Project information

StatusFinalist
URLGo to website
CategoryEnvironment
CountryUnited States
Operational areasUrban, Rural
Target groupsChildren, Youth, Women, Men, Seniors
Fixed connectionDialup, DSL, Cable
Wireless connectionWiFi
Access pointsGovernment office, Business, Home, School, Library, Telecenter, Cafe
InteractLandline Phone, Desktop Computer, Cellphone, Laptop
Software License TypesProprietary

Project location

Random images Challenge 2008

Horizon Solutions Site

  • Brief description
  • The Horizon Solutions Site at http://www.solutions-site.org, a collaborative program developed with UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, Unicef, the IDRC, Yale and Horizon's colleagues at Harvard, provides carefully appraised answers to problems in the interconnected areas of the environment, health, population and development, in case-studies (peer-reviewed), articles and exhibits.  
  • Vision, Objectives and Goals
  •  When faced with environment and health problems, individuals, organizations and governments often feel helpless and alone in their plight and most of them are often faced with not having the resources to seek answers themselves.  At the same time there are others in all corners of the world who are finding innovative, practical solutions to similar problems.  Horizon’s vision, objectives and goals are to efficiently, effectively and accurately provide knowledge of how to ameliorate damage and loss, to protect against further harm, and to improve conditions by finding what is possible and making that knowledge available through the Horizon Solutions Site.  By doing so, the Solutions Site prevents loss of good ideas that would otherwise never reach beyond narrow borders and be virtually lost to the rest of the world. It reduces wasteful duplication of time, effort and funding spent searching for answers that are already available. And, the Solutions Site sometimes enables people to find answers when they are needed. Further, Horizon believes that by bringing people from all parts of the world closer together in the pursuit of making conditions better it also strengthens appreciation of our connection with one another and heightens care and concern for all life. In covering the environment and health, Horizon believes it is necessary to take a inclusive view of the subjects that are interrelated and interconnected from agriculture to poverty, energy to waste management. Thus, the areas Horizon covers include preserving wildlife and endangered plants, reducing pollutants, reducing global climate change and acid rain, practicing sustainable, non-toxic agriculture, finding ways to reduce malnutrition, TB, malaria, dengue, and sexually transmissible infections such as HIV/AIDS, and unwanted pregnancy and to provide sanitation and health education,   finding means to meet economic needs with least harm to our planet and advancing technological innovations for the betterment of the planet. Horizon chooses ideas and initiatives that both inform and inspire positive action. A general list of subjects Horizon addresses includes: News and Special Reports, Agriculture, Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Desertification, Energy, Industry, Population, Public Health, Transportation, Waste Management, Water. Exhibits include ones on coral reefs and global climate change both of which are major foci of recent coverage. Publications on the Horizon Solutions Site, articles, case studies and exhibits now number 321. Screened links designed to provide background information in order to serve as a valuable resource now includes over 1,020 entities.   Organizations and educational institutions cooperating with Horizon are encouraged to prepare case studies, to link to and to disseminate information from and about the Site, offer supportive infrastructure including use of offices and resources for Horizon Associates, present Horizon International TV programs and excerpts from those programs, use Horizon’s material for radio programs, and other outreach initiatives, and collaborate to strengthen mutual goals.  In order to ensure that all information presented by Horizon can be trusted, Horizon has a substantial Scientific Review Board who are called upon to both review case studies and other material for accuracy and feasibility and to provide ideas for coverage and ideas for setting priorities of its coverage. They are: Peter S. Ashton, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Dendrology, Harvard University, Harvard ArboretumMichele Barry, M.D., Director, International Health Program, Yale School of MedicineKwesi Botchwey, LLD ,Former Director, Africa Research and Programs, Center for International Development, Harvard UniversityEco. Antonio Brack, Adviser, United Nations Development Program (PNUD) PeruRita R. Colwell, Ph.D.,Distinguished Professor, UMD, and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Chairman, Canon U. S. Life Sciences, Inc.Paul R. Epstein, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical SchoolAbraham E. Haspel, Ph.D. ,Former Dept. Asst. Secretary, U.S. Department of EnergyDavid G. Hawkins, J.D., Senior Staff Attorney, Natural Resources Defense CouncilStephen P. Hubbell, Ph.D. Professor of Biology, Princeton UniversityKwi-Gon Kim, Ph.D., Professor of Environmental Planning and Landscape ArchitectureSeoul National UniversityDieter Koch-Weser, Ph.D., Former Chair, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Harvard UniversityMaritta R. V. Bieberstein Koch-Weser,Former Director GeneralIUCN, The World Conservation UnionRobert Lawrence, M. D., MPH, Associate Dean for Professional Education, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBarry S. Levy, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Barry S. Levy AssociatesThomas E. Lovejoy, Ph.D., President, The H. John Heinz III Center For Science, Economics and EnvironmentMichael Merson, M.D., Former Dean of Public Health, Yale School of MedicineMichael McElroy, Ph.D., Chairman, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard UniversityThe Hon. Richard L. Ottinger, Dean Emeritus, Pace University School of LawJan C. Post, Ph.D., Former Senior Ecologist, World BankHomero Silva, M.D., Advisor Environmental Health, PAHO/WHO- PeruAllan Rosenfield, M.D., Dean, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public HealthHernan Sanhueza, M.D., Former President, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere RegionBurton H. Singer, Ph.D., Professor of Demography and Public Affairs, Princeton UniversityJames Gustave Speth, J.D., Dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Former Administrator United Nations Development ProgrammeRoger P. Swain, Ph.D., Science Editor, Horticulture MagazineRobert J. Wyman, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Yale University
  • How does ICT contribute to the organisational objectives
  •  

