Category: Uncategorized

Globalization Emerged from Africa 150 000 – 200 000 years ago

Globalization is not a new phenomenon, indeed people started to globalize their mobility to the rest of the world by moving out of Africa 150 000 – 200 000 years ago (http://www.mosselbayman.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21:herpes-virus&catid=2:pages).

The “march of progress,” gives the impression that humans evolved from apes, when in truth humans are more like distant cousins of apes because we share a common ancestor. It is a complex chain of evolutionary events chain as we did not come from apes directly (http://wallace.genetics.uga.edu/groups/evol3000/wiki/13d9d/Human_Evolution.html). 

Coming Soon: Clothes from Wood 

New fibre technology will soon be a reality in textile industry and for the production of clothes. Researchers at Aalto University and the University of Helsinki are working out spinning process to produce cellulosic textile fibres from Finnish wood – as an next better alternative to cotton, viscose or Tencel fibres. 

Cotton production is very much water demanding and cotton production can not increase anymore. Also, cotton competes with food production from land-based agriculture. The needs for other natural, friendly and sustainable alternative are enormous. 

http://www.yarnsandfibers.com/news/textile-news/textile-fibres-wood-be-next-better-alternative-cotton#.WAijI4ZeCEc

A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a Global Assessment

The quality of world water resources is going through major and considrable degradation. A summary review by UNEP “United Nations Environment Programme” in different major languages is given in attached document. 

A recommended reading for all of us and a call of contributions and engagement in this very vital issue. Collective and immediate actions in all sectors and on all levels are urgently needed. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By-Jjn3SRJBwdjNQVWJYbklaV3c/view

What Is Climate Smart Agriculture?

Promotion and implementation of the  UN-SDGs will bring in diverse smart solutions in all sectors and on all levels. This is imperative to meet the pressing global needs to the collective consequences of climate change, growing populations, an increasing competition on an ever declining natural resources and the ongoing degradation of life quality because of piling up global waste and pollution.

Among strategic smart solutions are those taking place in global agriculture and food production systems and policies where stakeholders and farmers are major players in the ongoing transformation process.

https://ccafs.cgiar.org/climate-smart-agriculture-0#.WABmbYZeCEc

Why Switzerland’s ETH Zurich? – Student Finance & Tuition Fees at World’s Top Universities

Undergraduate and postgraduate high-quality education at top international universities is a dream for many students around the world. One of the major obstacles, apart from meeting admission requirements and related practicalities for acceptance and enrollment, is tuition fees and the overall student finance for logistics and other living costs.

Much search, thinking, consultation, preparation and planning for deciding on appropriate high education and professional tracks are IMPERATIVE what regards the most reasonable answers on five basic questions in this context what, where, how, when and why. Every one in the process of entering the labor market and/or preparing for his/her own suitable Career-Development-plan has to deal with these five questions. The process of joining the labor market is not strainghtforward, may depend on other qualifications and personal merits apart from any formal education whatsoever and can look very much different for everyone. Also, it may different routs and time spans. 

We give here a short guide and an overview of current fees for domestic and international students at the 10 top universities in the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, also some information about the chances of receiving financial aid.

http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/tuition-fees-world’s-top-universities

Does the Nobel Prize Support Sustainable Developments on Planet Earth? If, Yes How & If No Why?

With the ongoing efforts to promote and implement the UN-SDGs including the EU vote to ratify the Paris Agreement (http://bit.ly/2dpyVoa) there are emerging key strategic issues. Countries around the world are called upon to act quickly to fulfill all the promises for the protection and preservation of the Earth’s natural resources. All society sectors (private and public), knowledge disciplines and human activities on planet Earth, both vertically and horizontally, have direct responsibilities in the ongoing process of transformation. There should be tools and instruments to assess the role and involvements on several levels, i.e. through coordinated webs of Key Performance Indicators. Among such instruments is the Nobel Prize which indeed played, and still playing, important role in promoting essential knowledge disciplines. However, knowledge in itself has to be promptly and effectively utilized by all sectors and on all levels to promote and implement the Paris agreement through effective coupling of diverse and wide spectra of knowledge to society, population and the market needs. It is interesting to see how far the Nobel Prize contributed in the past in developing the UN-SDGs, and also how much it will contribute in promoting and implementing these goals in future.

