This year’s theme for the United Nation’s annual celebration of freshwater is “Water and Food Security.” World Water Day is becoming increasingly important to environmentalists, human rights advocates, agriculturalists, and really all people, to raise greater awareness of the struggle for clean and safe water in many parts of the globe.
Water scarcity exists on every single continent.
Water scarcity means girls and women in developing nations lack education and means to escape poverty.
Water scarcity is low on the political agenda. Is water not sexy enough?
Water scarcity will only compound as our global population swells with the expectation that our natural resources will need to support 2 billion more people by 2050. This coupled with climate change, and an agricultural shift toward more water usage, is leading us down a slippery slope directly to greater water scarcity and greater food insecurity primarily because of the two extremes: floods and drought. But also because we waste, we pollute, and we would rather subscribe to a temporary, inadequate band-aid for our very real, complex problems so that we are not inconvenienced. Our children and their children will be the ones reaping what we sow.
There are few phrases that grate on my nerves more than “Well, we all lived through it and we’re fine now.” Whatever it is, there are so many things wrong with that statement I can’t even begin to go through every one. My two biggest problems with it are: (1) no, we did not all live through it and come out the other side unscathed, (2) what our children are exposed to now is infinitely changed from our childhoods, what is in our environment, food, water, and air are certainly not the same.
In my lifetime alone, 1000-3000 new chemicals were introduced every year. And what’s more, any health and safety data is available for only 15% of chemicals submitted for approval to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[1. Going to Extreme Lengths to Purge Household Toxins]
The vast chemicals that our children are exposed to, many before they are even born, have reached well beyond being able to say that we, too, lived through it, let alone previous generations.
This doesn’t even speak to the fact that we didn’t all live through it, and if we did it was not always without incident. I have written before about the problem of determining causation, not just a proven correlation.
This really shows how we think and react to research linking exposure to potentially toxic chemicals and health effects. We need a new philosophy on chemicals and chemical safety.
Water is a chemical, oxygen is a chemical, but so, too, are lead, BPA, methylparabens, and PVC, plus a whole lot of nasty sounding chemicals that can be difficult to decipher whether they are harmful or benign. When we are making choices for our children it makes it that much more important and that much more overwhelming to manage.
Health Effects and Health Costs of Environmental Toxins
A recent paper published by Dr. Leonardo Trasande and Yinghua Liu found:
“[We] found that the costs of lead poisoning, prenatal methylmercury exposure, childhood cancer, asthma, intellectual disability, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were $76.6 billion in 2008.”
Our society is bearing the cost from what could be prevented through systemic change. All of these childhood illnesses and their associated costs couldbe eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced, if we could:
That doesn’t sound like too much to ask to me. Unfortunately, not everyone, particularly regulating bodies and corporations, are not on that same page. Children and babies are more susceptible to environmental toxins because of their relative size and habits (putting everything in their mouths and spending a lot of time on the floor), but adults are also at greater risk of a whole host of diseases and conditions (infertility, endometriosis, cancer, heart disease, asthma, birth defects, and reduced IQ, to name a few) that have a proven link to exposure to certain chemicals.
Reducing Toxic Exposure While Living In The Real World
We can, and should, keep working toward chemical safety reform and emissions reduction, but we can also make changes to our own homes that can limit the toxins in a place that where we largely spend a proportional amount of time.
1. The first step is to consider what are the areas of your home you and your family spend the most time in and what your activities are in each room.
The kitchen is a place that we spend a lot of time. We prepare meals, store food, wash dishes, and clean here.
The playroom is where my children spend much of their time that isn’t spent at school. They play games, roughhouse, watch television, read, and play with their toys.
The bedrooms are such an important area. My children spend at least 12 hours in their bedrooms within a 24 hour period. They build Legos, make forts, and sleep here. My husband and I sleep for 7-8 hours a night, plus reading and lounging.
The bathroom is where my children bathe, where I use an inordinate amount of products for a green mama, and where it needs cleaning regularly. For a room we don’t always want to spend a lot of time in, it really can add up.
2. Second, think about what can be changed in those spaces to make them healthier and safer. Right as you even enter your home, remove your shoes to prevent tracking the environment (clean or dirty as it may be) throughout the entire house. And when weather allows, open windows and let the fresh air and sun come in.
The kitchen generally means food and cleaning. Food should be whole, fresh, and organic whenever possible. Cleaners like dishwasher detergent or dish soap, countertop and sink cleaners, and floor cleaners can be homemade or store-bought, but with careful attention to the ingredients.
