Reenita's Wisdom

I am as guilty as anyone of finding pleasure through chocolate on occasion. In fact, there are certain “feel good” snacks that I associate with my childhood, Kitkat being one of them.

However recent reports of  Nestle’s role in eradicating the Indonesian rainforests, home to the Orangutan, puts perspective on my desire to snack on Kitkat’s “chocky-bickies.”

A Sumatran Orangutan (Src: Sumtran Orangutan Society)

According to this morning’s Sun, Nestle is guilty of purchasing palm oil used in the treat, from a company which allegedly clears Indonesian rainforest lands to develop palm oil plantations instead. Greenpeace says that this has led to the death of more than 1,500 orangutans in a year. [...]

While the world praises India’s development, the country’s acquifirs have been significantly depleted of water in the last several years.  Water is being pumped from wells at a much faster rate than it is replenished by rainfall.

India’s diminishing access to clean and safe water supplies has been long apparent to those involved in the discussion on the world water crisis.  Recently, this serious issue has become the subject of video awareness campaigns on international airlines.

India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has warned of severe water shortages in the next few decades. While this is fast becoming evident in urban centers like Mumbai and Delhi (which has the highest per capita consumption of water), the highest impact will be felt in rural areas.

More than ever, it is time to become mindful about taking steps towards conserving water.  If you are looking for ideas as to how you can make a difference in your own home, then take a look at the Green Living Guide to Water Conservation.

Hong Kong women are celebrated for their style, glamour and a certain je ne sais quoi that is commonly perceived to result from the power of their purse. But even though women are freer, more educated, and enjoy more legal protection than they did just 20 years ago, “success” is still a long shot.

Young women fill in application forms at job fair (The Standard)

In 1997, Hong Kong signed the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which calls for 50 percent female representation in leadership positions in governments, political parties, trade unions and other groups. Despite this, startling gender inequalities are woven into Hong Kong’s socio-economic fabric – creating a huge barrier to female success.

Various research points to a clear gender gap vis-a-vis leadership positions, especially political leadership.

“People generally think there is equality,” says former legislator Mandy Tam Heung-man. “But, in fact, the inequality is subtle, because now women have higher educations, and there are more female professionals. Even in the government’s senior posts, there are more women, but if you look closely at the government’s structure, only two to three females are officials.”

In corporate life, with lower salaries and fewer promotion opportunities than men, women do not share an equal voice in decision-making – a huge cause for concern in a society where women comprise 54 percent of university graduates, and 47 percent of the workforce.

Read full story here

Since China was declared the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases in 2006, talk in international economic circles has revolved around the wisdom behind imposing a tax on carbon heavy industry.

Marathon Oil’s CFO sees carbon taxes becoming a reality

Not that a tax will necessarily mitigate the effects of emissions but it can certainly penalize industry for contributing to a high carbon environment. However, if indeed the reality of such a tax is looming, it is still quite far. [...]