By founding the Nobel Prize in 1901 Alfred Nobel made the name Nobel famous worldwide. But Alfred’s prize was not the first Nobel Prize. As early as 1889 the Ludvig Nobel Award was founded. Ludvig was Alfred Nobel’s older brother and worked as a scientist, inventor and businessman in Russia during the second half of the 19th century. Alfred was most likely inspired by his brother Ludvig when founding his Nobel Prize, one of the most prestigious scientific awards of all times. Ludvig and his other bother, Robert Nobel, had an oil company in Baku, a manufacturing site for diesel engines in St. Petersburg and many other industrial sites throughout Russia during the late 19th century. Ludvig, however, strived to improve the conditions for the workers at the industrial sites by the introduction of shorter working hours, schools, healthcare, recreational facilities and also cooperative banking system for the employees. This was the 1st global initiative towards the implementation of Applied Sustainability but still lacked the environmental issues. In this context Sustainability and Social commitment was the trademark of the Nobel industries as visioned by Ludvig and Robert Nobel. The Russian revolution in 1917 changed the scene dramatically. Ludvig Nobel’s prize in science and research never became much more than a dream due to the revolution. 

Thanks to the global trends of human thinking and the recognition of R&D as an integrated part in socio-economic developments, i.e. in the framework of the UN-SDGs, today the efforts of Ludvig Nobel and his brother have not been forgotten specially in Russia and Azerbaijan.

Recently, the Nobel family has taken the initiative to honor the memory of Ludvig. The Nobel Sustainability Trust was founded with the purpose of encouraging research and/or practice of sustainable and renewable energy, through an award. Not to be confused with the Nobel prize of Alfred Nobel and will be given to worthy individuals or organizations that during the year have carried out significant accomplishments in the field of renewable/sustainable energy (http://nobelsustainability.org/history/). 

However, there are other wider initiatives to realize the importance of UN-SDG as they involve coupling many other sectors and disciplines in particular those related to Water – Energy – Natural Resources Nexuses. Still water, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries are taken much smaller proportion in relation to the R&D done within energy-related sectors and disciplines. In this context, additional steps are being taken by the United Planet Faith and Science Initiative by launching a website that attempts to win a Nobel Peace Prize for Sustainable Development (NP4SD.org) with a shared nomination of an organization and two individuals. As explained by “NP4SD.org” it is not a new Nobel Prize, it is a Peace Prize to be shared by nominees whose work is foundational and seminal in the field of sustainable development (http://www.upfsi.org/). Among cases in the past where sustainability issues were taken in consideration is 2004-Peace Prize (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2004/press.html).

Among other strategic efforts to support UN-SDGs, is to give Ecological Economics greater worldwide exposure and to create more widespread understanding of other strategic fields of importance for our well-being, survival and life-quality on planet earth and its growing population (http://www.isecoeco.org/nobel-peace-prize-for-sustainable-development/). Yet, much more is still needed to be done to promote and implement better policies for education, R&D and Transfer-of-Knowledge in the developing countries. If the Nobel Prize is used as indicator for these strategic activities it is very easy to conclude that the major parts of planet earth suffer from huge knowledge poverty. Then we can simply ask how the UN-SDGs be effectively implemented to achieve global sustainable socio-economic developments? Would the UN-SDGs be only a day-night dream for generations to come?

This said, the traditional Nobel Prize has on large-scale and long-term perspective an long-standing importance, directly or indirectly, on improving our overall understanding of planet Earth and to some extent the fundamentals of improving life quality on the Earth’s surface. Building on science pyramid on large-scale and long-term perspective is strategic in pushing forward the wheels of technology and development. However, developments in science and technology in the past century along with the weak coupling with global sociey sectors through ineffective policy-making and lack of global coordination have caused the ongoing degradation in life quality on Earth. These negative trends could have be avoided or even limited if the UN-SDGs were realized and founded much earlier.

