PURE EARTH GHANA HOST A SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP TO COMBAT LEAD POLLUTION AND POISONING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA.
Aug 07 , 2024
As part of Pure Earth’s advocacy campaign, we engaged the students at the University of Ghana, Department of Earth Science (Ghana Institute of Geoscience) to empower the youth to combat lead pollution and poisoning. Pure Earth Ghana with the University.
ReadAdvocacy Update: U.S. Congressional Committee Report Features Global Lead Exposure
Aug 08 , 2024
Advocacy Update: U.S. Congressional Committee Report Features Global Lead Exposure This post is written by Mark Engman, Pure Earth Director of Policy Advocacy, as part of a series of updates on Pure Earth's advocacy efforts to address pollution. Pure Earth’s.
ReadPURE EARTH GHANA HOST A SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP TO COMBAT LEAD POLLUTION AND POISONING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA.
Aug 07 , 2024
As part of Pure Earth’s advocacy campaign, we engaged the students at the University of Ghana, Department of Earth Science (Ghana Institute of Geoscience) to empower the youth to combat lead pollution and poisoning. Pure Earth Ghana with the University.
ReadPure Earth’s Evolution Over 25 Years: A Q&A with Executive Director Drew McCartor
Jul 12 , 2024
Pure Earth's Evolution Over 25 Years: A Q&A with Executive Director Drew McCartor To commemorate our efforts to solve pollution over 25 years, we sat down with Executive Director Drew McCartor to hear about Pure Earth’s journey from a small.
ReadPure Earth joins research consortium to identify low-cost lead detection technologies
Jul 10 , 2024
With support from the Tauw Foundation, Pure Earth joined Tauw, Lumetallix, and the Vellore Institute of Technology to test a variety of lead detection methods appropriate for under-resourced communities. The research was conducted at multiple toxic sites around Vellore in.
ReadPure Earth Celebrates Twenty-Five Years of Solving Pollution
Jun 04 , 2024
Pure Earth Celebrates Twenty-Five Years of Solving Pollution Join us in taking a look at where we’ve been, and where we’re headed A lot has changed since Australian environmental engineer Richard Fuller founded Pure Earth in 1999, then called Blacksmith.
ReadPure Earth Philippines Country Director Discusses Solving Lead Exposure at the 77th World Health Assembly
May 31 , 2024
Pure Earth Philippines Country Director Discusses Solving Lead Exposure at the 77th World Health Assembly Pure Earth was invited to present on our work addressing lead exposure at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva this week. The World Health.
ReadSenate Resolution to Tackle Global Lead Exposure Introduced: Pure Earth Raises Awareness on the Issue with U.S. Policymakers
May 05 , 2024
Senate Resolution to Tackle Global Lead Exposure Introduced: Pure Earth Raises Awareness on the Issue with U.S. Policymakers This post is from Mark Engman, Pure Earth Director of Policy and Advocacy. Over the past year, Pure Earth has intensified its.
ReadUnveiling Lead in Consumer Products in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: New Peer-Reviewed Research
Apr 29 , 2024
Unveiling Lead in Consumer Products in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: New Peer-Reviewed Research Updated: April 29, 2024 At the World Economic Forum in January 2024, USAID Administrator Samantha Power highlighted lead poisoning as a top USAID priority, urging world leaders.
ReadKISAH PEJUANG POLUSI LINGKUNGAN DARI TEGAL: UMI AZIZAH
Apr 20 , 2024
Selama puluhan tahun, Desa Pesarean, di Kabupaten Tegal, Provinsi Jawa Tengah, Indonesia, terkontaminasi timbel. Lebih dari 18.000 ton aki bekas (Used Lead Acid Batteries / ULAB) dan limbah peleburan logam dibuang di tengah pemukiman warga. Saat ini, Pesarean sedang dalam.
ReadSpotlight on Umi Azizah, Environmental Pollution Fighter from Tegal, Indonesia
Apr 20 , 2024
For decades, Pesarean Village in Tegal Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia, has been contaminated with lead. More than 18,000 tons of Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB) and metal smelting waste were dumped in the middle of residential areas. Currently, Pesarean.
ReadGuest Blog: Yuan-Yu Wu Reflects On Her Exchange with Pure Earth Through the NCUSCR Professional Fellows Program
Apr 11 , 2024
This post is from Yuan-Yu Wu, who participated in an exchange program with Pure Earth as part of the National Committee on US-China Relations Professional Fellows Program. Yuan-Yu is the Director of the Taipei Office and Project Manager, Illegal Factories.
ReadPure Earth Bangladesh and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Host Workshop on Solutions to Formalize Electric Three-Wheeler Transportation, Prevent Lead Pollution
Apr 10 , 2024
Pure Earth Bangladesh and UNCTAD Host Workshop on Solutions to Formalize Electric Three-Wheeler Transportation, Prevent Lead Pollution On April 3, 2024 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, more than 30 stakeholders from various sectors including government agencies, NGOs, international development organizations, financial institutions,.
ReadUSAID Assistant Administrator Gawande and Pure Earth Philippines Engage Key Stakeholders to Combat Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines
Mar 28 , 2024
This post is from Pure Earth Philippines Country Director Larah Ortega Ibanez. USAID Assistant Administrator Gawande and Pure Earth Philippines Engage Key Stakeholders to Combat Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines Following USAID Administrator Samantha Power’s call for lead-free futures.
ReadApa Kata Pers soal Timbel dan Bahayanya Bagi Lingkungan dan Kesehatan?
Mar 20 , 2024
Mencegah dan mengurangi dampak buruk pajanan timbel yang berbahaya bagi lingkungan dan kesehatan terutama bagi anak-anak merupakan komitmen yang terus dijaga oleh Yayasan Pure Earth (PE) Indonesia. Komitmen ini termasuk untuk terus melakukan intervensi dalam upaya penelitian, intervensi teknis, rekomendasi.
ReadYayasan Pure Earth Indonesia: What Does the Press Say about Lead and its Environmental and Health Hazards?
Mar 20 , 2024
Preventing and reducing the adverse effects of lead exposure that is harmful to the environment and health, especially for children, is a commitment that Yayasan Pure Earth (PE) Indonesia continues to maintain. This commitment includes continuing to intervene in research.
ReadHonoring Pollution Fighters: Pure Earth’s 2024 Force of Nature Honorees
Feb 18 , 2024
Honoring Pollution Fighters: Pure Earth’s 2024 Force of Nature Honorees Pure Earth marks International Women’s Day each year to raise awareness about pollution’s under-recognized impact on maternal and child health and emphasize the crucial role women play in combating pollution's.
ReadUSAID launches “Toward a Lead-Free Future” at Davos and challenges other funders to invest
Jan 18 , 2024
USAID launches “Toward a Lead-Free Future” at Davos and challenges other funders to invest In a policy briefing at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, USAID Administrator Samantha Power, took a leadership position in a panel discussion exploring.
Read2023 Highlights: A Year Of Transformative Achievements
Jan 01 , 2024
2023 Highlights: A Year Of Transformative Achievements 2023 was a transformative year in our decades-long efforts to stem lead poisoning, mercury poisoning, and other toxic chemical threats. Our proven interventions, combined with data from our pioneering research, continued to draw.
ReadBangladesh: Photo Exhibition Highlights Lead Pollution Solutions during ILPPW 2023
Nov 03 , 2023
During this year's ILPPW campaign, Pure Earth Bangladesh focused on enhancing the visibility of Pure Earth Bangladesh’s grassroots initiatives and underscoring evidence-based solutions through an online campaign and a photography exhibition. On October 25, 2023, in collaboration with the Department.
ReadInternational Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) 2023: Pure Earth’s Global Efforts in Lead Poisoning Prevention
Nov 01 , 2023
International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) 2023: Pure Earth's Global Efforts in Lead Poisoning Prevention Pure Earth teams around the world joined WHO and dozens of other organizations in marking the 11th year of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW).
ReadBangladesh: New Studies Reveal Alarming Findings on Lead Pollution, Need For Urgent Multi-Sectoral Actions
Oct 30 , 2023
New studies reveal devastating new data on lead pollution in Bangladesh, the fourth most lead pollution-impacted country in the world. Learn more in this post by Mitali Das, Communications Lead, and Bushra Humaira Sadaf, Senior Communications Manager, Pure Earth Bangladesh. .
ReadIndia: Government Committees to Make Bihar a Lead Pollution-Free State
Sep 27 , 2023
Written By: Sandeep Dahiya, Director Advocacy and Communications, Pure Earth India This July, Pure Earth, the Institute of Environment and Eco-Development (IEED), Vital Strategies and Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Center convened a half-day, high-level conference “Understanding Lead Poisoning Prevalence.
ReadPure Earth Ghana Signs Declaration of National Action Plan to Reduce Lead Poisoning
Aug 25 , 2023
In a historic move to protect the health of Ghana’s children, Pure Earth, Blacksmith Initiative, alongside UNICEF and the Ghana Health Service, has signed a Declaration of National Action against Lead Poisoning. This crucial step was announced on 24th August.
ReadBangladesh: Pledging to Build a Lead-Free Environment
Aug 23 , 2023
Learn more about how we are building support for action on lead poisoning in Bangladesh in this report from Bushra Humaira Sadaf, Senior Communications Manager, Pure Earth Bangladesh. [caption id="attachment_23810" align="alignnone" width="599"] Organizers and presenters with special guests, chair, and.
ReadPure Earth Bangladesh: Teaching 16 Million Students About Lead Pollution Through The National Curriculum
Aug 02 , 2023
Pure Earth Bangladesh plans to protect their country's future by accelerating nationwide awareness through the inclusion of lead pollution into the national curriculum. Learn more in this post from Bushra Humaira Sadaf, Senior Communications Manager, Pure Earth Bangladesh. Protecting Our.
ReadSpotlight on Indonesia: 5 Questions with Pure Earth Indonesia’s Country Director
Jul 17 , 2023
Budi Susilorini, Pure Earth's Country Director for Indonesia, answers 5 questions to give you insight into her work, and the progress her team has made. Visit Pure Earth Indonesia for updates, and follow their them on Instagram. .
ReadGet The Lead Out: Pure Earth Brings Focus on Lead to Washington, D.C.
Jun 29 , 2023
On June 15, the Center for Global Development (CGD) and Pure Earth jointly hosted a half-day event, "Get The Lead Out: A Day Connecting Local and Global Action for a World Free of Lead Poisoning," focused on the global lead.
ReadSpotlight on Philippines: Pushing For Greater Good In Environmental Health
Jun 26 , 2023
This post is by Larah Ortega Ibañez, the country director for Pure Earth Philippines, who shares updates on the work taking place in her country. Learn more about Pure Earth Philippines. I believe good comes from hard and heart.
ReadPure Earth Alums Expand Focus on Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Jun 15 , 2023
Over the years, Pure Earth has cultivated and worked with a dedicated and highly skilled global network of professionals that we continue to call on for regional and specialized expertise. Recently, a group of our colleagues launched a new organization.
ReadPure Earth Film Awarded Grand Prix Prize at WHO’s Health For All Film Festival
Jun 08 , 2023
"One in 36 Million" is the story of one boy, who is just one out of 36 million children living with lead poisoning in Bangladesh. The lesson of the film is that we have solutions. Help us tell this young.
ReadSpotlight on Ghana: Flagship Country in Africa for Pure Earth’s Lead Reduction Efforts
May 19 , 2023
Esmond Quansah, Pure Earth Ghana's Country Director, highlights the pollution problems facing his country, and how his team is working to fix it. Learn more about our work in Ghana and follow Pure Earth Ghana on social media: IG, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn..
ReadSpotlight on Peru: Leading the development of responsible models of mining
May 09 , 2023
Rodrigo Velarde, Pure Earth's new Country Manager for Peru, shares an update on his team's work in developing responsible solutions to mitigate pollution, and achieving recognition in the Latin American region for its work to create the first mercury-free gold.
ReadA World Free of Lead Poisoning – Roundtable Highlights Opportunities For India’s G20 Presidency
May 02 , 2023
This report is from Sandeep Dahiya, Pure Earth India's Director of Advocacy and Communications. A high-level roundtable, "A World Free of Lead Poisoning," convened on Tuesday, 25th April 2023, in New Delhi, India, by the Center for Global Development, in.
ReadSpotlight on Mexico: Opening Up A World Of Possibilities For Families In Need
Apr 25 , 2023
In this spotlight, Agustín Gama, Pure Earth’s new Country Director for Mexico, shares an update on the work of our team in Mexico. Visit the Pure Earth Mexico page to learn more. For Spanish-language access, visit the project website barroaprobado.org.
ReadTwo Pure Earth Films Selected For WHO Health for All Film Festival: Watch Now
Apr 10 , 2023
Update: "One in 36 Million," produced by Pure Earth Bangladesh, has emerged as the winner of the Grand Prix prize at the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health For All film festival. The film, directed by Bangladeshi filmmaker Arifur Rahman and.
ReadSpotlight on Colombia: A Benchmark of Knowledge and Innovation in the Region
Apr 03 , 2023
In this spotlight, Lizeth Olaya Zambrano, Pure Earth’s new Country Director for Colombia, shares an update on the work of our team in Colombia. Their recent accomplishments include winning one of the top prizes in a global competition to conserve.
ReadSpotlight on Bangladesh: Taking Unified Actions to Solve Lead Pollution
Mar 17 , 2023
In this spotlight, Pure Earth’s Country Director for Bangladesh, Dr. Mahfuzar Rahman, and Pure Earth Bangladesh Communications Lead, Mitali Das, share updates about the team's efforts to mitigate lead pollution in Bangladesh. Follow and stay updated on Pure Earth Bangladesh.
