tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556045766459139462024-03-05T05:52:17.279-05:00The Overbrook FoundationThe Overbrook Foundation is a progressive family foundation that supports organizations advancing human rights and conserving the natural environment.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.comBlogger455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-26570259208603379372012-10-16T10:04:00.002-04:002012-10-16T11:04:29.711-04:00Environmental Grants Awarded<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">At
The Overbrook Foundation’s Fall Board Meeting, our Board of Directors
approved seven grants to be awarded <span style="font-size: x-small;">through the Foundation’s Environment
Program. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All seven of these organizations have been previously supported
by the Foundation, and with these grants, the Directors have renewed
their commitment to the organizations and their missions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Overbrook Foundation will award $45,000 to <a href="http://natureandculture.org/">Nature & Culture International</a> for its "Conservation Find for the Establishment and Management of Protected Areas by Municipal Governments in Southern Ecuador." <span style="color: black;">NCI spearheaded the idea of payments for ecosystem services in Ecuador
and successfully established a water fund in Lojas, whereby upstream
communities are compensated for forest conservation so that downstream urban
residents are guaranteed clean drinking water. This win–win proposition is now
being expanded into several other municipalities in Ecuador and is a promising
tool for ensuring the conservation of some of the world’s most diverse yet
highly threatened biodiversity. </span></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Managed Forests in Amazonian Brazil” initiative. The program helps trai<span style="font-size: x-small;">ning courses for woodsmen ("mateiros") in th<span style="font-size: x-small;">e Brazilian Amazon<span style="font-size: x-small;">, which has <span style="font-size: x-small;">alrea<span style="font-size: x-small;">dy graduated dozens <span style="font-size: x-small;">of local community<span style="font-size: x-small;"> members. The<span style="font-size: x-small;">se woodsmen ar<span style="font-size: x-small;">e trained to distinguish rare and <span style="font-size: x-small;">endangered tree species, and are an important counter to the larger tim<span style="font-size: x-small;">ber companies that <span style="font-size: x-small;">either mi<span style="font-size: x-small;">sidentify or <span style="font-size: x-small;">lump together endangered with non-endangered tree species. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.storyofstuff.org/">The Story of Stuff Projec</a>t will <span style="font-size: x-small;">rec<span style="font-size: x-small;">eive</span></span> $40,000 to continue i<span style="font-size: x-small;">ts ground<span style="font-size: x-small;">breaking work examining our relationship with<span style="font-size: x-small;"> mass consumption and production<span style="font-size: x-small;"> thr<span style="font-size: x-small;">ough <span style="font-size: x-small;">its innovative <span style="font-size: x-small;">lens. It will produce and distribute t<span style="font-size: x-small;">wo animated movies - The Story of Change and <span style="font-size: x-small;">The Story of Solutions, produce and r<span style="font-size: x-small;">elease several PSA-len<span style="font-size: x-small;">gth animated videos, and produce a mont<span style="font-size: x-small;">hly audio po<span style="font-size: x-small;">dcast called <span style="font-size: x-small;">The Good Stuff. Check it out!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Overbrook Foundation will give $30,000 to<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.no-burn.org/">GAIA</a> (the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) for its programs in the United States and Canada. A truly global grassroots organization, its has seen successes from Malaysia to South Africa to Argentina. In the coming year, GAIA will convene its first Cities Meeting in San Fransisco, using<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>its success as a "Zero Waste" city as <span style="font-size: x-small;">inspiration</span>. GAIA will also release a comprehensive report on recycling-worker health and safety. In New York City, GAIA will share its expertise with City government and rally against 'waste-to-energy' incineration plants, currently being explored by the City as a landfill alternative. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Overbrook Foundation will award $40,000 to<a href="http://www.urbangreencouncil.org/Home"> Urban Green</a> as it continues to expand its operations in New York City. Urban Green is just over 10 years old, but has already grown to over 1,000 members and 50 corporate sponsors. It founded the NYC Green Codes Task Force, which released its report in 2011 and has already had 30 of its 111 recommendations enacted into law. U<span style="color: black;">rban green also organizes several certification programs and acts as the official provider of USGBC LEED workshops in NYC. law. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.islandpress.org/index.html">Island Press</a> will receive $25,000 to continue its work publishing and disseminating new ideas and tools for environmental problem solving. Its Fall 2012 publishing line-up includes:
