Center for Justice & Sustainability

Rock Out Reach Out 2010

2010-09-17T10:34:00.004-05:00

Rock Out Reach Out is coming October 23, 2010. Get your tickets now at www.rockoutreachout.org

The "model for all benefit rock shows" is back with another great lineup in 2010!
Oriole Post, Sara Swenson, The Model Congress, O Giant Man, Heidi Mikhail and the Justice League.
This is an all ages show.

Theme: 2010 is the 90th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States. While much has been accomplished in those 90 years for women’s rights and equality, there are still many women who for reasons of poverty or oppression do not enjoy the same rights and privileges as many of us. For RORO 2010, we want to celebrate those organizations which work every day to make a difference in the lives of women.

You choose which nonprofit gets your donation: Keeler Women's Center, New Roots for Refugees, Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, Veronica's Voice

Hear the bands at Myspace.
See who's coming at Facebook.

Garden Update

2010-07-30T15:37:00.001-05:00

The Liberty Tribune recently published a follow up story on the garden. You can read about it here: http://libertytribune.com/2010072910174/news/community-news/community-garden-reaching-full-bloom.html

Rock Out Reach Out 2010

2010-07-13T10:24:00.005-05:00

We're making plans for the next Rock Out Reach Out, October 23, 2010. Reply's from the bands we've invited are coming in. So far confirmed are Sara Swenson and The Model Congress.

Rock Out Reach Out
October 23, 2010
The Uptown Theater Conspiracy Room

Pritchard Award student in Lima, Peru

2010-06-18T16:22:00.001-05:00

Karen Rice from St. Louis, Missouri, is the 2010 recipient of the Pritchard Humanitarian Service Award at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. This summer, Karen will intern with missionaries in Lima, Peru, who serve with the program Mission to the World (Presbyterian Church in America). Karen writes, “My job will be to listen to the priorities of the Peruvian leadership of the church and find ways that groups from the U.S. with a desire to serve can help accomplish these goals and build relationships with the community. As I lead the teams and work with Peruvian church leadership, I help to address many essential human needs.”

Karen will serve as a liaison between the missionaries and short-term mission teams sent from churches in the U.S. She will serve as translator; arrange the logistics of meals, projects, and transportation; and work with the Peruvian leadership of Iglesia Luz de Vida (Light of Life Church) to use the short-term mission teams to address what they see as the most compelling needs in their community. The projects Karen will facilitate include supporting Casa de Gloria, a home for pregnant teen girls from the streets of Lima; doing construction on widows’ and families’ homes with whom the church has developed relationships; and providing for the basic needs of individuals in the church.

When asked how she thinks her project will make a difference, Karen said, “Living in a cross-cultural setting and serving under the direction of people from a culture different from my own will hopefully teach me to value and understand the perspectives and ways of doing things presented by people from other cultures.” Karen also thinks that the “relationships built between churches in the United States and Iglesia Luz de Vida will have long-term results, as teams come back year after year to partner with and learn from Luz de Vida.”

Karen has served others in the community her whole life, beginning by participating with her parents when she was very young in their ministry to single parents in the inner city. Karen has been a tutor for under-served inner city elementary students, an assistant teacher to a class of immigrants in a summer enrichment program, and served on the student leadership team of her youth group, working to create an atmosphere that welcomed the diverse student population who attended. Karen has traveled to Peru several times to support and assist missionaries in their outreach to the community

Karen is a first-year student at William Jewell College. She is in the Oxbridge Honors Program, double majoring in History of Ideas (Philosophy and Ethics) and Nonprofit Leadership. She is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Timothy Rice of St. Louis, Missouri.

You can see updates from Karen at http://tedenrice.wordpress.com/

Jewell students in Uganda

2010-05-27T13:44:00.002-05:00

Two Jewell students, Christine Duncan and Anna Dickson, are spending the summer in Uganda to work with an organization called Women's Alliance and Children's Affairs. Part of their preparation for the trip has been to gather Jewell students together to sponsor their soccer team. Jewell students are partnered with women on the team, and have sent them correspondence as well as a matching soccer jersey. Christine and Anna will be teaching basic CPR and First Aid to the women, among many things other things while in Uganda this summer. Check out their blog for updates throughout the summer.

Harvest Hill Community Garden

2010-04-01T15:33:00.005-05:00

Announcing the Harvest Hill Community Garden at William Jewell College! Many folks here at Jewell along with some dedicated Liberty community partners have been working hard to organize the garden and applications are now being accepted. Find out more are http://harvesthill.ning.com/

Andy and I are planning our CJS plot - we hope you'll come to the Hill and join in the fun!

Spring Break Service Opportunities

2010-03-08T12:51:00.001-06:00

Planning your own Alternative Spring Break?
In KC or nearby for the break?
Want to do some good for our city?
Need to get ahead on service hours requirements?

Check out these great opportunities and contact Tim Honse (honset[at]william.jewell.edu) to find out more info.

We have opportunities lined up at:

Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture Farm
Local Investment Commission in the Palestine East Neighborhood
Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House

Click here to find out details of the projects and get in touch with Tim soon!

Summit 2010 Discussion

2010-01-15T10:03:00.002-06:00

We are trying something new at our first Summit today and tomorrow. We have started a discussion board on Facebook just for the event, where we will be posting ideas, links, and other up to the minute information at the CJS Summit. Whether you are at the Summit, or checking in from somewhere else, we hope you'll join in the discussion!

Honduras

2010-01-04T21:51:00.002-06:00

We are in Houston, heading out in the morning for Honduras. We will be staying in the village of Embarcadero for our Village Partners Project, with no electricity or internet for most of the trip, but we will be blogging when we can. I will blog here, and Jeff will be blogging over at Buscher's Blog. Now, I am heading to bed for a 5am wake up call!

eat local for the holidays

2009-11-20T07:02:00.001-06:00

Join the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition and your neighbors in supporting our local food system.

Sign the online pledge to have at least one local food item in your holiday meal. It might be the sweet potatoes, the pecans for your pumpkin pie, or even the turkey itself. Whichever you choose, you can make a difference by supporting local farmers and vendors.

Find out what items are fresh now in Greater Kansas City, and check out recipes using some of those ingredients.