ReadWant to stop worrying about heavy metals in baby food, dark chocolate and spices? Solve it at the source
Mar 01 , 2023
To learn more about the issue, access resources and watch a recording of our EARTH DAY Dialogue "Heavy Metals In Our Food: Understanding Risks and Moving Towards Solutions," with experts from Pure Earth, Consumer Reports, the NYC Department of Health.
ReadLooking for Lead in Markets Across 25 Countries
Feb 21 , 2023
In 2021, Pure Earth launched an ambitious project to analyze the lead (Pb) content in thousands of consumer products in markets across 25 low- and middle-income countries. This project, the Rapid Market Screening (RMS), is the first analysis of its.
Read2022 Highlights: A Year of Growth
Feb 13 , 2023
2022 was a year of growth. Pure Earth programs doubled in size, enabling us to expand our focus on lead and mercury in the most impacted countries. As a result of this expansion, long-time Pure Earth officer Drew McCartor, who.
ReadPure Earth Wins Grand Challenge For Innovation To Reduce Mercury
Jan 24 , 2023
Out of 121 applicants from 22 countries, a team from Pure Earth Colombia emerged as one of four winners of The Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge to develop new innovations to conserve the Amazon rainforest. Pure Earth's innovative technique uses copper.
ReadBangladesh: Toxic Lead Cleanup Brings Hope to Residents In Mirzapur and Beyond
Jan 10 , 2023
This report from the field by Pure Earth program officer Lavanya Nambiar shares updates about how our work is improving lives in a village in Bangladesh . In Mirzapur, a small village on the outskirts of Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka,.
ReadPeru: In Their Own Words – Miners Talk About Bringing Change To The Amazon
Dec 27 , 2022
For over four years, Pure Earth has been working with a mining association in an alliance that was formed thanks to the working relationship between the association's president Vilma C. and Pure Earth local coordinator France Cabanillas. Today, the mining.
ReadIndia: Educating a Community Through Murals, Comic Books
Dec 19 , 2022
Join us on a walk through a community in Vellore with Sandeep Dahiya, Pure Earth India's Director of Strategic Communications. The people of Rangapuram, Vellore, India, are busy, have less educational opportunities, and are not very aware of lead exposure.
ReadThank You, Sen. Patrick Leahy, for Your Support and Actions To Curtail Global Lead Pollution
Dec 15 , 2022
Below is our letter to the editor published in Vermont's Brattleboro Reformer on Dec. 13, and in the Bennington Banner on Dec. 14, 2022. Dear Editor: We would like to publicly thank Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy for his long-standing and.
ReadIndia: Understanding Lead Poisoning Prevalence And What To Do To Protect India’s Children
Nov 15 , 2022
Sandeep Dahiya, Pure Earth India’s Director of Strategic Communications, reports on this important meeting on childhood lead poisoning. Pure Earth India, in collaboration with TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute, organized a seminar on “Understanding Lead Poisoning Prevalence in.
ReadListen: What If Childhood Lead Poisoning was a Global Priority?
Nov 09 , 2022
Globally, one in three children –up to 800 million–have blood lead levels that are higher than deemed safe by the World Health Organization. Despite clear evidence of harm, many countries do not have sufficient capacity to monitor or regulate lead.
ReadPure Earth Makes Global Waves During International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
Oct 30 , 2022
On October 20, just days before we launched our global outreach for International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW), we received word that Pure Earth President Richard Fuller was being recognized as one of Vox's Future Perfect 50, honoring individuals building a more perfect future. In.
ReadMexico: Success Stories from the Circle of Women
Oct 26 , 2022
Lead poisoning in Mexico is an urgent health problem that can cause brain damage, IQ loss, and other developmental delays especially in children who eat food prepared and served in lead-glazed pottery. Despite the fact that almost half of all.
ReadPure Earth President Is Named to “Future Perfect 50” List of People Building A Better Future
Oct 20 , 2022
Pure Earth's Founder and President Richard Fuller has been included in the #FuturePerfect50 list from Vox, recognizing "The scientists, thinkers, scholars, writers, and activists building a more perfect future." Reporter and Vox editor Bryan Walsh has followed Pure Earth's work.
ReadPeru: Innovative Research on Reforestation Helps Gold Miners Bring Back Life To Damaged Rainforest
Sep 30 , 2022
Recent high profile news reports, such NBC's "Paradise Lost: The weight of gold," are bringing fresh attention to the problem of mercury pollution and deforestation. Our latest story from the field shows the progress we are making in researching and.
ReadGhana: Pure Earth School Clubs in Ghana: Where Children Learn about Pollution to Safeguard Their Future
Aug 01 , 2022
The Pure Earth Club is a school club comprised of students who are being taught and nurtured to love their environment and to protect it through the reduction of pollution, not only by words but by action. They are supervised.
ReadPollution is a Continuous Threat to Global Planetary Health
Jul 20 , 2022
Five years ago, the landmark report from the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health brought the issue of pollution to the world’s attention. For the first time, the report quantified the true toll of pollution on the human population. Approximately.
ReadColombia: Pure Earth Selected as Finalist in $1 Million Challenge to Reduce Mercury in the Amazon
Jun 13 , 2022
Out of 121 applicants from 22 countries, a team from Pure Earth Colombia has emerged as one of the top 13 finalists selected for a $1 million challenge prize to protect the Amazon from impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold.
ReadProgress Report on Pollution and Health Captures Global Attention
May 19 , 2022
The new report, "Pollution and health: a progress update," recently published in the Lancet Planetary Health journal, is capturing the world's attention with its sobering look at the state of the global pollution crisis. New data in the report updates findings from.
ReadRepublic of Georgia: Solving the Mystery of Widespread Lead Poisoning in Georgian Children
May 03 , 2022
In 2019, the Republic of Georgia faced a childhood lead poisoning crisis. A national survey had revealed that 41% of children ages 2-7 in the country had blood lead levels at or above 5 μg/dL (the level at which the.
ReadResponsible Jewellery Council Helps Pave The Way To Mercury-Free Gold Supply For The Industry
Apr 10 , 2022
In the Peruvian Amazon, Pure Earth is working to train artisanal miners in mercury-free techniques and in reforestation to restore areas of the rainforest damaged by mining. We're doing all this with the help of a key partner--the jewelry industry,.
ReadIndonesia: Meet Our All-Female Team of Pollution Investigators
Mar 24 , 2022
In 2021, Pure Earth worked with one of the leading universities in Indonesia to recruit young graduates for the Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP), which trains pollution investigators around the world to identify, assess and document contaminated sites in their.
ReadPeru: A Mining Association in the Amazon Learns the Art of Mercury-free Gold
Feb 10 , 2022
In a remote mining corridor in Peru, a mining association called AMATAF is on a mission to change the face of gold mining in the Amazon. [caption id="attachment_19667" align="alignnone" width="600"] Land degraded by gold mining can be seen in the.
Read2021 Highlights: The Milestones We Reached, Work Accomplished
Feb 09 , 2022
Pure Earth reached several milestones in 2021, including critical recognition as the most effective organization working today to solve the global childhood lead poisoning crisis! We are especially proud of this as it reflects the hard work put in by the.
ReadKeeping Pollution Out Of Our Kitchens:
Pure Earth Advises US Regulators on Toxic Baby Food, Pushes Action To Protect Food Supply
Jan 12 , 2022
Take a look at what’s in your kitchen right now. Research has shown that a wide array of products, from baby food to spices, tuna and frozen pizzas, even those from well-known brands and organic labels, contain toxic heavy metals.
ReadPure Earth and Partners Generate Global Momentum During International Lead Poisoning and Prevention Week
Dec 16 , 2021
Each October, the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the focus on toxic lead during International Lead Poisoning and Prevention Week (ILPPW). This year, Pure Earth offices around the world participated in the global campaign by organizing a series of events.
ReadGlobal Alliance Succeeds In Shaping Sustainable Development Goals
Oct 28 , 2021
Amazing things can happen when we work together as a global alliance. The agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that was just adopted, entitled "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," reflects input from our multi-year campaign to ensure that.
ReadCleanup To Begin At One of World’s Worst Polluted Rivers
Oct 28 , 2021
I am happy to announce that we are one step closer to cleaning up the Marilao, Meycauyan and Obando (MMO) river system in the Philippines, one of the world's worst polluted rivers, with a projected $50 million grant from the.
ReadBangladesh: Communities Learn To Fight Rice Husk Pollution
Oct 18 , 2021
Hot and toxic piles of rice husk ash pollute and threaten rice-producing communities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the world's third-largest rice producer, with 36 million metric tons of rice produced in 2020 alone. This bounty has come at a cost.
ReadRepublic of Georgia: Pure Earth Supports National Effort to Eliminate Lead from Homes
Oct 13 , 2021
In 2020, Pure Earth investigators unraveled the mystery of widespread lead poisoning in Georgian children. They traced the problem to contaminated spices. The source of the problem, Pure Earth and partners discovered, was lead chromate, a dye added to spices to.
ReadPreserving Mexico’s Pottery Tradition, Without Toxic Lead
Sep 17 , 2021
The Pure Earth Mexico team and friends at the launch of Barrio Con Barro. Intern Yanet Garcia is second from right. Recently, I had the opportunity to represent my home, New York, in a place that has long held great.
ReadBangladesh: Workshop Brings Consensus; Launches Unparalleled Unified Response To Lead Poisoning Crisis
Aug 26 , 2021
“From today, I declare that I am taking cognizance of this issue and we shall frame projects so that we can drive the eradication of lead exposures as soon as possible.” -- Ahmed Shamim Al Razi, Ministry of Environment,.
ReadPhilippines: Identifying Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines
Aug 16 , 2021
This post was originally published in USAID's Urban Links. Larah Ibañez was preparing a report on childhood lead poisoning for the government of the Philippines earlier this year when she discovered that the country’s Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS),.
ReadPure Earth Economic Calculator Predicts Cost of Inaction to Chemicals Exposure Across Africa
Jul 26 , 2021
A woman walks along the coast in Senegal, one of the five pilot countries of the ChemObs project, including Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, and Ethiopia. Among the top ten countries with the highest rates of death attributed to pollution, six of.
ReadAzerbaijan: Defusing a 25-Ton Pollution “Time Bomb” Near A School in Ujar
Jul 06 , 2021
About 25 tons of exposed toxic material was cleared away from this site located near a school and many homes in Ujar, Azerbaijan. This report is from Rovshan Abbasov from Pure Earth Azerbaijan. ---- Many people call pollution a slow-moving.
ReadBangladesh: Mobilizing Tea Workers To Fight Pollution
Jun 22 , 2021
[caption id="attachment_19706" align="alignnone" width="600"] Workshop participants used a network mapping exercise in order to identify the most influential actors in their community. Post-it notes with stars signify highly influential groups and people, such as government officials or tea estate owners,.
ReadThink Tank Report Recommends Support For Pure Earth
Jun 10 , 2021
In a new report, think tank Rethink Priorities acknowledges Pure Earth as the "largest organization working on lead exposure," and recommends Pure Earth as a leading organization with effective solutions. The Global Lead Exposure Report from researchers David Bernard and.
ReadInvestigating and Mapping Mercury Contamination in Colombia
Jun 01 , 2021
Pure Earth toxic site investigators at a gold mining site in Colombia. When Pure Earth investigators visited a gold ore processing plant in the Colombian town of Remedios, they found dangerous levels of mercury in the.
ReadPure Earth, USC and Macquarie University Publish Landmark Lead Study in The Lancet Planetary Health Journal
Mar 12 , 2021
The March 2021 issue of The Lancet Planetary Health journal includes an important paper that supports Pure Earth’s previous publications asserting the extent of the childhood lead poisoning crisis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The paper, Blood lead levels.
ReadCircle of Women: Creating Safe Spaces For Innovation And Health With Traditional Potters In Mexico
Feb 22 , 2021
Why are women's circles important? Because as women, we spend our time caring for others. We take care of men, the elderly, children, but sometimes we forget to also take care of ourselves. Women's circles are important because historically, those.
ReadStopping Dangerous Levels of Heavy Metals in Baby Food
Feb 11 , 2021
A newly released government investigative report on baby foods has revealed dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. It was issued on February 4, 2021, by the U.S. Congress (Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy,.
ReadA Year Like No Other – Looking Back and Beyond 2020
Jan 21 , 2021
A socially-distanced workshop in lead-free techniques with artisanal potters in Mexico. At Pure Earth, we've defined 2020-2030 as the decade of delivering pollution solutions. Guided by CEO Richard Fuller and our new President and COO Mark Schnellbaecher, we've put together.
ReadThe Ocean Pollution-Berg
Dec 07 , 2020
A new study from Dr. Philip Landrigan and our friends at Boston College links widespread pollution of our oceans to a multitude of diseases, increasing susceptibility to COVID-19 and future pandemics, contamination of seafood we all consume, and more. In.
ReadAn Amazonian Mining Community Fulfilling its Obligation to the Rainforest
Nov 03 , 2020
Along with local partners, Pure Earth started the reforestation of more than 3.5 hectares of rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon in 2017 and 2018. Another 2.5 hectares was restored in 2020. This report is from Pure Earth's Charles Espinosa. Miners.
ReadPartnering To Solve A Global Childhood Menace: Lead
Aug 24 , 2020
[caption id="attachment_16490" align="alignnone" width="768"] Gordon Binkhorst, Pure Earth's Senior Technical Advisor, uses a hand held XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer to test the level of toxic pollutants in the ground in this neighborhood in Kabwe, Zambia. Almost every single child.
ReadPure Earth Collaborates On Jewelry Collection To Fight Pollution
Jun 16 , 2020
Futura Deity earrings from the 2020 Pure Earth Pure Gold responsibly-sourced jewelry collection and auction to fight pollution "As sustainable fashion becomes a necessity, designers and organizations dedicated to conservation are joining forces. In the past, Pure Earth has made.
ReadHelping Communities Hard Hit By COVID-19
May 26 , 2020
Mexico: A family of artisan potters, who are part of our Barro Aprobado lead-free program The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many of the poor communities we work with especially hard. In Mexico, for example, the potters we trained to use.
