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Sam Eaton

Fourteen year-old Nuru Sheha studies at night in the light of solar-powered LED lights at home in the village of Matemwe, on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. He family's first electrical system was installed by one of Zanzibar's 13 "solar mamas," illiter

Zanzibar’s ‘Solar Mamas’ flip the switch on rural homes, gender roles

Environment

On the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, hundreds of households too poor and remote to have access to the electrical grid are getting low cost solar power for the first time, from a group of local female engineers trained by and Indian NGO. It’s the first of several “solar mamas” projects planned for parts of rural Africa, and it’s turning some traditional gender roles on their head.

Malawians evacuated after devastating floods in late January wait out another deluge at a makeshift shelter. As many as 200,000 people have been displaced and crops were destroyed by what the country's president says is the worst flooding in its history.

The flood of the half-century — and you probably haven’t heard about it

Environment
Amaranth seedlings being grown in southern Mexico’s Tehuacan valley. The plant's seeds are high in protein and its leaves are high in iron, vitamin C and calcium.

Alt staple lunch: Mexicans push return of an ancient grain

Environment

Antarctica Warming Raises Sea Level Rise Risk

Environment
The World

Climate Change’s Growing Threats

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In Sandy’s wake, Scientists Explore Links Between Warming Arctic and Extreme Weather

Environment

Months before both this year’s record Arctic ice melt and Hurricane Sandy, a climatologist identified changing weather patterns that suggest links between the two seemingly separate events. Sam Eaton reports from New Jersey. In the first of two special reports for The World and the PBS program NOVA, Sam Eaton reports from New Jersey.

Japan’s Tsunami-Stricken Fishermen Chart New Course

Environment

Last year’s tsuanami virtually destroyed many northern Japanese fishing communities. A year later, residents are struggling to rebuild, but as Sam Eaton reports, some are finding that the disaster has given them the opportunity to chart a new course.

Japan Disaster: The Lasting Impact of March 11, 2011

Development & Education

The World’s Sam Eaton has been reporting from Japan for The World on the legacy of the triple disasters to hit that country a year ago. He talks with host Marco Werman about the cultural impact of the eathquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

Emperor Penguins adults with chicks in Antarctica.

Sea Levels May Rise Faster Than Expected

Environment

Climate scientists say that as the world is warming up, polar ice is melting a lot faster than expected. And many of the world’s coastal regions are at grave risk.

The World

World Trade Summit: Battle of Seattle

Labor and environmental protestors plan to flood Seattle with 50,000 demonstrators during the upcoming World Trade Organization summit. They’ve been preparing for a confrontation with a special boot-camp training program in the mountains outside Seattle. KUOW correspondent Sam Eaton reports.

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