The playroom means playing and cleaning up after that play. Bring safe, eco-friendly toys into your home for your little ones. Materials like wood, organic cotton, organic wool are all good choices. As they get older the options become more limited without some plastic, but choosing quality over quantity is a good thing for your children and keeps clutter at bay!
Cleaning comes down to what type of room it may be, but baking soda and vinegar are your friends in every room. If a cleaning product is not something that would be safe to go in a mouth, don’t use it here. Keeping dust down by using a damp cloth will also keep any harmful toxins from being swept into the air.
The bedrooms will benefit from eco-friendly furniture built to last, organic cotton sheets, organic mattresses, and our favorite eco-friendly cleaners. It is amazing what kinds of chemicals go into a conventional mattress, pillow, and sheets. You and your family are touching these for hours at a time. This is not inexpensive, but starting slowly, it can be greatly beneficial.
The bathroom is a place we don’t always think about in terms of length of time spent, but within these walls we do so many things and use so many products that it should always be near the top of the list when thinking about exposure to toxins. Bath and beauty products can contain the most confusing ingredient lists of all, and yet these are what go on our largest organ. Keep it simple and opt for the safest ingredients possible, especially for children.
Bathrooms are also where people have the tendency to use the harshest cleaning products. Bleach for the sink and tub, toilet cleaners, and tile cleaners are all notorious for harmful ingredients. Anything you would want to put a Mr. Yuck sticker in should not be a part of your cleaning routine. Vinegar, baking soda, and a little Dr. Bronner’s go a long way, even in a bathroom.
3. Last, make the changes one step at a time. This post is not a comprehensive how-to manual for how to eliminate all toxins for your home – that information fills books – but think about this as a starting place. Use common sense, my growing Going Green Series, and the amazing books that are available to guide your choices.
What changes have you made recently to reduce toxins in your home? Which would you love to do, but find challenging?
I wrote this post for inclusion in the Green Moms Carnival hosted by Lori at Groovy Green Livin. Be sure to check out all the great green mamas’ articles!
An individual who rapes, murders, tortures, terrorizes, and abducts children to use as slaves or soldiers should always be brought to justice whenever possible.
A government that rapes, murders, tortures, terrorizes, and abducts children to use as slaves or soldiers should always be brought to justice whenever possible.
An individual is always easier to target, particularly when governments hold something of value – whether that be resources, personal connections that allow for ICC indictments to be dropped[1. Friends for Peace in Africa], or a political agenda to use as it suits.
I remain confused just how millions of potentially misdirected people will be able to solve any of the above crises or how purchasing products and stapling posters, particularly with the added problem of creating an enormous amount of waste, will either. If you know the answer, please let me know.
Awareness is important, but it doesn’t solve much without real action based on best practices. I am not sure Invisible Children, the U.S. government, or Ugandan government know how to do that when it comes to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
A Call to Social Justice
I have written, and will always be passionate, about social justice. I don’t believe we should ever turn a blind eye from the types of atrocities that Kony and the LRA have committed. Yet, I also stand by my opinion that the Kony 2012 campaign is rife with inconsistencies, problematic for the children that are missing and will certainly be in harm’s way if a military attack is waged[2. A War Victim’s Opinion on Invisible Children’s KONY 2012], and at the end of the day does little to aid the survivors, except small peace of mind.
I think there are some incredibly unfair accusations against Invisible Children, but there are also some very real ones. The one thing I think we can all agree on is that the discussion about good development practices is at least as important as, if not more than, raising awareness. I hate to think the youth of America are being taught that going into another country guns a blazin'[1. Invisible Children founders posing with guns: an interview with the photographer] is going to solve anything. Is this awareness campaign looking to incite sustainable peace or war?
I believe that any legitimate non-profit would be thrilled for such a successful campaign, however their concerns over direct military action is not one of sour grapes, but knowledge of the region. I would hope that when a problematic situation presents itself, we shouldn’t have to remain silent, but invite educated, respectful discussion. I for one am happy for the opportunity to engage in dialogue to make the world better, and call people to action.
Every one of the non-profits I have ever been involved with ALWAYS has a call to action.
The Complex Issues in Central and Eastern Africa
It is well past time to stop Kony and his beyond brutal tactics with the LRA, unfortunately this recent campaign from Invisible Children comes with its own set of issues, but I am grateful for the awareness that it has raised. I do want more and hope that all who have just learned about Joseph Kony and the LRA will continue to be cognizant of world issues, continue to seek out the truth.
I have my own issues with this organization – you may not – but I really want people to think critically before pushing a particular agenda.
