I recently found this blog - The Ironic Catholic
This is my favorite post...
It makes me wanna say "Can't we all just get along?"
The Ironic Catholic: Conservative and Liberal Catholic Etiquette Tips Provided
My favorite is the one about music... :)
Monday, June 2, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Help the animals, please...
My sister is raising money for the Humane Society - she willing be walking at the Bark in the Park this weekend in Forest Park.
She has the 'support' of her classroom at school - but her students are toddlers and up until this point have filled her jar with LOTS of pennies.
You may or may not know that our sweet dogs were rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri from a nasty hoarding situation. They were the last two left in their litter of 9 - with only two that did not survive. They were a week old and the mother had already died when officials went in to the property.
The Humane society is pretty awesome - as are all of the pet rescue and adoption shelters in
St Louis! (and the country).
Not only do these caring people advocate for animals (through community education, legislative pressure, etc) but they also walk the walk by caring for these animals! Stray Rescue of St Louis will even take in pit bulls -
Here are some of my favorite animal protection sites:
http://www.hsmo.org/ - Humane society of Missouri
http://www.aspca.org/ - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
http://www.strayrescue.org/ - Stray Rescue of St Louis
http://www.idausa.org/ - In defense of Animals
http://www.maal.org/ - Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
There are many others - the APA - is one I forgot!
So - give them your money! :)
Here is a link to my sister's donation site - please help if you can. You can donate online in a pretty simple manner -
In case you need to look for her name:
Stefanie Hammond
http://member.hsmo.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1522905&pg=personal&fr_id=1040
She has the 'support' of her classroom at school - but her students are toddlers and up until this point have filled her jar with LOTS of pennies.
You may or may not know that our sweet dogs were rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri from a nasty hoarding situation. They were the last two left in their litter of 9 - with only two that did not survive. They were a week old and the mother had already died when officials went in to the property.
The Humane society is pretty awesome - as are all of the pet rescue and adoption shelters in
St Louis! (and the country).
Not only do these caring people advocate for animals (through community education, legislative pressure, etc) but they also walk the walk by caring for these animals! Stray Rescue of St Louis will even take in pit bulls -
Here are some of my favorite animal protection sites:
http://www.hsmo.org/ - Humane society of Missouri
http://www.aspca.org/ - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
http://www.strayrescue.org/ - Stray Rescue of St Louis
http://www.idausa.org/ - In defense of Animals
http://www.maal.org/ - Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
There are many others - the APA - is one I forgot!
So - give them your money! :)
Here is a link to my sister's donation site - please help if you can. You can donate online in a pretty simple manner -
In case you need to look for her name:
Stefanie Hammond
http://member.hsmo.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1522905&pg=personal&fr_id=1040
Friday, April 11, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I drive WAY too much!
On NPR last night during the news I heard that there is a proposal in IL to charge strip club patrons an additional tax which would be used to fund rape-crisis centers. A great idea to be sure - not that the money will probably end up there...
But as one who grew up on the 'East side' and have driven by many of these establishments daily - my concern has shifted a bit from - 'why do these exist?' to 'How much electricity do they use to power all of that neon and the nightly search lights?!'
One example would be the new pink and blue neon dream off of Interstate 64... Almost every surface is covered in some sort of neon and the parking lot is lit up like daylight (so, yes, I can see your car in the parking lot)
Maybe I shouldn't judge - perhaps they are purchasing renewable energy from Ameren! That would have to be a moral good, right? Let's do the math:
(Strip club + excessive energy usage) - (purchasing renewable energy + bringing income to blighted areas) = still morally dubious
I was never any good at math.
But as one who grew up on the 'East side' and have driven by many of these establishments daily - my concern has shifted a bit from - 'why do these exist?' to 'How much electricity do they use to power all of that neon and the nightly search lights?!'
One example would be the new pink and blue neon dream off of Interstate 64... Almost every surface is covered in some sort of neon and the parking lot is lit up like daylight (so, yes, I can see your car in the parking lot)
Maybe I shouldn't judge - perhaps they are purchasing renewable energy from Ameren! That would have to be a moral good, right? Let's do the math:
(Strip club + excessive energy usage) - (purchasing renewable energy + bringing income to blighted areas) = still morally dubious
I was never any good at math.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Davo y Benny 16
That's my friend David and the Pope - David is the one in white. And Black. He is trying to hide behind the candle. Valiant attempt, but you are not that skinny, my friend.David doesn't usually glare at the Pope like that - it must be all of the papa-ratzzi. (get it - what a clever pun!) David also is usually not clean shaven - as a Puerto Rican - American he is usually not without a mustache. (MASH reference - anyone?)
I should stop before I turn into Orin.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Git 'er done!
Sometimes when 'm driving and see a large 4 X 4 truck with camouflage detailing I think about driving into it with my car. Then I can say...
"sorry I didn't see you there!"
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Things that should NOT be in the same business establishment
Everyday when I head to work I pass the Gold's Gym and Tan Company complex. I do believe that they are part of the same business -
Why would you bother getting healthy when you are going to turn around and give yourself cancer?
Other things that should not be together:
Gold's Gym and KFC (or Krispy Kreme, or fill in the blank)
Yoga/Pilates studio and Taco Bell
Combination Doctor's office and cigar lounge
The list could go on, but I really should be writing a paper.
Why would you bother getting healthy when you are going to turn around and give yourself cancer?
Other things that should not be together:
Gold's Gym and KFC (or Krispy Kreme, or fill in the blank)
Yoga/Pilates studio and Taco Bell
Combination Doctor's office and cigar lounge
The list could go on, but I really should be writing a paper.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The insanity of school
For Church History I we were assigned a ginormous annotated bibliography to help us further along our research. I was having some trouble finding recent enough scholarship on the Early Irish Church, when I found an essay that I really wanted. I checked the library and the book wasn't there, so I made an interlibrary loan request - like you do.