Not sure where to find local foods? Check out these vendors and stores and restaurants specializing in local foods.

You can find food items for your holiday meal right here at home. They're local, they're tasty and they're easier to find than you might think!

One Homeless Night

2009-11-19T15:58:00.000-06:00

Last week 100 Jewell students participated in Synergy Services One Homeless Night event to raise awareness about youth homelessness. On any given night in Greater Kansas City, there are 2,000 youth who are not sure where they will spend the night. Synergy Services plays an important role in helping these young people. The Jewell students spent a cold night out on the Quad to be in solidarity with their less fortunate peers, and to raise awareness and money for Synergy Services. The event was sponsored by CJS and American Humanics. KCTV Channel 5 aired live coverage of the event.

Organic recycling in Caf, Cage, Perch

2009-11-17T19:08:00.009-06:00

Beginning tomorrow, Wed. Nov. 17, we will begin recycling all organic, compostable waste in Dining Services. To learn more about the program, and find out what is compostable or not, go here.

Within the cafeteria, Cage, and Perch, everyone who works or eats at Jewell will separate organic, compostable materials from non-compostable. The compostable waste will be diverted from the landfill and instead taken away by Missouri Organic to be composted at their facility. We already purchase all of the compost and mulch used on our grounds from Missouri Organic, so now we are completing the cycle!

This will have only a minor impact on our dining routine. Please follow these steps when busing your tables at Jewell:

Deposit all organic, compostable waste into designated waste cans only. The majority of your waste should fall into this category.
Deposit any non-organic, non-compostable waste into designated waste cans only.
Place scraped off plates onto a tray and on the conveyor belt.

If you have any questions or concerns about this process, or to find out if an item is compostable or not, drop me an email at honset[at]william.jewell.edu and I will figure out the answer.

Sustainability Presentation

2009-11-05T16:06:00.000-06:00

Sustainability means "Choices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." - from the 1987 United Nations Report, Our Common Future.

Earlier this fall small group of Jewell students attended a sustainability workshop at Shadowcliff Lodge in Colorado. Since the workshop these students have developed an informational presentation about definitions and strategies for working towards sustainability at William Jewell College. They plan to make the presentation to student groups, organizations, and offices on campus in the coming months.

Join the mailing list

2009-11-04T12:01:00.005-06:00

We've set up an email list through Constant Contact, which will help us provide better updates and privacy for our subscribers. Sign up to get the latest news from CJS right to your inbox. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe at anytime.

For Email Marketing you can trust

Just How Green Can We Be?

2009-11-02T15:56:00.002-06:00

Dr. Michael Mandelbaum delivered the Hall Distinguished Lecture on October 15, leading us to think about the tough political, economic, social and cultural challenges that the U.S. faces if it is really to “go green.”

"We are at the beginning of a long slog away from fossil fuels. It will happen, but the pace at which it will happen is unclear. It depends to a very great extent on what happens in the United States, and so it depends to a very great extent on what you do, on how you vote, on what you believe, on what actions you take."

Mandelbaum is the Christian A. Herter Professor and Director, American Foreign Policy Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Serve & Celebrate

2009-10-03T16:45:00.005-05:00

This weekend was our annual Serve & Celebrate day, to kick off Homecoming week by helping others. I worked with a group in my neighborhood (Independence Plaza in Historic Northeast Kansas City) doing a neighborhood cleanup. The Neighborhood Council does a cleanup about once a month throughout the summer, and the help of the Jewell students made a huge difference in what we were able to accomplish this time. Here are some highlights:

We collected two huge roll-off dumpsters, one of trash and the other of yard waste. A lot of it was larger items that neighbors came to drop off, but much of it was just blowing around on our streets. Litter is a constant problem in poor neighborhoods, and we greatly appreciate the extra help in gathering up this garbage.
With the help of the local Jackson County representative Scott Burnett, we cut down some overgrown weed-trees in an 80 year old woman's back yard that were threatening her power lines. This problem had been plaguing this elderly neighbor for a long time, and our service would have cost her hundreds of dollars to get taken care of, which on a fixed income would have been impossible for her to get done.
The Jewell students found a large sum of cash lying in a vacant lot, so they deliberated about what to do with it and decided to turn the money that was very likely originally meant for bad and make a donation to some friends making a positive difference in the NE, Cherith Brook.
We picked up about 60 tires that were illegally dumped on the streets and alleys to be recycled.
One of my neighbors has been clearing out an empty and neglected lot (owned by a real estate firm in Colorado, one of many absent landlords who take poor care of urban lots in cities around the country). There are many kids who play in and around this lot, so this neighbor is clearing it out for their safety. The Jewell students hauled four or five truck loads of this yard waste over to the dumpster.
Even if taken great care of, there is more yard waste in our city lots that the City will actually pick up, so cleanups like this are a way that the Independence Plaza Neighborhood Council tries to alleviate this problem. Thanks to the help of the Jewell students, we were able to assist many neighbors who do not have the resources for hauling this waste away at their own expense.

What did you do for Serve & Celebrate? E-mail your stories to honset@william.jewell.edu and we'll add them to the CJS blog.

Support urban farming in KC

2009-09-21T12:35:00.003-05:00

Support Urban Food Production in Kansas City!!

The Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, one of our community partners from Rock Out Reach Out is getting the word out about urban farming in our city. Whether you grow local food or buy local food, this information is very important to you. Come to BADSEED, Tuesday, October 20, 6:00-7:30 pm, to discuss proposing City Code changes that will benefit Urban Agriculture.

BADSEED has gotten a lot of flack and legal pressure lately about farming in the city, and I want to invite Kansas City friends and allies to support Kansas City urban farming by coming to this initial meeting.

Katherine Kelly of KCCUA says, "In our meetings with the Urban Planning and Development staff, and with various city council people, they expressed a willingness to work with us to develop codes that more accurately fit the ways that urban food production is developing in Kansas City, MO. They are in a review period looking at the revised codes, so the timing is good for refinements.

The Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, Bad Seed Farm, and the Food Policy Coalition for Greater Kansas City are organizing a meeting of any interested community members who would like to have input into this process. You are invited to attend, Tuesday, October 20, 6:00-7:30 pm, at the Bad Seed Market at 1909 McGee, Kansas City, MO."

