World Ark Magazine - March/April 2008 - (Page 2) Complete the puzzle. Complete Yourself. Letters Readers Respond You featured Les Brown, an alum of the International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) program, In now no known as the International 4-H Youth Exchange, in the January/February issue. The article Ex was w great and we appreciated the recognition of Les. Le However, alumni and extension staff are concerned about the statement, “now-defunct co International Farm Youth Exchange.” The program In has ha changed from when Les (1956) and I (1953) were participants. 4-H International programs w today not only include the IFYE program, similar to to what it was 50 years ago, but have introduced many m new opportunities for individuals of all ages, including a global education emphasis. in Melvin J. Thompson Editor, IFYE News Bethesda, Md. I was stunned when your magazine featured ster Berry Lester Brown and Wendell Berry, two such pessimists about the future. If their analyses are valid, you ought to shut down your program because there is no way we are going to keep the folks you are helping alive. Brown opposes high-yield farming and, of course, genetically modified seeds. Beginning in the 1970s, Brown wrote that soil erosion would lead to mass starvation and sought to return to organic farming—which would surely lead to far lower yields and mass starvation. He has been consistently wrong for decades. I suggest you feature Norman Borlaug in your next edition. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his role in starting the Green Revolution that led to higher yields worldwide. Even now in his 90s, Borlaug’s forward-looking vision stands in marked contrast to both Lester Brown and Wendell Berry who you featured. Rudy Boschwitz U.S. Senator (R-MN, 1978-91) U.S. Ambassador to the UN Commission on Human Rights (2005) I very much appreciated your featuring the views of David Korten, Lester Brown, Wendell Berry and theWorldwatch Institute’s paper on urban agriculture. That is one issue that won’t end up in my recycling bin! These giants are pointing the way towards the radical changes we need to make for humanity’s survival in the face of peak oil/global climate change. Christina Snyder RA, Sustainable Spaces Manchester, Mich. Volunteer. B e a part of a global movement empowering millions! Volunteer at one of Heifer International’s Learning Centers. Explore the issues of world hunger and poverty, while challenging visitors to examine their own habits and beliefs on the path to becoming more responsible global citizens. Learning Center volunteers: Lead Educational Programming Care for Livestock Tend the Gardens Provide Operations Support Whether you’re 18 or 80, you can become a member of Heifer’s volunteer community. Apply on-line at www.heifer.org/learningcenters or contact the Volunteer Office at lcvol@heifer.org or (501) 889-5124. I am a concerned 13-year-old who has given a great deal of thought to such global issues as hunger, poverty and child labor. After reading the article entitled “(PRODUCT) RED: The Power of the Consumer” in the November/December issue, I had several different reactions. It seems sensible to me that while purchasing everyday products a consumer would have the ability to contribute to a worthy cause. However, while the (PRODUCT) RED campaign is helping some, it is our consuming habits that are harming many. It is our responsibility as consumers to vote with our dollar, using it in a way that creates a “good deal” for everyone. We must first decide if our level of consumption is sustainable, and then we must pause to think about who and what our choices are affecting. Simone Prince-Eichner Lummi Island, Wash. www.heifer.org For a response to Simone’s letter from the Product (RED) CEO and to read all of our reader letters in full, visit us online at www.heifer.org/worldark. 2 March/April 2008 | WORLD ARK www.heifer.org http://www.heifer.org/learningcenters http://www.heifer.org http://www.heifer.org/worldark http://www.heifer.org
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