Corporation 2020; Good Urbanism; Reshaping Metropolitan America; and Transport
Beyond Oil. Island Press is also continuing to expand its
E-ssentials program, digital-only works that are easily downloadable and short
enough to be read in a few hours.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In all, the Overbrook Foundation’s Environmental Program, as directed by the Board, awarded a total of $260,000 in grants. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
always, you can learn more about these grantees on their websites by
clicking on their names in this post. Congratulations to these grantees
and we look forward to their work promoting rainforest protection and sustainable consumption in the year to
come!</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-31747782355027345352012-10-04T14:00:00.001-04:002012-10-04T14:00:24.915-04:00Rainforest Alliance in the Wall Street Journal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Rainforest Alliance and Tensie Whelan - its executive director - were featured in the Wall Street Journal on October 3rd. The article can be found <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443768804578034624070688536.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
The article's author goes on a shopping tour with Tensie at the Union Square Whole Foods market, where she helps demystify the varied and ubiquitous terms we see everyday - from the more substantiated 'fair trade' and 'USDA 100% organic' - to the vaguer 'whole grains' and 'heart healthy.' And of course, she pointed out the Rainforest Alliance's iconic 'blue frog' located on many products, from chocolate to coffee to fruit. Ms. Whelan also noted the Rainforest Alliance's multiple recent victories, from signing on Lipton, which buys 12% of the world's tea, to certifying the first sustainable cattle program.<br />
<br />
Even The Wall Street Journal had be impressed by that. </div>
Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-27199270044881276572012-09-24T15:10:00.001-04:002012-09-24T15:10:58.548-04:00We're All Urban Planners?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://ioby.org/about/progress">Ioby</a>, one of Overbrook's grantees, is the star feature of an article in <i>Forefront</i>, a publication of <a href="http://americancity.org/about">The Next American City</a> organization. Entitled "When We're All Urban Planners," the article considers the fast-developing crossroads of urban planning, crowd sourcing, new media, and the role - small or large - we all soon could play in the development of our cities. <br />
<br />
As municipal governments face increasing pressure both on their budgets and to be more responsive to their communities, several tools have emerged to fill the gap. One example is <a href="http://neighbor.ly/">Neighborly</a>, a software offering information and crowdsourcing for major planning projects proposed by cities and civic organizations. Another is city-sponsored crowdsourcing: <a href="http://nyc.changeby.us/">Change by Us NYC</a>, which awards grants to small projects. On the more technical end, there's <a href="http://seeclickfix.com/">SeeClickFix</a>, which routes reports of potholes and other minor mishaps to the appropriate government office. But foremost in the article's analysis was ioby, which it highlighted as an organization that has managed to successfully combine community participation, small-scale projects, and a metric-focused online platform.And not only has it raised over $100,000 for projects since 2009, it has now gone national. <br />
<br />
The article also noted the concerns raised by some that these online efforts would lead to a shifting of responsibility by municipalities. If individuals could identify <i>and</i> raise money to address issues like fixing potholes or building rec centers, would other traditional government roles would become community burdens?<br />
<br />
Still, the possibilities from combining a refocus on community-level projects with new online methods for increasing communication and fundraising vastly outweigh their potential drawbacks. Certainly, Nuala Gallagher would agree - ioby helped her raise $6,200 for a chicken coop for <a href="http://cypresshills.org/verde.html">Cypress Hill Verde</a>. The community improvement group can now grow chickens and provide free eggs and protein to a neighborhood categorized as a 'food desert.' The project might not make headlines, but for the individuals who contributed and the individuals who will benefit, it matters a very great deal.And for a world increasingly tech-savvy yet fragmented, it may mean we can become involved in our community's development in a way never before possible; we can become our cities own urban planners. </div>
Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-39881771667696459782012-08-28T10:21:00.001-04:002012-08-28T10:21:32.873-04:00Time to Face the Music<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Gibson Guitar Corporation was <a href="http://eia-global.org/PDF/Gibson%20Release.pdf">fined $600,000 this month </a>by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for its use of tropical hardwoods, in violation of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacey_Act_of_1900">Lacey Act</a>.<br />