“Bad development work is based on the idea that poor people have nothing. Something is better than nothing, right? So anything you give these poor people will be better than what they had before.” [3. Wronging Rights]
The complexities of the culture, the politics, the danger in many parts of Africa – including, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo, Sudan, Southern Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR) – is a big web of mess. Have you seen those trees covered in webs from millions of spiders? It looks like that. You can pull one thread, but that won’t eliminate the entire web.
What I see is, eliminating Kony by using military forces and governments who have committed (and still are) similar atrocities (and first)[2. Uganda News] smacks of hypocrisy. I see a government who stood and looked Kony in the eye, but decided to prolong the fighting to suit their own interests. I see a government, or its military, who bombed a building full of children where scheduled peace talks with the LRA were to have been.[4. The War That Isn’t What it Seems (2010)] I am not sure that I would have shown up for them either… I see a government who refused to take part in any peaceful apprehension of this monster.
And now, for the second time, we sent military advisors with technology, weapons, and resources to help them when we have provided financial and logistical resources toward his arrest since 2008 to no avail?
Why should we support a military that have been reported raping and looting their way through the DRC while supposedly hunting for Kony? Because Uganda is fighting a proxy war for us in Somalia, because it might give AFRICOM a larger foothold, or is it really because only now do we care to bring Kony to justice? It didn’t work the last time we tried to aid a direct military intervention[5. AFRICOM’s Ugandan Blunder and Obama Takes on the LRA].
In this case does the end justify the means? Perhaps, but only if the end is an end to the LRA without causing more harm than good. And only if those we are purporting to save have a voice[6. ‘Kony 2012’ Is Not a Revolution] (beyond employees of Invisible Children). Colonialism left a taste in the West’s mouth that we must always be the ones to “save” Africa from itself. How patronizing.
This movement might be better served if it were designed to empower the people most affected by the violence to be a part of the solution. This story has been about Invisible Children. That is not what is needed and will only disenfranchise the very people this campaign is purporting to “save.”
A Campaign of Awareness (Only?)
If we are confused about supporting a military effort, we may also be about the organization behind it. There are a few things that I look for when thinking about charitable organizations: one is a 4 star Charity Navigator rating with low administrative expenses (below 12%) and another is believing in the mission and principles of the organization.
“The BBB Wise Giving Alliance has tried for six years to get Invisible Children to cooperate in a charity review. Since 2006, BBB has sent 18 letters (12 via Certified Mail) to the non-profit behind the Internet phenomenon Kony 2012 video, but has received no response.”
“I don’t understand their reluctance to provide basic information. The whole point of the effort is to shine the light of truth on a terrible atrocity, and yet they seem to be reluctant to turn that light on themselves. It’s really unfortunate, because their campaign has the potential to inspire and galvanize millions of young activists and future philanthropists.”[7. H. Art Taylor, President and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance]
This is where things get interesting… because there are no easy answers here. We may be able to quip, “of course there is an easy answer, arrest Joseph Kony and justice will be served.” I truly wish it were so simple.
“The question should not be whether there is a downside to the attention social media campaigns bring to terrible problems, but rather: a downside for whom? Learning something new is always valuable for the learner. But campaigns like “Kony 2012” don’t claim to operate for the edification of the Americans they target for “awareness.” They promise that awareness is a path to solving the problems being publicized.”[8. Who Is the Hero?]
I do not believe in sitting idly by. I absolutely and passionately do not. If this film is what it takes to engage young people, then I applaud that aspect. I can’t even tell you how exciting it is that there is a real dialogue happening because of the film.
However, no matter how you slice it, and Invisible Children is fully aware of this and has said as much, a 30-minute video will not teach you all the nuances that you should know before dictating solutions for the problems in Northern Uganda and throughout Central Africa. That is when people need to start educating themselves, no matter their age.
The IC’s Director of Ideology said in a recent interview:
“But aside from that, the truth about Invisible Children is that we are not an aid organization, and we don’t intend to be. I think people think we’re over there delivering shoes or food. But we are an advocacy and awareness organization.”
I recently watched a video interview with Jason Russell at Liberty University (which, for me, is an issue in and of itself)[10. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkB8o5VWAjE] where he proclaimed that they don’t think of themselves as a charity or a non-profit, but as a business, as a company. I have to admit that both of these are surprising, coming from an organization that solicits charitable donations.
I support raising awareness. I support giving people information they didn’t have before and encouraging them to learn more. What I don’t support is people being led to believe that their donations will go directly to stopping Joseph Kony.
