The mirror no 55 by Doug Green

t h e EMirrorE1 NO 55 2013

$21.00 DIGITAL 6 ISSUES â&#x20AC;˘ $4.20 SINGLE COPY

What love means to me. The right to informed choice. The global ethicist. Okay, so what is it? Separating the frack from the fiction. www.themirrorinspires.com www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e EMirror

www.flowform.net www.themirrorinspires.com

editorial

Fracking and Love

You couldn’t get two more disparate subjects to include in The Mirror. They both sure can have a huge effect on the quality of our life.

“

Love means different things to different people including humanity being looked after.

”

Love means different things to different people including humanity being looked after. As Gabriela James says in her article on Page 12 “Love means to consider and be generous to others before myself”. She says we each need to do something significant to help people. To help people who are struggling in whatever area it may be. To help people who have nobody to love them, to simply help people. And we consider what Susan Sontag, Kurt Vonnegut and Shakespeare think of love. You either love someone, something or you keep away from it all hoping not to be affected by the pull, the power of love. Fracking. What’s not to be said about fracking? Filipa Hope’s article, The right to informed choice, about hydraulic fracturing, is worth a read. This unconventional method of oil and gas extraction comes with many risks and, let’s face it, ought to be left on the backburner. Charlotte Webster, CCgroup, says Fracking is facing a major backlash from the public - so in terms of communications, what’s gone wrong? The public at large can’t make the call that with fracking we’ll be drinking high quality water, experiencing the peaceful countryside we value, seeing lower gas bills and witnessing sustained, green, economic growth, says Charlotte. In this issue you will also meet Andrea Bonime Blanc, who gives her views on The Global Ethicist, learn how South Africa’s hospital train benefits those in the hinterland and much more.

t h e EMirrorE3

Reflections and Observations

the Mirror’s Faces MANAGING EDITOR Doug Green RESEARCH WORDS PRODUCTION & DESIGN Karl Grant ADMINISTRATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS JEZ Media Ltd ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES 06 870 9029 words@xtra.co.nz PUBLISHER WORDS P O Box 1109, Hastings, New Zealand words@xtra.co.nz

The Mirror is published bi-monthly and offers the Reader reflections and observations on the issues of our times. The Mirror welcomes editorial contributions and encourages readers to share their reflections and views with us. The Mirror uses information provided in good faith. We give no guarantee of accuracy of the information. No liability is accepted for the result of any actions taken or not taken on the basis of this information. Those acting on the information and recommendations do so entirely at their own risk. SUBSCRIPTION: NZ $42 per year for 6 issues. Subscription payment to be made to: JEZ Media Ltd, P.O. Box 1109, Hastings 4156, New Zealand. words@xtra.co.nz Payment can be made by EFTPOS. Or by posting a cheque to the above address. Single copies NZ $7.00

Community Planning, Sustainable Business and Waste Minimisation Strategies www.envision-nz.com

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e EMirror LOVE

6 Okay, so what is it?

LOVE

12 What love means to me.

Love means “to consider and be generous to others before myself”. I was much challenged a few years ago watching a documentary called Someone, somewhere loves me! About helping orphaned children. The thing that challenged me the most was a comment the lady that started the charity Orphans Aid International made in the documentary.

FRACKING

14 Freedom of choice in this serious threat to our community.

The current government has granted permits for much of Hawkes Bay to be mined by overseas oil and gas Companies – maybe even your property! Without information I don’t think we really have any freedom of choice in this serious threat to our community. Without information we are like puppets played by those most able to manipulate public opinion.

EDUCATION

23 Bootstrapping a child’s education.

FRONT COVER

Olivia Burbury (left) and Paige Davies sharing some quality time together. Cornwall Park, Hastings, New Zealand.

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e EMirrorE5 GLOBALISATION

36 The dangers of subcontracting.

The pressures on global apparel supply chains lead to unregulated subcontracting to dangerous factories. The recent tragic fires in Bangladesh garment factories have left many dead over the past six years. The 112 fatalities at Tazreen Fashions put the spotlight on the problem of unauthorised and unmonitored subcontracting in the global supply chain. www.themirrorinspires.com

www

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e EMirror

Okay, so what is it?

“

Although the nature of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the word can be clarified by determining what isn’t love. As a general expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like), love is commonly contrasted with hate (or neutral apathy).

The word “love” can have a variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts. Often, other languages use multiple words to express some of the different concepts that English relies mainly on “love” to encapsulate; one example is the plurality of Greek words for “love.” Cultural differences in conceptualizing love thus make it doubly difficult to establish any universal definition. Although the nature of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the word can be clarified by determining what isn’t love. As a general expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like), love is commonly contrasted with hate (or neutral apathy); as a more emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment and as an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones, love is sometimes contrasted with friendship, although the word love is often applied to close friendships. When discussed in the abstract, love usually refers to

”

www.themirrorinspires.com

interpersonal love, an experience felt by a person for another person. Love often involves caring for or identifying with a person or thing (cf. vulnerability and care theory of love), including oneself (cf. narcissism). In addition to crosscultural differences in understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages, although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry. Because of the complex and abstract nature of love, discourse on love is commonly reduced to a thoughtterminating cliché, and there are a number of common proverbs regarding love, from Virgil’s “Love conquers all” to The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love”. St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, defines love as “to will the good of another.” Bertrand Russell describes love as a condition of “absolute value,” as opposed relative value. Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz said that love is “to be delighted by the happiness of another.Biologist Jeremy

Griffith defines love as “unconditional selflessness” Love is sometimes referred to as being the “international language”, overriding cultural and linguistic divisions.

Impersonal love A person can be said to love an object, principle, or goal if they value it greatly and are deeply committed to it. Similarly, compassionate outreach and volunteer workers’ “love” of their cause may sometimes be born not of interpersonal love, but impersonal love coupled with altruism and strong spiritual or political convictions. People can also “love” material objects, animals, or activities if they invest themselves in bonding or otherwise identifying with those things. If sexual passion is also involved, this condition is called paraphilia.

Interpersonal love Interpersonal love refers to love between human beings. It is a more potent sentiment than a simple liking for another. Unrequited love refers to those feelings of love that are not reciprocated. Interpersonal love is most closely associated with interpersonal relationships. Such love might exist between family members, friends, and couples. Throughout history, philosophy and religion have done the most speculation on the phenomenon of love. In the last century, the science of psychology has written a great deal on the subject. In recent years, the sciences of psychology, anthropology, neuroscience, and biology have added to the understanding of the nature and function of love.

t h e EMirrorE7

Confucianism is Ren (“benevolent love”), which focuses on duty, action and attitude in a relationship rather than love itself. In Confucianism, one displays benevolent love by performing actions such as filial piety from children, kindness from parent, loyalty to the king and so forth.

The concept of Ai was developed by the Chinese philosopher Mozi in the 4th century BC in reaction to Confucianism’s benevolent love. Mozi tried to replace what he considered to be the longentrenched Chinese over-attachment to family and clan structures with the concept of “universal love” (jiān’ài,). In this, he argued directly against Confucians who believed that it was natural and correct for people to care about different people in different degrees. Mozi, by contrast, believed people in principle should care for all people equally. Mohism stressed that rather than adopting different attitudes towards different people, love should be unconditional and offered to everyone without regard to reciprocation, not just to friends, family and other Confucian relations. Later in Chinese Buddhism, the term Ai was adopted to refer to a passionate caring love and was considered a fundamental desire. In Buddhism, Ai was seen as capable of being either selfish or selfless, the latter being a key element towards enlightenment. In contemporary Chinese, Ai is often used as the equivalent of the Western concept of love. Ai is used as both a

“

Interpersonal love refers to love between human beings. It is a more potent sentiment than a simple liking for another. Unrequited love refers to those feelings of love that are not reciprocated. Interpersonal love is most closely associated with interpersonal relationships.

”

Chinese and other Sinic cultures Two philosophical underpinnings of love exist in the Chinese tradition, one from Confucianism which emphasised actions and duty while the other came from Mohism which championed a universal love. A core concept to www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e EMirror

a verb (e.g. wo ai ni, or “I love you”) and

“

There are many different theories which attempt to explain what love is, and what function it serves. It would be very difficult to explain love to a hypothetical person who had not himself or herself experienced love or being loved.

