Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Why is Nigeria Poor?

Why is Nigeria PoorNigeria is poor. OXFAM, an international NGO, released an index this July that listed 152 nations from best to worst in terms of efforts to end economic inequality; Nigeria was named at the bottom of that list.

Nigeria is overflowing with oil wealth. It is the sixth-largest exporter of petroleum in the world. However, almost 100 million out of 180 million are living in poverty. Wealth is so concentrated among the rich in Nigeria that the top five richest people own enough capital to completely end extreme poverty in their country.

So why is Nigeria poor? There are several factors. Firstly, as indicated by OXFAM’s index, the country’s government and economic elite have shown little effort to end poverty. Education and health spending make up a dismal five and three percent of the national budget, respectively, despite the government’s oil revenue.

Years of poor funding and neglect have caused illiteracy rates to be as high as 66 percent. Moreover, according to UNICEF, more than 10 million children are out of school in the country.

The public healthcare system in Nigeria is unable to cover the Nigerian populace. In Nigeria, 3,000 women and children die each day because they lack access to basic healthcare. The infant and under five mortality rates remain especially high. HIV/AIDS, in particular, is a major problem, with a prevalence of 4.4 percent; approximately 2.9 million Nigerians live with the virus. The virus has already increased the orphan population in the country to seven million.

Labor laws in Nigeria are largely ineffective. The country’s minimum wage is extremely low and there is a significant gender wage gap. Nigeria was ranked as one of the worst in Oxfam DFI’s Global Gender Gap Report. The average female Nigerian worker makes $3,000 less annually than her male counterpart.

Finally, according to Ventures Africa, Nigeria’s taxation system benefits the rich and burdens the middle class. Arbitrary and multiple taxes on the use of commodities like radios and TVs hurt not only the middle class but also small businesses. Meanwhile, big business and wealthy individuals benefit from tax waivers and concessions. A 2014 report cited in Newsweek found that $2.5 billion was given out in tax breaks for the rich between 2011 and 2013.

All these factors intensify in the northern part of the country, where the poverty rate ranges from 76 to 86 percent. Why is Nigeria poor? Economic inequality, poor healthcare and lack of access to education have all contributed. For economic inequality to no longer be a problem, the world needs to step forward to improve health, economic conditions and education in the country. The people of Nigeria are poor, but we have the means to improve their lives.

– Bruce Edwin Ayres Truax

 

Photo: Pixabay

,

Simple Interventions Prevent Common Diseases in Cameroon

Common Diseases in CameroonThe coastal African nation of Cameroon is home to about 23.4 million people. The country has enjoyed developments in several areas, including agriculture, infrastructure and industries such as timber and petroleum. However, despite this growth, common diseases in Cameroon still take a toll on the citizenry.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, HIV/AIDS is the current leading cause of death in Cameroon. Following this is malaria in second and lower respiratory infections in third. Lower respiratory infections is are most often diagnosed as pneumonia or bronchitis.

For those unfamiliar with these illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contains a wealth of information. The CDC states that HIV/AIDS is a disease that weakens the immune system by attacking important cells. Though no cure exists as of today, it is preventable by avoiding contact with an infected individual’s blood or sexual fluids.

Lower respiratory infections are diseases of the lungs that are contracted by things like viruses, bacteria, and fungi. People affected by these infections will experience weakness, fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

Malaria is an illness that is obtained via mosquito bites and claimed the lives of 429,000 people in 2015, most of whom which were African children. Victims of this illness are affected by high fevers, chills and flu-like symptoms.

What’s notable about these three diseases is that they are all communicable; in other words, they are diseases that are contracted from person to person, or from animal to person. This means that these are diseases that can be prevented by taking precautionary actions, in most cases. In fact, seven out of the top ten causes of death are communicable, and nine out of ten in cases of premature death.

So, the common diseases in Cameroon that plague most of its population are contracted. This means that preventative measures can be taken. One example of a dramatic improvement in Cameroon’s health care comes from a very simple, yet relatively unheard of item: bed nets.

In short, bed nets are used to prevent mosquitoes from spreading malaria. Thanks to groups like One Billion Nets, malaria decreased tremendously. Back in 2005, malaria was the number one cause of death in Cameroon, but since fell to number two with a 55.8 percent drop.

