Photo: Craig O’Neal (flickr)

Greening the world's economy won't be easy in today's gloomy economic climate. It seems that more and more countries are falling short of funds and motivation to invest in green technology and energy-efficient industries, according to an article in yesterday's New York Times.

In China — the largest producer of greenhouse gases — the need to limit greenhouse gases may not be addressed until economic conditions improve. One of France’s largest alternative energy companies has "pulled back on how much energy it will produce by 2009." And British energy company has put three wind farms on hold.

"European industry is saying they can’t deal with financial crisis and reduce emissions at the same time," according to Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "The heads of government have other things on their minds."

Not all the news is bad for green industry. President-elect Obama’s economic stimulus package includes incentives for wind farms, solar panels and fuel-efficient cars. And the European Commission still plans to seek a 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2020.

Agendas like these acknowledge that lifting ourselves out of the economic doldrums and going green are in fact complimentary rather than incompatible. As de Boer puts it, "If because of the current economic scenario, you choose cheap and dirty, we'll be in big trouble."

Bathtub vodka. Photo: riot jane (flickr)

Has the global financial crisis caused an increase in alcohol poisoning in Russia?

As incomes have declined or in some cases, disappeared, many Russians have cut down on vodka — Russia's alcoholic drink of choice. Russia's per capita intake is four gallons a year. Last month, vodka makers cut production by 15 percent to reflect the drop in sales.

In response, some Russians have switched to cheap homemade alternatives, or “bathtub vodka” — with deadly consequences. Deaths due to alcohol poisoning rose 6 percent in September, according to Reuters.

Reuters also reports that Russians are taking extreme methods to satisfy their alcoholic thirst, drinking "cosmetics, perfumes and cleaning agents."

It's liquid foundation on the rocks, ladies. Bottoms up!

It's children like these girls that may never recieve the free medicine from aid groups like Unicef, because of the thriving black market. Photo: Travlr (flickr)

BBC investigative reporter Sorious Samura uses a hidden camera to confront pharmacists selling Unicef-provided drugs distributed by Unicef in Sierra Leone. The drugs were intended to be distributed free of charge. When he tries to ask citizena how the pharmacists could sell medicines intended to be distributed for free, they appear confused: “We don’t have any medicine that is free here.”

This is one instance of corruption that Samura cites in his accompanying opinion piece raising questions about the value of aiding Africa and how much corruption distorts the good intentions of donors.

It's hard to find a woman at the wheel of a taxi cab in the West, but a new business is making it a familiar sight in an unlikely place: Iran.

The BBC reports on a taxi service "run by women, for women."

All of the company's drivers and dispatchers are women. (Unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, it is not illegal for women to drive in Iran.) Many are widows or divorcees that need the income. In addition, 70 percent of the drivers are purchasing their cabs, paying in installments over five years. Drivers are even "given lessons in basic car maintenance and such essentials as how to change a burst tire."

The company's initial fleet of 10 cars has grown to 700. They shuttle about 2,500 people a day.

"I feel safer in a woman's taxi, from all points of view," said one customer. "A lot of the men drivers are young and impatient, and they're not disciplined. Women are simply better drivers."