Noteworthy by The Solutions Journal

https://thesolutionsjournal.com/2015/5/noteworthy

Idea Lab Noteworthy Promoting Literacy in Unconventional Ways by Ilina Talwar Sitting still for even twenty minutes can be quite a challenge for restless, fidgety seven-year-olds as they get their hair cut. Courtney Holmes, a barber from Iowa, gives these kids a meaningful distraction, as he not only cuts their hair, but also takes on illiteracy. The benefits of reading are well known, however, there has been a sharp decline in reading among children in the last couple of decades. According to a survey conducted

by The National Literacy Trust, 40 percent of kids in the United States between the ages of eight and 16 used to read daily in 2005, while only 30 percent did so in 2011. With digital technologies such as the iPad, Play Station, and Wii taking over children’s lives, reading has become a less preferred form of entertainment. A barber in Dubuque, Iowa tried to combat this problem by doing what he knows best: cutting hair. Courtney Holmes spent the day giving free haircuts to kids in his local community at the annual Back to School Bash under the condition that they would read to him. As a child, Holmes did not have

much access to books. Other than the books provided by school, the only thing he read was the Bible. “I was not a kid that got to read at an early age,” he says. Now 45 and a farther of two, he reads to his kids every night before tucking them into bed. Not all parents place such a great emphasis on reading, as most kids in his community still struggle to read. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and sometimes that means that lessons in literacy come from unlikely places. The Spark Family Hair Salon, where Holmes works, aims to carry forward his efforts and make the reading event a monthly endeavor.

Melanie Holtsman

Courtney Holmes gave free haircuts to children in his local community at the annual Back to School Bash under the condition that they would read to him. 6 | Solutions | September-October 2015 | www.thesolutionsjournal.org

Idea Lab Noteworthy Turkey’s New Wildlife Corridor Aims to Bring Balance Back to Biodiversity Hotspots by Ilina Tatwar Holding the title of the “Biodiversity Superpower of Europe,” Turkey is one of the only countries that is home to three out of 34 biodiversity wildlife hotspots in the world: the Caucasus, Irano-Anatolian, and the Mediterranean. However, due to the lax approach taken by the government regarding environmental regulations, Turkey ranked 109th out of 132 countries in the 2012 World Environmental Performance Index. These low rankings are representative of the harsh decline in its carnivorous population. The Asiatic lion, Iranian cheetah, and Caspian tiger are already extinct, while others such as the gray wolf, brown bear, lynx, and caracal are on the brink of extinction. KuzeyDoga, an NGO led by University of Utah professor and Turkish national Dr. Cagan Sekercioglu, who was responsible for pushing the government to take up this cause and spearheaded efforts to establish Turkey’s first Wildlife Corridor that was publicly announced in June 2012. Covering 23,500 hectares and 82 kilometers in length, the corridor extends from the Sarikamis Forest–Allahuekber Mountains to the Black Sea and Caucasus forests in Turkey and Georgia. Wildlife corridors serve as “traveling avenues for wildlife species between two similar yet fragmented habitat areas.” As well as providing a safe passage for animals by connecting isolated populations of wildlife

Carl Clifford

A harsh decline in Turkey’s carnivorous populations has included the extinction of the Caspian tiger, pictured.

across the northeast through a process of reforestation, the wildlife corridor promotes trans-boundary conservation. As two thirds of the corridor is already covered with forests, the government has planned to plant an additional 4.5 million trees to fill the remaining area. Apart from reforestation, park rangers will be hired to ensure the full protection of the corridor, officially labeled a “Protected Forest.” Over the last couple of years, Dr. Sekercioglu has raised concerns over excessive dam construction, the draining of wetlands, and overirrigation, as the government pours more and more money into development projects. Four thousand dams and hydro-electric power plants have been commissioned to be built by 2023. The building of the wildlife corridor is the first step towards restoring the balance and preserving Turkey’s natural habitat.