<br />
The Environmental Investigations Agency (EIA), an Overbrook grantee, conducted on-the-ground investigations of Gibson's activities in 2008 and 2009, the findings of which resulted in a criminal investigation by the DOJ. Gibson had been purchasing hardwoods from the forests of Madagascar for the production of its instruments, knowing that the sale violated local laws as well as the Lacey Act.<br />
<br />
The Act itself dates back to 1900, but was expanded in 2008 to cover more species, uphold other countries' conservation laws as well as those of the U.S., and provide for more stringent penalties. The revisions were met with strong opposition by conservatives in Congress, but nonetheless passed and have proven not only to be effective (illegal logging is down 22% globally), but possessed of enforcement teeth.<br />
<br />
In Gibson's case, EIA's initial investigation led to raids by federal authorities, where illegally harvested rosewood and ebony were discovered. Gibson's admission of guilt in 2011 led to imposition of several fines, and has been a highly-publicized example of the U.S. government holding a corporation to task for violation of international conservation laws. This, in an era of increasing antipathy to environmental regulations of any sort, is an important victory for the environmental community, and will hopefully encourage other importers of wood and plant species to whistle a more sustainable tune. </div>
Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-20301868298401361732012-08-02T15:22:00.002-04:002012-08-02T15:22:41.935-04:00The Story of Change Released!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Overbrook grantee, <a href="http://www.storyofstuff.org/">The Story of Stuff Project</a>, has released its new video, "The Story of Change." It examines changemaking throughout history, and encourages individuals to think not only about change in their individual lives (e.g. I'm going organic, or I'm recycling), but about how they can effect change in our communities.<br />
<br />
The Story of Stuff's first video, "The Story of Stuff" received over 20 million views, and its founder Annie Leonard has become a leading advocate for changing the way we think about - and act within - our current consumer production and consumption models. <br />
<br />
The press release can be read <a href="http://www.storyofstuff.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SoChangePressRelease.pdf">here</a>, and the video can be viewed <a href="http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-change/">here</a>. </div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-20158603883843211792012-07-30T10:01:00.001-04:002012-07-30T10:01:23.796-04:00YouTube's New Face-Blurring Tool: An Important Step for User Privacy and Safety<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Last week YouTube announced the release of a new tool that
will allow users to obscure people’s faces in the videos they have uploaded to
the video-sharing platform. By simply pushing a button in your
settings to upload and post videos, you can now opt to protect the anonymity of
individuals or crowds by blurring their faces from outside recognition. YouTube has </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2012/07/face-blurring-when-footage-requires.html">blogged</a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> about the new feature and how use it
for those interested in the how to use the tool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The use of technology in the form of cell phones, video,
social media and more have been such important tools for growing human rights
work. However, these advances come with
associated safety costs. When individuals choose to post videos that expose and
document protests, human rights abuses or interviews with advocates, they are
often putting themselves at risk. We
have seen governments and non-state actors targeting human rights advocates who
appear in videos that may challenge the powerful in a given society. Monitoring video and other forms of
technology has provided governments and others with data on protesters or human
rights advocates giving them the capacity to arrest or target human rights
defenders. As a result, YouTube’s new
tool has enormous potential to protect human rights defenders and citizen
activists, while still allowing them to take advantage of the valuable
opportunity to share important footage across the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Through its <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/db5da2dee5/1cc7239e1e/307213f77b" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Cameras Everywhere Report</span></a>’s
recommendations and its advocacy work, WITNESS has used its role as a leading
human rights video advocacy to urge tech companies, including YouTube, to
provide better policies and technologies to ensure privacy for those using their
platforms. The report highlighted the fact that no video-sharing platforms provided
anonymity features to users. Now after
hard work by groups like WITNESS to achieve this shift and the leadership of
groups like YouTube, this reality is beginning to change. This advocacy
strategy presents an interesting approach to defending human rights defenders
because the role of tech companies in impacting individuals’ rights to
information and privacy continues to grow.
