Humane Edge E-News August 2009

• MOGO-NOMICS: 12 TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY AND MAKING HUMANE CHOICES
• CULTIVATE FAITH, NOT FEAR, IN HUMANE EDUCATION
  
• FEATURED ACTIVITIES: RAINFOREST RESCUE
  
• HUMANE EDUCATION IN ACTION: CREATING A CHRISTIAN ETHIC OF CARING
  
• ANIMALS OVERCOMING ODDS: A SAMPLING OF PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS
  
• FEATURED STUDENT: LYNNE WESTMORELAND
  

MOGO-NOMICS: 12 TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY AND MAKING HUMANE CHOICES

With food and other prices climbing steadily and the U.S. economy ailing, more people are looking for ways to save money. For some, that connotes an either/or situation: I can help the environment, OR I can buy what I can afford. A Chicago Tribune article from a couple months ago noted that more people of various socio-economic levels are choosing to shop at “dollar” stores, which saves them money, but also means that they’re making choices that harm people, animals and the planet.

Our culture and media have created misperception, misunderstanding and a false either/or dichotomy about living well and doing good. “Organics are too expensive.” “Being eco-friendly is only for the rich.” “Shopping at discount stores is all I can afford.” This framework oversimplifies and underestimates what’s possible. Here are 12 tips for helping you make some both/and choices to help your wallet AND the world:

1. Do without. Ask yourself if you really need it. Many times you probably don’t. Do you really need a new suit, or are you just bored with the old one? Will that bauble bring real joy and meaning to your life, or is it a passing attraction? Do you really need that gym membership, or can you team up with a friend and go hiking/biking/yogaing together? Is that morning latte really worth $80 or so bucks a month?
2. Get it for free.  If you practice your patience and apply your creative skills, you can often find what you want for free. Can you trade for it? Barter for it? Salvage it? Exchange volunteer time for a free ticket or two? Events like clothing swaps are becoming extremely popular, and there are other kinds of swaps, such as book swaps, which cost only the price of postage. Of course, there are also great sites like Freecycle, and more people are finding clever ways to get what they need, such as acquiring free construction materials by volunteering to help deconstruct a building. And, remember such tasty jewels as the public library, special free events in your community for music and arts, and so on
3. Get it used. You’ve heard the axiom about one person’s trash being another person’s treasure. Our culture has trained us to think of used as somehow “second class.” We’ve even euphemized our language, preferring to talk about pre-owned cars, for example. The whole "used is yucky" is simply a mindset. Buying used is often a great way to get quality items while not directly contributing to sweatshops, environmental destruction and other ills. There are probably several great thrift stores and garage sales in your area, and Craigslist and similar sites have become a respectable and relevant source for finding what you need for a good price. Buying used is also a great way for people who have a hunger to shop or to hunt for bargains to fulfill that need while helping the planet and their pocketbooks. (Note: Be sure not to let your lust for a good bargain overshadow your good judgment about what's truly a good deal.)
   