Here is the response I received:
This request has been cancelled by the interlibrary loan staff for the following reason:
Other. Please see note field below.
You have Pius Library's copy of this book checked out. The due date is 1-31-2008.
Here is the response I received:
This request has been cancelled by the interlibrary loan staff for the following reason:
Other. Please see note field below.
You have Pius Library's copy of this book checked out. The due date is 1-31-2008.
Many that are better than I
I've decided that I am not a good enviro-blogger. There are many others doing a much better job at saving the world. So I've decided to switch formats - there will still be blogging about how I'm saving the earth, but I'd like this to be more "personal"... And more fun.
So - welcome to Erin Saves the World - in her own special way.
The End.
So - welcome to Erin Saves the World - in her own special way.
The End.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Ramblings on 'my little failures'...
This summer I went to the local big box lawn and garden center to help me out in the garden. I needed some tools, some seeds, and some plants to pretty up the front yard (at the moment I won't get into how the plants weren't organically grown, and were probably grown by people in a foreign land that were paid squat to grow and tend my new azaleas). I was armed with my new knowledge about saving the earth - I had watched the SOS Concert for the Earth (I wanted to see the Police perform!) and let's face it - you know everything when you watch tv!
I really needed to get rid of some pesky weeds that would not go away no matter how many times I tried to pull their roots from the earth (or rather parking pad). But I did what I had to do. What would you have done in my place?
So, I bought - gasp - Roundup... I literally hid it in my cart and tried not to make eye contact with the cashier. Then to add insult to injury - the cashier place the gallon of Roundup - which had a handle, mind you, into a plastic bag!
This summer I also committed the following offenses:
I traveled over 6500 miles - mostly by car and one long plane ride
I cleaned out the fridge (using a baking soda paste - good)
but I had to throw away a few glass and recyclable plastic containers (bad)... I really couldn't handle trying to tame the black/blue/green/white stuff out of various and sundry containers. Besides - the stuff growing in there was probably toxic. Would you have wanted that in your drinking water?
I used the air conditioner unapologetically! (It's still on!)
I like to pretend that my allergies are the main reason - but let's face it - I LOVE air conditioning. The room should be at a nice comfortable 65 degrees for me to sleep. I think it is the 8th deadly sin: fridgid-ity? Coolness? I'll stop.
I watered the lawn
Really not the most responsible use of water - especially after visiting areas seriously affected by drought. Ed Begley Jr got rid of his lawn altogether - I do like him...
I'm sure I could tell you more about why I'm an Earth-Failure - but then who would you turn to for guidance and support... Besides, we are all bound to mess up once in a while, that's why I am extra-militant about the things that I can do. (I bought Seventh Generation toilet paper - sacrificing comfort for the greater good. Isn't that almost the Jesuit motto?)
Well - Good night - I may be going to go to bed now in my 65 degree bedroom but tomorrow - I... shall... ride my bike... once again!!!
(Triumphant exit music)
I really needed to get rid of some pesky weeds that would not go away no matter how many times I tried to pull their roots from the earth (or rather parking pad). But I did what I had to do. What would you have done in my place?
So, I bought - gasp - Roundup... I literally hid it in my cart and tried not to make eye contact with the cashier. Then to add insult to injury - the cashier place the gallon of Roundup - which had a handle, mind you, into a plastic bag!
This summer I also committed the following offenses:
I traveled over 6500 miles - mostly by car and one long plane ride
I cleaned out the fridge (using a baking soda paste - good)
but I had to throw away a few glass and recyclable plastic containers (bad)... I really couldn't handle trying to tame the black/blue/green/white stuff out of various and sundry containers. Besides - the stuff growing in there was probably toxic. Would you have wanted that in your drinking water?
I used the air conditioner unapologetically! (It's still on!)
I like to pretend that my allergies are the main reason - but let's face it - I LOVE air conditioning. The room should be at a nice comfortable 65 degrees for me to sleep. I think it is the 8th deadly sin: fridgid-ity? Coolness? I'll stop.
I watered the lawn
Really not the most responsible use of water - especially after visiting areas seriously affected by drought. Ed Begley Jr got rid of his lawn altogether - I do like him...
I'm sure I could tell you more about why I'm an Earth-Failure - but then who would you turn to for guidance and support... Besides, we are all bound to mess up once in a while, that's why I am extra-militant about the things that I can do. (I bought Seventh Generation toilet paper - sacrificing comfort for the greater good. Isn't that almost the Jesuit motto?)
Well - Good night - I may be going to go to bed now in my 65 degree bedroom but tomorrow - I... shall... ride my bike... once again!!!
(Triumphant exit music)
I rode my bike to school yesterday...
which also happened to be the hottest day of the week! (way to think ahead)
The whole trek is 4.2 miles (roundtrip) - and I - the coward that I am (or klutz) rode illegally on the sidewalks. Not that anyone was using them to walk on, in fact I'm lucky I didn't bite it a few times due to the sidewalk's lack of upkeep.
This is my new bike: a Schwinn cruiser - Jag - u - ar... oh yeah, the klassy-est of bikes - almost like the Jaguar of bicycles???
Not a classic Schwinn - but still cool none the less.
I hope to use it to run errands, do grocery shopping etc... I wish St Louis didn't have so many slight inclines. Maybe I should see a doctor!
My husband bought the Men's bike - now we match... awww...
The whole trek is 4.2 miles (roundtrip) - and I - the coward that I am (or klutz) rode illegally on the sidewalks. Not that anyone was using them to walk on, in fact I'm lucky I didn't bite it a few times due to the sidewalk's lack of upkeep.
