Wednesday, December 16, 2009
56 Papers in 45 Countries Publish Joint Editorial on Climate Crisis
Published: December 06, 2009 7:10 PM ET
NEW YORK Tomorrow 56 newspapers in 45 countries take the perhaps
unprecedented step of speaking with one voice through a common
editorial. Many if not most will publish it on the front page, warning
of a "profound emergency."
The Guardian of London, which helped draft the editorial, published it
today, with a note at the end.
Here it is. * Read it here.
UMW Green Team in Copenhagen
Caption: Left to right - Esmeralda Brown, Tupou Kelemeni, Pamela Sparr and Pat Watkins
Tupou Kelemeni, Women's Divison Director from Hawaii said, " I am here in Copenhagen because I care about people, especially women, children and youth. I must learn all that I can, go home and share all that I have learned here, and advocate in every possible way that I can". You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.
Pamela Sparr, UMW Consultant said, "I am listening especially for examples of how climate change is affecting women and girls and stories of what women and girls are doing to address this challenge. I heard my first “good news” story in line about a biofuel cooking stove than could run on sugarcane pulp. This new technology has many advantages: it reduces indoor air pollution which kills nearly two million people each year – primarily women and children." You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.
Pat Watkin's UMW Green Team member said, "From the beginning of my first day, I have been so impressed by the diversity of folks here, especially young women from all over the world. They will make a very positive difference in the world and it gives me such great hope!" He goes on to say, "Lots of people are talking about lots of different things around here, but I’m here to talk about God’s creation and God’s kingdom. My contribution, I pray, will be to enable God’s kingdom to become just a little more of a reality. Please pray that prayer with me." You can read his whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thanksgiving, how we eat affects the Earth
Thanksgiving is in one week. Have you thought about what you will eat or serve? What's that got to do with the environment? Plenty.
While you are planning your Thanksgiving dinner think about each and every aspect of it. Will you use Styrofoam for plates or cups? How about take-out or take-home? What about your turkey or ham? How was it raised? What was the impact on the Earth during the raising of your holiday turkey or ham? What was the animal's daily life like?
I have become a flexitarian, meaning most of the time I am a vegetarian. I am not against eating meat. I will eat sustainably raised animal products.
So, as you prepare your Thanksgiving meal, decide ahead of time if you want to eat locally grown vegetables and animals, and what is more important to you locally produced or organic.
Here is a passage I took from Sustainable Table's blog The Daily Table
When people think about Thanksgiving, the first thing that should pop into mind is gratitude for all of the blessings received throughout the year. The real first thought, however, may be food. Thanksgiving, the most delicious of holidays, is a great time to experiment with sustainable and heritage foods. Read more at Sustainable Table blog post: You can have your turkey and eat it too.
Food, Inc. - live streaming video powered by Livestream
Local television station has regular environmental feature
Many of the mainstream media now have regular environmental features. In the Duluth area the Northland's Newscenter (CBS 6, CBS 3, My 9 and Northland CB) features "Your Green Life." Often in many areas it is the meteorologist or weatherperson who reports the environmental features.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Choosing a toothpaste and the a company's commitment to water
As for Professor Cricket, we do have toothpaste for her, but we haven't brushed her teeth in months, maybe even years.
P.S. I just visited the Nature's Gate website and I see they are involved in Water Aid America. Today is November 19: World Toilet Day ››
World Toilet Day is a key date to champion the human right of people everywhere to sanitation.
P.S.S. And now I have just visited the Tom's of Maine website and they are involved in Charity Water. See their community involvement here.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Superior Grown Food Summit discusses our role in what we eat
You may also visit the site www.superiorgrown.com
Caption: The keynote speaker was Darrin Nordahl. He talked about growing food in public spaces like boulevards and landscaping around parking lots. This photo shows graphs of the obesity epidemic in the United States since 1990. Some states have a good size of their population at over 40 pounds overweight. He is the author of Public Produce: Building a New Urban Agriculture. He currently works at the Design Center Davenport, IA
Friday, November 13, 2009
Women's Division's deputy general secretary says Repower America
Real dishes instead of throwaway
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Postcards delivered: Green Team to go to Copenhagen
- UMW collected 4,000 plus Countdown to Copenhagen postcards and hundreds of online sign-ons and more individual cards sent directly to the Church World Service office in Washington, DC.
- The total so far counted from the entire ecumenical community is 14,200 postcards.
- On Thursday Nov. 5, postcards were delivered deliver to the White House and UMW and other faith groups made senate visits. Green Team was represented by Betty Henderson and Grace Pyen, along with Esmeralda Brown, Pam Sparr and Sung-ok working together with our ecumenical partners, Church World Service, National Council of Churches and other faith-based partners.
