OWL and Open Hands

OWL and Open Hands 

During the summer, I was able to work as an intern at Open Hands Korea. I have been doing many projects with Open Hands since the eighth grade and I stand together with their mission to “Save Lives and Make An Impact”. During my time working as an intern, I wondered about the difference between NGO (Open Hands) and NPO (OWL) and conducted some research. They are similar in that both organizations aim to serve the public and promote positive social change. The main differentiator is that non-governmental organizations operate internationally. 

When we learn about social or environmental issues, we ponder and think about the way to solve the problem or make a change. One way we can do this is by shifting our lifestyle and consumer choices and another is by getting politically active with our voices and votes. However, I feel that one of the most effective ways to help realize a more sustainable future is to also support environmental nonprofits. Since the inception of OWL, we have supported the projects and collaborated with Open Hands which has been very successful. 

Open Hands was equipped with the much-needed background research, social networks, know-how, and action plans to fully serve their mission and they were more capable of tackling issues that OWL cannot manage alone. As NGO’s operation runs on donations, OWL will continue to get involved in whichever ways we are able to and contribute financially through consistent and assiduous fundraisers.

By. Alex Sangwook Ahn

BIODIVERSITY

By Seojin David Lee

It is evident that there is a biodiversity crisis everywhere these days. However, there is one particular region where the issue is particularly severe: the Asia-Pacific region. While biodiversity decline is prevalent, researchers have found that the ecosystems and species within the Asia-Pacific region are particularly being threatened. For instance, about 60% of its grasslands have been harmed due to overgrazing, invasive species, etc. Such events have led to detrimental consequences: out of the ten most polluted rivers in the world, eight of them are in Asia, and consequently, nearly 25% of the species in the ecosystem are threatened (1).

Why should these facts alarm us? A crucial reason is that researchers have found that the quality of biodiversity is closely related to people's well-being. In other words, biodiversity decline leads to a worse quality of life for people. Hence, the biodiversity crisis is particularly alarming in Asia-Pacific because almost 200 million people are said to depend on the resources within the area: that is a direct negative impact on the quality of life for more than 200 million people (2).

Another reason is that the lack of biodiversity means an increase in the extinction of different species. Currently, Asia-Pacific has the richest biodiversity on Earth. Yet, researchers state that if its rapid biodiversity decline continues, up to 42% of all species within Southeast Asia could go extinct at the end of the century (2).
Fortunately, there are ways to impede the decline rate and ultimately protect biodiversity. One approach is the implementation of certain policies so that people within the region are more cautious of the biodiversity concern (1). For instance, spreading the need for biodiversity concern among local communities could encourage people to take part in more environmental-friendly practices. Another approach is to invest in certain programs and ecofriendly companies with a vision to conserve biodiversity (2).

The importance of biodiversity is often overlooked; yet, the two articles mentioned have clearly delineated why the concern is alarming and must be addressed. It is not too late to join the fight in raising awareness about biodiversity decline in the world, specifically in Asia-Pacific.

Sources: 

(1) https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/scientists-warn-dangerous-decline-asia-pacifics-biodiversity

(2) https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/how-to-address-asia-pacifics-biodiversity-crisis-and-encourage-nature-positive-growth/

Making Korean "Bunsik" healthier 

In Korea, "Bunsik" is what we call foods that are eaten as quick snacks. For instance, gimbap and corndogs. Out of these, the most popular or rather a representative 'bunsik' food in Korea is called Tteok-bokki 떡볶이. Although this food is very popular, tteokboki lacks fiber and important dietary nutrients. So today, Eric and I decided to make tteokboki but with a twist to make this 'quick snack' healthier - tteokboki with edible crickets! 

Even thinking about eating dried crickets made Eric and I feel hesitant towards trying this recipe out initially. However, we knew that adding these edible crickets to the dish would make our tteokboki more nutritionally rich in proteins. Not only this but edible crickets (Orthoptera) are also known to be good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber with 55 to 73% of protein. Thus, we put aside our hesitance to try this dish out and made it! Our end product just tasted like the tteokboki that we would have in "bunsik" restaurants but knowing that it was healthier made us feel more proud with this dish. 

