Green Options » peace

Social Responsibilty: Eco Child’s Play Donation

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:05:12 +0000

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When I began Eco Child’s Play over a year and a half ago, I pledged to make Kiva loans on behalf of our blog. After making several Kiva loans, I’ve decided it is time to donate to and highlight different organizations helping families and/or the environment around the world. This month, I have made a donation to Women for Women International on behalf of Eco Child’s Play.

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Korean Environmental Leader Refuses the Olympic Torch

Gavin Hudson — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:44:14 +0000

Choi Seung-kuk, the Secretary General of Green Korea, one of South Korea’s largest environmental organizations, has officially bowed out as an Olympic torch bearer. In a press interview this morning, Mr. Choi cited China’s aggression in Tibet as his main reason for refusing to carry the Olympic torch when it arrives in Seoul, the capital city, on April 27.

For China, having one of the leaders of Asia’s environmental movement refuse to carry the Beijing Olympic torch must sting. After all, China is jumping through hoops to carry out the Beijing Olympics as the Green Olympics. They are decreasing pollution by planting trees, recycling wastewater, paying car owners not to drive, and more. In addition, the games themselves will be carbon neutral.

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10 Top Environmental Headlines of the Week, no. 4

Gavin Hudson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:07:50 +0000

Following are the top international environmental news for during the week of April 13 - 20. See an archive of top international environmental news here.

Asia

Two “Extinct” Species Discovered

First there was Swinshoe’s softshell turtle, and then the Javan Elephant. Is this more commonplace than we might believe?

Frankly, no. Despite the occasional hubbub over an animal science has lost track of– say, the Coelacanth– we’ve witnessed something extraordinary. Swinshoe’s turtle was previously believed to be extinct in the wild, with only three remaining in captivity, and therefore every one of these 300-pound turtles is a critical find.

Continue reading: Environmental Graffiti. Hot in media: Stumble Upon.

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Springtime at the Cold War’s Last Border

Gavin Hudson — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:01:24 +0000

It’s springtime in South Korea. Just a month ago the ground was covered in snow; today the hills are pink with cherry blossoms. Eager solar panels soak up the warm sunshine. On the mountain, wind turbines spin in the sweetly scented spring breeze. In the seaboard city of Gangneung, children’s delighted shrieks fill neighborhood parks.

Over the city, military jets cleave the sky.

The jets that weave all day long over Gangneung are a reminder that for the past 60 years Korea has been a country divided and at war with itself. Gangneung, with its windfarm, solar panels, and cherry blossoms, lies less than 100 miles (160 km) from the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, the world’s last remaining Cold War border.

This week, as springtime blooms, a series of events unfolded which threaten to destabilize the delicate balance between the North and the South.

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The Wonderful World of Wars’ Effects

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:15:48 +0000

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Middle East Institute Teaches Peace with Environmental Studies

Gavin Hudson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 04:47:51 +0000

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The Arava Institute plans to show the world that lasting peace can be achieved by working together to solve shared environmental issues. They are training Israeli and Palestinian youth leaders to find collaborative solutions to environmental issues that afflict both peoples. The result, they hope, will be a sustained peace through cooperation.

But in one of the most conflict-ridden regions of the world, what chance does the institute had in promoting peace through environmental studies? Just read the experiences of one Jordanian alumnus named Zein and judge for yourself.

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Searching for Peace, Love and Santa Claus

Gavin Hudson — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 14:27:03 +0000

What’s the truth about Santa Claus? Who is this large, jovial fellow with flying reindeer and hordes of merry elves? If the truth about Saint Nicholas can lay the commercial icon to rest, maybe it can also restore the true meaning of Christmas as a time of peace on Earth, love and goodwill toward all.

The German intellectual, Georg Lichtenberg, once said that “to do just the opposite is also a form of imitation,” but reversing Saint Nicholas’ image is certainly not the most sincere way to flatter it. Santa as a commercial icon undercuts the ideology of benevolence and humble giving. See this video on the chain of consumption for an idea of who gets left out when Santa goes corporate. A truer idea of the real Saint Nicholas and his current image around the world might reconnect us with the greater feelings of compassion and caring that should symbolize this (and every) season.