ReadA Mother’s Story: Hope in Kathgora, Bangladesh
May 07 , 2020
This year, mothers in Kathgora, Bangladesh, have a big reason to celebrate--they know that their children are healthier today than they were a year ago. That's because their children’s blood lead levels (BLL) have been almost cut in half.
ReadN95 Masks Used For Toxic Pollution Cleanup Donated To Hospitals Amidst Pandemic
Apr 06 , 2020
We know how critical PPE (personal protective equipment) is from our toxic pollution cleanup work around the world. Pure Earth team members often wear a combination of N95 masks, hazmat suits, gloves, and other protection out in the field when.
Read“Quarantine” Q&A Webinars Tap Pure Earth’s Global Network Of Public Health Experts
Apr 06 , 2020
In response to the covid-19 pandemic, Pure Earth's "Quarantine" Q&A webinar series has been offering insights and analysis from our extensive network of colleagues and friends in public health around the world. It is one way we are sharing our.
ReadWe Will Get Through This Together – Our Global Team Responds To The Pandemic
Mar 26 , 2020
The global coronavirus pandemic has made one thing clear -- we are a global family. No matter where you live, we all call this planet home. We will get through this together. Until we can gather again in person, please.
ReadHow Are You Doing? Statement from Pure Earth President Richard Fuller
Mar 26 , 2020
Greetings from New York, where we are entering our second week of social distancing, and now a statewide lockdown. We closely followed news of covid-19 as it spread through Asia, Europe, and now the U.S., and we are experiencing the.
ReadActivating Communities To Solve Pollution
Mar 12 , 2020
Pure Earth kicked off its important global community outreach project on February 19th in Colombia, covered by the country’s premier news station, generating excitement at all levels, from the Ministry of Health to local NGOs working with indigenous people. "The.
ReadPure Earth’s Head of Research Co-Writes Textbook On Global Environmental Health
Mar 05 , 2020
Pure Earth President Richard Fuller (left) with Dr. Jack Caravanos, Pure Earth's head of research and co-author of the new global health textbook. Do not be saddened by stories of polluted places or diseased communities. Rather, let it motivate you.
Read20 Years of Pollution Solutions Countdown
Dec 26 , 2019
Over the past 20 years, Pure Earth has addressed toxic pollution in over 120 project locations through assessment, remediation, risk mitigation and more. See our approach for details. These projects have impacted approximately 5 million people - 20% of those.
ReadLead Poisoning Affects Over 1 Million Children in Mexico; Pottery is Main Cause
Dec 12 , 2019
Pure Earth's Daniel Estrada testing the yard of a home in Mexico for the presence of toxic lead. What is the true scope of lead poisoning in Mexico? For the first time, we have a clearer picture, thanks to a.
ReadVIDEO: “Why I Give” – Donors Explain Why They Support Pure Earth
Dec 02 , 2019
This year, we asked some of our most ardent supporters---including Bobbie Lloyd, chief baking officer of the world famous Magnolia Bakery, and designer Ammar Belal---to tell us why they give to Pure Earth. Watch their video testimonies below. Thank you.
ReadPure Earth’s Global Mercury Program: Success By The Numbers
Nov 19 , 2019
Pure Earth's Global Mercury Program works around the world to eliminate mercury use and clean up contaminated sites to reduce mercury poisoning and protect the health of communities, especially children. Since artisanal and small-scale (ASGM) gold mining is responsible for.
ReadBrazil: Helping The Potters of Maragogipinho Go Lead Free
Oct 21 , 2019
In May 2018, Pure Earth held a lead-free workshop for nine potters in Maragogipinho, Brazil. This was an important first step in helping a community, where some residents had blood lead levels as much as 15 times above the EPA’s level.
ReadColombia Lead Poisoning: More Children Can Now Sleep Safely With Lead-Free Mattresses
Oct 03 , 2019
For years, parents in Malambo, Colombia, didn't know that their children were sleeping on poison. Surrounded by five lead smelters, Malambo was heavily contaminated with lead. Over the years, lead had polluted the ground, settled on almost every surface in.
ReadPollution and Climate Change – Twin Threats With Shared Sources, Solutions
Sep 24 , 2019
Pollution and climate change are twin threats, or as the UN puts it, two sides of the same coin. If we solve pollution, we will not only impact climate change, but also save lives now. For too long, pollution and.
ReadChildren’s Lead Levels Fall 35% Following Cleanup in Kathgora, Bangladesh
Sep 05 , 2019
The Pure Earth team in Bangladesh. When we returned to the small village of Kathgora, Bangladesh, just months after our remediation work, we found to our delight that the impact was already measurable in the healthier children we saw. Before.
ReadUkraine: Chernobyl and Radikal
Aug 13 , 2019
This summer, Pure Earth's head of research, Dr. Jack Caravanos, visited Ukraine with his students from NYU's College of Public Health. In addition to Chernobyl, probably the best-known polluted site in the country, the group also visited Radikal, an abandoned.
ReadMadagascar: United in Soccer and Pollution Cleanup
Aug 13 , 2019
Updated: Feb. 2020: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has selected Pure Earth’s proposal to solve Madagascar’s pollution crisis as a Top 100 in its 100&Change competition. Project co-leads on the proposal are Indiana University and the University.
ReadPlogging in the Philippines: HSBC and Pure Earth Raise Awareness About Pollution
Aug 12 , 2019
Volunteers in Quezon City (Photos courtesy of Daj Dajotoy, HSBC) This post is by Pure Earth intern Matthew Chakwin, who is studying Global Health at Georgetown University. August 2019--This June, over 130 volunteers from HSBC's water programme in the Philippines.
ReadPure Earth Pollution Experts From Around The World Gather To Share Stories: VIDEO
Jul 09 , 2019
Pure Earth pollution experts from around the world recently gathered in New York to share updates on the progress being made solving pollution problems in their home communities and in countries spread out over five continents. The event, held at.
ReadTwo Pesticide Cleanups and a Wedding in Tajikistan, Near the Afghan Border
Jun 17 , 2019
In Tajikistan, in an area near the Afghan border lined with checkpoints and guards with guns, a Pure Earth team conducting pesticide cleanups was showered with hospitality. They were welcomed in home after home and were even invited to a.
ReadLead Poisoning in Newborns: The Story Of Baby X in Mexico
May 23 , 2019
Lead Poisoning Study: 300 mothers and their newborns In 2015, Pure Earth worked with the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico on the first-ever effort to detect and measure exposure to lead poisoning at a state level in.
ReadPure Earth Day: Hundreds Mobilized for Pokemon Go Pollution Cleanups and more
May 06 , 2019
During Earth Week, Pure Earth mobilized hundreds of people around the world for a series of pollution cleanup events and a special news-making photo exhibition and presentation. These events were all part of Pure Earth Day, our inaugural global effort to bring.
ReadRainforest Reforestation Brings Degraded Mining Sites Back to Life, Provide Models of Hope
Apr 29 , 2019
Pure Earth/CINCIA rainforest reforestation team in Peru. In South America, alluvial gold mining is degrading the Amazon basin at an unprecedented rate, leaving barren craters in previously lush rainforest. Pure Earth is working on a rainforest reforestation project to restore.
Read20 Years of Pollution Solutions: Celebrating our Impact, Building Momentum
Apr 15 , 2019
This post is from Pure Earth development associate Erin Andrews. This is an important year for Pure Earth. It marks 20 years of leading the charge in fighting pollution - 20 years of saving lives, particularly the lives of children in.
ReadMeet the Model Mafia: Working With Pure Earth To Fight Pollution
Mar 19 , 2019
In 2017, more than 30 models got on a bus and headed to the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. It was one of their first forays as the Model Mafia, a powerful collective of activist models brought together by Cameron Russell and Áine.
ReadWomen and the Fight Against Pollution
Mar 12 , 2019
At the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which took place on March 12, 2019 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Pure Earth joined with participants from around the world to discuss a variety.
ReadBihar, India: How we celebrated a community, and helped them take action on lead poisoning
Mar 08 , 2019
It was a day to remember. The celebration in the public town square of Karmalichak, a community in Patna, in the state of Bihar, India, was not only fun, but potentially life-changing. Organized by our local partner, the Institute of.
ReadGenerational Impact of Lead Poisoning in Girls
Feb 25 , 2019
This photo (above) is heart breaking for me. The young girl in pink is chronically exposed to extremely high levels of lead because families in her village have been recycling and smelting lead and other metals for decades. Not only.
ReadEmpowering Women Gold Miners in Indonesia
Jan 21 , 2019
What a terrific team! Seven of the eight founding members of WiME (Women in Mining and Energy) in Indonesia. (left to right : Omar, Dian, Budi, Nukila, Khoirun, Dedy and Maya) Jan. 2019--This month, a new initiative, Women in Mining.
ReadNew Report Shows How We Are All Connected By Pollution; And Reveals What We Can Do
Jan 10 , 2019
If you think you and your family are not impacted by pollution far from your home, think again. Pollution Knows No Borders, Pure Earth’s latest report, documents how the pollution crisis in low- and middle-income countries affects everyone’s health – including.
ReadToxic Legacy At 10th Century Armenian Historic Site Comes To An End With Pure Earth Cleanup
Dec 17 , 2018
As the first Christian country worldwide, Armenia is known for it’s beautiful, historic churches. Not only are they tourist attractions, they also serve as community centers for baptisms, weddings, barbecues, class trips and more. When Pure Earth, working together with.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Valeriia Kovach Talks Biofuels and Other Innovative Approaches in Ukraine
Dec 10 , 2018
Like many countries of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine has been dealing with many unresolved pollution challenges, from the major issue of obsolete pesticides being improperly stored throughout the country, to the lingering public health and pollution issues connected to.
ReadColombia Lead Poisoning: A Clean, Lead-Free Mattress For His Birthday
Nov 15 , 2018
Alejandro celebrated his 13th birthday recently with a new mattress, but what he received was a potential lifetime of safe and sound sleep. He is one of about 50 children living near a lead smelter in Malambo, Colombia, who we found.
ReadBlock: Image
Nov 03 , 2018
Welcome to image alignment! If you recognize this post, it is because these are blocks that have been converted from the classic Markup: Image Alignment post. The best way to demonstrate the ebb and flow of the various image positioning.
ReadBlock: Button
Nov 03 , 2018
Button blocks are not semantically buttons, but links inside a styled div. If you do not add a link, a link tag without an anchor will be used. Left aligned Check to make sure that the text wraps correctly when.
ReadBlock: Cover
Nov 03 , 2018
This is a left aligned cover block with a background image. The cover block lets you add text on top of images or videos. This blocktype has several alignment options, and you can also align or center the text inside.
ReadBlock: Gallery
Nov 03 , 2018
Gallery blocks have two settings: the number of columns, and whether or not images should be cropped. The default number of columns is three, and the maximum number of columns is eight. Below is a three column gallery at full.
ReadBlock: Columns
Nov 02 , 2018
This page tests how the theme displays the columns block. The first block tests a two column block with paragraphs. This is the second column. It should align next to the first column. Reduce the browser window width to test.
ReadBlock: Quote
Nov 01 , 2018
The quote block has two styles, regular: Gutenberg is more than an editor.The Gutenberg Team and large: Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvelous liquor that.
ReadBlock category: Common
Nov 01 , 2018
The Common category includes the following blocks: Paragraph, image, headings, list, gallery, quote, audio, cover, video. The paragraph block is the default block type. It should not have any alignment of any kind. It should just flow like you would.
ReadBlock category: Embeds
Nov 01 , 2018
This post tests various embed blocks: https://twitter.com/WordPress/status/1057136472321613824 Twitter, wide width https://youtu.be/ex8fMxXJDJw YouTube https://www.facebook.com/6427302910/posts/10156380423617911/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmueLLgEn_/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1hcxphic7p9e2 https://wordpress.tv/2018/10/14/kjell-reigstad-allan-cole-how-we-made-our-first-gutenberg-powered-theme/ WordPress TV, full width
ReadBlock category: Widgets
Nov 01 , 2018
The shortcode widget: [gallery columns=2 ids="770,771"] The Archive Widget: The same Archive widget but as a dropdown: The Category widget block has an additional option for showing category hierarchies: The Latest Comments widget can display or hide the avatars, the.
ReadBlock category: Layout Elements
Nov 01 , 2018
The Layout Elements category includes the following blocks: Group, Button, Columns, Media & Text, separator, spacer, read more, and page break. This group block has a light green background color. A button The read more block should be right below.
ReadBlock category: Formatting
Nov 01 , 2018
The formatting category includes the following blocks: The code block starts with <!-- wp:code --> <?php echo 'Hello World'; ?> The classic block can have almost anything in it. a heading The custom HTML block lets you put HTML that.
ReadKeyboard navigation
Oct 20 , 2018
There are many different ways to use the web besides a mouse and a pair of eyes. Users navigate for example with a keyboard only or with their voice. All the functionality, including menus, links and forms should work using.
ReadHSBC Volunteers Take Action Against River Pollution in the Philippines
Oct 11 , 2018
This April, under the searing sun, over 200 volunteers from HSBC Philippines and the local community showed up to help Pure Earth take action against river pollution. Together, the group planted over 100 Camachileand and Talisay trees along the shoreline of Laguna Lake,.
ReadFrom Mexico To Brazil – Sharing Solutions To A Shared Pollution Problem
Sep 27 , 2018
When Pure Earth visited Maragogipinho, a village in the town of Aratuípe in Brazil, in 2017 as part of the Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP), the team found lead concentrations in the soil as high as 44,500 ppm (the EPA level.
ReadIn Tajikistan, Coalition of Local Groups Unite Against Abandoned Pesticide Problem
Sep 20 , 2018
Note from the field by Angela Bernhardt, Pure Earth Communications Director The breast milk of Tajik mothers contain a mean concentration of DDT that is 4 times higher than permissible levels, according to the World Health Organization in Tajikistan. This is not.
