GreenSOS Supports Earthquake Relief—China

We received this communication update from our advisory network in China:

The official death toll has reached to 20,000. As rescue teams gain access to more areas and further bodies are accounted for, there is fear that this number will exceed 50,000.This evening (May 15), in Wenxian county, in Gansu province (north of the epicenter) Greengrants grantee Green Camel Bell arrived to begin conducting disaster evaluation. This will include investigating ecological damage and the potential leak of toxics from nearby chemical manufactures.

North of Chengdu city, previous concerns about chemical plant building that had been ignored by the government is now a greater concern. There will be a plan put together to rebuild the local community and restore the ecology of this area.

Nearly 900 dams have been affected by the quake; some pose a risk of water burst. Greengrants has actively supported Chinese groups’ campaign on examining dam construction in Sichuan province.

Many NGO’s (non-governmental groups) in Sichuan province have coordinated their relief efforts. Greengrants grantee GreenSOS is providing tents to shelter university students at Chengdu. In Beijing, Friends of Nature donated half of its membership fee collected this year to the relief efforts.

“Excessive logging in the past decade has contributed to the landslides during the earthquake,” says Greengrants China Advisory Board Coordinator, Wen Bo. “This disaster is another reminder to us— save the environment, save our lives!” Wen Bo also notes that it’s important to support us the Chinese government’s endeavors with the relief efforts.