Science and Islam: Rebuilding a Modern Iraq by Ilina Talwar Iraq has a long history of contributing to scientific discovery, however as religious leaders increasingly take control of the war-torn nation, that tradition is under threat. Once a hub for scholars and intellectuals, Iraq and the Middle East were the epicenter of knowledge and learning. Home to Bayt al-Hikma, or the House of Wisdom, between the 10th and 13th centuries, medieval Iraq experienced what was known as the Golden Age of Islam, revolutionizing scientific thought. However, in recent years there has been a sharp divide between Islam and science, exacerbated by war and unrest. The lack of scientific material available in Iraq is particularly damaging to the country’s development, having severe repercussions on

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Idea Lab Noteworthy

Christopher Rose

A monument to ancient Islamic astronomer Ulugh Beg in a mosque in Uzbekistan. Ulugh Beg was a figure in the Golden Age of Islam in the 14th century. Modern Islam is facing a sharp divide between the religion and scientific thought.

education, public policy, and socioeconomic advancement. However, in recent years, a group of young Iraqis have taken a stand against the Islamic government’s strict control over media, and are working to promote ‘radical’ ideas outside of religion. Working side by side, The Iraqi Translation Project and Real Sciences translate works of science into Arabic, and make them available to the public. Founded in 2011 and 2013, respectively, both organizations have grown to gain over 13,000 followers on Facebook. Often translating texts on Darwin, evolutionary theory, outer space, and

human physiology, they are passionate about science and believe that it will help reduce sectarian conflicts in their community. In 2013, members of the two groups started an initiative, called “I am Iraqi, I Read,” in response to government crackdowns on the sale and publication of literary material. Hundreds of people gathered on the famous Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad for a book festival and peaceful demonstration in support of rebuilding the lost culture of reading. A symbol of Islamic philosophy in Iraq, the market for books is dominated by religious works, often endorsing sectarianism, nationalism,

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pan-Arabism, and even communism. Books based on science and reason are rare commodities, and difficult to find in the local market. Government regulations prohibit scientific articles or works, which are thought to go against the teachings of Islam. In parts of Iraq controlled by ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), where the government has little influence, ISIS fighters are systematically indoctrinating young children and building a new generation of Islamic extremists willing to fight for their cause. Teaching subjects such as math, science, and music are banned. Last year, in the city of Mosul, ISIS fighters carried out a series of home

Idea Lab Noteworthy invasions, getting rid of any nonIslamic books. Pioneers, rebels, and revolutionaries in their field, Real Sciences and The Iraqi Translation Project are paving the way for a new, liberal Iraq.

The most effective solutions meet threats head-on with positive and highly innovative thinking. This is certainly the approach behind ecological artist Aviva Rahmani’s new activist art installation. Facing the threat of fossil fuel expansions and a new natural gas pipeline, residentactivists enlisted the help of Rahmani in the quiet hamlet of Peekskill, New York. Nestled in the Hudson Valley, Peekskill is one of many picturesque towns that could be drastically and negatively impacted by the Algonquin pipeline expansion proposed by Spectra Energy. Rahmani’s unexpected response has the potential to transform environmental activism. With the goal of exploring whether copyright law can be leveraged to protect natural habitats, Rahmani has designed an interdisciplinary symphonic art project as a permanent installation on private property directly in the path of the proposed pipeline. The project, entitled Blued Trees, is integrated into the flora of the site. Waves printed on trees are conceived as notes for a musical composition. An international “Greek Chorus” was also initiated as part of the overture. On October 4, a full symphony of the piece was performed and video-documented at multiple locations.

Aviva Rahmani

Trees from the second movement of the Blued Trees symphony.

In a defiant and innovative action, Rahmani has filed a federal copyright to protect Blued Trees, citing the Visual Artists Rights Act, which asserts the “moral rights of art” against destruction. The next step in the legal process will be a cease-and-desist notification to Spectra Energy. Blued Trees is an element of Rahmani’s Gulf to Gulf project, sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts in an effort to use art to

impact global climate policy. A brief film on the Blued Trees “overture” launch can be viewed at: https://vimeo. com/channels/943134. Rahmani’s work is known for using art to effect environmental change in projects ranging from landscape restorations to museum venues. She is an affiliate at the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a PhD candidate at the University of Plymouth, in the UK.

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