ReadKeeping Two-Year-Old Dexter and His Friends Safe From Lead Poisoning in Pampanga, Philippines
Aug 13 , 2018
This blog post is from Indigo Golub, a communications intern at Pure Earth. She is currently undergoing a bachelors degree in History, Law, and Society at the American University of Paris. Meet Dexter. The two-year-old, seen here with his mom,.
ReadPure Earth’s Toxic Site Investigators Blanket 350 Villages In The Philippines To Identify and Map Pollution Problems
Aug 09 , 2018
This post is by Madeline Walker, Pure Earth Communications Intern. Madeline attends undergraduate college at SUNY Geneseo, where she will receive a dual degree in Political Science & Communication. One day, she hopes to pursue a career in the fields.
ReadWalking The Earth To Find Pollution. Meet Our Toxic Site Investigators, Watch Them In Action In Brazil (VIDEO)
Aug 09 , 2018
https://youtu.be/V6IxvUExAlQ Pure Earth's toxic site investigators can be found the world over. Their mission? To walk the earth in order to find, map and assess polluted sites in low and middle-income countries, where residents are being poisoned where they live. The.
ReadColombia Lead Poisoning: Helping Children Break Free in Malambo
Jun 07 , 2018
This post is by Charlie Espinosa, Pure Earth intern for Latin America. A 2014 study conducted by Universidad Naciónal de Colombia revealed high lead levels in all students attending La Bonga Elementary School. Located in Malambo, Colombia, the school sits in.
ReadPure Earth President Receives Honor from Australian Government for Service to the Environment
Jun 06 , 2018
Pure Earth President Richard Fuller, an Aussie based in New York, was recently recognized with the prestigious Order of Australia Medal for his service to conservation and the environment. “...my hope is that this recognition brings more attention to the global.
ReadFormer US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Rouses
Crowd To Its Feet With Passionate Pollution Plea
Apr 26 , 2018
A standing ovation. That is what Gina McCarthy, former US EPA administrator, received at the Pure Earth benefit on Earth Day in New York City. McCarthy was a special guest at the benefit focused on "Pollution Solutions," showcasing the cleanup.
ReadA Friendship Based On Giving Back – Colombian Star Taliana Vargas and Designer Pili Restrepo
Apr 16 , 2018
U.S. audiences might know actress and model Taliana Vargas from her key role in season three of Netflix's Narcos. But away from the spotlight, Vargas is a philanthropist at heart. In Colombia, Vargas is using her star power to help.
ReadRestoring Rainforest Stripped By Gold Mining in the Amazon
Mar 27 , 2018
Watch a video of the project above, or click here. This post is from Charles Espinosa, an intern working with our Latin America program team. Charlie is pursuing a master's degree in Latin American studies at Columbia University, with a.
ReadLead Exposure Linked to 412,000 Deaths in US; On Par With Tobacco
Mar 14 , 2018
[caption id="attachment_4283" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Children in Indonesia play on lead smelting dump site in the middle of their village.[/caption] An important new paper from Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a member of the Pure Earth Leadership Council, and a Commissioner on The Lancet Commission on.
ReadCleanup Of Infamous Pesticide Site Brings Toxic Legacy To An End
Mar 12 , 2018
[caption id="attachment_6163" align="aligncenter" width="640"] From left to right: Tofik Azizov, Ministry of Agriculture; Petr Sharov, Pure Earth; Technical Advisor Nicholas Albergo; Rovshan Abbasov, Pure Earth; Khatuna Akhalaya, Project Consultant.[/caption] If you asked any authority on pollution about Azerbaijan, the name.
ReadBarro Aprobado In New York – Helping Mexican Lead-Free Artisans Reach A Wider Market
Feb 26 , 2018
(Read the story in Spanish on the Barro Aprobado site) Recently, a team representing a group of ten artisans from Michoacán in Mexico traveled to New York to show their lead-free pottery at NY Now, one of the largest trades.
ReadAt Davos, Visualizing the Global Pollution Crisis; Presenting Solutions
Feb 05 , 2018
[caption id="attachment_6052" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Pure Earth President Richard Fuller captures the attention of decision-makers gathered at Davos.[/caption] Pure Earth President Richard Fuller was at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week talking about one of the most effective ways.
ReadWorld Bank Talks Next Steps With Pure Earth, Global Alliance
Jan 25 , 2018
[caption id="attachment_6036" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The World Bank event was filled to capacity.[/caption] Pollution is one global crisis that can be solved, but it will take commitment, cooperation, and funding. That was the takeaway from a January 11th discussion in Washington, D.C..
ReadHSBC Mexico’s “Adopt A Potter” Program Takes On Urgency After Earthquake
Jan 15 , 2018
HSBC has launched a unique "Adopt A Potter" program in support of Pure Earth's work to reduce lead poisoning from the widespread use of traditional leaded pottery in Mexico. Under the program, corporate volunteers visit artisans who have gone lead-free.
ReadBarro Aprobado Lead-Free Potter Wins Prize – Q&A With Doña Rosario
Jan 15 , 2018
Congratulations Doña Rosario! The talented potter, who is part of the Pure Earth Barro Aprobado program, was awarded 1st place in the national ceramic prize competition that aims to promote the preservation of the traditional techniques and designs of Mexican pottery..
ReadDev Patel Chooses Pure Earth As Charity Of Choice For Mandarin Oriental’s Global Campaign
Dec 05 , 2017
Thank you Dev! Academy Award nominee Dev Patel has selected Pure Earth as his charity of choice for the Mandarin Oriental’s global “He’s a Fan/She’s a Fan” campaign. The hotel group will donate $10,000 to support our work in some.
ReadA Open Letter: It Is Time To Put Pollution On The Map
Oct 24 , 2017
The new report from The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, published on Oct. 19, pinpoints pollution as the cause of 1 in 6 deaths worldwide, with children and the poor being the most vulnerable. We cannot afford the health and economic impacts. .
ReadMeet The Maqques: A Family Of Gold Miners Going Mercury Free So They Can Work Together Safely
Sep 22 , 2017
Earlier this year, Pure Earth launched an ambitious project in Peru, supported by Brilliant Earth, a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry. The goal: to transform the Chichiqueros artisanal gold mining community into a mercury-free model. The Chichiqueros work in an area.
ReadNotes From The Field: Irrigation Canal Delivers Poison To Entire Village of Naiman, Kyrgyzstan
Sep 18 , 2017
This post is from Indira Zhakipova, Pure Earth's coordinator in Kyrgyzstan The village of Naiman is inhabited by 1,800 people, and is located in the Nookat district of the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, 70 km from the regional center.
ReadNatural Disasters and The Pollution Risk — A Pure Earth Q&A
Sep 18 , 2017
Photo by Sumaiya Ahmed, Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/snippets/1120575294/ The recent Hurricanes (Harvey in Texas, Irma in Florida and the Caribbean) with their extensive floods have raised questions of pollution and other chemical contamination. This is an important public health issue that.
ReadNotes From The Field: The Toxic Lakes Of Azerbaijan
Aug 28 , 2017
There are over 200 lakes in the Absheron Peninsular in Azerbaijan, located near the capital of Baku. For years, industrial and household wastewater has been dumped into these waters--an estimated 41.5 million cubic meters annually! This includes discharges from many of.
ReadMongolia Update: Revisiting Miners We Trained
Aug 17 , 2017
Remember Mrs. Mungun? She was the "gold ninja" who learned to go mercury-free at a Pure Earth training workshop so she could provide a better life for her two children. We met Mrs. Mungun again recently and we're delighted to report that she's.
ReadMinamata Convention Enters Into Force Aug 16: Pure Earth Helps Lay Groundwork With Guide For Governments
Aug 14 , 2017
Update: A Pure Earth team is currently at COP1, joining representatives from around the globe who have come together to help make mercury history. Our team is attending daily sessions as well as meetings to discuss guidance on the management.
ReadA Personal Story Of Pollution In Azerbaijan, And A Childhood Caught Between Polluted And Clean
Jul 06 , 2017
This post comes from Rovshan Abbasov, Pure Earth’s country coordinator in Azerbaijan. Rovshan shares his story about pollution in Azerbaijan, and a childhood caught between clean and polluted. (WATCH VIDEO BELOW) Dr. Rovshan Abbasov, Pure Earth's coordinator in Azerbaijan, holding a tomato.
ReadLooking For Lead? No Problem! Quickest Discovery In Two Decades
Jun 08 , 2017
This post is from Andrew McCartor, Pure Earth's Regional Director for South Asia. A procession on the streets of Bihar, India. Finding and confirming pollution can be difficult because polluters don't advertise their activities, and many toxic pollutants are invisible and.
ReadTransforming The Chichiqueros Gold Mining Community In Peru’s Rainforest Into A Mercury-Free Model
Jun 05 , 2017
Earlier this year, Pure Earth launched an ambitious project supported by Brilliant Earth, a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry. The goal: to transform the Chichiqueros artisanal gold mining community into a mercury-free model. The Chichiqueros work in an area in.
ReadNotes from the field: Dr. Jack Caravanos in Kabwe with the Guardian
May 31 , 2017
Jack measuring toxic soil with Olympus XRF, Photo by Larry C. Price Q & A with Dr. Jack Caravanos, Pure Earth’s Director of Research Jack traveled to Kabwe, Zambia, last month with The Guardian environment editor Damian Carrington and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist.
ReadNotes From The Field: A Week In The Life Of A Pure Earth Staffer In The Philippines
May 18 , 2017
What is it like to be a pollution fighter for Pure Earth? We followed Lara Crampe (above), Pure Earth's Regional Director for Southeast Asia, during a recent week-long trip to the Philippines, where she met with local partners, visited.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Umed in Tajikistan Saves Families From Homes Built On Toxic Land
May 18 , 2017
Umed and the Pure Earth remediation team in Tajikistan In the past year, Pure Earth's team in Tajikistan has been measuring vast regions, where dozens of decrepit pesticide warehouses from the Soviet era have been leaking into the surrounding soil and water. When.
ReadMothers Of Change: These Women are Fighting Pollution, and Winning
May 09 , 2017
Mother and child in Senegal We see them all the time when we work in polluted hotspots where, really, no one should be living. We see them going about their daily, often back-breaking work, many times with children in tow. These.
ReadTraining Toxic Site Investigators In Senegal
May 03 , 2017
Pure Earth regional director for Africa, Judith St. Fort, and senior program officer, Russell Dowling, recently returned to Senegal to help train local toxic site investigators as part of the Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP). Judith and Russell brought with them dozens.
ReadThank You For Supporting Our Heavy Metal Benefit Bash (Photos)
Apr 27 , 2017
Thank you to all you "headbangers," "lead singers" and "groupies," and everyone who had a "front row seat" or "backstage pass" at our Heavy Metal Benefit Bash. You came, you dined, learned more about toxic heavy metals, and some of you.
ReadSee The Pure Earth Auction Collection, As Featured In Vogue
Apr 11 , 2017
Mercury-free gold is in Vogue! In Why Mercury-Free Gold Is the Future of Sustainable Jewelry, Vogue magazine reported on Pure Earth's collaboration with superstar model Molly Bair, and 21 leading designers to curate a special collection of jewelry crafted using recycled, Fairtrade, or.
ReadWhy Women Hold The Key To Fighting Pollution
Mar 07 , 2017
"Women are usually in charge of the family's health but are often excluded from training and other opportunities," says Budi Susilorini, Pure Earth's country director for Indonesia. Budi was recently invited to take part in a discussion organized by NGO BaliFokus.
ReadDatabase of World’s Polluted Sites Is Now Online
Feb 22 , 2017
Testing a playground for toxins in Zambia. For more than a decade now, Pure Earth has been training and sending investigators out across the world's worst polluted places to identify, assess and map contaminated sites that pose a health risk to.
ReadHere’s How We Fought Pollution With Your Support, And Helped To Save Lives In 2016
Jan 25 , 2017
Pollution is one global problem that can be solved. We have solutions. #WeCanFightPollution. Here are some highlights of our work around the world over the past 12 months. Thanks to our supporters, we are making an impact. AFRICA Toxic-free homes for.
ReadReport from Colombia: Investigating Toxic Sites
Jan 17 , 2017
This post comes to you from Alfonso Rodríguez, Pure Earth's new country director in Colombia. The Pure Earth team at a toxic site visit in Colombia: (l to r) Daniel Estrada, Alfonso Rodríguez, John Keith Pure Earth has expanded its Toxic.
ReadA Mountain Of Success in Agbogbloshie
Dec 28 , 2016
A mountain of success! Pure Earth partner GreenAd's Bennett Akuffo is shown here standing on a pile of cleanly processed plastic cable casings in Agbogbloshie, Ghana. This is what would have been burnt, releasing polluting toxic fumes, if local recyclers.
ReadIntroducing Molly Bair: Superstar Model, Pollution Fighter!
Dec 16 , 2016
After a quick lesson at Pure Earth's office, Molly shows off her skills with the XRF--a handheld X-ray fluorescent analyzer that can identify toxic particles in soil in about 30 seconds! #FightPollution with Molly Bair When you see model Molly.
ReadGetting Lead Out Of Sovetskoe (Kan), Kyrgyzstan
Dec 05 , 2016
This post comes from Alena Temnikova, Pure Earth's regional coordinator in Kyrgyzstan. The red wall of the building is made from lead-contaminated sand taken from the mine tailings. When lead and zinc ore mining began in the 1950s, the first workers lived.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Budi Susilorini in Indonesia
Nov 15 , 2016
Pure Earth's country director in Indonesia, Budi Susilorini, recently spent a month in the New York office, meeting with colleagues, exchanging ideas and sharing experiences. We caught up with her to learn more about what motivates her. Budi is a key.
