Nakuru Women's Prison

Developments

I skipped a few weeks worth of entries here but we covered a lot of similar information in the corresponding meetings... discussing firstly development projects... 

Victoria Harris led us off with general insight from the course(s) she is taking and it evolved into a lively discourse of the real purpose of  development projects .... is it to make us feel better about having so much, make ourselves wealthier? , to "civilize the savages" or are we working out of genuine desire to better the lives of people..... if the last then we must seriously consider whether our actions will have long term positive effects.... progress should not be attempted at the expense of socio-cultural and environmental sustainability.  We also discussed the pros and cons of missionaries' efforts at things like education and economic stimulation/development concluding that there seems to be better understanding/training than in the past but there is still too often a euro-centric or Western-ideology that dictates missionary efforts.  For example we should be promoting the idea of enhancing education already in place rather than completely replacing it with a North American style school.

Later Ron Peters and Brent Friesen told us about the project they are working on in Cambodia of acquiring a piece of land that the outcasts (often racially segregated people groups) can have a home. They have had amazing "chance" encounters with the high ranking military officials. Specifically, Brent befriended a son of the general while he was studying at TWU, which opened so many doors allowing the administration of CanadianAID (correct me if this is not the right aid organization) to begin discussing the possibility of buying suitable land.  They also made contact with a few locally based groups that are working for change one of which Cambodian Hope Organization is run by a Cambodian (in other words it is not made up of a bunch of representatives from wealthy nations).

Finally, we discussed poverty and became overwhelmed with statistics (to the point where at least at least I felt somewhat at a loss).  Discussing how our ten dollars for a homeless person here is multiplied a hundred times in poorer countries we then have to decide how to use our money that has the most positive impact.  For myself I feel that my money is best spent enabling people who are "there" (where ever that may be) while I should use my time "here" to effect change.

Articulation Of Articles

In preparation for next week's discussion of "current events" or rather the story behind the story, I decided to do some research in the local right-wing conservative business papers (instead of the local left-wing conservationist activist papers).  In doing so I came across two very interesting viewpoints are topics that we have touched upon.  

The first is all about Triple Bottom Line businesses; People, Planet, Profit (Catchy like the 3 R's).  Basically he is talking about how Profit should not be the only indicator of success or even the primary indicator; Employee and customer relations with the company is much more important (this will directly affect the profit) and since the environment directly effects the viability of doing business, any kind of business it is also important.  This lines up with our world-view pretty nicely.  It is a book review but I dont think you need to bother reading the book, Vern Loewen sums up all the important stuff in his article anyway (actually just read the "noteworthy" box and you'll really have a concise understanding of the concept).

The second article is a about the "inconvenience" of the provincial carbon-tax for businesses and the general public.  Unfortunately, I think he missed the whole point of the carbon tax, it is meant to be an inconvenience.  Obviously it will increase the cost of doing business (and life) and hopefully it will!  To the point where people start considering other options.... Ok that doesnt sound very nice....  but in order to take action against the negative anthropogenic activities we need funding and I think taxing one of the worst problems is the best way to get the money.  Wait a minute Mr. Macdonald (the Publisher/Editor of this fine paper) doesnt actually believe in climate change and apparently he has solid scientific evidence to back it up.

But he doesnt.... he actually has someone's blog... (like this one... so dont believe everything I tell you! But do read the commentary/arguments going on in the blog). someone who read something off of the http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/  National Snow And Ice Data Centre Website and came to his own conclusions about what the data meant.  If he done a little more thorough research he would have seen that it was a cooler than expected spring that meant more first year (newly formed ice) survived into summer.  Ice over land continued to decrease and calve into the ocean (creating more sea ice) this is 4,000 year old ice that we are losing and that kind of ice can not be regenerated in one exceptionally cold winter or even 100 of them.

He makes it sound as though the increase was in August but we actually had a significant decline in August less than 2007 (thank goodness) but 2007 was record year and we dont like record melt years.

If the blogger had read the  NSIDC  analysis of the data he would have seen we did not actually have an increase in the amount of ice coverage in the arctic, we only loss less than we did last year.   Here is a nice graph that makes it really easy to understand why he was right, with the wrong conclusion.

Water

In our corner of the world we sometimes forget how precious the resource of fresh water is because of how much "liquid sunshine" we receive.  Yet, it is finite even here.  The aquifer that most of us get our water from in this fine city of Abbotsford recharges at a certain rate.  If we extract from it faster than it can recharge then we will experience water shortages.  Streams that we procure water from are essentially the same, if we take too much it stops being able to provide the natural functions that it once did such as salmon spawning.

Obviously our conservation efforts here will not directly effect those people around the world who need access to fresh water so desperately.  By turning off the tap the water is not then available to someone in Africa or South Asia.  However, a shift in our thinking about the resource will have an effect on our actions beyond merely conservation here.  It will hopefully effect our political choices, where we invest our money and how we interact with people we come in contact with.  Each of these can and will indirectly shape the world we live-in beyond our individual reach.

This type of thinking is obviously not just related to water usage or even social justice issues but also to our spiritual life.  This is the basis of the second commandment that seems to be the overarching theme for our home group. 

We spoke of different ways we could get involved personally and places that we could direct others who want to get involved.  Below are some organizations that have water purification and access as a priority.

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization is probably the number one expert when it comes to needs related to access to clean water though they can sometimes seem over whelming in the size and scope of their projects.  

The Water Project

These folks specialize in providing clean water in Africa.  Some of their earliest projects were considered failures by some critics but as they have grown they have been having really positive results.... I really like the section on why to give up bottled water!  "We live in the developed world where water from our tap is more strictly regulated for safety and purity than commercially bottled water."

Impact Nations

My good friends Tim and Bethany work in the ozarks of the Philippines providing water filters to isolated communities (beth also is a midwife).

The Adventures Of Tim And Bethany

World Vision

A well established non-profit that focuses on providing for the needs of children all over the world.  There are many different ways that they provide for basic needs and education one of them being the provision of water and sanitation. 

Fashioning Justice

This week we discussed the fashion industry.

Carmen (being well versed in the particular field) started us off with insight into more ecologically friendly textiles but the conversation quickly turned into a discussion of our social responsibility as Christian's.  Very simply put this is to act in ways that would follow the precepts that Jesus laid out, namely loving our neighbours as ourselves.  We also concluded that by acting compassionately toward the least of these we would be in-turn ministering to God and thus fulfilling the first commandment.  What this should look like in our daily actions and in our personal world-views appears highly complex and varied.  Below will be some ideas, examples and links to other relevant information about ecologically and socially responsibility that Christian's (or anyone for that matter) should consider when buying clothing.

Adbusters (Blackspot Shoes)

Slightly ironic that a magazine promoting non-advertising advertises these shoes.... however the social, economic and ecological responsibility of these shoes is real.

EDUN Clothing

Perhaps creating major industry in Africa is not the best environmental policy but edun is socially responsible with high standards in their production facilities... and they do promote a  seed to finished product type structure which cuts incredibly into the negatives of shipping raw materials with out added value.

American Apparel

they have bought into the idea of high standards in clothing production with fair wages and good working conditions and they even have a large organic clothing section... however I highly detest how much they use sex to sell their clothing.

The Natural Store

In many ways europe is leaps and bounds ahead of us in environmental and socially responsible clothing production... they are also leaps and bounds ahead in price....

anyway just go to your local thrift store.... it is cheaper, just as cool and is super ecofriendly...