We believe these victories and partnerships are extremely important to
the future of human rights activism and the safety of those advocating for human rights accountability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Some related articles sent to us by WITNESS are found in </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/1685cdea90">The Los
Angeles Times</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/b43c121d8c">The
Atlantic</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/1395dcbdd3">Mashable</a>,
<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/e1e48b7323">Fast
Company</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/96918fbaf9">Ars
Technica</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/932bc71e10">Global
Voices Advocacy</a> and <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/650de6047c/ref=technology">The
New York Times</a>.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> And, here is WITNESS's <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Witness/d333035abb/e607e0cc33/11aae34002">blog post</a>
on the subject if you are interested in this tool and WITNESS’s complimentary work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-17311984342031376272012-07-03T15:11:00.003-04:002012-07-03T15:11:37.765-04:00Want Less Waste, or Not?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>United State of Waste </b></div>
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We are surrounded by our waste - at least, our future waste. Even if we pride ourselves on recycling our soda cans or finishing the remains of our Chinese food to avoid throwing it out, we generate it in ever-increasing numbers. New York City residents produce about <a href="http://www.grownyc.org/recycling/facts">12,000 tonnes of waste each day</a> - that's the rough equivalent of 3000 elephants - and we recycle only about 17% of it. The United States as whole generates more than <a href="http://www.grownyc.org/recycling/facts">50% of the world's solid waste</a>. And the waste we produce keeps getting more toxic and less biodegradable. </div>
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<b>So where does it go?</b></div>
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Once that garbage is sent down the chute, or finally stops smelling up the sidewalk on a hot July day, there are a limited number of places the waste can go. It can go to a landfill, where, if unregulated, the waste decomposes, produces methane, and can potentially leach toxic chemicals into the ground and into neighborhoods. </div>
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The garbage can be sent to incinerators or "Waste 2 Energy" plants. While technology has vastly improved since the traditional 'just burn it' approach, it is impossible for the incinerators to fully capture all the smoke, ash, and chemicals released. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Members of the Overbrook grantee network <a href="http://www.no-burn.org/">Gaia </a>(the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) have made a movie called "Trashed" - viewable <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UM73CEvwMY">here </a>- which highlights the potential dangers of these kinds of incinerators. In another, it highlights how oceans are now home to<a href="http://plasticsoupfoundation.org/eng/pictures/"> vast plastic particle soups</a>; so contaminated that marine life is having trouble reproducing. </div>
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<b>So what can we do?</b></div>
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We've all heard a hundred ways to improve the situation: bring your own bag to the supermarket. Reuse glass containers. Buy vintage! While individual actions do go a long way, it is obvious that more must be done, and on a larger-scale. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For example, to reduce the waste that we do produce, San Francisco has pioneered a <a href="http://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste">"Zero Waste" campaign</a> where almost nothing is sent to either landfills or incinerators. </div>
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We also need increased transparency by businesses and awareness by consumers of the chemical compounds that coat most products - and the effects they can have on our bodies. </div>
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And besides innovative re-imaginings for packaging - like <a href="http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2012/06/repacking-the-future/">this </a>use of fungus, we also need to re-package the way industry is responsible for and deals with its waste - a challenge Overbrook grantee <a href="http://www.productstewardship.us/">the Product Stewardship Institute</a> is currently tacking. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And knowing that one day soon: there will be nowhere to waste-away: it will come back home to us. </div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-67272961648886980062012-06-25T11:39:00.001-04:002012-06-25T11:39:24.388-04:00IOBY Now in YOUR Backyard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://ioby.org/">Ioby</a>, Overbrook grantee and the crowd-sourced online platform for local environmental projects in New York City, is going national. Founded in 2009 by three friends looking to change the world, one city block at a time, ioby has since channeled over $250,000 to projects ranging from community gardens to park cleanups to solar powered film series.<br />
<br />
