January 2008 Newsletter
New Year
Greetings!
2008 should be quite a year!
All of us are fully aware by now that this is a
presidential election year, and candidates and pundits have us at
their mercy! So far,
there has been a dearth of specifics from most of the candidates
about solving the major problems with which we are faced:
the
Climate Change
Perhaps the most serious of these issues facing
us is climate change.
Communities around the country and the world are experiencing its
serious effects, from droughts, floods and extreme storms to changes
in weather patterns.
The challenge is daunting, and we must act now to make an effective
response and enable future generations to meet their needs.
There are accessible and significant actions each of us can
take today, as individuals and as a community, to create a
sustainable lifestyle, or, as the media tell us, to live more
green.
Sustainability means looking at how the
way
our society functions affects the planet, and all of its
inhabitants. It also
means a struggle over whether money values or life values will be
the most important influence in our society.
The choices we make today are shaping the world of tomorrow!
With this in mind, the Ozaukee Community Awareness Forum has entered a collaboration with a unique organization, the Northwest Earth Institute, and its local affiliate, the Great Lakes Earth Institute, to present a series of guided discussion groups on concerns related to sustainable living. The first group will begin meeting next week, and will be reflecting on “Voluntary Simplicity”. Other groups will be formed as interest dictates.
Here is a comment from one of the previous participants: "These courses have given me a sense of hope and support for a happier, healthier, more balanced life.” Their website is: www.glei.org., where you can find more information about the other courses offered.
For more information, please contact us by
email at
info@ocaf-wi.org. or call
Marliss Rogers at 262-268-0526.
Coming Events
Saturday, April 26, 2008:
Plan now to celebrate Earth Day 2008 by participating in
a Sustainability Fair: “Living Green”, in
collaboration with Wellspring Organic Farm and Retreat Center in
Newburg. Participation
by interested businesses as well as community leaders and citizens
is cordially invited.
It will not only be a chance to share information and ideas on
“living green” but will also feature music, speakers and exhibits on
sustainability. Michael
Frome, well-known environmental author and teacher, and a resident
of
Action Items
Peace Signs:
Our “Choose Peace” signs are still available for $10.00 each from Amy Wilborn,
Going, going, gone!
If
war is not the answer, what is?
The 
hundreds of billions of dollars each year on
the military and war, including two billion a week on the occupation of
Action on Bottled Water:
And did you know that plastic items (even some facial scrubs which contain tiny bits of plastic) end up in “vortexes” in our oceans where wave action wears them into tiny pieces which interfere with sea life?
Legislative Alert
With the latest “free trade agreement” with Peru a reality (despite the Peruvian people’s disagreement), and more of these agreements in the works, perhaps it is time for us to examine what NAFTA has wrought in terms of harm for workers and the environment as well as to the sovereignty of countries and their ability to protect their people. Public Citizen’s Web site has a thorough report on NAFTA’s effects throughout the world. Go to: www.publiccitizen.org./nafta/. Here is an excerpt from its report:
NAFTA
requires limits on the safety and inspection of meat sold in our
grocery stores; new patent rules that raised medicine prices;
constraints on your local government’s ability to zone against
sprawl or toxic industries; and elimination of preferences for
spending your tax dollars on U.S.-made products or locally-grown
food. In fact, calling NAFTA a “trade” agreement is misleading,
NAFTA is really an investment agreement. Its core provisions grant
foreign investors a remarkable set of new rights and privileges that
promote relocation abroad of factories and jobs and the
privatization and deregulation of essential services, such as water,
energy and health care.
After reading this interesting report, you will want to write or call our legislators and tell them you oppose any further “free” trade agreements!
F.Y.I.
Senator Kohl: (202) 224-5653 http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.html
Senator Feingold: (202) 224-5323 http://feingold.senate.gov/contact.html
Rep. J. Sensenbrenner: (202) 225-5101. http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/contactform
Parting Thought
The world is moving away from four prevailing
myths that still define human relationships with other humans and
with nature: a) money
brings happiness; b) technology yields well being; c) weapons
provide security; and d) natural resources are unlimited.
(