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Observations of Climate Change from Indigenous Alaskans

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:30:06 +0000

Personal interviews with Alaska Natives in the Yukon River Basin provide unique insights on climate change and its impacts, helping develop adaptation strategies for these local communities. The USGS coordinated interviews with Yup’ik hunters and elders in the villages of St. Mary’s and Pitka’s Point, Alaska, to document their observations of climate change. They expressed concerns ranging from safety, such as unpredictable weather patterns and dangerous ice conditions, to changes in plants and animals as well as decreased availability of firewood. . By integrating scientific studies with indigenous observation, these multiple forms of knowledge allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the complex challenges posed by climate change.

The most common statement by interview participants was about warmer temperature in recent years. It was observed to be warmer in all seasons, though most notably in the winter months. In previous generations, winter temperatures dropped to 40 degrees Celsius below freezing, while in present times temperatures only reach 25 C or 30 C below freezing. The considerable thinning of ice on the Yukon and Andreafsky Rivers in recent years was the topic of several interviews.
One interview participant also discussed how the Andreafsky River, on whose banks their village lies, no longer freezes in certain spots, and several people have drowned after falling through the resulting holes in the ice. Participants also discussed lower spring snowmelt flows on the Andreafsky and Yukon Rivers, meaning less logs are flowing down the river. This hampers people’s ability to collect logs for firewood and building materials, placing a strain on an already economically depressed region through increased heating costs and reliance on expensive fossil fuels.

Title: Observations of Climate Change from Indigenous Alaskans.
Publication: USGS Newsroom.
Author: Nicole Herman-Mercer, Jessica Robertson
Url: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article_pf.asp?ID=2931

Student researcher: Sean Lawrence, Sonoma State University
Faculty Advisor: Peter Phillips, Sonoma State University

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Reproductive Rights & Dignity Violated in Namibia

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 01:18:31 +0000

There are women in Namibia whose reproductive rights are being violated. Women with HIV and being forced to get sterilized, despite there being no sound medical basis for the procedure. At least some women have been sterilized without full understanding of or agreement to the procedure. Three of the women are suing the Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services for “alleged violation of their right to dignity, non-discrimination and the right to start a family.” In June 2010, hundreds of protesters rallied behind the women to end the practice of forced sterilization of HIV-positive patients.

Source: Clyde, Don. (2010, Jun 3). “HIV-positive women sue Namibian government over forced

Sterilization.” Newsdesk.org http://newsdesk.org/2010/06/hiv-positive-women-sue-namibian-government-over-forced-sterilization/

Student Researcher: Ashley Benoit

Faculty Instructor: Dr. Christina Knopf, Department of English & Communication, SUNY Potsdam

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Iranian Election not Stolen

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:39:01 +0000

Because the issue of whether the election was stolen will remain relevant, both to our understanding of the situation and to US-Iranian relations, it is important to recognize the legitimacy of the Iranian election results.

Title: Iranian Elections: The ‘Stolen Elections’ Hoax

Author: James Petras,

Source: Global Research, 6/18/2009

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14018

Student Researcher: Meg Carlucci

Faculty Evaluator: Janet Hess, PhD

Sonoma State University

Corporate Media Source:

Title: Was the Iranian Election Stolen? Does It Matter?”

Author: Mark Weisbrot, Washington Post, 6/26/2009

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