”

a noun (such as aiqing, or “romantic love”). However, due to the influence of Confucian Ren, the phrase ‘Wo ai ni’ (I love you) carries with it a very specific sense of responsibility, commitment and loyalty. Instead of frequently saying “I love you” as in some Western societies, the Chinese are more likely to express feelings of affection in a more casual way. Consequently, “I like you” (Wo xihuan ni,) is a more common way of expressing affection in Chinese; it is more playful and less serious. This is also true in Japanese (suki da,). The Chinese are also more likely to say “I love you” in English or other foreign languages than they would in their mother tongue.

Persian love Rumi, Hafiz and Sa’di are icons of the passion and love that the Persian culture and language present. The Persian word for love is eshgh derived from the Arabic ishq, however is considered by most to be too stalwart a term for interpersonal love and is more commonly substituted for ‘doost dashtan’ (‘liking’). In the Persian culture, everything is encompassed by love and all is for love, starting from loving friends and family, husbands and wives, and eventually reaching the divine love that is the ultimate goal in life. Over seven centuries ago, Sa’di wrote: The children of Adam are limbs of one body Having been created of one essence. When the calamity of time afflicts one limb The other limbs cannot remain at rest. If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others You are not worthy to be called by the name of “man”.

Japanese love In Japanese Buddhism, ai is passionate caring love, and a fundamental desire. It can develop towards either selfishness or selflessness and enlightenment. Amae, a Japanese word meaning “indulgent dependence,” is part of the child-rearingculture of

www.themirrorinspires.com

Japan. Japanese mothers are expected to hug and indulge their children, and children are expected to reward their mothers by clinging and serving. Some sociologists have suggested that Japanese social interactions in later life are modeled on the mother-child amae.

Philosophy views of love Philosophy of love is the field of social philosophy and ethics which attempts to explain the nature of love. The philosophical investigation of love includes the tasks of distinguishing between the various kinds of personal love; asking if and how love is/can be justified; asking what the value of love is; and what impact love has on the autonomy of both the lover and the beloved. There are many different theories which attempt to explain what love is, and what function it serves. It would be very difficult to explain love to a hypothetical person who had not himself or herself experienced love or being loved. In fact, to such a person love would appear to be quite strange if not outright irrational behavior. Among the prevailing types of theories that attempt to account for the existence of love there are: psychological theories, the vast majority of which consider love to be very healthy behavior; there are evolutionary theories which hold that love is part of the process of natural selection; there are spiritual theories which may, for instance consider love to be a gift from God; there are also theories that consider love to be an unexplainable mystery, very much like a mystical experience. ❙

t h e EMirrorE9

What is love?

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything.” A peculiar phenomenon that is at once more amorphous than art, more single-minded than science, and more philosophical than philosophy itself? Kurt Vonnegut, who was in some ways an extremist about love but also had a healthy dose of irreverence about it, in The Sirens of Titan: A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved. Anaïs Nin, whose wisdom on love knew no bounds, in A Literate Passion: Letters of Anaïs Nin & Henry Miller, 1932-1953: What is love but acceptance of the other, whatever he is. Stendhal in his fantastic 1822 treatise on love: Love is like a fever which comes and goes quite independently of the will. … there are no age limits for love. C. S. Lewis, who was a very wise man, in The Four Loves: There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to ananimal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. Lemony Snicket in Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid: Love can

change a person the way a parent can change a baby — awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess. Susan Sontag, whose illustrated insights on love were among last year’s most read and shared articles, in As Consciousness Is Harnessed to Flesh: Journals and Notebooks, 1964-1980: Nothing is mysterious, no human relation. Except love. www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r Charles Bukowski, who also famously deemed love “a dog from hell,” in this archival video interview: Love is kind of like when you see a fog in the morning, when you wake up before the sun comes out. It’s just a little while, and then it burns away… Love is a fog that burns with the first daylight of reality. Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. Ambrose Bierce, with the characteristic wryness of The Devil’s Dictionary: Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage. Katharine Hepburn in Me: Stories of My Life: Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything. Philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell, he of great wisdom, in The Conquest of Happiness: Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness. Fyodor Dostoyevsky puts it even more forcefully in The Brothers Karamazov: What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in a letter to his ten-year-old daughterexplaining the importance of evidence in science and in life: People sometimes say that you must believe in feelings deep inside, otherwise you’d never be confident of things like ‘My wife loves me’. But this is a bad argument. There can be plenty of evidence that somebody loves you. All through the day when you are with somebody who loves you, you see and hear lots of little tidbits of evidence, and they all add up. It isn’t purely inside feeling, like the feeling that priests call revelation. There are outside things to back up the inside feeling: looks in the eye, tender notes in the voice, little favors and kindnesses; this is all real evidence.

www.themirrorinspires.com

Paulo Coelho in The Zahir: A Novel of Obsession: Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.

t h e E M i r ro r E 11

James Baldwin in The Price of the Ticket: Collected Non-fiction, 19481985: Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up. Haruki Murakami in Kafka on the Shore: Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who’s in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It’s like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven’t seen in a long time. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Airman’s Odyssey: Night Flight / Wind Sand & Stars / Flight to Arras: Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Honoré de Balzac, who knew a thing or two about all-consuming love, in Physiologie Du Mariage: The more one judges, the less one loves. Louis de Bernières in Corelli’s Mandolin: Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion, it is not the desire to mate every second minute of the day, it is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every cranny of your body. No, don’t blush, I am telling you some truths. That is just being “in love”, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

E. M. Forster in A Room with a View: You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you. I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal. English novelist Iris Murdoch, cited by the great Milton Glaser in How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer: Love is the very difficult understanding that something other than yourself is real. But perhaps the truest, if humblest, of them all comes from Agatha Christie, who echoes Anaïs Nin above in her autobiography: It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. ❙ www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

What Love means to me?

By Gabriela James

“

She said we each need to do something significant to help people. To help people who are struggling in whatever area it may be.

”

Love means “to consider and be generous to others before myself”.

I was much challenged a few years ago watching a documentary called Someone, somewhere loves me! About helping orphaned children. The thing that challenged me the most was a comment the lady that started the charity Orphans Aid International made in the documentary. She said we each need to do something significant to help people. To help people who are struggling in whatever area it may be. To help people who have nobody to love them, to simply help people. I was convinced that this simple advice was something that I needed to do more of and I began madly to raise funds and awareness for orphaned children. There are people who need us to smile at them, to help them, to speak out for them, to listen to them, to make them a

meal, to visit them in hospital, or in the nursing home. These acts are acts of love, unselfish love. There is to me no greater love than this, that we should lay down our life, our own self, for the sake of others. Since I have been trying to unselfishly put others before myself, I have found that I have been the one that has received love. I have been the one that has received back in more ways than one. To get love you must give love. Love really can be shared around, through random acts of kindness to people. And there are people all around us that need to be loved. So, look around you today. Who are those around you that you could show love to in practical ways? You don’t always have to spend money; a smile is sometimes all it takes to show someone you care. ❙

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r E 1 3

R e f l e c t i o n s

O b s e r v a t i o n s

Back Issues Available To order:

$7.95

Please phone: 06 870 9029 • fax: 06 878 8150 email: words@xtra.co.nz • or go to www.themirrorinspires.com

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

Freedom of choice in this seri

T “ Our approach is not to try and convince anyone of anything except that this is one issue everyone wants to learn more about because it affects all of us and also our children. We hope to raise questions in peoples minds and motivate them to seek out their own answers and questions and opinions.