The goals of the meeting are:

· To look at existing codes that impact urban agriculture,

· To brainstorm about changes that might be useful and supportive of the benefits of urban agriculture, and

· To put together a volunteer committee of Kansas City, MO residents to lead the codes revisions process. This committee would work with KCCUA, the Food Policy Coalition, and city staff to research possibilities, prioritize, draft, and build political support for more urban ag applicable codes.

· Start a process that other municipalities in the metro area can use as inspiration and as a model for creating more urban ag friendly cities.

At the meeting, we will have KCMO Councilwoman Beth Gottstein, Patty Knoll from the Planning and Development Department of the city, and possibly other city representatives.

PLEASE RSVP to Katherine Kelly! They want to have some idea of how many folks to expect. And, if you can, bring a folding chair, Bad Seed will have some on hand, but depending on the numbers, we may need more.

If you have any questions about this, you can contact:
Katherine Kelly, KC Center for Urban Agriculture, 913-831-2444, or katherine@kccua.org
Gretchen Kunkel, Food Policy Coalition of Greater Kansas City, ghkunkel@kc.rr.com
Dan Heryer & Brooke Salvaggio, badseedfarm@hotmail.com

Even if you can't make commitments to the long process ahead, I hope we can have lots of people show overwhelming support for this initial meeting. Hope to see you there!

cell phone safety

2009-09-18T15:26:00.002-05:00

Have you heard the buzz about cell phones? No, I don't mean the buzz when you have your phone on silent, vibrating across the table. The Environmental Working Group has just released a study about cell phone radiation and safety, and it has gotten a lot of attention in the US and around the world. Even the US Senate has called the authors of the report to testify before the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health. Read the article to find out more about the issues and to see how your cell phone ranks in radiation. Bad news for me, mine is high on radiation, so don't call me!

Do you know where your meat comes from?

2009-09-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

Here's an interesting blog post by the Utne Reader about eating meat and your carbon footprint. I'm sure you've heard before that NOT eating meat is good for the environment, but these people remind us that, depending on where the meat comes from, it can benefit the environment to eat meat.

My wife and I have been members of a local meat CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for over a year now. We feel good about both the environmental and economic impacts of supporting this local, natural farm because of their holistic approach to farming. We have also gotten to know the family of six who works so hard to put dinner on our table, which is something that sadly most of us don't get to experience anymore.

I encourage you to find out more about the foods you eat, not just meat. How far has it traveled to get to your table? What are the ingredients and where did they come from? (Mother Nature, or an industrial lab?) How processed is it? (Sometimes processed vegetarian foods use way more energy than a fresh piece of meat.) Who had a hand in making this for me?

If you're interested in local food, drop me a note at honset@william.jewell.edu and I'll tell you about some other Kansas City area resources.

Welcome back!

2009-08-24T10:03:00.009-05:00

As we gear back up for the school year here at Jewell, we're also gearing the blog back up. I encourage you to subscribe, follow (in the right column), or check back often to see what we're blogging about here. Or, become our fan on Facebook and get updates from the blog there. Either way, make sure to leave us comments and let us know what you think about it!

I thought we'd start the year of blogging with a bit of information about cardboard recycling, since we're expanding that on campus this year. We started in the residence halls last spring, and now with the help of two CJS Recycling Interns, we're taking it campus wide, so look for the new bins throughout campus, next to the paper and plastic bins. So, here is some information to spur you on as you're breaking down those boxes.

"Recycling cardboard (like any other type of paper) reduces the demand for new paper from virgin pulp, thereby saving trees and decreasing the amount of pollution generated in new paper production. Finally, because cardboard is such bulky waste, recycling it saves significant amounts of space in landfills and reduces pollution in areas where trash is incinerated." (www.riverwired.com)

"Facts about recycling 1 ton of corrugated cardboard:
Saves 17 trees from having to be cut down and used for pulp
Saves 7000 gallons of water
Saves 11 barrels – 462 gallons – of oil
Saves more than 3 cubic yards of landfill space
Corrugated can be recycled an average of 7 times before the fibers become too short and they are filtered out as sludge during the pulping process, which is then used as cover at landfills." (www.papertrail.com)

According to the EPA, paper products take up 34% of landfills. (www.epa.gov)

Making the pulp used in unrecycled cardboard creates sulfur dioxide, a gas that contributes to acid rain. (www.valleyrecycling.org)

Finally, it is important to buy recycled cardboard (and other recycled products) in order to close the loop. If we don't create a market for recycled products by buying them, companies cannot afford to use our recyclables in their manufacturing, which defeats all of our effort in the first place.

No AC

2009-07-23T11:13:00.003-05:00

I made it into a New York Times article today about going without air conditioning at home. I mentioned Jewell and the Center in the interview, but it didn't make the final cut.

Have you considered trying this out? Especially with the weather we've been having lately I hope you've taken advantage of the cool nights. Let me know if you need any more tips!

Meeting in Embarcadero

2009-06-08T11:53:00.000-05:00

We arrived on Saturday in Embarcadero at about 11 am. We drove two vehicles, a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Toyota four wheel drive pick up. When we got to the river, it was not much more than a mud puddle, but the folks in the Toyota convinced us to leave the rental car behind and climb into the pick up to cross the muddy depression. During the rainy season (December & January) the water flows nearly as deep as the wooden footbridge on the left. Access by vehicles is often limited to the village because of this unpredictable drainage.

Once we crossed the mud puddle and made our way into the village we were greeted with smiles and hugs, mostly from women and children because we learned the men were in a Co-Op meeting in the school house. We were able to walk around and visit and get a look at the latrines our team built in January. The folks of Embarcadero had built a third latrine near the church. I put a

picture of one of the latrines on my last post. We were very encouraged by the way the community has embraced the value of the ecological, composting latrines. They prevent pollution of their water source and provide fertilizer for their crops.

A little later in the afternoon we were able to hold a meeting with the

folks of the community in the school house pictured here. Our

discussion covered three primary topics. First we wanted their feedback on the latrines and we wanted to hear what they felt would be best for their community.

Men and women from the community expressed their appreciation for the latrines and also related that because

of the education offered last Januray's visit, they no

longer wanted to use the "Pit Latrines" because they understood that those would contaminate their wells. They are eager to enter into a partnership that will provide a "Composting Latrine" for each family in the village. When you include the church and the school, this will require the building of approximately 25 more latrines.