I must admit that it concerns me greatly that the reasons many parents and teachers are so impressed by a mobilization of youth are (1) youth previously lacked social justice awareness, (2) they were not compelled to take action on important issues, and (3) they had either never heard of Uganda and/or could not place it on a map. I am not sure which is more disappointing.
“This film attempts to purportedly “change the conversation of our culture,” however it remains a highly sophisticated refurbishment of pro-military interventionist foreign policy propaganda, dependent on dangerous subliminal messaging.”[11. visiblechildren.tumblr.com]
What I ask is that you consider what you are being told to believe, what is likely to be true, and then at the end of the day make a decision based on the best information available. If you decide that based on all the evidence, that a militarized campaign in Central and Eastern Africa is the right thing to do, then spread the word. If not, there are still plenty of ways to spread awareness and support effective change. Some won’t even cost you a dime (see below).
The problem with global politics is that nothing comes easy, if it were then there would be no need for a campaign such as this. Keep fighting the good fight, people. As was said in the film, it is an experiment in harnessing the power of social media. So do something good with your newfound knowledge!
Other Ways You Can Help
The abuse of men, women, and children across the globe has been well documented, yet when it is somewhere like Africa or a lifestyle change that causes an inconvenience, then people do not raise much protest. If one amazing thing could come from this campaign, it would be to shine a light on despicable practices by warlords, governments, and corporations.
Child Soldiers[12. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_use_of_children] have been used all over the world, in all manners and purposes. The United States has even held children as young as 13-14 at Guantanamo Bay as “enemy combatants.” The governments which used child soldiers in armed conflict between 2004 and 2007 were Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Israel, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan & Southern Sudan, Uganda and the Yemen. Many of these children are forced to fight, all should not be involved in armed conflicts.
The governments of Chad, Colombia, DRC, Iran, Sri Lanka and Uganda also make use of paramilitary groups that actively recruit child soldiers. Others torture children to extract information such as, Israel and the DRC. Then there are the armed militias that are often fighting against a central government or ethnic group, such as the LRA.
How to help: Urge your government to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the involvement of children in armed conflict, specifying at least 18 as the minimum age for all forms of military recruitment. Contact political leaders and ask what they are doing to stop the use of children in armed conflict whether at home or abroad. Right now, the US and Somalia are the only members of the UN to have not ratified this treaty.
Give support to organizations that provide education and support to child soldiers.
Nestlé, Cargill, and Archer Daniels Midland source cocoa from plantations that are guilty of human trafficking and slavery, primarily of children. Why are these three corporations singled out? There is proven evidence against them, although other major chocolate producers are suspected and ought not be left off the hook.
Nearly 2 million children are forced to work on cocoa farms, mostly in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, which are the source of almost 70% the world’s cocoa.[13. Tulane University Project PDF] The International Labour Organization (ILO) says, “These are either involved in hazardous work, unprotected or unfree, or have been trafficked.”
This video doesn’t even show the most egregious abuses, but this shows how ingrained the problem has become in West Africa.
The International Labour Organization estimates between 56 and 72 million African children work in agriculture in general. Some of these are the children of the farmers, but what many discover after traveling to the region is that it becomes incredibly difficult to tell, particularly because of language barriers when the children do not speak French or the local language. This means that they have no access to an education. They are not paid for their work. They have no rights at all.[14. Key Documents on Abusive Child Labor and Slavery in Cocoa]
That alone should cause uproar worldwide. Are consumers angry?
One way that large corporations get around culpability is because they use wholesalers, exporters, importers before it ever gets to the manufacturers, meaning that by the time it becomes a chocolate bar, the source has almost entirely been lost.
How to help: All it takes to change things it to vote with your purchasing power. Buy ethically produced chocolate! Do not buy from the above listed corporations and push for greater transparency from all those that do not source their chocolate from fair trade or direct trade sources. It truly is as simple as making a decision when buying chocolate.
So, yes, please keep the pressure on your government to condemn all who would use children as slaves, soldiers, or laborers. This is unconscionable to anyone with a brain. Why has our political leadership not pushed for better? Why do corporations, governments, and militaries believe they are above the law? Both good questions and both I am glad I can ask and have people actually listen. For that I can certainly give credit where it is due.
So share, discuss, act with an open mind and open heart, read, learn, act on behalf of the world’s children, just do it with all the facts before you.
Links To Consider
Many IC supporters have asked in comments on critical articles, just what those writers might be doing themselves that was better than the Kony 2012 campaign because at least IC was out there trying to make a difference. I certainly can’t answer for anyone, but I know a lot of people that work hard to do something good in this world. every. single. day.
