International Rivers' Mission

International Rivers' mission is to protect rivers and defend the rights of communities that depend on them. We oppose destructive dams and the development model they advance, and encourage better ways of meeting people's needs for water, energy and protection from damaging floods. To achieve this mission, we collaborate with a global network of local communities, social movements, non-governmental organizations and other partners. Through research, education and advocacy, International Rivers works to halt destructive river infrastructure projects, address the legacies of existing projects, improve development policies and practices, and promote water and energy solutions for a just and sustainable world. The primary focus of our work is in the global South.

International Rivers' Vision

International Rivers seeks a world in which rivers and the ecosystems they support are valued, and the importance of the links between healthy environments and healthy societies are understood. We envision a world where development projects neither degrade nature nor impoverish people, and where all people have a voice in decisions affecting their lives and livelihoods.

International Rivers' Values

In striving to achieve its mission, International Rivers is guided by the following values:

• Collaboration: We see ourselves as a part of a global movement to protect river systems, and our colleagues as partners with whom we collaborate and consult to strengthen our collective efforts.
• Integrity: We conduct our work honestly, keep our commitments, and expect others to do the same.
• Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable to affected communities, donors, funders, partner groups, and the public at large, to act in accordance with our stated mission.
• Inclusiveness: We support open dialogue and decision-making that is transparent, inclusive and consultative.
• Courage: We recognize and accept the responsibility to act on our mission even under difficult circumstances, and to confront our adversaries openly. We do however carefully assess risks to the personal safety of staff and seek to avoid putting staff members in dangerous situations.
• Accuracy: We are committed to rigorous research and analysis, providing accurate information, and basing our work on the best available evidence.
• Creativity: We are willing to challenge prevailing models and to seek new, imaginative ways to maximize our effectiveness, both internally and externally.
  

Your Opportunity to Participate:  http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/action

Seven MBA students helped big name companies such as Google, Yahoo! and Cisco identify energy efficiency opportunities in their operations that will save $35 million in net costs over five years.

They are part of the Climate Corps, an Environmental Defense Fund pilot program that pairs business students with corporations to explore strategies that save energy, greenhouse gas emissions and money.

The pilot was a success and now EDF wants to scale up with a partnership with Net Impact, the nonprofit focused on fostering tomorrow's socially responsible business leaders.

...EDF and Net Impact are now actively looking for 15 to 20 host companies to participate in the 2009 Climate Corps program. Eligible fellows will have finished their first year of business school...

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/04/a-new-corps-green-new-deal

This lovely lady can use a favorite item of your clothing and design a custom handbag with minimal new "ingredients"; I have seen her work and it is gorgeous!  Please take a look at what she can do!

http://tootsweethandbags.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-email.html

http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/use-led-holiday-lights?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Read%26nbsp%3Bmore&utm_content=lilyfishpond%40yahoo.com&utm_campaign=Newsletter+11%2F19%2F08
TerraPass
Pete Davies | November 18, 2008

Save energy and money with long-lasting LED holiday lights

 

... One place you can definitely use LED lights is for decorating your house and/or Christmas tree this holiday. This year we're selling LED holiday lights in our green store.

How this helps

The bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours (that's over five years of continuous lighting - no more tweaking every bulb trying to find the dud!) and use up to 90% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs. One estimate puts the potential savings at over $8 for just one tree's worth of lights!

CarbonFund.org

While renewable energy projects reduce the need to produce more energy from dirty sources in the future, energy efficiency projects reduce the need to produce more energy now. They are among the most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon emissions, making investment in energy efficiency a key part of fighting climate change.

One energy efficiency project Carbonfund.org supports is Truck Stop Electrification. This innovative project reduces tailpipe emissions from some of the heaviest emitters of all: the 18-wheelers that transport our consumer goods all across the country.

Long haul truck drivers idle their trucks to heat or cool their cab and to power on-board appliances during the federally-mandated ten hour rest period for every eleven hours on the road. In addition to the tailpipe emissions, idling creates poor resting conditions for the driver and fosters unhealthy local conditions since large numbers of trucks idle in close proximity. Idling also consumes fuel while moving no product, reduces engine life, and requires more frequent maintenance intervals.

The project developer, IdleAire, Inc., allows drivers to shut off their engines by providing its Advanced Truck Stop Electrification (ATE) at locations where trucks congregate and idle for extended periods.  The system consists of an in-cab service module connected via a flexible hose to a highly efficient external HVAC unit mounted on an overhead truss. Drivers connect the service module to a cab window with an inexpensive, high impact plastic window adapter.

The service also provides electrical outlets and a variety of communication and entertainment options for the driver.  The technology allows truckers to heat and power the interior of the truck, run the radio and check email without forcing the engine to burn diesel, saving on average a gallon of diesel per hour.  

For more information on the Truck Stop Electrification project and energy efficiency, visit our Projects page.

http://www.votesmart.org/election_president.php

Ralph Nader, Independent Party
Cynthia McKinney, Green-Rainbow Party
Bob Barr, Libertarian Party
Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party

Barack Obama, Democratic Party
John McCain Republican Party

You can read more about the six men and women (and their running mates) at Project Vote Smart.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RiKB%2Bkc7ilw67CwAeJtd9vxZAe%2BpL4hz

For the past four years, PAN has been an integral part of the UN International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development. This effort of 400-plus scientists from around the world, akin to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released its findings that "business as usual in agriculture is not an option," and lays out a platform for investment in sustainable and fair food production. The goal? Address poverty and hunger, achieve sustainable and equitable development and establish productive and resilient farming. The Assessment, now endorsed by 59 countries, is a powerful call to action that PAN will use to influence policy and market decision-makers to direct investment toward clean and fair production systems.

