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December: Moon Bears in Asia

 

 

In countries across Asia, thousands of bears live a life of torture on bear farms, so that their bile can be extracted and used in traditional medicine to cure ailments ranging from headaches to haemorrhoids. Bears are confined in cages which vary from agonisingly tiny "crush" cages to larger pens, all of which cause terrible physical and mental suffering

Animals Asia have a huge undertaking: the rescue, rehabilitation and care of 700 bears in China and Vietnam for the rest of their years while steadily working towards ending bear farming.

To be successful we need the help of people like you to volunteer your time to help us spread the word about the plight of the bears and to raise the precious funds necessary for us to continue this vital work.

 

SWAP Global News selects some of the main stories worldwide.

 

Kosrae Recycling Program - Micronesia

 

How visitors see Kosrae?

 

Indeed, while the island is still very laid back without the many modern luxuries there are cars, but what do you do when your car breaks down on an island, you junk it. So in Kosrae there are a lot of junk cars left on the side of the roadhere and there -it's a part of the island charm. As well, trash is the one thing that seems to be a problem in that there is a lot of it. It does not look like it belongs on this beautiful island, but it is part of the mainland spilling over here Styrofoam cups and plates and all.

Destination of the Recovered Materials

At the beginning of the year 2008, two 1,170 cu.ft containers full of lead batteries and crushed plastic bottles were shipped to China. On July 5, another container full of crushed aluminum cans was shipped to Korea, and two containers full of crushed plastic bottles and lead batteries are ready to be shipped. In the meantime, we are experimenting with the use of crushed glass bottles for the structure of cement projects around the island, saving in the use of sand and aggregate. Anybody is welcome to come to Okat collection point and pick up crashed glass for their use.

Final considerations 

•Thanks to the UNDP recycling project, OEEM, KIRMA, Kosrae State Government, JICA volunteers and Micronesia Eco Inc. Kosrae is cleaner today.

 

•Much more should be done to try to clean the Island of Styrofoam and other trash starting from the education of people who walk or drive on the road and more public awareness in collecting the non recyclable materials. Furthermore, the environmental and economic costs of the Styrofoam should justify an import law discouraging the entrance of this material to the Island.

•That way no one else can say: "trash does not look like it belongs on this beautiful island, but it is part of the mainland spilling over here Styrofoam cups and plates and all."