Photo Essay: Earth Day 2013

Photo Essay: Earth Day 2013

Worldwide, Global Communities is working with communities to help them address their most pressing environmental challenges in locally appropriate and innovative ways.

Water Harvesting the Face of Climate Change
In Honduras, Global Communities has introduced impoverished farmers to one of the most advanced drip irrigation systems on the market. The award-winning, Water Harvesting project, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, worked with rural farmers in Southern Honduras to build reservoirs that can be used to irrigate crops throughout the dry season, improving their productivity and economic security. The new irrigation systems allow farmers, who were only able to harvest corn once a year, to produce multiple crops a throughout the year. Read more here: On Demand Water Helps Communities Adapt to Climate Change

Addressing the Challenges of Urban Sanitation
More than one billion people worldwide lack access to proper sanitation. The problem is particularly challenging in urban slums where high population densities combined with a lack of services and haphazard planning can result in dismal conditions. As the world’s population becomes more urban, often settling into informal communities, proper sanitation management is ever more crucial. In Ghana, the most rapidly urbanizing country in the world, Global Communities has been working with slum communities in urban areas to address critical sanitation needs. One innovative solution being implemented in Ghana’s slums is Biofil latrine technology, a greener, safer, and more cost-effective way to manage human waste. Read more here: On Earth Day, Lessons Learned From a Ghanaian Slum

Cities and Climate Change: Empowering the Urban Poor
Climate change is an eminent challenge for urban planners and its unfolding dangers have grabbed worldwide attention. At the same time, cities have proven themselves to be engines of economic growth, sources of innovation and places of job creation. There are challenges, but also opportunities as cities learn to invest and adapt to climate change to become more resilient. One window of opportunity is including the urban poor in planning and decision-making processes, a crucial component to developing more resilient cities. Read more here: The Urban Poor, Climate Change and the Future of Cities Around the World

Building Resilience through Green Construction
Globally, buildings account for 40 percent of global carbon emissions. Addressing the entire building life cycle – planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition – in a sustainable way not only benefits the environment, it also reduces long-term operating costs and increases the productivity and health of inhabitants. For these reasons, Global Communities incorporates environmentally friendly and energy-efficient elements into the home improvement, community infrastructure and school construction projects implemented together with local partners, and as part of post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Read more about our green construction projects here: Green Building: A Window of Opportunity and Green School Plants a Brighter Future for Kosovo’s Children

Promoting Healthy, Sustainable Environments at School and Beyond
The Green Apple Day of Service was established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to bring together students, teachers, parents, elected officials and community members in support of healthy, sustainable schools by participating in local service projects. Global Communities, through its partnership with USGBC, facilitated 15 projects in six countries: Colombia, Ghana, India, Kosovo, the West Bank and the U.S. From planting trees to cleaning up public spaces to using recycled materials to beautify their schools, more than 2,500 students participated in events. Read more here: CHF International Marks Green Apple Day of Service