ReadProtecting Children By Cleaning Up Lead-Contaminated Yards in Kabwe
Nov 07 , 2016
This post is from Lara Crampe, Pure Earth's regional director for Southeast Asia. She is currently in Zambia working with the team on the second phase of Pure Earth’s remediation project in the Chowa neighborhood of Kabwe. This month our.
ReadNotes From The Field: It Takes A Village
Oct 17 , 2016
The two lists you see above show the names of people in the village who contributed towards the construction of paved roads that now criss-cross the rural community of Dong Mai in Vietnam. On our recent visit, we saw lists.
ReadPeru: Emerging From A State of Emergency In The Labyrinth
Oct 12 , 2016
[caption id="attachment_4960" align="aligncenter" width="879"] A view of the district of Laberinto from the Inambari River. Over years of constant shifting, the river has transformed the area into a complicated landscape.[/caption] Located about an hour from the city of Puerto Maldonado,.
ReadNotes From The Field: In Indonesia, testing a playground, school, homes for toxic lead
Sep 30 , 2016
A few days ago, we visited a school, playground and homes in one neighborhood in Jakarta to test for toxic lead. Children can get poisoned when they ingest lead flakes or lead dust that comes off of brightly painted playground.
ReadWalk-Through Of Agbogbloshie E-Waste Site Spreads Message: “Burning Is Bad”
Sep 08 , 2016
Help us make a difference in Agbogbloshie and other polluted places. Donate now to support the cleanup of polluted communities worldwide. “Kona Ne Bad” or “Burning Is Bad” – that was the message splashed across tee-shirts and posters, and shouted out through.
ReadUN Youth Assembly Meet To Discuss SDGs, World’s Challenges
Aug 23 , 2016
This post is from Pure Earth summer intern Taylor Carroll (pictured above), an environmental studies major in her senior year at Lehigh University. Recently, over 1,000 delegates from all over the world met at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
ReadThe Missing Link Between Environment And Public Health
Aug 10 , 2016
This post is from Pure Earth summer intern Taylor Carroll, an environmental studies major in her senior year at Lehigh University. Some may be surprised to hear that the Environmental Protection Agency is primarily a public health agency, but EPA.
ReadPure Earth Experts Contribute To WHO Children’s Environmental Health Training Modules
Aug 04 , 2016
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="203"] Dr. Amalia Laborde[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="109"] Dr. Lilian Corra[/caption] The World Health Organization (WHO) has just released a new series of children's environmental health training modules that were prepared by experts around the world, including.
ReadIn Cameroon: Hunting For Toxic Killers
Jul 27 , 2016
Fighting pollution does not just mean cleaning up toxic sites. It also involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work that might not make the news, such as the painstaking task of identifying, mapping, and assessing contaminated hotspots around the world. This was what.
ReadUpdate on Latin America: A Dirty Talk and A New Research Paper
Jul 13 , 2016
Dirty Talk With A View For our latest Dirty Talk (Pure Earth's awareness-raising lunchtime series), we brought experts to the New York Times building to talk about pollution in Latin America. The event attracted a full house and boasted some of the best.
ReadMongolia Teaching Van Trailblazes A Path To Mercury-Free Mining
Jul 12 , 2016
This post is from Pure Earth summer intern Sarah Baer, a youth philanthropy leader in her junior year at the University of Pennsylvania. In the remote reaches of Mongolia, Pure Earth’s project team has put together a teaching van to educate miners on.
ReadNew Signs Of Life: Greenery Sprouts From Once-Toxic Beach
Jun 28 , 2016
What a difference a year makes. Last year, Pure Earth embarked on our first cleanup project in Azerbaijan---at a toxic beach along the Caspian sea in Sumgayit---in a region we had designated as one of the “World’s Worst Polluted Places.” Today,.
ReadA Tremendous Loss: Dmitriy Tereshkevich
Jun 08 , 2016
The Pure Earth family is sad to learn of the sudden death of Dmitriy Tereshkevich, our country director in Kazakhstan. He was just 33. His passing is a shock and a tremendous loss to everyone at Pure Earth worldwide, and to the.
ReadKolaborasi + Sinergi = Kunci
Jul 09 , 2024
Program ”Penguatan Sistem Kesehatan untuk Mengurangi Paparan Timbel" di Indonesia Bagi organisasi nirlaba, kolaborasi sangat penting dalam mencapai tujuan organisasi dan menciptakan dampak positif bagi masyarakat. Selain itu, sinergi dapat membuat upaya gabungan bisa mencapai hasil yang lebih baik. Pure.
ReadCollaboration + Synergy = The Key
Jul 05 , 2024
“The Strengthening Health System to Reduce Lead Exposure” Program in Indonesia For non-profit organizations, collaboration is crucial in reaching organizational goals and creating a positive impact on the communities. In addition, synergy can make combined efforts accomplish more. Pure Earth.
ReadBreaking the Cycle of Extreme Lead Poisoning in Pesarean, Indonesia
May 18 , 2016
This week's post is from Angela Bernhardt, Executive Director of Communications for Pure Earth. After two and a half years in our New York headquarters, I took my first trip to the field with our Southeast Asia coordinator, Lara Crampe..
ReadPlanning Our Strategy
May 05 , 2016
The Pure Earth program and management team recently concluded a three-day retreat at a donated vacation home in coastal Maine. There was much to plan as Pure Earth received a new grant and a renewal from a previous funder. In addition, our.
ReadA Mother’s Story: Mongolian “Gold Ninja” Goes Mercury-Free For Her Children
May 04 , 2016
This is Mrs. Mungun (not her real name), a single mother with two children living in Central Mongolia. When times got tough for her, she became a "gold ninja" to feed her children. About 20% of the rural Mongolian workforce are "gold.
ReadIn Photos: Teaching Artisanal Gold Miners To Extract Gold Without Mercury
May 01 , 2016
Meet Filipino gold miners Leoncio Na-Oy (pictured below, right) and Rudy Onos. Over the past few years, Pure Earth has been working with Leoncio and Rudy to test and teach a century-old, traditional method of mercury-free gold mining Leoncio rediscovered in his.
ReadPure Earth Pure Gold Benefit Sparks Golden Opportunity To Fight Mercury Poisoning
Apr 26 , 2016
[caption id="attachment_16027" align="alignnone" width="300"] Actor Shiloh Fernandez with Caroline Dweck of Stephen Dweck.[/caption] Do you know where the gold in your jewelry comes from? Following the success of our recent Pure Earth Pure Gold Benefit Bash, we think many more people.
ReadJewelry Industry Works With Pure Earth Against Toxic Gold
Mar 22 , 2016
[caption id="attachment_16042" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo: Larry C. Price[/caption] Do you know where the gold in your jewelry and electronics come from? About 10% to 25% of the world’s total gold supply comes from artisanal gold mining, the leading source of.
ReadWhat’s the Connection Between Your Jewelry and Contaminated Fish?
Mar 20 , 2016
[caption id="attachment_16044" align="alignnone" width="300"] Gold fish shaped vessel from the Oxus Treasure by Nickmard Khoey, CC, via Flickr[/caption] How is the jewelry you wear and the iPhone you use connected with contaminated fish you may find on your plate? The.
ReadGlobal Brain Trust Quantifying Economic And Health Costs Of Pollution
Mar 16 , 2016
The latest WHO report released this week -- Preventing disease through healthy environments: a global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks” -- is key in helping the world understand that the leading global public health threat has shifted.
ReadProject Highlights 2015: A String Of Firsts
Feb 23 , 2016
Over the past year, we have started to finally see a shift connecting the silos that have kept efforts on the environment, health and development in separate disciplines. The catalyst for much of this progress has come from the creation.
ReadIn Bihar, Toxic Lead 150 Times Over Limit
Feb 03 , 2016
This man is "cooking" lead by the side of a busy road. This is a fairly common scene in Hajipur, home to many of the 40 informal and unregulated recyclers of used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) in Bihar, India. In this densely.
ReadWhat Does Flint, Michigan, and Kabwe, Zambia, Have In Common?
Feb 03 , 2016
What does Flint, Michigan, and Kabwe, Zambia, have in common? The answer is lead poisoning. Recently, NPR's Goats and Soda program spoke with Pure Earth President Richard Fuller to get his take on the lead-contaminated water supply in Flint and how.
ReadLake Titicaca Cleanup – Bolivia And Peru Pledges $500 Million
Jan 27 , 2016
[caption id="attachment_16047" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo by Alex Proimos (Lake Titicaca) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] A milestone has been reached in the long struggle to clean up the famed Lake Titicaca. Bolivia and Peru have agreed to provide more than.
ReadYear In Review: Lead Free Homes For The First Time In 100 Years
Jan 18 , 2016
Of the many cleanups we conducted in 2015, our work in Kabwe, Zambia, was one of the highlights. Last year, thanks to private donations from supporters, Pure Earth’s team was able to return to Kabwe to start cleaning up one of the “World’s.
ReadPhoto Essay Mexico: Lead Exposure From Traditional Pottery
Dec 23 , 2015
AN URGENT CALL IN THE NIGHT Earlier this year, Sandra Gualtero, Pure Earth's regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, received a late-night email labelled “URGENT.” It was from a nurse in Mexico who had just discovered a newborn baby with.
ReadNotes From The Field: Walking A Day To Seek Change In Kabwe
Dec 23 , 2015
[caption id="attachment_3829" align="alignnone" width="559"] The man with Joe Hayes in Chowa[/caption] Joe Hayes, a hydrogeologist from the US, is a volunteer member of Pure Earth’s technical advisory board. Joe just returned from Kabwe, Zambia where he is helping to manage the.
ReadFact Sheet: Mercury and Health
Nov 30 , 2015
From the WHO Fact Sheet on Mercury and Health Key facts Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, and is.
ReadSo Fresh And So Clean
Nov 25 , 2015
“I am impressed with what has been done... and this comes as a relief not only to the people of Chowa, but the entire Kabwe population. We believe that when this project is completed, more lives will be safeguarded." --.
ReadNearly 100% Of Children In This Neighborhood Have Been Poisoned
Nov 16 , 2015
Almost every single child in Chowa is suffering from lead poisoning. Nearly all of Chowa's children were found to have blood lead levels that are ten to 20 times the CDC recommended level, which can be fatal. The source of the toxin? A group.
ReadDinner Served On 960 Pieces Of Lead-Free Pottery Sends Urgent Message Across Mexico
Nov 16 , 2015
[Read a version of this story in Spanish.] At this year's Festival Internacional Cervantino, one of the most important arts and cultural events in Latin America, a dinner designed to showcase the culinary culture of Morelos state became a milestone in the fight against.
ReadGlobal Commission On Pollution May Be The Game-Changer
Nov 16 , 2015
On Oct 1, a panel of world leaders and key experts in the fields of pollution management, environmental health and sustainable development gathered in Geneva to launch the Global Commission on Pollution, Health and Development. Like the Stern Review, which brought.
ReadWorld’s Top Six Toxic Threats Affect 95 Million People, Steal 14.7 Million Years Of Life
Oct 22 , 2015
A new report - The New Top Six Toxic Threats: A Priority List For Remediation - has been released by Pure Earth and Green Cross Switzerland. It is the tenth report in the World's Worst Pollution Problems series that over the years has served.
ReadA Tale Of Three Cleanups – Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Mexico
Oct 07 , 2015
The best way to help communities clean up toxic sites is to advise and encourage, say Andrew McCartor, Bret Ericson and Sandra Gualtero. In the September issue of TCE magazine (The Chemical Engineer), the three Pure Earth program directors wrote about their.
ReadBellandur Lake On Fire From Excessive Pollution
Sep 01 , 2015
This post is from one of our resourceful communications summer interns Alex Rivlin, who spotted this story and realized the connection to the work we do. How polluted does water have to be to become flammable? Bellandur Lake is just.
ReadIn Peru – A Path Of Gold And Destruction
Aug 25 , 2015
Gold miners are revered here... This statue, which takes pride of place in the center of a gold mining town in Peru, speaks volumes about the relationship between gold and many locals. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a traditional.
ReadWhat Is “The Brown Agenda” And Why Is It Making Waves?
Aug 17 , 2015
“… while most everyone has heard about “going green,” few are aware of the more dire and sinister “brown” pollution — places where man-made toxic pollutants have taken root and spread.” - from "The Brown Agenda," by Richard Fuller.
ReadIndia’s Lead Problem: More Than Just Instant Noodles
Jun 29 , 2015
[caption id="attachment_16120" align="alignnone" width="300"] Instant Noodles by kattebelletje[/caption] Earlier this month, there was a lead poisoning scare involving a brand of instant noodles manufactured in India. The company promptly pulled the product and samples were sent to the Maharashtra Food.
ReadThe Pope on Pollution
Jun 26 , 2015
While much of the conversation about the Pope's encyclical has been about climate change, a quick look reveals that pollution is a big part of that equation. And he spotlights some of the key issues of the problem, including how pollution.
Read(UPDATE) Transforming Agbogbloshie: From Toxic Dump Into Model Recycling Center
Jun 25 , 2015
UPDATE: June 2015 It has been eight months since Pure Earth opened the e-waste recycling center with automated wire-stripping units. We have been assessing what is working and what is not, as we enter the next phase of the project..
Read(VIDEO) In Their Backyards, Indonesian Gold Miners May Have Found Key To Reducing Mercury Emissions
Jun 09 , 2015
Read the story on Medium. In Manado, at the picturesque tip of North Sulewesi in remote Indonesia, local artisanal gold miners may have found, in their backyards, the key to reducing mercury emissions. Across Indonesia, you can see roofs of houses.
ReadA Toxic Beach in Azerbaijan Gets Cleaned Up, Solar Baths Become Safer
Jun 09 , 2015
Read the story on Medium. This summer, when families return to stake out their spot in the sun along the coast of the Caspian sea in Sumgayit, Azerbaijan, there will be one crucial difference. The beach will no longer be toxic, and.