This is my new bike: a Schwinn cruiser - Jag - u - ar... oh yeah, the klassy-est of bikes - almost like the Jaguar of bicycles???
Not a classic Schwinn - but still cool none the less.
I hope to use it to run errands, do grocery shopping etc... I wish St Louis didn't have so many slight inclines. Maybe I should see a doctor!
My husband bought the Men's bike - now we match... awww...
And my students think that I'm nuts!
thanks to doodiepants for the heads up...
This guy has a fabulously wonderful blog (it helps that he is a writer - whateva' - yes, I'm hip, I'm down with the cool lingo) and is working on his new book about this crazy experiment he has been living - and dragging his family along with him! He takes a good look at consumption and the impact of one person in and on the world. I am hoping to keep this blog a little less philosophical - only because others can do that much more eloquently than I... Instead I hope to help people take those first baby steps into the greener lifestyle.
no impact man's blog
I wonder how much of this I could get away with here in my home? Hmm my husband without his computer?
As I sit here and watch him trying to reassemble a "vintage" mac laptop that he has ceremoniously taken apart and laid out piece by precious piece over the last couple of days I think: I'll probably try switching the toothpaste with baking soda before I take the computer away.
This guy has a fabulously wonderful blog (it helps that he is a writer - whateva' - yes, I'm hip, I'm down with the cool lingo) and is working on his new book about this crazy experiment he has been living - and dragging his family along with him! He takes a good look at consumption and the impact of one person in and on the world. I am hoping to keep this blog a little less philosophical - only because others can do that much more eloquently than I... Instead I hope to help people take those first baby steps into the greener lifestyle.
no impact man's blog
I wonder how much of this I could get away with here in my home? Hmm my husband without his computer?
As I sit here and watch him trying to reassemble a "vintage" mac laptop that he has ceremoniously taken apart and laid out piece by precious piece over the last couple of days I think: I'll probably try switching the toothpaste with baking soda before I take the computer away.
Alu - min -e - um
is how they say it in England...
Here are some new uses for it once it is done covering that pan of brownies...
(or perhaps clean new foil might be best)
Here is the uber-long link:
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1154386,00.html?nid=8515070919-1663159
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
So - I'm totally stealing from other sites...
Here is a great article on School supplies from the GreenGuide - I subscribe to it in the 'ole email and it is in conjunction with National Geographic.
I'm not entirely sure about the cost comparison between some of these products and their non-earth friendly counterparts - heck, it is hard to beat 25 cent boxes of pencils and pens - even if they come from non-sustainable rainforest trees!
I'm not entirely sure about the cost comparison between some of these products and their non-earth friendly counterparts - heck, it is hard to beat 25 cent boxes of pencils and pens - even if they come from non-sustainable rainforest trees!
(PS - the links don't work - mostly because I don't feel like adding them - so type them in the old fashioned way if you don't mind!)
Green Guide 121 | July/August 2007 | Checkout Counter
Eco Checklist 2007: Green Gear for the Back-to-School Blues
by David Wortman
Filed under: Home and office supplies, Arts and crafts supplies, Schools, Recycled paper
This school year, eco-savvy kids and parents, aware of the almost four million acres of U.S. forest clearcut annually (not to mention the tons of discarded cell phones), return to store shelves seeking greener academic supplies and electronics. Yet some still find themselves at a loss. "I was recently at a major office supply chain to buy recycled or biodegradable pens and binders," says Ellyn Feerick, a middle school teacher in Danvers, Mass., "but forget about it—they don't exist." Never fear. With some sleuthing, you can find more resources than ever to suit the environmentally minded student.
Electronics
Time for a new PC? Pick energy-efficient products with take-back programs. The Zero Waste Program's Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which restricts heavy metals and other toxic substances, gives high marks to Lenovo Thinkcentre desktops (from $390; www.lenovo.com, 866-96-THINK) , as well as to Precision and Latitude laptops from Dell, with its comprehensive take-back policies (from $549; www.dell.com, 800-757-8434). Or order a custom-built Energy Star-certified PC from Cade PC (starting at $845; www.cadepc.com, 888-822-3372), which uses lead-free components, offsets its carbon emissions and will take back computers for recycling. And, for a $10 fee, old computer equipment can be recycled at Staples stores, even if bought elsewhere.
Keep cell phones, with their flame retardants and metals, out of landfills. Nokia and Sony Ericsson offer postage-paid return programs for used phones. Recycle your child's old phone with ReCellular (www.recellular.net, 800-441-1544).
When school shopping is done, add up this year's receipts with a TI36X solar calculator from Texas Instruments ($19.99; www.amazon.com).
Packing Lunch
School lunches can leave a mountain of waste, from disposable paper sacks and throwaway plastic packaging to over a half a pound of food waste per person every day.
"Unfortunately, I see more pre-packaged lunches and other disposable items in the cafeteria than I would like," says Feerick. Cut down on wrappers and boost your children's health by loading them up with organic fruits, vegetables and healthier sandwiches.
Avoid hormone-disrupting bisphenol A from #7 plastic water bottles. Pick Klean Kanteen's 18-ounce bottle for lunchboxes ($13.50; www.greenfeet.com, 888-562-8873).
Choose PVC-free wrappings: certified organic or recycled cotton canvas lunch sacks from Ecobags ($6; www.ecobags.com, 800-720-2247); cellophane wrap made from the cellulose of well-managed cottonwood trees ($20.50/12 in. x 110 ft. roll) and biodegradable and compostable forks and spoons made from GMO-free potatoes ($4.25/50 forks or spoons; both from www.greenearthofficesupply.com, 800-327-8449).
