BANNED IN THE UNITED NATIONS OF GIGIRI

Dear Readers,

Following a comment left recently by a kind reader who informed me that Sukuma Kenya was banned in the UNON system, I received the following confirmation from their Media Department:

Access Denied by SmartFilter as per the UN Internet Use Guidelines
An electronic copy of this Guideline is available at http://www.unon.org/e-Mail-Internet-Use-Guidelines.doc

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You cannot access the following Web address: http://sukumakenya.blogspot.com/2009/02/getting-away-with-it-all-messed-up.html The site you requested is blocked under the following categories: Hate/Discrimination The IP address of your PC is: 10.64.124.11

The UNEP Media Department have been particularly effective at informing the IT Dept. to "unblock" Sukuma Kenya immediately.

I want to extend my gratitude to the UNEP Media Dept for taking me off the hitlist and sincerely hope they will be as effective in implementing their internal recommendations for initial actions to make UNEP climate neutral starting on 1 January 2008 (only highlights below but you can read the fully Monty HERE):

1. to reduce the climate footprint of UNEP through adoption of sustainable management practices for its operations at HQ and in all the regions;
2. to ‘lead by example’ and provide a basis for raising awareness of similar organizations, of governments, and of the public as a whole;

.... Engage the entire UN family to become C-neutral (e.g., through the EMG). blah blah blah and...
As specific preliminary actions, the SMT may wish to consider a range of bottom-up proposals to reduce energy consumption included in the Initial Environment Review as well as those by staff through the Step-by-Step initiative. These include the following:

i. undertake staff training on how to reduce their own energy consumption;

ii. proper installment of Energy Star software in PCs;

iii. install motion sensors for lighting and other uses where applicable

iv. install energy saving bulbs everywhere in the compound;

v. ensure all lights are turned off when not needed;

vi. install laptop computers that use 90% less energy than normal computers;

vii. install flat screen LCDs that use 35% less energy than normal screens;

viii. promote bicycle use by improving cyclist facilities (bicycle storage area, lock and changing rooms) and improving infrastructure for bicycles with long term plans to construct bicycle paths where appropriate;

ix. public awareness to be promoted and opportunities created on bulletin boards for personnel who car pool (i.e. chart/ table to be created with names/ times and telephone numbers);

x. promote public transit usage among staff members i.e. security should revise its advisory warnings and consider providing more secure means of transport;

xi. encourage the provision of UN petrol station to sell low sulphur diesel;

xii. use some of the existing fuel tax at the UN petrol station to support greening projects;

xiii. raise awareness of what people can do to improve the transport situation e.g. use of low emission vehicles;

xiv. devise schemes to encourage employee purchase of energy-efficient vehicles and to discourage employee purchase of energy-inefficient vehicles (duty free import programme, etc.); and

xv. phase-in energy efficient vehicles to UNEP fleet.