Omega Resilience Awards’ Post

Eco-friendly memorials offer a unique way to honour the deceased while paying tribute to the environment. These memorials focus on sustainability and minimal ecological impact, reflecting a growing awareness and concern for our planet's health. By choosing eco-friendly memorials, families can create a lasting tribute that aligns with the values of their loved ones, especially for those passionate about environmental conservation. These memorials often involve using biodegradable materials, such as urns made from natural fibres, which gently return to the earth without harming the ecosystem. Additionally, eco-friendly memorials can take the form of tree plantings or creating living memorials, such as gardens or dedicated park benches made from recycled materials. These living tributes offer a space for reflection and remembrance while contributing positively to the environment by supporting biodiversity and natural beauty. Eco-friendly memorials also often involve simple ceremonies that reduce carbon footprint, avoiding harmful chemicals used in traditional burial practices. This approach honours the deceased and signifies a commitment to preserving the planet for future generations. In essence, eco-friendly memorials are a profound way to celebrate a life lived, intertwining the memory of the deceased with the ongoing cycle of nature. They offer a means to commemorate loved ones in a manner that respects and nurtures the environment, ensuring their legacy contributes to the health and vitality of the earth. #EcoFriendlyMemorials #GreenTribute #SustainableRememberance #EnvironmentalLegacy #ConservationInMemory #EcoConsciousFarewell #BiodegradableTribute #NatureHonoring #PlantingMemories #GreenGoodbyes #EcoMemorial #SustainableLegacy #NatureMemorial #EarthFriendlyFarewell

Earlier in this month, I visited Kenya on holiday, traversing its magnificent landscape from north to south and beyond, touching places like the Nairobi National Park, Olpejeta Conservancy, Samburu Reserve, Naivasha Lake and finally, the Masai Mara! The sheer expanse of the grasslands, the vast terrain and the plethora of wildlife in its raw unpolluted spirit was not just enchanting, but thrilling, spine-chilling and spectacular as well! As I reflected on my return journey, I could not help but draw parallels between the savannah grassland ecosystem and some of my experiences in the corporate arena. The laws of nature echoed in both contexts, when I started comparing life in the two ecosystems. 1. The "Survival of the fittest" principle is at play in both ecosystems, but perhaps more subtle and sophisticated, relatively speaking, in the corporate world. Survival is a key indicator of performance in the wild, and this idea perhaps resonates to some extent in the other context. 2. Both playgrounds are certainly not level playing fields, though one of them may shout from the rooftops that they are equal opportunity employers and prominently display motherhood statements on values, integrity, transparency, fairness etc. on the walls of their offices, websites or intranets. At least, the other system does not pretend - what you see is all there is (WYSIATI)! 3. Both are populated with powerful predators, pitiable prey and pestering parasites to different degrees. Add sulking scavengers to the party as well, to clean up the mess left behind by the predecessors who would have feasted earlier on a few poor unfortunate weaker victims lower down in the food chain who in turn could not see what was coming. A view to a kill! 4. The lion is the "king" across the game reserve. The gender issue is still alive and well across both landscapes. Care-giving appeared to be almost always the responsibility of the female across species, be it elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras or giraffes. And in organizations today, "women in leadership positions" and "career paths for women" continue to surface as topics for discussion and debate in intellectual circles, the media and conferences. 5. In the grasslands, the herd mentality is amply visible. It takes just one wildebeest ahead of the pack to lead the entire flock of thousands across the Masai river resulting in large-scale migration in search of greener pastures, literally speaking. And haven't we experienced large-scale attrition for "greener pastures" similarly in our material world? 6. Diversity rules across both kingdoms, but I can't be absolutely certain about either equity or inclusion...yet. "Might is right" in the animal world. The same might be right in the other world too. 7. Finally, quoting the title of a novel by James Hadley Chase, English writer of thriller stories and several "whodunits", that may apply to both scenarios: "The vulture is a patient bird". 😊

Influencer initiatives are definitely not limited to the selling of products. Creators and organisations are constantly exploring new ways to make positives impacts! Here is one latest example #influencermarketing #unesco

Happy #WorldBeeDay and congratulations to our partner Stadtbienen (“City Bees”) on their 10-year anniversary! Together, we set up bee boxes with two bee colonies at a school here in Berlin. This program helps to raise awareness and develop an appreciative approach to the environment. Children discover the world of bees, learn about ecological correlations, and understand the importance of #biodiversity. But is a bustling city like #Berlin an appropriate habitat for #bees? Absolutely! Urban areas can offer diverse food sources for bees due to the variety of flowers found in parks, gardens, and on balconies. While the countryside provides vast natural spaces, urban environments often present a broader range of plant species, offering bees a rich and varied diet. Concerns about urban honey being less healthy due to pollution are unfounded as studies have shown that honey from #citybees is just as nutritious and safe as honey from rural bees. Moreover, some people are concerned that urban bees might be dangerous. However, when managed properly, bees are generally non-aggressive and pose little threat to humans. Everyone can contribute to protecting bees and other pollinators. Planting different species of flowers in your garden or on your balcony and putting a flat bowl of water outside for the bees to drink and cool down are simple ways to help. At CLR, we are proud to #BeeEngaged and support urban #beekeeping initiatives. The UN World Bee Day reminds us that everyone can make a difference to support, restore, and enhance the role of bees. #citybees #Stadtbienen #WorldBeeDay2024 #sustainability #csr