The second topic we discussed was the logistics of our on-going partnership between William Jewell College and the village of Embarcadero. Our goal in this partnership is best expressed through the phrase:

"Communities engaging for the purpose of healthy change through partnering, learning and practicing."

As we discussed ideas for our next trip to Embarcadero we arrived at the following model. A group of no more than 15 will travel to the village in January of 2010. They will sleep in the school building and each participant will be "adopted" by a different family for meal times eating what the family eats, when the family eats. Our group will cover the expenses of the extra meals and lodging in the school building. This plan helps meet our goals a number of different ways. Students will truly be immersed in the local culture, also we will be very close to our work sites as we build more latrines. Also because we will be right there with them we will have so many more opportunities to get to know them and learn from them. Building these relationships will be a great benefit to both of our communities.

Finally we discussed the best way to move forward in our plan to construct latrines and engage the folks of Embarcadero in the process. We talked about the need for resources to build the latrines. Materials for each one costs about $300 USD, which translates to just over 5,600 Lempiras. The average annual income for an agricultural worker in Honduras is only $450 per year or 8,500 Lempiras. They are committed to providing labor, along with our teams. We are also negotiating how housing our students can also be seen as an investment in the project. Each family will also plan and prepare the ground for the site of their family's latrine.

In the coming months we will be raising funds for this project, but in our discussion with our partners we both agreed that we want both groups to contribute equally to the project. It is important that we continue to support and encourage their community as they strive for healthy change.

Tim McNeely is serving at Proyecto Alcance in La Masica and teaching school in San Juan Pueblo. He is works with David and Dialis Romero, who have been our partners for the past 5 years. Tim will continue to visit Embarcadero every 3-4 weeks and keep our communication current as we move forward in our planning. Tim will be instrumental in getting supplies and building materials to our partners as we move ahead on this exciting project.

More next time about the great potential this project holds for participants from William Jewell. Mucho Gusto - Jeff

Time and Detail

2009-06-05T09:03:00.003-05:00

Today is world environment day. Everyone in our office decided to 'not motor today'. I live two miles from work so this was doable. First decision, walk or ride a bike. I have a bike but haven't ridden it in some time. Walking was the better option. It took 40 minutes and the weather was comfortable so no problems there. Second decision, what route to take. I chose the less hilly route. No one stopped to offer me a ride which is good because I would have accepted (to be gracious). I walked a route that I also drive on occasion. The slower pace allowed time to see the houses, yards, etc. The closer proximity allowed me to see details that are lost when cruising past from the street at 35 mph. When I drive, I move so quickly that all that is in between my home and work is compressed. The walk decompressed what is in between here and there. It was not possible to take things for granted because I had to step over them or duck beneath them. There is remarkable diversity in the mere two miles between here and there. In the two miles, I met only one human being; a man loading tools in his truck for the work day. We nodded in acknowledgement but did not speak. In this respect, I was as alone on the walk as I would be in the car. I know this is something I could do more often. But will I? Eight hours from now, I walk home.

Village Partners... Continued

2009-05-31T18:32:00.008-05:00

FRIDAY

Our day started at 4 am traveling to KCI where we would board a 6am flight to Houston, and on to San Pedro Sula Honduras by 11 am local time (Noon CST) Our driver, WJC Chaplain, Dr. Andy Pratt, braved the early morning hours to take Campus Minister, Jeff Buscher, Chemistry Professor, Dr. Lori Wetmore, and Alumni Mark Buhlig to the Continental gate and send us on our way.

( Photo - Latrines built by our group in January )

Our flights were both early, in fact the pilot on one flight joked, “So the next time you are delayed you owe us 20 minutes before you can start complaining!” Upon arrival something totally unexpected occurred – 2 out 3 bags arrived – somehow mine did not make it. They knew it was missing before we got to the counter. Mmm? Anyway we submitted a claim and they indicated it would be delivered to our hotel the next day? We’ll see how that goes. I was truly surprised because over the last 5 years we have never lost a bag on this leg of the trip. As I write this I realize that our video camera and my medicine is in that bag… I’m sure it will arrive tomorrow… Now that I'm posting this note - Everything arrived just fine. In fact the good folks of Continental delivered my bag to our hotel in La Masica - Three hours away from the airport. Thank goodness, another day in those clothes would have been challenging.

Renting a car was an adventure: Avis said their car was not working, so she took it on herself to send us next door to “Econo-Car” Where they rented us a Hyundai Santa Fe for the same price we were quoted by our friends at AVIS. We signed some papers and we were pleasantly surprised with a shiny new Hyundai. It had a few dings and scratches, but it will be ideal for touring this part of northern Honduras. The important thing is that the AC worked just fine. We then exchanged our cash and made our way to La Masica.

Following Thursday’s earthquake the drive was not too bad. There were back ups at the Bridges. The bridge near El Progresso was the worst damage we saw. As we approached the bridge there were some cracks in the highway. We crossed on the good bridge and made our way toward San Juan Pueblo where we would stop in and pay a visit in the colonia where we have built homes and a church over the last 5 years. It was great to see the families that we have worked with over the years, including the high school student – Rosita, who our CSM group sponsors by sending funds for her school supplies each year.From there we drove another 15 minutes into La Masica where our base of operations… Hotel Media Luna (Half Moon Hotel) stood waiting for our arrival. After a few minutes of tracking folks down at Senior Antunez Hardware Store, we finally found a fellow that could hook us up with keys for the rooms. And we got settled in for the night. I have to stay up and wait for Donette, Tono, and Dani to arrive from Guatemala. They finally arrived around midnight.

One question we are working on during this trip... How do we appropriately assure that our partnership with the village folk of Embarcadero is intentionally reciprocal and can we ask our partners to be vulnerable with us by telling us their story. And then how do we communicate the big picture of our Village Partners Project? I look forward to re-connecting with the folks in Embarcadero tomorrow – For now I think our friends have arrived, I’ve got to give them their room keys.