Writing Paper and Notebooks
Academic paper use generates mountains of waste—28 pounds per year for each student, teacher and staff member in one New York City school alone. Choose processed chlorine free (PCF) paper, avoiding releases of dioxin and mercury in the bleaching process, and the highest percentages of recycled post-consumer waste (PCW) available.
Office Max 100 Percent PCW Multipurpose paper, PCF ($7.49/500 sheets; www.officemax.com, 800-283-7674)
Ampad 40 percent PCW one-, three- and five-subject notebooks ($5.29-$8.29; www.staples.com, 800-3STAPLES)
Smart Paper Torchglow PCF, 30 percent PCW recycled paper, available in a variety of colors ($5.67/500 sheets; www.greenlinepaper.com, 800-641-1117)
Pens, Pencils, Supplies
EcoWriter 90 percent PCW pencils ($0.25; www.greenlinepaper.com, 800-641-1117) or Forest Choice #2 cedar pencils, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council ($1.99/12; www.forestchoice.com)
Skilcraft recycled plastic medium point pens ($3.42/12; www.greenlinepaper.com, 800-641-1117); biodegradable corn-starch pens ($13.20/12; www.greenearthofficesupply.com, 800-327-8449)
Least toxic, washable and acid-free OIC glue sticks ($1.79; www.staples.com, 800-3STAPLES)
LePage cellulose-based transparent tape ($0.87/roll; www.greenearthofficesupply.com, 800-327-8449)
Folders, Binders and Books
Abundant Earth recycled notebook binders with reusable spine, up to 38 percent PCW content ($9.95/5-pack of 5 covers; www.abundantearth.com, 888-51-EARTH)
1- to 3-ring binders from Sustainable Group, with minimum of 40 percent PCW cardboard (from $47.60/case; www.treecycle.com, 406-626-0200); Oxford 30 percent PCW cardboard report covers ($22.99/box of 25; www.officedepot.com, 800-GO-DEPOT)
Bags, Backpacks and Footwear
Earthpak colorful SMOSHO bag, made from up to 98 percent recycled plastic bottles ($42.95; www.earthpak.com, 888-5-EARTHPAK)
Simple Shoes "feedbags" and backpacks include cotton, jute, wool and recycled plastic bottles ($70-$100; www.simpleshoes.com, 866-896-3708)
Hemp cinch school backpacks, available in regular or "mini" size from Eco Body Wear ($34.99; www.ecobodywear.com); Sierra Club 100 percent certified organic cotton Cinch Sak ($34; www.sierraclub.org, 800-797-6728)
Ecogoods organic cotton socks ($9.95; www.ecogoods.com, 831-429-5758); Splaff flip-flops,100 percent PCW rubber and hemp ($38-$42; www.thegreenloop.com, 866-898-5483)
Once you've bought your children's supplies, encourage the kids to start their own school recycling program. Organize "waste free" classroom or lunchroom days or educate peers to save energy by switching off lights. Inspire class projects and your child's interest in community with The Kids Guide to Service Projects by Barbara A. Lewis and Pamela Espeland (Free Spirit Publishing, 1995, $12.95).
For More Information
* EPEAT, www.epeat.net
* Greenpeace Green Electronics Report, www.greenpeace.org
* Conservatree's Paper Choices Guide, www.conservatree.org
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Okay - now I'm ready to save the world again.
Sorry for the summer of silence! I've been a busy girl - I've traveled over 6500 miles - not in a hybrid car, I've thrown away many things that could have been recylcled - mostly out of laziness. (I was cleaning out my fridge, sometimes you just don't want to waste the water needed to clean out the 4 year old jar of green/blue/white fuzzy stuff.)
I'd like to tell you all a bit more about my summer and what I've experienced in trying to save the world - but I'll leave that until I'm bored in class one day!
Instead - here is a really great practical thing that you can do - but only if you live in the City of St Louis:
It took me about 15 minutes to take the survey... Just enough time to get you ready to sit at your computer all week long.
Thanks for your patience this summer -
I'd like to tell you all a bit more about my summer and what I've experienced in trying to save the world - but I'll leave that until I'm bored in class one day!
Instead - here is a really great practical thing that you can do - but only if you live in the City of St Louis:
The City is conducting a survey on opinions about recycling which might impact services. Go to link below if you would like to provide your input.
It took me about 15 minutes to take the survey... Just enough time to get you ready to sit at your computer all week long.
Thanks for your patience this summer -
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Sorry, but this is a little preachy!
Sorry - this post gets a bit religious. (Quelle horreur!)
I have often debated to go vegetarian - I've given up red meat, then back, I've only ate french fries and shakes (not the healthiest way to go) and I've enjoyed my share of steaks. I really don't like most fruits or vegetables. (For those of you about to blame my parents - I ate only fruit and veggies until I was about 4 yrs old and then one day came home to dinner and announced that I didn't want 'ucky vegetables'...)
I found this article by a Dominican sister that articulates the inner dialogue that I have been having... with... umm, er, well myself.
I will warn you, that parts of this article were a bit stressful for me to read.
My comments are interspersed throughout the article and are in green italics...
A Personal Journey
by Sharon Zayac, OP
For one of my classes in my Earth Literacy masters program I had to identify an environmental issue about which I have changed my position. I would like to share it with you. It is my choice to become a vegetarian.
My initial position on vegetarianism was like most Americans. I had heard of people who chose to eat no meat, but I never considered it as an option for myself. I liked meat, and I liked vegetables. I wish I liked veggies, it would make this transition much easier. If I didn’t have meat at a meal, I was quite satisfied. Me too, generally. If I had it, I was satisfied. But I never considered not ever having it.