According to One Billion Nets, millions of lives were saved thanks to bed nets and other sources of malaria intervention. This includes a 58 percent decline in the child mortality rate in Africa.

As just one example of the significant improvements made to Cameroonian and African health alike, this serves as a testament to why groups like The Borgen Project continue to keep aid for things like bed nets from being cut. With additional aid in the future, the rates of the common diseases in Cameroon are sure to fall in the future.

– Stephen Praytor

Photo: Flickr

Causes of Poverty in Mozambique

Causes of Poverty in MozambiqueMozambique, like many African countries, has suffered greatly from colonization, its conflicted wars of independence from their European oppressors, as well as the influence of the Cold War, where people were uncertain which form of government would bring their communities the most prosperity. The causes of poverty in Mozambique are similar to those of other African countries, but some are quite different.

Bunching an entire continent into the same group is easy. The average GDP per capita for African countries is around $3,300, while that of the world is much higher, at about $16,100 (only five African countries are above this number). Nearly all African countries have suffered a civil war or two in the last 100 years–12 countries were still experiencing civil war in 2016.

Does Mozambique fit this profile? With a GDP per capita of $1,128, it is well below average in purchasing power (PPP), even by African standards. It has also suffered from a civil war in the 1960s and 1970s, between the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and the Resistência Naciona, Moçambicana (RENAMO).

However, unlike some other countries like Ethiopia, which have been waging conflicts for decades up to the present day without relief, Mozambique enjoyed a significant time of peace between the years 1992 and 2015, when a peace treaty was signed with the RENAMO leader.

In the time between 1992 and 2015, the country eliminated all the landmines that were left over from the independence and proxy wars of the 20th century, which caused slow development and many amputees. Tourism and trade have increased as well, which resulted in a rise in GDP.

Although these political struggles are significant to the country’s economy, it is the natural disasters, such as drought, flooding and hurricanes that are ravaging the country. Floods affected well over 150,000 people in the years 2000, 2001 and 2008, displacing tens of thousands of individuals. A drought in 2009 caused a poor harvest, leading to 350,000 Mozambicans requiring food aid.

Additionally, Russian bans on Mozambique’s grains exports resulted in a food price crisis in the country, while it only increased food prices by five percent around the world. This crisis is in part due to continued tensions after the Cold War.

Additionally, there is the threat of another civil war between the RENAMO and FRELIMO groups, which caused the GDP to fall in the last two years.

The causes of poverty in Mozambique are numerous and complex. Between internal conflict, proxy wars and the climatic events resulting from global warming, Mozambique has had its share of struggle.

– Michal Burgunder

Photo: Flickr

Why is Afghanistan Poor?

Afghanistan Is PoorDespite an influx of international aid, 39 percent of Afghans live in poverty, and this number is increasing. A shocking 1.3 million more people are poor in Afghanistan today than in 2012. Why is Afghanistan poor? The country has experienced conflict since the Soviet Union invaded in 1979. Political transitions within the country also cause insecurity. Most households in Afghanistan are not established enough to cope with economic shocks or natural disasters. About 20 percent of Afghans live just above the poverty line and slight economic shocks could drive them into poverty.

One answer to the question ‘why is Afghanistan poor?’ is that the economy is too small for the growing labor force. Many workers are illiterate and looking for low skilled jobs, but there are not enough of these types of jobs. In 2016, Afghanistan’s GDP growth was 1.2 percent. While this was an increase, it is not enough to bring workers out of unemployment. Economists estimate that GDP growth needs to be eight percent to successfully employ the Afghan work force. Unfortunately, continuing conflict and insecurity within the country makes this growth unlikely.

Rural Afghanistan is poor due to its dependence on agriculture and informal labor markets. Low investments and natural disasters have hurt the agriculture market that most Afghans depend on for employment. Natural resources necessary for successful agriculture are lacking in Afghanistan. Compared to its population, there is little farmable land. Precipitation is scarce and there is insufficient irrigation infrastructure. In addition, the country has faced multiple debilitating droughts since 1999.

In rural areas, small-scale farmers and herders, landless people and women who are heads of households bear the largest burden of poverty. Women in Afghanistan face increased inequalities because they have less access to education and health services. A lack of skills or a medical condition can keep women out of the workforce. Widows account for a large population of the poor in Afghanistan. Due to fighting within the country, there may be over one million widows in Afghanistan. Most of these women have children to support. Unfortunately, the patriarchal society excludes them from many social and employment opportunities, so most become beggars.