By making tteokboki with edible crickets, we aim to promote the use of edible insects and spread awareness of the importance of using edible insects as an alternative food source for a more sustainable and an environmentally friendly future. 

Tteokboki + mealworm powder recipe: 

ricecake 

olive oil 1 Tablespoon 

red pepper paste 3 Tablespoonn

corn syrup 2 Tablespoon

ketchup 2 Tablespoonn

sugar 2 Tablespoon 

soy sauce 1 Tablespoon

a bit of grated apple 

edible crickets as topping 

Writer : Ella Hong

 Social Contribution Activities of Disney

By. Sangwook Alex Ahn

These days businesses and companies cannot keep up their reputation without putting emphasis on social responsibility. Businesses may have a large impact on society in numerous ways. Its efforts to make good contributions can make a change.

 

Companies with the best corporate social responsibility reputation (CSR) could be perceived in numerous dimensions such as

-       Product governance practices

-       Workplace practices

-       Social responsibility

-       Leadership

 

Studies show that people are increasingly concerned about sustainability. One of my favorite companies, the Walt Disney Company, is committed to protecting the planet for future generations. The company’s commitment to environmental stewardship dates to its founding nearly 100 years ago. 2030 Environmental goals focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, building more sustainability, and reducing the environmental impact of their consumer products. The company announced that it is teaming up with local utility providers to build two new solar facilities expected to come near Walt Disney World in 2023. That, along with existing solar resources, will power up to 40% of the resort's annual electricity needs. Disney also installed solar arrays at Castaway Cay and Hong Kong Disneyland. In addition, the company diverted 60% of operational waste from landfill, then launched plastic-free packaging for a line of classic Princess Dolls. Moreover, the company invested millions to support nonprofit organizations working across 30 countries through the Disney Conservation Fund.

The company continues to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in its workplace and beyond. They are implementing new content inclusion standards, launching a new talent acquisition initiative at historically black colleges and universities, and directing $15 million of annual charitable giving to programs serving underrepresented communities.

 

The company supports children's hospitals and wish-granting organizations through the contributions of thousands of Disney volunteers around the world. The company supported local food banks worldwide through monetary and in-kind giving, including donating more than 320 tons of food to support communities impacted by COVID-19.

The company launched its new social responsibility website at impact.disney.com. Check out their updates on their environmental social and governance work throughout the year.

Greenwashing By. Sangwook Alex Ahn   Have you heard of the phrase “greenwashing” or “green camouflage?” It is also known as “green lies” or “disguised environmentalism.” In the late 2000s, Terra Choice, a Canadian eco-friendly consulting firm, defined the 7 standards of greenwashing as acts that mislead consumers about the environmental practices of companies or the environmental benefits of products and services, or the act of hiding the factors that destroy the environment instead of highlighting only the positive impact.   Companies are shouting eco-friendly while in truth, it is very controversial. The disposable capsule coffee Green Mountain, sold by American Coffee company Keurig, has a triangle and the word recycling engraved on the surface. The company advertised that disposal plastic capsules can be recycled as plastic by removing the metal lid and emptying the coffee grounds. Consumers' complaints followed as the task of emptying the capsule one by one to recycle was too much of a bother and annoying. In the end, Fair Trade Canada, after investigation, concluded that the advertisement was false or misleading, imposing a fine of $2.3 million.  Nestle, a food and beverage company, held an event to recycle used aluminum coffee capsules from customers, saying “do good for the environment and the happiness of the community.” However, Nestle uses 8000 tons of aluminum to produce coffee capsules and emits 8 tons of carbon dioxide per year in the process. It was criticized as greenwashing because it emphasized recycling and the environment while hiding this fact.   In the case of Adidas, it was criticized for advertising "Stan Smith" as an eco-friendly product, claiming that at least 50% of the shoes are recycled. No concrete evidence was provided and in September last year, the French Advertising Ethics Commission found the company guilty, saying it was not clear how it was recycled.   The lack of clear standards for what is eco-friendly and what is greenwashing is a cause of controversy. Therefore, I think the work to establish a real eco-friendly standard and guideline for companies is essential and necessary.