Blog
Posted on September 8, 2014
By Sam Wolff
As its name implies, the Associates in Cultural Exchange (ACE) was founded to foster cross-cultural friendships, communication and understanding. Founded in Seattle in 1973, ACE provides language and cultural programs for students of all ages, international study tours and facilitation for other international ventures, all of which fall under this Global Washington member’s mission of “making the world your community.”
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Posted on September 2, 2014
By Sam Wolff
We know that people need sufficient supplies of food, water and shelter for basic survival. But to increase opportunities and improve overall quality of life, the basics are often not enough. This is the fundamental idea behind Dwankhozi Hope, a Seattle-based organization and Global Washington member that works to help Zambian families better the Dwankhozi community – not only through necessities such a clean water, but through education, power and community development.
As the story goes, Charles Masala, a U.S.-based engineer who grew up in Zambia, heard about a community near his hometown that started its own school. This was 2003 and the school lacked skilled teachers, resources and government support. Masala was inspired by the dedication of the community’s people and their belief that every child has a right to an education. He wanted to do more than just support this school; he wanted to be a true partner in the development of the Dwankhozi community.
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Posted on August 25, 2014
By Sam Wolff
It’s widely recognized that environmental issues can have detrimental effects on economies. These can, at times, be difficult to observe beyond statistics and researched predictions, but one current issue has already created significant and observable effects. This is the problem of overfishing.
The figures surrounding this issue are somewhat staggering. According to the UN, 17% of fish stocks worldwide are overexploited. 52% are fully exploited, and 7% are depleted. This leaves the world with an estimated 20% of worldwide fish stocks that are not yet at or above harvesting capacity. Furthermore, 90% of large fish stocks have been depleted, due to the targeting of fish at the top of the food chain for their size. The unintended effect of this practice has led to imbalances within marine ecosystems. Because of the disproportional depletion of larger fish, their prey (smaller fish) are becoming more abundant. Ecosystems struggle to adapt to such rapid change, and the ending result can be a cascading effect in which many species, not just those being fished, are harmed1.
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