Please join us for a look at local food sustainability issues. -Organic farms -Community food share -GMOs -Access -Local food movements -and more!

When: Thursday, May 24th, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Where: Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Road, Boulder, CO 80303

Panelists:

Lynette Hanthorn, Executive Director, Transition Colorado;
Bill Stevenson, Director, Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union Cooperative Development;
Jim Baldwin, CEO, community Food Share;
Jennifer Eads, Division Director, Boulder County Housing and Human Services

Facilitator:
Deborah Luscomb, Office Manager, The Collaborative Community

 Co-Sponsored:

Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services

Remember the saying, you are what you eat? Everything you put in your body will have some sort of affect, positive or negative. Treat your body well and be mindful of what goes into it. Carelessness can led to long-term health problems and low-energy. Read the articles below to learn more!

• Just because a food is marketed as ‘natural’ does not mean that it meets organic standards. Often natural foods still contain toxins and GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Read more here.
• The ‘dirty dozen’ foods that have the most pesticide residue can be found by clicking here. Often, these are the best foods to buy organically so that you are not being exposed to pesticide in the first place. Worth the read!
• Boulder County is allowing genetically modified food on public lands. This has brought some frustration within the community. Click here to read an article about the local food movements in Boulder County that want all GMO and non-GMO foods to be labeled when packaged.

“What is Happening to the American Dream.”

Last month’s Forum, “What is Happening to the American Dream,” brought attention to the factors that have changed in society and how the definition of the American dream has changed. One participant reflected on the importance of being open-minded in an ever-changing society.

We’d like to thank our panelists for their time, extensive knowledge, and passion :

Rigo Tostado, Program Director, I Have A Dream Foundation;
Tim Beal, Director of Property Management, Boulder Housing Partners;
DeAnne Butterfield, Emergency Family Assistance;
Reverand Dr. Jim Ryan, Council Director, Colorado Council of Churches

Here are some valuable resources:

• Living for unity and working for justice is the mission      of the Colorado Council of Churches. This is a 12 member council of      different denominations that enables communions to be a fuller expression      than what they could do on your own.
• This article discusses the changes that are      happening in higher education and why having a degree doesn’t necessarily      mean success anymore.
• At one point in time many immigrants moved to America      to join in the economic boom and the idea of the American dream. Now there      is evidence that those children of immigrants are moving back to ancestral      homelands where there is more work available to them. Read more here.

“Reaching the American Dream is a traditional goal in this country. According to a September, 2007 Change to Win/Lake Partners survey of registered voters, that dream includes the following components: having a job that pays enough to support a family (78 percent say this is extremely important for reaching the American Dream); having affordable, quality health care that you can depend on (73 percent); being able to ensure your children have the opportunity to succeed (73 percent); having a secure and dignified retirement (71 percent); being treated with respect for the work you do (67 percent); being able to afford your own home (66 percent); having benefits that fit your life in the new economy and follow you when you change jobs, move, or become self-employed or unemployed (61 percent); being able to afford to spend more time with family and in your community (60 percent); and having access to training at work so that you can advance and do well (51 percent).” Click here to read more of this article from the Public Opinion Snapshot.

We would like to thank all participants and panelists for attending our March Forum, “Greening our Faith Communities: Partnership and Sustainability.” We would also like to thank our co-sponsors, The Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisattva Activity and Tuv Ha’Aretz.

Community members from Boulder County came to discuss the issues facing composting, recycling, and local farming. I have included several links below for the reader’s interest in other opportunities to be more conscious about how we impact the environment.

Restoring the Soul’s monthly Forums are presented by local experts who are personally involved with the topics. You may listen to the Forums regularly from 8:35-9:30 a.m. on KGNU 88.5 FM. Forum broadcasts will continue on the fourth Thursday of the following months:  January, February, April, May, July, August, October and November.

Additional green information that is mentioned in the broadcast:

Prescott Knock
Executive Director, Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisattva Activity                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Contact: prescottrk@hotmail.com to join the BCGreenProject and take advantage of: Free Energy Assessments, Composting Instruction, Discount Compostable Products, the Stop Junk Mail program etc.
Please see their website for more info about the BCGreenProject.

Leigh Cushing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Community Campaigns Coordinator, Eco-Cycle

Randy Bates                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Project Manager, Sustainable Ideas Consulting

Rabbi Marc Soloway                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Rabbi of Congregation Bonai Shalom
Tuv Ha’Aretz, Hazon, Boulder Jewish Commons Community Farm

 As seen left to right: Randy Bates, Rabbi Marc Soloway, Leigh Cushing, and Prescott Knock.

