My writings - and those of others.

Economy, Environment, Transformation Norah Bolton Economy, Environment, Transformation Norah Bolton

Saving the Planet according to Bill

Bill.jpg

I am at least somewhat inspired by the fact that one software billionaire decided to resign from operating his company and putting his money to work on the most critical issues of our time. Even he is mystified by the conspiracy theories that have resulted from his work in virus development and prevention. His medical student daughter who has received the vaccine says that unfortunately it didn’t contain the microchip so loved by the conspiracy crowd that might make her as smart as her dad.

Bill Gates has written a book about how to save the planet and several reports have summarized some of the steps. Here are seven of them where we need to send a message:

  • Advocate for governments to support research and development in clean energy technology if and when the private sector refuses to do so. That’s how we got to where we are with modern technologies - government funding

  • Level the playing field of production costs of carbon use. Both the actual producer and consumer needs to pay for it. Otherwise we all do.

  • Ensure that the right information is available to home owners and landlords re upgrades. That’s a government responsibility to know and communicate.

  • Ensure that government keeps up to date with building standards and mandates the best construction policies.

  • When communities transition from fossil fuels and jobs are lost, respond that governments respond with financial help to ease the obvious pain that the changes bring.

  • Ensure that government policies work on the big things - not just the small stuff.

  • Take a coordinated approach to technology, policy and markets. It’s not as though they aren’t all connected.

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Leadership, Politics, Transformation Norah Bolton Leadership, Politics, Transformation Norah Bolton

Gender Violence

Marking the anniversary of the violence against women at the Montreal Polytechnic is an appropriate time to visit this topic and how it affects the environment.  I am indebted as always to Dr. Dennis O’Hara’s presentations for the monthly EcoSabbath and research he does to support his themes.

 He started with an overview

 “Rooted in discriminatory gender norms and laws and shrouded in impunity, gender-based violence (GBV) occurs in all societies as a means of control, subjugation and exploitation that further reinforces gender inequality. …Occurring in all countries, in all communities, at all stages of life and across settings, GBV encompasses many different expressions of violence, including: physical, sexual and emotional abuse sexual harassment; stalking; rape, including “corrective” rape and rape as a tactic of conflict; domestic violence and intimate partner violence; child marriage; human trafficking; and female genital mutilation. It is any violent act, including threats, coercion and the potential for violence, perpetrated against someone’s will and based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics. GBV is the result of long-standing, deeply entrenched discriminatory norms that treat gender inequality with permissibility and further embed these inequalities within societal structures and institutions.” Castañeda Camey et al, “Gender-based violence and environment linkages: The violence of inequality,” ed. J. Wen, (Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, 2020), xi, 3,

 Here’s a quick look at the extent of the discrimatory norms and laws.

These discriminatory measures also relate to the environment:

 We are starting to hear about food insecurity in our own country during the pandemic. The numbers are appalling in other parts of the world. They are affected by all our assaults on the environment.  The above report went on to say that the rnvironmental discussion needs to address gender disparities as follows:

 “A Feminist Green New Deal would center the right of access to clean air, water and land for all. It must remediate gendered food insecurity and nutritional disparities by bolstering social safety nets that include healthy food access as a human right. It would invest in regenerative agriculture and food provision strategies that transition away from extractive land practices that only fuel environmental degradation. Programs focused on shifting the cultural conversation around gender-based violence should also be developed; include participation and education of all members of society; ensure engagement of children, extended family, and the wider community; and target institutional and political structures as well.”

 The video below is not totally complete with surtitles – but the energy of the participants sends a message that we all need to hear.  As is so often the case, those among us with less teach us to care more for the life of the total planet.



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