I grew up eating meat. It was almost always a part of every meal, except
when my mother cooked Italian (her heritage). My mom is NOT Italian, and I also believe that I inherited her talent of 'heating up' diner and/or 'ordering out.' Then, there would be little or no meat in the main dish. I was fine either way. When I entered our midwestern religious community I did not join a religious community - whew! where meat and potatoes were the essential part of every main meal, I continued the pattern as well. A few years ago, all of that changed for me. What led me to vegetarianism? A growing knowledge. I can no longer willingly eat meat. Though I do not necessarily wish everyone to become vegetarians, I do wish that the American people would eat far less meat than they do. I wish Americans did a lot less of most everything (except being Awesome!) I choose not to eat meat because of health reasons. The antibiotics, insecticides, and hormones that are injected into animals to ensure “healthy” meat enter our own bodies when we consume them. Eating the disproportionate amount of meat we do in this country means our bodies are accumulating these substances in dangerous amounts. Why should we willing consume known toxins; why should we add fuel to the fire of emerging drug-resistant bacteria? Another health concern is the growing number of out- breaks of e coli. The conditions to which animals are subjected to before they are slaughtered and the inability of meat inspectors to adequately do their jobs, both contribute to these outbreaks. How frequently in the last few years have millions of pounds of beef been recalled? I take issue with the treatment of animals themselves, This I DID inherit from my mom, we couldn't catch lightening bugs - fireflies - because "how would we feel if someone caught us and put us in a jar?" Hard to argue with that! each of which has the desire for life and family in its own way as we do in ours. “Livestock” is a telling term. They are literally factory animals, removed from their mothers shortly after birth; raised in crowded, untenable conditions; fed un-healthy (for them) diets to fatten them up; often injured and subjected to extreme heat or cold during transportation; left in mountains of their own excrement; and die in terror as they are electrocuted or brained with steel rods.
The fact we as Americans consume far more meat than our own bodies can
healthily assimilate also places a tremendous burden on the land. More than 80% of the
grain we grow is to feed animals waiting for slaughter. Can't we do ANYTHING small? The land that supports that grain is fertilized and herbicized with tons of chemicals that seep into the groundwater and run-off into the river and oceans, poisoning us and other plant and animal life. Billions of gallons of water are siphoned off rivers (often onto the naturally dry, desert lands in the West) to grow the grain and to wash, feed, and slaughter the animals. The amount of methane produced by our huge stockyards contributes to the greenhouse effect. Because we want cheap beef, raising cattle has become a cash crop for many cash-strapped Third World countries. They burn off thousands of acres of their rain forests, displace their own indigenous people, and end up importing food since land they once used to grow their own food now. Seriously - Quit eating Rain Forest Meat! McDonald's do you hear me? Other fast food chains - stop it. People - stop giving them your money!
As I learned these things, I could no longer in conscience continue eating meat. I chose first to eliminate beef from my diet. I struggled in the beginning, but after a while I found I no longer craved it. I decided it was time to give up pork, followed by chicken at an even later date. I knew that I was fooling myself. I made the decision to just do it, except for fish and seafood! After all, they’re not meat, right? The Church taught me that. It took several more months to cross that barrier. What is the difference between sea-based meat and land-based? None, really, and for all the same reasons! The world’s oceans are drastically over-fished and species on the brink of extinction. Many of the fish and seafood we eat do not even come from the ocean! No happily swimming salmon or shrimp waiting to jump onto my plate. They are also produced in factory fashion on aquaculture farms and fed meal that comes from ground-up animal products, bearing all those toxins and drugs. The salmon are even given pink dye in their food to have the nice color we like to see on our plates. There is no difference! I gave them up, too.
Why did I ever eat meat? A whole host of assumptions led me to believe it was the right thing to do: Eating meat is “normal.” Only “weird” people are vegetarians. Only "weird" people study theology, only "weird" people try to revitalize their urban neighborhoods, seriously, weird people have done the most good in the world! I am proud to count myself amongst them! Everyone I knew ate meat. Animal products are essential for protein and calcium. Vegetables don’t have enough of either to keep us healthy. Whole holiday traditions center around the turkey and ham. Memories of the table and all the aromas are part of the warm feelings I have about the day. In the beginning stages of my learning, I continued to eat meat. As I began to associate with others who had opted to refrain, I became self-conscious about my inability to join them. I was absorbing all the information they already knew, but I couldn’t totally let go. Yes, there were toxins in the meat. But, there are toxins in water, air, and other food we eat. Yes, my meat consumption adds to Third World debt, but so does just about every other choice I make in this very consumer-oriented culture. I could “yes, but” to every reason to give it up. Slowly, however, it all began to come together. I can’t really say in what sequence. As all things in our universe, everything is interrelated and flows in and out of each other. I was becoming more attentive to the issues that meat-eating raises. My growing awareness of creation spirituality and quantum theology was changing all my metaphors about God, my understanding of the universe and who I am within it. I was literally seeing the world differently, and I knew my actions would have to coincide with what I was coming to believe, or I would be in total contradiction of myself. Damn conscience! You have been ruining most of my fun for years!
All life on this planet is sacred. All life deserves respect and reverence. The animals we choose to consume have an interior life of their own, and we do violence to them in the manner in which we “handle” them for our consumption. And though ours is a universe where one eats another to survive, the kinds of choices about what I was eating were not based upon survival but habit and cultivated taste. I’ve always loved vegetables. Eating them is far less harmful to the soil and water and air than eating meat. The right thing for me to do, the ethical thing, would be to give up eating meat. It had become a moral issue. And although it is a moral issue, my decision is tempered by the context in which I find myself. I do not willingly eat meat. I graciously accept a small amount of it when it is offered in a setting in which I can’t refuse it. I will not dishonor my aunt who on her limited income fixes me my favorite childhood Italian dishes. Certainly the dynamics present in my on-going process of change include a growing awareness of the real issues: letting in all the data, even that which is painful for me to hear; seeing my change not as a denial of pleasurable tastes but an opportunity to experience a whole new world of tastes. Most significantly, it is allowing my assumptions to change and being gentle with myself in the ‘strenuous waiting” as I learn what the right actions are for me, now. My shift to vegetarianism is, in reality, a metaphor for all that has been happening in my life.
