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Green Myths Debunked
Energy Global Warming
Myth: Climate-change
critics like to point out that the weather has gotten cooler over the past
decade, so how can there be global warming?
Reality: According to a new
study by NASA, the past decade was the warmest on record since the 1880s.
Read the full feature on:
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2010 1st Quarter Update
Papua New Guinea64, 10 Watt solar
systems were installed in 38 remote health centers in the Western, Enga, Madang, Morobe, and Western
Highlands provinces serving a population of 432,650. Costa Rica- 47, 10 Watt solar
home systems were installed in Talamancan communities by project partner ACEM- 42
solar home systems were provided to Costa Rican project partners in remote
communities in the Chirripo and Talamanca regions via David Wiwchar and Ontario students - A pilot project to
test 3 new Philips Lighting products in 50 homes has been developed with ACEM in
the villages of Gavilan Canta y China Kicha in the Talamanca
region - An expansion to a
previously established solar lighting project in Indigenous communities in the
Talamanca region with project partner APPTA (Asociación de Pequeños Productores de
Talamanca) is being developed for July 2010 - An expansion to a
previously established solar lighting project in Indigenous communities in the
Talamanca region with project partner ACEM (Asociación para la Ciencia y la
Educación Moral) is being developed for August 2010. Haiti - LUTW provided 100, 5
Watt solar lighting systems to Doctors Without Borders and 10, 5 Watt solar
lighting systems to the Hopital Albert Schweitzer which are both directly
involved in medical relief activities in Haiti following the devastating
earthquake in January - A solar project for
health centers is being developed in partnership with SunEnergyPower International, USAID,and Partners in Health EcuadorA solar project is
being developed with Fundacion Naturato take place in the remote Amazon
villages of Kutukus and Upunkius which are home to the Shuar Indigenous people. GuatemalaAn expansion to a
previously established solar lighting project in Indigenous communities in the
northern Highlands is being developed. Subsidy
Program Update Solar lighting equipment was provided to organizations at subsidized costs in
the following countries for non-profit renewable energy programs: - Ghana - Kenya - Myanmar (Burma) - Rwanda - Solomon Islands - Tanzania Education Program
UpdateLUTW's
Executive Director gave a presentation to Lighting Design students at Parsons
New School for Design in New York on February 16th. LUTW
continues to develop a field study program with Texas Tech University's Energy
Commerce program which will take place in Costa Rica in August 2010. Event UpdateLUTW
representatives were present at the following events in the first quarter of
2010: - Green Expo (Calgary) - Careers in Sustainability at Haskayne Business School - Be Bold, Be Yourself, Be the Change Gala
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Greetings!
Hello, and welcome to the LUTW 2010 1st
quarterly report. After the global economic challenges of 2009, LUTW started the year well positioned to continue
our activities in Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica and to start new projects in
Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru. Sadly, on January 12th, LUTW lost a long-time friend and
partner in bringing sustainable energy and appropriate technologies to people
in need, Walt Ratterman. Walt was one of the thousands killed in the
destruction of the earthquake in Haiti. Walt was in Haiti with his
organization SunEPI, setting up a new project to provide energy and light for
health facilities throughout the country. LUTW had planned to work with SunEPI
on the realization of this project, however the quake and the loss of Walt have
forced us to put the project temporarily on hold. As a contribution to the relief effort we did
provide 110 solar lighting systems to be used in health facilities supported by
MSF and the Red Cross and together with SunEPI we are re-assessing the
situation in Haiti to determine how soon we can resume the planned project to
help the people in Haiti and ensure that Walt's memory lives on through the
work that he inspired.
Looking ahead to the next quarter we are very
excited to announce Bob Willard, a respected expert on business sustainability
will be joining us for a luncheon discussion on June 4th and that
later that evening, Dr. Kevin Dowling will be giving a talk on the impact of
LED's on lighting at the reception following our AGM. In the coming months we
also expect to be launching new projects in Ecuador and Guatemala as well as
finalizing the details for the setup of our first regional office in Latin America.
We would like to thank our donors and partners for your support and we hope
that you will continue to engage with us as we work together to provide energy
and light for those in need.
