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Story of Electronics Video Now Available! November 10th, 2010

E-Waste in Indonesia

Annie Leonard, the creator of the popular Story of Stuff video series, has released a new, short film – on the electronics that we all use every day. “Planned obsolescence” – now called “shortening the replacement cycle” – takes a huge toll on the environment, one we can no longer sustain.

Industry analysts anticipate Americans spending more than $8.5 billion on consumer electronics this month alone. While this may seem good for the economy, making all these products exacts an enormous environmental and public health toll.

Mining the metals destroys the environment in communities from Congo to Indonesia – often fueling conflict along the way. Assembling the gadgets uses huge amounts of water and energy and exposes workers to a host of toxic chemicals. Then, once we decide to move to the next, newer, better model, we leave behind mountains of old electronics — what’s called e-waste. A recent UN report notes that global e-waste generation is growing by about 40 million tons a year.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Watch The Story of Electronics to find out why and how we need to adopt the mantra of “Make them Safe, Make them Last, and Take them Back.”

Mentoring Students in Social Justice Work November 1st, 2010

Fr. Daniel Renaud, omi is interested in developing a program for students to learn about social justice work by engaging with people at the grassroots or through issue advocacy. If you are an Oblate involved in social justice work, he would like to connect with you to discuss the possibility of a student coming to work with you for a period of time.

Father Renaud is Chaplain at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He has recently been named chair of the Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry Association. This association, mandated by the Conference of Canadian Bishops, supports campus ministry in promoting the mission of the Catholic Church.

Fr. Daniel Renaud has been the Chaplain at Saint Paul University since 2004. His email is: drenaud@ustpaul.ca The University website is www.ustpaul.ca

Fr. Renaud explains his idea in this interview with the Oblate US JPIC Office Watch the video:

(Watch the video on YouTube)

ICCR Members on The Daily Show: Holier Than Dow June 20th, 2010

Members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) working on financial reform appear on The Daily Show. Samantha Bee interviewed the group of Catholics: Seamus Finn, OMI, Sr. Barbara Aires, SCNJ, Fr. Joe LaMar, MM and Cathy Rowan, representing the Maryknoll Sisters.

Watch the video:

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Watch the video on the Daily Show website

Seamus Finn, OMI on Nightly Business Report: Discusses Impact of Derivatives on the Poor June 7th, 2010

Fr. Seamus Finn’s work on derivatives is profiled on PBS’s Nightly Business Report.

Watch the Nightly Business Report from June 7, 2010…

How does the financial system affect the poorest of the poor? Watch the June 7th issue of the Nightly Business Report for a segment on faith-based investors and efforts to rein in the derivatives market – a cause of the recent instability that has affected nearly everyone.

In an interview with Darren Gersh, Seamus Finn, OMI clearly draws the connections between decisions made by bankers and the lives of the poor. Fr. Finn talks about the need for greater disclosure of derivative risk – disclosure that a significant number of other shareholders have favored in recent Resolutions with Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs. Up next is legislation on Capitol Hill that could force banks to spin off their derivatives business.

Watch the Nightly Business Report from June 7, 2010 on Vimeo…