Human Canaries
Caged canaries were once brought deep into the coal mines to act as an early warning system for the workers. If the bird fell off its perch and died the miners knew the air was becoming unfit to breathe. Around the world men, women, and children are being subjected to this same fate. Today, in our battle for survival, as in any other war, the decision makers are far removed from the danger. Ira Rennert is one such decision maker.
If you’ve never heard of him you are not alone, he likes his privacy. He hides behind dozens of corporations and lives on a 60 acre sanctuary in New York state next to the Atlantic Ocean.
Rennert is the man behind the curtain at Renco Group, a private holding company, that owns the Doe Run mining concern who were expelled from Peru recently for the ongoing environmental abuses attributed to them since 1997. In an article published yesterday titled "US Firm kicked out of Peru mining group for pollution." and carried by Yahoo news, the author relates that the La Oroya mining operation is one of the top ten most polluted sites in the world. What the article does not cover though is the suffering inflicted upon the townspeople of La Oroya 150 kilometers east of Lima.
In order to correct that oversite I would kindly ask you to watch this video.
Ira Rennert may be the worlds worst polluter.
bohzo
I never knew of this horrible man who kills for money, he belongs in a prison not a 28 bedroom mansion. I have never seen such a house.
Megwetch and have a great day.
Comment by Pokagon Indian — February 1, 2010 @ 9:28 pm
Bohzo, yes Pokagon Indian and I suspect there are many like him we have yet to find…
Comment by Cao — February 1, 2010 @ 9:45 pm
I love reading your blog because i am a environment activist at the beginning level. Stop reading so much and write so i have something to read. Your posts are masterpieces.
Comment by David M. — February 6, 2010 @ 5:11 am
Thanks David!
Comment by Cao — February 6, 2010 @ 8:08 pm
The European Journalism Centre (EJC) would like to invite you to apply for the third round of our acclaimed blogging competition, TH!NK ABOUT IT: Developing World.
TH!NK3 will bring together some 100 bloggers, journalists, issue experts and students from the 27 EU member states, as well as neighbourhood countries and beyond, to exchange ideas and debate sustainable development and global cooperation topics. The blogging competition will run from 24 March to 31 August and begins with a launch event in Brussels, 22-23 March. The awards include opportunities to travel and report from Asia and Africa. The big prize is a trip to the UN headquarters in New York in September 2010, at the time of the Millenium Development Goals summit. All trips are sponsored by the EJC or our partners.
The previous two editions of our competition, TH!NK2: Climate Change and TH!NK1: European Elections 2009, received hundreds of thousands of visitors and got the attention of major mainstream media. TH!NK2: Climate Change won the European Public Affairs Award for the “Best Web 2.0 Campaign of the Year” in 2009.
Please find more information about this contest at development.thinkaboutit.eu. Please note that the deadline for registration is February 19.
The EJC is an independent, international, non-profit institute dedicated to the highest standards in journalism. For the TH!NK3 launch event, we have received additional support from the European Commission.
Thank you!
Comment by Rina — February 17, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Thank you Rina for the for the kind offer I am humbled!
Comment by Caoimhin — February 17, 2010 @ 7:29 pm