What happens when a someone living in the big money banking sector one day quits it all and tries out the world of environmental activism and conservation? Chiew Y. Chong did just that over 18 years ago when he joined the WWF.
As we strolled through the beautiful gardens in the Chinsan-zo area of Tokyo, Chiew told the story of how once he got to WWF, he had some ideas that had never been tried before by that organization… a sustainable investment fund. He explained the goal of such a fund and what makes it unique. Beyond all that, with a wise and curious spirit, Chiew tells more than a story about a fund, he tells the story of a personal evolution that he believes has been and will continue to spread throughout the planet like wildfire.
To read more about the Living Planet Fund, visit their website.
During my brief time in UlaanBaatar, I was recommended a contact person, Susan Griffeth, who had founded an organization working in the Ger (Yurt) district almost 10 years ago. Susan was kind enough to pick me up one afternoon and take me to the district and for a visit to her organization, Flourishing Future, to learn about all the community development and assistance activities they were involved in . From there another member of the
Within ten minutes of sitting down at a table together, Bekhbat and I immediately were immersed in a conversation about Mongolian history. Me, the student, and he – the teacher, Director of the 
A short podcast from the Russia-Mongolia border. As it takes about 3 hours to clear Russian customs, and more than 1 hour to clear Mongolian customs, I decided to get out and record some observations and thoughts especially in regards to the first two weeks in Siberia. You’ll also hear me briefly interrupted by the arrival of a battalion of Russian border guards.
When you wander around the streets of Tomsk in Siberia, you may think the place looks a little behind the times. But beneath the surface there are in fact new and creative ideas in the world of new media taking root. In this particular podcast we hear from a videoblogging priest about why he uses the internet as a tool in his community, and how some young DJ’s have turned to internet radio as their main stage for playing music. (special bonus at the end, me ringing the church bells, I apologize in advance to your ears.)
My good friend Ilya calls it “A piece of the Soviet Union on the territory of Modern Russia”: its what people say about the town of