Citizen Schools taking action
I just received these two notices from Citizen Schools. This is a great organization that is currently second in the running for education ideas at Change.org. If they make it into the top ten overall, their program will be reviewed by the new presidential cabinet as a way to improve our educational system. You can read about how I participated in their last WOW! event and you can vote for them here.
They are also hosting a great event on MLK Day that I am signing up for.
Celebrate Martin Luther King jr Day by interacting with our youth, our future.
Come together with Citizen Schools, our students, and dozens of volunteers from across Boston to celebrate service and mentor young people as they make their own declarations of service to others.
When: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday January 19, 2009
12:00-4:00pm
Where: Citizen Schools Headquarters, 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA
In the Childrens’ Museum building
Keynote Speaker: Robert Louis Jr., Vice President, The Boston Foundation
What to expect:
Martin Luther King Jr. left a profound legacy of service to our country. On the eve of his own Presidential service to America, Barack Obama has called each of us to service too. In celebration of this historic time, we want to help young people think about the importance of service and how they can do their part to serve their communities. We’re hoping you’ll join in the fun!
We invite you to spend the afternoon with 80 students and alumni of our program to share ideas, hopes, experiences, and knowledge that celebrate service. After an introductory lunch, games, and kick-off speech, we’ll pair you with a student and you’ll work 1-on-1to mentor your future leader in developing his or her own understanding of service. You’ll help your student write a letter to President-elect Obama, outlining his or her hopes and dreams for the country that culminates in a personal declaration of service stating how he or she plans to serve the community.
The historic election of President-elect Barack Obama has inspired thousands of young people in Boston to understand the needs of their country and serve them. You can help these young people harness their enthusiasm by celebrating service – not just for one day, but for a lifetime. So join us on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to share your afternoon with our nation’s youth, and help them shape America’s service agenda.
Please arrive by 12:00 PM. Dress is casual. Lunch will be provided.
For more information, contact Daniel Rosen at danielrosen@citizenschools.org, 617-695-2300 ext. 150.
From jell-o mold to fun and functional clock
Multi-functional items in your kitchen.
On the Tuesday before Christmas I met a friend in Harvard Square to check out the annual craft fair at the local UU Church. As usual, it did not disappoint us. It was inspiring to see all the creativity from local arts and crafts people. These clocks made from old plates and tins were one of my favorites. You can purchase one of these beauties at www.artstargirl.etsy.com.
Below is Kennie Kaumzka from Metal Magic. (My flash does not do his work justice.) He makes these candle and electric lanterns out of ordinary household tin cans. Using an ocy-acetylene torch with a pencil-thin flame, the original designs are burned into the cans without drawing or stenciling. As Kennie states, “The lit candle lanterns, uniquely hand crafted, envelop a dark room with flickering magincal patterns.” So if you want to create some instant atmosphere – check out these lamps. www.tincanlights.com
This is the kind of stuff we love to see at D2E. Local artisans making useful and beautiful things out of recycled materials. Sustainable art – can’t get much better than that.
Kennie at his booth of magical lanterns.
Citizen Schools; exposing middle school kids to professional opportunities
Last night I had the honor of serving as a judge at the annual Citizen Schools Design & Development WOW! presentations. Citizen Schools is a local non profit that works with middle school kids. The Design and Development Apprenticeship is an urban planning ideas competition – and we at D2E love ideas! This event engages more than 100 youth from middle schools throughout Boston. For 10 weeks each fall, the students collaborate with volunteer architecture and development professionals and Citizen Schools staff to re-envision Boston’s built environment and public open spaces, developing plans and models for projects in different city neighborhoods.
This student from the McCormack school impressed us with his innovative ideas, his spiffy suit and his articulate presentation. Well done!
The Edison Middle School tackled the problems with City Hall!
It was inspiring to hear these students ideas. And it was great to also meet some of the graduates from previous years that are now in college. This really is what it’s all about. Kids have to be exposed to options in order to understand that there are opportunities.
According to John Werner, the enthusiastic leader of Citizen Schools, “This program works. Our combination of rigorous academic support and engaging apprenticeships is producing a generation of eager and invested learners. Citizen teachers are sharing their expertise and kids are listening. Our students are outperforming a comparison group of public middle school students on 6 of 7 key indicators, including MCAS scores, attendance, suspension rates and on time promotion to 10th grade, a critical indicator of HS graduation rates. As well, graduate of our 8th grade academy program are graduating from HS and attending college at nearly twice the rates of their BPS peers.”
I was really tired on this Monday and at 4pm I was dreading the commitment I made to be a judge. Those feelings faded as soon as I arrived and saw all the great work being done. I was energized and excited to be a part of this great effort. And a big “Thank you” goes out to all of the local businesses that stepped up to the plate and brought the students into their offices. This was a big time commitment and a great investment in the future of Boston. We at D2E applaud you!