- Our UMW leadership, Harriett Olson and Inelda Gonzalez, attended the entire day's events and spoke to the importance of climate justice and U.S. role in setting strong domestic and international policy on climate change.
- Four persons will participate in the international conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark. Our president, Inelda Gonzalez, has selected one director and recommended a Green Team member and staff persons to organize this delegation. Sung-ok recommended Pat Watkins, as he has been a strong advocate around the US legislative process around climate change in the past couple of years and has steadily guided us in framing a theological perspective on this issue.
- The two persons attending and assisting with organizing the delegation will be Esmeralda Brown and Pamela Sparr. Inelda has recommended Tupou Kelemeni of Honolulu, HI as the director attending this conference. As a Tongan-American living in Hawaii she has been following what has been happening to small islands in the Pacific with deep concern.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
No Bottled water at the county courthouse
What is in NILoder?
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Recycle on the Go!
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
UMW: role models and leaders in protecting our environment
Yesterday was Just Cap It Day and International Day of Climate Change Action or 350.org Day. In conjunction with this I gave a UMW Green Team presentation for the Minnesota UMW district officers training event held at the Koinonia Retreat Center in South Haven (which is about 15 miles south of St. Cloud). What a beautiful place to meet, especially with the colorful autumn leaves. I did have be to extra careful driving because of a few large slow-moving farm vehicles on the road. Fall is a beautiful season.
- Don't use bottled water. (If this is necessary consider larger containers and filters.)
- Avoid Styrofoam
- Use Chlorine-free paper
- Sign your Countdown to Copenhagen postcard, or do it online here. We want our president to attend this summit with the rest of the world leaders.
Remember, you are a role model for others and you DO have power. Every time you use or purchase something you are exercising that power. Choose wisely.
- making your own cleaning supplies
- food
- planning an environmentally-friendly event
- request your own topic
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Measure your energy use
IF YOU CAN MEASURE IT, YOU CAN MANAGE IT…
LEARN HOW TO IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE ENERGY WASTE!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Reducing CO2 with a Green Midday Lunch
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Learn about 350 Day of Action
350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it's the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.
Learn more about what people of faith can do here.
This is taken from the the 350 International Day of Climate Action
So here’s the plan. On October 24, we need you to organize an action in the place where you live, something that will make that most important number visible to everyone. People in more than 1000 communities around the globe have already announced plans—they’ll be school children planting 350 trees in Bangledesh, scientists hanging banners saying 350 on the statues on Easter Island, 350 scuba divers diving underwater at the Great Barrier Reef, and a thousand more creative actions like these. At each event, people will gather for a big group photo that somehow depicts 350--and upload that photo to the web 350.org. As actions take place around the world, we'll link all the pictures together electronically via the web--by the end of the day, we'll have a powerful visual petition linking together the entire planet that we can deliver to the media and world leaders.
So far more than 100 nations are taking part—it's shaping up to be to be the biggest day of grassroots action on global warming ever. But we need it to be much larger—we need you, in your village or town or city, to take part. It’s not hard—we can help you with materials and ideas. But you need to take the first step, by registering an action and starting to let your friends and neighbors know about it.
If you want to be environmentally-friendly, stay organized
I have found that the key to having an environmentally-friendly life is to be organized.
Seven words that will kill the order in your
home are these, "I'm going to take care of that
soon." When they are often used, these are the
words of a procrastinator and procrastination is
poisonous to living an orderly life. It has two
traps that will snare us.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Leaching car battery
Friday, September 18, 2009
Making a tri-fold display
TWIN CITIES DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING
Naomi Yaeger, the Minnesota UMW Green Team representative, to speak on Green Team projects! Naomi lives in Duluth
and attends First United Methodist Church. She is a freelance photographer and writer and edits a community monthly
newspaper, “The Hillsider”. She started as a Green Team member while living in Grand Forks, N.D. and serving as co-
president of UMW. As a reporter in Grand Forks she covered a community fighting the relocation of a landfill near their
town. The Green Team and environmentally consciousness has changed her life. She now thinks twice when shopping for
everyday little things likes soap, clothing and food. If having a cup of coffee means using a Styrofoam cup, she goes
without. Purchases are no longer just about the product, but about how much waste will need to be disposed after the
product is brought home.
The annual meeting for the Twin Cities District, United Methodist Women, will be held at Brooklyn United Methodist
Church on Saturday, September 19.
Registration and morning coffee will open at 9 a.m., with gathering for singing in the sanctuary at 9:30. The
worship service will follow, with the Emma Norton Tea (coffee break) following. The checks and cash given
at this time help us make our goal for support of Emma Norton Services for the year, so plan to give
generously.
