Comments for Village Earth

Comment on Response to: “Why Are Indian Reservations So Poor? A Look At The Bottom 1%” by Lucy

Lucy — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:20:22 +0000

I agree totally, Native Americans have been abused far too long!! It is a disgrace ,what we have done!! Every person in the USA needs to understand the plight of Native Americans ,and we all need to take measures to prevent any further abuses, and begin to reverse it!! Anyone who is related especially to the early pioneer families and white settlers ,should be busting a gut to make amends for our fourbearers awful mistakes!! Native Americans did nothing to deserve this horrible treatment!! I agree totally ,it is NOT the Indians who are the Savages, it is us!!! We have been more brutal than nearly any people who ever lived on the planet!! The truth should be published in every history book to tell the truth, not a pack of lies!! Yes, these people ARE brilliant!! For instance a man in Montana had the highest IQ EVER recorded in the State, and He WAS NATIVE AMERICAN!!! We should be helping them as they have helped us in so,so many ways despite our horrific mistreatment!! The Last Navajo Code Talker a MR. Begay just died recently, these people SAVED our Country!!! They ,Native Americans have done so much for our country, we should be down on our knees thanking them with gratitude!! Not treating them like dirt!!

Comment on Limitations of the Current International Framework for Indigenous People by Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:26:26 +0000

Your article is excellent, let me write a couple of comments.

The World Bank estimates that forcible “development-induced displacement and resettlement” now affects 10 million people per year. According to the World Bank an estimated 33 million people have been displaced by development projects such as dams, urban development and irrigation canals in India alone.
India is well ahead in this respect. A country with as many as over 3600 large dams within its belt can never be the exceptional case regarding displacement. The number of development induced displacement is higher than the conflict induced displacement in India. According to Bogumil Terminski an estimated more than 10 million people have been displaced by development each year.
Athough the exact number of development-induced displaced people (DIDPs) is difficult to know, estimates are that in the last decade 90–100 million people have been displaced by urban, irrigation and power projects alone, with the number of people displaced by urban development becoming greater than those displaced by large infrastructure projects (such as dams). DIDPs outnumber refugees, with the added problem that their plight is often more concealed.

This is what experts have termed “development-induced displacement.” According to Michael Cernea, a World Bank analyst, the causes of development-induced displacement include water supply (dams, reservoirs, irrigation); urban infrastructure; transportation (roads, highways, canals); energy (mining, power plants, oil exploration and extraction, pipelines); agricultural expansion; parks and forest reserves; and population redistribution schemes.

Comment on Village Earth Promotes Appropriate Technology at UN WIPO Training by David

David — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:35:27 +0000

I would recommend patenting it in the countries where you want it protected. You could also patent it and sell the manufactured items but license the design under something like Creative Commons so others could produce and sell it. http://creativecommons.org/ If you don’t patent it than someone else could take your design, patent it, and then restrict you from distributing it.

Comment on Village Earth Promotes Appropriate Technology at UN WIPO Training by Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:56:09 +0000

Thank you for the article and the great information. Congratulations on speaking at WIPO! I have a question. If you are a producer and distributor of innovative appropriate technology, what are the ways you can protect your intellectual property if your business model is to distribute that tech in multiple countries?

Comment on Response to: “Why Are Indian Reservations So Poor? A Look At The Bottom 1%” by WILLIAM JONES.

WILLIAM JONES. — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:35:53 +0000

These people weren’t the savages,the white men were and still are. It seems to me that the US government departments wants these people to die. A child before the age of ten would have to go to a place of fasting and then build a fire. He or she would have to keep it going while they sat and watched the sun go down,rise and go down again all the time fasting.NO savages could have thought of that character building test of endurance. The Navy SEALS now have to start their training by going 4 or 5 days with no food and water. The native people did that regularly as a manhood test and with no sleep. Savages? Hardly. I’ve just finished reading “Indian Spirit” and it’s fascinating. These people are brilliant and have my total respect. I’m going to help.

Comment on A Profile of Judith Kimerling, the 2011 Albertson Medal Winner by Neal Noray

Neal Noray — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:31:54 +0000

A richly deserving person. Very passionate , caring , and dedicated individual , concern about the rights of the downtrodden, even when it unpopular. More importantly an inspiration to me a former student.