Participating Apprenticeships:
Payette Associates: McCormack Middle School
Cubellis: Edwards Middle School
Goody Clancy: Irving Middle School
Harvard Graduate School of Design: 8th Grade Academy
ICON Architecture, Inc: Rogers Middle school
Paul Lukez Architecture: Mario Umana Middle School Academy
Shepley Bulfinch: Gavin Middle School
Jones Lang LaSalle: Edison Middle School
Altitude, Inc.: McCormack Middle School
Below are a bunch of photos to enjoy.
Students are making plans for a bike and pedestrian path to help improve and reinvigorate the Columbia Point neighborhood.
Jones Lang LaSalle even went to the extent of teaching the kids about budgeting. I could have used a few of these lessons!
To the tune of Rocky, the students marched up to the podium to collect their awards.
Ernest Pough, a graduate of Citizen Schools and current Freshman at Union College was one of my fellow judges. He passed out our awards to the teams.
Meet Shana Yansen: Jute & Jackfruit
“Ask, ‘How can this be done better?’ Then do it better.”
Jute and Jackfruit founder, Shana Yansen, once squeezed a scorpion to death with her bare hands. How could we not interview her?
Okay, first things first. The question we ask everyone: how would you explain your business to a five year old?
We sell clothing, jewelry and gifts that are good for the environment, but we also help the people around the world that make them. I also write two blogs.
Do you think a five year old would know what a blog is?
Depends on the five year old, but some are probably “tweeting” already.
What are your blogs about?
My company blog highlights the designers, products and the mission of Jute & Jackfruit. My other blog Green Cotton is focused on raising awareness about the importance of organic versus conventional agriculture, plus eco-fashion and organic textiles.
OK, before we move on, tell us about this scorpion and could it possibly have any relationship to Jute & Jackfruit?
Well, years ago while I was living in Honduras, I accidentally grabbed (and crushed) a scorpion in my hand. The scorpion happened to be hidden in the mosquito net I was folding. I will never forget that moment, nor the hours of sheer numbness that followed. However, I would also add that while there were many life-changing and memorable moments during my service in the Peace Corps in Honduras (including the scorpion!), that it was working with local women’s groups and artisans that impacted me the most, and that first led to the idea for Jute & Jackfruit.
So, you’re probably a little too familiar with all of the “green washing” out there. As a genuine eco-conscious business owner, what do you do to reduce Jute & Jackfruit’s global footprint?
At Jute & Jackfruit, we source organic and sustainable fabrics for our clothing, and we also place strict environmental (and fair trade) criteria on the jewelry and accessories we carry. For example, one of our core clothing designers is Indigenous, a pioneer in fair trade and certified organic cotton knits. A good environmentally sustainable example in our jewelry collection is AnnaBuilt, which is handmade by Brooklyn-based artist Anna Johansson from unique, recycled metals. We also have Nahui Ollin handbags made from factory over-run and misprinted candy wrappers.
Wow, candy wrappers? How does that work?
Using Mayan weaving techniques, the designer handbags are woven by Mexican artisans using wrappers that would otherwise be burned or sent to a landfill. We have some great photography on our Web site.
Speaking of wrappers, I know packaging is a big issue for eco-conscious retailers. How do you handle it?
We spent months trying to find eco-friendly packaging materials! Our postcards, clothing tags and other materials are all made on recycled paper, most of which are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. We also source recycled content gift-wrapping, such as tissue paper, boxes and ribbon. We use biodegradable plastic bags for garments (when additional bags are needed to protect from the elements) and recycle our boxes for shipping. We are also developing reusable fabric gift wrap for the holidays made from over-run and unused fabrics. In general, we are constantly looking into ways to reduce our impact. We are currently exploring carbon-offsetting for our shipping among other initiatives.
Impressive! Now, how about as an individual?
I started riding a bicycle last year and ride it almost everywhere now, including trips to the grocery store with my pannier bags. I also gave up water bottles and improved my recycling habits. For the last few years, my husband and I have participated in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). This year, we joined Picadilly Farm, a New Hampshire-based farm that has a local pick-up location. We really make a conscious effort to shop locally.
What habit was surprisingly easy to change … and what was the hardest?
The easiest to change was bringing my own bags to the grocery store and other places; the hardest was giving up water bottles. As someone who has always been an avid water drinker and is frequently on the go, I used to grab a disposable plastic bottle and go. With consistent and conscious effort, I gradually moved away from this practice. I stopped buying bottles and now bring a reusable Sigg or bicycle bottle with me.
I love my Sigg water bottle, too. In fact, I got it at D2E last year. Which segues nicely into our last question: why did you decide to participate in D2E?