The business meeting will complete the rest of the morning session. Following lunch, our speaker will be
Naomi Yaeger. She will discuss with us the direction the Green Team is taking concerning global warming,
clean energy and other environmental issues of concern to all women. You won’t want to miss her.
The Resource Room and other displays will be available for your browsing during free times.
Registrations may be made with Carol Foster, either by calling her at 763-537-3678 or emailing to GRUMPYTF@aol.com.
Please include the following information:
Name ________________________________
Church ________________________________
Need child care? ______ If yes, name and age of child. Please bring a bag lunch for each child. Snacks will be provided.
Deadline for registering is Tuesday, September 14. Cost is $8.00, payable at the door.
Directions to Brooklyn UMC: Take 694 W to Brooklyn Blvd exit; turn right on Noble Ave. Parking lot is across street from
church.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Preparing for presentation
I am preparing for an UMW talk in Brooklyn Park area of the Twin Cities. Currently I am trying to preparing a nice tri-fold. I am planning to talk about the Countdown to Copenhagen and how our food choices affect our environment.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Experimenting with video
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The dog days of summer
Prof. Cricket get trapped in some rocks at Canal Park.
Youth squealed as they jumped of the cement structure into the cold lake. I stuff my feet in the lake...yeap 43 degrees!
Wind: S at 0 mph
Humidity: 70%
It is almost the middle of August. Time to get serious about the content of the September Hillsider. Today I phoned some advertisers and worked on the layout a bit.
It was really, really hot today. I had a picnic lunch at Canal Park. I found out it is really hard to access the beach with all the boulders there. Those rocks were hot enough to fry an egg! My little doggie got trapped between a couple rocks, but she wormed her way out. Finally we went down near the canal and there is an easier access to the water there. Lots of kids were throwing rock and feeding seagull.
Later we went to Brighton Beach, were Prof. Cricket chased the waves. She likes to try to bite them. She go all the way in the water and believe it or not she did get cold. I had to put her in the car to warm her up.
Anyway, I got my laptop out and worked on the design, made some phone calls and looked at the photos I now have. We want to have a candidate questionnaire and it is looking very tight for space unless I sell some more adds to make a 16 pager rather than a 12 pager.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Water photo
Bulk shopping and plastic bags
I am usually aware of packaging as I am shopping. My favorite place to shop is Whole Foods Co-op so I can get natural and/or organic food and purchase in bulk. It does bother me that I use a lot of plastic bags. I have been trying to save them and reuse them. Washing them is kinda a hassle. Right now I have a whole bunch of used plastic bags.
I save them to pick up Prof. Cricket's dog doo. I don't know if this is a good reuse or not because I don't like the fact that it takes forever for these bags to break down (decompose). Picking up dog doo is important though. If we don't pick it up it all goes into our water supply. Here in Duluth that would be Lake Superior. So I am protecting the lake when I pick it up, even if it is being preserved in the plastic bag which ends up in a landfill.
I have started to use the little brown paper bags for my dry bulk goods, especially treats like nuts, chocolate drops and my peanut butter covered pretzels.
Recently I purchased BYO* Bags. They are a cloth mesh. The tag line is “*Bring Your Own. An Earth Friendly Alternative to plastic produce bags.”
I keep forgetting to put them in my car or purse to try them out.
Check out their website: www.coohatz.biz
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
UMW starts the Countdown to Copenhagen: Time to ensure enough for all
By Naomi Yaeger
UMW Green Team Dakotas Rep
Greetings! The UMW Green Team encourages you to get involved in environmental issues. As a Green Team representative, I attended Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C. this March. The theme year was “Enough for All Creation”. After the event we all spoke to our congresspeople and senators on Capital Hill.
Please study the issues and encourage President Obama to attend the Copenhagen, Denmark summit with other world leaders this December. UMW is working with the National Council of Churches and Church World Service in a postcard campaign. I have 1,000 of these postcards and would be happy to send you some. It is important that our president personally attend this event to show that the U.S. is committed to the environment. Caring about the environment is not just about trees and exotic animals. It is about caring for God’s children. The world’s poorest people are disproportionately affected by environmental derogation. Diseases and poverty go hand-in-hand with environmental racism. In our own country our poorest people have the most environmentally caused illnesses and diseases.
Please visit the websites www.churchworldservice.org and www.nccecojustice.org
You may join an environmental Internet group or learn more about UMW at www.umwonline.org.
Also please read your June issue of “Response”, I wrote an article on page 22 titled, “Loving God, people and the earth”. The article profiles other Green Team members and what they are doing within their districts. The Rev. Pat Watkins has founded Caretakers of God’s Creation ministry and another member, Kyung Yu, talks about her role as a Green Team representative and as a scientist.
I would be happy to consult with you or visit your church as a speaker. You may email me at sun_dog_press AT yahoo.com.