Video on climate change – Rhoda’s footprint

I made a mistake in a previous guys – no not about gays or wife beaters, but about Rhoda’s carbon footprint.

It’s actually much smaller than I’d estimated so I’ve made a movie about Rhoda’s Footprint.

Watch it here

Poor people living in African countries are feeling the brunt of global climate change even though it is believed that most Africans cause hardly any green house gas emissions. To find out more about the average Kenyan carbon footprint I spoke to my neighbor Rhoda.  Rhoda is a domestic worker and she came to Nairobi from her rural home in search of a  job. Like me Rhoda she rents her house, and lives with her husband and one child.  What’s her carbon footprint?

You can also  listen to the podcast here on PRX

Shocking – even poor Kenyans have a huge carbon footprint!

To find a way of reducing my carbon footprint I thought I’d emulate someone with a very simple lifestyle. So I asked my neighbours maid who lives in a one bedroomed house with her husband and child. These are her energy sources and carbon footprint calculations. Rhoda doesn’t have a car- she uses a bus, her house is not connected to the grid so she uses paraffin lamps for lighting and for her cooking. She also uses firewood and charcoal for cooking and heat.

A poor persons carbon footprint is still HUGE

So you see, even a relatively poor person has a carbon footprint of 4.5 tons which is 500 kg of CO² more than the global average and more than twice the global target! THIS IS SHOCKING! Thank God she doesn’t have a cow!

Compared to me, Rhoda uses an enormous number of plastic bags but that only amounts to 237 kg of carbon dioxide. It’s the charcoal that contributes to the bulk of her carbon footprint accounting for 80% of it.

Now I am even more despondent about the Copenhagen meeting this month and it’s ability to forge an agreement with nations that will actually establish realistic mechanisms for reaching climate change targets….. it’s clear that in order to reach the global target even poor people will have to change their habits.

That’s about 95% of the Kenyan population. How do you ask poor people not to aspire to owning  a car, or to stop using cheap fuel like charcoal?

We need some out of the box thinkers @kahenya @roomthinker @bankelele @rafikikenya @robertalai @eastlandah @petergrete @keggaz @iamkenei send ur thoughts here

THANK GOD I DONT HAVE A COW!

In a previous post I was disgusted with the size of my carbon footprint. Do you know the sources of your carbon footprint?

Based on a little research I figured out that it’s easy to calculate your own footprint with out using those web based black box carbon calculators

1. Air Travel is pretty bad- for every km you fly you emit 0.119 kg of CO2 – the good news is that it’s half or less per km of what you emit from your car, but the bad news is that you tend to fly long distances. This Carbon emissions website helps you to calculate distances you travel and will even calculate your emissions for you.
2. Fuels – In Kenya we use fuel primarily for transport, cooking and lighting. Our electricity in Nairobi is mostly generated by hydro and thermal power so I’m leaving this out for now. For people in Mombasa where power is generated from diesel and heavy fuel oil and where we tend to use the air conditioners the carbon impact could be significant. 1 kilowatt hour is equivalent to 1 kg of Carbon dioxide emissions.
3. HOLY COW! I’ve included cows because they are especially bad news. Each cow produces 90 kg of methane per year in form of farts. Methane is 21 times more potent than carbon Dioxide as a Green House Gas. This means that every cow you have contributes 1,890 kg of Carbon Dioxide equivalent per year.

Carbon emissions by fuel type

*1 Based on how charcoal is produced, I’ve assumes that for every 1 kg of charcoal produced is equivalent to 3 kg of raw wood. Charcoal and wood are both carbon neutral as they are not fossil fuels – but unless you are harvesting them sustainably their use is contributing to carbon in the atmosphere
*2 See Holy Cow! above

(Note that different websites give slightly different rates of carbon emissions for things like petrol/diesel)
Based on the above rates, here are my calculations for my carbon footprint.

Sources of my carbon footprint

Ok despite the fact that I mostly use cotton bags at the super market, I generally don’t buy water in bottles, and I compost my garden wastes, I’m still pretty disgusting – my carbon footprint is nearly 16 tons!!! I’m weeping..… despite everything I’m doing, compared to the global average of 4 tons, my footprint is truly massive (though I should indicate that this is the combined feetprints of me and my partner ;}
How do I compare with carbon emitters elsewhere?