”

The current government has granted permits for much of Hawkes Bay to be mined by overseas Oil & gas Companies – maybe even your property! Without information I don’t think we really have any freedom of choice in this serious threat to our community. Without information we are like puppets played by those most able to manipulate public opinion. I joined Don’t Frack the Bay 2 years ago after watching the movie Gaslands and learning this was planned for Hawkes Bay. I have never been politically active yet now I find myself organising public information meetings Our approach is not to try and convince anyone of anything except that this is one issue everyone wants to learn more about because it affects all of us and also our children. We hope to raise questions in peoples minds and motivate them to seek out their own answers and questions and opinions. We have several speakers at each meeting and I am usually one of them. We speak from experience and/or own investigations. In June 2012 the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright’, released an interim report on Fracking. Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing. - An unconventional method of oil and gas extraction which comes with many risks. This activity has been going on for 30 years in Taranaki. This is the first and only New Zealand investigation into some of the risks and as such is a critically important document for information. I present some of the concerns and questions raised in this report at our meetings and do my best to represent only what the report says without adding my own opinions. We are all waiting for the final PCE report which will have the Commissioners formal recommendations to goverment. It was due out before now but after the interim report the current government cut resources to this department and so the report has been delayed. It is hoped it will be out by the end of the year.

Many people, when asked, say the PCE www.themirrorinspires.com

interim report endorsed the safety of onshore drilling and the use of fracking. The government media releases still maintain the position that the report endorses the safety and supports a green light for this Industry. The truth is different. The PCE’s report made some alarming interim findings about the New Zealand government’s oversight and regulations, and I quote from the report: The (regulatory) system is complex and fragmented, making oversight extremely important. The potential for aquifers to be contaminated as a result of fracking is very real! Finding out who is responsible for what during different stages of the process has been a major exercise during this investigation. Such complexity works against open, transparent government, and important issues can fall between the cracks. The PCE’s report lists some examples of were cracks, so to speak, might appear … I quote from the report –

• The risk of environmental damage

depends on where a well is drilled – (yet) companies appear to decide where to drill with no guidance from either central or local government.

• Companies are using different well

casing design and construction standards (because the decision is after all up to them!).

• It is not clear who is responsible for ensuring well integrity.

• New Zealand does not have a well examination scheme.

• (Its not clear) who takes responsibility

for assessing site-specific risks to the environment from fracking fluid or who takes responsibility for monitoring abandoned wells.

• It has been difficult to determine where regulatory responsibilities begin and end or how effectively they are being implemented.

• To a considerable extent, companies

appear to be not only regulating themselves, but monitoring their own performance.

t h e E M i r ro r E 1 5

ious threat to our community By Filipa Hope

And another important quote from the report that is not mentioned in the media, is a warning I think you will agree needs our close consideration, and I quote… “Drilling should only take place with great care, if indeed at all, if it is in the vicinity of major faults or aquifers.” Yes, we have both!!! The Commissioner addresses us on the East Coast directly in the report, and I quote…. “New Zealand appears to be poised on the brink of what could be a large and rapid expansion of oil and gas production. “attention must be paid to the way in which risks scale up. The greatest potential for a rapid scaling up of fracking lies in the shale rock along the east of the North Island –TAG Oil estimate that several 1000’s of hydraulic fracturing treatments could take place on the East Coast”; Such rapid scaling up has led to well-publicised problems in other countries. “The scale and speed of change that could occur requires forethought now. The current Government is hoping for and encouraging an economic future built largely on oil and gas. The question is whether the same effort is being put into preparing for the impacts it may have.”

engineering at Cornell University, Dr Anthony Ingraffee, has publicly stated, ‘We can expect 6.2% well casings to fail initially, 60% over 20 years, and all eventually’.” ALL well casings will fail eventually! Of course. What can stand the test of time? Once in the ground a well can never be removed. When it is no longer operating viably it is abandoned (there are many abandoned wells in Taranaki). Is the possibility of leaving a land covered in 1000’s of abandoned leaking wells a legacy we are prepared to risk leaving our children?

“

New Zealand appears to be poised on the brink of what could be a large and rapid expansion of oil and gas production.

”

So many important questions that go unasked and unanswered! ❙

On page 70 of the report The Commissioner itemises 6 questions directly to those of us on the East Coast- regarding our increased risks because of seismic activity, water shortages, reliance on critical aquifer, limited toxic waste disposal options and more. The report says and I quote “With regard to fracking shale on the east coast of the North Island, these are questions that should be asked– and indeed answered!” Not only do these questions remain unanswered, they are not yet even being asked by central or our local government. One of the biggest questions for this region is can this activity be done without risking the contamination of our Aquifer? The world expert on the subject of well casings, distinguished Professor of www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

Five reasons communications ar

– Charlotte Webster, CCgroup

“

Which is how I get to fracking. To begin, I believe clean technology is the answer to our energy future. I want to see us moving away from fossil fuels as fast as feasibly possible, and know wholeheartedly that this is the answer to a sustainable and prosperous economy.

”

Fracking is facing a major backlash from the public - so in terms of communications, what’s gone wrong? The public at large can’t make the call that with fracking we’ll be drinking high quality water, experiencing the peaceful countryside we value, seeing lower gas bills and witnessing sustained, green, economic growth, says Charlotte. I’m just back from a week surfing in Portugal. It was glorious, as always. Having grown up by the sea I learned to sail at ten, started racing dinghies at 13, collected multiple bumps and bruises, lived on a boat on the Thames in London and, it’s safe to say, I feel at home in the water. Ok, some of us are real water babies, others less so. A friend of mine simply won’t go near the sea for fear of waves. She’s in her thirties but still terrified by its power. Fair enough. Not ideal when it’s your holiday buddy on a surf trip, but hey. You can see what’s coming here. Quite simply, water plays a vital role in our lives – for surfers and non surfers alike. It’s arguably the world’s most precious resource and something we interact with daily. Mineral water providers have long been extolling the virtues of the ‘purest’ water, in a continual game of oneupmanship. One can even buy the ultimate in purity shipped over from Fuji. I just also happen to find it peaceful to be near and in, most of us do. The human body is 60% water so, fundamentally, when we protect it we’re protecting over half of our own selves, our physicality. So, as the pressure on our natural resources grows, the content of our food and water systems becomes increasingly questioned, is it any wonder we hold water in such high regard? Which is how I get to fracking. To begin, I believe clean technology is the answer to our energy future. I want to see us moving away from fossil fuels as fast as feasibly possible, and know wholeheartedly that this is the answer to a sustainable and prosperous economy. But, opinion aside, I am also in the world of communications. As drilling finally begins at Balcombe in East Sussex, fracking is facing a major backlash from the public

www.themirrorinspires.com

here in the UK and across the world. It’s in the middle of a PR tornado and flailing around without direction. I want to ask why, from a bottom line public relations perspective – what’s gone so terribly wrong.

1. Non admittance of fault There have been issues with water contamination from fracking in the US, undisputed fact. This needs to be transparent and addressed. Yet the Environment Agency in the UK is happy with the industry to proceed here. Why, what apologies have been made, what’s been resolved and what assurances do we really have?

2. Lack of listening Rural communities feel ignored. Not a good start. They are angry and can communicate better than ever online to galvanise themselves. It just doesn’t cut it to treat the public as ‘others’. Historically the oil and gas industries have faced local objections to pipelines, but never before have they had to work so closely to win the public’s affection. They’re not in their ports, they’re in their gardens now. And this is Britain, it’s a battle for the castle.

3. Poor communication of facts We know the profit figures of the gas industry, but anything else? Water matters, transport and noise matter, as does health and the wider natural local environment. But we are still unclear on the BIG WHY. The public needs to know not only the real science, but the real economic figures in terms of reduction in fuel bills, increased employment and GNP from exports. Above all, we need the emotional and rational arguments on why it’s going to bridge the gap until our renewable future.

4. No demonstration of progress Is there a commitment to renewably powered fracking, low carbon transport, environmental diversification? These things fundamentally matter now. If I were Osborne and the industry (hmmm which is which), I would make a public commitment to invest national income from fracking to our low carbon future making it a genuine bridge technology for

t h e E M i r ro r E 1 7

round fracking have gone wrong our energy future. It is the very least the industry can do.

5. Hidden spokespeople There’s simply no point hiding, it makes you look worse. Is it Osborne that’s the advocate, or is it the industry? All vey confusing who’s running the show here, adding to the industry’s dubious reception. We can only listen to someone who’s talking, and clearly, after all. With all the above, us water lovers; environmentalists; non- environmentalists; rural folk; city folk and generally rational people, simply don’t have a chance to make a measured decision on fracking. It may well be a bridge to a low carbon future, but its aggressive ‘just take it’ approach isn’t working.

