By Candela Vázquez Asenjo, youth blogger, Transition Earth. This past summer I volunteered with an orangutan sanctuary located in Borneo, Indonesia. The feeling of being just one more creature in the middle of the forest, no longer an intruder but a guest, is a beautiful gift that few people get to experience. However, there is a
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By Suzanne York. Water. When it comes to Mother Nature, it often seems these days as if we either have too much of it or not enough of this most precious of resources. As World Water Week kicked off in Stockholm (a gathering of water experts and professionals from across many sectors), the World Bank
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By Suzanne York. On this World Elephant Day, it’s well known to many people that elephants are on the path to extinction in the wild, if something isn’t done soon to change this narrative. Last year, the Great Elephant Census, based on aerial surveys, concluded there are just over 350,000 elephants in Africa. It is
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By Suzanne York. Another Earth Overshoot Day is upon us, this one coming August 2nd, even earlier than last year. This date, calculated by Global Footprint Network, arrives earlier with each passing year, as humanity uses up natural resources faster than the Earth can replenish in a year. Currently we are using the ecological resources
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By Suzanne York. In Uganda, home to incredible biodiversity and some of the world’s friendliest people, the idea of a growing population is viewed by some as a positive, when actually the 1.2 million people added to the population every year is putting enormous pressure on people, communities and the environment. The facts speak for
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By Suzanne York. Recently released United Nations projections reflect a world where the population is still growing. By 2050, there may be close to 10 billion people on the planet. The choices we make today will determine if we reach that milestone or go higher or possibly lower. The Family Planning Solution With that in
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By Suzanne York. A visit to southwestern Uganda makes it clear why Churchill deemed it the “pearl of Africa.” The lush greenery, the people, the animals all make it a delightful experience. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda is aptly named – the forest is thick as far as the eye can see, and the
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By Suzanne York, Transition Earth. (A longer version of this article was originally written for the online magazine, ReImagining, published by the Chicago Wisdom Project) Lately it seems as if the entire world is veering wildly off course. From climate change to species extinctions to rising inequality, many people – not to mention nature – are crying out
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By Candela Vázquez Asenjo, youth blogger, Transition Earth (Read Part I here) Global population growth today stands at approximately 7.4 billion people, due to hit nearly 10 billion in the next few decades. Though an increasing human population poses a threat to healthy and flourishing communities and ecosystems, especially in developing countries, it is a
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By Suzanne York. We live in an increasingly urbanized world. The growth of megacities – urban areas with a population of over 10 million – is a reflection of the rapid pace of urbanization in countries across the world. In 1990, there were 10 megacities across the globe. By 2030, the number is expected to
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