Their latest tree update comes from one of Ecosia’s first grown forests in Borneo, Indonesia, where their searches are helping restore the habitat of endangered wildlife species like the orangutan. Ecosia started planting trees in Indonesia only two and a half years ago. Today, the forest is slowly coming back, which is creating economic value for the local farmers whose livelihood depends on forest goods like nuts, fruits and medicinal herbs.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, and after the first nine months of collaboration with Eden Reforestation Projects in Haiti, they have planted 230,000 trees. These trees will protect watersheds from erosion and, as they grow over the years, their roots will absorb rainwater, halting floods that damage people’s houses and farming lands.
Their tree-planting partners in Burkina Faso are now also working in Mali. Hommes et Terre is applying the same techniques in this neighbouring country who shares their climatic conditions. Half-moon shaped holes have been dug up in the planting sites and in the following months Ecosia-financed seeds will be planted in them, waiting for the next rainy season to start growing and re-greening the desert.
Ecosia is the search engine that plants trees. Every month they invest at least 80% of their surplus in tree planting projects all over the world.
Acting Executive Director of UN Environment, Joyce Msuya, is visiting the Zhejiang Province in China to witness the move towards green development in the region.
Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole expresses the true meaning of hula from a native Hawaiian perspective on the Island of Hawaii.
Kanakaole is a force of nature. She’s won multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, which are Hawaii’s highest musical honor, and has traveled the world performing. Her transcendent voice comes from one of Hawaii’s most esteemed lineages. Her great-grandmother, Edith Kanakaole was a pioneering leader during the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 60’s and 70’s. Her grandmother, Pualani Kanakaole Kanahele is a Ph.D and kumu hula (hula teacher). Her mother, Kekuhi Kanahele-Frias is also a Hoku award winning artist and educator.
She calls herself a hula haka, or hula medium – the means in which hula moves through. It’s a way for her to connect to her legacy, and more importantly, to the land. She defines hula as the constant rhythm that nature has. Hula is movement at its most primal. For native Hawaiians, hula is a bridge to authenticity and identity.
Kaumakaiwa defines oli (chant) as a vocal or harmonic alchemy. She says it’s the ability to manifest change in your environment. Hula facilitated the connection between her and the land, and reaffirms her commitment as a native Hawaiian.
