Rethos.com - huicocos's Global Feed

The Bloc Party

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:09:58 -0400

I fondly remember the days when all we worried about was climate change! Watching Paulson, Obama, McCain, Bush, the Dow Jones and everything else makes social change seem like a We’re pleased to announce the launch of the Rainforest Alliance SmartHouse and TreeHouse, two new interactive tools designed to introduce Web site visitors to the people, places and processes that stand behind production of sustainable goods.

Our SmartHouse -- complete with kitchen, living room and backyard -- ...

Hello from Big Sur - Alec Henderson

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:14:41 -0400

Hello everyone, After spending two months deep in the mountains of California's Central coast I and the majority of monks at the Tassajara Monastery have been evacuated due to the recent fires. My friends at the LA Times wrote a front page article http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-fires28-2008jun28,0,4613015,full.story on our plight and this has generated some significant publicity. I am hold up in Santa Cruz with the monastery dog, Ginger. She and I are well and blogging at http://sittingwithginger.blogspot.com/ I am only back on the grid until we can ret...

As Fire Approaches Big Sur Monastery Monks Prepare to Fight

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:20:23 -0400

TASSAJARA, CALIF. -- In this remote Zen enclave on Big Sur's forested backside, wildfires lurk on three sides. As flames edge closer and ash falls from a crimson sky, the Buddhist monks are readying for a final stand.

Priests and students alike at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center have been doffing their traditional black robes, hefting picks and shovels, and forging 10-foot-wide firebreaks. Atop the roofs of the monastery's old retreat cabins and meditation hall, they've jury-rigged plastic pipe sprinkler systems.

Perhaps more serene than some, they were amon...

ChicoBag founder Andy Keller on landfills, Bikram Yoga and his beef with plastic

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:32:45 -0400

There is no shortage of entrepreneurs inspired by the movie Wall Street or the stories of Sam Walton or Steve Jobs. I recently had the opportunity to interview Andy Keller, whose inspiration is a little more, shall we say, down to Earth.

CA -- Tell us about the origins of ChicoBag.

AK -- I used to sell software for an enterprise software company down in the Bay Area. I ended up getting laid off when the company was bought out by a company in the UK. The community and lifestyle in Chico (California) really appealed to me, so it was important...

The Green Vehicle Exchange

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:22:50 -0400

The Green Vehicle Exchange is a program founded by Fraser Young whose goal is to convince drivers to scrap their older, polluting cars for newer, more fuel efficient models. They do this by offering participants anywhere from $1,500 to upwards of $4,000 for their old car, usually comptetitive with, if not more than, the car's trade-in value. The difference is that cars exchanged under the GVE program are dismantled, and the parts either recycled or scrapped in an environmentally conscious way, rather ...

Easy Ways You Can Help Conserve Rainforests

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:54:33 -0400

1Choose foods grown on farms certified by the Rainforest Alliance

Buy coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, bananas, orange juice, g...

Summer Job with Web Startup Company

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:04:41 -0400

BetterLesson has summer jobs available in the Research and Field Organizing departments. We are looking for dedicated educators with at least one year’s classroom experience to help us dramatically improve the lives of teachers and the quality of the instruction they deliver to students.

Interested candidates should send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to cooper@betterlesson.org

Founding Director of Product Research

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:02:37 -0400

We are looking for someone with a keen interest in education technology and policy to head up our product research team.   We are looking for someone who is anxious to immerse him/herself in education technology and policy in order to help craft the long term vision of the website. The right candidate will:

1.    Have 1 or more years of prior research experience
2.    Have prior experience in the fields of education technology and/or policy.
3.    Possess strong writing and strategic thinking skills. ...

Founding-Level National Field Director

Tue, 27 May 2008 13:59:37 -0400

We have begun an aggressive grassroots effort to reach out to educators across the country. We are looking to hire someone with a minimum of two years’ classroom experience to lead this effort.   The right candidate will:

1.    Have some prior experience in outreach, recruitment, or sales
2.    Be exceptionally organized, creative, persuasive, extroverted, and resourceful.
3.    Possess strong leadership, critical thinking, and writing skills.
4.    Be committed to the soc...

How Fair is Fairtrade?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:54:32 -0400

Fairtrade is a good thing right?

Have you looked into it?

How does it work and the benifit the people involved?

I recently started to ask these questions. The aims of the fairtrade movement are safe working condition, payment of a fair price, transparency and accountability and gender equality. Although the assumption made by most, myself included, is that the main crux is to get a better price for farmers and labours.

On this main point things are not as straight forward as they may seem. There are reports of fair trade coffee workers in Peru being paid 1...