ReadNigeria: New Outbreak of Lead Poisoning
Jun 08 , 2015
"At the hospital, he looked fine but behaved like he was losing his mind... In the evening of the same day, his fever became severe. He was restless. He later started jerking seriously with his eyes turning, and that was how.
ReadApplications Now Open: Fourth AuthorAid/Pure Earth Course in Research Writing
May 27 , 2015
Calling all researchers. Are you looking to improve your skills in writing papers for peer-reviewed scientific journals? Do you have a draft of a scientific paper you are preparing for publication? Are you a citizen of, and is your research related.
ReadAlerting Local Researchers To Mexico’s National Lead Problem
May 26 , 2015
Mexico's 500-year old tradition of using toxic lead-glazes in pottery is a problem that continues to plague residents to this day. In our paper "Blood Lead Levels in Mexico and Pediatric Burden of Disease Implications,” published in the Annals of Global.
ReadUsher, will.i.am, Fall Out Boy, and Others Rally 250,000… and Pure Earth
Apr 20 , 2015
Usher, No Doubt, Mary J. Blige, Fall Out Boy, Common, Train, My Morning Jacket and others rallied an estimated 250,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on April 18 in a day-long Earth Day concert organized by the.
ReadThe Meaning of Pure Earth, and Actor Dev Patel’s Role in Our Name Change
Mar 18 , 2015
Blacksmith Institute has changed its name to Pure Earth. Our work and commitment remain the same. "... in the end, it was Dev Patel, the brilliant actor who played the hero of Slumdog Millionaire, who pushed us to choose Pure Earth..
ReadSNAPSHOTS OF PROGRESS: 2014
Feb 25 , 2015
What did we do in 2014? We are glad to report that it was a great year of progress in the fight against toxic pollution. Here's why: Out In The Global Field - Asia, Africa, Central Asia/Eastern Europe, Latin.
ReadFocus on Research in Developing World: “We are missing the full picture”
Dec 17 , 2014
Over the past few years, Blacksmith Institute for a Pure Earth has embarked on a broad effort to expand research and understanding about the issue of toxic pollution, especially its damaging impact in low and middle-income countries, where pollution is the.
ReadThree Papers Published in Prestigious Journal
Dec 03 , 2014
[caption id="attachment_16171" align="alignnone" width="225"] Richard Fuller, Blacksmith Institute for a Pure Earth President with a Mexican potter[/caption] Our effort to expand research and understanding about toxic pollution continues this month with three papers published in the prestigious Annals of Global Health, formerly.
ReadTwo Studies Reveal The Risks of India’s Unseen Pollution Menace
Nov 30 , 2014
In India, Pure Earth has been working closely with local officials, industry and other stakeholders on the widely-documented problem of toxic pollution in the country. In fact the government is planning on prioritizing the top ten worst polluted sites in the country for cleanup,.
ReadLead Poisoning Fact Sheet: Solutions to a Global Childhood Health Threat
Nov 19 , 2014
Facts About Lead Poisoning and Pollution: There is no known safe level of lead exposure. The CDC lowered the level of concern from 10 to 5 µg/dL (micrograms /deciliter) as the point at which to trigger public health actions. In the.
ReadThe Mystery of Mining Waste Dumped In An Armenian School
Nov 12 , 2014
Beyond Akhtala, the site of our very first cleanup project in Armenia (read more in Armenia's Toxic 10th-Century Monastery), our team came across various other polluted sites including a school, which apparently had been used as an informal dumping ground by a.
ReadCDC’s MMWR Features Our Findings on Lead in Kabwe’s Children
Nov 10 , 2014
The latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the main resource for key public health information and recommendations from the CDC, features field notes from our July trip to Kabwe, where we found devastating levels of lead poisoning.
ReadArmenia’s Toxic 10th-Century Monastery (PHOTOS)
Nov 10 , 2014
The modern world has finally caught up with Akhtala, a historic town with a 10th-century monastery and church in Armenia. Years of mining and metals processing have provided jobs to the community, but at a grave cost. The grounds of the historic.
ReadKabwe’s Children’s Silent Struggles
Oct 28 , 2014
This guest post is from Ben Barber, who visited Kabwe with the Blacksmith for a Pure Earth team in July. We arrived last July in one of the world’s most toxic hotspots -- Kabwe, a city of about 200,000 just.
ReadBusinessweek Chronicles Dangerous Cleanup, Blacksmith/Pure Earth’s Global Successes
Sep 17 , 2014
"Fuller and Pure Earth (Blacksmith) have amassed an impressive record of success. But nothing could have prepared them for a situation like the decrepit Soviet dynamite* factory." [*Note: We want to clarify an error in the article. It was not.
ReadTo Environmental Journalists: Address Underreported Issue of Toxic Pollution
Sep 12 , 2014
When an airliner disappears into the Indian ocean and hundreds of people are assumed dead, it’s huge news and millions are spent to find it and understand what went wrong. But in Zamfara, Nigeria, in 2010, over 200 children.
ReadWant lead-free food? Visit the first “Barro Aprobado” restaurant in Mexico
Aug 20 , 2014
[caption id="attachment_3044" align="alignnone" width="640"] The media turned out in force to help us launch "Barro Aprobado" and spread awareness about lead-free pottery in Mexico.[/caption] Across Mexico every day, millions of meals served in homes and restaurants come with an extra,.
ReadA Toxic “Craft” Village in Vietnam Cleans Up (VIDEO)
Jul 29 , 2014
http://youtu.be/PBGDERL3t4o Every day, trucks full of used lead-acid batteries from cars, motorbikes and other vehicles are brought in from across Vietnam to the rural village of Dong Mai in the agricultural heartland of Vietnam. Dong Mai is one of thousands of toxic "craft".
ReadSoccer Field Transformed From Toxic Lead Dump To Safe Play Space
Jul 29 , 2014
[caption id="attachment_16187" align="alignnone" width="300"] This soccer field used to be highly contaminated with toxic lead. Children were being poisoned everyday.[/caption] In Cinangka, Indonesia, a playground near the primary school was so toxic that parts of the field had lead levels.
ReadFact Sheet: Mexico’s 500-year-old problem (Infographic)
Jun 23 , 2014
Up to 20% of Mexicans have elevated blood level levels. This is from the use of traditional Mexican pottery---the colorful plates, pots and other wares that you see in almost every home and restaurant in the country. Traditional Mexican pottery has been.
ReadA Global Emergency: The Largest Cause of Death In The World Is Being Ignored
Jun 18 , 2014
http://youtu.be/V7ugPCl-oq4 UPDATE: Our voices are being heard at the U.N. Our call to #SpotlightPollution in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is making a difference. We've received 26 letters of support from governments, agencies, NGOs & universities. As a result, the zero draft.
ReadThe Story of A Mother and the Five Children She Lost
Jun 03 , 2014
[caption id="attachment_20195" align="alignnone" width="650"] Seynabou and her grandson in November 2021.[/caption] Seynabou had ten children, but lost five of them. One by one, each of her five youngest children fell ill with the same symptoms — seizures and convulsions. One by one,.
ReadA Deadly Secret: The Story Behind The Cleanup of a Former Soviet Arms Site
May 19 , 2014
Just how hard is it to clean up a toxic polluted site sitting on top of a "bomb," at a secret site? This month's TCE magazine features the story behind our work dealing with one of the most dangerous examples.
ReadQ&A with “Slumdog Millionaire”: Dev Patel on his Belated Birthday Present – A Pure Earth
Apr 27 , 2014
[caption id="attachment_15288" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dev Patel with Freida Pinto at the inaugural PURE EARTH benefit gala in NYC on April 26, 2014.[/caption] Happy Birthday Dev Patel! Just three days after Patel's 24th birthday on April 23, the young actor/activist helped.
ReadWhat Does A Pure Earth Look Like to Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Yoko Ono…?
Apr 23 , 2014
What does a Pure Earth look like to you? This is what it looks like to Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Yoko Ono, Faith Ringgold and our other friends and supporters. PURE EARTH extends our deepest appreciation to the artists and celebrities.
ReadTools of the Trade: The XRF Finds Toxic Hotspots in Under a Minute
Apr 18 , 2014
It is a small but powerful tool. The handheld XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer can identify toxic particles in soil in about 30 seconds, allowing remediation crews to quickly locate and determine the extent of any contamination, and potentially begin life-saving cleanup without.
ReadFact Sheet: Pollution – Facts That Might Surprise You
Apr 07 , 2014
Think you know pollution? Here are some facts about toxic pollution that might surprise you. Pollution is one of the biggest global threats. Toxic pollution from contaminated sites affects over 200 million people worldwide, with tens of thousands poisoned each year..
ReadA Shower of Toxic Lead and the Mystery of Nine Dead Cows
Mar 24 , 2014
This is the second post from Sarita Gupta, Blacksmith’s India director, from her recent trip visiting lead smelters in India. I work for Blacksmith Institute, which cleans up toxic pollution around the world. I never imagined sitting in my New.
ReadMercury, Mining and Mongolian Ninjas
Mar 07 , 2014
This week’s post comes from Andrew McCartor, Blacksmith’s program director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, who was recently in Mongolia. There is no preparing for the Mongolian winter. When I stepped onto the tarmac in the capital city.
ReadWhat I Wore in Jaipur… and Why it Matters
Feb 27 , 2014
Sarita Gupta, Blacksmith's India director, contributes this post from India. The fabled land of Rajasthan is known, among other things, for its vividly colored clothing. So when the opportunity came to travel for work to Jaipur, I.
ReadReport from India: Lead Battery Recycling the Right and Wrong Way
Feb 20 , 2014
This report is from Conrad Meyer, chair of Blacksmith's board of directors, who is currently in India with Blacksmith. Last week, we traveled to India to meet with the senior management of Gravita, an environmentally friendly recycler of used lead.
ReadAt the Roof of the World in Tajikistan
Feb 12 , 2014
This week's post comes from Andrew McCartor, Blacksmith’s program director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, who is currently in Tajikistan. The small, mountainous country of Tajikistan is a former Soviet republic that borders Afghanistan to the south and China.
ReadEliminating Obsolete Pesticides in the Former Soviet Union
Jan 29 , 2014
Over 40% of the world's stockpiles of obsolete pesticides, around 200,000 tons, are estimated to be still present in the former Soviet Union Republics including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Moldova and Russian Federation. Blacksmith has been invited to join.
ReadSnapshots of Progress in 2013 – AFRICA
Jan 29 , 2014
Livelihood Training For Women Uncovering Senegal's Invisible Pollution Problem Last year, Blacksmith returned to Senegal to conduct livelihood training for women so that they will not have to go back to the deadly job of backyard battery recycling in order.
ReadSnapshots of Progress in 2013 – LATIN AMERICA
Jan 29 , 2014
Filipino Miners in Bolivia Roadmap For Cleanup More Pilot Projects on the Way Blacksmith brought Filipino gold miners to Latin America in 2013 to test and teach the Benguet method, (sometimes known as the "borax method") to artisanal miners in Bolivia. If successful,.
ReadSnapshots of Progress in 2013 – EASTERN EUROPE/CENTRAL ASIA
Jan 29 , 2014
Stopping A Ticking Time Bomb In The Ukraine Keeping Radiation Out of Schools In Kyrgyzstan Groundbreaking Work In Armenia Blacksmith identified and assessed 128 contaminated sites in the region, bringing the total number of polluted communities documented in Eastern Europe and.
ReadSnapshots of Progress in 2013 – ASIA
Jan 29 , 2014
Prioritizing Sites For Cleanup in India Engaging the Chinese Public Vietnam's Toxic Craft Villages Exciting things are happening in India. Blacksmith's data on over 400 polluted sites has been integrated into a larger list commissioned by the government. This is the.
ReadSnapshots of Progress in 2013 – A Key Year for Research
Jan 29 , 2014
Increased Focus on Research Training Local Researchers Research Grants Journal of Health and Pollution Expands This year saw the release of a number of key reports, including: A roadmap for pollution cleanup across Latin America The Poisoned Poor, a paper that spells out, for the first.
Read(Audio) Convincing the World to Put Toxic Pollution on the Agenda for the Next Decade
Jan 14 , 2014
We began 2014 with a message to the U.N., urging action on toxic pollution at the Seventh Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). "The SDGs will set the post-2015 global development agenda," says Rachael Vinyard, Director.
ReadRoadmap For Pollution Cleanup in Latin America
Dec 17 , 2013
A new report provides a roadmap that can be used to accelerate pollution cleanup in Latin America. With input from experts from seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay) and the U.S., the report examines environmental.
ReadTop Ten List of Worst Polluted Places Generates Worldwide Attention, Triggers Renewed Focus on Global Problem
Dec 12 , 2013
The conversation about pollution just got louder. Since 2006, Blacksmith’s yearly reports have been instrumental in increasing public understanding of the health impacts posed by toxic pollution, and in some cases, have compelled cleanup work at pollution hotspots. This latest.
ReadNew List of Top Ten World’s Worst Polluted Sites Is Released
Nov 19 , 2013
A new report released this November updates the top ten list of world's worst polluted places previously identified in 2006 and 2007, removing sites that have made progress, and adding new sites. "Top Ten Toxic Threats in 2013: Cleanup, Progress and Ongoing Challenges" from.
ReadHelping Countries Abide By Minamata
Oct 25 , 2013
Earlier this month, Pure Earth was with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) in Minamata, Japan, to witness the landmark signing of the first international treaty to curb mercury pollution, and to help countries abide by the agreement. To.
ReadTraining Women in Senegal
Oct 25 , 2013
Next month, Blacksmith returns to Senegal to provide livelihood training to women so that they will not have to go back to the dangerous job of backyard battery recycling--the activity that triggered the tragic lead poisoning outbreak in 2008 that killed 32 children in Thiaroye.
