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Sean McDonagh, SSC Laments Lost Opportunity at Copenhagen January 8th, 2010
Sean McDonagh, SSC, a respected author and speaker on environmental issues and one of the most articulate advocates for action on climate change within the Catholic Church, offers a close up view and analysis of the failed climate conference in Copenhagen.
He wrote a number of excellent brief articles from Copenhagen that give a vivid sense of the conference, as well as valuable information on the climate change debate.
Read his articles here:
- COP-01- Setting the Stage for COP 15 in Copenhagen (December 8, 2009)
- COP-02-How Robust is the Science of Climate Change (December 9 2009)
- COP-03-There is a need for urgent action on Adaptation (December 10 2009)
- COP-04-Politics and the UN Framework Convention Climate Change Conference (December 11 2009)
- COP-05-Tuvalus intervention on December 9th 2009 (December 14, 2009)
- COP-06-Q&A on Copenhagen and Reflections on the Church (Dec. 14 2009)
- COP-07-Tight Restrictions at COP15 (Dec 15 2009)
- COP-08-Politican Leaders Converging on Copenhagen (Dec. 16 2009)
WaterLife – An Excellent Video on a Precious Resource January 7th, 2010
This award-winning interactive video tells the story of the last great supply of drinking water on earth – the Great Lakes. As our water supplies dwindle and are threatened by increasing pollution, it is important to educate ourselves and act to preserve what remains of this essential resource.
Papal World Day of Peace Message – If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation January 4th, 2010
Pope Benedict’s World Day of Peace Message focuses this year on the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.
According to the Pope, “Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”,[1] and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind.
Click here to read more »
Safe Drinking Water Treatment Guides Available December 11th, 2009
Are you living in or planning to be working in an area without safe, clean drinking water? These fact sheets from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) contain useful information on how to filter, treat and store drinking water to maintain a safe supply.
- Boiling: Household Water Treatment Options in Developing Countries. January 2009. CDC Safewater/USAID. (Download pdf, 538KB).
Boiling is arguably the oldest and most commonly practiced household water treatment method, and it has been widely promoted for decades. Organizations recommend boiling both for water treatment in developing countries and to provide safe drinking water in emergency situations throughout the world.
- Filtration & Chlorination Systems: Household Water Treatment Options in Developing Countries. January 2009. CDC Safewater/USAID. (Download pdf, 150KB).
Several household water treatment systems incorporate both a physical filtration step for particle removal and a chlorination step for
disinfection. This dual approach leads to high quality treated water.
- Safe Storage of Drinking Water: Preventing Diarrheal Disease in Developing Countries. January 2009. CDC Safewater/USAID. (Download pdf, 254KB).
Safe storage options fall into three general categories: 1) existing water storage containers in the home; 2) water storage containers used in the community and modified by an intervention program; or, 3) commercial safe storage containers purchased by the program and distributed to users.
- Simple Options to Remove Turbidity: Preventing Diarrheal Disease in Developing Countries. January 2009. CDC Safewater/USAID. (Download pdf, 173KB).
Filtration or flocculation removes particles and reduces turbidity. These pretreatment methods may also increase the efficacy of household water treatment products by removing contaminants that interfere with disinfection and physical filtration processes.
Climate Justice for a Changing Planet December 8th, 2009
Climate Justice for a Changing Planet: A Primer for Policy Makers and NGOs shines a light on the important intersection of equity and justice in the context of the current climate change debate. This new publication from the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) explores climate justice as an emerging concept and as a key to understanding the global debate. The book demonstrates that climate justice is not only an ethical imperative, but also an economic and social one.
Learn more and access a PDF of the publication.
In an effort to further highlight the issue and to develop further understanding of the concept, NGLS has also launched a series of guest articles and interviews with climate justice experts and advocates. This series will continue through January of 2010. The series and more information can be found at www.un-ngls.org/climatejustice