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Study of Peace prints for sale

Tom Nguyen — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:59:25 +0000

Originally commissioned painting for a friend’s masters’ thesis on Cosmopolitanism, 100 limited edition prints are available for sale. All profits will go to starting a website to promote fair trade stores, green traveling and green events. Prints measure 16×20 and are 12 color print on canvas. This highly detailed painting shows many symbols to represent peace.

Here’s the link: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7610492

Happy Late Birthday Gandhi!

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:25:00 +0000

Gandhi’s birthday was on October 2.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”

“A principle is the expression of perfection, and as imperfect beings like us cannot practise perfection, we devise every moment limits of its compromise in practice.”

“A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion.”

“All the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth.”

“I consider myself a Hindu, Christian, Moslem, Jew, Buddhist and Confucian.”

“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”

My life is my message.

“My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realising Him.”

“Those who know how to think need no teachers.”

“Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear.”

“What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.”

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end they always fall—think of it. Always.”

– Mohandas K. Gandhi
(October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948)

Join Jane Goodall for Peace Celebrations Sunday, Free Admission

Gavin Hudson — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:12:53 +0000

For many, this Sunday will bring the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Dr. Jane Goodall. Participants in the Los Angeles event will join Dr. Goodall and hundreds of others in celebrating peace, while around the world dozens of other groups will host similar events. If you’d like to attend the L.A. event (free admission), visit the event’s website, or simply arrive at the location pinpointed on the maps below.

If you’re not in the Los Angeles area, you can still join Dr. Goodall this weekend in a celebration of peace. The Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program, a grassroots action organization, echoes U.N. Peace Day (September 21) with family-friendly celebrations in many locations throughout the world.

What makes the Roots & Shoots peace celebrations truly special is their unique way of conveying the message that peace is possible. Participants fly handmade, white, cloth dove puppets in a visually spectacular demonstration of the global desire for peace. Giant Peace Doves, as they’re called, boast a 20-foot wingspan and are made largely from recycled materials. Three to five people carry each dove atop 10-foot poles, giving the impression of a giant bird in flight. Witnessing hundreds of Giant Peace Doves flying together, as will happen in Los Angeles, is a truly inspiring experience.

You can learn more about Roots & Shoots’ celebration of U.N. Peace Day at the organization’s website. There, you can find listings of Peace Day events, photos of past Peace Day celebrations, information about the event in Los Angeles, and even instructions for building a Giant Peace Dove of your own. For more information, you can also contact the folks at the Jane Goodall Institute Monday through Friday at 800-592-JANE.

Jane Goodall first gained worldwide attention as a primatologist when, studying chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Kakombe Valley, she discovered that chimps use tools to “fish” for edible termites. News of the discovery overturned the notion that making tools is an exclusively human characteristic and redefined our basic notions about what differentiates our species from others. When it became clear that the chimpanzees Dr. Goodall was observing were in grave danger of vanishing underneath the growing footprint of human settlement, she became engaged in efforts to secure their survival. She has since become a prominent advocate for primate protection, environmental conservation and human rights. Each September, Dr. Goodall joins members of her worldwide grassroots action and youth empowerment program, Roots & Shoots, to celebrate U.N. Peace Day. This Sunday, September 23, is the first time that Dr. Goodall will attend Los Angeles’ event.

References and Resources:

Home | The Jane Goodall Institute

Home | Roots & Shoots

Photo Sources:

Maps from Google

Kofi Annan | Flickr

Jane Goodall | Flickr

The Real Toy Soldiers

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:08:00 +0000

The real toy soldiers are children, and it is estimated that 250,000 children are exploited every day by paramilitary, guerrilla, and state-run military groups. Nine countries have been identified as using child soldiers, and eight of those countries receive US military assistance. How could this be?

It is obvious that being a child soldier is detrimental to children’s social and emotional development. It is bad enough to live in a war zone, let alone become a fighter for whatever cause at a young age. This is no longer the age of Sparta, children have a right to be children.