Right now, the public at large can’t make the call that with fracking we’ll be drinking high quality water, experiencing the peaceful countryside we value, seeing lower gas bills and witnessing sustained, green, economic growth. That is what we need to hear. If one needs to be compromised, we need to be damn well sure we know why and hear it from someone we trust. This is a lesson for us all across the energy industry. It must be a conversation, not a one way aggressive enforcement. Emotions are running high and someone needs to get out there, respectfully, with the facts – and fast. Finally, anyone know any fracking surfers? ❙

“

The public at large can’t make the call that with fracking we’ll be drinking high quality water.

”

The countryside without the benefits of fracking?

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

How sweet it is: Cane processors profit wit

A “

Use of less water can produce major environmental benefits in the cane industry, where the size of a processing plant bears little relation the huge amount of waste water.

”

A global leader in the production of green energy from food and agribusiness wastewater is deploying advanced anaerobic technologies that achieve high returns of biogas from the world’s largest crop, sugar cane. The crop – which is grown in more than 90 countries with a worldwide harvest exceeding 1.6 billion tons – has historically not been suited to biogas production because the vast amounts of water used in its processing were too weak in their organic carbon concentration to yield profitable amounts of methane. However, Global Water Engineering, represented in Australasia by CST Waste Water Solutions, says the industry has progressively used less water in recent years, increasing its waste stream concentrations to levels where it can be very successfully exploited for biogas and produce less effluent pollution through the latest anaerobic technologies. “Use of less water can produce major environmental benefits in the cane

industry, where the size of a processing plant bears little relation the huge amount of waste water it has traditionally produced,” says GWE President and CEO Mr Jean Pierre Ombregt. “We are now getting towards the stage where, instead of having a series of huge anaerobic, and aerobic lagoons impacting the environment, we can treat the effluent in contained anaerobic reactors where biogas is extracted and influent waste water is cleaned of most of its impurities without release to the environment.” GWE has installed more than 300 anaerobic waste water plants globally, including use of the technology by CST Wastewater Solutions at the at new Bluetongue Brewery in NSW where it simultaneously cleans process water to high discharge standards while producing biogas (methane, CH4) to fuel boilers. In other installations, biogas can be used to generate green electricity for sale to the local grid or to other factories or plant consuming fossil fuel. Many of the plants utilising the biogas in this way

United Farmer and Industry plant commissioning by GWE

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r E 1 9

th green energy and environmental benefits achieve payback of plant costs in two years - or even a year in some cases – as they permanently reduce the amount of fossil fuel used and generate permanent environmental gains and financial savings. One of the latest cane sugar mills to use GWE Anaerobic technology incorporating its ANUBIX B reactor is the United Farmer and Industry cane sugar mill at Khon Kaen in Thailand, a country which is one of the world’s largest cane sugar producers, along with Brazil, India, China, Pakistan and Mexico. Australia is the third largest raw sugar supplier in the world, with 4000 cane farm businesses producing 4-4.5MT of raw sugar, worth $1.7-2.0 billion, through 24 sugar mills. The plant commissioned at Khon Kaen this year has a capacity of 3500 m3 a day of waste water containing 22750 Kg a day COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) of natural origin that can be broken down into biogas by anaerobic bacteria. The process employed at United Farmer and Industry comprised influent screen, equalisation, pH control, anaerobic treatment, biogas flare, two-stage biogas sweetening (Bio-Sulfurix followed by activated carbon filtration).

“In addition to substantial environmental benefit from cleaner water being treated in reactor tanks rather than lagoons, the United Farmers Plant achieves a supply of green energy that delivers energy savings virtually in perpetuity,” says Mr Ombregt. Existing GWE anaerobic technologies of the type employed at United Farmer and Industry typically produce enough green energy to pay for the cost of their installation in typically one or two years. In addition, the reactors reduce the need for huge lagoons with their associated odour, land use and environmental leaching issues. Such issues are strongly relevant to the use of such technology in Australia, says the Managing Director of CST Wastewater Solutions, Mr Michael Bambridge.

“

One of the latest cane sugar mills to use GWE Anaerobic technology is the United Farmer and Industry cane sugar mill at Khon Kaen.

”

Biogas production is currently building to 9000 Nm3 a day (75 per cent CH4), which will be used as fuel in several factory steam boilers. Waste water effluent levels have also benefitted substantially, with a minimum of 85 per cent removal of COD being achieved (to a maximum 975 mg/l COD, produced from influent with 6500 mg/l COD, or 3250 mg/l BOD5 - Biochemical Oxygen Demand). GWE’s “workhorse” ANUBIX™ B medium-to-high loading rate UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed) reactor employed at the plant is of a type used for most low-to-medium strength mainly soluble carbohydrate containing effluents. The effluent COD reduction achieved at United Farmer and Industry is outstanding by cane industry standards, while in broader food and beverage industry service such technology has attained amazing COD removal efficiencies, in some cases up to 99 percent. www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

“

The advanced anaerobic technology such as that installed at United Farmers and Industry is strongly applicable to any factory or process with one or more digestible solid waste streams.

”

Energy savings alone can amount to millions of dollars or Euros a year. For example, Corn Products - a major producer of native tapioca starch, sweeteners and modified starch - uses GWE anaerobic technology within one of its wastewater plants in Thailand to produce up to 70,000 Nm3 a day of biogas at 70 per cent CH4. This corresponds with circa 43,750 kg a day of heavy fuel oil, worth $US 12.7 million ((9.5 million Euro) a year. (This assumes a plant running 330 days a year at full capacity and a Heavy Fuel Oil, HFO, price of 0.83c US or .62 Euro a litre) The advanced anaerobic technology such as that installed at United Farmers and Industry is strongly applicable to any factory or process with one or more digestible solid waste streams. Such plants – including breweries, fruit, food waste, agro industries, and energy crops including corn and cane used for ethanol – can easily use this technology to generate energy. It opens the door to environmental and production efficiency gains globally, says GWE. As a result of their efficiency, anaerobic digestion facilities have been recognized by the United nations Development programme as one of the most useful decentralized sources of energy supply, as they are less capital-intensive than large power plants. They can also benefit local communities by providing local energy supplies and eliminate the need for large and often smelly and environmentally challenging settling lagoons. With increased focus on climate change mitigation, the re-use of waste as a resource and new technological approaches which have lowered capital costs, anaerobic digestion has in recent years received increased attention among governments in a number of countries concerned about environmental and energy issues.

About Global Water Engineering (GWE) and CST Wastewater Solutions With more than 30 years of experience, GWE has built up a unique range of seven anaerobic reactor types, each specifically designed for dedicated organic loads and specific wastewater types, which is unique in the market. GWE is therefore very proud of its impeccable track record of meeting and regularly exceeding its performance guarantees. www.themirrorinspires.com

It is GWE’s mission to be an ambassador for anaerobic wastewater treatment and to gain credibility for the technology by delivering quality installations that meet their performance guarantees. CST Wastewater Solutions is one of Australasia’s leading wastewater solution groups. The company has provided a broad range of quality cost-effective solutions for 25 years, now as CST Wastewater Solutions to reflect its expanded scope operating from its new combined office and warehouse in Roseville. CST Wastewater Solutions Managing Director Michael Bambridge says the facilities will help the company broaden its industrial and municipal services and equipment focus, while retaining the full range of mechanical and process technologies that have made it a premier provider of innovative wastewater treatment solutions throughout Australia and New Zealand, with projects also completed in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Clients include Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Carlsberg, Heineken, SAB Miller and Lion Nathan. CST is a member of the Global Water and Energy Alliance, a group of select companies around the world committed to providing solutions in water and wastewater treatment for the recovery of green energy and water. ❙

t h e E M i r ro r E 2 1

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r E 2 3

Bootstrapping a Child’s Education In the past months and years we’ve seen articles about Waldorf schools in major newspapers and periodicals with an ever-increasing frequency, which, compared to a decade ago, points to a greatly-heightened awareness about Waldorf education. However, when we saw that Waldorf education was featured in the pages of Forbes magazine, normally known for its business focus, our surprise led us to sharing this with you. – Ed.