4. Make/Do it yourself. Our ancestors didn’t have superstores or personal assistants. If they needed something, they usually did without or made it themselves. The DIY movement has become popular again, and there are a plethora of books and websites that offer tips for making or doing it yourself. More communities are also starting to offer classes in the “home” arts, from preserving to building to sewing to gardening. IHE’s Executive Director, Khalif Williams, has designed and built his own house, installed solar panels and created other aspects of his family’s home, without having expert knowledge himself. But, he has done a lot of research, a lot of consulting, and has called upon his friends to help. You may not be ready for that level of DIY, but you can probably learn to do and make plenty of other items you need, which increases your skills, saves money and helps reduce your eco-footprint.
5. Team up. Share whatever you can: meals, transportation, tools, ideas. You can save a lot of money this way, and reduce the amount of waste generated. If you need to chip up yard debris, maybe some of your neighbors do, too –- you could team up and share the cost to rent a chipper, while getting to know each other better. Teaming up can go even further, such as sharing a home with others, or working on home improvement projects together. You might be surprised how easy it is to adjust to new ways of living and doing.
6. Do more with less. Can you use less than the recommended amount of shampoo/detergent/ketchup? Can you wear those jeans for 3 days instead of one before washing them? There are many opportunities to find ways to save by extending the use of what you already have.
7. Keep it simple. Look for simpler solutions such as: Walk, not drive. Use the clothesline instead of a dryer. Make your own cleaning products. Eat a plant-based, whole foods, low-processed diet. Often the low-tech way is better for your bank account, as well as for others.
8. Think creatively and mindfully. Awareness and creativity are two of the key strategies for MOGOnomics. If you’re paying attention and not limiting your options, then you’re going to be able to make better choices and take advantage of opportunities when they arise. Consider all options and find creative solutions. Can you rent out a room in your house to bring more income while providing a home for someone else? Can you house swap for your vacation? Can’t afford all organics? Then buy in bulk & look to organics for those items most heavily sprayed with pesticides. Try farmers markets or community-supported agriculture. Grow some of your own, or offer an urban farmer the use of your land in exchange for a cut of the crop. You may not be into thinking of 50 ways to use vinegar and 23 uses for that tin can, but there are still plenty of opportunities to flex your creative skills.
9. Hang onto it. Got a rip in your jeans? Repair it. Tired of that shirt? Use your new sewing skills to turn it into something new. Upgrade your computer instead of replacing it. Keep that cell phone or mp3 player, even though it’s not the newest style. Find ways to keep what you have longer, and you’ll save all around. (Note: This isn't an excuse to fill your house with stuff you don't need; getting rid of clutter and keeping only what's useful/meaningful in your life is part of choosing MOGO.)
10. Nickel and dime it. Look for small ways to save. They add up. Bring lunch instead of going out every day. Use coupons for MOGO products you need. Stock up when your staples are on sale. If you must see that movie on the big screen, find a second-run theater near you (better yet -- wait until it comes out on DVD and then have a few friends over). There are numerous books and websites focused on being "green and frugal" that have great suggestions for finding small ways to save big.
11. Broaden your vision & plan ahead. Some things cost more up front but save you money (and help the planet) longer term (compact fluorescent light bulbs, weatherizing your house, etc.). Planning ahead can also reduce the amount of waste you generate (such as for food that doesn’t get eaten). Research products (and the companies who create/sell them) before you buy. Remember that those great bargains you might find at the discount store not only may not last long, but they come with added external costs to people, animals and the earth.
12. Let others inspire you. You’re not alone in your desire to save money while making MOGO choices. There are plenty of books, blogs and other sources for ideas, tips and suggestions. Browse them for strategies that fit with your values and lifestyle. And don’t turn away too quickly from ideas that seem extreme to you (Humanure? Freeganism?); you may be able to adapt or customize in a way that works for you.
    

There are plenty of ways that we as individuals can make choices within our tightening budgets that are also compassionate, just and sustainable. Part of living a MOGO life is learning to approach challenges differently and learning to develop creative solutions that benefit all people, animals and the planet; and we don’t have to wait for society to show us the way: we can choose it for ourselves.
 

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CULTIVATE FAITH, NOT FEAR, IN HUMANE EDUCATION

by Mary Pat Champeau, M.Ed. and HECP Programs Director

I attended Catholic schools for most of my life. We were taught at an early age in Catholic school to accept and respect authority without question. This included the authority of our teachers, parents, adults in general, our government, the Pope, the church, and God. The way we were taught to accept and respect this authority relied largely on fear. I entered kindergarten in 1962, so for most of my elementary school years corporal punishment was used as a tactic of first resort. Trust me, if you are a second grader and worried about being smacked by Sister Ernestine in front of the whole class, or having your desk toppled with your seat attached -- which will send you sprawling across the floor -- or being paddled behind closed doors by the school principal, your overriding temptation is to behave as well as you can, for as long as you can, on any given day, no matter what is going on in your head, heart or home. I myself received my last paddling when I was in eighth grade, already a teenager. I don’t remember the infraction, and I don’t think I was particularly fearful anymore, just embarrassed both for myself and for the principal who was required to mete out the punishment. I can’t help but think of the Dalai Lama’s instruction that if we see a man kicking a dog, we should feel compassion not just for the dog, but for the man as well. We were all part of a system in that school; we complied with rules not necessarily of our own making. By eighth grade, most of us had learned how to live with fear without letting it define our inner lives -- just our outward behavior.

