Report: Ethiopians talk of violent intimidation as their land is earmarked for foreign investors
A report from the Oakland Institute, an independent policy think-tank, documents intimidation of villagers through the Ethiopian government’s mandatory resettlement policy. Ethiopia has long faced criticism for forcibly relocating tens of thousands of people from their homes to make way for large scale commercial agriculture, often benefiting foreign investors. Those moved to purpose-built communes are allegedly no longer able to farm or access education, healthcare and other basic services. The government’s ‘villagization’ program aims to resettle up to 1.5 million Ethiopians from areas targeted for industrial plantations. According to the Oakland Institute, these resettlements have happened without free, prior and informed consent, and when communities resist, they have been forcibly removed by means of violence, imprisonment, intimidation, political coercion, and the denial of humanitarian assistance. (The Guardian; Oakland Institute)
Employees
CEO surprises staff with new minimum wage of US $70,000
Dan Price, CEO of US payment processor Gravity Payments, surprised his 120 staff on Monday by announcing that he plans over the next three years to raise the salary of every employee to US $70,000 a year. Mr Price, who started the credit-card payment processing firm in 2004, said he would pay for the wage increases by cutting his own salary from nearly US $1 million to US $70,000 and using 75 to 80 percent of the company’s anticipated US $2.2 million in profit this year. He had the idea after reading an article on happiness which stated that for people who earn less than about US $70,000, extra money makes a big difference in their lives. The salary of roughly 70 employees will increase, with 30 ultimately doubling their salaries. “Is anyone else freaking out right now?” Mr Price asked after the clapping and whooping had died down. “I’m kind of freaking out.” (NY Times)
Technology & Innovation
Boeing and South African Airways aim to quit fossil fuel with tobacco-based jet fuel
Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) have unveiled plans to produce renewable jet fuel from a special type of tobacco plant. The two companies have teamed up for a pilot project that has seen about 120 acres in South Africa planted with Solaris, a nicotine-free, energy-rich tobacco plant. Oil from the plant’s seeds will be converted into jet fuel that Boeing says can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 80 percent. In the next few years, SAA will conduct a test flight using the fuel, taking the next step on its drive to be “the world’s most environmentally sustainable airline.” In doing so, it will follow in the footsteps of a range of carriers, including BA, Lufthansa, VirginAtlantic and most recently China’s Hainan Airlines, in experimenting with greener fuels. More than 1,600 passenger flights using sustainable aviation biofuel have been completed since the fuel was approved for commercial use in 2011. (Green Biz; Business Green)
IBM launches new health unit with Apple, J&J and Medtronic
Tech company IBM has partnered with Apple to make use of health information gathered by millions of Apple devices. IBM’s new Watson Health unit plans to aggregate health information from a large number of devices and providers in the cloud, and offer analytics and insights to healthcare companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic, which can then integrate results into services they sell to healthcare companies. IBM already has an arrangement to work with Apple on numerous enterprise applications, but is extending its co-operation in the area of health. Johnson & Johnson said it will work with IBM on mobile-based coaching systems to help patients before or after surgery and will launch new health apps targeting chronic conditions. Medtronic said it will use insights from Watson Health to work personalised care plans for people with diabetes. (Thomson Reuters)
Circular Economy
Procter & Gamble joins plastic recycling effort
Procter & Gamble has joined the Flexible Film Recycling Group, an American Chemistry Council project that aims to drive recovery of flexible polyethylene (PE) film, wraps and bags. Stephen Sikra, P&G research and development manager, says working with FFRG and the company’s value chain partners to expand film collection and recycling plays a key role in P&G’s goal to shrink its environmental footprint. The recycling of postconsumer plastic film grew 11 percent in 2013 to reach a reported 1.14 billion pounds. This marks the highest annual collection of plastic film – a category that includes product wraps, bags and commercial stretch film made primarily from PE for recycling – since the survey began in 2005. Founding members of the Flexible Film Recycling Group include Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, Chevron Phillips, Berry Plastics, Wisconsin Film and Bag, Sealed Air Corporation, SC Johnson, Avangard and Trex. (Environmental Leader)
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