My experience with similar green events is that they provide wonderful opportunities to strengthen the local eco-conscious community, and I believe D2E will do that for the Boston area. Plus, my impression is that D2E is going to be a fun-filled weekend with a remarkable line up of speakers, videos and events—including the eco-fashion shows, eco-living seminars, tasty organic marketplace and green-conscious exhibitors.
You are exactly right.
Interview by Anna Goldsmith of The Hired Pens
Dear Santa: Times are Tough
We all have a bit of Santa and misfit in us. Now the Post Office is giving us an opportunity to give or receive - depending on where we happen to land this year.
This morning I read a touching story in the Globe by David Filipov and I have to share. Apparently, each year the Post Office gets letters addressed to Santa in the North Pole and they actually read them. They take the ones that are asking for necessities like shoes and coats and they put them in a separate pile. Then they open up the Secret Santa Office so that people who can provide the basics for their family will have the opportunity to share their wealth. Below is the address for the Secret Santa Office and the times that it is open. When you arrive, you can choose a letter to sponsor. So if you can only afford to buy an extra coat, choose a letter that only asks for a coat. If you can afford more, it looks like there are some detailed letters for families with multiple kids.
Starting Monday, the Secret Santa Office will be open in the lobby of Fort Point Station in the General Mail Facility at 25 Dorchester Ave. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until Dec. 24. The phone number is 617-654-5776. Sponsors need to bring a photo ID.
A local business and church making a difference
Anton Cleaners are accepting winter jackets. They clean them and then pass them on to someone that needs it.
This morning on the way to work I stopped at my local Anton Cleaners to drop off an old winter jacket. It was in great shape, but just did not fit me right. No matter how much I like to think I am still a small, I really need to wear a medium these days. So it felt great to know that this slightly used jacket was going to be cleaned and then given to someone who needs it. While there I noticed that they have an eco-clean program. So here is an example of a local business that is thinking about the community and the earth.
We at D2E love to hear about our local organizations pitching in to help the greater community. Sustainable living is about everything – not just “going green”. It’s about people and business and how we all affect one another.
I came across another great local effort from one of our local Unitarian Churches. I grew up a UU and I learned a lot about community with our church.
Learn about the growing green economy
Join UU Mass Action and the Boston Green Justice Coalition this Sat to kick off an exciting and innovation campaign to ensure that our region’s growing green economy will create quality jobs, healthier communities and energy savings for low-income residents.
Saturday, December 6th @ 10:00am
Twelfth Baptist Church Roxbury (150 -160 Warren St.)
Green Jobs are a major component of the UU commitment to address the effects of Global Warming. Please support this coalition in their efforts to realize this goal in Boston. The Green Justice Coalition is a partnership of community groups, labor unions, environmental organizations and other allied organizations who are building a broad-based effort in support of a sustainable, equitable and clean energy economy in the Boston region.
For more information, please visit our website: uumassaction.org
US backing of wind farm could come this week
This computer-generated image showed what a view of Cape Wind farm would look like from Oak Bluffs. The developer expects the turbines will produce 170 megawatts of power a year.
While reading through the Globe this morning I came across a story about Cape Wind. I really did not think this project had much of a chance, considering the Kennedy’s are against it. But it looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Bina Venkataraman from the Globe reports today on the progress of Cape Wind, and it is well worth checking out the whole story.
Mark Rodgers, communications director for Cape Wind, said the company predicts the $1 billion project could be operating by 2011, though opponents have said they will go to court to try to block it. The developer expects the turbines to produce about 170 megawatts of power a year, equivalent to almost three-quarters of the average electricity demand for the Cape and Islands.
The proposal from a once little-known company has endured years of environmental review, several rounds of political maneuvering by the likes of Senator Edward M. Kennedy and former governor Mitt Romney, and strong opposition from a group of homeowners on the Cape and Islands. They worry that the 440-foot-high turbines, visible on the horizon, would mar their views, depress property values, and deter tourists. But the project has gained momentum as the public’s appetite has grown for renewable energy to help forestall global warming. The turbines would be placed about five to eight miles from the Cape coast.
I’m thankful for conscious fashion
Deborah Lindquist, available at Suneri in Davis Square.
On the week of thanksgiving one might consider it odd to blog about fashion. But I have learned through life that fashion is about more than being trendy. Fashion is an important aspect of our culture. Fashion helps define us as individuals and as a community. Fashion matters.
This past week I attended a fashion show at Simmons College that was titled Fashion with Impact. The theme was sustainability and I loved that they talked about entrepreneurship as well. We can’t expect change to just happen, we have to be a part of it. Each person can figure out what that means to them, but it is important for all of us to be engaged. The simple act of choosing only to buy from responsible companies, to shop locally as much as possible and to be thoughtful about purchases makes a difference.
On a personal note, while in college I did not put any thought into what I wore. I was so concerned with my studies, that I did not want to spend an inkling of time contemplating my wardrobe. I did not see the value in caring about my appearance. That seemed shallow to me. What mattered was what was inside of me.