Since then, I’ve had many experiences that leave me feeling grateful (fear-factor aside) for this education and upbringing. Catholicism gave me what I’ve come to think of as a “vocabulary of faith.”  As a young teacher in Niger, West Africa, I was completely comfortable in a devout Muslim country. I understood (without even having to think about it) the ways in which daily prayer, fasting, devotion, self-sacrifice, charity, respect for elders, reverence for sacred places, and a strong ethic of right and wrong guided the lives of my students and their families. I had no trouble keeping Ramadan; it reminded me of Lent. I loved being awakened at dawn by the marabout; his call to prayer was like a hymn. I relished the sight of old women in the market thumbing their worry beads as my own grandmother had prayed the Rosary every day of her life. Later in my teaching career, I felt equally and instantly at home working in other countries and situations where religious life underpinned all else –- other forms of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Animism –- the religion itself didn’t matter to me. It was the kinship I appreciated, the ease with which a common ground could be found.

And so, it might come as no surprise that when I first discovered Humane Education thirteen years ago, I was immediately attracted not only to the subject matter but to the “missionary zeal” of its practitioners. My “vocabulary of faith” worked in my favor yet again as I meditated for the first time at a humane education symposium on what I wanted my epitaph to say. I soon implemented this meditation like a daily prayer. I loved the conscious thought brought to food choices –- not fasting exactly, but mindful choosing of food for the health of our bodies, all species and the planet. I felt drawn to the deep commitment of those around me to create positive, long-lasting change through education. The sacred place was the Earth, our elders the visionaries, and though we try to avoid the duality of “right and wrong” we know that somewhere in the realm of what’s “right” live the tenets of sustainability and compassion.
   
I quickly realized, after so many years as a teacher and teacher-trainer, that my own definition of education needed to take a step forward. It wasn’t enough for us and our students to “know” things -– we needed to learn how to use the things we knew in service of helping the planet and all her residents thrive. Shouldn’t this be the very purpose of education? And if so, then I propose that we have something to learn from faith-based education, and that something is: FAITH. As humane educators, we must cultivate a faith in the goodness of humankind to do the right thing once the right thing is clear; to act humanely once we know how; to desire the truth and seek it out. In my opinion, fear has no place is this vision. Although fear might make people comply in the short term, it does not breed passion, creativity, optimism or respect. I am aware of the ways in which we might subtly use fear to get a point across: “If we don’t do something about global climate change, we will all be underwater soon.” This is a flippant example of how fear can creep into our thinking, our living, our teaching. To my little Catholic schoolgirl ears, this is the same as “If you don’t go to Mass on Sunday, you will end up in Purgatory (or worse).” I might go to Mass, but only to avoid an unpleasant consequence. I would go because I was afraid not to.  As soon as the rule is lifted, I will no longer go because I am no longer afraid. This is not to say that global climate change is not an immediate and complex problem that needs to be solved. It is to say that how we provide information and how we educate others to become stewards of the Earth should emanate from a powerful place of joy and excitement within us, not a powerless place of fear.

Humane Education has the chance to lead the way in the field of education with the great lights of curiosity, critical and creative thinking, reverence, respect and responsibility. I vote we do so, and we leave the fear in the dark where it belongs, where it won’t be given enough attention to survive into the next generation of learning.

Image courtesy of maveric2003 via Creative Commons.

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FEATURED ACTIVITIES: RAINFOREST RESCUE

With recent focus on the impacts of deforestation, industrial agriculture production, commercial palm oil plantations, and other human-created hazards to rainforests and their inhabitants, the fate of rainforests around the world –- and their importance in our own survival -- has more frequently been in the news. Help your students understand more about the impacts of rainforest destruction and the power they have to make a positive difference with our free downloadable (pdf) activities Pedro Comes for a Visit (gr. K-4) and Vanishing Rainforests (middle school).

Pedro Comes for a Visit
Pedro the parrot comes to visit and shares his story with students, revealing how they have the power to help protect his rainforest home and his fellow neighbors.
Recommended for grades K through 4.
Time: 45 minutes to several days


Vanishing Rainforests
Humans are consuming rainforests at an alarming rate. Use this activity to help students practice their math skills while gaining a real sense of how much rainforest is being destroyed and brainstorming what they can do to avoid contributing to rainforest destruction.
Recommended for grades 6 through 8.
Time: 50-120 minutes

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HUMANE EDUCATION IN ACTION: CREATING A CHRISTIAN ETHIC OF CARING

IHE M.Ed. graduate Stephanie Muzekari first discovered humane education at one of our Sowing Seeds workshops. What Stephanie learned in our M.Ed. program helped her discover ways to combine her concern for the earth and its inhabitants with her strong Orthodox Christian faith in order to inspire and educate other people of faith to expand their circle of concern to include people, animals and the earth.