Many countries and organizations have poured aid into the country. However, it does not seem to be helping. The inequality between the rich and poor in the country is increasing. Much of the aid went to build schools and hospitals, increase public services and repair infrastructure. While these human services are important, the agriculture sector continues to struggle, and rural households don’t have protection from economic shocks. In addition, the government did not always distribute funds fairly throughout the country.

Why is Afghanistan poor? Afghanistan is poor due to continuing shocks to the country, and it is necessary to build programs to insulate households from economic instability.

– Sarah Denning
Photo: Flickr

5 Causes of Poverty in Angola

Causes of Poverty in AngolaMore than 40 percent of people live below the poverty line in Angola, one of the largest but least-developed countries in Africa. Here are a few of the main causes of poverty in Angola.

5 Causes of Poverty in Angola

  1. Angola was embroiled in a civil war that lasted 27 years from 1975 to 2002.During that time, more than one million people were killed. Though many of the displaced population has returned home, the country has not had the time to combat poverty. The war destroyed important infrastructures, such as schools, hospitals, railways and bridges. Angola is still rebuilding. Aid and oil sales to China have helped improve the economy, but the country has a long way to go.
  2. A high fertility rate. Contraceptive use and family planning education is low in Angola. Consequently, it has the ninth- highest fertility rate in the world. On average, a woman gives birth to more than five kids in her lifetime. A high birth rate is problematic because it strains resources. The more children a family has, the harder it is for families to give all children the nutrition their bodies need. This is evidenced by the high child mortality rate. One in four children will not reach his or her fifth birthday. In addition, mothers with many children to care for are often restricted to home life. A lower birth rate might increase the number of female workers and output per capita.
  3. A struggling health sector. Angola’s decades-long civil war ended 17 years ago, but its healthcare sector has not fully recovered. The fighting destroyed medical facilities and caused many doctors to flee the country. There is only one doctor per 10,000 people. This physician shortage is especially detrimental in Angola, where nearly 300,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS. Thousands more contract malaria, bacterial diarrhea or other infectious diseases. Many cases are due to unsafe water and unsanitary toilets. About half of the population depends on unimproved water and restroom access. A lack of trained medical professionals, equipment and facilities is a cause of poverty in Angola because sick Angolans have difficulty finding treatment and getting back to work. Some die from treatable or preventable diseases like polio. A death in a family could leave it with fewer sources of income or create orphaned children. Angola has taken measures to reduce rates of disease and infection, such as child vaccinations in the capital. But Angola still has one of the lowest health expenditures in the world at 3.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Due to Angola’s poor healthcare, its life expectancy has increased, but it is still quite low at just 61 years old. Such a drastically low life expectancy cuts years, even decades, from Angolans’ earning potential.
  4. Low education rates. Because of the high fertility rate, 42 percent of Angola’s 25 million inhabitants are under 15 years old. Many of these children do not complete their education. In rural areas, where the majority of Angolans live, schools can be few and far between. Children may have to walk long distances to school, which is a disincentive to attending. Education comes with additional fees for books and supplies, causing families with limited incomes to pull their children out of school. With children out of school, families can save money or have their children make money on a family farm or through another employer. If a poor family opts to provide education for only one child, it is usually for a boy. On average, males complete 13 years of school and females only complete eight. Ruined classrooms and untrained teachers further restrict the availability of quality education. Angola’s education expenditure is 3.5 percent of its GDP. Children and adults cannot unravel the cycle of poverty without education because they cannot get good jobs to help improve their standard of living. In this way, a lack of education is both a result and a cause of poverty in Angola.
  5. Unequal distribution of wealth. Finally, an unbalanced economy, coupled with corrupt elites, is one of the causes of poverty in Angola. Despite 55 percent of Angolans living on less than $1 a day, the capital, Luanda, is the most expensive city in the world. It and other urban areas benefit from the oil sector, which is the second-largest in Africa. Oil and diamond extraction brings a lot of revenue to Angola, but much of the wealth stays with large companies and elite individuals, like politicians. Transparency International ranked Angola as 164 out of 176 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index. Angolan authorities and oligarchs have a reputation of taking from the poor to make themselves richer. According to an article in The Economist, “officials seize state assets through rigged privatizations or rip off the public treasury in bail-outs of private companies. At almost every turn, someone connected to the state is seeking a pay-off.” In addition, some complain that the Angolan government spends money in the wrong places. Angola has a $44 billion federal budget, yet local officials say they do not have funds to provide running water. Instead, the government spent more than $1 billion on four stadiums for a football tournament.

