Resources \ 2007 AADVENT \ Workshops \
Beyond Treehugging: The Bible and Environmental Justice
What do environmental concerns have to do with living into my faith? Where is the intersection of God's creation and my participation? Consider these questions in light of Scripture and present-day realities. Through these resources explore practical and spiritual ways of living into a call toward stewardship in all areas of life.
Educational, Action Oriented Organizations
The Center for a New American Dream
The Center has an excellent website and quality resources including information on connecting food choices with greater equity and sustainability. They also highlight issues like "kids and commercialism," "simplifying the holidays" and much more. The Center's website includes a web-based calculator (see their Turn the Tide program) to help individuals and groups quantify the impacts of daily lifestyle changes (such as eating less beef, or driving fewer miles). 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912. 877-68Dream; www.newdream.org.
Co-op America
Co-op America is a non-profit organization that links consumers with socially and environmentally responsible businesses in a nation-wide "green" marketplace. Their National Green Pages list over 100 categories of products and services, including food, body care products, restaurants, socially responsible financial planning and long-distance telephone service, travel and more. It also includes addresses, phone numbers and descriptions of socially and environmentally responsible businesses. Co-Op America, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006; (800) 584-7336; www.coopamerica.org.
Earth Ministry
Founded in 1992, Earth Ministry’s mission is to inspire and mobilize the Christian community to play a leadership role in building a just and sustainable future. We work in partnership with congregations and individuals to practically respond to this great moral challenge through education, individual and congregational lifestyle choices, and organizing for social change through environmental advocacy. www.earthministry.org.
EarthSave
EarthSave has chapters throughout the country (and some overseas). Many chapters hold regular vegetarian potlucks. They have some excellent food specific publications: Our Food, Our World: Transition to Healthy Food Choices, as well as John Robbins' books Diet For a New America and May All Be Fed. For information on the EarthSave chapter nearest you, call: (800) 362-3648; www.earthsave.org.
Ecology Action
A small non-profit researching, practicing, and promoting the use of bio-intensive organic gardening methods worldwide. 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA 95490; 707-459-0150; www.growbiointensive.org.
Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy
A high-quality, member-supported, nonprofit peoples' think tank and education-for-action center. For information and action suggestions: 398 60th Street, Oakland, CA 94618; USA; 510-654-4400; www.foodfirst.org.
Heifer Project International
Heifer works around the world teaching sustainable, environmentally sound, agricultural techniques. Heifer animals (and training in their care) offer hungry families around the world a way to feed themselves and become self-reliant. Children receive nutritious milk or eggs; families earn income for school, health care and better housing; communities go beyond meeting immediate needs to fulfilling dreams. P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203; (800) 422-0474; www.heifer.org.
Just Community Food Systems
They began in 1999, through start-up funding provided by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA to address food insecurity in south central PA. A good example of a local organization working toward community food security which they define as: when all people in a community have access to nutritious food from non emergency sources that is locally produced and culturally appropriate at all times of the year. 153 North Stratton Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325; (717) 334-7634; www.emmitsburg.net/jcfs.
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is a membership organization grounded in a spiritual tradition that brings together the Church, care of community, and care of creation. NCRLC serves as a prophetic voice for America's countryside, acts as a catalyst and convener for social justice, and develops support services for rural pastoral ministers. 4625 Beaver Avenue; Des Moines, Iowa 50310; (515) 270-2634; www.ncrlc.com.
North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS)
Dedicated to promoting the vegetarian way of life by sponsoring regional and national conferences and campaigns, distributing educational materials, and publishing Vegetarian Voice. Contact NAVS for a listing of vegetarian organizations in North America. P. O. Box 72, Dolgeville, NY 13329; 518-568-7970; www.navs-online.org.
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine promotes preventive medicine, encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research, advocates broader access to medical services, offers Vegetarian Starter Kit and numerous publications including Good Medicine, a quarterly magazine. 5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Ste. 404, Washington, DC 20016; 202-686-2210; www.pcrm.org.
Seed Savers Exchange
The oldest and most active group in preserving heirloom vegetables, fruits, flowers, and rare breeds throughout the world. 3076 North Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101; 319-382-5590; www.seedsavers.com.
Slow Food USA
A gastronomic movement ideologically and sensually engaged with regional, traditional foods. PO Box 1737, New York, NY 10021; www.slowfood.com.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
To find out more about sustainable agriculture, go to www.sare.org. This site includes educational items, news and events, and links to organizations and individuals that support sustainable agriculture across the country.
Web of Creation
A website filled with good information, including a page entitled "Sustainable Diet," with helpful book and internet resources; see www.webofcreation.org.
Political Action and Organizing Groups
American Farmland Trust
One of the more effective groups in establishing conservation easements and other strategies to protect rural landscapes, not just single farms. 1200 18th Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20036; 202-331-7300; www.farmland.org.