“Early on when my brothers and I were captured, the LRA explained to us that all five brothers couldn’t serve in the LRA because we would not perform well. So they tied up my two younger brothers and invited us to watch. Then they beat them with sticks until two of them died. They told us it would give us strength to fight. My youngest brother was nine years old.”
- Martin, recruited by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda at age twelve

Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) has offered a bill to demobilize and rehabilitate child soldiers. The bill would limit US military aid to countries that use child soldiers. This only makes sense.

As promised, this will be my last political rant for awhile; however, if you are wondering what the link between war and the environment is, click on PlanetThoughts.

Being a Joyful Vegan

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:39:17 +0000

I often talk about being a joyful vegan, because it reflects the truth of my experience. In my opinion, to advocate for animals and veganism is to advocate for nonviolence and peace. And, not surprisingly, peace is the byproduct of a vegan lifestyle. It is what you give, create and get back. It is an unexpected gift.

There’s a very deep peace of mind that comes from disconnecting yourself with the inherent violence of turning beautiful, living, feeling beings into butchered bodies. To say "no" to that—to remove yourself from the horror, from the slaughter that many of us turn away from releases you from that burden of guilt that so many of us experience — that low, constant, underlying hum that causes us to make every excuse in the book to justify our actions, in order to release us from our complicity. To be released from that is nothing short of liberating - and joy-inducing.

Several years ago, I came across an essay that reflected this very perception. It’s written by Robert Bass, Ph.D., a philosophy professor who has given me his permission to reprint his essay. Everything below is his words, but I celebrate them as if they were my own. There are so many misconceptions about what it means to "be vegan," and I think this essay so eloquently debunks some myths.

"If you look at a photographic negative, the colors are reversed, nothing seems quite as it should, and the image may be unrecognizable. Once you see the picture developed, you recognize the face of your best friend.

That’s a bit like a common impression of vegans. We don’t eat dead animals. Or their products. Pork and beef, seafood and fowl are out. So are milk and cheese, eggs and caviar. And it doesn’t stop with what we don’t eat. We try to avoid leather and wool and fur. We don’t use them to cover our bodies or our furniture or our floors. It sounds like a long list of negatives, of don’ts: Thou shalt not this; thou shalt not that. Why would anybody want that?

You get a better picture by reversing the colors, developing the negative. The incomprehensible prohibitions turn out to be the boundaries of something positive, visible in its true colors and proper proportions. Instead of a list of don’ts, we see an abundance of healthy, delicious foods, with plenty of options for home and clothes and personal care. We do not grudgingly practice a creed of self-denial. We select from an embarassment of riches.

But that is still just a flat, two-dimensional picture instead of the solid, three-dimensional reality. At the heart of being vegan is a kind of compassionate awareness. We share this planet not only with billions of fellow human beings, but also with uncounted billions upon billions of other creatures, with lives, wants, enjoyment and suffering as real as our own. Humans have had and used the power to crowd them out, push them aside, sometimes driving them to extinction, and often, making them into tools for our use, servitors of our desires, food for our tables, clothes for our backs.

As vegans, we look, we pay attention, we see the unnecessary suffering imposed on our fellow creatures. We respond in compassion, refusing to pretend that might makes right, refusing to turn away and ignore what we know. The vegan message is ultimately very simple:

Look. Pay attention. See the unnecessary death and suffering. We don’t have to contribute or help to keep it going. We can stop being a part of this. And so, that’s what we try to do."

It reminds me of B.R. Myers’ fantastic review ("Hard to Swallow") of Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dillemma, in which he asks the question, "If it is so natural to kill and eat animals, and so sentimental to think otherwise, why is the vegetarian the only one who can stomach the details?" I would rather have my eyes wide open than return to the sleep of my meat-eating days."

Iraq War Jeopardizing Children’s Mental Health

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:13:00 +0000

Imagine losing your only brother to a shooting incident, and then having your parents fear for your safety so much that you are not allowed to leave your home. This is what is happening in Iraq to children and their families. Children are being raised in a climate of fear and violence, and in my opinion, this upbringing will fuel further hatred of the United States. According to an article in IRIN,

“Children have become prisoners of their own families,” Dr Fua’ad Azize, a psychologist in Baghdad, said, but he warned that keeping them locked up inside could seriously affect their development. “Children need to move, read, learn and play but today in Iraq such normal things might lead to death or injury,” he said. “Some children and youths are being manipulated and brainwashed into helping militias and insurgents - sometimes with the blessing of their families.”