The difference between ioby and other fundraising sites is its scale: $980 is the average amount raised per project. Smaller donations mean more individuals can participate: potential project developers need not worry their project is too small to attract interest, and potential donors know that even $20 will make a measurable difference. Ioby also helps foster a sense of community by focusing on local projects funded by local donors; being able to see the garden grow, literally in your backyard, can deliver a more potent sense of empowerment than contributing to a global campaign.<br />
<br />
Ioby's success in New York City has also allowed it to expand: it recently launched nationwide. Now citizens in Boise as well as the Bronx, Staten Island and Sante Fe, can raise money and contribute to local projects. <br />
<br />
You can watch a short video of ioby co-founders Erin Barnes and Brandon Whitney <a href="http://sir.tv/profile/erin-barnes-brandon-whitney%20">here</a>. And check out ioby's progress (and maybe even fund a project!) <a href="http://ioby.org/projects/map?status=1">here</a>:</div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-28481932051865210542012-06-20T09:36:00.003-04:002012-06-20T16:07:54.872-04:00On The Media in Mexico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">While
we will be covering this in more detail in the next week, we wanted to let you all
know that On the Media’s Brook Gladstone and </span>Sarah Abdurrahman<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">, and WNYC’s Marianne McCune are in Mexico for a special trip
to report on the Mexican press. This is timely moment to cover as the press,
social media users and others turn their attention to the upcoming presidential
election in Mexico. OTM plans to explore the media's coverage of the election, the power of the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a;">#YoSoy132 movement</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a;">pushing for democracy and media reform, the structure of the Mexican media, and the threats Mexican journalists face for
engaging in their work. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">In the
weeks leading up to the program, you can follow the OTM team by listening to
Brooke’s <a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/blogs/on-the-media/2012/jun/12/brooke-speaks-brian-lehrer-mexico/"><span style="color: #343434;">interview</span></a> with WNYC’s Brian Lehrer, reading <a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/tags/otm_in_mexico/"><span style="color: #343434;">blog
updates</span></a> on the OTM website, or following <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/onthemedia"><span style="color: #343434;">@onthemedia</span></a>
or the hash tag <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23otminmexico"><span style="color: #343434;">#otminmexico</span></a>. Already, the team has reported
on their experience in a large political protest in Mexico City. Stay tuned for
more updates on the project! This special program will air the weekend of June 23-24 in most locations.* For those of you in New York, it airs on WNYC on Saturdays at 7 AM and Sundays at 10 AM. If you miss it in real time, you can also always download the podcast or stream it online at <a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/">www.onthemedia.org</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Overbrook
is proud to support this trip because of our belief in the importance of the
work of Mexican journalists to bring human rights issues to light and the
quality analysis of domestic and international media by the On the Media team.
We suggest you all tune in this weekend to learn a little bit more about the
state of the media for our neighbors to the south!</span><u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*An earlier version of this blog post suggested that the program on Mexico would be the June 15, 2012 episode rather than airing the following week. </span></div>
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-56910071652829669452012-06-18T15:45:00.000-04:002012-06-27T14:51:01.529-04:00Overbrook grantee helps block mega-development near UNESCO-recognized marine park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In a victory for the conservationist community and the fragile marine ecosystem in Cabo Pulma, President Felipe Calderon of Mexico announced last week that a controversial mega-development project in the area would not go forward.<br />
<br />
The proposed $2 billion construction project envisioned 490 boat slips, two golf courses, seven hotels with 27,000
guestrooms for tourists and 5,000 worker residences, all within a short distance from the Cabo Pulma marine park. The 17,000+ acre park was designated off-limits to fishing in 1995, and has seen a 460% increase in marine life over the last 10 years.<br />
<br />
Environmental organizations, including <a href="http://www.pronatura-noroeste.org/index.php?op=programas#">Pronatura Noroeste</a>, one of Overbrook's grantees, fought vigorously against the proposal, claiming that Hansa Urbana SA, the firm behind the project, could not show that it would not have a significant negative effect on the UNESCO-recognized marine park.<br />
<br />
On June 14, President Calderon acknowledged these concerns, as well as the petition signed by over 220,000 Mexican citizens, and withdrew the provisional permits granted to Hansa in 2008. As Patricia Arendar, the head of Greenpeace Mexico, puts it: "canceling Cabo Cortes is a triumph for Mexicans who raised their voice
to demand that the president . . . stop favoring the interests of
plundering businesses." It's also a triumph for the 20,000 year-old Cabo Pulma marine park, which was recognized by the Scripps Institution as "the world's most robust marine reserve."<br />
<br />