Rainforest Alliance Finds Sustainably Certified Forests Have Fewer Wildfires

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:42:18 -0400

We already knew that certifying forestry projects under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standards was a good idea. Now a new study by the Rainforest Alliance in Guatemala tells us that forest concessions managed in compliance with FSC certification standards have seen f...

Elite Flowers: Growing a Better Bloom

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:42:18 -0400

Robert Goodier is a communications coordinator for the Rainforest Alliance, based in our Guatemala City office. In February 2008, he traveled to Facatativá, Colombia to visit Elite, a flower farm that was recently awarded Rainforest Alliance certification. Here, he recounts the experience.

Monkey gets big-screen tea break

Monkey, the star of the fondly-remembered ITV Digital ad campaigns and the current face of PG Tips, is to appear in a Michael Palin-esque cinema extravaganza this Easter.

In a film called ""A Tale of Two Continents"<...

Excellent Video on Earth Day TV

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:25:30 -0500

Here is an excellent video from the Earth Day Network - It's a production of the University of South FLorida, about an hour long, and very inspiring! A great model for what we can do with the 3 finger Solution! Look at www.SustainabilitySymbol.com and check out EarthDay TV

My Culture Killed Lawrence King

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:11:47 -0500

Yesterday evening, I attended a candle light vigil for Lawrence King in West Hollywood.

My culture tells me that children must adhere to certain rigid rules of conduct, decorum, dress and manners depending solely on the genitalia they receive at birth. If born with a penis children are required to behave as “boys”. The strict boundaries required of “boys” are part of the social conditioning imposed to create conformity in sex roles. Adolescence is a time when children begin the tr...

Can You Picture Sustainability?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:14:55 -0500

What comes to mind when you picture conservation? Migratory birds nesting in the shade canopy of a coffee farm? A red-eyed tree frog in the rainforest? The Rainforest Alliance invites shutterbugs to enter photos that are illustrative of our conservation work in agriculture, forestry and tourism in the first "Picture Sustainability" photo contest. One grand prize winner will receive a package including a seven-day trip to the Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, courtesy of Via Natura, Aer...

Tell us what you think about eco-tourism!

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:01:36 -0500

Please help the Rainforest Alliance promote sustainable tourism by taking a short survey on your travel habits. The data gathered from the questionnaire will be used to create awareness about eco-friendly travel.

Teenage Rebellion Now Considered Mental Illness

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:48:15 -0500

For a generation now, disruptive young Americans who rebel against authority figures have been increasingly diagnosed with mental illnesses and medicated with psychiatric (psychotropic) drugs.

Disruptive young people who are medicated with Ritalin, Adderall and other amphetamines routinely report that these drugs make them “care less” about their boredom, resentments and other negative emotions, thus making them more compliant and manageable. And so-called atypical antipsychotics such as Risperdal and Zyprexa — powerful tranquilizing drugs — are inc...

Youth Rising Los Angeles Summit

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:03:22 -0500

Evening event as well! A fundraiser for the youth projects created during the day...

Focus the Nation hiring Organizers for FTN 2009

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:33:13 -0500

National Organizer, Focus the Nation 2009

Description:

In January 2008, Focus the Nation events reached close to one million people in a day of education and civic engagement on global warming solutions taking place at 1,900 locations in all 50 states. 64 members of Congress and 15 Governors’ offices participated in the events along with hundre...

Recent Studies Decry Environmental Impact of Biofuels Reports New York Times

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:41:09 -0500

New York Times February 8, 2008

by Elisabeth Rosenthal

Almost all biofuels used today cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the full emissions costs of producing these “green” fuels are taken into account, two studies being published Thursday have concluded.

These studies for the first time take a detailed, comprehensive look at the emissions effects of the huge amount of natural land that is being converted to cropland globally to support biofuels development.

The destruction of nat...

Facebook Underutilized as a Tool Kit for Activism

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:35:57 -0500

Despite Facebook’s vast, international audience and best-of-breed viral features, the site has yet to realize its potential to advance social change. My two co-founders and I conceived of Rethos.com out of criticism of the landscape of mainstream social networking websites and their apparent obsession with superficial content. Indeed, it remains doubtful that Facebook’s 60+ million members are going to super-poke their way to a more just and sustainable world.

But the...

Participatory Democracy? Step One: Stop Voting!

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:01:05 -0500

PLEASE BOYCOTT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION! DO NOT VOTE! YOUR VOTE IS A VOTE FOR WAR AND POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT YOU VOTE FOR!

Part 1: The Death of the Nation State

“[T]he nation state [is] so unnatural and artificial that it had to be imposed by extreme violence. In fact that’s the primary reason why Europe was the most savage part of the world for centuries. It was due to trying to impose a nation state system on cultu...

Correction of the web address! - Philip McMaster

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:22:17 -0500
Sorry, CORRECTION... the web address is: http://www.sustainabilitysymbol.COM hope to see you online February 1st --- Don't forget to invite 3 people to share a 3 finger Photo!