More information on the traditional Nobel Prize awards for 2016, please see (https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2016/press-sv.html).

Obekäma Reflektioner Över Svenska Skolan – Blir Den Sämre och Sämre?

När pedagogiska metoder leder till obekväma situationer inom skolan kan det vara legitimt att fråga; är det fel på anpassning mellan skolpedagogiken, lärarna och eleverna eller är det något i dessa tre komponenter som skapar obalans i skolsystemet. Övergripande strukturella verktyg i skolsystemet såsom utvecklingspsykologi (https://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utvecklingspsykologi) och modern skolpedagogik (http://www.svd.se/sverige-riskerar-att-hamna-i-jumboklass) där ingår individuell anpassning och IT-interaktiva verktyg för att effektivisera skolan, höja kvalitén, skapa mer trivsel och kontinuitet. 

Det är intressant att ta del av vad som händer i svenska skolan. Läs varför Per Kedland som under 30 år arbetat som gymnasielärare på olika tekniska program gav upp i somras. 

Per säger “Jag har under 30 år arbetat som gymnasielärare på olika tekniska program men i somras gav jag upp. Nu vill jag förklara varför.

Jag skulle som vanligt ha tagit hand om nya ettor i augusti. När eleverna börjar i gymnasiet är de flesta vana vid att gå in och ut genom klassrummet under lektionstid utan att fråga läraren, prata i telefon, störa och tjafsa med läraren och andra, surfa på telefonen, ta rast efter 35 min, med mera. Att göra läxor är man inte van vid. En annan sak är förkunskaperna.

Här är hela berättelsen:

http://www.svd.se/jag-ar-lararen-som-har-gett-upp

Traditional Education and Conventional Schools Inhibit Lifelong learning 

In another post (in Swedish) the main source of funding higher education “CSN “Centrala studiestödsnämnden”, The Swedish Student Aid is being citized to inhibit lifelong learning. However, this is also the case of the majority of the existing education and school systems around the world. Traditional education and conventional school systems around the world are either being inherited or copied. These systems are supported by funding structures, traditions, market and employment rules that hinder life-long learning. 

Student loans are designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses. Such loans differ from other types of loans what regards interest rate and the repayment schedule. They also differ in many countries in the strict laws regulating renegotiating and bankruptcy. This article highlights the differences of the student loan system in several major countries (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_loan).

Formal education falls short of the requirements of a lifelong learning system in many terms. The needs for lifelong learning are enormous and expanding as jobs for life are a thing of the past. We need to bring on lifelong learning. Indeed, initiatives to help learners of all ages have been beset by problems, but it’s high time now to look at new models for a shifting employment landscape. There many reasons why lifelong learning should be a standard policy rather than an exception. The global employment and market landscape has changed in many aspects. Globalization, migration-integration pressures, growing global population with demographic anomalies, increasing free-mobility of labor and money and above all the ongoing transformation to sustainable socio-economic structures as consequence of recently launched UN-SDGs.

For some more reading see: https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2016/may/31/jobs-for-life-are-a-thing-of-the-past-bring-on-lifelong-learning

https://books.google.se/books?id=zfiyjdfSgUMC&pg=PR16&lpg=PR16&dq=student+loans+inhibits+lifelong+learning&source=bl&ots=yHY19e_L2u&sig=K1yvzYvPPQBPprEEJzrv0acitno&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKvITf55_PAhXKJSwKHfIFDpgQ6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=student%20loans%20inhibits%20lifelong%20learning&f=false

CSN – Hindrar Livslånga Lärandet

I en debattartikel i Göteborgs-Posten skriver Anders Holger-Nilsson och Gabor Hajdu-Rafis, Unionen, att det studiemedelssystem vi har i dag hämmar ett livslångt lärande. Det hindrar yrkesverksamma och de som är i en omställningsfas att kompetensutvecklas. 