Quick Facts:

Current hometown:  Lansdale, Pennsylvania   
IHE fan since:  1997
Current work:  Wife to Nick & mother to Jacob and Gabriel; blogger, business owner
Your hero:  While I don't have one hero in particular, I am always inspired by others who demonstrate courage, creativity, and faith in times of adversity.
Book/movie that changed your life:  Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words.  Reading about Peace Pilgrim's journey was part of my inspiration to embark on a journey of simple living in which I could fit all of my personal belongings into my car.  Now, with children, things are a lot different, but I still strive to live a life in which I continually reevaluate my needs/wants in relation to material things for my family.
Guilty pleasure:  Chocolate
Inspired by:  Spending time in the natural world, the lives of the saints, my children's innocent sense of wonder, and my husband's creativity.
Love about yourself:  I adapt easily to change.
One of your strengths:  Perseverance and diligence.



IHE: What led you to the path of humane education?

SM: For as long as I can remember, I have always had a heart for animals and the environment, and for the suffering of others.  I became a vegetarian at a young age and had thought while growing up that I would eventually join the Peace Corps in Africa.  Through a series of many twists of events, I actually ended up working in a cubicle as an accountant.  I felt a serious disconnect there between who I was and what I was doing, so that didn't last very long.  When I left that job, I embarked on a path of service and learning.  It was during this time that I attended a Sowing Seeds workshop held by IHE at Farm Sanctuary in 1997.  I felt incredibly inspired by their work and had a desire to start the program then, but did not feel quite ready.  Several years later, out of the blue, I received a letter from IHE in the mail, and I knew the time was right for me to deepen my learning through IHE's M.Ed. program.


IHE: Tell us about how you’re currently manifesting humane education. What are your challenges? Successes?

SM: This past fall, I started a blog called Everyday Synergy.  I write about humane education issues from the perspective of an Orthodox Christian mother.  Part of my desire to start a blog stemmed from wanting share with other Orthodox Christians that caring for animals and the environment are integral parts of our faith, and to share with non-Christians that true Christianity does not abandon creation.  I also needed an outlet in which to grapple with issues that I deal with in my everyday life.  There has been an ebb and a flow to my writing on the blog, as caring for my two young children is my first priority.  However, I have had some positive feedback from others which encourages me to continue it.  I have been blessed to connect with others exploring similar issues.  It has been encouraging to know I am not "alone." 

My husband and I have also been working toward the launching of our home-based business, Sacred Life Mosaics, which went live online October 2009.  We we're selling 100% recycled note cards with photographs of the natural world combined with sayings from Orthodox Christian saints about the sacredness of creation, printed with soy and vegetable-based inks.  We are also packaging the note cards in a more environmentally-responsible way than most note cards are packaged.  Instead of using plastic shrink wrap and boxes, they are bound together in tree-free seeded lotka paper and shipped in recycled mailing envelopes.

I initially struggled with starting a business that would be selling more "stuff" to people.  But now I am excited about offering an alternative to the majority of Christian-related products that are currently on the market.  One quick perusal through a Christian bookstore, and you will find that a great number of their offerings are either made in China and/or with virgin paper fibers.  I feel this is a great opportunity not only for my husband and I to work toward our dream of having a home-based business and homeschooling our children, but also a possibility of encouraging others to follow our lead and offer products that hold true to a Christian ethic of caring for creation.

It was a struggle to decide upon the type of papers to use for our cards.  We were initially going to choose 100% recycled, 100% post-consumer waste cards, but the nature of that paper did not seem to lend itself to printing high quality inspiring nature photographs.  Instead, we chose 100% recycled, 50% post-consumer waste (pcw) paper for the cards, with the remaining 50% of the recycled fibers being from responsibly managed forests.  While this is not the ideal we had hoped for, we have learned that there is no "perfect," and that the benefit of providing a more environmentally-responsible alternative to current Christian bookstore offerings outweighed the cost of not reaching our ideal.  We also hope that over time, as demand for recycled papers increases, higher quality papers may become available for photo printing on 100% pcw papers.  And we have plans to experiment with printing on the 100% pcw papers as we grow more capital to invest into the business.

