Great article on University of Chicago's Sightings about ecumenical collaboration and dialogue on environmental issues. I was excited about hearing that solar panels will soon adorn Daoist temples in China.
I recently discovered a new resource for environmental news. Produced by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University (Go Spartans!), EJ Magazine looks to be an excellent resource for staying connected to a world of sustainability and environmental developments, issues, challenges, and triumphs.
Facebookers can put their social network to the cause of social justice by voting for their favorite charities. For more information.
I was able to vote for some favorites like Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the West Humboldt Park Family Development Council, and St. Martin de Porres High School (Cleveland, OH).
Jason DeParle writes in the New York Times about a 14-year high in food insecurity statistics. This report strikes close to home, as I spent much of the last yer helping the West Side Catholic Center feed the hungry. I also recently wrote about reading Michael Polian's In Defense of Food, which made me more aware of food deserts and the manufactured food that is often the only recourse of those who don't have enough to spend on real food. I hope the sustainability and local agriculture movement begins to change this trend by making better food available to more people, but for now the tragedy of hunger continues. And not just under bridges and overpasses, but in homes across America.
The article is here.
I've been curious to do this for awhile, so I remembered tonight to try an online Carbon footprint calculator. I don't know the info on my "house" as I'm in an apartment with utilities included. I'll have to try and run into my landlord and ask what they pay. I did find a secondary carbon footprint 3.77 tonnes of CO2 in a year. I feel like I do a pretty good job not being wasteful, but clearly there is room for improvement.
Seems like I'm doing a lot of reading lately. I think that's the influence of public transportation. Most recently, I finished the Soloist by Steve Lopez. It was a gift from Terrie, my supervisor last year at the West Side Catholic Center. She has "absolutely loved" the book, and there was no way I could say no after that. It took awhile to get to, but it was well worth the wait.
The book was most important for me because of its realism. It doesn't cut too many corners in describing mental illness. It also makes the clear link between homelessness and mental illness. Mr. Lopez is very accurate when he talks about war veterans and people who have experienced trauma populating places like Skid Row. Trauma makes some people stronger, but it can also send a person to very dark places and change a person's brain chemistry. Many times, people who have experienced trauma seek to isolate themselves. We had plenty of guests last year who were reluctant to talk to anyone. Trust is a difficult piece to repair, especially when it is broken between a person and all of society. This book, however, shows the redemptive power of friendship. Mr. Lopez and Nathaniel's journey is a powerful one, and it has the potential to change the perception of mental illness in this country. I hope it does, and I hope their friendship lasts a lifetime, for both of their sakes.
*I wrote more about trauma in another book review here.
...just as long as you don't call me late for dinner. I heard this joke a lot last year. Of course, it made a lot of sense working in a soup kitchen. Like everyone who participated in the process, I ate alot. So, in the vein of trying to once again re-establish better food habits, I decided to read a book I had heard about called In Defense of Food. Michael Polian authored it to take back dinner from a variety of threats. His book is a great examination of the problems of nutritional science and the difficulties of eating well from supermarkets full of processed food. His simple rules, such as "Eat less food [especially meat], eat mostly vegetables," are easy to understand, but may require more trips to the farmers market to follow. The main thrust of the book is that diseases like diabetes and obesity have been greatly exacerbated by the Western diet and that we should avoid eating that way as much as possible. It is hard to do when most food in stores fall right into a Western diet, supposedly low-fat but with its calories more than replaced by refined carbs. Even most of our breads have more ingredients than the 5 Polian allows. He believes the more complex the food, the more likely it is to come in the context of a Western diet that is either killing us or making us overuse the health care system. So pick up the book and head to your local farmers market, or follow Polian's advice to shop only in the outer walls of the super market. Cook a delicious veggie stir-fry and raise a glass of wine to better food and better health.