What will you do today to change the world?
Please try to follow the rule that I have so much trouble following myself, don’t read the comments. (Except here!)
A Confusing Letter From The Water Resources Department
Oregonians, 5,000 strong, submitted public comment to the Oregon Water Resources Department in 2011 regarding a water transfer application that is a key step toward a Nestlé water bottling plant in Oregon. The transfer application has to be fully processed in order for the department to proceed with the controversial water exchange between Cascade Locks and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that would open up the door to Nestlé bottling our water.
Last week Oregon’s Water Resources Department (WRD) let all 5,000 people who commented know of its preliminary determination on the transfer application.
What this preliminary determination states exactly is where things become a little murky. The letter was full of language that left most of us wondering just what it really meant and what to do now. {I know that I had that reaction.}
In short: the Water Resources Department green lighted the transfer application. This is not a final decision though: Food & Water Watch and its allies have 30 days to protest this decision (which they will) which leads to a long drawn out process to change the WRD’s decision.
The Water Exchange Process – And How Nestlé Fits In
Now, to understand more about the meaning of the letter you have to understand the water exchange process. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) plans to give some of the water from Oxbow Springs-that they already divert to their fish hatchery-to the town of Cascade Locks. This would allow the town to then sell that water (for fractions of a penny per gallon) to Nestlé.
Nestlé will also bottle water from Cascade Locks’ municipal water. The company would charge more for the spring water (which is what make the enterprise so profitable for them) under its Arrowhhead brand and would bottle the town’s water under its Nestlé Pure Life brand, which they sell for less. This deal is great for Nestle’s bottom line and bad for Oregonians as well as our water resources.
Interestingly, going through the water exchange process with Nestlé, ODFW discovered that they have not been in compliance with their own water right – they were diverting water to the fish hatchery from the wrong place, hence the confusion from the letter.
ODFW has submitted two applications (confusingly called “transfer applications) to become compliant. Approval of these applications will then allow Nestlé to get one step closer to their goal of a water bottling plant in the gorgeous Columbia River Gorge at the expense of the people, the wildlife, and the environment.
The letter that 5,000 commenters received states the WRD’s preliminary determination to approve ODFW’s transfer applications – applications that must be fully processed before WRD can move forward with the water exchange application at all. While the acceptance of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s transfer application does not grant a state give away of water for Nestlé profit it does put them one step closer to that outcome.
Food & Water Watch and its allies will be filing a protest against this application, but we need your help!
How You Can Help Keep Nestlé Out of the Columbia River Gorge
The one person that can definitively intervene is Governor John Kitzhaber. The Water Resources Department and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have continued to move forward because there has been no move made to stop them from the governor’s office despite the thousands of people who care enough to take action against it. Gov. Kitzhaber. needs to stop the process before the state wastes any more resources on any of the transfer or exchange applications having to do with this project.
Action is needed now before any more time or resources are lost. We need to put pressure on Governor Kitzhaber to intervene with the state agencies to pull out of the water exchange issue completely. We need concerned citizens to call and write Governor Kitzhaber.
Tips to Contact Governor Kitzhaber
What to Ask For:
• Ask the Governor to advise Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to pull out of the process to exchange its spring water, at Oxbow Springs, with Cascade Locks’ well water.
• Then, ask that the Governor advise the Oregon Water Resources Department to deny the water exchange application (Transfer #11109).
2) Water belongs to all Oregonians and a state agency should not be in the business of assisting a multi-national corporation from privatizing and profiting from this valuable state resource at the expense of our water table, wildlife, and ecosystems.
3) Nestlé has a proven track record of destroying local water systems in the other rural American towns where they have privatized water and I do not want to see this happen in Cascade Locks. The promised economic benefit is not worth it and that is even if Nestlé follows through with that promise.
4) Nestlé has stated that Oregon taxpayers would be responsible for upgrading and maintaining Cascade Locks’ roads. These road upgrades will only be necessary because of the increased traffic to and from the water bottling facility, with more than 200 truck trips a day during peak bottling season.
5) The water exchange between Cascade Locks and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is illegal and should be denied outright and the Governor can include that in his recommendation to both agencies.
Sincerely, (Your Name)
Contact Information for Governor Kitzhaber:
Phone:
503-‐378-‐4582
Send a Letter (address the governor in your salutation in the letter but address it to his Natural Resource Office):
Attn: Richard Whitman Governor’s Natural Resources Office Public Service Building, Ste 126 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97310
go a long way, even in a bathroom.