Utveckling i samhället särskilt med tanke på globalisering, ökad komplexitet i samhället pga migrations-integrations frågor, fri-rörighet samt nya strukturella förändringar runt om i världen pga sjösättning av UN-SDGs och ökade krav på en effektiv global medverkan i hållbar utveckling är livslånga lärandet ett måste. Det räcker inte längre med att skaffa sig en utbildning i sin ungdom och räkna med att vara attraktiv på arbetsmarknaden genom hela arbetslivet särskilt nu när pensionsåldern bli högre och högre. 

http://www.gp.se/nyheter/debatt/csn-systemet-hindrar-livslånga-lärandet-1.3798915

Sustainability & Circular Economy – Free Award-winning E-Book

“Sustain-Earth.Com” is inviting you to visit the given link for free PDF downloading of an award-winning e-book (The Sustainable Business) about sustainability and the circular economy.

Free copies of the book are distributed for the purpose of explaining the fundamentals of waste elimination and resource-life extension (two core components of sustainability) and to facilitate sustainable business development and job creation.
Currently, the book is used as an introductory course text (in business schools), as a basic training manual in businesses, and as a beginner’s guide for educating the general public. You are welcome to use it to do the same.  
‘The Sustainable Business’ is updated approximately every two years and is available in five languages. All translations of the e-book (English, Arabic, Mandarin, Polish and Simplified Chinese) can be downloaded from EFMD here: https://www.efmd.org/research/the-sustainable-business   

EFMD is Europe’s premier academic-quality assessment organization; it accredits the world’s leading business schools. Just click on the book cover photo of the language you want.  
Again, you are welcome to share all the EFMD/CIPS sustainability portfolio materials (including the short videos) with your colleagues and networks – that’s what they are for!   

The Earth System as It Is and as It Should Be

There reasons why the Earth’s system, as it is, is evolving in such a way that life quality is gradually degraded with emergence of new large-scale and long-term irreversible threats, e.g. global warming, decline of natural resources, collapse in bio-divesity and accelerating degradation in life quality. However, understanding the base-line conditions and requirements for the appropriate functioning and metabolism of the Earth’s system calls for instruments and tools to define the Earth system as it should be. This is essential and imperative at least for the survival of life on earth and to bring about sustainable socio-economic developments around the world. 

Earth system science (ESS) is the application of system’s science to the Earth’s system. In particular, the interactions between the Earth’s “spheres”—atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, pedosphere, biosphere, and, also, the magnetosphere – as well as the impact of humans on these components. At its broadest scale, Earth system science brings together researchers across both the natural and social sciences, from diverse fields including ecology, economics, geology, glaciology, meteorology, oceanography, paleontology, sociology, and space science. Like the broader subject of system’s science, Earth system science assumes a holistic view of the dynamic interaction between the Earth’s spheres and their many constituent subsystems, the resulting organization and time evolution of these systems, and their stability or instability. 
 
The Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College, offers the following description: “Earth system science embraces chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics and applied sciences in transcending disciplinary boundaries to treat the Earth as an integrated system. In this context, we can achieve a deeper understanding of the physical, chemical, biological and human interactions that determine the past, current and future states of the Earth. Earth system science provides a physical basis for understanding the world in which we live and upon which humankind seeks to achieve sustainability.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_system_science

Universities Play Passive Roles in Politics – A Straregic Question Is Why?

Unfortunately, in modern ICT-based societies universities seem to play more and more passive roles in politics at least in the developing countries and parts of the developed countries. Trying to be neutral does not mean isolation and passive engagement in society matters which politics are major drivers for socio-economic changes. Corporate media and politically biased groups are becoming much more active and powerful in changing the political landscape in societies whereas universities, for some reasons, prefer to be observers “watch and see” with minor impacts. Indeed, the enormous knowledge at universities and research institutions are not promoted and implemented effectively to bring about immediate changes in societies, and benefits for their citizens.