More Manyana - Jeff

Earthquake in Honduras

2009-05-28T08:49:00.003-05:00

We woke up this morning to news of a major earthquake in Honduras. The 7.1 earthquake had its epicenter about 80 miles off the coast of La Ceiba - one of the cities we have visited many times during our Jewell trips. Because of the severity of the quake, the effects were felt far and wide, killing one boy so far, and knocking down bridges. Many of the cities and places mentioned in this AP report are right where we were just a few months ago, and where a few folks from Jewell are scheduled to head tomorrow morning.

We do not have word yet how this has effected our friends at Proyecto Alcance or at the village of Embarcadero.

Choral Competition

2009-05-27T14:21:00.001-05:00

William Jewell College Department of Music and Center for Justice and Sustainability announces a choral composition competition. We are seeking submissions with a text that speaks to issues related to the mission of the Center, which states:

William Jewell College establishes the Center for Justice and Sustainability in order to develop in its students the commitment, competence, and confidence to address significant societal, economic, and ecological challenges facing society.

Go here to find out more about the details of this competition.

World Environment Day

2009-05-26T15:55:00.001-05:00

World Environment Day (WED), an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is coming up on June 5. WED “is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.” The UNEP is having activities this year in Mexico City to bring awareness to World Environment Day, but we can do things right here in our own community to celebrate it.

For one thing, the UNEP also publishes daily “Do Something” tips. Today’s tip is “Don't go anywhere without your cloth bag so you can just say no to plastic whenever you shop.”

To take it a step further, Let’s Not Motor Day is a drive by MINI car company in honor of World Environment Day, inviting all of us to pledge to leave the car in the garage on June 5. Will you pledge not to drive on this day? Instead you could walk, bike, rollerblade, skateboard, or take public transit, to name a few! Let us know if you’ll be leaving the car at home by emailing honset@william.jewell.edu.

Take out

2009-05-07T09:53:00.003-05:00

We are always especially on the lookout here for things our students can do to lower their carbon footprint (since they don't have houses to weatherize or backyards to grow food). Here's a good article about the pros and cons about containers for the inevitable take out meal.

http://www.chow.com/stories/10870

The best advice NOT included in the article is: get out of the habit of eating take out in the first place! We all do it of course, but the more times you sit down to eat somewhere with reusable utensils the better it is all the way around. And honestly, no matter where or what you're eating, food tastes better with real silverware anyway!

recycling services

2009-04-29T15:03:00.003-05:00

There had been rumors of Kansas City's curbside recycling being cut back to every other week, but we just found out it will continue on a weekly basis, and more items are being accepted than before. The new items accepted are: paper/hardback books, pizza delivery boxes without food, cardboard egg cartons (not styrofoam), shredded paper in a paper bag that is labeled as shredded paper.

To find out more about Kansas City's curbside and drop-off recycling options check this website: http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/trash?opendocument

For those in Jewell's neighborhood, check the city of Liberty's recycling options: http://mo-liberty.civicplus.com/index.asp?SID=318#Curbside

Others in the Kansas City Area can check out Recyclespot.org, or if you live somewhere else, you should be able to find out about recycling in your area at Earth911.com

Carbonfund.org

2009-04-23T09:14:00.002-05:00

We purchased carbon offsets for Rock Out Reach Out and the folks at Carbonfund really liked what we told them about RORO, so they posted a blog about it for their readers.
http://www.carbonfund.org/blog/carbonfree-partner/rock-reach/
Thanks for the exposure!

Earth Day

2009-04-22T13:01:00.002-05:00

We celebrated Earth Day today on campus by having chapel outside on the quad. We did not print a program, pulled out the old hymnals for singing, and heard some beautiful music from students. Dr. Paul Klawinski spoke to us about environmental ethics and what we can do to be good to the Earth. We bought carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org for the energy we used with the sound system.

We are also planting a Missouri native burr oak tree on campus as part of our Earth Day celebrations, and we invite everyone to make a small donation towards the purchase of the tree. Dr. Klawinski told us that for the small investment we make in this tree, the tree will give back $49,000 in services to the campus in terms of environmental impact (producing oxygen, helping with water run-off, etc.) As Dr. Klawinski said, this sounds like a pretty good investment! Let me know if you're interested in contributing. 816-415-7551

Pitch blog reviews RORO

2009-04-21T09:58:00.001-05:00

Check out this great review of Rock Out Reach Out at the Pitch blog!

Rock Out Reach Out

2009-04-20T15:30:00.004-05:00

Rock Out Reach Out was a huge success! Many thanks to everyone who helped out and came out to support our hard work, and more importantly, the hard work of the justice & sustainability community of Kansas City.

Here are the results:

Five bands & artists performed to benefit the organizations present.
Seventeen bands donated songs for the album (which is still available for a limited time).
Fourteen organizations shared their messages of justice & sustainability.

Over 300 people came out to the event.
Over 100 people signed up with the organizations present.
Over $2000 was raised for these organizations.

We shared the vision of the Center for Justice & Sustainability with Kansas City.
Learn. Practice. Partner.

Vote for us!

2009-04-16T09:40:00.002-05:00

William Jewell College SIFE has the opportunity to win numerous grants from the following website, and the grants are awarded solely on number of votes earned. Please help us out and click the following link. You can learn about one of our projects (currently a Top 5 in the nation project!) and watch a video on the project. Thank you for this small amount of your time!
http://www.truehero.org/projects/index.cfm?id=157

RORO getting close!

2009-04-16T09:36:00.000-05:00

Here's some great, unsolicited third party coverage of Rock Out Reach Out! Thanks Crystal!
http://blogs.pitch.com/wayward/2009/04/rock_out_reach_out.php

In the News

2009-04-08T16:42:00.002-05:00

The Projects for Justice & Sustainability fellows are covered in the most recent issue of the Hilltop Monitor.

We also got noticed by local media for Jimmy Carter's presence on campus to help us announce the Center. Here are a few from a quick online search:

KC Star
KCMB-TV
NBC Action News
Fox 4 KC

The Little Nonprofit That Could

2009-04-05T21:28:00.001-05:00

Last semester I was enrolled in Service Learning 101 as part of my Nonprofit Major. Throughout the duration of this class we visited all different types of nonprofit organizations in the Kansas City area. One of these organizations was the Don Bosco Family Support Center. Our trip to Don Bosco was a very eye opening experience for me. It taught me a lot about the raw reality, passion, and satisfaction of working in the nonprofit sector.