Comment on Tourism and Development by “Tourismus und Entwicklung” als Online-Kurs | tourBlogger

“Tourismus und Entwicklung” als Online-Kurs | tourBlogger — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:27:53 +0000

[...] ist die US-amerikanische NGO Village Earth in Zusammenarbeit mit der Colorado State University. Die von der Tourismus-Forscherin Cynthia Ord [...]

Comment on Earth Tipi Supports Sustainability on Pine Ridge Reservation by Natureinspired Tipi

Natureinspired Tipi — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:02:13 +0000

[...] Earth Tipi Supports Sustainability on Pine Ridge Reservation When Freed looked around, she was inspired by the many natural and potentially recyclable resources around her. She wanted to . The group is now known as Earth Tipi, and is a Village Earth affiliate project. The original . [...]

Comment on Appropriate Technology Library End of Year Sale by Kristina

Kristina — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:45:57 +0000

Hi Tony,

I have sent you an e-mail response. I am happy to hear the AT Library has been useful. For anyone else having problems receiving the discount: After completing your information in the shopping cart, choose Google Checkout as the preferred payment method. You will come to a screen before entering your credit card information where at the bottom it says Additional Options and there is a space to enter the coupon code. So enter coupon code 2011discount and it automatically applies the discount. If this does not work for anyone, feel free to call +1-970-237-3002 ext. 503 or e-mail me kristina@villageearth.org.

Comment on Response to: “Why Are Indian Reservations So Poor? A Look At The Bottom 1%” by Brenda Joyce George

Brenda Joyce George — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:38:44 +0000

The Native Americans have had such a raw deal by the United States government and by greedy white settlers (right up to the present) that it defies logic that it can still be known as ‘The Land of the Free and the Brave’. Native Americans lived on the land for many thousands of years, preserving nature and never raping her of her treasures or her creatures for personal gain, only for survival. The land was for all their people, and they lived a free and natural life that was rudely snatched away from them by so-called ruthless “civilization”, by outright trickery, land-grabbing, violent pillage and theft, without conscience by the culprits who cared nothing for the plight of their red bretheren. Now with global warming we are seeing the results of the short-sightedness of the white man in thinking that the earth was something to be ravaged and used for personal gain, never considering the damage done to the environment. Now the white man’s greed for the dollar has shown how shallow and thin the ice is in the world of capitalism – the new “god” – in reality. As the world’s economies crumble all around us, who will be seen as the wisest peoples? Those who created skyscrapers, banks and cruel animal and bird “factories” for mass meat and poultry consumption? Or those whose lives followed a simple but innately spiritual path? Perhaps the Native American Indians will be one day given credit for a natural lifestyle that was in complete harmony with all that existed. I think it is not the white man but the original red man who can be held up as an example of how man was meant to live, sharing all and giving due respect and homage to Mother Earth and the universal God of all, known by them as the Great Spirit. Think what “civilzation” has meant for the red man – nothing but degradation, dire poverty, humiliation, brutality, deprivation and death. Now urban assimilated natives are seeing the wisdom of the old ways in a callous world that has shown them no respect, no mercy and no grounding, and are flocking back to the reservations in increasing numbers to gain more of the ancient knowledge that was knocked out of them by a forced “Christianization”, when, in fact, their old ways were more Christian and wise than many so-called religions that for many centuries ran red with the blood shed on behalf of a god that was surely not the God of Love He is purported to be, but a god of Old Testament wrath and vengeance. This is not meant to be an attack against all whites or all religions. Far from it. There be many a good white Christian who embodies the true qualities of of love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy brought to the world by Jesus Christ. But clearly man has left behind something valuable in his unquenchable quest for material possession? I believe the only hope for mankind is for the Native American Indians to rise up again in pride and renewed self-belief to lead the way to a new world order of peace, love and universal understanding, for, far from the Hollywood Red Indian of the movies, such deep inherent wisdom it is embodied in the pysch of the red man, if only the world would see it: Brenda George, a non-native!