land. Their Major staple food supply is the Maize, which is their Sacred Food. The link between food security, environmental sustainability, and traditional ecological knowledge as was addressed by Dr. Anderson is the connections the Mayas have to maintain their food security by passing down the ecological knowledge from generation to generation. This is made possible because they use their farming not for cash-cropping but for the maintenance of their family as a primary reason. And families working on their farms allows for the passing down of ecological knowledge between the generations. Dr. Anderson also pointed out the love for plants and farming the Mayas have. Also the facts that Mayas will also use all of their resources and will not let them go to waste. For example, the weeds that grow in their farming fields, the Mayas can't use chemical pesticides because it will harm the environment of their farming land, therefore they use the weeds for medicinal cures, cooking, or anything else they can find a use for them. But will not let them go to waste.

The Impact of War

 

Based on the readings, describe how war impacts: public health, social and psychological well-being of the society, the environment and food security, and the economy and infrastructure. Offer specific examples to demonstrate these impacts from the readings (including examples from Peru, Iraq, and the Marshall Islands).

As a result of the armed conflict that exist in our world today, the public health, social and psychological well-being of the society, the environment and food security, and the economy infrastructure has been on a steady decline. We see these deteriorating conditions not only is our present war with the middle east but also looking back into our history and history of other countries.

While reading "Health, Human Rights, and War: Structural Violence, Armed Conflict and Human Health in the Andes" written by Tom Leatherman several war impacts are noticeable in regards to the public health, social and psychological well being of the society, and the enviroment and food security of the indigenous communities in Peru. The impact of war on the public health of the civilians is severely affected due to the conflic that arises from the relationship between the "structural violence and political violence" (Leatherman 333) observed in the 20 year civil war, initiated by the PCP-SL, Communits Party of Peru Sendero Luminoso in 1980. The Communist Party of Peru Sendero Luminoso was initiated to wage war against the Peruvian State who controlled and restricted the use of land by indigenous communities. Restricting indigenous communites from owning any land and only allowing large estate cooperatives to own and work the land( Leatherman 338). The affect of this civila war agains the Peruvian state affected the public health of the poor indigenous communities more than the wealthy communites. The Structural violence is used as a tool to increase the structuraly inequalities that exist in the indigenous communites that accentuate their situation of poverty and hunger. Hunger is a leading factor in the conflict of war within a country. The restriction of food security and access to resources leaves the people with nothing to lose and therefore willing to fight for the resources they are lacking(Leatherman 335). The public health is also affected by high mortality rates in countries suffering from war conflicts. According to Leatherman most of the people included in the mortality rates are civilians of which women, children, and the elderly are the most affected; and most of those deaths occurred outside the battlefields of war. The long term effects of the social and psychological effects of war on the Peruvian indigenous communites is widely known to have caused mental traumas s post traumatic stress disorders. This was caused by the fear and insecurities that Senderos Luminoso Communits Party intilled in the indigenous people by publicaly torturing and murdering people opposing his rule(Leatherman 339). In an effort to prevent history from repeating itself and attempting to right the wrong commited on innocent civilians Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was organized to provide for medical attention to those suffering from the trauma of the civil war. Thought to be a very ambitious plan because the funding for such a program in were about 30,000 people were effected by mental trauma and only three groups of a total of 200 people with one alternating physician( Leatherman 344). The government never really allocating funds for their long term effects of war, when all the funding goes to fund the military.

In the reading "Snapshot: Considering the Human Health Consequences of War in Iraq" written by Marcia C. Inhorn the war impacts are noticeable in regards to the public health, social and psychological well being of the society, and the enviroment and food security of the indigenous communities in Iraq. In the war with Iraq we can see the public health decline dramatically because of how violent the country has become due to the war. As well as before the war when Saddam Hussein became president in 1979 and initiated a bloody war that lasted for eight years(Inhorne 351). The dangerous aspect of this area and its war impeaded the access to the medical attention to the Iraqis. Since the war imposed by the US the mental health of Iraqis has increased by 35% with cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disoder (Inhorn 352). This is including civilians as well as Iraqi soldiers and excluding the US cases of US soldiers who have also suffered from PTSD as a result of this ongoing war. According to a Veterans Administration Study nearly 30,000 Afghanistan veterans suffered from PTSD in 2006 increasing to nearly 50,000 veterans in one year(Inhorn 352). Those numbers are suprisingly high for a one year period to increase by 20,000 veterans suffering from PTSD. Withing this casualties lies the 13 million children who have also suffered from PTSD from witnessing the war crimes that are commited in front and in their homes. And when malnutrition was once rear, it is now an overflowing problem in Iraq. According to Inhorn, "The UN agency estimates that one our of every eight children in Iraq dies before the age of five, one-third are malnutrition, one quarter are born underweight, and one-quarter do not have access to safe drinking water." The health of the Iraqis was also put at risk along side with its enviroment with the use of "contaminant depleted uranium, which is 60% more radioactive than uranium itself" (Inhorn).