Abdallah’s mother is sure that keeping her child at home is the best way to save his life but she knows he is not happy: “I will protect my child with all my strength. I know he isn’t happy being kept in all the time but I know it is for his protection,” Um Faisal said.

“I try to do my best to make him feel comfortable at home. I buy him chocolates, biscuits and ice-cream, and even if he gets mental problems, that’s better than a bullet in the head.”

Mohammed Abdul-Aziz, a statistician at the Ministry of Education, told IRIN that at least 125 children had been killed and 107 injured since 2005 in attacks on schools. These numbers do not include children killed or injured on their way to or from school.

In this country, we may fear lead in our children’s toys or BPA in baby bottles, but the constant fear Iraqi parents must feel is incomprehensible. This conflict must end. I don’t have the answers, but surely war is not one of them.

My Country ‘Tis of Thee

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:09:00 +0000

Happy Summer Solstice!

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:45:00 +0000

Yesterday, we spent the day frolicking at the river, so I forgot to wish all of you a Happy Summer Solstice! This day has become a day of World Peace and Prayer, so I offer you this blessing:

I pray for peace in my being
To create peace with all beings,
Because peace is healing the planet,
Our Mother Earth.

A Prayer for Mother’s Day

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 13 May 2007 13:52:00 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, fathers, and children of the world. Last night, I watched the Children of Beslan. Many children were left orphaned when their parents died in the siege,and many families lost their precious children. Once again I am thankful for the security, peace, and stability my family has experienced.

One of the blessings of a midwife is the continued presence in her life as your children grow. Our midwife shared with me standingwomen.org and their plans for today, based on the story of The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering: A Story for Anyone Who Thinks She Can’t Save the World. “We will be standing for the world’s children and grandchildren, and for the seven generations beyond them. We dream of a world where all of our children have safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, and enough food to eat. A world where they have access to a basic education to develop their minds and healthcare to nurture their growing bodies. A world where they have a warm, safe, and loving place to call home. A world where they don’t live in fear of violence–in their home, in their neighborhood, in their school, or in their world. This is the world of which we dream. This is the cause for which we will stand. If you share this dream, please stand with us for five minutes of silence at 1 p.m. your local time on May 13, 2007, in your local park, school yard, gathering place, or any place you deem appropriate, to signify your agreement with this statement. We ask you to invite the men and boys who you care about to join you. We ask that you bring bells to ring at 1 p.m. to signify the beginning of the five minutes of silence and to ring again to signify the end of the period of silence. During the silence, please think about
what you individually and we collectively can do to attain this world. If you need to sit rather than stand, please feel free to do so. Afterwards, hopefully you and your loved ones can talk together about how we can bring about this world”

Previously, I thought that Mother’s Day was just another Hallmark holiday, and that we need to honor our mothers every day. I have since learned that Mother’s Day was created to unite women in peace after the Civil War. In 1870, social activist and poet Julia Ward Howe wrote the original Mother’s Day Proclamation:

Arise then…women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
“We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosum of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace…
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Mother’s Day is about peace, not flowers and gifts. As Gloria Steinem said, “Mother’s Day is a an antiwar day, and antiwar statement.” Let is us send prayers of peace to to all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars, growing up with wars raging around them, or with terrorism threatening their safety. Let’s pray for strength, peace and hope for this Mother’s Day. I would like to send a special prayer to my friend Jen, who lost her husband and father of two small children on this day two years ago.

Powerful Message

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:44:00 +0000

I saw this video on Green Parenting and found its message very powerful and moving. I forwarded it to many of my friends and family members. Even the Bush supporters were moved by the message and signed the petition. To me, raising an eco-child is more than providing natural toys, but teaching love, compassion, and tolerance for all of earth’s creatures.