energy

United Nations Special Rapporteur James Anaya said at a meeting earlier this month that one of the challenges for indigenous peoples' health is "how indigenous women living near oil, gas and mining operations are '"vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, which are often introduced with a rapid increase of extractive workers in indigenous areas,'" The First Perspective, Canada's source for news about indigenous peoples, reports. Anaya, who is the rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, also noted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples requires "'in its articles 21, 22(1), 23 and 24 a framework for protecting and promoting indigenous peoples’ health. Together, these articles affirm indigenous peoples’ equal right to the 'highest attainable standard of physical and mental health' (art. 24); their right to improve their economic and social conditions (art. 21); and their right to 'determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising their right to development' (art. 23)."

The unseen part of the digital economy is how much power it takes for Google and Amazon and Facebook and Netflix to be available to us all the time, whenever we want. Aereo, one of the streaming services retransmitting broadcast TV over the Internet, also faces a huge electrical bill. The Wall Street Journal estimates that 90,000-135,000 subscribers in New York City could cost Aereo $2 million a year. The Journal further reports: "Power is 'one of the biggest challenges' the company faces, [CEO Chet] Kanojia said, adding that one option he is considering is getting off the grid and generating power using fuel cells."

Broadcasters are challenging Aereo's streaming service in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing it is infringing their copyrights in their programming.