Whether or not you believe in the moral imperative or spiritual/religious dimensions of this argument, I think it is hard to argue that some many of these problems are interconnected! Poverty, the destruction of our environment, the lack of dignity of the human person, rampant war and consumerism... they are hard to isolate and solve without looking at all of these problems (and many more!) as a whole.
Sharon lives and ministers at Jubilee Farm, a 111-acre center for ecology and spirituality in Central Illinois. She offers programs, retreats, workshops on a variety of ecological topics.
Thanks to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate for creating the Oblate Ecological Initiative and their community garden... One of the charisms of the Oblates is Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation - I love those guys!
http://www.omiusajpic.org/oei.htm
http://www.lavistacsa.org/ - website for the community garden in Godfrey, Il
I have often debated to go vegetarian - I've given up red meat, then back, I've only ate french fries and shakes (not the healthiest way to go) and I've enjoyed my share of steaks. I really don't like most fruits or vegetables. (For those of you about to blame my parents - I ate only fruit and veggies until I was about 4 yrs old and then one day came home to dinner and announced that I didn't want 'ucky vegetables'...)
I found this article by a Dominican sister that articulates the inner dialogue that I have been having... with... umm, er, well myself.
I will warn you, that parts of this article were a bit stressful for me to read.
My comments are interspersed throughout the article and are in green italics...
A Personal Journey
by Sharon Zayac, OP
For one of my classes in my Earth Literacy masters program I had to identify an environmental issue about which I have changed my position. I would like to share it with you. It is my choice to become a vegetarian.
My initial position on vegetarianism was like most Americans. I had heard of people who chose to eat no meat, but I never considered it as an option for myself. I liked meat, and I liked vegetables. I wish I liked veggies, it would make this transition much easier. If I didn’t have meat at a meal, I was quite satisfied. Me too, generally. If I had it, I was satisfied. But I never considered not ever having it.
I grew up eating meat. It was almost always a part of every meal, except
when my mother cooked Italian (her heritage). My mom is NOT Italian, and I also believe that I inherited her talent of 'heating up' diner and/or 'ordering out.' Then, there would be little or no meat in the main dish. I was fine either way. When I entered our midwestern religious community I did not join a religious community - whew! where meat and potatoes were the essential part of every main meal, I continued the pattern as well. A few years ago, all of that changed for me. What led me to vegetarianism? A growing knowledge. I can no longer willingly eat meat. Though I do not necessarily wish everyone to become vegetarians, I do wish that the American people would eat far less meat than they do. I wish Americans did a lot less of most everything (except being Awesome!) I choose not to eat meat because of health reasons. The antibiotics, insecticides, and hormones that are injected into animals to ensure “healthy” meat enter our own bodies when we consume them. Eating the disproportionate amount of meat we do in this country means our bodies are accumulating these substances in dangerous amounts. Why should we willing consume known toxins; why should we add fuel to the fire of emerging drug-resistant bacteria? Another health concern is the growing number of out- breaks of e coli. The conditions to which animals are subjected to before they are slaughtered and the inability of meat inspectors to adequately do their jobs, both contribute to these outbreaks. How frequently in the last few years have millions of pounds of beef been recalled? I take issue with the treatment of animals themselves, This I DID inherit from my mom, we couldn't catch lightening bugs - fireflies - because "how would we feel if someone caught us and put us in a jar?" Hard to argue with that! each of which has the desire for life and family in its own way as we do in ours. “Livestock” is a telling term. They are literally factory animals, removed from their mothers shortly after birth; raised in crowded, untenable conditions; fed un-healthy (for them) diets to fatten them up; often injured and subjected to extreme heat or cold during transportation; left in mountains of their own excrement; and die in terror as they are electrocuted or brained with steel rods.
The fact we as Americans consume far more meat than our own bodies can
healthily assimilate also places a tremendous burden on the land. More than 80% of the
grain we grow is to feed animals waiting for slaughter. Can't we do ANYTHING small? The land that supports that grain is fertilized and herbicized with tons of chemicals that seep into the groundwater and run-off into the river and oceans, poisoning us and other plant and animal life. Billions of gallons of water are siphoned off rivers (often onto the naturally dry, desert lands in the West) to grow the grain and to wash, feed, and slaughter the animals. The amount of methane produced by our huge stockyards contributes to the greenhouse effect. Because we want cheap beef, raising cattle has become a cash crop for many cash-strapped Third World countries. They burn off thousands of acres of their rain forests, displace their own indigenous people, and end up importing food since land they once used to grow their own food now. Seriously - Quit eating Rain Forest Meat! McDonald's do you hear me? Other fast food chains - stop it. People - stop giving them your money!
As I learned these things, I could no longer in conscience continue eating meat. I chose first to eliminate beef from my diet. I struggled in the beginning, but after a while I found I no longer craved it. I decided it was time to give up pork, followed by chicken at an even later date. I knew that I was fooling myself. I made the decision to just do it, except for fish and seafood! After all, they’re not meat, right? The Church taught me that. It took several more months to cross that barrier. What is the difference between sea-based meat and land-based? None, really, and for all the same reasons! The world’s oceans are drastically over-fished and species on the brink of extinction. Many of the fish and seafood we eat do not even come from the ocean! No happily swimming salmon or shrimp waiting to jump onto my plate. They are also produced in factory fashion on aquaculture farms and fed meal that comes from ground-up animal products, bearing all those toxins and drugs. The salmon are even given pink dye in their food to have the nice color we like to see on our plates. There is no difference! I gave them up, too.