Some additional readings on this issue:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/421244?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.kettering.org/content/reviewing-kettering-foundation-studies-role-higher-education-american-democracy

Click to access transf-final-report.pdf

Reverse Engineering Poverty and “Know-How” To Solve Global Poverty

Poverty is not new and has been with us for centuries and even for millenniums and there are several reasons for poverty (http://www.poverties.org/blog/causes-of-poverty). What we know from history is that there was no poverty, i.e. as we know it today, in Ancient Egypt (http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/economy/). However, the vast majority of the population, probably 90% during the first two millennia of Egypt’s history, lived on the land in mostly self sufficient village communities and in a state close to serfdom.In practice a virtual ownership evolved when land could be freely bought and sold. Apart from the tenant peasants, a large section of the population worked as farm labourers. Administrators, priests, traders and craftsmen lived mostly in the cities along the Nile, which could be supplied with victuals relatively easily and cheaply by boat.

From ancient Egypt, and other similar civilizations, modern poverty started somewhere at sometime and grown to the extent that it became an enormous problem and huge shame for humanity. In this process slaves became the route and even an official high-way to poverty. During this poverty became much rooted in many countries around the world, still it remain rooted and even expanding in many others countries (http://earthitude.com/top-9-problems-our-world-is-facing/). 

In this context, it must be a distinction between slavery and poverty, though both are not acceptable in modern democracies. One can be slave but not poor and one can be poor but not slave, however one can be both poor and slave. Poor can very easily be slaved for any purpose and once are slaved they can not decide, and even allowed to do so, and the only option for then is to carry out orders and even accept severe humiliation. This is even the case anywhere but in different forms and various levels.

Global poverty started as poor people were first exported as slaves out from where they are living, in particular out of Africa by the rich and through the rich as slaves with no economic rights. Later on, there were left in the hands of colonization and capital where they were used as slaves and servants (also with no economic rights) but this time, also, in their own home countries. After self-independence that became slaves for whatever they were paid for, i.e. the economic rights are totally in the hands of the owners and capital-investors. Now to be free from, or to get rid of poverty is not a simple task at all for both sides, i.e. for the poor who needs the money and for the rich who need to keep their business running. This is just to put facts flat and in this case there are no simple or patented solutions. 

Another huge source of modern slavery and poverty are wars, civil wars , and political conflicts, where whole groups, communities, populations and families are threatened and forced by the gun out of there homes. Typical examples exist in e.g. Africa the MENA regions, and still a continuous source of global insecurity and instability.  

Even the UN “United Nations” and the WB “World Bank” are seeking data and information “know-about” from people around the world to know what to be done, where and how. A possible solution is using “Reverse Engineering, RE” to slowly propagate knowledge, know-how and resources among communities of different populations. Here are some information on RE (http://definitelyfilipino.com/blog/reverse-engineering-a-way-out-of-poverty/; http://sbj.net/Content/ENEWS-ARTICLES/ENEWS-ARTICLES/Article/Work-to-reverse-engineer-poverty-underway-via-Northwest-Project/29/82/103878). If you know of anymore or your have your own RE-poverty solution get it posted here. We create, compile and have more wider discussion on the issue.

But what is Reverse Engineering “RE”. Reverse engineering, also called back engineering, is the processes of extracting knowledge or design information from anything man-made and re-producing it or re-producing anything based on the extracted information. By understanding the history, processes and dynamics of poverty evolution, it would be possible to reverse the process and make the poor more and more less poor and thereby achieving reasonable levels of equality of the benefit of everyone, i.e. it is a matter of sharing benefits (https://www.fastcoexist.com/3043531/how-the-sharing-economy-could-help-the-poorest-among-us). The process often involves disassembling something (a mechanical device, electronic component, computer program, or biological, chemical, organic matter or even socio-economic structures) and analyzing its components and workings in detail. The reasons and goals for obtaining such information vary widely from everyday or socially beneficial actions depending upon the situation.