Don Bosco is a resource for people who face homelessness, abuse, job loss, and substance abuse. They provide them with food, clothing, rent, and job counseling. My first impression, as we entered the lower level of a stone house via a garage door, was one of surprise and contempt. This organization seemed extremely underfunded and understaffed. However, as the director, Carla, began speaking to us it became very clear that there was more passion under this roof than I could imagine. I got chills as I sat there and listened to Carla speak with such feeling about her job and what Don Bosco does for the community. We toured the building as Carla spoke to us about their struggle for resources. As we walked into the clothing room we met a woman who is homeless and was just diagnosed with leukemia. She works at Don Bosco every day, but will not accept pay for her work.

As I left Don Bosco I was experiencing a much different feeling than the one I entered with. I was in awe. When we returned to school I spoke to my teacher, Tim Honse, about starting a clothing drive to benefit Don Bosco. This semester that idea became a reality when I was asked to run a clothing drive for American Humanics. I began this project with a bleak outlook. I didn’t think college students would have clothes to spare or would not be willing to do so. I had just resigned myself to the fact that any little bit would help.

To begin my project I sent a notice in the weekly newsletter about the drive and who it was benefiting. I then set up collection boxes in all of the residence halls and in the student union. I used boxes that I had found in my dorm and from the cafeteria. They were pretty small, but I just expected that there wouldn’t be a substantial amount of clothing donated anyway. A few days later I received a picture message on my phone from a friend in one of the freshman girls’ dorms. It was of my clothing box, and it was overflowing with donated items. After emptying that box, I returned to my room where I opened an email from one of my classmates that informed me that the box in her dorm was full. This continued for the next two weeks of the drive. I was ecstatic. By the end of the drive, William Jewell students had donated a total of eight extra large trash bags full of clothing. We had everything from coats to children’s clothing, shoes and belts to dresses and pant suits.

When I called Carla to set up a time for me to drop off the clothing, she could not stop thanking me for setting up the clothing drive. When I took the car full of donations to the center she began crying. As I hugged her I told her that the real people to thank were the Jewell students who surpassed expectation and reminded me that no matter who they are, individuals are capable of supporting and caring for one another.

Thank you, William Jewell students, for providing clothing to those who are not capable of providing it for themselves. Thank you for taking the time to sift through your closets and dresser drawers. Thank you for sacrificing your possessions to benefit those in need. Finally, thank you for reestablishing my faith in the human race and making my outlook on my future in the nonprofit sector a little brighter.

President Jimmy Carter attends CJS event

2009-04-03T16:02:00.002-05:00

President Jimmy Carter joined about 50 friends, students and faculty members of William Jewell College at a luncheon today celebrating the founding gift for the College’s new Center for Justice and Sustainability. The private event was held in the Yates-Gill College Union on the College campus in Liberty, Mo.

William Jewell College President David Sallee announced that a founding gift has been made by alumna Dianne Shumaker ’66 to provide significant funding for the new College program.

Read more...

Rock Out Reach Out, the Album

2009-04-02T17:21:00.004-05:00

We have an amazing downloadable album to support the upcoming Rock Out Reach Out event. Go to www.rockoutreachout.org to get all of this great music for a great cause!

Abracadabras - An Argument
Pet Comfort - Paper Dolls
Life and Times - Old Souls
Josephine Collective - Pray for Rain
Action Figure - Halo
Flee The Seen - Hey Ambulance
Ha Ha Tonka - Caney Mountain
(BMI) Bloodshot Records, http://www.bloodshotrecords.com
(L. Bone, B. Anderson, B. Roberts, L. Long)
Antennas Up - 5P4CE5HIP
Mac Lethal - Hammered In
The ACB's - Everyone Wants to See
Waiting for Signal - Command and Control
Fairbanks - Natural Disaster
Life in Jersey - A Sudden Change
Olympic Size - Hey Brave
Barclay Martin - Queen of This Town
Pet Comfort - The Garden Maze
The Belated - One in a Million
Heroes & Villains - Plans in Motion

Results!

2009-03-30T10:51:00.002-05:00

The results of our 350 Green Project are in!

362 people joined up with the Center, SIFE, and Bridging the Gap to reduce their individual carbon footprints. This surpassed our goal of 350 people!

Together, all 362 of us have contributed to a total annual carbon savings of 1,334,661 pounds.

We had our prize drawing on Friday to celebrate our success, and the winners were Matt Drabenstott, Phillip Cuendet, Rebecca Ewing, and Alixandra Dennis. Congratulations to the winners, and to the whole Jewell community for making such a huge difference!

This marks the end of our Jewell campaign, but you can continue to sign up at Bridging the Gap. If you haven't done so, join this important effort and Do Five Green Things!

tomorrow: earth hour

2009-03-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to participate in Earth Hour tomorrow night from 8:30-9:30pm!

Rock Out Reach Out

2009-03-21T08:02:00.003-05:00

The website for Rock Out Reach Out is up! You have heard about it, now learn more at rockoutreachout.org

Socially Conscious Shopping

2009-03-19T10:48:00.003-05:00

Confident that you are buying good, socially conscious brands? Find out the real story behind all that marketing money and store visibility.

Burt's Bees, Tom's of Maine, Naked Juice: Your Favorite Brands? Take Another Look -- They May Not Be What They Seem
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/131910

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-16T10:44:00.003-05:00

8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Saturday March 28, 2009.

Projects 2009

2009-03-11T09:10:00.005-05:00

The first Projects for Justice and Sustainability grants have been awarded!

A grant will allow the department of music to sponsor a choral competition. The goal of the project is to solicit and select a choral music composition for public performance that has as its inspiration and text some connection to the concepts of justice and/or sustainability. The composer of the selected composition will receive a prize and will travel to campus for the final rehearsals. The selected composition will be performed by Jewell students in the choral studies program at the annual summit sponsored by the Center for Justice and Sustainability.

Alaina Barclay, a junior nonprofit leadership major from Kansas City, MO, received a grant to travel to Mozambique, Africa for three weeks this summer to work at the Carolina Belshe Orphanage.