Why did I ever eat meat? A whole host of assumptions led me to believe it was the right thing to do: Eating meat is “normal.” Only “weird” people are vegetarians. Only "weird" people study theology, only "weird" people try to revitalize their urban neighborhoods, seriously, weird people have done the most good in the world! I am proud to count myself amongst them! Everyone I knew ate meat. Animal products are essential for protein and calcium. Vegetables don’t have enough of either to keep us healthy. Whole holiday traditions center around the turkey and ham. Memories of the table and all the aromas are part of the warm feelings I have about the day. In the beginning stages of my learning, I continued to eat meat. As I began to associate with others who had opted to refrain, I became self-conscious about my inability to join them. I was absorbing all the information they already knew, but I couldn’t totally let go. Yes, there were toxins in the meat. But, there are toxins in water, air, and other food we eat. Yes, my meat consumption adds to Third World debt, but so does just about every other choice I make in this very consumer-oriented culture. I could “yes, but” to every reason to give it up. Slowly, however, it all began to come together. I can’t really say in what sequence. As all things in our universe, everything is interrelated and flows in and out of each other. I was becoming more attentive to the issues that meat-eating raises. My growing awareness of creation spirituality and quantum theology was changing all my metaphors about God, my understanding of the universe and who I am within it. I was literally seeing the world differently, and I knew my actions would have to coincide with what I was coming to believe, or I would be in total contradiction of myself. Damn conscience! You have been ruining most of my fun for years!
All life on this planet is sacred. All life deserves respect and reverence. The animals we choose to consume have an interior life of their own, and we do violence to them in the manner in which we “handle” them for our consumption. And though ours is a universe where one eats another to survive, the kinds of choices about what I was eating were not based upon survival but habit and cultivated taste. I’ve always loved vegetables. Eating them is far less harmful to the soil and water and air than eating meat. The right thing for me to do, the ethical thing, would be to give up eating meat. It had become a moral issue. And although it is a moral issue, my decision is tempered by the context in which I find myself. I do not willingly eat meat. I graciously accept a small amount of it when it is offered in a setting in which I can’t refuse it. I will not dishonor my aunt who on her limited income fixes me my favorite childhood Italian dishes. Certainly the dynamics present in my on-going process of change include a growing awareness of the real issues: letting in all the data, even that which is painful for me to hear; seeing my change not as a denial of pleasurable tastes but an opportunity to experience a whole new world of tastes. Most significantly, it is allowing my assumptions to change and being gentle with myself in the ‘strenuous waiting” as I learn what the right actions are for me, now. My shift to vegetarianism is, in reality, a metaphor for all that has been happening in my life.
Whether or not you believe in the moral imperative or spiritual/religious dimensions of this argument, I think it is hard to argue that some many of these problems are interconnected! Poverty, the destruction of our environment, the lack of dignity of the human person, rampant war and consumerism... they are hard to isolate and solve without looking at all of these problems (and many more!) as a whole.
Sharon lives and ministers at Jubilee Farm, a 111-acre center for ecology and spirituality in Central Illinois. She offers programs, retreats, workshops on a variety of ecological topics.
Thanks to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate for creating the Oblate Ecological Initiative and their community garden... One of the charisms of the Oblates is Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation - I love those guys!
http://www.omiusajpic.org/oei.htm
http://www.lavistacsa.org/ - website for the community garden in Godfrey, Il
Thursday, June 7, 2007
That's my boy! (or pontiff)
From - http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/06/news/vatican.php
Associated Press
ROME: Some of the Holy See buildings will start using solar energy, reflecting Pope Benedict XVI's worry about squandering the Earth's resources, said a Vatican engineer who came up with the idea.
The roof of the Paul VI auditorium will be redone next year, with its concrete panels replaced with photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity, the engineer, Pier Carlo Cuscianna, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
The 6,300-seat auditorium is used for the pontiff's general audiences on Wednesdays in winter and in bad weather during the rest of the year. Concerts in honor of pontiffs are also occasionally staged in the hall, which has a sweeping stage.
The cells will produce enough electricity to illuminate, heat or cool the hall, Cuscianna said.
The modernistic hall, at the southern end of Vatican City, was built in 1969.
The exterior of the audience hall...
and the interior. (I went there once, it was cool.)
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Maybe St Louis will be the next Canada?!
WU to build center for $55 million
By Rachel Melcer
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/05/2007
THE GOAL: Cut 'greenhouse' gases, slow global warming.
PARTNERS: Include MU and Danforth Plant Science Center.
Washington University said Monday that it is spending more than $55 million on a biofuels and sustainable energy research center that could heat up the local economy while helping to cool the world.
It will be known as the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability, or I-CARES. Its creation marks one of the most significant financial contributions Washington University has made in a dozen years, said Mark Wrighton, who has been chancellor for that length of time.
"It's not unique for a university to be saying it's going to be working on energy, environment and sustainability," Wrighton said. "What we're striving to do is create the infrastructure in our region so that (it) becomes seen in America as one of the key regions of this research.
"It should be a place where people look for expertise, for human resources … and where we spawn the development of new (energy) technologies that will lead to improvements within existing companies and new companies," he said.
The goal is discovery of innovations that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and slow or halt global warming. Scientists will seek ways of making the most from existing fuel sources, such as ethanol and coal, while developing new ones.
I-CARES will be a focal point for research collaboration among Washington University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur and a consortium of international academic institutions.