Some Australians on average spend 14 tons on household energy in warming homes alone!
The Average American uses 11 tons of carbon per year  – the range is vast
The Average Kenyan uses .31 tons (but I don’t think the average estimates include all those farting cows, burning of fields and all the firewood burned every day).

Looking at the figures it’s easy to see that my massive footprint is because I travel too much and drive a 4×4. But it’s all necessary for work. Thank God I don’t have a cow! Turns out cows may be worse for the planet than car and this article tells you why. Well, surely I can offset these emissions fairly easily?
Options for offsetting my Carbon Footprint

Planting trees – everyone is doing this it’s a treeplantingmania in Kenya. But to me it seems futile, most seedlings aren’t cared for and just die….while more and more trees are being felled daily.

Take into consideration the fact that  seedlings hardly absorb any carbon at all…they are just too small with too few leaves. I’ve calculated how many seedlings I need to plant if we estimate that the survival rate of my seedlings is likely to be about 75% (feeling confident here).

They will need a liter of water every few days – that means I need to find about 150 liters of water per seedling per year to achieve this rate of survival. I must not use pesticides or fertilizers as these are carbon emitting products.

After 5 years or so these seedlings will be absorbing about .5 kg carbon each per year. At this rate I need to plant 15064 x 1.25 (survival rate) x 2 (kg of carbon) = 39,160 seedlings and sustain them for the next 100 years.

For this I need to find 5.9 tons of water every year for their first 5 years or so – that’s 804 20 liter jerry cans per day! That’s just a rough estimate.

As if that’s not bad enough, for these trees to survive I need to find a place to plant them ..lets see for a tree to do well and grown into a giant carbon sucking machine, they must be at least 5 m apart – that’s 400 per hectare so I’ll need 94 hectares and I’ll have to keep these tree alive.

If these calculations are right, then planting seedlings seems totally ridiculous! Where on earth will I find that much land?

Ok, let me look at the alternatives
Alternatives

If I don’t have ninety something hectares I could invest in grown up trees as they are more efficient at absorbing carbon. A mature tree absorbs between 1 – 1.2 kg of Carbon Dioxide per year and will live for approximately 100 years.
What if I just save grown up trees that are already massive carbon sucking machines rather than invest in all that water and care to seedlings that spend their first five pathetic lives doing very little to offset my footprint. It will mean that to offset my footprint I must ensure that 15,000 trees are protected each year. That’s 37.5 hectares of forest land. I know that I can’t afford that!

What else can I do to mop up my mess? Can I sequester my own carbon?

You’d be surprised. I’ll let you in on a secret in my next post …keep reading

Kenya Police Hotlines

These are police posts numbers in Alphabetical Order Nairobi lines are in bold. My source is Kenya police website

If you need to report a crime you might want to read my blog post on navigating the Kenya police procedures here, or if it is not urgent you can also report a crime online  here

Adungosi Police Station 055-22419
Ahero Police Station 057-821008
Amagoro OCPD 055-54409
Arror Police Station 053-22286

Bahati Police Station 051-52299
Bamburi Police Station 041-5485316
Baricho Police Station 060-21732

Baringo OCPD Office 053-22227
Bondo OCPD’s Office 057-52009
Bookers OCPP 056-641020
Bungoma Hotline 055-30555
Bura Police Station 046-62229
Burubru 020-787404
Buruburu 020-787038
Buruburu OCPD  020-783584
Buruburu Police Station 020-786878
Busia Hotline 055-22133
Butere OCPD Office 056-620222
Butere Police Station 056-620004

Capital Hill Post 020-2721692
Central PPO Office 061-2030885
Changamwe Police Station  041-433700
Cherangani Police Station 054-30034

Chesikaki Police Station Chesikaki 25
Chuka Police Station 064-630002

Diani Police Station 040-2229
Eldoret Police Station  053-2032900
Elementaita Police Post 050-2030026
Elwark Police Station 046-4151000
Embakasi OCPD 020-823200
Embu Hotline 068-30100
Funyula Police Station 055-63209