We can observe this in our own history, in the event where the U.S. launched Nuclear Bombs in the Marshall Islands for testing between 1946 and 1958. Out of the many islands affected by radiation only four atolls were considered to be exposed for treatment and evacuation(Barker 359). In this situation not only was the health of the Marshalles people endangered but also their land and food security was gone. The Marshalles people were treated as test subjects for radiation effects on the human body. The radiation contamination caused long term publich health, social and psychological well being of the society, the enviroment and food security. The health of the public was affected by the malformantions of the people who where exposed to the radiation as well as the deaths that occurred through out all the islands who were exposed unofficially as well as officially. How is it that only certain islands were "exposed" when the radiation is spread through the air and carried out to different island of the Marshall Island? This clearly demostrates the importance and well being the war and homeland security of the US places on the lives of residents of the Marshall Islands. The long term effects of radiation are carried through the enviromental resources that have been contaminated by the radiation but were still consumed by the Marshalles people because the U.S. said they were "safe" to eat. For example, The Marshalles people consume Coconut crab and Rongelap, which was determined to be the most dangerous food source, but at times it was restricted from consumption and others it was "safe" to eat(Barker 362). These restrictions on food were also affecting the social and psychological well being of the society because at times were radiations was consumed through the food source it also generated birth deformaties on new borns. This resulted in higher mortality rate for the islands as well as social awareness of those that hve body deformations, some visible and those that are not are hidden. Women specilly have to hide their deformities so it wont limit their chances of marriage.

Cultural Survival and Change

Describe the conflicts discussed in the two articles: (1) between biodiversity conservation efforts and human rights and (2) between tourism-based development and cultural continuity. Using each of the author's works combined with your own creative reflection, discuss: (1) how biodiveristy conservation could actually be related to cultural survival and empowerment of local peoples and (2) how the tourism industry could be changed in ways that would facilitate cultural survival of indigenous peoples.

 

In the article African Wildlife: Conservation and Conflicts, by Robert K. Hitchcock, it discusses the conflicts that arise from biodiversity conservation of the wildlife in Africa and the effect it has on the native Africans. The Government almost seems to view the conservation for the wildlife more important than the lives and sustainability of the people. Their human rights are not given much thought. Hitchcock mentions in this article the conflict that people come across in regard to their lives. Many times, Hitchcock explains, " Local peope were subjected to imposition of restictive wildlife laws and periodic search-and- seizure operations" showing no regard to human rights whatsoever. The government trying to prevent the extinctions of their wildlife, which occurs through poachin, has created antipoaching operations to " reduce the rate of destruction of such endangered or threatened species as rhinoceros and elephant. " ( Hitchcock 83). I belive that it is important to preserve wild life, especially when it is endangered, but like Dr. Kirner pointed out this is the view of an outsider. Which I am, because I don't have encounters with that wildlife to the point of which they stampeed through my front yard. Therefor no inconviniece to me but it is to the natives of Africa that have to deal with it almost on a daily basis. Many times when a wildlife consevation is created the inhabitants don't receive a warning to find another place to live but are forced out of their homes with nothing to carry at times. This is another major conflict that arises from the biodiversity conservation efforts. Although some organizations have been created to fight for human rights many time the people are left with no home and no resources to be able to feed their families because the official don't honor their word to provide for them a promised. The human rights organization are trying to work with the government to reach an equilibrium on how to best benefit the biodiversity wildlife conservation efforts but at the same time provide for the African people. Therefore they can still have their land for resources and hunt certain animals wich are part or the way they sustain their families. There should be an median in where the African government can reach with the people to either compensate them so they can relocate without suffering the hardships they encounter when they use the resettlement programs. People should still be able to keep their land or have the government buy it from them. That way they will still be able to maintain some of their resources needed to maintian their families.

In the article Mass Tourism on the Mexican Caribbean: Pervasive Changes, Profound Consequences, by Oriol Pi-Sunyer and R. Brooke Thomas, it discusses the affects of toursim in Quinta Roo located on the Yucatan peninsula and Mexico and the effects it has on cultural continuity of Mayan Villages. The large influx of tourism is able to bring in a lot of money but unfourtunately the economic gain that tourist would normally generate does not stay within their local businesses but it goes to help the national economy outside of Quinta Roo. The Mayans face forced social change for the tourism that is occuring around in their homeland but at the same time the tourist want to observe the Maya's traditional way of life, as if no time has passed by. Unfourtunately this is not the case, due to the large influx of tourist many of their forest have been taken down and builings have come up to accommodate the tourist coming to their land. I believe their culture would be hard to maintain because with the deforestation occuring in their home land, which is vital to their traditional way of life for hunting, gathering plants, and herbs that would also be helpful for their curanderas (healers or witch doctors) which rely heavily on them. This is hard to imagine and to react to as a native to their land, because your own society is telling you to assimilate to the changes that are brought forth due to tourism, but at the same time to maintain you tru culture to amuse the tourist ( who what to view Mayan Culture, as a tourist attaction).