good news
On a Mission to Vaccinate
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $10 billion-commitment over ten years to vaccinate children in developing countries on Friday. The nonprofit is calling on world leaders to join in this effort, aimed at drastically reducing the number of deaths of children under 5 years old.
There are economic benefits to reducing child mortality in developing countries as well. Countries with lower child mortality rates tend to be more economically developed, according to the World Health Organization.
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Buying Green is Taking Hold Once Again
Reuters reports that despite the recession, American consumer spending on products that are considered "green" has in fact been going up.
U.S. supermarket sales of environmentally sustainable or "ethical" products — from energy-efficient light bulbs to organic produce — will rise about 8.7 percent in 2009 to nearly $38 billion
Reasons behind going green range from personal health to global warming, but Scott Bearse, of the financial consulting group Deloitte, thinks there may be more to it. He tells Reuters, "[t]he financial crisis reminded people of the unintended consequences of collective behavior."
William Kamkwamba: Malawi's Boy Wonder
Countries: Malawi, United States
When I was fourteen, I was busy going to drama rehearsals, shopping at the mall and fighting with my brother. But when William Kamkwamba was fourteen, he built a windmill to bring electricity to his rural village in Malawi by studying pictures in a library text book and using whatever materials he could find.
Watch this video, from Yes! Magazine, for his truly inspiring story:
You can follow William's current projects on his blog and and support his work in Malawi by donating here.
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