Garbatulla Police Station 064-20682
Garissa Hotline 046-2000
Gatundu Police Station 067-74212
Gilgil Police Station 050-4228
Githumu Police Station 060-44132
Githunguri Police Station 066-65009
Griftu Police Station Griftu 2

Gucha OCPD Office 058-30394

Hardy Police Station 020-891225
Hola Police Station Hola 046-62004
Homa Bay Hotline 059-22444

Homabay OCPD Office 059-22258

Igoji Police Post 064-22432

Ijara OCPD Office 046-62006
Ijara Police 046-62440

Jamhuri Police Post 020-565621
Jogoo Police Station 020-557766

Jogoo Police Station 020-557632/557959
Juja Police Station 067-52176

Kabati Police Station 060-72223
Kabete 020-632222
Kabras Police Station  Malaba 9
Kahawa Sukari 067-812099
Kahuro Police Station 060-41002
Kakamega OCPD Office 056-31486
Kanangop Police Station 065-35015

Kandara Police Station 060-44419
Kangema Police Station  060-322002

Kaptembwa Police Station 051-213228

Kapsokwony Police Station 054-21400
Kapsowar Police Station 053-361507

Kaptagat Police Station 053-2033675
Karatina Police Station 061-72222
Karen Police Station 020-882538

Kariene Police Station 064-51435
Karuri Police Station 066-41222

Kasarani Police Station 020-8563222

Kasarani DCIO 020-8564335
Kasarani OCPD 020-8560756
Kasarani Police Station 020-8564310
Keiyo Hotline 053-42666
Keiyo OCPD Office 053-42088
Kenyatta Police Post 020-2724614
Kericho OCPD Office 052- 30658

Kericho POLICE Station 052- 20222

Keroka Police Station 058-520064
Kiambu Hotline066-22111
Kianyaga Police Station 060-751002
Kibwezi Police Station 044-350002
Kiganjo Police Station 062-86022
Kigumo Police Station 060-44409
Kigumo Police Station Hse 060-44503
Kiirua Police Station 064-41002