program, which is taught 50/50 in Spanish and English, is wildly successful making it difficult to find a parent willing to complain. The only visible stain on the school’s reputation is the waiting list which marks the names of dozens of disappointed families each year... ❙

California’s DIY School By Captain John Konrad

On a mild summer morning Rob Wishon, a master carpenter with a sandy goatee and a knack for carving exotic wood into majestic pagodas, stood up from the picnic table at Morro Bay‘s Del Mar park, kissed his wife Kim and waved good bye to his children as he walked to his work truck but within moments he was distracted. Rising from the sand before him stood the solid steel legs of the park’s 28 foot playhouse and Rob couldn’t resist just one ride down the swirling green tube slide. A loud, elongated, “Whoooooo” echoed across the park followed by the cheers of twelve kids, each beaming with gleeful surprise and woots of laughter. No one could blame him, not even the teachers, because the atmosphere of playful wonderment was infectious. Schools nationwide are lengthening school hours, piling homework on burdened kids and cramming technology into classrooms with the goal of improving test scores as politicians intensify the debate with educators demanding measures be taken to close the knowledge gap between the United States, Asia and Europe. Change is slowly moving forward in school systems across the country but improvements in national test scores have mostle followed at a glacial pace. Charter schools are the exception, beacons of success which attract many parents with the promise of low studentteacher ratios, alternative programs and proven results. Just a few miles from the slide which spurt Rob Wishon into a wave of sand is Pacheco Elementary School, a charter school in the college community of San Luis Obispo california specializing in a two way immersion program. The www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

Bangladesh factory fires – the hi

By Sean Ansett and Jeffrey Hantover

“

The pressures on global apparel supply chains lead to unregulated subcontracting to dangerous factories The recent tragic fires in Bangladesh garment factories have left many dead over the past six years. The 112 fatalities at Tazreen Fashions put the spotlight on the problem of unauthorised and unmonitored subcontracting in the global supply chain.

In the wake of the most Wal-Mart, Sears, Disney and Li & recent fire Fung claim they had no knowledge that there have their goods were being manufactured at Tazreen Fashions. In the wake of this most been calls recent fire there have been calls for a more for a more intense focus on subcontractors: stricter government regulation and enforcement intense and their monitoring by retailers and focus on preferably independent monitoring bodies. subconBut these calls, while well intentioned, tractors: demonstrate a lack of proper understanding of the forces that create stricter unauthorised subcontracting and pose government challenges to their effective monitoring. regulation Recently Wal-Mart’s vice-president for and ethical standards wrote to an industry enforcement group, in response to the Tazreen fire, stating that “fire and electrical safety and their aspects are not currently adequately monitoring covered in ethical sourcing audits”. Fire safety must be upgraded and its by retailers monitoring improved, but a retailer cannot and monitor fire safety in a factory that it doesn’t know is producing their goods. preferably independent Rapid product changes monitoring A retailer contracts with a factory to produce its goods by a specific date to bodies.

”

ensure the goods are in its stores on time and at a low price and good quality. Most garment retailers and agents such as Wal-

Mart, Sears, C&A and Li & Fung change their product offerings seasonally – some retailers may do it as frequently as every 4 to 6 weeks – in response to consumer tastes, market trends and internal marketing strategies. Ideally, goods must leave the local ports by tightly planned dates. The production time lines often are short and urgent. If the factory cannot meet the shipping deadline it may be forced to send the goods via air at much greater cost to itself and its thin profit margin. After the samples have been approved and sometimes even after the production has begun the retailer may change the product specifications, for example from a one button polo shirt to two buttons, but not the ship date, putting increased pressure on the factory. The factory may take on orders from multiple retailers that exceed its production capacity or at a cost at which they cannot realistically produce – rarely do they say no to business. Individual retailers are kept in the dark as to what other orders the factory has taken on and often retailers do not assess the real capacity of these factories when they place their orders. Without full knowledge of the factory’s production schedule, an individual retailer will overestimate factory capacity and underestimate the potential for subcontracting. The shipping date approaches, push comes to shove and the factory subcontracts a portion of the order to another factory and the goods go out the back door and the finished goods are brought back to the primary contractor and sent out under the initial contract.

Profit pressures The pressures for profit by the factory (and of course the retailer) and the imposition of tight shipping dates by the retailer are pincer movements pushing the contractor to subcontract. A retailer may require prior notification before any goods are subcontracted so that they can evaluate the subcontractor for quality and adherence to the retailer’s ethical code of conduct. But time pressures often turn this into a paper requirement:

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r E 2 5

idden dangers of subcontracting even if notified the retailer may not have the time to do the necessary monitoring. They may threaten the contractor with future sanctions but their marketing campaigns depend on the goods being in the stores by a certain date and they must cross their fingers that all goes well at a subcontractor they have not visited. When it does not, you have the lost lives of Tazreen. Many subcontractors are small factories and do not and may not have the capital to be capable of meeting the retailer’s code of conduct for fire safety and other issues. All of this takes place against a backdrop of inefficient if not corrupt government monitoring.

Practical steps There is no silver bullet but there are practical steps that can be taken to address the pressures underlying unauthorised subcontracting.

• Longer-term trust based relationships between retailers and suppliers. Longerterm relationships send a signal to suppliers that the brand is investing in them and will be around next season, and in turn suppliers will invest in factory improvements and be open about production schedules and the need for subcontracting when it arises. • Developing financial incentives for suppliers. These should reward them for transparency and robust health and safety systems. • Retailer consultation and financial support. This can assist suppliers in the implementation of enhanced productivity strategies and the development of more efficient and effective means of managing production. • Appropriate product pricing. Retailers should set product pricing that a factory can realistically meet without subcontracting and have the technical capacity to question when pricing is “too good to be true”.

• The implementation of new communications technology. LaborVoices, for example, uses mobile phone text and voice messaging to enable workers, NGOs, trade unions and communities to

alert retailers and others to unauthorised subcontracting, circumstances likely to lead to potential subcontracting and unsafe working conditions.

• Greater communication between retailer compliance and design divisions to make sure the compliance consequences of design changes are understood. • Improved protocols to monitor supplier production capacity.

• Full disclosure of supply chain production units and recalibration of buyer bonus plans. This should include labour standards and not just quality, price and speed of delivery – as Nike has already done. • Retailer commitment not to accept any goods produced in unauthorised subcontractors regardless of impact on their seasonal product range.

Until apparel brands take responsibility for their own purchasing practices monitoring will continue to be a cat and mouse game and unauthorised subcontracting a hidden danger lurking in the shadows of their global supply chains. Brands and suppliers need to take a hard look at current buyer purchasing models and take mutual responsibility and leadership to ensure that workers making their products in the global south for consumers in the global north work under safe and humane conditions and do not end up fatalities on the factory floor. Sean Ansett is founder and managing partner of At Stake Advisors. He was director of corporate responsibility at Burberry and director of global partnerships at Gap. Ansett is an advisor to LaborVoices. Jeffrey Hantover was director of global compliance for Gap International Sourcing Hong Kong.

“

Brands and suppliers need to take a hard look at current buyer purchasing models and take mutual responsibility and leadership to ensure that workers making their products in the global south for consumers in the global north work under safe and humane conditions and do not end up fatalities on the factory floor.

”

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

The Global Ethicist –

By Andrea BonimeBlanc

It’s easy to think the reputational buck stops with the chief executive. But even the CEO is accountable – to the board, which needs to keep a close eye on more than just the money, says Andrea BonimeBlanc

who, in turn, pressure and drive their staff to unrealistic and, in some cases, illegal results.

The proliferation of scandals involving executive malfeasance that have graced countless global newspapers, book covers and websites in this century alone is mesmerising.

Management tone

It began with Enron, WorldCom and Parmalat at the turn of the century, continued with Siemens, DaimlerChrysler and Boeing, and culminated (one hopes) over the past five years with almost every financial institution on Wall Street and in the City and beyond creating the second worst global financial meltdown in human history.