Bread for the World
Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers. 50 F Street, NW, Suite 500; Washington, DC 20001; 202-639-9400; 800-82-BREAD; www.bread.org.
Center for Rural Affairs
The Center is one of the more effective groups advocating for family farmers and helping them maintain their economic and ecological well being. P.O. Box 406, Walthill Nebraska 68067; www.cfra.org.
Center of Concern
Their Food Security Project monitors the world food system, especially its globalization; analyzes the food system, describes its injustices, develops food security policy recommendations based on Catholic social teaching, and works with governments and non-governmental organizations to enact and implement such policy. 1225 Otis Street, NE; Washington, DC 20017; (202) 635-2757; www.coc.org.
Chefs Collaborative
A dynamic coalition of restaurateurs and chefs involved in advancing the use of locally grown, sustainably produced foods and boycotting swordfish and other destructive harvests. 282 Moody Street, Suite 21, Walthan, MA 02453; 781-730-0635; Portland Chapter: http://www.portlandcc.org/index.htm.
Citizens for Health
Empowers consumers to make informed health choices; areas of focus include dietary supplements, complementary and alternative medicine, food and water safety. P. O. Box 2260, Boulder, CO 80306; www.citizens.org.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
Founded in 1978, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers is a nonprofit member-activist organization. CAFF political and educational campaigns are building a movement of rural and urban people who foster family-scale agriculture that cares for the land, sustains local economies, and promotes social justice. CAFF has published the National Organic Directory -- a national listing of organic farmers, wholesalers, suppliers, resource groups, publications, certification laws and state laws for organic farming -- for fifteen years. CAFF, PO Box 464, Davis, CA 95617; (800) 852-3832, (916) 756-8518; www.caff.org.
Community Food Security Coalition(CFSC)
CFSC is a non-profit, membership-based national coalition of over 600 organizations and individuals who work together to bring about lasting social change by promoting community-based solutions to hunger, poor nutrition, and the globalization of the food system. P.O. Box 209; Venice, CA 90294; 310-822-5410; www.foodsecurity.org.
Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy
A high-quality, member-supported, nonprofit peoples' think tank and education-for-action center. For information and action suggestions: 398 60th Street, Oakland, CA 94618; USA; 510-654-4400; www.foodfirst.org.
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
IATP promotes resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and technology, and advocacy. For up-to-date reports on how U.S. trade policy impacts food security contact IATP at: 2105 First Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404; 612-870-0453; www.iatp.org.
The International Forum on Globalization (IFG)
The International Forum on Globalization (IFG) is an alliance of sixty leading activists, scholars, economists, researchers and writers formed to stimulate new thinking, joint activity, and public education in response to economic globalization. Representing over 60 organizations in 25 countries, the International Forum on Globalization associates come together out of a shared concern that the world's corporate and political leadership is undertaking a restructuring of global politics and economics that may prove as historically significant as any event since the Industrial Revolution. IFG includes a focus on agriculture through their "International Forum on Food and Agriculture." IFG's address: The Thoreau Center for Sustainability, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue #2, San Francisco, CA 94129; 415-561-7650; www.ifg.org.
Land Stewardship Project
The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a private, non-profit farm and social justice organization. Founded in 1982 and based in Minnesota, LSP works locally and nationally to foster an ethic of stewardship toward the land and promote sustainable communities and agriculture through grass-roots organizing, advocacy, participatory education and policy initiatives. 2200 Fourth Street, White Bear Lake, MN 55110; (612) 653-0618; www.landstewardshipproject.org.
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
A network of diverse groups whose mission is to shape national policies to foster a sustainable food and agricultural system -- one that is economically viable, environmentally sound, socially just, and humane. P.O. Box 396, Pine Bush, New York 12566. 845-744-8448; www.sustainableagriculture.net.
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
A membership organization grounded in a spiritual tradition that brings together the Church, care of community, and care of creation. NCRLC serves as a prophetic voice for America's countryside, acts as a catalyst and convener for social justice, and develops support services for rural pastoral ministers. 4625 Beaver Avenue; Des Moines, Iowa 50310; (515) 270-2634; www.ncrlc.com.
National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC)
NFFC serves as a national link for grassroots organizations working on family farm issues. NFFC brings together farmers and others to organize national projects focused on preserving and strengthening family farms. Over the past fourteen years, NFFC has worked to promote the safety of the food supply and the security of those who make it possible. 110 Maryland Ave., N.E.; Suite 307; Washington, DC 20002; (202) 543-5675; www.nffc.net.
Pesticide Action Network
PANNA (Pesticide Action Network North America) works to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives. As one of five PAN Regional Centers worldwide, we link local and international consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens' action network. This network challenges the global proliferation of pesticides, defends basic rights to health and environmental quality, and works to insure the transition to a just and viable society. 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102; 415-981-1771; www.panna.org.
For further information please email us at: aadvent@mccormick.edu.