Abigail Pratt, a sophomore religion major from Liberty, MO received a grant to travel to central and eastern Uganda for three weeks with a group of undergraduate students sponsored by the "student.go" program of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Projects for Justice and Sustainability is an annual competition sponsored by the Center for student-developed and student-executed projects. The grant program allows students an opportunity to develop, formally propose, receive funding for, and conduct research/action projects related to issues of justice and/or sustainability. We hope to announce each year's winners and hear from the previous year's winners at the annual Justice Summit. In this, our first year, the committee who determines the winners of Jewell's Pritchard Humanitarian Service Award served to determine the Projects for Justice & Sustainability as well.

Matthew 25 Project

2009-03-10T08:22:00.003-05:00

We're trying something new this summer to engage and connect local faith communities with each other around issues of service and justice and make a difference in KC. Read about Matthew 25 here, and go to matt25project.com to find out more and get your community involved.

The Matthew 25 Project is...

... a great way to engage your local church in a local service project with high impact, low cost, and long lasting benefits for your church and the community. You will begin relationships with other servant-minded folks from another church as you work together painting a home in the city's urban core.

Get Involved...

Do something for folks that need a helping hand, the kind of people Jesus referred to when he said, "Whatever you do for the least of these, you have done for me..." In the urban core of Kansas City there are widows, single moms, and disabled residents who are looking for hope. Their homes are in disrepair, the Matthew 25 Project is a way you can roll up your sleeves along with others from your church and make a lasting difference in their lives. Your church group will be partnered with another church from the area, as we will serve together in the “City of Fountains,” to share Christ’s living water by improving resident’s homes.

The Mission...

The mission of the Matthew 25 Project is to provide a spiritual, cross cultural experience for church crews that volunteer to improve substandard housing for residents in Kansas City’s urban core. Participants will be mobilized and encouraged to serve with the heart, attitude and hands of Christ. (Matt. 25:40)

Distinctives of the Matthew 25 Project...

Ecumenical
Participating groups come from a variety of churches, representing a wide spectrum of the Christian Church in this region.

Diverse
Participants from local churches, will represent a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Group Building - Option
William Jewell’s Tucker Leadership Lab is a fully staffed high and low ropes experience on campus, that groups may choose to utilize in preparation for your actual day of service in the city. Your crew members will have the opportunity to participate based on their own comfort level with the elements. There is a slight fee for this option and should be scheduled through the Tucker Leadership Office.

The Matthew 25 Service Experience

The Matthew 25 Project offers a service experience for your group that will provide a full day of service and relationship building. All the tools and materials you need will be on-site. Prior to the work day you will be in touch with your partner church and you are encouraged to begin getting to know one another through church attendance and other venues. Our hope is that the Matthew 25 Project can be a way for your church to build bridges while serving the community. A real life-changing, mission experience for students and adults.

Need more information? E-mail Jeff Buscher or call 816-415-7560

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle@Jewell

2009-02-26T15:13:00.001-06:00

Reduce@Jewell

Lights – turn off your light if you are leaving any room for more than 15 minutes, including offices and common areas.

Computers – turn off computers and monitors at the end of the day.

Café/Cage – enjoy your meal with others in the cafeteria or the Cage instead of getting your food to go in a disposable container.

Printing – avoid printing papers and e-mails as much as possible. E-mail drafts to others for proofreading and see if you can turn in your assignments electronically. When you do need to print, print on both sides.

Books – check to see if you can find a book at the Library before you order it online. Reserving it from another library in KC is just as fast as waiting for shipping!

Reuse@Jewell

Bags – take tote bags with you when you shop.

The Perch – use your own coffee mug or travel mug instead of using disposable cups.

Water – carry a reusable bottle with you instead of grabbing a bottled water.

Paper – save paper and use the blank side for scratch paper before you recycle it.

Boxes – break down large cardboard boxes and save them for the end of the semester when you leave the dorm.

Recycle@Jewell

Paper – deposit the following paper products in the blue “Paper” receptacles located throughout the campus: copy paper, envelopes, magazines, newspaper, shredded paper (un-bagged).

Aluminum – deposit empty aluminum cans in the blue “Aluminum/Plastic” receptacles located throughout the campus.

Plastic – deposit empty plastic bottles in the blue “Aluminum/Plastic” receptacles located throughout the campus.

Cardboard – break down and deposit the cardboard products into the “Cardboard” receptacle located in the Residence Halls (more locations coming soon). Please be a good neighbor and break it down!

Do you have other ideas for Reduce-Reuse-Recycle@Jewell? Leave a comment and let us know what else we can be doing!

An Inspirational Movie

2009-02-24T14:57:00.003-06:00

In Service-Learning class today I showed my students a great movie about Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement called Entertaining Angels.

Dorothy Day was involved in the women's suffragist movement and later was inspired by the message of Jesus she read in the Bible to open up her home to those who found themselves homeless in the great depression. This simple act grew into a worldwide movement of offering hospitality to the poor that still lives strong today.

There are hundreds of Catholic Worker houses and communities inspired by Dorothy Day around the world, continuing the work of hospitality and protest today; a few of them are right here in Kansas City. One community, Cherith Brook, is right up the street from my house in NE KC. I am taking my students to another, the Shalom House, next week to visit and serve the men who are staying there.

If you are interested in this movements, I encourage you to poke around the websites I have linked to above, rent Entertaining Angels, and pop in to one of the houses in your area. You will be welcomed!

Jewell students helping KC

2009-02-23T13:08:00.001-06:00

Students Help Plaza Hotel Go Green

Being a good neighbor

2009-02-20T08:48:00.008-06:00

This week in Chapel we heard from our friend Mahnaz Shabbir of Shabbir Advisors about how we can be more gracious, accepting, and understanding of our Muslim neighbors in Kansas City, the US, and around the world.

One of the most helpful questions she addressed was about misconceptions of Islam based on a few who seem to speak for Islam on an international level. She said,"It’s a challenge. It doesn’t help any when there are people who profess that they are of my faith and they do horrible things in the name of Islam." She reminded us that no matter what faith tradition from which you come, there are always others who profess the same faith that believe some things differently than you, sometimes radically different. We cannot judge all people of one faith tradition based on a few that we get information about. We do not do this with our own tradition, so we should not do it with others.