Viva los peces!</div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-86347790309551057672012-06-13T10:43:00.001-04:002012-06-13T16:32:43.068-04:00Human Rights Grants Awarded at The Overbrook Foundation's June Board Meeting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Overbrook Foundation’s Board of Directors met for the June
Board meeting and voted to award eighteen grants through the Foundation’s Human
Rights program. The Board will award a total of $715,000 in
grants to a range of legal and policy advocacy, media, and service-providing
organizations operating in the US and Latin America.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Four
of these grantees will continue their work to strengthen a domestic human
rights movement. <a href="http://www.facinghistory.org/">Facing
History and Ourselves</a> will receive $20,000 grant for the Promoting Human Rights Education in Secondary
Schools. <a href="http://www.innocenceproject.org/">The Innocence Project</a> and The <a href="http://www.nyclu.org/">New
York Civil Liberties Union</a> will each receive $40,000 grants. In the case of
the NYCLU, this grant will be used for the organization’s incorporation of a
human rights framework into their efforts to advance civil liberties. The Innocence Project will continue in its
work to exonerate those wrongfully convicted and to use these cases to inform
criminal justice reform policy. As in
the past, the <a href="http://www.urbanjustice.org/">Urban Justice Center</a>’s
<a href="http://www.hrpujc.org/">Human Rights Project</a> and <a href="http://www.sexworkersproject.org/">Sex Workers Project</a> will receive grants totaling $55,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In
2012, Overbrook will continue to offer grants to <a href="http://www.freedomtomarry.org/">Freedom to Marry</a> and <a href="http://www.lambdalegal.org/">Lambda Legal</a> for their work to promote
marriage equality in the US. The
organizations will be given grants of $45000 and $70000 respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Foundation renews its commitment to Reproductive Justice
through awarding a grant of $45,000 to <a href="http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/">Advocates for Youth</a> and $30,000 to
<a href="http://clpp.hampshire.edu/">Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program</a>.
Additionally, a $25,000 grant will be
awarded to <a href="http://www.forwardtogether.org/">Forward Together</a> for
the organization’s 2012 Strong
Families Summit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Supporting
media as a means for promoting democratic discourse has also been a priority to
the Foundation. In June, Overbrook will
extend this commitment with a $35,000 grant to <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/">Mother Jones</a>’ Human Rights Journalism
Project and $50,000 grant
for <a href="http://www.npr.org/">NPR</a>'s Coverage of the Environment and Human
Rights. <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/">WNYC</a>’s
<a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/">On the Media</a> will
receive $55,000 for its programs over the next year and in particular the
show’s trip to Mexico.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As defenders
of human rights defenders, <a href="http://www.pbiusa.org/">Peace Brigades
International</a> will receive a $30,000 grant for protecting Human Rights Defenders
in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia. <a href="http://www.fondoaccionurgente.org.co/">The Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights – Latin America</a>’s grant for general operating
support will also be renewed at $40,000. <a href="http://www.witness.org/">WITNESS</a>’s
programs for Video Advocacy in the Americas will be awarded $45,000 to continue
this important work to support human rights defenders’ safety and advocacy
campaigns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
Foundation’s priority to support Reproductive Rights in Latin America will be advanced
through three grants. First, the <a href="http://www.cdh.uchile.cl/">Human Rights Center at University
of Chile Law School</a> will receive $50,000 grant for its 2012 International Human
Rights Fellowship Program. Second, a $40,000
grant will be awarded to <a href="http://www.ippfwhr.org/">International Planned Parenthood Federation
Western Hemisphere Region</a>. Finally, <a href="http://www.womenslinkworldwide.org/wlw/new.php">Women’s
Link Worldwide</a> will receive a grant of $25,000 for its work in
Latin America as the organization’s first grant from the Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We
would like to congratulate these organizations on their fine work to advance
human rights and we look forward to see the exciting progress they make on
these projects over the next year. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-15863511209505131402012-06-11T14:39:00.001-04:002012-06-11T14:39:17.461-04:00Environmental Grants Awarded<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>At
The Overbrook Foundation’s Summer Board Meeting, our Board of Directors
approved eight grants to be awarded through the Foundation’s Environmental
Program. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>All eight of these organizations have been previously supported
by the Foundation, and with these grants, the Directors have renewed
