As the outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors of I4EI, I am delighted to have this opportunity to tell others what a great organization it is. I have been associated with I4EI's work for close to a decade, and I can vouch for the hard work, dedication and sincerity of the staff and my colleagues on the Board. The work that I4EI supports includes tree planting, conservation farming, enhanced local food production, education on HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, fuel-efficient stove construction, sustainable fuel use, and the empowerment of women. The TIST program that I4EI supports has resulted in millions of trees being planted and maintained that would otherwise not exist, and to date has sequested hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon, with much more to come. TIST helps mitigate global climate change and has engaged more than 60,000 subsistence farmers in India, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Though leaving my role on the Board, I will continue to support I4EI's vital work that truly spans local to global sustainable development.
The Institute for Environmental Innovation serves as the non-profit co-sponsor of TIST,
The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program. While in Kenya I was able to visit with women farmer members doing important work in their communities to help improve tree cultivation and community health. For more information about my visit, please visit http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/12/carbon-credits-tist-combines-reforestation-health-livelihood-efforts/
As a strong environmentalist with great concern about the future of our planet for our children and our children's children, I have become involved with The Institute for Environmental Innovation. Their work has helped thousands of families that would have gone hungry learn conservation farming techniques helping alleviate hunger in many villages in the third world countries. After hearing of grandparents willing to starve so their grandchildren could eat I became a strong believer in their work. In addition the carbon credit exchanges involved help the whole world to be a healthier place for us all to live. Trees are being grown in places that were barren and families are being fed as they learn conservation farming techniques. The gender equity requirement for small groups participating in this program is a plus. Women and men are valued and trained in techniques that build villages stong in relationships and ability to grow crops. The result of hundreds of trees being planted and surviving helps us all.