You're invited to Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of 3 Finger "Peace Plus One" - Philip McMaster

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:40:27 -0500
Hello Sustainability Symbol Friends around the WORLD (Especially in Beijing) - IT'S A PARTY / CELEBRATION of the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the 3 Finger Sustainability Symbol... and we're having a WEB-CAM World Party connecting YOUR town with Beijing China, site of the 2008 Olympics. You are most welcome to attend our party celebration for the One Year Anniversary of the 3 Finger "Peace Plus One" Sustainability Symbol on February 1st at 7pm - 9pm Friday, Feb 1st The Bookworm Building 4, Nan sanlitun Road Chao Yang District, Beijing Tel: 65869507 www.chinabookworm.com Plea...

American Imperialism: Second Thoughts on Charlie Wilsonâ€™s War
by Chalmers Johnson

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:10:03 -0500

As the presidential election approaches it may be tempting to associate US Imperialist behavior with Republicans alone. Try to resist. This article is a clear and intelligent primer on the historical antecedents to our current global nightmare. And the administration occupying the point position here is not GW’s but rather that of the Noble Peace prize winning Jimmy Carter, America’s favorite ex-prez.

The events of 9/11 were forged during the Carter administration when then defense secretary, Zbignew Brezinsky, the true architect of 9/11 advised the president to auth...

Doing Philanthropy the Google Way

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:27:07 -0500

This is a great article about the changing landscape of philanthropy. As it has the worlds of search, advertising and online media, Google is disrupting and evolving the nature of corporate philanthropy by taking an entrepreneurial approach as opposed to a charitable approach to solving societal problems. Says Susan Raymond, senior managing director for research and chief analyst at OnPhilanthropy, about Google.org and its new, entrepreneurial attitude towards philanthropy: “Instead of just giving a man a fish, or even teaching him to fish, a social entrepreneur would invest in hi...

Urban Bike Sharing Coming To The U.S.

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:51:02 -0500

Remember the war monger corporation ‘Clear Channel’? They’re the ones who sponsored the infamous outdoor rallies supporting the invasion of Iraq, denouncing Arab-Americans, and the crucifiction of the Dixie Chicks; not to mention their business model which includes the saturation of the American landscape by mega corporate billboards…Well folks. I am here to report that they are up to something new.

Something good!

Something good? No, I can’t believe it either. But apparently its true.

Let me explain. You see a couple of years ...

Forget the Electric Car: This one runs on compressed air!

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:00:58 -0500

When I first saw this article I thought it was a joke until I watched the BBC video linked to it. This car costs about three grand, goes 200 km on a single tank of compressed air. No pollution and just a couple of dollars to fill the tank. How quickly will big oil see to it that the inventors are murdered, production halted, and any and all reference to it expunged from the national media?

Cable Giants want our Internet and they are Willing to Cheat to Get it!

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:08:15 -0500

One of things I really hate in this world is evil, malicious, and predatory people and institutions who work tirelessly to strip away our basic rights and privileges pretending to be forward thinking progressive and pro-human. Nowhere are these malevolent forces found more plentiful then in the area of corporate media and its attendant efforts to shut down our ability to communicate in a free and critical exchange of ideas and information.

Aided by their obedient lapdog, the FCC, these super-mega media giants have ended all reasonable and necessary pr...

Alliance Accepted! - cfj

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 19:41:14 -0500

Opportunity for Webmasters and Bloggers! FREE USE OF WEBSITES

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:32:14 -0500

King or Queen of your own sustainability domain!

We'd like to offer you some of the valuable Sustainability-related domains collected over the years.

What we ask in return is that you design a really cool site that gets people involved, spreads the Sustainability Symbol (the 3 finger symbol) around the world and brings attention to, and supports at least one of the Climate Change related projects we’re working on (Like “STOP the GLOFs”) The rest will be up to you.

Almost two years ago we introduced the 3 Finger Sustainab...

Be a Solution Pioneer - the Sustainability Symbol Anniversary February 1, 2008

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:49:16 -0500

Almost one year ago we introduced the 3 Finger Sustainability Symbol (Peace Plus One) to the HK Environmental Protection Association. http://www.dragonpreneur.com/images/3fingerPhotos/EPA_0228.jpg http://www.dragonpreneur.com/images/3fingerPhotos/EPAgrp_0256.jpg

Since that time, the Peace Plus One Sustainability Symbol, representing a balanced THINKING considering SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENT and ECONOMY has been shared by hundreds (maybe thousands) of people around the world.

DragonTHINK – h...

Alliance Accepted! - Technology For People Group Inc.