ReadGlobal Alliance Pushes Help for Poisoned Poor in European Parliament
Oct 25 , 2013
How do we begin to solve life-threatening problems facing the world's poisoned poor? Some of the world's leading voices came together for a seminar in Brussels this October to discuss the issue. The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) joined.
ReadThe Poisoned Poor – Global Alliance Highlights Invisible Sufferers
Oct 25 , 2013
Who does toxic pollution affect the most? A global alliance has come together to issue the first comprehensive report of pollution's impact on this invisible demographic -- the poisoned poor. "The world’s poorest people routinely face the highest risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals due to their occupations,.
ReadWhy Are Millions of Children in Mexico Still Suffering From Lead Poisoning?
Oct 25 , 2013
In 1991, the daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico was found to have high lead levels in her blood. It launched an outcry on both sides of the border against the use of toxic lead glazes in Mexican pottery,.
ReadGuide To Lead Cleanup Now Available; First in Series of Global Remediation Guides
Oct 25 , 2013
The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) has released a technical guide focused on the containment of lead, one of the world's worst pollutants. It is the first in a planned series of guides on best practices in global.
ReadFact Sheet: The Toxic Toll of Mercury – Facts, Figures and the Future of “Dancing Cat Fever” Disease
Oct 09 , 2013
Updated 2019 Child gold miners in Indonesia It has been over 50 years since the first sign of mass mercury poisoning emerged in Minamata, Japan. Cats in the village started staggering and tilting, doing a strange "dancing cat fever." Then.
ReadBattery Recycling Done Correctly
Sep 17 , 2013
Worker in protective gear with a one-ton chunk of lead; an ingot that will now be sold. RSR battery recycling plant in Indianapolis After visiting so many terrible, appalling, toxic backyard battery recyclers in the developing world, we thought we.
ReadEngaging the Chinese Public in Environmental Issues
Aug 28 , 2013
China is currently facing a wave of dissatisfaction over the state of pollution in the country with calls for greater transparency. A new Blacksmith project might just have a solution. This report is from Abby Schultz in Blacksmith’s China office: --- The.
ReadWishing for a soccer field that does not poison
Aug 28 , 2013
Aug, 2013. Pure Earth is launching the cleanup of a lead-contaminated soccer field in Cinangka, Indonesia, so that children in the village can play without being poisoned. The project, starting this month,.
ReadDrink Wine? Support Blacksmith
Aug 21 , 2013
We are excited to announce our recent partnership with Cellar Angels, a fast-growing wine fundraising organization that offers you a unique way to support Blacksmith while enjoying high-quality wines from Napa and Sonoma. As a personal wine concierge, Cellar Angels.
ReadBlacksmith recognized as one of country’s top performing nonprofits again
Aug 05 , 2013
We have great news. Blacksmith Institute has been recognized as one of the country's top performing nonprofits AGAIN, confirming our continued effectiveness at what we do with sound fiscal management, accountability and transparency. We retained our 4 star charity rating,.
ReadPollution cleanup gets serious in Indonesia
Jul 12 , 2013
Pollution is finally getting official attention in Indonesia July, 2013 You know that a government is getting serious about something when there are official workshops and conferences. We are glad to report that last month, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment.
ReadThe Toxic Rice Fields of China’s Cancer Villages
Jun 11 , 2013
Farmer Youtian He's wife and daughter near their polluted rice fields. Mrs. He and other relatives are suffering from cancer. He worries about his young daughter. The bright green rice fields planted close to the brick-and-tile homes in Shangba, a.
ReadPaying for Pollution Cleanup in India with a Small Benefit
May 28 , 2013
If you read our earlier post on India's Amazing Pollution Story, you will know that great things are happening in that country. Plans are in the works to clean up ten of the country's worst polluted sites, which Blacksmith helped.
ReadMeet Pure Earth’s Global Team
Apr 29 , 2013
Pure Earth's global team, consisting of experts from around the world, gathered in New York in early April (2013) to discuss remediation work in their home countries, share ideas and plan future projects. Updated Sept 2016 to reflect name change.
ReadIndia’s Amazing Pollution Story
Apr 15 , 2013
Our latest post appeared in the Indiaspora blog, reproduced below. Join us on May 7, 2013 for Blacksmith's Benefit for India. An Undesirable Export Recently, the nonprofit I work with received a letter from a man who said he was.
ReadMercury Negotiations Recharged With Hot Chocolate and Cookies
Feb 14 , 2013
Fernando Lugris, chair of the INC negotiations (left), with representatives of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution at INC5. I attended the INC5 mercury negotiations in Geneva last month along with members of the Global Alliance on Health and.
ReadPollution Lessons from History
Jan 28 , 2013
News about pollution has lately been dominated by reporting on China's increasingly toxic air, water and land. All this attention is crucial because it is the catalyst to change. We don't know when or where, but change is bound to.
ReadMarkup: HTML Tags and Formatting
Jan 11 , 2013
Headings Header one Header two Header three Header four Header five Header six Blockquotes Single line blockquote: Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Multi line blockquote with a cite reference: The HTML <blockquote> Element (or HTML Block Quotation Element) indicates that the.
ReadMarkup: Image Alignment
Jan 10 , 2013
Welcome to image alignment! The best way to demonstrate the ebb and flow of the various image positioning options is to nestle them snuggly among an ocean of words. Grab a paddle and let's get started. On the topic of.
ReadProtecting Children in Schools Where Uranium Was Mined For Atomic Bomb, Kyrgyzstan
Jan 10 , 2013
As we've been harshly reminded, schools can sometimes be exposed to great danger. The tragedy last month in the U.S. got us thinking about what we are doing in schools in Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan. Although the threat is different, the response.
ReadBlacksmith Newsletters
Dec 11 , 2012
Welcome to Blacksmith’s Newsletter Archives. Sept/Oct 2013: Top Ten Toxic Threats in 2013 Helping Countries Abide by Minamata Bringing Poisoned Poor to the European Parliament Training Women in Senegal Why are Children in Mexico Still Suffering from Lead Global Remediation.
ReadDetoxing Polluted Rice Paddies With Lime
Nov 28 , 2012
Rice Paddies are the cradle of life in many countries. But some have become conduits of death and disease because of industrial pollution. A famous case of rice padi poisoning was documented in Toyama prefecture in Japan in the 1960s..
ReadFrom Elections to Pollution – Data is Key
Nov 09 , 2012
One of the most interesting outcomes of this U.S. election is that it has reminded us that data is king. Nate Silver from the New York Time's FiveThirtyEight blog has become a celebrity of sorts for coming up with data that.
ReadWorking with the “enemy”
Oct 03 , 2012
I see the "us" and "them" mentality all too often especially when pollution is involved. Take legacy pollution for example. Legacy pollution refers to what is left behind after the source of the contamination - say a polluting factory -.
ReadOne-Stop Shop For Pollution Solutions
Sep 14 , 2012
Retailers figured it out a long time ago. They could improve business if they made shopping easier. So they began to offer consumers everything they might need under one roof. Hence the success and popularity of one-stop shops. In a.
ReadA Love Letter to Neglected and Reviled Places
Aug 08 , 2012
When Andrew Blackwell was researching his new book Visit Sunny Chernobyl, he contacted us to learn a little more about our work and about Blacksmith's list of world's worst polluted places. Turns out he was visiting some of these very same hotspots..
ReadGold Mining in Tanzania
Jul 10 , 2012
[caption id="attachment_14699" align="alignnone" width="300"] Child gold miners in Tanzania. Credit: Madeline Cottingham and Evan Simon.[/caption] Recently, a young environmentalist, who had done some work for Blacksmith, returned from Tanzania with some fascinating photographs and stories to share. Madeline and her.
ReadNew Lead Limits for U.S. Children Expose Plight of Others
Jun 12 , 2012
Children at the site of the world's worst outbreak of lead poisoning in Nigeria The CDC recently lowered the recommended limit for lead exposure in young children from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, to 5. This means.
ReadA Tour of Asia’s Toxic Hotspots
May 31 , 2012
Kids barefoot on a toxic field in Indonesia Recently, John Keith, Blacksmith's globe-trotting expert, led an armchair tour of Asia's toxic hotspots for a group in NYC. An environmental engineer, John has worked on numerous projects in 72 countries and counting,.
ReadIncubating Ideas for Change at the Bellagio Center
Apr 18 , 2012
This July, we are returning to the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center in Italy to convene a third meeting of world leaders and experts on pollution, this time to create a global alliance to deal with legacy pollution at scale. Our.
ReadAncient City’s Lead Poisoning Problem – 40,000 Preschoolers At Risk
Mar 26 , 2012
This week's blog post is from Andrew McCartor, Blacksmith's regional program director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Blacksmith was recently approached for help to raise awareness about the massive toxic pollution caused by an active lead smelter in the.
ReadTemplate: Featured Image (Vertical)
Mar 15 , 2012
This post should display a featured image, if the theme supports it. Non-square images can provide some unique styling issues. This post tests a vertical featured image.
ReadTemplate: Featured Image (Horizontal)
Mar 15 , 2012
This post should display a featured image, if the theme supports it. Non-square images can provide some unique styling issues. This post tests a horizontal featured image.
ReadTemplate: More Tag
Mar 15 , 2012
This content is before the more tag. Right after this sentence should be a "continue reading" button of some sort on list pages of themes that show full content. It won't show on single pages or on themes showing excerpts..
ReadTemplate: Excerpt (Defined)
Mar 15 , 2012
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Mar 14 , 2012
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ReadBlacksmith’s Pollution Tipping Point with Karti Sandilya
Mar 13 , 2012
Karti Sandilya, Advisor, Blacksmith Institute In Malcolm Gladwell's bestselling book The Tipping Point, he describes how little things can make a big difference, and he points to "connectors" - people who provide links to others - as a crucial element.
ReadFilipino Gold Miner’s Mercury-Free Revolution
Mar 04 , 2012
A movement is taking root in the small province of Benguet in the Philippines that might just revolutionize the artisanal gold mining industry and greatly reduce worldwide toxic mercury emissions. Gold miners there are rediscovering a century-old method of gold.
ReadDoe Run Peru – A Solution in Sight
Feb 07 , 2012
[caption id="attachment_15339" align="alignnone" width="213"] Kids in La Oroya[/caption] The embattled Doe Run lead smelting facility in Peru may finally be getting a break. We met with Dr. Juan Carlos Huyhua, the president of Doe Run Peru, in New York last.
ReadA Solution To India’s Pollution Nightmare
Jan 30 , 2012
I recently came across the article India's Pollution Nightmare: Can it be Tackled?, in which the author, Govindasamy Agoramoorthy, talks about three big perils plaguing India - polluting tanneries, lead contamination from informal battery recycling, and riverside industries that dump toxic waste into.
Read“Orphaned” Sites and Legacy Pollution
Jan 10 , 2012
When people talk of tackling pollution, they usually mean stopping pollution. But what if the pollution has already been halted, in some cases decades ago? For example at numerous former Cold War weapons manufacturing sites? [caption id="attachment_15343" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ghana's.
ReadProtected: Template: Password Protected (the password is “enter”)
Jan 04 , 2012
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Jan 03 , 2012
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Jan 02 , 2012
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Jan 01 , 2012
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Read“Sensationalist” claim about tanneries and pollution
Dec 20 , 2011
We were recently criticized by an industry group of leather manufacturers for listing tannery operations #5 on the 2011 list of world's worst toxic pollution problems. The group called our report’s assertions “sensationalist and not appropriate." (Read our response in.
ReadSurprise – Corporations NOT the Worst Pollution Problems
Nov 28 , 2011
Contrary to popular belief, large multinational corporations are NOT the worst pollution problems. That was one of the more interesting findings revealed in our 2011 World's Worst Toxic Pollution Problems report. [caption id="attachment_15346" align="alignnone" width="150"] La-Oroya-3-Anna[/caption] Of course large corporations.
ReadTop Ten Things You Might Not Know About Pollution
Oct 20 , 2011
See updated version: 15 Pollution Facts that Might Surprise You Pollution is a topic that often gets buried by talk of conservation, climate change, sustainability and energy issues. Perhaps because it is a complex subject with lots of sources and.
ReadTalking About Pollution in NYC on Oct. 24
Oct 12 , 2011
What is Pollution? Once you know the facts, talking about pollution is crucial, as I've mentioned in my last two blog postings. So this month, we are launching The Blacksmith Institute Pollution Talks - finally giving a name to the.
ReadWhat is Pollution?
Sep 22 , 2011
It's Pollution Prevention Week. Chances are, you've not really heard about it. In my last post, I wrote about the Brown Agenda vs. the Green Agenda. Pollution is part of the Brown Agenda. I bet you haven't heard a lot.
ReadThe Brown Agenda
Sep 09 , 2011
Update: Aug, 2015. "The Brown Agenda" is now a best-selling book. Pure Earth founder Richard Fuller has chronicled his experiences doing cleanup in some of the world's worst polluted places to highlight the issue at the ground level, and.
ReadAn 8 Million Ton Problem
Aug 24 , 2011
Dr. B. Sengupta recently sat down with Sarita Gupta to talk about India's growing toxic waste problem - by his count, India generates over 8 million tons of toxic waste every year but only has the capacity to deal with.
Read“Miracle” Mercury Recapturing Machine
Aug 04 , 2011
[caption id="attachment_15423" align="alignnone" width="128"] Low-cost retort for recapturing mercury[/caption] August 2011 This is what I like to call our "miracle" mercury recapturing machine. Using simple, low-cost retorts like the one pictured here, Pure Earth has been able to reduce the.
ReadChina’s Latest Bad Press
Jun 23 , 2011
I was in Beijing last week when news broke of a series of lead poisoning outbreaks in China, followed closely by a Human Right Watch report on China's response to its toxic lead problem. (Here are links to the New.