    Information and communications technology (ICT) plays an essential role in the work of Horizon.  Horizon’s effectiveness is immeasurably enhanced by ICT.  ICT has made possible results that were not possible without ICT because it makes feasible sharing of knowledge on a truly worldwide scale reaching people in most socio-economic circumstances.  The Solutions Site is free for all to access. And, people everywhere are invited to submit material for possible inclusion.  

     Horizon gives priority to articles, case studies, and exhibits which are anticipated to have the most immediate benefit. The information provided includes much of that which is needed to enable the initiative to be replicated, in whole or in part, and contacts for further information.  Moreover, when those who have succeeded in finding answers help to make known how they were able to succeed and realize that their time, effort and hard work can also enrich the lives of others, they are greatly heartened and their own sense of self is heightened. As a wise man once said, "Example is the school of mankind”. Horizon learned of the need for the Solutions Site before it was able to bring it about when in 1992, at the Earth Summit, 35 country representatives asked Horizon to begin Solutions Databases in their countries. The Solutions Database was the early incarnation of the Horizon Solutions Site.  It was an expensive, inadequate means of sharing information about solutions in the world by mail and telephone communication.  It was not feasible for Horizon to undertake that task. And, it was not reasonable, given the perceived costs, for Horizon to even seek funding for such a huge undertaking.  The great transformation of what was impossible into the possible came about when in 1999, with the help of numerous contributors and collaborators that included UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, UNICEF, Yale University, and the IDRC of Canada, and Horizon’s colleagues at Harvard University, the Horizon Solutions Site was developed and launched.   

    In addition, through the Horizon Solutions Site as a vehicle, ICT has enabled Horizon to assist many organizations and, through partnerships, to greatly increase what each is able to accomplish.