Understanding Poverty in Angola

The devastation of war, the high fertility rate, limited access to healthcare, lack of quality education for all and income inequality partially due to government corruption are the primary causes of poverty in Angola. Fortunately, there is evidence of improvements. The government is beginning to expand its economy which will create jobs. It is also making strides to become transparent, which can increase accountability. Plus, Angola is investing in water, electricity and transportation to improve the lives of its people. Nonprofit organizations also help impoverished Angolans by providing healthcare and schools. With time and effort, Angola’s poverty rate should decrease.

– Kristen Reesor

Photo: Flickr

,

How to Help the Extreme Poor in India

How to Help the Extreme Poor in IndiaIndia is the second most populous country in the world and hosts one-third of the world’s extreme poor. It has the third highest number of people living with and dying from HIV/AIDS, and 60.4 percent of its population lives with unimproved sanitation facility access, mostly affecting Indians living in rural communities. Here are four ways to help the extreme poor in India.

Donate
According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 47 percent of Indian girls are married by the age of 18. While it is illegal for girls in India to marry before the age of 18, many still do because their families live in poverty.

One method to combat child marriage is education. The non-profit Girls Not Brides, for example, is currently fundraising for Shadhika, an organization that pays tuition for at-risk Indian girls. Right now, they are $8,568 away from a $30,000 goal.

Donations to this cause enable more Indian girls living in extreme poverty to attend school and avoid underage marriage. By donating to this and other similar organizations, those who are not currently in India can still assist those in poverty.

Contact Congress
For 2017, the U.S. government plans to spend $49.5 million of foreign aid on health in India.  Half of this aid will be allocated for HIV/AIDS. To ensure the effectiveness of this aid, Congress is currently in the process of potentially passing the Global Health Innovation Act (H.R. 1660).

This act requires the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to give an annual report to Congress describing the “development and use of global health innovations” in their work.

Emailing or calling elected representatives will support this bill on top of promoting the use of health innovation to achieve an HIV/AIDS-free generation. Representatives need to know that their constituents are interested in a goal in order for it to get the attention it deserves.

Shop
Shopping is another way to help the extreme poor in India. Currently, about ten million Indian women are commercial sex workers–the Anchal Project wants to change that.

The Anchal Project employs Indian women, 85 percent of whom were once in the sex trade, to create and make original designs for ecologically sound clothing and fabrics (mainly scarves).

Shopping here will support women in their goal of earning full-time employment and leading change in their families and communities, in effect supporting the extreme poor in working their way out of poverty.

Stay Informed
As most of the world’s poor live in India, the country is a great focus for The Borgen Project and other organizations working to fight poverty. Read up on current struggles and efforts to improve conditions for the poor in India to better learn how you can keep helping in the future.

While people are often told that they as an individual can change the world, it often seems that the change desired is too arduous to achieve. Nevertheless, a community of people can come together to end global poverty and help the extreme poor in India.

– Sean Newhouse

Photo: Flickr

Why is the Cost of Living in Norway So High?

Why Is the Cost of Living in Norway So High?
With its capital, Oslo, ranked as the 59th most expensive city in the world, Norway is anything but cheap. The high cost of living in Norway is a result of its egalitarian social system, which relies on a value-added tax system and minimal variations between incomes among its citizens to sustain its unique economy and socioeconomic structure. However, the social welfare system provided by the Norwegian government as well as the low unemployment rate in Norway are the positive results of the pricey standard of living.

A key feature that defines the high cost of living in Norway is the increased tax rate. From income tax (starting at 28 percent) to value-added tax, Norway’s tax structure strengthens its egalitarian social system. One of the benefits of using this type of social system is that there is a very minimal differentiation between incomes in Norway. This prevents wage-gaps and renders social classes in Norway to practically nonexistent.

