BPA

Fact: Bisphenol A (BPA), which has been associated with diabetes, heart disease and obesity, is found in the blood of 92 percent of all Americans over the age of five.

Tip: Purchase foods packaged in Tetra Paks.

Even if the FDA isn't paying attention, the media is! | Sarah Janssen's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

Even if the FDA isn't paying attention, the media is! | Sarah Janssen's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

Smart Woman: Global Mamas

Smart Woman: Global Mamas

UMW National Seminar 2011 at Linn Park

Esmeralda Brown stands at the Gazebo in Linn Park with United Methodist Women in the background.
Polly Pearson made a sign for clean water.

Transformation UMW National Seminar 2011

Put your fears in the Saturday Cave.
Tell your sister she is transformed and anoint her.


The symbolic Saturday Cave.

Busy Day

We had a busy day today. We visited Pratt City, where a tornado had devasted a neighborhood in Birmingham.
We also visited the McCoy Center.

Another stop we made was at the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College


We are also particpating in Meatless Monday.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Last night we toured the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

It is across the street from the 16th Street Baptist in 1962 church which was bombed. Dozens were hurt. Four girls attending Sunday School were killed.
This man was met outside and gave us a little history. He also said, "No cameras allowed." I took a photo of his back with the Negro League logos.

You can follow some of out lectures and Bible studies here at UMW National Seminar 2011

Snippets of words that touch my heart at the UMW National Seminar 2011 Birmingham Ala.

I have been posting snippets of sentences that speak to me as I listen to our speakers at the National Seminar.

"Poverty is a slap in the face of God."

Why does domestic violence happen? Because it can.

Batterers are made, not born.

Violence happens with the idea that some should have power and others should not.

The reason people don't see human trafficking is because it is a hidden crime.

U.S. immigration laws are confusing and contribute to human trafficking.

If I give you a ride and you are an undocumented immigrant, I've broken the law...or if I've feed you.

People of the Maldives Islands say two degrees hotter on this earth is suicide for them.


Domestic violence, racism, human trafficking . immigration, climate change and poverty are all intertwined.

Visible power is who is calling the shots.

Invisible powers are people and institutions that shape our beliefs. (Food is power and is intertwined in all of this.

Sunday

Well, I plan to keep you posted on what's going on next.
Click on the link to live stream
http://nat-seminar.umwonline.net/

We are treading lightly on the earth by eating local food

Catfish and okra
Pecan pie

UMW National Seminar 2011

Prof. Cricket's mommy is in Birmingham Ala. to attend the UMW National Conference. The theme is Mission Reconciliation: Restoring Justice, building Community.

I will post photos and other information soon. I need to go to a session.

In Duluth solar-powered trash compactors and recycling bins to "green" Lakewalk

Caption ~ TOP - A ribbon cutting for the solar powered trash compactors at in Philadelphia (Photo from BigBellySolar.com) LOWER LEFT: Mayor Don Ness announces the addition of solar-powered trash compactors and recycling bins along the Lakewalk. (Photo by Rebecca Yaeger-Bischoff)

It saves money and the planet

By Rebecca Yaeger-Bischoff

Over 1 million people use Duluth’s Lakewalk each year, and all of those people using the Lakewalk can add up to a lot of trash. Recently the city received a grant that will help it reduce the volume of trash that needs to be carted to a landfill.


At a press conference on Sept. 30 Mayor Don Ness announced that starting this spring there will be solar-powered trash compactors and recycling bins along Duluth’s Lakewalk. The city plans to install 10 of each unit from Canal Park to Brighton Beach. This project is being funded by a $41,159 grant from the Department of Natural Resources Solar Legacy Grant Fund.


The new units will help the city improve the efficiency of waste pick-up by providing status updates via text message to the Park Maintenance Center. The trash compactors also can hold up to 5 times as much as waste the current bins. Reducing the number of times need to empty the trash containers will not only save the city money, but will also reduce CO2 emissions. The city will look into expanding the trash compactor and recycling units after the effectiveness of the Lakewalk units is determined. For more information about the solar-powered units visit http://bigbellysolar.com/solutions/

WLSSD and RSPT to Host Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale

NEWS RELEASE


Duluth, MN: The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and the Regional Stormwater Protection Team will host a one-day rain barrel and backyard compost bin sale at Lake Superior College's lower east parking lot on Saturday, May 22nd, from 9 am – 3 pm.

High-quality rain barrels and compost bins will be available at 50% of retail prices at the event.
Free composting and rain water collection instruction will be offered throughout the day by WLSSD and RSPT representatives.

“This sale is a great way for residents to obtain affordable, high-quality rain barrels and composters,” said Susan Darley-Hill, WLSSD Environmental Program Coordinator. “They are easy to assemble and, once in place, are ready for use.”

Both composting and collecting rainwater can be a great help to gardeners. Collecting rainwater helps reduce stormwater runoff and provides a ready source of water for thirsty plants. Backyard composting creates a natural soil amendment that provides many benefits for lawns and gardens.