Kijabe Police Station 066-64480

Kijipwa Police Station 041-32211

Kikuyu Police Station 066-32022

Kileleshwa 020-560533

Kilgoris 058-5122009

Kilifi OCPD Office 041-522368

Kilimani D/OCPD 020-2728885

Kilimani OCPD 020-2710392

Kilimani Police Station 020-2721683

Kilome Police Station 044-322280

Kilome Police Station 044-322002

Kimende Patrol Base 066-64014

Kimilili Police Station 055-21018

Kiminini Police Station 055-44044

Kinango Police Station Kinango 15

Kipipiri Police Station065-72435

Kipkabus OCPP 053-720464

Kiriani Police Post 060-51096

Kirinyaga OCPD Office 060-21266

Kisumu OCPD’s Office 057-23594

Kitale Hotline 054-30777

Kitui OCPD Office 044-22055

Koru Police Station 057-51478

Kuria OCPD’s 057-52853

Kwale OCPD Office 040-4075

Kwhisero OCPP 056-620227

Kyuso Police Station Kyuso 3

Lamu OCPD Office 042-633120

Lanet Police Station 051-850043

Langata OCPD 020-603694

Lari Police Station 066-74235

Likoni Police Station 041-451222

Lolgorian Police Station 051-23237

Luanda Police Station 054-251087

Lugari OCPD Office 053-53333

Lugari OCPP 053-2031015

Lungalunga Lungalunga 15

Lwala Police Station 057-520485

Madogo Police Station 046-2372

Magumu Police Post 065-32916

Makongeni 020-558277

Makueni Hotline 044-33000

Makupa Police Station  041-491605

Malaba Police Station 055-54038

Malakisi Police Station 055-30507

Malindi Hotline 042-31555

Malindi OCPD Office 042-31348

Malindi Police Station 042-20486

Mandera OCPD Office 046-52003

Maragua Hotline 060-313339

Maragua OCPD Office 060-64026

Maragua Police Station 060-42002

Marakwet Hotline 053-361500

Marakwet OCPD Office 053-5122086

Mariakani Police Station 041-33004

Marigat Police Station 053-51007

Masalani 046-62013

Mathare 020-3764118

Mathare 020-3762698

Matunda Police Station 053-72172

Maua Police Station 064-21022

Mbaraki Depot 041-316168

Mbooni Police Station Mbooni 22

Menengai Police Station 051-343333

Merti Police Station Merti 2

Meru Central Hotline 064-31222

Meru North OCPD Office 064-21127

Meru South OCPD Office 064-630017

Migwani Police Station044-822464

Mikinduri Police Station Mikinduri88

Milangine Police Station Milangine 22

Modogashe Police Station 046-3054

Moi’s Bridge Police Station 054-72006

Molo OCPD Office 051-5122086

Mombasa Central Police Station  041-225501

Mombasa Headquaters 041-222121

Mombasa Urban OCPD Office 041-230706

Moyale Police Station 069-2014

Msambweni Police Station 040-52002

Mt Elgon OCPD Office 054-21843

Mtitu Andei Police Station 044-30507

Mukurwe-Ini Police Station 061-60028

Mumias Police Station 056-641010

Muranga Hotline 060-31188

Muthaiga Police Station 020-3762611

Mweiga Police Station 061-55002

Mwingi OCPD Office044-822196

Mwingi Pabx 044-822032

Mwingi Police Station 044-822146

Nairobi Central OCPD 020-220117

Nairobi Central Police Station 020-225685

Nairobi Industrial Area 020-557284

Naivasha 050-2030025

Naivasha OCPD Office 050-2020288

Nakuru Hotline 051-2217417

Nakuru Hotline051-40000

Nakuru Hotline051-30666

Nakuru Police Station 051-2216597

Narok OCPD Office 050-22127

Narok Police Station 050-22201

Naromoru Police Station061-62003

Nchiru Police Station 064-66409

Ndaragwa Police Station065-32078

Ndaragwa Police Station065-32280

Ngomongo 020-803340

Ngubi Patrol Base066-41582

Njabini Police Station 065-32459

Njoro Police Station 051-61106

Nkubu Police Station064-51002

Ntumu Police Station 064-22063

Nyahururu Police Station 065-22052

Nyahururu Police Station065-22722

Nyali Police Station 041-477555

Nyamira Hotline058-6144488

Nyamira OCPD 058-6144035

Nyamira Police Station 058-6144029

Nyandarua Hotline065-32555

Nyando OCPD 057-821167

Nyeri Hotline 061-2030555

Ol Joro Orok Police Station 065-22919

Ol Kalou Police Station 065-72003

Othaya Police Station 061-52004

Oyugis Police Station 059-31035

Pangani Police Station 020-6760142

Pap Onditi Police Station  Pap Onditi 9

Parklands Police Station 020-3742238

Parklands Police Station 020-3746115

Port Victoria Police 055-63409

Rachuonyo Hotline059-31200

Rachuonyo OCPD’s Office 059-31284

Rhamu Police Station 046-52454

Riruta Pol.Station 020-560921

Ruiru Police Station 067-54260

Runyenjes PoliceStation 068-62002

Rweno Police Post 066-60092

Saba Saba Police Post 060-42463

Sagana Police Station 060-46002

Salama Police Station 044-322469

Serem Police Station 054-41565

Sericho Police Station 064-3502

Shauri Moyo 020-652124

Shauri Moyo 020-652125

Siaya 057-321078

Siaya D/OCPD 057-321080

Siaya Hotline 057-321666

Siaya OCPD’s Office 057-321077

Solai Police Station 051-52492

Sololo Police Station Sololo 2

Spring Valley 020-4181245

Subukia Police Station 051-52024

Sultan Hamud Police Station 044-52001 T

Taita Taveta OCPD Office 043-30303

Taita Taveta Police Station 043-5352224

Tambach Police Station 053-42450

Tana OCPD Office046-62083

Taru 040-2502

