Who was Wangari Maathai?

Wangari Maathai was a leading light in African conservation and social enterprise, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts. She was critical in showing people around the world how positive actions could change the environment and people.

More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15056502

And here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2011/sep/26/wangari-maathai-kenya?CMP=twt_fd

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What is Cuckmere Haven like and how is it managed?

Cuckmere Haven is a well-loved beauty spot on the South coast of England.

The Cuckmere Estuary Partnership seeks a sustainable long-term future for the area.

How is rubber tapping done?

Natural rubber is commonly acquired from large plantations across Southeast Asia. This clip shows how it is done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5wdmbcI3o&feature=related

Who was Norman Borlaug?

Norman Borlaug, who died in 2009, was known as the father of the Green Revolution, a revolution in agricultural technology which enabled much higher crop yields in many parts of the developing world in the decades following World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution). The revolution largely revolved around developing higher yielding strains of common crops such as rice and wheat and this is what Borlaug was a specialist in.

There is more about Norman Borlaug here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug

His obituary can be found here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/6183951/Norman-Borlaug.html and here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8253005.stm

How is solar power changing lives in India’s rural communities?

Relatively simple and affordable technology often provides the most telling change in terms of developing rural areas in the Less Economically Developed World. This example explains how simple solar technology is providing electric lighting to a small settlement in India and explains the positive impact it is having on people’s lives:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/solarengineers

Will China’s mining industry clean up it’s act?

China’s mining industry has played a major role in the rapid economic growth of the country in recent years. However the incidnece of work related deaths in Chinese mines is very high, as shown by the typical incidents below, is it time the Chinese mining companies put as much value on thelives of their workers as they do on the resources they extract?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8084923.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8298226.stm

How do wind turbines work?

Some people believe that wind turbines hold the answer to our need for “clean” energy. This is how they work:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7102346.stm