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 07:17:24 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - Philip McMaster

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:57:38 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - Paul

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:10:44 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - Theresa

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 17:11:46 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - The Nature Conservancy

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:22:21 -0400

Ally Request - Samuel Rose

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:35:17 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Rainforest Alliance

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:43:57 -0500

Ally Request - preston wiles

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:33:51 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Kirsten Cameron

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:52:18 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Joe Brady

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:28:52 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Jesse Smale

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 22:35:35 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Jennifer

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:27:46 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Evan

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:29:43 -0500

Ally Request - Colin Hoogerwerf

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:27:24 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Bari George

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:44:40 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Allyce

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:55:14 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - Alex M Ingersoll

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:19:44 -0500

Ally Request - Adam Apollo

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:22:15 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Chris Advansun

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:22:57 -0400

Alliance Accepted! - Alec Henderson

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:34:25 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - DanRose

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 09:36:50 -0500

Alliance Accepted! - Bryan Mahoney

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 07:52:48 -0500

Write for Celsias - Climate Change Site

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 22:35:25 -0400

Celsias is rapidly becoming the â€œgo toâ€ online destination for emerging and seasoned writers to showcase their passion for the environment, sustainability and global warming.

Get published alongside world’s climate change thought leaders

Develop an online following

Become a recognized authority online

Be read in over 120 nations

Get paid

Save the world

Contact us at www.celsias.com/contact-us and you could be published by supper time!

Echoing Green Fellowship

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:45:41 -0400

What is the EG Fellowship?

Through our two-year Echoing Green Fellowship program, we provide start-up capital and technical assistance to help new leaders launch their organizations and build capacity. We offer:

â€¢ A grant of up to $90,000, paid in four equal installments over two years â€¢ A health insurance stipend â€¢ Conferences led by organizational development experts â€¢ Access to technical support and pro bono partnerships to help grow your organization â€¢ A community of like-minded social entrepreneurs and public service leaders

W...

Rethos.com - huicocos's Global Feed

The Bloc Party

Hello from Big Sur - Alec Henderson

As Fire Approaches Big Sur Monastery Monks Prepare to Fight

ChicoBag founder Andy Keller on landfills, Bikram Yoga and his beef with plastic

The Green Vehicle Exchange

Easy Ways You Can Help Conserve Rainforests

Summer Job with Web Startup Company

Founding Director of Product Research

Founding-Level National Field Director

How Fair is Fairtrade?

Rainforest Alliance Finds Sustainably Certified Forests Have Fewer Wildfires

Elite Flowers: Growing a Better Bloom

Excellent Video on Earth Day TV

My Culture Killed Lawrence King

Can You Picture Sustainability?

Tell us what you think about eco-tourism!

Teenage Rebellion Now Considered Mental Illness

Youth Rising Los Angeles Summit

Focus the Nation hiring Organizers for FTN 2009

Recent Studies Decry Environmental Impact of Biofuels Reports New York Times

Facebook Underutilized as a Tool Kit for Activism

Participatory Democracy? Step One: Stop Voting!

Correction of the web address! - Philip McMaster

You're invited to Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of 3 Finger "Peace Plus One" - Philip McMaster

American Imperialism: Second Thoughts on Charlie Wilsonâ€™s War by Chalmers Johnson

Doing Philanthropy the Google Way

Urban Bike Sharing Coming To The U.S.

Forget the Electric Car: This one runs on compressed air!

Cable Giants want our Internet and they are Willing to Cheat to Get it!

Alliance Accepted! - cfj

Opportunity for Webmasters and Bloggers! FREE USE OF WEBSITES

Be a Solution Pioneer - the Sustainability Symbol Anniversary February 1, 2008

Alliance Accepted! - Technology For People Group Inc.

Alliance Accepted! - Philip McMaster

Alliance Accepted! - Paul

Alliance Accepted! - Theresa

Alliance Accepted! - The Nature Conservancy

Ally Request - Samuel Rose

Alliance Accepted! - Rainforest Alliance

Ally Request - preston wiles

Alliance Accepted! - Kirsten Cameron

Alliance Accepted! - Joe Brady

Alliance Accepted! - Jesse Smale

Alliance Accepted! - Jennifer

Alliance Accepted! - Evan

Ally Request - Colin Hoogerwerf

Alliance Accepted! - Bari George

Alliance Accepted! - Allyce

Alliance Accepted! - Alex M Ingersoll

Ally Request - Adam Apollo

Alliance Accepted! - Chris Advansun

Alliance Accepted! - Alec Henderson

Alliance Accepted! - DanRose

Alliance Accepted! - Bryan Mahoney

Write for Celsias - Climate Change Site

Echoing Green Fellowship

American Imperialism: Second Thoughts on Charlie Wilsonâ€™s War
by Chalmers Johnson