BCGreenProject Sponsors:
See above: BCBA, RTS Tuv’Ha’Atretz, Eco-Cycle, Sustainable Ideas Consulting, Eco-Products

BCGreenProject Supporters:
ReSource Tool Library

Sunflower Farmers Market Boulder

Mc Guckin Hardware Boulder

Real Goods Solar

CowGirl Skin Care

Additional Green Information Mentioned in the Broadcast:

Eco-Products

Red Wagon Organic Farm

Boulder County Recycling Guide

Get Rid of Stuff Eco-Cycle Exchange

Compostable Organics Out of Landfills by 2012

“The American dream is one of success, home ownership, college education for one’s children, and have a secure job to provide for these and other needs.” Leonard Boswell

What do you think has happened to the American dream? What is the future of it? How has it changed? What do you think younger and older generations are doing about it? Come express your opinions at our forum and listen to panelists discuss their own experience. Join us for our April 26th forum at 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. at Congregation Har HaShem

Here are some interesting articles we found about the subject:

Here are some interesting articles on our April Forum topic:

• No longer is the white picket fence the priority of families. Now the priority lies in the ability to support one’s family the best they can do in an uncertain world. Jobs are harder to come by and some people are having trouble feeding their families. The American dream has changed. Rather than being a life of individualism, we must collaborate to help one another during trying times. This website highlights a non-profit who is trying to do just that.
• What is your definition of the American Dream? This article says that, “Whereas the American Dream was once equated with certain principles of freedom, it is now equated with things. The American Dream has undergone a metamorphosis from principles to materialism.. than with the maintenance of principles, it is a sign of moral decay. And it is though such decay that loss of freedom occurs.” Please click on the quote to see more.
• Cost of social security, college education, and medical insurance. What does this mean for future generations, and how is this generation coping with these changes? Check out this article by clicking here.
• The American Dream is about equality- not wealth.

“Traditionally, Americans have sought to realize the American dream of success, fame and wealth through thrift and hard work. However, the industrialization of the 19th and 20th centuries began to erode the dream, replacing it with a philosophy of “get rich quick”. A variety of seductive but elusive strategies have evolved, and today the three leading ways to instant wealth are large-prize television game shows, big-jackpot state lotteries and compensation lawsuits. In this article, Matthew Warshauer, Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University, examines why so many Americans are persuaded to seek these easy ways to their dream.”

Please click here to read the rest of Matthew Warshauer’s article.

We’d like to thank our panelists for their time, extensive knowledge, and passion: Prescott Knock, The Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisatva Activity Leigh Cushing, Eco-Cycle Rabbi Marc Soloway, National Rabbinical Advisory Chair, Hazon Randy Bates, Sustainable Ideas.

Here are some articles for your enjoyment:

• If you haven’t heard of Bioneers, then I suggest you look into their website. The Bioneers Conference brings together several presenters to inspire us to shift our awareness towards the betterment of the environment and all that inhabit this Earth. There is a Bioneers Conference every year at the CU Boulder Campus.
• During our panel question and answer the topic of water came up. Is our water safe to drink? What about artisan wells? How is water filtered? These are all questions that are good to ask and look into deeper. Here is an article about the water struggles in Mexico, “For those who labor on the richest agricultural land in the nation, clean water is a luxury…” How can we live without water?
• Switching to clean energy saves YOU more money and helps the environment. This article tells you why and how it works. “We simply cannot afford to remain tethered to fossil fuels—they’re doing much too much damage to the public right now, and they’ll do even more in the long-term.” Click to read more.
• Eco-products specialize in compostable products; cups, plates, napkins, and utensils. Have you ever wondered what exactly happens when you compost your left-overs a compostable products? Check out this site about the 101 on composting.

Ever wonder how compost occurs? Here is a diagram that may help explain things:

Here are some interesting articles on our March Forum topic, “Greening of Our Faith Communities: Partnership and Sustainability.” Learn more March 22nd, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. at Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Road, Boulder.

