Elizabeth Blackwell

History is full of examples of prejudices based on the inexplicable “rationale” that some people are born “lesser” (in other words, non-white, non-male, of different beliefs, lifestyles, or nationality) but one woman, Elizabeth Blackwell, exemplifies the juxtaposition of such limited mindsets with those able to see past others’ limitations. Born in England in 1821, Elizabeth […]

There is good news surrounding the COVID-19 crisis. It has brought out the best in societies: solidarity among neighbors, colleagues and health professionals, and emergency relief and treatments. And its lessons are clear, despite taking hundreds of thousands of lives and creating the worst economic recession since the 1930s, resulting in lost employment, income, health, […]

Some 4.5 billion people worldwide live with unsafely managed sanitation, according to the World Health Organization. And in countries with water stresses, flushing toilets only exacerbates the problem, which means this issue affects nearly the entire planet. Enter the EcoLoo EcoLoo with its waterless and odorless sustainable toilet was founded by Zuraina Zaharin, a Malaysian […]

What does mixing water with ownership and microfinance produce? Water.org and its initiative WaterCredit, a program that helps microfinance organizations get into the business of making water and sanitation loans. Loans? you ask. Why loans? Why not simply count on wealthy philanthropists to build wells, maintain pumps or provide sanitary services, doing that all over the world, thus […]

According to the 1994 Oslo Symposium, which aimed to examine a new approach to consumption, production and consumerism, Sustainable Consumption is defined as: “the use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as emissions […]

This story has been reported by several news channels in the last few days, but it’s worth repeating. The UN has reached one of the millennium development goals ahead of schedule. Goal number 7 is to “Ensure environmental sustainability.” Within that goal, target 7C is to “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without […]