PAN is Pesticide Action Network

We all know the sense of belonging and safety that comes from being a part of a community-how it nurtures our identity and fosters our aspirations. Few of us have experienced anything beyond a brief and partial separation from our community of friends, relatives, home and chosen paths-the elements that give meaning, purpose and direction to our lives.

For Iraqis in exile, who have already lost or left behind all material possessions, the loss of place and connection compounds their losses, leaving them to endure life in isolation, disconnection and hopelessness. Living shadowed lives in exile, they have little resource for safely connecting with others or for sharing or celebrating the important events in their lives with their extended family and former neighbors from whom they are now separated.

The Collateral Repair Project (http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/), which has been working to support Iraqi refugees by raising funds for small, home-based micro-projects to help them get back on their feet, is now planning to open a Family Resource & Community Center for Iraqis now exiled in Amman, Jordan.

The Family Resource & Community Center will offer the following services: relief distribution, English language classes, computer skills training, a lending library for all ages, a gallery and workspace for artists and hand-crafters, supervised play groups and structured events for children, counseling to improve coping skills and treat PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), social activities in a welcoming environment, and much, much more.

This center will be a place where Iraqi, Jordanian and Palestinian neighbors can all come together to access services and also to share one another's celebrations and sorrows. The center will provide them with the opportunity to get to know one another and enhance the bonds of a supportive broader community in a safe and nurturing environment.

Please visit our web site to find out more about this project and to donate. Truly, a small donation of just $10 will help make this happen!

www.collateralrepairproject.org/Amman_Center_info.html

You can also read our blog from Amman HERE: http://www.collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/

posted by kimmiekim28 on 8/25/2008 5:12 pm

http://www.odemagazine.com/exchange/3090/help_build_a_family_resource_center_for_Iraqi_refugees

Websites run on powerful computer servers that use massive amounts of electricity. Though energy efficiency should be a high priority for hosting companies—after all, it saves them money-—finding a company who operates their servers in an environmentally-responsible way is not always easy.

A2 Hosting makes it easy. Its FutureServe Green Hosting initiative was created to provide environmentally responsible website hosting in order to protect and improve ecological conditions for current and future generations. In addition, the experts at A2 Hosting have tips for MyClimateMinute readers to reduce their computer usage carbon footprints.

A2 Hosting sees carbon offsets as a means of balancing its web servers’ release of carbon dioxide through a combination of products, practices and resources that save an equivalent, and likely additional, amount of CO2 to what is emitted. Carbon offsets allow A2 Hosting to take responsibility for mitigating CO2 emissions from everyday business activities by contributing to Carbonfund.org projects like reforestation and the development of renewable energy. “Until all our energy needs are able to come from renewable sources, we felt that carbon offsets were the best way to reduce our environmental impact and act as a responsible business,” said A2 Hosting CEO Bryan Muthig. “We carefully looked at all our options before choosing Carbonfund.org to provide our carbon offsets. The fact that Carbonfund.org is a non-profit and has a good reputation made us feel confident our offset dollars were going to be put to good use.”

FutureServe Green Hosting is a combination of low-power hardware, employee effort, and offsetting, and it has established A2 Hosting among the greenest options for website hosting. Among the energy efficient equipment A2 uses are low-voltage Xeon Processors and DDR2 memory, both known for energy efficiency, and power saving hard drives that consume 40% less power and 4-5 less watts than competing hard drives.

In addition, the culture at A2 Hosting is green. Eco-friendly practices found at A2 Hosting include telecommuting to reduce carbon emissions from daily commutes, recycling of older hosting equipment, and eliminating the use of paper towels, Styrofoam cups and plastic cups. Employees who drink coffee or water bring their own re-useable containers.

A2 Hosting offers the following tips for making your computer eco-friendly.
1. The easiest and most efficient way to reduce a computer-related carbon footprint is to turn it off when it isn’t in use.
2. At the very least, turn off the monitor and printer when not using them.
3. Properly configure the computer’s sleep mode settings so its electrical use is reduced automatically.
4. A computer that is obsolete to you can often be used by someone else. Not only does someone less fortunate get the benefit of using a computer, this also prevents the computer from rotting in a landfill.
5. Also, check out this video dedicated to reducing computer power use.

MyClimateMinute readers can save 20% on all A2 Hosting services by using the coupon code a2green at the checkout. Readers can use this coupon to start their own green friendly website or blog. This coupon expires October 31, 2008.

For more on A2 Hosting, please visit www.a2hosting.com.

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/more/media/1056

Innovators for the Public

Ashoka is the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs-men and women with system changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems. Since 1981, we have elected over 2,000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 60 countries.

With our global community, we develop models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector.

Our Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their innovations - demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the potential to be powerful changemakers.

Want to know more? Watch Ashoka Founder Bill Drayton discuss the history of Ashoka.

http://www.ashoka.org/