September 2019 Archives

On this episode of Solutions News, we take a look at how coordinated action has been employed by the United Nations to eradicate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. While there is still a long way to go, some of the reductions have been remarkable. We also talk about the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on #16: Peace and Justice and Strong Institutions. Our guest Barbara Gaughen-Muller, discusses the UN Association Peace Prize that she inaugurated in 2017, and trumpets the various achievements of this year's nominees. (produced by Kristy Jansen) 

Story #1: UN’s Efforts to Reduce Malaria Cases

This week’s first story focuses on the eradication of malaria from many parts of the world through the strong efforts of the United Nations. 92 percent of malaria cases happen in Africa, killing almost 250,000 children each year. The UN knew this was a problem they needed to address by lowering the spread and deadliness of the disease through an internationally coordinated campaign. The UN, World Health Organization, and United States as well as the AMLA, a coalition of 49 African heads of state dedicating to eradicating malaria, put in immense research to impose critical changes in many areas. The movement has seen many successes over the years, and malaria cases have plummeted because of new research, vaccines, and education.

Story #2: Sustainable Development Goals of UN

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are directed at creating a better, more sustainable future for all. They address global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. There are 17 ambitious goals including ending world hunger and poverty. The goals span both developed and developing nations, working collectively to end widespread problems and prevent more from arising.

Story #3: Using Business to do Good

The final story this week focuses on the power of businesses and corporations to do good in the world. Rinaldo Brutoco addresses and responds to an economist’s critique of the Business Roundtable revision of the Statement of Purpose for a Corporation, a statement redefining the general goals and values (including benefitting all stakeholders) that corporations should seek out which has been signed by 181 of the world’s most prominent CEOs and business leaders.

On this episode of Solutions News, we cover the ways the corporate world is beginning to make the shift towards more just and sustainable practices and more equality with a focus on certified “B-corporations” and the non-profit, JUST Capital, which is working to help large publicly traded companies succeed with truly “just” business practices. To shake up the show’s format a bit, our producer Kristy Jansen takes on the role of Host, and Rinaldo - who’s a sought after expert on how business can be a force for good sits in the interview hot seat! The solution that some are calling for is a new ethos that supports companies which build sustainability into the workforce and the local community, and which provide environmental stewardship while penalizing those that continue as bad actors. This solution is gaining new power in corporate board rooms at the largest public companies in America, as well as among smaller private businesses. What’s at stake is basically the sustainability of the American economy - and perhaps the very foundation of our political system as well. (Produced by Kristy Jansen)

On this episode of Solutions News (recorded Sept 20, 2019), we take a look at the role the media can play in informing the general public, and how this is an essential part of American Democracy. We also address the false dichotomy that’s now a firmly held cultural belief that we have to choose EITHER cheap goods made with extractive procedures OR pay more for “Green” products produced sustainably. This is a false dichotomy, and in fact, it pays off “BIGLY” to invest in renewable, power and sustainable procedures that support the environment and worker paychecks.

Our guest on this show is Brent Goodlet, a post-doc in materials science, who is also a community activist and organizer of a local Climate Strike. We will be talking with Brent about the concept of the strike, and how the youth-led large scale civil disobedience movements like the climate strike and walking out of class are designed to provoke substantive action by government, business and other halls of power in our society. Finally, we highlight some of the reasons we support the climate strike, and why we are taking this episode AND next week’s to give voice to this movement. (Produced by Kristy Jansen)

On this episode of Solutions News, we are mixing things up.  Last week we interviewed Brent Goodlet - who helped to organize the General Strike for the Climate that occurred on September 27, 2019 - the day we recorded this show. In honor of this action and the millions who participated in the youth-led strikes that occurred around the world on September 20, 2019, we are going to take a listen to some of the young voices and others who are making this a global event.   We will hear from some of the activists, organizers, and participants from both the youth led and General Climate Strikes and talk about the power of a collective youth voice in helping to change the world.

Barbara Gaughen-Muller is an internationally known peace maker. 

She is President of the United Nations Association, Santa Barbara, CA Chapter, (www.unasb.org) She is an inspirational speaker: The Time for Peace is Now!  For the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations, she spoke at the UN in New York and received the Spirit of the UN award. She is the co-author of the book Revolutionary Conversations: The Tools You Need for the Success You Want, and Co-CEO of Revolutionary Conversations, LLC. On their website (www.revolutionaryconversations.net) she hosts the Power of Peace Podcasts with global peacemakers. 

She is a co-founder of the Rotary E-Club of World Peace, (www.rotaryeclubofworldpeace.org) following her work on the 2016 World Peace Conference, (www.peaceconference2016.org). She continues the peace work of her late husband, Dr. Robert Muller, former UN Assistant Secretary General. They co-created 7500 Ideas for a Better World, shared daily (www.goodmorningworld.org). She is the founder of the award winning Gaughen Global Public Relations, celebrating its 25th year working for a better world. In January 2019, she received the Visioneers LifeTime Achievement Award  (www.thevisioneers.ca).  

Brent Goodlet has been living in Santa Barbara for the past seven years while working on his Ph.D. in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Before coming to California, Brent grew up in Colorado where he graduated high school and joined the US Army Reserves at the age of 17 to help pay for college. As the first person in his family to go to college, Brent graduated with a B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 2012, given two overseas deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during his studies. 

Now a postdoctoral scholar and community organizer focused on grassroots campaigns, Brent took charge in the organizing effort for the September 27th General Climate Strike event in Santa Barbara after coming to terms with the dire warnings of the scientific community about the climate crisis that we all now face. 

His advocacy and organizing efforts focused on disrupting the "business as usual" mindset that has led to decades of inaction on an issue with the potential to create over a billion climate refugees by the end of the century, and unconscionable amounts of human suffering for generation after generation into the future. Therefore, Brent and the Climate Strike SB Team are embracing the powerful and disruptive potential of a global general strike, as it is now being called for by numerous national and international groups, including 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg and her global Fridays For Future movement. 

Planned as part of a global coalition of climate strikes and actions, starting with Youth-Led Climate Strikes on September 20th, kicking off a "Week of Climate Action" from September 20th - 27th, the events will culminate in the first-ever Global General Climate Strike of all people, willing and able, at noon on Friday, September 27th. Many local events are currently being planned, with the largest being in front of Santa Barbara City Hall at De La Guerra Plaza. This event will include a coalition of partner organizations that have been—and will continue to be-- involved in the flight for environmental and climate justice, organized tabling events to engage with the public starting at 11am, a rally with speakers at noon providing a diverse slate of community voices, and finally a march through the streets of Santa Barbara.