Friday, January 21, 2011

”Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". (the Brundtland Commission)

"We are the people we've been waiting for."  --Van Jones

On January 15th I attended an "Awakening The Dreamer" symposium, hosted by the West Hills Unitarian Church click here to see a video trailer of the symposium.

The Inter-religious Action NW is planning to host this symposium for its annual Faith Forum in April, so I figured I'd better attend one first, see what it's like!

I have to admit being impressed, which isn't easy. I say that because my nickname around my house--possibly my whole neighborhood--is "Recycling Zealot". Which is really a misnomer because I am a much bigger drum-beater for reduced use than recycling. If you just have to end up with that plastic packaging in your hand, by all means recycle it when you're done with it (I bet you didn't know you could recycle packaging, or any of this other stuff: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=1383). But real change of impact on the planet is better achieved by not having that packaging in your hand in the first place!


The symposium is essentially a series of beautifully filmed videos on four topics, starting with what is the existing planetary condition (not just natural resources, but also the state of cultures and peoples), how we got to this point, what's possible for the future and what each of us can do personally from here. In between videos were short interactive exercises and conversations.

"If you wouldn't trade places with any segment of human society,
there's work to be done." 
--Van Jones
One of the (many) things that struck me was a section that compared how we use Earth resources to living your daily life on credit cards. We live at a level of consumption much higher than our "Earth bank account balance," so we borrow against the future. We use today the oil, crystal, coal that's supposed to be sitting there in 50 years when our grandchildren are to use it.  In the process of getting to them, we destroy the automatic Earth systems that create these resources, so they can't replenish.

The symposium lets the audience choose their forms of action at the end.  From my perspective, I think what's really needed is for us all to change how and what we consume; if a product just can't be made without dipping further into the Earth's credit card, then, well, skip it! Live without it.  Find one made without the use of slaves for example.

If you knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that an asteroid was heading toward North America, or some plague had been released (fill in the plot of your favorite disaster movie), and you had only four years to be ready to live in the resulting world...what would you be doing today to get ready?   Figure out how to capture and clean rain water (think The Road, now there's a cheery piece of film)? How to eat without freight trucks and supermarkets?  Wouldn't we be doing everything we could to use the technology, communication systems and innovative thinkers we have right now to figure out how to not need them in four years when we know for a fact they will be gone?

So how do we get ready?  The good news is, if you do even a brief Internet search on sustainability topics you end up with a HUGE LIST of people working on this topic. From incredibly bright-minded thinkers and inventors to incredibly brave-hearted champions.  You have many competent teammates waiting for you in both the "reverse the damage" and "prepare to live post-disaster" teams.  Although, they aren't really separate teams because everything we do to figure out how we'd survive post-disaster will contribute to the reversing the damage, which is basically the whole point.

They had this book for sale at the symposium that I am convinced is a KEY tool for the "reverse the damage" team:  The Better World Shopping Guide (http://www.betterworldshopper.org/). It grades product-makers A to F according to their impact on the planet and the people on it.  It tells you which corporations are doing everything they can to create their goods in new ways that can actually be sustained into the future, and which ones are doing everything they can to get in the way. Which ones are using child slaves, and which ones are spending profits to fight slavery. I was outraged to find that my hard-earned money is being used to enslave others via the products I purchase every week.  Armed with this book, each of us has a way to reverse and repair.

"Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream."  -- L. Ron Hubbard

Once you know about something, you are in the terrible position of having a responsibility for that thing, and must choose to do, or not do, something about it. This book gives you back that power to choose. Very concrete, effective action each of us can take to make a considerable impact.

"As citizens, on average, we might vote once every four years, if at all. As consumers, we vote every single day with the purest form of power...money." 
 --Ellis Jones, Author of The Better World Shopping Guide

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

SOLV Project Leader Training

SOLV is pleased to announce a new training opportunity in Hillsboro on Wednesday, January 26th. Learn how volunteers can help improve the environment and your community. This workshop is designed to help community members organize a SOLV project. Topics covered include:

· Watershed basics
· Envisioning and defining your project
· Managing and recruiting volunteers
· Educate volunteers on the impact of their work
· Add new energy to volunteer projects
· Finding sponsors, fundraising, and working with the media
· Project logistics for the day of your event

To Register or find out more:

Monday, January 03, 2011

Important news from Interfaith Committee on Homelessness

One of the feel good stories of 2010 was what Rolling Hills Church did to restore the Essential Health Clinic to serve people in need in Tigard and the surrounding communities. Here is the story. Read it and rejoice:


http://www.tualatintimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=129314386336019000


The Essential Health Clinic relies on volunteers for food, support staffing, as well as the doctors and nurses who see patients. Consider volunteering, or make a contribution. They save lives. They give people hope.


See this site for the latest update on the churches who open for the Severe Weather Shelter Program. It is important to note that these shelters do not operate alone. They are possible because other churches, businesses and individuals step up with food and volunteers in support of their efforts. In the case of my church there are five other churches who help us along with many local businesses and individuals, and Pacific University. Shelters like these are an opportunity for the community (you and me!!!) to come together to respond to homelessness, the suffering for which becomes all too plain when we have weather like we have now. People die outside when it's as cold as it is now. So in addition to offering hope and a helping hand, shelters save lives. Meet the human beings in your community who have no home of their own. They have names and stories. Volunteer at a shelter now.





Happy New Year everyone!



Eric Canon (Chair)

Interfaith Committee on Homelessness

www.ahomeoftheirown.com