𝗧𝗠𝗙'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀   𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴   The main aim of this project is to reconcile conservation and community wellbeing in an ecologically sensitive environment, the Groenvlei-Swartvlei mouth dunes, identified as one of Knysna’s natural wonders. This collaboration between the Sustainability Research Unit (SRU) of Nelson Mandela University (NMU), the Smutsville Informal Settlement Forum (SISF) and the Knysna Municipality (KM) hopes to weave different forms of knowledge and ways of knowing to leverage inclusive conservation in the sensitive coastal dunes surrounding the Smutsville informal and formal settlements in Sedgefield.   This participatory action-research initiative was co-designed to empower and build capacity in conservation and sustainability transformation, with a particular focus on community leaders, women, and youth. In the final year, the project will sponsor at least one community-led conservation initiative, co-designed through the engagement process, and coordinated by SISF. The project is anticipated to act as a catalyst for sustainability transformation and conservation efforts in similar socially and ecologically sensitive coastal environments.   #fynbos #fynbosforever #fynbospride #fynboscare #conservationcommunity #biodiversityconservation #30by30 #biodiversity #conservation #capefloristicregion #capefloralkingdom #tmfinthefield #conservationpartnerships #communityconservation #Sedgefield   © C. Guerbois

As we commemorate the International Day of Forests under the theme "Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World," let's reflect on how Mo Jungle Jami Yojana (MJJY) is pioneering innovation in forest rights recognition and community empowerment. MJJY, with its focus on individual and community forest rights, biodiversity preservation, and climate change mitigation, represents a paradigm shift towards inclusive and sustainable forest management Despite the Forest Rights Act being in place for fifteen years, the saturation of rights recognition remains elusive, particularly concerning Community Rights (CR) and Community Forest Resources (CFR) rights. Recognizing this challenge MJJY was launched last year, aiming to accelerate the rights recognition process and address post-recognition issues systematically. MJJY seeks to ensure livelihood and food security for forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers by saturating the rights recognition process. Under this scheme, Forest Rights Cells will be established at the Tahsil and District levels to ensure effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act. Odisha, a leading state in FRA implementation, has distributed over 4.56 lakh individual forest right (IFR) titles. However, there's a gap between potential and actual achievements, especially in recognizing community rights and enhancing convergence with government schemes. MJJY aims to bridge this gap by distributing land titles to eligible claimants, forming Community Forest Resource Management & Protection Committees, and ensuring livelihood enhancement through convergence with various development programs. By recognizing the rights of all genuine claimants and linking title holders with government schemes, MJJY aims to create a concrete database of beneficiaries and facilitate the conversion of unsurveyed/forest villages into revenue villages. With approximately 32,562 FRA potential villages and 7.35 lakh potential ST families in Odisha, MJJY holds immense potential to transform forest governance and empower forest-dependent communities. Let's celebrate the spirit of innovation in forest conservation and community empowerment on this International Day of Forests! 🌿🌍 #ForestDay #MJJY #IndigenousRights #SustainableDevelopment #InnovationInForests #GenerationRestoration UNDP UNDP in India FAO roopa sahoo Roopa Roshan Sahoo

Colombia, one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, is home to an astonishing 10% of all biodiversity on earth. The Andean slopes boast rich biodiversity, vital for the country's natural heritage and unique species like Lynch’s treefrog, Mountain Grackle, and Andean oak, actively protected by Fundación ProAves. Community awareness is a key component to the survival of the species. This led ProAves to launch the Rana Chiva Bus, a mobile environmental awareness project, reaching over 14,000 youth in some of the most remote Colombian communities. This innovative initiative educates about these species in a fun and informative way, akin to a real-life "Magic School Bus”. Innovation in conservation deserving of applause! #mbzfund #conservation #education #innovation #youth #youthengagement #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #abudhabi #colombia #communityengagement #communityimpact #environment  

🌳 Wrapping up three intense weeks across multiple Indigenous territories only to come out and see this brief blog post summarising our two latest publications in the journals One Earth (https://shorturl.at/FBs6A) and Ambio (https://lnkd.in/eRCyjRa4). These pieces contribute to a growing body of #academic #literature, demonstrating how and why Indigenous peoples are leaders when it comes to conserving #biodiversity and defending against climate change. Our first study, drawing on nearly 650 scientific articles, was guided by two principal questions: How are #Indigenous Peoples and local communities involved in #conservation? How do their influence, knowledge and actions contribute to conservation efforts? What our research found was that conservation success is fundamentally linked to the quality and level of Indigenous #engagement. Our latest article highlights another profound issue in conservation science: the production of conservation #knowledge. Analyzing the same database mentioned earlier, we uncovered strong biases in knowledge #production, suggesting a persistent #colonial power dynamic in conservation #science as well as important potential #conflicts of #interest. Grateful to my comms team for being so amazing. March the video below and have a read: https://lnkd.in/dDgSW4WV Neil Dawson, IUCN, Pasang Dolma Sherpa.

The Rise of Geodesic Greenhouses The emergence of geodesic greenhouses heralds a new era for agriculture—one rooted in innovation, sustainability, and community engagement. La Saline Royale's https://lnkd.in/epavJaen

Join us online or in person today! I just got off the phone with an #African #business #woman and leader, who reminded me of the #urgency of seeing #sustainable , #inclusive and #positive change in the #Sahel. Many organizations are working to reduce climate change by planting trees. Few are focusing on #trees for #women and #livelihoods. Global Shea Alliance #Action for #Shea #Parklands respond to #markets in 7 rural #African regions where 20 million women depend on this #treecrop.