While inadequate pay for minimum wage is a problem among many developed countries, Norway has abandoned this concept all together. Most citizens in different employments sectors, from education to food service, earn a living wage. Although this boosts the price of common goods significantly, it also ensures that Norway’s working class does not become impoverished. This socioeconomic ideology is responsible for reducing Norway’s unemployment rate to a minuscule 3.4 percent.

Education, health care and transportation in Norway are all subsidized by the government. High taxes provide for quality public services. This is especially evident in health care for Norwegian families; cash-for-care benefits, as well as free prenatal visits, including maternal and paternal leave, are all covered by the Norwegian government.

Mutual functionalism between Norway’s citizens and government not only allows its economy to thrive but its democratic process too as well. By rewarding workforce participation with quality social welfare, the Nordic model is an economic solution to ensure societal development. Although the cost of living in Norway may seem inopportune at first glance, there is no doubt that the Norwegian social system provides exceptional benefits for its citizens.

– Kaitlin Hocker
Photo: Flickr

,

How to Help People in Cuba

Help People in Cuba
Since the 1990s, Cuba has been in a severe economic slump. Every day, Cubans face shortages of everything from food to medical supplies to clothes. The Cuban state struggles daily with crumbling infrastructure and inadequate housing and transportation. In light of these tough financial times, it is useful to know how to help people in Cuba.

 

Effective Ways to Help People in Cuba

 

Political outreach
The U.S. embargo of Cuba is responsible in large part for the inaccessibility of everything from food to internet access. For more than 50 years, U.S.-Cuban relations have been dominated by the governments of the two countries. It is high time for more U.S. citizens to become involved in the relationship.

Americans can help Cubans by advocating for better relations and an ease of the embargo to their elected officials. U.S.-Cuba relations are a low-priority issue for most Americans. A little effort from American citizens alongside a little political outreach can go a long way.

Visit Cuba
Tourism is Cuba’s second-largest industry today. International visitors directly address the country’s desperate need to inject foreign money into the country’s struggling economy. Even with the new travel restrictions, visiting Cuba can be a fun and rewarding way to help Cubans. Tourists can have the most positive impact by utilizing privately-owned services such as casas particulares instead of chain-run hotels.

Donate
When visiting Cuba, tourists can do more than put money into the Cuban economy. Most Cubans are unable to access goods such as clothes, medicines and necessary technologies such as flash drives. One of the best ways to help Cubans is to bring as many of these items as possible on a trip to Cuba. Visitors can give these products out to the Cubans that they meet or donate them to specific charities such as the Cuban Red Cross, health clinics or orphanages.

Volunteer
Those who want to help the people in Cuba beyond taking a beach vacation to Varadero can volunteer with various organizations that work to address the needs of the Cuban people. Two prominent groups with special volunteer programs in Cuba are First-Hand Aid and Global Volunteers.

In planning their service, volunteers should be careful to research the mission and impact of each organization. In the past, some charities have run programs with special interests that do not always benefit the Cuban people.

Support domestic charities
Americans can still help the Cuban people without leaving home. There are numerous advocacy groups based in the U.S. and Europe that also work to help the Cuban people through donations and advocacy.

Americans can support these efforts by donating to organizations such as Connect Cuba and Care.org. Again, because of the contentious history of U.S.-Cuba relations, it is important that donors and supporters research each organization’s work and verify that their money will help Cubans.

It can be complicated to figure out how to help people in Cuba. Not every method or charitable organization may have the best impact for Cubans. Nonetheless, the options above offer great opportunities to help the hard-pressed people of Cuba.

– Bret Anne Serbin

Photo: Google

Why is Eritrea Poor?

Why is Eritrea Poor
It easy to simply throw every poor country into the same bucket and assume that it will always remain so. However, every nation has a different past and a different culture, which is one of the reasons that we must take these factors into account when judging how well they fare today. Most countries, such as Eritrea, a relatively small country on the African coast, have complex backgrounds. In an effort to better understand the current state of the country, one must first ask the question: why is Eritrea poor?

Eritrea’s modern history dates to the late 1800s. It was during this time that European colonization was widespread throughout Africa. In Eritrea’s case, the Italians invaded during this time.