• This website hosts a variety of case studies involving the greening of faith communities. It explores how congregations have created a more energy efficient and green community, its benefits, and how it works.
• Dr. Joanna Macy is an eco-philosopher, scholar in Buddhism, and an environmental/spiritual activist. She has been the voice in ecological, peace, and justice work. Click here to see more on her website and learn more about all the work she is doing globally.
• The Green Times collects articles relating to the environments well-being. Articles range from farming, activism, gatherings, eco-communities, latest news, natural health, waste, water, and youth.
• Our local, Elephant Journal, has a wide range of collected articles and blogs regarding sustainable living and green culture. Read this article about electronic waste. “Weak labor standards in China and many of the other developing countries where e-waste is sent—means that women and children are often directly exposed to lead and other hazardous materials.”
• Colorado Interfaith Power and Light’s mission is to educate and energize Colorado’s diverse faith communities to care for God’s creation. They focus on climate change as one of the most pressing threats to our planet. Click here to find out more about them!

Here is another interesting article about Christianity and green living: Christians who are going green face the same challenges as everyone on the planet in regards to environmental protection and other related issues. However, their challenges are compounded by the battles raging from within as politics and religion lock horns, upsetting the fragile balance that has been taken for granted worldwide. Like other religions, they are not just dealing with prejudices from their own, but through the lack of understanding from other religions, as the other religions themselves are facing as well. However, thanks to the meetings of world religious leaders, this time of religious differences is being eradicated as they find that combining forces through tolerance and better education about each other’s beliefs is essential for a green future, not just for the planet, but for all peoples. It has become a socially responsible and ethical duty instead of a choice that Christians are taking very seriously, much in the same way as Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and aboriginal religion followers are. Click here for the entire article!

“Greening of Our Faith Communities: Partnership
and Sustainability.”

Co-Sponsored:
The
Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisattva Activity
and
Tuv Ha’Aretz, Boulder’s Jewish CSA

Panelists:

Prescott Knock, Buddhist Coalition of Bodhisattva Activity, Randy Bates, Sustainable
Ideas Consulting, Leigh Cushing, Community
Campaigns Coordinator, Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation
Bonai Shalom, National Rabbinical Advisory Board Chair, Hazon

Facilitator:

Prescott Knock, Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisattva Activity

When: 
Thursday, March 22nd

TIME: 11:30-1 p.m.

HOST:
Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Rd.
Boulder 80303

A couple weeks ago I finished Jim Clifton’s The Coming Job War. Clifton is chairman and CEO of the Gallup Association and this work is the product of studying the data from surveying thousands of people “from Manhattan socialites to Masai mothers,” in 150 countries of the world. Clifton writes, “Six years into our global data collection effort, we may have already found the single most searing, clarifying, helpful, world-altering fact…What the whole world wants is a good job.

Clifton writes, “A good job is a job with a paycheck from an employer and steady work that averages 30+ hours / week.” (This is distinguished from, what I suspect the readers of this blog have—a great job. A great job includes a job where someone is concerned about your development and you get to engage in meaningful work.) A good job is not part-time selling chickens for your brother-in-law on the side of the road a couple times a month.  Clifton says that something fundamentally has changed in the thinking of people. “Humans used to desire love, money, food, shelter, safety, peace, and freedom more than anything else. The last 30 years have changed us. Now people want to have a good job, and they want their children to have a good job. This changes everything for world leaders…The desire for a good job is the current will of the world, and whether or not you have a good job defines your relationship with your city, your country, and the whole world around you.” Clifton goes on to say that, “all leaders—presidents, parents, priests, pastors, imams, teachers and CEOs need to consider jobs in all they do.”

So what can we do? Most every church, synagogue, or mosque has businessmen and businesswomen whom are usually seen as candidates to serve on the building committee, the finance committee, or the stewardship committee. What if…what if… one of your faith community’s goals was collectively to create 10 new sustainable jobs in 2012 as part of your God-given mission? What if businessmen and businesswomen were released and empowered to execute that which they do best—create jobs? Not church jobs but real “good jobs?” From the Judeo-Christian perspective, the first command given in Genesis was related to work. Man was placed in the garden to “work it” (production) and “care for it” (stewardship).  Part of God-given purpose is to work. If some business folks are thinking about laying off two employees; what if they were challenged to keep those employees AND create two new jobs instead? What would have to happen in the growth of that business to make that financially feasible? Could you surround that businessperson with resources to make that happen? Could you convene a meeting of business owners and randomly connect them to see if new business ideas might emerge? So pairing the owner of a plumbing business with the owner of a optical company; a restaurant owner might be paired with the owner of a storage company; a flooring company owner could be paired with a dentist. What new job ideas might emerge? (Think of Gutenberg combining the technology of the winepress with his expertise as a metallurgist to create the printing press.) Innovation happens in the space of unlikely
connections (See Steve Johnson’s Where Good Ideas Come From).