Taveta Police Station 043-5352222

Teso Hotline055-54444

Thika Hotline 067-31000

Thika Police Station 067-31652

Thika Police Station 067-21074

Thindigua Patrol Base 066-513366

Tigania Police Station 064-66255

Tigoni Police Station 066-73222

Timau Police Station 064-41002

Tot Police Station 053-21069

Trans-Mara OCPD 053-2345

Turbo Police Station 053-53007

Ukwala Police Station 057-34409

Vihiga OCPD Office 054-51193

Voi Police Station 043-31220

Wajir OCPD Office 046-421505

Wajir Police Station 046-421196

Wanguru PoliceStation 060-48002

Watamu Police Station 042-32286

Webuye Police Station 055-41044

Wundanyi Police Station 043-42002

Yala Police Station 057-335235

How to report crime in Kenya or navigating Police procedures

FIRST I HAVE TO GRIPE- WHY ISN’T THERE AN ONLINE SUPPORT SERVICE FOR VICTIMS  OF DOMESTIC ABUSE?

I don’t know how Kenya can say it is serious about dealing with the vice when its the no. 1 crime affecting over 80% of women, yet it’s virtually impossible to find out where to get help, or how to report an incident of domestic abuse.

Here’s what I know about what to do- let me know what you think as I’d love to  produce a poster and plaster a checklist on every single police station in Kenya

1. CALL THE POLICE 999 (landline) 112 (Cell)

You can try to call the police Kenya Police emergency no is 999 (landline) or 112 (mobile phone).

PUT THESE NUMBERS IN YOUR CELL NOW

You can also try your local station – Kenya Police Stations Hotlines are listed here

2. REPORT AT NEAREST POLICE STATION OR SUB STATION/COMMUNITY STATION

When you get there tell them you want to report a crime.

I’ve no idea if the Gender Desk or Childrens Desks actually work but generally you go to the one guy who has the OB or Observation Book. He gives your case a number, asks you a few questions and you should keep a receipt of that report.

The officer taking your report will not volunteer information – you have to ask. These guys are qualified but if you are confused ask to see the OCS (Officer in Charge of Station – who generally is quite professional)

Well if you’ve been injured you need a P3 form from the Police station – you can download P3 Forms and Abstract Forms from the Police website here in advance

LOSS OF PROPERTY

Note The Abstract form is issued by the Police whenever a person reports loss of property.

It is filled giving details of the lost property. The Officer Commanding Police Station(OCS), must sign and rubber-stamp the filled form and an official receipt issued.

NB. Once this form is filled,it must be taken to the nearest Police Station for necessary assistance.

IN THE CASE OF PERSONAL INJURY

You must get the P3 Form - the Medical Examination Report

The Kenya Police Medical Examination form, popularly known as P3, is provided free of charge at our police stations. It is used to request for medical examination by a Medical Officer of Health, in order to determine the nature and extent of bodily injury sustained by a complainant(s) in assault cases.

Part I of the form must be filled by the Police Officer requesting medical examination.

Part II must befilled by a Medical Officer or Practitioner carrying out the examination giving medical details.

Section B of this form should be completed in all cases of assault, including sexual while section C is completed in cases alleged sexual offeces ony.

This form is a government document and must be returned to the police for use in adducing evidence in court.

Once the P3 form is filled in at the police station, the complainant is escorted by a police officer to a medical officer or practitioner for examination.

The form becomes an exhibit once produced in court.

MAKE A STATEMENT

Accompanying your initial Abstract should be a full statement from you of what happened. This can be done later the same day or next day AT THE POLICE STATION

Any abuse, injury or damage to property is a criminal case. It is different from a civil case (but you can also pursue a civil case in parallel – I’m not  a lawyer but would appreciate guidance on this).

If you need someone to be arrested you must tell the police immediately. Kenyan law classifies any assault, injury or damage to property as violation of the penal code.

The police will arrest the offender and charge them, hold them til processed (finger prints etc), set a bail if it’s a bailable offense, is and give them a date in court usually within 2 weeks. From what I’ve been told, the Government prosecutor will take charge in criminal cases. Ie. the Victim is represented by Govt Prosecutor. The person charged gets to plead, after which there’s a mention then a hearing.

Having someone charged for domestic abuse is a process and no wonder most women drop or don’t bother to even report domestic abuse cases.

(BTW I think we have a domestic abuse law in Kenya – it’s either assault or some other crime.)