“

So, in such a tumultuous world, who is responsible for creating and maintaining an organisation’s reputation? It starts not just at the top – the chief executive – but at the tippy top.

”

Scandal and malfeasance may be one of the hallmarks of our time, perhaps only second to the massive disruption of the digital media age. In fact the two are linked, as instantaneous communication has contributed to the uncovering and rapid publicising of massive scandals (Libor comes to mind). So, in such a tumultuous world, who is responsible for creating and maintaining an organisation’s reputation? It starts not just at the top – the chief executive – but at the tippy top: the board of directors. For too long, boards have given themselves a pass on this account, often because the board’s chairman is also the chief executive. It is, however, the board (of any form of organisation – for profit, nonprofit, academic or governmental) that must hold the chief executive accountable for achieving the proper financial and reputational results. The proverbial “buck” has to stop somewhere. One thing is clear. Sizeable scandals do not originate at the shop floor or the accounting department, they are not schemes concocted by low- or mid-level employees. They are high-level scandals that begin and end at the top: with executives setting the wrong example or demanding impossible results; chief executives preaching “do what I say, not what I do” or pushing employees to achieve impossible and unsustainable financial targets; or CEOs holding dramatic carrots and sticks over top performers

www.themirrorinspires.com

The promise? Greater riches, recognition, promotions, power. Usually benefiting the very few at the very top. When leadership experts, organisational behaviourists, ethicists and risk managers look at what creates (or destroys) a culture of integrity and accountability, a major focus, rightly, is on tone from the top. What leaders say and especially what they do has broad and pervasive effects on the organisation and its people. This is especially the case with chief executives. What the chief executive says is closely listened to – what the chief executive does is even more closely emulated. Boards need to get savvy to this behavioural dynamic, and, in turn, to hold leaders accountable for creating and maintaining a good reputation. A strong internal culture can breed a good overall reputation with positive financial and other results in the long run. The following is a brief look at the spectrum of leadership styles that chief executives exhibit when it comes to reputation management.

The irresponsible leader This CEO is at best oblivious and at worst hostile to issues of integrity and the importance of an ethical culture. Doing business with integrity is simply not part of his/her worldview. In fact, it’s an oxymoron. The disgraced leaders of the companies involved in major scandals would fit into this category. The “irresponsible” leadership style is more apparent in small to medium-size enterprises especially those that are not publicly traded, not subject to much regulatory scrutiny or not yet caught up in a public scandal. They have not felt the blow that a scandal can have on an entire organisation, its stakeholders and its bottom line. Unless extraordinarily “lucky”, these leaders will eventually feel the adverse impact of a reputational hit and maybe even do something about it. At first, they may do something that is only skin-deep and join the ranks of the next category of leader.

t h e E M i r ro r E 2 7

– Take it from the top The superficial leader

The enlightened leader

This is a chief executive who “talks the talk” – promotes attractive marketing and branding communications with good words about ethics, integrity, responsibility, customer care, sustainability and stewardship. While this may create a pretty façade it rarely creates a pervasive or deep culture of responsibility. In this culture, most employees (and other stakeholders) realise it’s all about marketing and PR.

This chief executive not only walks the talk, but also goes several steps beyond supporting internal and external ethics and corporate responsibility programmes. The enlightened leader connects the dots between an ethical, responsible culture and ethical, responsible products and services. This chief executive creates the best internal structures, and empowers his/her people, to embed integrity not only into existing and new processes, but also into the company’s products and services.

The superficial style of leadership does not institutionalise integrity – by providing a culture where it is safe for employees to speak up, for example. Instead, superficial leaders create a skin-deep Potemkin village approach to reputation management. Many of the leaders of the biggest global financial institutions involved in the recent financial scandals fit into this category, as they often have a welldeveloped, beautifully branded and expensive corporate responsibility and compliance programme but rarely have a sustainable culture of integrity that reaches more deeply and broadly into the organisational machinery.

The responsible leader This leader actually “walks the talk”, ie generally means what he or she says about ethical culture and corporate responsibility. This chief executive puts his money where his mouth is by developing leaders and employees, providing appropriate resources to promote and build integrity and corporate responsibility programmes and incentives within the organisation. This leader has recognised the importance of having a global ethics and compliance programme and officer, and provides such programmes with direct, visible support, working hard to create a culture where it is safe for employees to raise concerns and speak up, where performance management includes cultural measures and where discipline, when necessary, is evenly meted out – to both executives and rank and file. There are a good number of companies – especially large global publicly traded companies – that fit this bill. L’Oréal, Merck, General Mills, ITT, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Prudential and Tata come to mind.

It’s about melding good culture and ethical decision-making with the profit motive. The enlightened leader is breaking down the bureaucracy surrounding various internal functions and silos and is building a sustainable, ingrained and pervasive culture of ethical decision-making that spills into products and services. Very few chief executives have set this kind of tone so far – but there are a few: at Costco, Unilever, Starbucks and Nike, for example. So what is the board’s role in all this? While boards remain comparatively independent in both their operations and obligations (though that is changing), they would be wise to gauge where their executive leaders fit within this spectrum of reputational leadership. As recent headlines demonstrate, directors themselves are no longer free from scrutiny by a broad range of stakeholders – from activist investors and pension funds to prosecutors and regulators – when it comes to taking responsibility for reputation and risk oversight. The new bottom line for boards is that they need to demand a new bottom line from their chief executives – one that provides as much accountability on reputation management and metrics as is currently provided on financial management and metrics. Dr Andrea Bonime-Blanc is chief executive of GEC Risk Advisory, a governance, risk, ethics, compliance and corporate responsibility management consultancy. She is chair emeritus of the Ethics and Compliance Officer Association, a member of Ethical Corporation’s editorial advisory board, and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. @ GlobalEthicist ❙

“

”

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

Nelson Mandela will be remembered at every level, but not least for his ambitious programme to develop public infrastructure. Where that is not enough, a health train rolls around the country to serve areas that lack the simplest medical services. By Guillaume Pitron

South Africa’s

To travel west from Johannesburg to the small town of Kathu is to take a journey back in time. The motorways gradually give way to potholed roads, bordered by the veld (1). The way deteriorates further past the invisible border of the Northern Cape, South Africa’s largest and least populated province. There is another 500km on patchy asphalt through a deserted landscape before the sleepy town of Kathu, population 10,000, in the foothills of the Korannaberg mountains. Along the main street are a shopping centre, shops selling spirits, and luxurious guest lodges, where bored young women sit in the evening, drinking strawberry vodka. Northern Cape is larger than Germany and has a population of a million: it as “as deserted as it is desert”, as they say here. But one morning this summer, an 18-carriage train carrying ultramodern medical equipment was travelling the line that serves this outer fringe of the Kalahari. It halted in the middle of the grassy plains, at Wincanton station. Posters throughout the region and local radio stations had announced its arrival. “I’ve waited two years for this moment,” said a local woman. The Phelophepa was here. The Phelophepa (“good health” in the Tswana and Sotho languages) is the result of the South African government’s problems in providing its 50 million citizens with basic social services. “It would be better if our hospitals were in permanent buildings,” said Lynette Coetzee, programme manager for the health train at the Transnet Foundation, part of the state railway operator, which manages and co-funds the project. “The reason our work is in such demand is that something has gone wrong since the end of apartheid.” At the end of more than four decades of “separate development”, the nation inherited a healthcare system of international renown, but confined to areas where whites lived. To correct this, Nelson Mandela and his successors pursued an ambitious programme of developing public infrastructure. They extended water and electricity networks, and built or renovated 1,600 hospitals,

www.themirrorinspires.com

“providing a more equitable distribution of access to care,” said Alex van den Heever, professor of social security systems administration and management at Witwatersrand University. But, he said, “the general quality of healthcare deteriorated considerably,” because of a government programme, launched in 1997, offering (mainly white) doctors and administrators voluntary redundancy to balance out the number of whites and blacks working in public hospitals. “Many professionals moved to the private sector, and in one fell swoop the memory of the system evaporated,” said van den Heever. The replacement appointments made by the governing ANC (African National Congress) were political. “The health sector was held hostage to power games between local party bigwigs. Clientelism and corruption brought the system to its knees.” It also made the Phelophepa indispensable.