In Boulder, as in every society, there are three sectors: Public—government, Private—business, and Social—churches and other religious communities, human services, and non-profits. It’s important to remember that the Private sector funds both the Public and Social sectors through taxes to the Public sector and donations to the Social sector.  The vibrancy of any community rests with the vibrancy of the Private sector. The private sector rises and falls on jobs!

I’ve been thinking lately that we don’t need more nonprofits or faith-based non-profits that create more dependency when what the world craves is a good job. If your church or a wealthy individual in church had $250K to invest in your community, would the community not be better off if it was invested in creating sustainable, tax-generating, charity-donating jobs? Would a challenge like this ignite the passions of the business domain in your faith community? What if the reason God put business people on earth was to bring him glory by creating good jobs?

It’s not like we are without examples here locally. Think of our world-famous McGuckin Hardware. For years I’ve heard that extra profit simply translated into hiring more people and creating new jobs. Little wonder there are always knowledgeable, experienced people willing to help you find exactly what you  need. A friend of mine in Denver just made a $175K “donation” to a transitional housing organization to create a “call center” that would employ people.  Recently I spoke on this topic and the CEO created 3 new good jobs that week. People don’t want another hand-out. People want to provide for their families and to live out their creative purpose. They want a job. What will you do to help make that happen?

Here are a few tweetable excerpts from the book:

“There are currently only 1.2b good jobs…a global shortfall of 1.8b good jobs.”

“The lack of good jobs will become the root cause of almost all world problems.”

“Being out of work, for 18 months or more—is about the worst life you can have, anywhere in the world.”

“Humans used to desire love, money, food, shelter, safety, peace, etc. Now people want to have a good job.”

“A question for leaders: ‘Why is knowing that the whole world wants a good job everything to me?’”

“Leaders must realize that every decision they make should consider the impact first and foremost, on good jobs.”

“America’s most pressing problem according to Gallup, is a lack of good jobs.”

“The country doesn’t have enough good, full-time jobs for people who want to work.”

*We would like to thank Eric Swanson for his contribution. You can read his blog by clicking here.*

We would like to thank our panelists and all of the participants who joined us for our February Forum. Panelists discussed the important issue of unemployment. Our panelists were:

Edwina Salazar, OUR Center

Isabel McDevitt, Ready to Work

Sarah Wilson, Workforce Boulder County

Alice Swanson, Learn to Earn

Facilitator:

Beth Ornstein, Jewish Community Career Network

To be unemployed is a scary place to be. Unemployment can quickly lead to the possibility of homelessness. Jobs  have been scarce and employers have been decreasing their budget costs by laying off employees. This leaves those who are unemployed in a very competitive market. Those who do not have the skills, resume, or networking, can be left out in the cold…sometimes literally. However, Boulder County has ample resources available to those who are in need, rather one is a recent graduate, has been laid off, or is on the brink nof homelessness due to prior unfavorable circumstances. These services, as mentioned above, assist their clients in a variety of ways. Services include: childcare, homelessness prevention training, sheltering, shower and laundry vouchers, and a community voicemail system.

Workforce Boulder also works within businesses by collaborating with employers in order to fill open positions with local residents. Learn to Earn is a different kind of service. Learn to Earn offers assistance to recent college graduates. Due to a competitive job market, graduates are having trouble acquiring jobs. Much of this is due to the lack of employment history and bare resumes. Alice Swanson helps these students by giving workshops on how to interview focusing on one’s skills, rather than their career history. Swanson reminds students to make interviews all about the employer and how they can contribute to the business. Interviews shouldn’t be just about the interviewee anymore.

Please click on the highlighted organizations above to learn more about their individual services.

When: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012. 
Panel: 11:30-12:30, Q&A: 12:30-1:00

Where: Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Rd., Boulder 80303

*Image courtesy of the US Daily Review*

Facilitator:
Beth Ornstein, Committee Member, Jewish Community Career Network
 
Panelists:
Edwina Salazar, Executive Director, OUR Center Longmont, Alice Swanson, President, Learn to Earn, Isabel McDeVitt,  Program Manager, Ready to Work, Sarah Wilson,  Workforce Boulder County

Please join us at our free Forum. Snacks are provided or please bring a vegetarian lunch, as our host site is kosher. 

Restoring the Soul’s monthly Forums are presented by local experts who are personally involved with the topics. You may listen to the Forums regularly from 8:35-9:30 on KGNU 88.5 FM. Forum broadcasts will continue on the fourth Thursday of the following months:  January, February, April, May, July, August, October and November.