And intoxication shall not constitute a defence to any criminal charge. Women or men who charge their spouses with domestic violence are actually charging them with Assault and there’s a 5 year jail sentence for that.

Most men know that women will not go so far as reporting the case – but the truth is that once it’s reported you can drop it if you decide. If you don’t you have nothing but the possibility of further assault.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just walk away?

NO!!!

Forgetting about what it does to us, me, you or any victim, to our bodies,  just think for a moment about what it does to our minds, our spirit and how it messes up our children, sisters, parents, friends for life to see us take the beatings.

Why you should report spouse abuse

• Having the incident on record in case it happens again in future
• You can use the case to leverage a mediated approach in exchange for dropping criminal charges which carry hefty penalties.
• Reduced probability of further abuses – Men don’t like having a record
• Doing what’s right for you and your kids/dependents family friends etc.

Disadvantages of reporting a spouse abuse case

• Dealing with the Police can be time consuming – these guys are experts in the runaround (most women drop cases which might explain why the police don’t take them seriously in the first place)
• Responsibility if the abuser goes to jail (most women are too kind to mean men)
• Ending a relationship - most people end relationships once it’s gotten so bad that police are involved. Some think it’s better to deal with problems before they become violent. You can get help and counseling (see below)
• Your case can become public – some people and especially relatives find this embarrassing and shameful

The Center for Gender Violence at Nairobi Womens Hospital in Hurlingham

Kenyatta Hospital

Nairobi Place – for counseling and treatment of alcoholism and other substance abuse addictions

For men who are abused or who can’t get access to traditional help the SAFE website may provide options

For women, children and men – we need a site like Narika in Asia which is a volunteer run a help line that one can can call to find out what to do, get counseling, access information like where’s the closest shelter, share stories and generally get help.

You can download most Kenyan laws here

If you have any relevant resources to share leave a comment or tweet me @paulakahumbu

Silent victims of spouse abuse – a poem by Eastlandah

Its Day 3 of my commetments to 16 days of action on Violence Against Women

Today I want to recognize and thank Eastlandah (Eastlanadah is blogging poet who writes amazing stuff here http://rawpoet.wordpress.com)

 

STRUTS AND TRUSTS

I watched the women in my village battered,
watched them toil under the loins of insecurity,
and saw them humiliated,
But,
still they rise to give us a smile for today,
still they arise to standing in fields barren,
And duel a nature’s own barbaric ending.
As the men, humbled by the illicit sourness,
given to a spartan’s take on ‘thy mighty me’
I stand, we stand, in solidarity,
and salute the women whose telling stories tales abound,
And shame the wicked nature of gender violence,
An effigy’s burnt at stake- to be man enough,
and stop the violence.

 

Thank you Eastlandah, you are fully deserving of being on my list of amazing men.

Follow Eastlandah on Twitter @eastlandah

I don’t believe My Carbon Footprint –

Based on @rafikikenyas post about his big fat carbon footprint I thought I’d do mine and prove that I’m naturally much less of an earth destroyer.Rafiki Kenya discovered that his footprint is 11 tonnes per year – THREE TIMES BIGGER THAN THE WORLD AVERAGE AND BIGGER THAN THE AVERAGE FOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS which is TOTALLY SHOCKING!!!

Rafiki Kenya's fat footprint

GUILTY EARTHDESTROYER RafikiKenya has this to say

“Yes, my carbon footprint is bigger than the average footprint for people in Kenya, bigger than the average worldwide carbon footprint, and even bigger than the average for the industrial nations. Since we are not talking about the size of my manhood here (Tsk only a guy would say this) – which wouldn’t be a cause for alarm – but about the size of my carbon footprint, something needs to be done about it here and now.”

I used the same carbon footprint calculator powered by Carbon Footprint as RafikiKenya used. The results are even more shocking! Knowing that I’m a good tree hugger I did the same carbon exam and found that despite the fact that I am a vegetarian, I only do essential driving (ok it is a landrover – Damn Kenyan potholes) and I only buy local vegetables, I hardly go out, I don’t buy the latest gadgetry I’m just as bad as Rafiki Kenya ..if not worse because I didn’t know how to enter household gas and electricity equivalent!