Future product offerings we have in the development stages include nature photographs framed in reclaimed barn wood, and tree-free journals, all combined with Orthodox Christian sayings about creation.  We are also working on a "water-inspired" note card, and 100% of the profits from this card will be donated to projects throughout the world which provide clean water to people.


IHE: What are your thoughts about the power of humane education to positively transform the world?

SM: Often, people are either unaware of how their daily choices have such a ripple effect upon the world, or they feel one person cannot make a difference.  Humane education shows us that there are so many simple ways in which each and every one of us can help to manifest a more compassionate world.

Much of our educational system expects students to repeat all of the "right" answers instead of inspiring them to think creatively.  Humane education is definitely a great method to encourage critical thinking and out-of-the-box solutions to issues.  There are so many different ways in which people can live a life that is kinder to other people, animals and the environment.  There is no "right" or "wrong" answer, just a continual path of learning and growing.  Humane living will most likely manifest itself in totally different ways for individual people, and I believe that is one of the things that makes this movement beautiful.


IHE: Any future plans, dreams or projects?

SM: My husband and I dream of purchasing a property on which to start a nature retreat center grounded in the Orthodox Christian faith.  It would be a place where people could come for quiet reflection and prayer in the natural world.  We would provide a healthy, vegan breakfast for our guests.  And we would attempt to create a place which serves as an example of how one could live in an environmentally-responsible manner.  There would also be an opportunity for guests to learn about the connections between our faith and the natural world and how they could make personal choices to live in greater harmony with Creation.

And, while my husband was not a student of IHE, I thought it would be worthwhile to mention one of his projects.  He writes children's books and is working toward getting his first book published.  His most recent book tells a wonderful story of animals coming into communion with a human being who draws them to himself through an Orthodox Christian life of prayer.
 

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ANIMALS OVERCOMING ODDS: A SAMPLING OF PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS

This month marks the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which not only devastated the lives of millions of people and wreaked havoc on the natural areas of Louisiana and other parts of the southern U.S. coast, but also affected millions of animals. In honor of those who have courageously endured and thrived despite such difficult circumstances, here is a small sampling of picture books for kids about animals overcoming odds.

Lemon the Duck by Laura Backman. 2008. (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
A duck hatched for a class project is disabled, so the class works to help Lemon become the best duck that she can.

The Late Loon by Dean Bennett. 2006. (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
A loon born too late to fly south for the winter must learn, with a little help from a beagle named Jasper, how to survive on his own.

A Home for Dakota by Jan Grover and Nancy Lane. 2008. (24 pgs) Gr. 2-5.
Dog #241 lives in a dark crate on a puppy mill, until she is rescued and learns to trust humans again.  When the puppy (now named Dakota) meets a young girl who has been as traumatized as she, healing begins for both of them.

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff. 2006. (40 pgs) Gr. 2-5.
When a baby hippo is orphaned during a tsunami in Indonesia, he finds comfort and safety with a 130 year-old giant tortoise.

Molly the Pony by Pam Kaster. 2008. (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
Molly survives Hurricane Katrina, but when a dog injures her leg, it must be amputated. With a prosthetic leg, Molly learns to walk again and finds a new life of friendship.

Jubela by Cristina Kessler. 2001. (32 pgs) Gr. K-2.
When a baby rhino’s mother is killed by a poacher, little Jubela struggles to survive on his own.

Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson & Mary Nethery. 2008. (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
A dog and a blind cat abandoned during the Hurricane Katrina evacuations manage to stick together and survive until they are rescued and find a new home.


Note: If you’d like an inspiring book for older kids, share with them Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned by Cathy Scott (2008), which documents the efforts of Best Friends Animal Society to rescue animals lost or abandoned during Hurricane Katrina and reunite them with their families.
 

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FEATURED STUDENT: LYNNE WESTMORELAND

After more than two decades teaching children music, Lynne began a search for "something more that I could do to help myself and others lead a more examined life." Her explorations led her to a spiritual path and a desire for a right livelihood that would encompass "caring for human and non-human animals, the environment, and examining how we had developed into a culture that had 'forgotten who we are.'" Lynne's search led her to humane education and IHE's M.Ed. program. 

Read more about Lynne.

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