Michael Fark
Executive Director
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Featured Employee
 Christoph
Schultz has been the Program Director with Light Up The World since January 2008. He
has a degree in Finance from the University of Calgary and a Masters in
Development Economics and Public Policy from the University of Manchester. Christoph
took on the job with Light Up The World because of his interest and background
in microfinance product development and the use of microfinance as a tool to
proliferate renewable energy and appropriate technologies. He has lived and
worked in six countries outside of Canada (Czech Republic, Guatemala,
Bangladesh, China, Sierra Leone and England) and can converse in five languages
(English, French, Spanish, Mandarin and Bengali). Christoph has traveled to
more than 40 countries. Christoph says what he enjoys best about working with
LUTW is designing renewable energy programs that helps to create opportunities for
families and expand the economic potential of households. |
Donor Profile 
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the
ongoing support of Philips Lighting, a valued strategic partner of LUTW's since  2007. Philips has provided substantial financial and technical support to our
organization over the years. In return, LUTW has facilitated a social return on
Philip's investment and helped to reinforce their overall commitment to
sustainability while working together with them to
develop appropriate products for developing countries. In 2009, Philips was a major donor to the Sierra Leone Lighting for Education
Project, a project designed to enhance opportunities for education and literacy
in the Koinadugu district of Sierra Leone. In that same year LUTW also
partnered with Philips Lighting in Sierra Leone and Honduras to test a
new solar powered reading light, from which an estimated 4,900 people benefited. In 2010, our partnership with Philips continues to unfold with a pilot project
in Costa Rica and the ongoing research and development of home and portable
lighting systems for off-grid communities. Understanding how new products
perform and are adapted by beneficiaries is a critical part of addressing household needs. This process informs
our partnership with Philips and helps us address the needs of the people we
serve more effectively. Ultimately it is understanding
the needs of our beneficiaries that drives
product development and the Philips/LUTW
partnership. |
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Partner Profile - ACEM
ACEM (Aso  ciación para la Ciencia y la Educación Moral) is a Costa Rican based non-profit association that is dedicated to promoting
education and leadership in rural areas. ACEM's objectives are to strengthen
human resources for social and sustainable well being in Costa Rica. ACEM has
been implementing programs in the Indigenous communities in the Talamanca
region of southeastern Costa Rica since 2001. ACEM strives to improve community
well being from within: by developing skills and leadership among the youth
population. ACEM's 'Preparation for
Social Action' (PAS) program, for instance, is working to strengthen the
youth's knowledge in areas such as science, math, language, technology and
community service. The goal is for these youth to become 'multipliers of
knowledge' and tutor other groups of children in their community through the
program. LUTW is working with ACEM on several solar energy projects with Indigenous groups in the Talamanca
region. ACEM, in partnership with other supporters such as the Owen
Sound Y Service Club, facilitates the installation and provides training on the
technology. Thus far, ACEM has installed 239 solar home systems for families in
remote communities in the Talamanca region. The
solar lighting systems have allowed beneficiaries to use lighting to create
spaces for socializing, study and perform other tasks during the night. Furthermore,
with lighting systems installed, these households no longer have to depend on non-renewable resources
for home lighting. This solar lighting project have proven to be an excellent complement to
ACEM's education programs by building knowledge of solar energy applications
among the student population and their families. As a result, many of their students
have become solar technicians and are actively involved in sharing this
technology with their community. With the success of this project
ACEM is eager to introduce the youth of Talamanca to other renewable and
appropriate technologies. |
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Upcoming Events
GeoCanada
2010Come and
visit us May 10-12, 2010 in Calgary at GeoCanada 2010 - Canada's most comprehensive conference on Earth Sciences.
As part of their ongoing commitment to social responsibility and environmental
stewardship, the earth science community will be holding their seventh annual
charity event at the GeoCanada 2010 convention in May 2010. To date, they have
raised over $77,000 with their silent and live auctions for Light Up The World
projects. To see
a list of all the exciting auction items up for grabs at this year's silent auction visit the
website www.geocanada2010.ca.
To donate an item to the silent auction please contact Sean Callaghan (403) 819-4190.A huge thank you to Sean and his team of 10 amazing volunteers!
LightFair InternationalLUTW will
be in Las Vegas from May 12-14 participating in LightFair International, the world's
largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference. We will be sharing the LUTW story with international
architectural, design, engineering and lighting professionals together
with building relationships within the industry for future projects. Our Executive Director, Michael Fark will be delivering the Grum
Memorial Lecture at the CORM banquet during LightFair in Las Vegas. The Business Case for Sustainability Luncheon
Light Up The World (LUTW) is proud to present Bob Willard, a world leader on corporate sustainability strategies. Building sustainability is fundamental to LUTW's objectives: by focusing on training and capacity building we work with our global partners to develop technologies and programs which promote sustainable development for communities in need. Join us for an informative lecture and: - Gain an edge on corporate sustainability strategies from an expert in the field.
- Network over lunch with industry leaders, energy professionals, technical engineers and financial executives all who understand the benefits of corporate sustainability.
- Increase your understanding of linkages between investment in development, sustainability and building profit potential.
When: Friday, June 4, 2010 from 11:30 pm to 1:30 pm Where: The Ranchman's Club Tickets: $100/pp or $900.00/table of 10. Tickets must be purchased in advance by signing up online or contacting our offices: tickets are limited to a first come first serve basis and are NOT sold at the door - sign up online. Annual AGM Our annual report to the community (with an update on our projects, programs and plans for the future) will be held on Friday, June 4th from 6:00-7:00pm at the Lougheed House. If you wish to attend please sign up online. To donate an item to the silent auction please contact Tara Collinsat (403) 266-5004. Evening Reception with Dr. Kevin DowlingDr. Kevin Dowling will be opening the evening wine and cheese reception with a lecture exploring the increasing viability of LED lighting, LED technology and how LEDs are not just changing lighting, but changing the way we light and impacting the model of delivering artificial light. Bob Willard, our presenter on sustainability will also be in attendance. The event is limited to 200 people and registration is required - sign up online
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Thank you for your support! Because of your commitment, we can continue our mission of improving the quality of life for people without access to
electricity.
Your backing assists us in empowering people in
need by providing access to renewable energy and lighting. You are a necessary component of our efforts to enhance health and safety, foster local
education, help to develop economic infrastructure, and protect the
environment by reducing dependence on harmful, carbon based fuels. On behalf of our partners and the
communities with whom we work, thank you!
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Sincerely,
The LUTW Team
Light Up the World
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