My results were not much better than his

• Your footprint is 21.03 tonnes, which equates to 10.51 tonnes per year
• The average footprint for people in Kenya is 0.31 tonnes
• The average for the industrial nations is about 11 tonnes
• The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes
• The worldwide target to combat climate change is 2 tonnes

I HOPE THAT THIS IS ALL DAMN LIES, ALL OF IT! Because if its not then the world is really messed up – if we in Africa have to reduce our impact by 80% on an individual basis I just can’t see how we’d function.

Africans in nations like Kenya have an individual footprint of .31 tons – that’s one 7th of the global average and one fortieth of the industrial average. Yet we are facing devastating impacts of climate change already with a drought that has killed 80% of our livestock, low rainfall and failed crops, forest cover loss that has dried up streams and stolen our power generation.    Climate change is causing conflicts and hundreds die annually as a result not to mention the thousands who are dying of starvation. And resolving starvation by planting more food is a sure way to make things worse – land use change is the greatest driver of climate change. We’re screwed.

This graph is from WildlifeDirects Baraza blog and should help you understand why I’m so pessimistic – carbon emissions must decline to pre 1990 if we are to save the planet as we know it. That means the average American reduces his or her impact by at least half. Well if my emissions in Nairobi are as big as the average Americans and I don’t even heat my house then I really wonder what they can cut out – meat, driving, buying stuff …really? That would drive the country into an economic recession … hey isn’t that what we’re bailing ourselves out of right now with a few cool trillion dollars?

According to a report on BBC today, industrialized nations promised Africa US$ 400 million per year to cope with climate change …and payments were supposed to start in 2001. That means that there should have been 400 x 9 or 360000000  or put it this way 3.6 trillion dollars sent to AFrica. Well, to date only US$ 260m (not even 10% of the promise)  has been placed in a bank and the rest cannot be accounted for.

It’s in todays headlines:

Africa seeks climate change cash

Climate change help for the poor has not materialised

So, whatever promises are made in Copenhagen, get drunk but don’t bother cheering  – divide promises by about 12 and you’ll find we’re on the trajectory to frying the planet. Lets face it Africa is already frying.

Carbon payments and offsetting MY ASS

What can we do as Kenyans? Well Rafiki Kenya is undertaking  a great solution patented by @kahenya – it’s called swear for trees and it might help to relieve your tension but will do nought for climate change.

I have a better idea – the climate change calculator puts a huge amount of emphasis on what we buy and how we travel so I should change my car for a motorbike, stop international travel (my one flight to China costs the atmosphere 5.16 tons – equivalent to 15,000 km of driving in my car! A flight to NYC from Nairobi costs 2.7 tons. Equivalent to using a motorbike all year long. Damn.

I thought that being a vegetarian would count for something but that calculator seems to be faulty…

White Ribbon Day Today – End Violence Against Women

Yesterday I made commitments to 7  actions that I think will help raise awareness about Violence Against Women.

My first commitment  was to reach 100 people through my networks. Well at least 70 people read my blog yesterday alone and several people commented on my tweets and Facebook and took my Gender Violence poll so I’m happy with progress on that target.

I also committed to getting 5 friends to write about Gender Violence.

Yesterday alone two people responded and I’d like to share the highlights of these blogs

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Linda Raftree of Plan International, writes a blog called Wait …Wait which is all about “people I meet through that work and things I wonder about related to both”. She aimst o incorporate social media and new technology into youth development programs in Africa  so that youth have more of a voice and so that new media/new technology.  Her goal  is to improve the conditions in the communities.

“In the community over the past 3 weeks, I saw and heard about the challenges girls face to achieve an education, avoid unwanted advances, including from teachers, and avoid early pregnancies.  Most of the time there is no space for these issues to be discussed openly among both boys and girls, and with adults.  Plan’s two campaigns, Learn without Fear and Because I am a Girl, seem extremely relevant to the context”.

I love this image of girl power in Mozambique. Makes me smile. Follow Linda’s amazing stories on twitter @meowtree

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17 year old boy takes action on Violence Against Women

The second blog on gender violence was written than none other than my 17 year old son who really surprises me from time to time.