A committee of local business leaders will provide advice on how to make their scientific work relevant and easily transferable to industry. Members include executives from agribusinesses Monsanto Co., Solae Co. and Bunge North America; energy companies Ameren Corp., Peabody Energy Corp. and Arch Coal Inc.; manufacturer Emerson; and brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos.
Many of these partners came together a year ago, when Washington University led a bid for a $125 million federal biofuels research center. Two or three such sites will be selected this fall by the Department of Energy — but the local group didn't want to wait.
"We'd like to get real on-the-ground collaborations that start now, rather than waiting for the future to roll around. … It's time to pull this together and make a statement," said Roger Beachy, president of the Plant Science Center and chair of Gov. Matt Blunt's Advisory Council for Plant Biotechnology.
The Plant Science Center is creating the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels with $25 million donated by Jack and Susan Taylor. Its plant science work will dovetail with cross-disciplinary approaches taken by Washington University teams. The University of Missouri adds agricultural expertise and land where experimental crops for biofuels production can be grown.
I-CARES will include several elements:
•A $40 million building to house the center, key pieces of equipment as well as Washington University's department of energy, environmental and chemical engineering. It will be constructed on the northeast corner of the Danforth Campus; until it is complete, I-CARES will reside in that campus's Wilson Hall.
•An endowment of at least $12.5 million to fund professorships in science, engineering, architecture, social science or medicine that contribute to the I-CARES goal.
•At least $2.5 million over five years to develop collaborative research within the university and with its regional and international partners.
•Plus, $500,000, previously announced by Wrighton, to support collaborative projects with universities in Asia and the Middle East that belong to Washington University's McDonnell International Scholars Academy.
In addition, the university is hiring a "sustainability officer" and providing cash to improve its own energy efficiency and support green programs on campus.
"If we're declaring we're at the forefront of this knowledge and its application, I felt we should be a role model for the region. And if we can be more efficient in our use of energy, it's good for the environment, and it's good for our financial position," Wrighton said.
He first studied sustainable energy technology in the 1970s and, ever since, has held the issue dear.
"Energy in large amounts, affordable in price and with low environmental impact, is going to be vital to the future of the world," Wrighton said. "We owe this to young people so that they have prospects of a very bright future for themselves, for their children and their grandchildren. This is an area of vital importance, and I think it's important that we get on with it."
rmelcer@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8394
By Rachel Melcer
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/05/2007
THE GOAL: Cut 'greenhouse' gases, slow global warming.
PARTNERS: Include MU and Danforth Plant Science Center.
Washington University said Monday that it is spending more than $55 million on a biofuels and sustainable energy research center that could heat up the local economy while helping to cool the world.
It will be known as the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability, or I-CARES. Its creation marks one of the most significant financial contributions Washington University has made in a dozen years, said Mark Wrighton, who has been chancellor for that length of time.
"It's not unique for a university to be saying it's going to be working on energy, environment and sustainability," Wrighton said. "What we're striving to do is create the infrastructure in our region so that (it) becomes seen in America as one of the key regions of this research.
"It should be a place where people look for expertise, for human resources … and where we spawn the development of new (energy) technologies that will lead to improvements within existing companies and new companies," he said.
The goal is discovery of innovations that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and slow or halt global warming. Scientists will seek ways of making the most from existing fuel sources, such as ethanol and coal, while developing new ones.
I-CARES will be a focal point for research collaboration among Washington University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur and a consortium of international academic institutions.
A committee of local business leaders will provide advice on how to make their scientific work relevant and easily transferable to industry. Members include executives from agribusinesses Monsanto Co., Solae Co. and Bunge North America; energy companies Ameren Corp., Peabody Energy Corp. and Arch Coal Inc.; manufacturer Emerson; and brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos.
Many of these partners came together a year ago, when Washington University led a bid for a $125 million federal biofuels research center. Two or three such sites will be selected this fall by the Department of Energy — but the local group didn't want to wait.
"We'd like to get real on-the-ground collaborations that start now, rather than waiting for the future to roll around. … It's time to pull this together and make a statement," said Roger Beachy, president of the Plant Science Center and chair of Gov. Matt Blunt's Advisory Council for Plant Biotechnology.
The Plant Science Center is creating the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels with $25 million donated by Jack and Susan Taylor. Its plant science work will dovetail with cross-disciplinary approaches taken by Washington University teams. The University of Missouri adds agricultural expertise and land where experimental crops for biofuels production can be grown.
I-CARES will include several elements:
•A $40 million building to house the center, key pieces of equipment as well as Washington University's department of energy, environmental and chemical engineering. It will be constructed on the northeast corner of the Danforth Campus; until it is complete, I-CARES will reside in that campus's Wilson Hall.
•An endowment of at least $12.5 million to fund professorships in science, engineering, architecture, social science or medicine that contribute to the I-CARES goal.
•At least $2.5 million over five years to develop collaborative research within the university and with its regional and international partners.
•Plus, $500,000, previously announced by Wrighton, to support collaborative projects with universities in Asia and the Middle East that belong to Washington University's McDonnell International Scholars Academy.
In addition, the university is hiring a "sustainability officer" and providing cash to improve its own energy efficiency and support green programs on campus.
"If we're declaring we're at the forefront of this knowledge and its application, I felt we should be a role model for the region. And if we can be more efficient in our use of energy, it's good for the environment, and it's good for our financial position," Wrighton said.
He first studied sustainable energy technology in the 1970s and, ever since, has held the issue dear.
"Energy in large amounts, affordable in price and with low environmental impact, is going to be vital to the future of the world," Wrighton said. "We owe this to young people so that they have prospects of a very bright future for themselves, for their children and their grandchildren. This is an area of vital importance, and I think it's important that we get on with it."
rmelcer@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8394
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