Promoting Right Use of Resources and Human Rights

"Toda Persona tiene derecho a un medio ambiente adecuado para su desarrollo y bienestar." (Each person has the right to an environment that is adeguate for thier development and well-being.)

Article 4, of the Mexican Constitution, Chapter 1 concerning individual guarantees.

With the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other international treaties, indigenous peoples have received formal recognition for the fundamental right to refuse access to the natural resources on their lands. Obviously, peoples who believe that resource development will impact the integrity of the ecosystems that support them will oppose such threatening activities. The pressures on local people is intense and human rights violations are unfortunately common. Unfortunately at this point in time, public pressure must be wielded on the corporations that would mine in spite of the wishes of the local people.

What if we mined our garbage dumps instead of pristine ecosystems? According to the NGO Japan Sustainability, it is more cost effective to recover the gold from obsolete cellphones than to open a new mine.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HLTAq8NnkJc?rel=0 (opens new window)