April Action Alert

Being Sustainable Means Celebrating Earth Day Everyday

Earth Day 2011 will mark the 41st year of celebrating Earth and various actions taken to sustain Earth. This year’s theme is “A Billion Acts of Green.” According to the campaign, this theme, “calls for people of all nationalities to commit to an act that helps reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.”

Many in our world would say that humanity is in the midst of creating an awareness and transformation of society known as the third revolution, sustainability. Yet, what is meant when individuals speak of sustainability?

The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations, the Great Binding Law of our Native Americans, state, “In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation…” For others, the Earth Charter outlines what it means to be sustainable. The four parts of the Earth Charter offer us many opportunities for acting on this shared vision. As a result of praying with these statements, it is hoped that each citizen in the community of human species do something to bring about a more sustainable approach to life at the local level.

No doubt many individuals have made efforts to become more Earth friendly and sustainable such as:

• Washing clothes in cold water so that energy is not used to heat the water for warm or hot water settings
• Avoiding genetically modified food and purchasing fair trade products
• Eating more plants thus using less resources than those used to grow meat
• Carpooling and combining errands for reduced gas consumption
• Learning about where my water comes from and taking actions to protect the water
• Extending the life of a product by finding other uses for the product
• Educating others to the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling

While these are wonderful contributions to being sustainable, many individuals do not yet view all life through the lens of Earth species. The Universe Story invites each individual to cultivate a relationship with the universe and the many species living harmoniously. For if each of us truly understands and breathes in the fact that we are all one and connected to all species, the result is sure to hold continued deepening actions toward greater Earth sustainability.

Sustainability must include both personal and communal acts. As a human species, communities have greater capacity for action to be sustainable and to change the assumptions that so many individuals have that lead to lack of sustainability. As the closing remarks of The Earth Charter state, “Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.”

Actions/Reflections:

• What specific ways does The Universe Story shape my life? Where does integration remain?
• What personal and communal assumptions must be challenged to promote sustainability?
• What fresh action have I heard of or thought of with regard to Earth sustainability?
• What communal action for sustainability have I partaken in this past 6 months?
• When individuals speak of the cost in being sustainable as prohibitive, what is unconsciously said to future generations?
• How have I challenged the groups I am a part of to greater sustainability?
• In what ways do I challenge governments/businesses to sustainability

Women's Empowerment Principles

One of the 2008 General Assembly directives speaks of empowering women. The collaboration between the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM – part of UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact produced a set of Women’s Empowerment Principles. These Principles for business offer guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

The Principles seek to point the way to best practice by elaborating the gender dimension of good corporate citizenship, the business’ role in sustainable development, and the UN Global Compact (committed to aligning practices with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption).

The Principles in Brief include:

• Establishing high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
• Treating all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and nondiscrimination
• Ensuring the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers
• Promoting education, training and professional development for women.
• Implementing enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women.
• Promoting equality through community initiatives and advocacy.
• Measuring and publicly reporting on progress to achieve gender equality

As well as being a useful guide for business, it is hoped that Principles will inform other stakeholders, including governments, in their engagement with business.

Action: Ask corporations and businesses with whom you do business with if they have signed on to the Women’s Empowerment Principles. If not, consider giving/sending them the following message:

Equality in the workplace is not just the right thing – it is also good for business. The full participation of women in enterprises and in the larger community makes sound business sense now and in the future. A broad concept of sustainability and corporate responsibility that embraces women’s empowerment as a key goal will benefit us all. The Women’s Empowerment Principles will help us realize these opportunities. Therefore, I urge you to sign on to the Women’s Empowerment Principles. Thank you.

More information can be found here or here.

United States FY 2011 Budget Resolution Still Lingers

The U.S. FY 2011 Budget resolution expires on April 8. Legislators are facing the fact that deficit reduction is a must. What legislators seem to be responding to at this time are stories. Stories are real and concrete and put a face on the abstract numbers that legislators are circulating in Washington, DC. Facts, while helpful, are not what is having an impact on the newest legislators. So, what can individuals and organizations do?

• Acknowledge legislators tough financial choices.
• Share stories from your ministry highlighting the ways that federal programs successfully build economic security and meet the needs of vulnerable populations. Another perspective is to share how cuts in current and previous programs have harmed individuals/families lives.
• As part of the story, share with legislators that you find it unacceptable that those most vulnerable among us (i.e. those with whom we minister) should feel the greatest impact of future reductions.
• Ask legislators to reduce the deficit by considering more than spending cuts such as closing corporate tax loopholes and tax giveaways and making the top income earners pay their fair share of taxes.