Shabbir also told us that the best way to learn more about Islam is to get to know some Muslim people who live right here with us in the Kansas City area. I know from personal experience that getting to know someone is the best way to break down stereotypes. In a summer job in St. Louis between semesters when I was in college at Jewell I worked with some Bosnian refugees who were also Muslim and I learned a lot by listening to their experiences and perspectives, and sharing my own with them.

Shabbir gave us many practical suggestions of how we might go about meeting some Muslim neighbors in Kansas City and learn more about Islam on a personal level, which I will share with you below:

Arab-American Women Conference: March 12-15 at K State University, Manhattan, KS
Peace Rally for the Human Race: Sat March 14, 3:30-5:00 pm. Vigil and rally on the 6^th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. Mill Creek Park, 47^th & Main, KC MO.
Breaking Bread Together: Sat March 14 5:30-7pm. Dinner with KC area Iraqi Refugees and Iraq War Veterans. Community Christian Church 4601 Main, KC MO. rsvp required.
Journey of Refugees from Muslim countries to KC: Sun Mar 29, 2-4pm. Hear from immigrants from Muslim countries talk about their places of birth, their journeys to KC, how they settled here, and how Jewish Vocational Services and Catholic Charities have helped in the resettlement process. UMKC. Crescent Peace Society.
Islamic Center of Northland-Kansas City
Islamic Center of Greater Kansas City
Al-Inshirah Islamic Center: 3664 Troost Ave. KC, MO 64110 816-960-0475. Primarily African-American Muslims and Muslims who work downtown.
Greater KC Interfaith Council
Gainpeace.com
Recieve an e-newsletter about events and news about Muslims around the world. An alternative to mainstream American media coverage of Islam. Subscribe by e-mailing amc_heartland@yahoo.com
Read The Faith Club book written by three women, Muslim, Jewish, Christian who got to know each other and share their story.

Something fun for Friday afternoon

2009-02-13T15:08:00.002-06:00

Recycling Conversionator

Green ideas for dorms?

2009-02-12T15:13:00.003-06:00

I just found an article from the Utne Reader about environmental sustainability and the unique challenges apartment dwelling brings to the table. I know many of our students here have similar concerns about living in the dorms. We as a college community are working on ways we can address the sustainability of our campus and dorms, but what can you the students do on your individual level? I think the article about apartments has some good ideas that apply to dorm living too.

your choice of cleaing products (provided you ever clean that thing that is!)
use programmable and/or smart power strips
reduce the amount of meat and processed foods you eat in the cafeteria and in the dorms
use less hot water
turn lights and things off when you're not using them
join the 350 Green Campaign!

There's a LOT more where these ideas came from in the article itself. Check it out.

Are there things that you do in dorms or apartments that you would share with us?

Fuel Efficiency

2009-02-12T09:26:00.003-06:00

Check out this visual about fuel efficiency. Nothing brings the concept home like these images.
Getting Around @ Good Magazine

In the news

2009-02-10T10:16:00.003-06:00

We got our first news coverage in the Hilltop Monitor (Vol. 23, Issue 14).

Campus Kitchens Project coming to Jewell

2009-02-10T08:38:00.002-06:00

This year's Pryor Fellows are bringing Campus Kitchens to Jewell for their legacy project. Go here to find out more about this exciting project.

Beautiful Weather

2009-02-08T13:57:00.007-06:00

My wife and I took advantage of the beautiful weather in Kansas City yesterday to do some laundry. "Why would you do that on such a day?!" you might ask. Well, because we love to dry our clothes outside in the breeze and sun.

As we have become more conscious of our carbon footprint in the last few years, line drying our laundry was one thing that we were holding out on. It just seemed like so much more work. We always made lots of excuses while we lived in apartments, even though our good friends and neighbors who lived right upstairs found creative ways to line dry theirs. When we bought a house most of the excuses we had made for years were even less valid than before, so we decided to give it a try. Turns out, it is not nearly as much work as it seems, and in fact it is quite enjoyable. I have grown to really enjoy the 10 quiet minutes after each load while I stand in the breeze and sunshine hanging up clothes.

This spring as we see more and more of these beautiful days like we had yesterday, why don't you consider investing $5 in a clothesline and find the nearest tree to give it a try. What's the worst that could happen?

Now, if you're living in the college dorms, or just have a small apartment, you have good options for line drying your laundry too. For around $20 you can head over to your favorite retailer and get a drying rack with 25 feet of space, all in a compact rack that fits in the corner of your room and then folds up nicely. We use these in the winter for inside drying. I know $20 sounds like a lot to spend on laundry, but when you think about all those quarters going into the dryer every week, $20 goes pretty quickly.

From here on out it's pretty simple. Enjoy the smell and feel of your clothes that no amount of "summer breeze" fabric softener can ever duplicate. There are lots of tips all over the internet for the best ways to hang what items and so one, or better yet, ask your grandma!

Do you have any tips for line drying your clothes? Have you ever done this before? What is holding you back from trying it? Leave your comments here and check back to see what others think about the idea.

p.s. We didn't just enjoy the nice weather by doing chores - we also left the laundry hanging for a while and took the motorcycle out for a spin too!

The website is live

2009-02-02T12:18:00.003-06:00

The official website for the Center is now up and running. If you're ever wanting to check it out and missing a link for it, you can find it at www.jewell.edu in the "Distinctives" drop down menu.

Is 350 your number?

2009-01-29T17:10:00.001-06:00

Welcome to a blog that talks about issues of justice and sustainability. What is important about the number 350? This is the acceptable level of parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Right now we are at approximately 387. Awareness needs to increase so that the number decreases. To learn more go to http://www.350.org. Here at Jewell we are interested in two numbers. We need 350 people to pledge that they will do 5 things to reduce their personal carbon footprint. The other number will be the tons of carbon dioxide that is reduced through these voluntary reductions. Can the actions of one person make a difference?

About the Center

2009-01-29T16:48:00.002-06:00

The Center for Justice & Sustainability at William Jewell College is at the heart of the college’s mission to cultivate leadership, service, and spiritual growth. The Center’s role in this mission is to raise awareness of social, economic, and ecological challenges within our world in order to invite students to spend their lives creating solutions to these complex and interconnected issues.

Welcome

2009-01-29T16:07:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the blog of the Center for Justice & Sustainability at William Jewell College.