their commitment to the organizations and their missions.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The Overbrook Foundation will award $35,000 to <a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/about">Earthworks </a>for its "No Dirty Gold Campaign." The campaign is a market-based effort aimed at bring responsible practices to the mining industry. Its successes include preventing the opening of a gold mine in Yellowstone National Park and helping to stop oil development in Yosemite National Park.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The <a href="http://www.eia-global.org/">Environmental Investigations Agency (EIA)</a> will receive $55,000 for its efforts in reporting on, and helping to enforce, the <a href="http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/">Lacey Act</a>. The Act forbids </span></span>trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that
have been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold, and allows for civil and criminal prosecution for such violations. EIA will use the grant award primarily to bolster investigations related to illegal wood sourcing in Latin America. </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>$70,000 will be awarded to <a href="http://www.cordilleratropical.org/">Fundacion Cordillera Tropical</a> for its work with Ecuadorian communities in the area near southern Sangay National Park. The Foundation is dedicated to empowering local communities to sustainably manage natural resources, and will use the grant money to develop and implement payment for ecological services in the Dudas watershed region. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The <a href="http://www.ran.org/">Rainforest Action Network (RAN)</a> will receive $40,000 for its campaign to convince Cargill - a multinational production and marketing company - to adopt stricter palm oil safeguards by October 2013. RAN hopes that such adoption will convince other companies to follow suit, and thus help reduce the high social and environmental harms of the current palm oil trade, especially in areas of tropical forests. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><a href="http://www.cleanproduction.org/Home.php">Clean Production Action</a> (CAP), an entrepreneurial NGO, will use the $60,000 grant from the Overbrook Foundation to scale-up its GreenScreen (GS) and BizNGO programs. <a href="http://www.cleanproduction.org/Greenscreen.php">GS</a> is currently the leading application for identifying safer chemicals, and <a href="http://www.bizngo.org/sustainable.php">BizNGO</a> is part of a multi-stakeholder effort to increase sustainability and safety in the chemical, plastics, and materials sectors. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>$20,000 will be awarded to the <a href="http://www.greenpressinitiative.org/">Green Press Initiative</a> (GPI), an initiative committed to reducing the environmental impacts of the paper and pulp industries. The award will be spent with a view to reaching the 2012 treatise paper-related benchmarks of 30% recycled/ 20% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified (the industry is now at 24% and 16%, respectively). GPI will also continue its partnership with the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) to finalize a carbon accounting methodology. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The <a href="http://www.laane.org/about-laane/">Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)</a> will receive a $35,000 grant for its "Don't Waste LA" project. This initiative aims to transform the waste and recycling industry in LA and other cities in LA County and create a model for sustainable waste management for the U.S., and is part of LAANE's broader efforts to transform conditions in underserved neighborhoods. The award will also be spent on developing a competitive franchise policy that maximizes recycling and establishes safety, labor and environmental standards for hauling and processing facilities.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Finally, $20,000 will be awarded to the <a href="http://www.productstewardship.us/">Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) </a>for its efforts to bring together diverse stakeholders in the product stewardship arena and create a more comprehensive and effective set of policies and initiatives. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In all, the Overbrook Foundation’s Environmental Program, as directed by the Board, awarded a total of $360,000 in grants. <span> </span> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
always, you can learn more about these grantees on their websites by
clicking on their names in this post. Congratulations to these grantees
and we look forward to their work promoting rainforest protection and sustainable consumption in the year to
come!</span></span></div>
</div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-86544354722375340742012-06-11T11:55:00.002-04:002012-06-11T11:55:17.952-04:00Dialing C for Carbon Offset<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Surui tribe in Brazil recently became the first indigenous community to receive independent authentication of a carbon offset project.Developed over four years in conjunction with <a href="http://www.google.com/earth/outreach/index.html">Google Earth Outreach</a>, the project employed Android phones to help map the Surui's rainforest lands and measure itscorresponding carbon stocks.<br />
<br />
The Surui Chief Almir Naramagoya Surui first contacted Google Earth in 2008, requesting access to available technology to address the rampant logging in the area. With the "Open Data Kit" for Android phones provided by Google Earth, they were then able to both photograph the illegal logging, and collect data on the carbon captured by remaining rainforest stocks. <br />
<br />
They then used this information to apply for carbon credit certification through both the Verified Carbon Standard
(VCS) and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Gold Standard.