ReadMeeting President Medvedev on Russia’s Pollution Crisis
Jun 16 , 2011
[caption id="attachment_15422" align="alignnone" width="300"] Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets with NGOs in Moscow about the country's pollution crisis, June 8, 2011.[/caption] Petr Sharov, Blacksmith's Russia and Central Asia coordinator, attended a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin in.
ReadBlacksmith Wins Green Star Award for Work in Environmental Emergencies
Jun 01 , 2011
Richard Fuller accepting the UN-Backed Green Star Award on behalf of Blacksmith Institute, May 18, 2011, Bern, Switzerland. The award recognizes work in environmental emergencies. Congratulations to all the other winners, and especially to our partners – TerraGraphics Environmental Engineering.
ReadPollution: Top Six Toxic Threats
May 17 , 2011
My last post pointed to new studies that indicate chronic mercury exposure in the U.S. has risen dramatically. In fact, mercury is identified as one of the Top Six Toxic Threats in Blacksmith Institute's most recent report, which draws on.
ReadToxic Mercury Exposure: Huge Increase in U.S., 500,000 Children At Risk
May 09 , 2011
Chronic mercury exposure in the U.S. has risen dramatically, not only in numbers of people affected but also in amounts. A study by Professor Dan Laks found that mercury was detected in only 2% of the blood samples collected over.
ReadVideo: Chernobyl Elementary School, Central Square
Apr 26 , 2011
It's been 25 years since the meltown at Chernobyl and the abandoned town of Pripyat still echoes with tragedy. Those of you who saw our virtual tour via our blog posts of April 4 and April 6 would already have.
ReadRadiation 101: What is it, how much is dangerous, and how does Fukushima compare to Chernobyl?
Apr 06 , 2011
Our last blog post about Chernobyl generated a lot of interest among our friends, but seemed to raise more questions than it answered. Many people asked for more basic information about radiation and more comparisons between Chernobyl and Japan,.
ReadVirtual Tour of Chernobyl
Apr 04 , 2011
Is nuclear power on your mind? Us too. As part of a site assessment trip to Ukraine, Pure Earth staff and technical advisers visited the world's worst nuclear disaster site. On April 26, 1986, a series of explosions occurred at.
ReadVietnam’s Toxic “Craft” Villages
Apr 01 , 2011
When an American plane went down in North Vietnam during the war, the story goes that a villager knew how to smelt down the plane for valuable aluminum. And that was how the aluminum village began. Today, it is one.
ReadMedia: Twitter Embeds
Mar 15 , 2011
https://twitter.com/nacin/status/319508408669708289 This post tests WordPress' Twitter Embeds feature.
ReadToxic Pollution in Poor Countries – Introducing “JH&P”
Mar 04 , 2011
Blacksmith Institute has published the first issue of The Journal of Health and Pollution, a semiannual, on-line, open-access publication of peer-reviewed research and news. “JH&P” can be found at www.journalhealthpollution.org. Included in the inaugural edition are invited commentaries: Environmental Pollution.
ReadClean Soil, Wheelbarrows, Officials…Latest on Nigerian Lead Removal
Jan 10 , 2011
Reporting in before the holiday break, John Keith, Blacksmith Institute’s on-scene project manager at the Zamfara, Nigeria, lead contamination remediation project, says landfills have been construction at all five villages in the original project scope and clean soil brought to.
ReadEl Salvador Remedy May Happen at Last
Dec 10 , 2010
It has been three years of tense litigation between El Salvador’s Attorney General’s office and the Grupo Record lead-acid battery facility since Blacksmith Institute’s first visit in 2008. After his meeting with Herman Rosa Chavez, Salvadorian Minister of the Environment,.
ReadPost Format: Standard
Oct 05 , 2010
All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower.
ReadPost Format: Gallery (Tiled)
Sep 09 , 2010
This is a test for Jetpack's Tiled Gallery. Install Jetpack to test. [gallery type="rectangular" columns="4" ids="755,757,758,760,766,763" orderby="rand"] This is some text after the Tiled Gallery just to make sure that everything spaces nicely.
ReadPost Format: Image (Caption)
Aug 07 , 2010
[caption id="attachment_754" align="alignnone" width="604"] Bell on wharf in San Francisco[/caption]
ReadPost Format: Image (Linked)
Aug 06 , 2010
[caption id="attachment_612" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Chunk of resinous blackboy husk, Clarkson, Western Australia. This burns like a spinifex log."][/caption]
ReadPost Format: Audio
Jul 02 , 2010
Link: St. Louis Blues Audio shortcode: [audio https://www.pureearth.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/originaldixielandjazzbandwithalbernard-stlouisblues.mp3]
Read“Unprecedented” Emergency in Nigeria
Jun 23 , 2010
As you might have noticed, there has not been a new post lately on The Pollution Blog. Part of the reason is that I have been busy with the recent and ongoing lead poisoning emergency in Nigeria. This is a.
ReadPost Format: Video (WordPress.tv)
Jun 03 , 2010
https://wordpress.tv/2009/03/16/anatomy-of-a-wordpress-theme-exploring-the-files-behind-your-theme/ Posted as per the instructions in the Codex.
ReadPost Format: Video (YouTube)
Jun 02 , 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQEQr7c0-dw Learn more about WordPress Embeds.
ReadPost Format: Aside
May 09 , 2010
“I never tried to prove nothing, just wanted to give a good show. My life has always been my music, it's always come first, but the music ain't worth nothing if you can't lay it on the public. The main.
ReadGet The Lead Out
Apr 26 , 2010
Lead expert Jack Caravanos conducts a simple blood test for lead A few days ago, we held our special Earth Day event-- "Get the Lead Out"--at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC to raise funds and awareness of lead pollution and poisoning.
ReadEarth Day in the Developing World
Apr 16 , 2010
It has been 40 years since the very first Earth Day. No doubt, things have changed for the better, at least here in the U.S. Our environment is much cleaner, and life-threatening pollution of the kind brought to light by.
ReadReport from Agbogbloshie, Ghana
Apr 09 , 2010
This week, I will hand this space off to Jack Caravanos, a member of Blacksmith's Technical Advisory Board and a leading expert in lead pollution/contamination. Jack is part of part of a project in Ghana jointly funded by Blacksmith and.
ReadPost Format: Status
Apr 04 , 2010
WordPress, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways (in 140 characters or less).
ReadBetter Living Through Green Chemistry
Apr 01 , 2010
Finally the drumbeat is getting louder on the issue of environmental toxins and I say it is about time. Last month, NYT's Nicholas Kristof wrote an op-ed on the link between autism (and other diseases) and environmental toxins. Now, Time.
ReadPink Crocodiles and the New Front Against Pollution in India
Mar 25 , 2010
Jairam Ramesh, Richard Fuller, speaking in India I just returned from India last week, where I heard about crocodiles that have reportedly turned pink, and whose tongues have gone white because of dyes polluting the rivers. I also heard about.
ReadRead All About it – God’s Paradise Starts to Shed World’s Worst Polluted Label
Mar 18 , 2010
"God's Paradise Will be Removed from World's Worst Polluted Places" “Declared Green Zone at God's Paradise – Happiness Where There Was Once Contamination.” “Park Provides Health at God's Paradise” These local headlines tell the story. Twelve days ago, Paraíso de.
ReadOff to India to Speak about Pollution and Economic Development
Mar 09 , 2010
I am heading off to India, today, where I will be the keynote speaker at a gathering about toxic pollution, cleanup and economic development. I believe this session will spark increasing cleanup efforts in India because of the presenting parties.
ReadEnvironmental Toxins, Autism and Cancer
Feb 26 , 2010
Did you see Nicholas Kristof's op-ed in yesterday's New York Times on the link between autism (and other diseases like cancers) and environmental toxins? Kristof points to concern about American's using plastic containers to microwave food, and using products with.
ReadInnovations and Collaborations this September
Feb 18 , 2010
I am glad to report that the Rockefeller Foundation has invited us back to the Bellagio Center in Italy this September to reconvene the next international meeting about the Health and Pollution Fund (HPF) - the planned $500 million public.
ReadPollution and Vaccines
Feb 10 , 2010
An interesting new perspective has opened up on the dangers of pollution. While most people know that pollution poisons, it now seems that the immune system is especially affected by contaminants. Pollution appears to skew the body away from making.
ReadPost Format: Quote
Feb 05 , 2010
Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet. Mark Twain
ReadPollution, Poverty and the I.Q. Connection
Feb 03 , 2010
Does pollution plague a country because it is poor? Or does pollution make a country poor? While the case for the former can be easily made -- poorer nations have less resources for cleanup and regulations; the case for the.
ReadBack from Mexico – Removing Lead from a Tradition
Jan 28 , 2010
Just returned from Mexico with Blacksmith's globe-trotting program officer Bret Ericson (who's also the task manager for our global inventory project). For me, Mexico always brings to mind wonderful, colorful pottery, perhaps because there is a such a strong ceramics.
ReadHow to Build the World’s First Database of Polluted Sites
Jan 21 , 2010
It's been a good start to the year for us on the funding side. We just received confirmation that we will be getting a $900,000 infusion to complete work on our Global Inventory Project, which is about one-third done (see.
ReadVideo of gold miners in Indonesia – Mercury: The Burning Issue
Jan 14 , 2010
Amalgam of mercury and gold I first blogged about the toxic connection between gold and mercury back in December in my post All That Glitters, when the price of gold reached a record high. Back then, we asked you to.
ReadPost Format: Chat
Jan 08 , 2010
Abbott: Strange as it may seem, they give ball players nowadays very peculiar names. Costello: Funny names? Abbott: Nicknames, nicknames. Now, on the St. Louis team we have Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third--.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Dr. Phil Landrigan A Champion For Children Dr. Philip Landrigan
Jan 07 , 2010
When Dr. Philip J. Landrigan was asked what he thought was the most important thing people can do to save the planet, his answer was "protect children from toxic environments." Pollutants, especially lead and pesticides, have been the focus of.
ReadSave a Life this Holiday Season
Dec 23 , 2009
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I am taking this shameless opportunity to remind everyone out there that there's still time to take Blacksmith Institute's $5 a Day December Holiday Challenge! So if you are still wondering what to get that somebody who has.
ReadPotty Training Pigs and Other Great Solutions
Dec 14 , 2009
I was going to write about Copenhagen and "climategate" today ... but then I came across a curious piece of news about potty training pigs! It seems a farmer in Taiwan has trained his pigs to use a litter box,.
ReadLessons from the past for Copenhagen
Dec 08 , 2009
For the next two weeks, the eyes of the world will be on Copenhagen, where leaders of some 200 countries have gathered to try to find some kind of consensus on tackling the problem of climate change. "Unless the world can.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Bret Ericson Making A List and Checking it off
Dec 07 , 2009
Over the past year, Bret Ericson has been traveling the world helping to compile a unique list -- the first ever global inventory of polluted places "Currently, a worldwide list of sites where pollution is acutely affecting human health does.
ReadAll that glitters…
Dec 02 , 2009
young gold miner in Indonesia. Photo from borneomercury.com The price of gold hit a record high today, reaching $1,216.75 an ounce in Europe. What does this have to do with pollution? Well, in this age of globalization, everything is connected.
ReadLead Cleanup in Jakarta, Indonesia
Nov 24 , 2009
Jakarta - we are so fortunate to have Budi Susilorini working for us there. She's our eyes, ears and hands on the ground for our cleanup work in Indonesia. We're about to kick off a project targeting lead poisoning on.
ReadAnother Chernobyl?
Nov 19 , 2009 ,by Elissa Marie
Blacksmith is working to avert a catastrophe on the scale of Bhopal or Chernobyl at the old Gorlovka chemical plant in the Ukraine. Recently, I've been working to avert a catastrophe at the Gorlovka chemical plant in the Ukraine, which.
Read12 pinpricks of light
Nov 10 , 2009
David Hanrahan, Blacksmith's director of global operations, described it best when he called them "12 pinpricks of light" - these are the 12 cases of cleanup and success we found around the world. I was surprised and a little shocked.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: “Lead Head” Scientist Travels the World for Blacksmith
Nov 07 , 2009
Jack Caravanos has cut his way through jungles in Panama, climbed mountains in Peru, dodged cobras in India, and waded through murky rivers in the Dominican Republic, all to get a sample of contaminated soil, air or water. He has fallen and.
ReadFresh off the Presses – The 2009 World’s Worst Polluted Places report
Oct 28 , 2009 ,by Helma Kusuma
One more thing... today we released our latest Blacksmith report on the World's Worst Polluted Places. This time, we focused on successes, which are few and far between. We had a good turnout - half a dozen reporters, from most.
ReadBack home with swine flu and more
Oct 28 , 2009 ,by Steve Laico
Well, its good to be back home, after two weeks of travel. Then add on a week of H1N1 flu. Seems that those signs you see posted in Asian airports are right after all - its out there, and its.
ReadThe Pollution Blog is online–join us as we take pollution offline!
Oct 19 , 2009
Richard Fuller in Rudnaya Pristan, listed in Blacksmith's 2006 report as one of the world's worst polluted places Here we go, joining the digital age. Welcome, all, to Blacksmith Institute's blog about pollution, solutions to same, and everything related... A.
ReadGlobal Team Profile: Promila Sharma Finding Common Ground to Solve Pollution Problems in India
Jul 15 , 2009
In a country as large and diverse as India, Promila Sharma understands the value in bringing people together, even if they are on opposing sides of an argument. "I love the collaborative approach Pure Earth uses to tackle issues," says Sharma, Pure Earth's India coordinator,.
ReadEdge Case: Nested And Mixed Lists
May 15 , 2009
Nested and mixed lists are an interesting beast. It's a corner case to make sure that Lists within lists do not break the ordered list numbering order Your list styles go deep enough. Ordered - Unordered - Ordered ordered item.
Read