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8th Day Center E-Newsletter is a Good Resource January 21st, 2011
Stay connected with the 8th Day Center for Justice in Chicago by signing up to receive their electronic newsletter sent on the “8th Day” of each month. The e-newsletter will provide you with up-to-date information on the work of 8th Day, including actions, events and reflections.
To sign-up to receive the e-newsletter, contact Beth at beth@8thdaycenter.org.
One Rechargeable Battery Can Replace 1,000 Regular Batteries January 19th, 2011
Did you know? People in the United States buy three billion batteries every year. That’s about 10 batteries for each person in the country, including babies. Most of these batteries are made to be thrown away. But rechargeable batteries are made to be reused. These batteries aren’t perfect. But they are better for the Earth than disposable batteries. One rechargeable can take the place of up to 1,000 regular (single use alkaline) batteries during its lifetime. Yep, that’s right 1,000! Amazing, no?
Make the batteries that you use last longer:
- Take them out of equipment that you are putting away for a while.
- Don’t put batteries (or things that have batteries in them) in really hot places. Heat shortens a batteries’ life.
- Don’t use old batteries with new ones. It wears out the new ones faster.
- But most important use rechargeable batteries.
Want this and other Eco-Tips in Spanish? Visit our Spanish site
Oblates Support Need for Immigration Reform January 16th, 2011
On 29 January, a March and Rally for Immigration Reform will be held in Pacoima, California, a city in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles. The event, organized by the Justice for Immigrants coalition in San Fernando Valley, will consist of a march which will proceed to the Oblate parish of Mary Immaculate. There, a rally will be held featuring speeches by community leaders encouraging elected officials in Congress to fix the broken immigration system and remind them of its impact on families.
Read the Press Release by Justice for Immigrants Coalition /San Fernando Valley.
In a separate but related action, the Oblate JPIC Office has joined 45 other faith-based organizations in issuing a declaration in support of Migrants. The Resolution on Migrants was developed in observance of National Migration Week, declared by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’, and recognizes the difficulties facing immigrants in the United States today. The diverse array of faith groups signing onto the statement are united in their concern for the plight of immigrants and the current negative political atmosphere in many communities. Most of the faith-based organizations endorsing the Resolution represent individuals and communities who live among and serve the immigrant population and are witnesses to the daily struggles of immigrants.
The U.S Migrant Resolution shows that a diverse faith community remains committed to immigration reform despite the current lack of political leadership. We hope that Congressional leaders can reach across the divide on this issue in the same way that the faith community has come together.
Read the U.S. Migrant Resolution 2011 (Download PDF)
New Haven Declaration on Corporate Financial Transparency Brings Together Unique Coalition of Asset Management Firms and Civil Society Organizations January 16th, 2011
A unique coalition of asset management firms and civil society organizations issued a statement on January 11th committing to call on governments and relevant multilateral institutions to establish a country-by-country financial reporting standard for multinational corporations. The “New Haven Declaration on Corporate Financial Transparency” establishes links between corporate accountability, business practices, and economic development and poverty alleviation.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate was among the initial signatories of the declaration, alongside groups like Trillium Asset Management and Wealth for the Common Good. The signatories together represent $20 billion in combined assets under management.
Click here to read more »
January 11th – Human Trafficking Day January 12th, 2011
January 11th is Human Trafficking Day, so we encourage you to spend some time learning about slavery in the modern economy.
Human trafficking — the buying and selling of human beings — is far from a thing of the past. Free the Slaves estimates that over 27 million men, women, and children are enslaved in the world today, being forced to labor in fields, factories, sweatshops, brothels, battlefields, and private homes.
People are trafficked within countries and across borders, and they are trafficked to and from almost everywhere in the world — the Polaris Project estimates that 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States every year, in addition to thousands of citizens being trafficked within the country.
In early January, President Obama declared January to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Today, January 11th, is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
Read more on the Care2 blog or check out our website page on human trafficking for a host of links and resources on human trafficking and modern day slavery.