The country tolerated the Italians up until World War II when the British took control of the area. At this point in time, Eritrea was a relatively well-developed country. In the 1950s, due to Ethiopia’s sacrifices in World War II, the lands that now belong to Eritrea were “awarded” to Ethiopia.

If the country was so developed then, why is Eritrea poor now? The concise answer to this is that Ethiopia was poorer than Eritrea, and thus the Ethiopian government focused on building strong industries within Ethiopian lands and neglected the Eritrean economy. This marked the beginning of the country’s recession. Then, in 1961, the most influential event in Eritrean history began: the war for independence from Ethiopia. This left little resources for the development of a stable industry.

What made this war especially chaotic was the continued influence of the Cold War. These events complicated matters so much so, that it left little resources for development of a stable industry. Why is Eritrea poor? This is why.

The war ended in after 30 years in 1991 and the country was formally established in 1993. Unfortunately, the Ethiopian military destroyed large parts of the country during the war, including whatever industrial buildings Eritrea had to its disposal.

An effective government was not established yet, and many Eritreans, during and after the war, had to fend for themselves. Eritreans were left to their own demise that they developed a culture of self-reliance, which they now pride themselves in.

This self-reliance, in the end, turned out to be more harmful than helpful. In 2006, during a severe drought, the country’s government declined humanitarian aid from NGOs such as the U.S.-based Mercy Corps and the Ireland-based Concern for this reason. At this time, 80 percent of the population lived off of subsistence farming, and the country housed an undernourished population of about 30 percent. Eritrea also had to recover from another war with Ethiopia, which lasted between 1998 and 2000.

Why is Eritrea poor? The answer to this question lies in the country’s conviction of trying to make ends meet on its own and its endless clashing with Ethiopia.

Due to these issues, the international community has not been very keen to invest in the country more recently. Eritrea has industries which are waiting to be capitalized on, such as minerals and a wide seafront, but it has a lack of money to begin these endeavors. Landmines left over from the previous wars also make mining especially expensive, leaving mineral deposits untouched.

There is an improvement on the horizon though: the Eritrean government is paying its citizens more fairly and is looking do some initial landscape scouting for mining. Furthermore, the country’s GDP has consistently grown since 2008.

– Michal Burgunder

Photo: Flickr

,

Conflicting Reports about the True Water Quality in Poland


The quality of water in Europe is often taken for granted by travelers, and there are some countries where it is best to stay on the safe side and use bottled water. Poland is one of many European countries with conflicting reports about tap water quality. Some sites such as TripAdvisor have multiple people vouching for the safety of the tap water, with some even saying that it tastes better than the water in many other European countries such as France and the U.K. Other travel sites have warnings about Polish tap water, claiming that it is unhealthy to drink and tastes horrible. For this reason, it can be difficult for travelers to understand the true water quality in Poland.

According to Poland’s Department of Economics and Management, about 60 percent of Poles are wary of the water quality before boiling it. They fear general pollution, and many are concerned that the smell and taste of the water, which is cited from mildly unsettling to disgusting, could be an indication of unhealthy drinking water. However, despite so many doubts from the locals, the government notes that more than 90 percent of the water in all areas meets the necessary health standards and is safe to drink, and any water that does fall below the safety line only barely fails to meet proper requirements. For the areas where the water quality is not up to the proper levels, water filters can easily improve the quality, both in terms of safety and taste.

Though the government assures that the water quality in Poland is safe to drink, many Poles and tourists use bottled water, especially mineral water, instead of tap water. Poland has a large bottled water industry, and some locals believe that this is one of the reasons that tap water is so distrusted. Since there is a great deal of advertising for natural mineral bottled water, it is easy to imagine why people would avoid the soft tap water in favor of the crisper bottled water.

However, in Poland and many other countries, more than 25 percent of bottled water is just treated tap water. Bottled water is often nothing more than expensive tap water run through a filter, something that can be done in any home for a much smaller cost than buying bottled water. Bottled water is also an environmental burden. The bottles are usually used once then thrown away.

Since the tap water is safe to drink, especially with a filter, it makes little sense to continue to rely on bottled water, especially when considering the economic and environmental costs of bottled water. Despite mixed reports, there is good water quality in Poland, so it is safe to go ahead and drink up.

– Rachael Lind

Photo: Flickr