A hard life on the rails “Since 1994 we have provided primary healthcare to 46,000 South Africans a year,” said Onke Mazibuko, a psychologist in his thirties who has been managing the health train for two years. “Our aim in Wincanton is to treat 1,250 people by the end of the week. It’s a hard life: we get up at 6am, shower for three minutes, then work for eight hours, until we’ve seen the last patient.” Every year he covers 15,000km to help the underprivileged. He works alongside 19 itinerant doctors who supervise a weekly rotation of 40 medical students from the country’s best universities: “It’s their baptism of fire.” The day after the Phelophepa’s arrival, the ghost station of Wincanton had turned into one of the busiest places in the province. Men and women, young and old, black and coloured, queued to see the medical staff. There were sockets without eyes, limbs damaged by badly treated wounds. It’s not surprising: “The nearest hospital is at Kuruman, 50km away. I have no way of getting there,” said Peter Thonas, there with his seven year old nephew, who had toothache. “Doctors are too expensive,” said Julius Tood, a young man who had hitchhiked from a nearby township. “People are suffering here. Our

s hospital train condition is like the landscape all around us — unchanging.” In front of the carriage dedicated to general medicine, a doctor diagnosed a case of diabetes, while another measured blood pressure. After diagnosis, patients are directed to specialist carriages. Two carriages house the ophthalmic clinic: where a patient waited for a student to make a pair of glasses for 30 rand ($3). For many South Africans, this is a new experience: “I’ve seen 80-year-old patients who have never had an eye test in their lives,” said Liesbeth Mpharalala, who runs the ophthalmic department. In the dental clinic, a dozen staff were busy with their patients. “Most of the poor have no dental education. They don’t know how to look after their teeth,” said Muhammad Garu, a dental student in Johannesburg. Lynette Flusk, in her cramped office in the psychology clinic, described the problems: unemployment, trauma from rape, poverty. “Self esteem is not high here. Don’t be fooled by the landscape — horizons are limited.”

‘The need is enormous’ Once patients have been treated, they go to see Elizabeth Mpya and her assistants in the pharmacy. For a few rand, she gives out anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. In the “management” carriage, Mazibuko was writing a report on their

t h e E M i r ro r E 2 9

activities for the Phelophepa Transnet Foundation. “The need here is enormous, but we won’t be back in Wincanton for at least another two years,” he said with regret. Until then, locals can go to the hospital at Kuruman. “But it’s terrible,” said a patient. “I almost died when I went there to have my baby.” Another option is the community health centre run by Marinda Theron in Deben, a township of 6,000, but “there are too few doctors and the ambulances take ages,” said an Afrikaner nurse who had worked there for 14 years. “And Placido Domingo doesn’t do anything to reduce our workload — even he sends us patients!” “Placido Domingo” is a traditional healer (he borrowed the opera star’s name) who lives in Deben. In the maze of alleyways lined with corrugated iron huts, his luxury brick house stands out. Two Mercedes C230s are parked discreetly under a canopy. The living room has elegant furniture and a stereo sound system. Our host talked about his love of traditional Tswana music: “I’m recording my second album in Kimberley next week.” But in Deben he is known for other talents. “I identify the curses that may be causing health problems. People here use a lot of curses.” To treat his patients, Domingo (nicknamed “The Witch”) throws 17 lamb bones on the ground, interprets their pattern, then invokes the help of the spirits before prescribing

“

Once patients have been treated, they go to see Elizabeth Mpya and her assistants in the pharmacy. For a few rand, she gives out anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

”

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r away, to be treated on the Phelophepa. With an annual budget of 25m rand ($2.5m), the hospital train has treated nearly 6 million South Africans since 1994, and made more than 20,000 future doctors aware of the challenge of working in a medical wilderness, in a country larger than Italy, France and Germany put together. “I tell my students: try to come back to the train after you graduate,” said Lynette Coetzee. “And many do.”

“

treatments based on lotus flowers and powdered bark. Eighty per cent of South Africans regularly consult one of the 200,000 registered traditional healers. But, our host said, when the Phelophepa comes to town “people from Deben flock there. Traditional and western medicine complement each other.” He does not join them for a check-up.

More than two decades after the end of apartheid, the chaotic state of public Yet Mazibuko feels satisfied with services what the train achieves: “We treated 135 is cruelly patients on Monday, and twice that on detrimental Tuesday.” Attendance is not guaranteed. “Local state employees are on strike, and to the health the council did not provide any transport for people to get here. Even the water we of South Africans: life were promised was not delivered.” The post-apartheid health record expectancy More than two decades after the end is just 53.4 of apartheid, the chaotic state of public years, 17.8% services is cruelly detrimental to the health of the adult of South Africans: life expectancy is just 53.4 years, 17.8% of the adult population population has HIV or Aids and the country is has HIV or ranked 123rd out of 187 on the Human Aids and the Development Index. The government has to face these huge challenges with only country is one doctor for every 4,219 people, one of ranked 123rd the lowest ratios on the planet. “Many are the country for better working out of 187 on leaving conditions abroad,” said Mike Waters, the Human the opposition Democratic Alliance’s Development health spokesman. Northern Cape is particularly badly affected, despite the Index. local government’s vision of “health service

”

excellence for all” — it cannot fill 57% of its vacancies for doctors and 34% of its nursing posts (2).

“In my town the government has built a brand new hospital, but you won’t find a single doctor inside,” said Isabelle Roberts, who had travelled from Dingleton, 60km www.themirrorinspires.com

The Phelophepa also employs 80 full-time and temporary support staff, recruited at the stations. While the doctors are dressing wounds, they are stocking supplies, washing linen, or preparing meals. And there are bored security guards aboard, watching their monitors. “This train is a bit like a submarine,” said Saazi Guzi, in charge of the dental clinic. “We share very personal things. The people around you end up being part of your family.” Colin Boucher, head of logistics, joined the Phelophepa 18 years ago, and thinks he has done his real family an injustice by staying on the train this long. “I’ve got another 12 years to go, but to be frank I don’t know if I will make it.” Flusk, head of psychology, said: “You are well outside your comfort zone here. The patients are difficult, and you are far from your loved ones. This train can make you or break you.” Sunday is their day off. Mazibuko, tired after too little sleep, wandered along the tracks in his flip-flops, gazing across the Kalahari. “You can’t imagine what we have seen on this train.” Behind the apparent routine of the work, he likes to remember the diversity of the experiences. “Wherever I am, all I need to do is look out the window, and I will see the same scene: an old woman who has come to have her vision tested, an old man wobbling on his walking stick, a child running around... Every week I will see the same scenes, but each time in a different place.” He recalled his favourites: “A stop at Mossel Bay, in the south, overlooking the Atlantic; a stop at Mooketsi, in Limpopo province, in the foothills of the Hanglip mountains.” A few carriages further along Mpya the pharmacist also looked out over the veld: “I am an optimist. The next time we come through Wincanton, there will be a good hospital a few kilometres away. When that happens, we won’t be needed... I hope I see that before I die.” ❙

t h e E M i r ro r E 3 1

Separating the frack from the fiction:

A summary of hydraulic fracturing and water resources By Brian Luenow, HydrateLife

Number of Respondents

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Table 1: 15 areas of concern with fracking

Key companies identified by interviewees Note: Results based on interviews with 16 representatives fro state and federal agencies, academia, industry, environmental groups and community based organisations.