Writing as rovingrastaman Joshuas posts can be totally unpredictable. He has recently been debating what gifts to buy his little sister for her birthday and seems to spends an unusually long amount of time thinking about it (for a boy) and seems to be willing to spend an extortionate amount of money on her.

Solve the problem Violence against Women by raising boys to be good men

I am proud that at 17 Josh is thinking about the issues, and writing about them – in his blog he says

“It is unacceptable that people are being treated like this and we need to protest and work towards change. Violence against anyone is a crime”. Follow Josh on Twitter @keggaz

I conclude that key to stopping violence against women is to raise good men – it’s a task us women should take upon ourselves.

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Recognizing Good Men

Finally I also made a commitment to recognize good men so today I’ll be sending shout outs on Twitter  to the following amazing men to recognize for their views and influence. You are all men who others should look up to.

@keggaz

@coldtusker

@kahenya (I know you pretend to be a macho heartless womanizer – but deep down ur a total softie)

@eastlandah

@inteligensia

@toneendungu

@bonifacemwangi

@bankelele

@mkaigwa

@alykhansatchu

@damiancook

@kenyaimagine

@ialen

@tininai

@ngeny

@swmaina

@estoni

@jimmassusa

@andai

@iamkenei

My list is incomplete without my own best friend @petergreste who at times seems too perfect that he may in fact be an alien.  He detests the thought that I might think him sickly sweet but I can assure you that he’s not, I don’t have a sweet tooth. His work in war torn Eastern Congo filming victims of sexual violence for BBC revealed  a rare courage – to witness, to feel and empathize, and to still be professional about bringing this important story to the world. If  men understood the impact of lasting damage of violence against women – on themselves, on brain wastage, on the economy and on their own happiness, we would be closer to ending violence against women.

To get a white ribbon on your Twitter avatar just go here

Do you have a White Ribbon story about Gender Violence to tell? Send it to me and I’ll post it right here.

Take the poll on gender violence?

I don’t normally write about Gender violence but since it’s White Ribbon Day tomorrow I wanted to take some form of action on Violence Against Women. With over 70% of Kenyan women affected seems we may not know how these statistics are compiled…Do you what gender violence is?

Here’s a really easy way to take action today, just take the poll

Thanks

Oh, and tell your friends to do so too

My committments to ending violence agains women

When I was in an abusive relationship I felt oddly alone and unable to tell anyone about it. I was saved by a friend who snapped me to my senses and ugly, humiliating, shameful, and embarasing as it was, I  have never looked back. And so, it was the most natural thing in the world to share that strength with Anne when I found out she was also a victim of domestic violence, I could see she needed it. She is grateful now, but she wont  be able to appreciate it for years to come if at all. She keeps thanking me – as if I did something generous. I did not, I did what had to be done, it is right for women to help each other. There is no generosity in it, we need each other and should be ready to accept help from each other. But it can be hard sometimes.

After I discovered that tomorrow is White Ribbon Day for action on Violence Against Women, and after discovering just how prevalent violence against women is I decided to make some public personal commitments.

1. Tell 100 friends (or more) about White Ribbon day -  on 25th November. Share through email, facebook, twitter
2. Research facts and write at least 5 blog posts about it the issue – give gender violence a face
3. Share resources on my blog and get at least 5 friends to write blogs about their personal stories
4. Promote my friends stories on gender violence on my blog, facebook and twitter
5. Help at least one friend/victim of gender violence – see blog post about Anne and Charlie
6. Recognize amazing men and ask them to be role models to other men
7. Support a local women’s rescue center

Just think if I can just save one person it will have been worth it

Help me magnify this impact, join me, tell your story on your blog, share mine on twitter or your blog,  advise me which womens rescue center to support. …………….

Before I sign off I want to recognize and thank Linda @meowtree who narrates her amazing work through blog and photos on educating youth in Mozambique. In her latest post on gender issues Linda chillingly narrates  ” I even heard one teenage girl in one of the nearby communities say “if it’s just one man, it’s not really a rape…. it has to be 3 or 4.”

Guys, we can stop this cycle of violence.