That all changed when I studied developing countries and I learned about Ghandi. One of the lessons I took directly from Ghandi’s book is the importance of our outward appearance. The morning after I read that passage I decided to wake up a bit early, wash my hair and wear something other than work-out clothes. Since that day I have found that feeling good about my appearance helps me in other aspects of my life. I began to feel more confident socially and this helped me significantly when it came time to look for work in the “real world”. Now fashion is a way for me to cultivate my image as a small business owner, and an individual. I chose styles that reflect my creativity while choosing fabrics and brands that reflect my values.
So on this Thanksgiving holiday I am thankful to Ghandi for setting me straight. When he said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” he was not just talking about voting and volunteering. The daily decisions we make about the clothes on our back and the food we eat are just as important.
Shannon Glasheen, a local designer, makes the old new again.
Appliances: Energy Saving and Earth Saving
- Washer/Dryer combo for urban living.
Last week I traveled to NYC to attend the LIVE World Summit – Leadership, Innovation & Vision for the Earth. This was a great gathering of people that want to learn more about how they can make the world a better place. Topics covered everything from health issues, to the ocean, to branding and finance.
My friend Evan generously let me crash at his apartment – so of course I had to take a photo of his super cool and energy efficient washer/dryer combo. Also note the bamboo wood used for the cabinetry in his bathroom. What a cool guy! I never thought I would be inspired by a bachelor pad, but between the countertops made from recycled materials and the bamboo floors, this was one cool place to hang out. Remember the coffin in St. Elmo’s Fire? I think an eco-friendly bachelor pad is the chick magnet of now.
Anyway, back to the conference. One of the topics that was new to me was about refrigeration units. A woman from Greenpeace talked about how detrimental refrigerators are to the environment. And after reading more about it, I can’t believe I was not already aware of this. Considering how much I read up on these topics, it just goes to show you that there is always something to learn.
GreenFreeze is Greenpeace’s campaign to transform the refrigeration and cooling industries by eliminating the use of F-gases, the chemicals used to cool refrigerators, homes, cars, and food in stores and vending machines. F-gases are responsible for 17% of the world’s global warming pollution. CFCs such as Freon, which you’ve probably heard of, have been banned. However, the HFCs that were presented as the “environmental alternative” to CFCs by chemical companies have had a similarly grave impact on the environment — which is why we need to eliminate them now.
And though it was upsetting to learn how long it took for the US to accept the new technology, it was heart warming to hear that Ben & Jerry’s, a D2E exhibitor, played an integral role in getting this technology to the US. Apparently, common sense does not always prevail in Washington. Lobbyists for the big manufacturers held up the process, so caring and responsible business owners like Ben & Jerry, and community organizers like Greenpeace had to rally together to make it happen. See a more detailed report from Treehugger (9/30/08):
Greenpeace researchers in Germany first developed the precursor to the climate-friendly freezer in the early 1990s when it became clear that HFCs, which the chemical industry had marketed as a safe alternative to ozone depleting clouroflourocarbons (CFCs), were accelerating global warming.
The technology showed, contrary to industry claims, it was possible to use effective refrigerants that protected the ozone layer and the climate. In fact, the cooling units turned out to be more efficient than those using HFCs.
Greenpeace made the technology available to industry free of charge, and it is now used by leading manufacturers such as Haier, Whirlpool, LG, Bosch, Panasonic and Samsung and can be found in over 300 million refrigerators worldwide.
However, the HFC-free refrigerators weren’t allowed in the United States until this year when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowed Ben & Jerry’s to run a test trial of 2,000 Greenfreeze-equipped freezer units at shops across the country.
I never thought I would feel warm and fuzzy inside while eating ice cream, but this Ben & Jerry’s sure tastes good!
What to do with old meds
Unwanted medications can contaminate drinking water. (Photo courtesy NOAA)
A friend of mine asked this question and I did not have an answer. There have been very few times when I have needed prescription medication, so this is an issue that I have not had to consider. Then today I came across an article on the Sundance Channel website.
“Many people may not be aware that improperly disposing of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, such as flushing them down the toilet, contributes to pharmaceuticals found in our waterways,” said Mayor Richard Daley (of Chicago), announcing the new drop boxes on November 1.
– The Sundance Channel
This is great for Chicago – but what about everywhere else?
I did a little poking around on google and found an interesting article on medicinenet.com. Apparently there are studies going on to determine the effects of Prozac on fish…
Wisegeek.com recommends you call your pharmacist. They often have take-back programs or will know of how you can dispose of them.
I called the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy to see what they recommend but after speaking with two people that had no idea, leaving a message and not getting a call back. I suggest you call your local pharmacy to get the answer.
As my friend Aniko says, “I don’t want to find out my old medicine is making fish grow three eyes.” Or being treated for a depression that they did not know they had.
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