The issue of fracking has caused a stir for those engaged in the energy debate. As the process involves a number of chemicals injected into the water, what danger does it pose to water resources? Today, I wanted to give a summary of a report put out by the Pacific Institute titled Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction. The Pacific Institute, which has been around for 25 years, released the paper which was written by Heather Cooley and Kristina Donnely in June of this year. For this report they conducted extensive interviews with experts from state and federal agencies, academia, industry, environmental groups, and community based organizations from throughout the U.S. If you are not familiar with what fracking is you can read an earlier article I wrote on fracking here:

What the Frack? Fracking deals, for the most part, with the retrieval of natural gas from deposits deep underground. Although fracking has been around for decades recent technological advances have made it more economical and have led to a boom in natural gas production. In the U.S., natural gas production is estimated to increase 30% over the next 25 years, from 22 trillion cubic feet to over 28 trillion cubic feet. Along with this increase in production, there has also been an increase in concern over the social and environmental impacts of fracking, especially as related to water resources. This concern comes from the fact that companies involved in fracking use a mixture of chemicals that are shot into

Fracking deals, for the most part, with the retrieval of natural gas from deposits deep underground. Although fracking has been around for decades recent technological advances have made it more economical and have led to a boom in natural gas production.

â&#x20AC;?

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r ground during the process, then pulled a the out, and later disposed of, sometimes by

“

So where does all this water come from? It is typically taken from a single location or watershed near the well site. Sometimes it is taken from “remote, often environmentally sensitive headwater areas.” When water is taken from headwater areas it can have detrimental impacts on downstream flow and everyone that lives along the water.

”

shooting it back into the ground through injection wells. Due to the concern a number of states have passed, or are planning on passing, laws requiring the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking. However, because of the strength of the industry it is often difficult to get these laws passed, especially in states where there is a lot of fracking going on. The industry doesn’t want to divulge what they’re using because it gives them a competitive advantage and helps them avoid litigation.

Water Withdrawals The EPA reports that fracking shale gas wells requires between 2.3 and 3.8 million gallons of water per well, and an additional 40,000-1,000,000 gallons is required to drill the well. However, the report goes on to note that this number can be up to 13 million gallons per well in addition to the water needed to drill the well. So where does all this water come from? It is typically taken from a single location or watershed near the well site. Sometimes it is taken from “remote, often environmentally sensitive headwater areas.” When water is taken from headwater areas it can have detrimental impacts on downstream flow and everyone that lives along the water. Also important to note is the fact that this water is taken out of the earth and never goes back into it because it is either not recovered or is polluted, something they call “consumptive” use. The withdrawal of so much water can lead to conflict. This year natural gas companies successfully bid for unallocated water in Colorado, water that previously had been claimed and used by farmers in the area. In Pennsylvania 11 approved water withdrawal permits for natural gas projects were suspended even though the area was not in a drought at the time. This move suggests that even under normal conditions the amount of water fracking requires is causing conflict with other uses. Water withdrawals can also impact water quality through mobilizing naturally occurring substances, promoting bacterial growth, causing land subsidence, and mobilizing lower quality water from surrounding areas. If taken from surface water it can affect the hydrology and hydrodynamics of the source water and lower volumes means reduced ability to dilute municipal or industrial wastewater.

www.themirrorinspires.com

Groundwater Contamination While natural gas is for the most part located far below underground sources of drinking water the well bore must pass through the water source in order to get to the gas. Vibrations and pressure pulses can lead to changes in the water’s color, turbidity, and odor. Further, chemicals and natural gas can escape the well bore if it is not properly sealed and cased. Old, abandoned wells can also serve as passageways for contaminants into groundwater. Currently there are 150,000 undocumented and abandoned oil and gas wells in the U.S. Methane contamination of drinking water is another issue (shale gas is composed of nearly 90% methane). A study showed that methane levels in drinking water near an active gas producing area (less than 1km from well) were 17 times higher than outside this area. Methane is not currently regulated in drinking water although it can cause explosions, fires (you may have read about people’s water lighting on fire), asphyxiation, and other health and safety concerns. Groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing fluids is another area of concern. In 2011 EPA testing found chemicals commonly associated with fracking in drinking water wells in Wyoming. However, it is often hard to prove that these chemicals are from fracking because of the lack of baseline data.

Wastewater Management Once the well pressure is released fracturing fluid (water, chemicals, etc) and naturally occurring substances flow back up to the surface. This fluid is called flowback. “Produced water”, water that was already in the ground but came out of the well as a result of fracking, also has to be dealt with. Produced water could be groundwater or naturally occurring substances (such as radioactive material, metals and salts). Wastewater is temporarily stored in pits, embankments, or tanks until it is moved and disposed of offsite. Groundwater contamination can occur during this time if the pits are not lined (or not lined properly) or tanks leak. So what do they do with all of this wastewater? Most of the time it is injected into Class II wells. Class II means that this wastewater is exempt from hazardous waste regulations and therefore are held

to less stringent requirements vs. Class I wells that are specifically for hazardous waste. The EPA estimates there are around 144,000 Class II wells in operation in the U.S. These wells have been known to leak or be over filled.

t h e E M i r ro r E 3 3

It’s possible for wasteater to be treated at municipal treatment plants, but this is uncommon and controversial because those systems are not meant to treat that type of wastewater and so what they discharge often has levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) that exceed standards. Wastewater can be reused in new fracking operations, for irrigation, dust control, and to deice roads. For the most part if reused the wastewater must be treated first, but in other cases it is just mixed with clean water to dilute it and bring the levels of TDS and other harmful chemicals to an acceptable level. They then talk about truck traffic, but I’m not going to go into that besides saying that they estimate one well requires 3,950 truck trips which adds traffic, causes air pollution and erosion, and increases the likelihood of a spill.

Surface Spills and Leaks Spills can occur at any stage during fracking. The chemicals need to be transported to the site and then mixed on site, both of which can lead to spills. Equipment or above ground storage tank/ pit failure can lead to a spill. Or people can lead to a spill in the case of a hauling company that was dumping millions of gallons of produced water into streams and mine shafts. Between January 2008 and August 2010 there were a number of documented violations that could result in spills and leaks in the Marcellus region. These violations include 155 industrial waste discharges, 162 violations of wastewater impoundment construction regulations, and 212 faulty pollution prevention practices. New research documents 24 cases of adverse health impacts on humans, pets, livestock, horses, and wildlife associated with natural gas production, including spills and leaks.

Stormwater Management While stormwater runoff naturally occurs fracking disturbs the land surface which increases the timing, volume, and composition of runoff.

“ Current natural gas drilling practices require the clearing of 7-8 acres per well pad, plus additional land for access roads, storage, waste pits, parking, equipment, etc. Runoff from fracking sites can contain pollutants from contact with equipment, storage facilities for the fracking fluid and produced water. And where does all this go? Down into rivers and streams. Stormwater runoff is regulated at the federal level (although states can sometimes administer their own permitting program). At the federal level oil and gas operations are exempt from the Clean Water Act. Yes… you read that correctly. How ridiculous is that? That means that they are not required to get a stormwater permit unless they are found to generate stormwater discharge containing a reportable quantity of oil or hazardous substances or it violates water quality standards. But someone needs to be testing their stormwater runoff in order to find out if they’re in violation, and how often do you think that happens? Overall, I think this was a pretty good report. They do point out that a lack of credible and comprehensive data and information is a major problem. Like I said before, the industry doesn’t want to give up any of its secrets so it’s hard to get any rock solid data. Also, they point out that most reports come from industry or advocacy groups and have not been peer-reviewed, giving them less legitimacy, and leads to them being driven by opinion. I read a decent amount about fracking and found this report interesting and it brought up some topics that I hadn’t thought about before. Hopefully it’s also helping to get the word out to more people who are not yet aware of the dangers of fracking.

Spills can occur at any stage during fracking. The chemicals need to be transported to the site and then mixed on site, both of which can lead to spills. Equipment or above ground storage tank/pit failure can lead to a spill.

”

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r

Only he who has travelled the road knows where the holes are deep.”

- Chinese Proverb

REFLECTIONS & OBSERVATIONS

❒ ❒

$42 per year (6 issues) PRINTED VERSION $21 per year (6 issues) DIGITAL VERSION

NAME:............................................................................................................................................... ADDRESS:........................................................................................................................................ .......................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................... Method of payment:

❒ ❒

Bill me later Payment enclosed

www.themirrorinspires.com

You can subscribe online for both the digital and printed versions, simply visit www.themirrorinspires.com, or if making payment by post send to JEZ Media, PO Box 1109, Hastings, New Zealand

t h e E M i r ro r E 3 5

www.themirrorinspires.com

t h e E M i r ro r