     For example, it recently helped launch the Butterfly Network started by a Horizon Intern in Assam, India, which is not only identifying butterflies in particular environments, but also increasing awareness of the importance of butterflies and the ecology that sustains them.It has cooperated with many others including the American Museum of Natural History to share articles from each other’s Web site.   It cooperated with Alaska Conservation Solutions to make people aware of their site, by working together with the organization, posting an article written for the Solutions Site,  “Making Global Warming Solutions Locally Relevant and Accessible.” www.alaskaconservationsolutions.com, and by sharing examples of what one can do. On a daily basis, the Solutions Site provides “The Pop Reporter Info, A Service of HORIZON International & The INFO project” of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with daily international coverage. And, it carries the news headlines from the Environment News Service with links to the articles.ICT has also made possible Horizon’s effective, international Associates Program described below.ICT has made possible providing all of Horizon’s material developed over thirty years on the Web so that each part of Horizon’s offerings are available and each add to the effectiveness of others.  These include the Horizon television programs provided on www.horizoninternationaltv.org and the recently developed Magic Porthole coral reef Web site at www.magicporthole.org.  What Horizon had accomplished with the Horizon Solutions Site and with its TV programs were evaluated by the National Science Foundation before it awarded Horizon a Planning Grant Award for the development of Magic Porthole. The Magic Porthole Web site provides a central core to this multimedia and multifaceted online and offline informal science education project. It draws upon the coral reef coverage of the Horizon Solutions Site including a coral reef exhibit and case studies such as on ways to reduce loss of ocean life off the coast of Vanuatu.   
  • Transferability
  •  In order to start and operate a similar project the needs would be something in between. They include: basic software and design, templates for case studies to enable quick evaluations of the coverage to se if it  addresses what one is searching for, substantial research and experts to find and appraise material, cooperation with individuals, organizations, educational institutions, when possible, NGOs, governments and media.  
  • Project summary
  • Horizon International Programs, in addition to the Solutions Site include:              The Horizon Solutions Site for Kids of All Ages, http://www.solutions-site.org/kids is an interactive, multimedia feature of the Solutions Site.  Many of the entries on the Solutions Site are rewritten for the younger audience.             Horizon produces internationally broadcast television programs. They are now available for viewing and downloading on the Web at http://www.horizoninternationaltv.org.               ICT has made possible Horizon’s effective, international Associates Program (consisting of volunteers, interns, and research fellows) to which several volunteers were attracted by the UN Online Volunteering Program:             The Associates serve to improve conditions in the world while providing them a chance to advance their professional opportunities.  Associates Program operates with the help of cooperating organizations. ICT is essential to enable the level of communication needed to work with Associates.  The Associates' assignments are personalized to advance their professional abilities and enable them to more fully realize their own potential while realizing tangible results in their work to help in the world.  Associates experience personal growth, satisfaction from the results of their work, and increased motivation to use their talents and abilities.   

                Many Horizon Associates have not only made possible sharing of knowledge of initiatives through the Horizon Solutions Site and other avenues, but also benefited from their accomplishments as Associates. They help others to prepare articles, case studies, and exhibits.  They disseminate information from and about the Site. They offer ideas and rewrites of case studies from the main Site for younger audiences for the Horizon Solutions Site for Kids of All Ages feature of the Solutions Site. Most importantly, they are in a position to discover the pressing problems in the regions where they are located and to ensure that when solutions are available from the Site to meet those needs the people are informed. The Associates, who themselves receive training as needed from Horizon, train others, prepare or help develop case studies on successful initiatives and help initiate projects based on solutions from the Solutions Site. For example, Horizon-Peru is a organization founded by Horizon Associates in Peru who have worked on numerous case studies, conferences, training projects, and various projects involving high-school and university students and faculty, international organizations including WHO and UNDP, and community-based endeavors. It started in 1999 with the first Horizon Intern in Peru, Raul Farfan.  Many initial interns and volunteers in Peru are still involved including Walter Castro, mentioned below.

     For example, a Yale undergraduate who assisted with Horizon-Peru (now a formal non-profit entity in Peru) received a Marshall Fellowship, a young college graduate in Nigeria requested and received recommendations from Horizon based on his achievement as a volunteer for Horizon and received admission with scholarship to go on to complete a graduate degree from Brandeis in sustainable development. Another, Walter Castro, an undergraduate from Peru, similarly received a Ford Foundation Fellowship and completed advanced degrees in the Netherlands. Barau Maan, of Assam, India, a current Horizon intern who started a Butterfly Network with Horizon’s assistance, a project for which Jim Miller of the American Museum of Natural History is an advisor, received a full scholarship to Oxford for this fall.             ICT enabled the substantial research needed for Horizon’s Chairman and President, Janine Selendy, to prepare a course syllabus on “water and sanitation,” and a 2-hour lecture on “water-related diseases and sanitation” for Yale School of Public Health. ICT is facilitating furthering this initial work with several participants to prepare a book and possibly other media on “Water-related diseases, sanitation and the environment.”  For example, one of the Horizon Solutions Site peer-reviewed case studies, reviewed by Professor Andrew Spielman of Harvard School of Public Health (now deceased), entitled “Remediation of the environmental impacts of the Akosombo and Kpong dams” which provides an example of how to reduce schistosomiasis in Ghana.