(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering)

 

Global Warming Triggers Outbreak of Deadly Anthrax 

A 12-year-old boy from Russia has died in an outbreak of anthrax (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHC12TZWS8s&sns=em). The experts believe was triggered when unusually warm weather that caused the release of the bacteria. The boy was one of 72 nomadic herders, including 41 children, hospitalised in the town of Salekhard in the Arctic Circle, after reindeer began dying en masse from anthrax.

Read the story at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/anthrax-outbreak-climate-change-arctic-circle-russia

Creating Your Own Home- Alternative Living, If They Did It, I can make It.

There is still much space on the earth surface not only to use for living and also to enjoy life as well. Being off-grid opens enormous possibilities to be independent and not only to come very near to nature but also to be in nature itself. 

This provides enormous possibilities for innovations and creativity as you need to invent solutions for living in much sustainable way. Finding also solutions how to protect and conserve the environments around you. This involves coping with three basic needs energy, water and sanitation with consideration to safety and security measures. Accessibility, affordability and sustainability will be priorities when you are permanently off-grid. 

See how others solved this equation: https://vimeo.com/178212429

For the Memory of Prof. Ahmed H. Zewail: Nobel-Prize-Winning Chemist who Dies at 70.

Israel (12), South Africa (11) and Egypt (4) are among few countries in Africa and the MENA region that enjoy several Nobel Prize winners. 

Dr. Zewail has devoted much of his time and efforts to promote education, science and R&D in the Arab world in particular Egypt. We deeply regret the loss of Prof. Zewail and we would alway remember his continuous efforts. For the memory of Professor Zewail sustain-earth.com will take on his mission to achieve its full potential. 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/science/ahmed-h-zewail-nobel-prize-winning-chemist-dies-at-70.html?_r=0&referer=https://www.google.se/

The Landscape of ICT – Analytical Communication or Individual Connection

An interesting article published in Asharq al-Awsat, July 7, 2016 by Fahad Shoqiran, a Saudi writer and researcher who also founded the Riyadh philosophers group. He has writings in pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Alarabiya.net, among others. He also blogs on philosophies, cultures and arts. See the while article (http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/07/09/Has-technology-defied-Arab-values-.html).

The article describes how information communication technology ICT, which has managed to create an analytical space that aims to uncover the hidden aspects of several dimensions, is taking another path in some regions of the world. Fahad Shoqiran describes how ICT is shifting from communicating to connecting “At the start, it was promising because it was going to bring everything closer, break borders, defeat intellectuals, end roles, intimidate politicians and mobilize for revolution. They are no longer sites for communicating as much as sites for connecting”. 

In the MENA region as Fahad Shoqiran puts it “The relations between millions of Muslims and Arabs through the modern tools of contact has not created any value worth mentioning, and has not expressed anything about their history that is rich in prestigious debate, serious dialogue and knowledge. Rather, they have dug up racial and sectarian matters that were long forgotten. Political affiliations became in control of approaches, debates and battles”. 

Fahad Shoqiran explains and reflects on existing difficulties hindering sustainable socio-economic developments in all of the MENA region “There is a struggle over leadership among Arabs. This is why it is impossible to create a general space that enables people to freely and equally discuss ideas and visions. This is all due to ignorance. There are modern tools in our hands, but our feet are drowned in the mud of decadence.” Instead “All this shows that Arab societies are drowned in the notion of the self. This is why you see the desire to become a poet, muse or cleric in every Arab. You do not see the desire to become a debater or intellectual who spreads knowledge and philosophy.”

With growing population around world, struggle of political systems for survival; emergence of new micro-, sub-cultures and NGOs; competition on resources; and modern needs for prompt promotion and implementation of the UN-SDG, the ICT is facing shaping and reshaping itself as an analytical space to achieve sustainable socio-economic developments apart from being pure technical instrument only (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/icts-government-action-plan-mena-region-2015-beyond-nabil-eid).