The SYSTERN rain barrel will be sold for $50, while supplies last. The 55-gallon SYSTERN can be placed under any downspout and connected together to collect water for use in yards and gardens. Each SYSTERN is designed with a screen to keep water free of debris and mosquitoes. The SYSTERN is made of 50% post consumer plastic and is a neutral tan color.

The Earth Machine® compost bin will be sold for $40, while supplies last. No reservations are necessary. The composter fits in nearly any vehicle and carries a 10-year warranty. When assembled, the bin holds up to 80 gallons (10.5 cubic feet) of compostable material. Compost turners ($15) and kitchen scrap pails ($7) will also be available for purchase. Payment by check or credit card is preferred (Discover, MC, or Visa.)

Lake Superior College is located at 2101 Trinity Road, Duluth. Area residents can access the college’s lower east parking lot from the main driveway off of Trinity Road.

More information about rain barrels and collecting rain water can be found on RSPT’s website at www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/stormwater/toolkit/rainbarrels.html

More information on backyard composting is available on WLSSD’s website at http://www.wlssd.com/compost_howto.php . Residents are reminded that, by ordinance, compost bins must be situated 15 feet from any dwelling in the city of Duluth. Best placement is in a partially shaded area that is convenient for adding or removing material.

Western Lake Superior Sanitary District provides award-winning wastewater and solid waste services to residents, businesses and industries within its 530 square mile legislative boundaries in Southern St. Louis and northern Carlton counties, and is a nationally recognized leader in pollution prevention.

New carpet literally makes bank teller sick

Today I went to the bank and asked were once the tellers who is usually is always working was. They said she went home sick. Then they went on to say it was from the fumes of a new carpet that was being laid. Or the glue for the new carpet. She had an allergic reaction to it. Well, maybe she is allergic. Or maybe she is the "canary in the coal mine". It should be an warning to us all. If fumes make a person sick then maybe it isn't all that good for you.

There are alternative products to use which are more eco-friendly.

Article about processed foods

I received this from Scott Fielder Scott

The following "Ten Commandments" was adopted by the 1991 Wyoming
Annual conference. The Wyoming Conference (of NY & PA) will end this year. I think these commandments should be shared with the new conferences and others.

1. You shall live in harmony with all the earth and with every living thing.
2. You shall have your fair share of the earth and no more.
3. You shall fight to protect the earth; it is your home.
4. You shall return to the earth all the organic treasures she freely gives you.
5. You shall make beautiful and enduring whatever is to be made.
6. You shall keep faith with future generations, and be wise guardians of their inheritance.
7. You shall place necessity above greed, and wonder above wealth.
8. You shall trade only necessary things, and demand no useless ones.
9. You shall be masters of technology and not its servants.
10. You shall come together with all your brothers and sisters and sing the joy of the earth.

A great new blog - Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project

There is a great new blog out there named Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project. A teacher is forgot her own lunch in January so she ate what the children eat. Then she decided to eat that every single day and blog about it. Boy, it is an eye-opener. No wonder our kids our fat! Look at what they are eating every single day. This is a national problem.

See her Feed Up With School Lunch blog here.

Read what guest blogger, Jan Poppendieck, Professor of Sociology Hunter, College, City University of New York) wrote today on the Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project has to say about what YOU can do. She is the author of Free For All: Fixing Food in America

She says: This is the moment for readers of FED UP to SPEAK UP. Right now, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation, the legislation that will control school food and other child nutrition programs for the next five years, is wending its way through Congress. Now is the time to tell your Senators and Representatives what you want to see as an end result. Now is the time to ask for enough money to do the job right.

I'm sure many Fed Up readers are old hands at communicating with Congress, but for those who are not, here are some tips. If you are uncertain about just who your legislators are, you can find out by entering your zip code into designated box on the web site called Contacting Congress: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/. Then, you can go directly to a form for submitting an e-mail to a member of the House at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml and to your Senators at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

You don't have to draft the legislation for them; that is their job. You just have to tell them: 1) what you want, 2) how important it is to you, 3) and why it is important—and remind them to put enough money in the bill to make achievement of these ends possible.

56 Papers in 45 Countries Publish Joint Editorial on Climate Crisis

By E&P Staff ( Editor and Publisher)

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

Click here to see more Copenhagen stories.

Caption: Left to right - Esmeralda Brown, Tupou Kelemeni, Pamela Sparr and Pat Watkins

Hi UMW members and friends. This past few days have been historic and UMW has played a role. Four representatives of United Methodist Women are now ( Dec. 6 through 18) in Copenhagen. They are: Tupou Kelemeni, Pat Watkins, Esmeralda Brown, Pamela Sparr.

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.

Esmeradla Brown, Women's Division staff, said, " We began our busy schedule on Saturday, December 5th, where Tupou and I attended an all day Orientation and Strategy Meeting by the Ecumenical Climate Secretariat held at the Danish Church Aid premises. The meeting was very helpful since it provided important information as to the history of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change and the Kyoto Protocol and its implication, particularly for the Global South and the issue of Climate Justice for poor nations been affected by climate change and climate migration. The issue of mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building and the long term goal for emission reductions. You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.