The tribe will now be able to sell and trade the carbon offsets on the global carbon market, and use the money earned to reinvest in protecting their homeland. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.green-markets.org/Downloads/vCarbon.pdf">voluntary carbon market</a> is a slow-growing, but potentially vast market, where organizations, businesses, and even individuals can purchase carbon credits to offset their own emissions. The entrance by the Surui into the carbon market represents an important step in including not just large renewable energy projects and producers, but smaller communities that can protect existing ecosystems from further degradation. </div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-20195333843093003582012-05-31T16:43:00.005-04:002012-06-01T09:20:10.972-04:00First Circuit Court Upholds Ruling that DOMA is Unconstitutional<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> 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6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Today marks another successful step towards dismantling the federal ban on marriage equality as the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A unanimous decision from a three-judge panel ruled that DOMA denies same-sex married couples the federal rights and privileges afforded to heterosexual couples across the United States despite the recognition of same-sex marriages in certain states. This decision responds to two cases; one brought by the state of Massachusetts and the other, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, by Overbrook Grantee <a href="http://www.glad.org/uploads/docs/cases/gill-v-office-of-personnel-management/2012-may-31-gill-v-opm-first-circuit-ruling.pdf">Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders</a> (GLAD).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">GLAD is a New England-based organization using legal advocacy to fight discrimination against Americans based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Overbrook Foundation specifically supports the organization for its work to challenge the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. Today’s decision is a victory for the movement to advance the freedom to marry in the United States. <em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">It is another important step as the momentum of support for same-sex marriage only continues to expand in 2011 and 2012</span></em>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">While, as reporters, advocates and allies have recognized, this is only the first decision in the federal appeals process for the cases. Nevertheless, it does represent one more step towards these cases reaching the Supreme Court and the eventuality of the highest court ruling on the constitutionality of DOMA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Beyond advocacy work on the state-level to recognize and allow same-sex marriage, repealing DOMA continues to be an extremely important objective for the movement</span></em>.<em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></em>We are proud to support GLAD as it continues with its excellent legal work and its determination to eventually eliminate this discriminatory federal law.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">For more information, GLAD has published a </span></em><a href="http://www.glad.org/current/item/u.s.-first-circuit-appeals-court-rules-doma-unconstitutional/">press release</a><em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"> and the court’s written </span></em><a href="http://www.glad.org/uploads/docs/cases/gill-v-office-of-personnel-management/2012-may-31-gill-v-opm-first-circuit-ruling.pdf">decision</a><em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"> after the case was decided. </span></em><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mainstream media outlets, such as the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/05/31/us/ap-us-gay-marriage-federal-benefits.html?hp">New York Times</a>, have also picked up this news of this decision and I am sure there will be more opinion and news coverage in the next few days. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-25577003697461208032012-05-30T16:28:00.000-04:002012-06-19T18:29:54.982-04:00New 2011 Catalyst Fund Evaluation Released<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Overbrook Foundation’s grantee, the <a href="http://groundswellfund.org/grantmaking-vehicles/catalyst-fund">Catalyst Fund</a>, has released its annual <a href="http://groundswellfund.org/assets/files/Catalyst-2011-Evaluation.pdf">evaluation</a> (conducted by Korwin Consulting) of the fund’s activities and those of its partners and grantees in 2011. This report provides an analysis of the work of the Catalyst Fund to expand the amount of available funds going to support grassroots Women of Color-led reproductive justice organizations. In doing so, the report also provides a sense of the challenges and opportunities facing the reproductive justice field as a whole across the country. It explains the diminishing funds going to support this work even though the impact of the groups has been higher in 2011</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">The report lays out the model for the fund. 26 national foundations support Catalyst which then gives grants to 12 women’s foundations around the country. In turn, these women’s foundations must raise the money to match the grant from Catalyst and then use both of these amounts to grant to 96 grassroots reproductive justice groups. In spite of the economic downturn, the Catalyst Fund has encouraged donors, including many individual donors, to move $8.6 million in new money to support the reproductive justice field since 2008. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Beyond the explanation of this exciting funding mechanism this gives a great overview of the reproductive justice movement and the field. It introduces the issues being addressed by these groups (ranging from abortion access to parenting rights to environmental justice) and the communities being served. It also reports the number of organizations that are engaging in different strategies like alliance building, policy advocacy, community organizing and more. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">As the report states, “Collectively, Catalyst grantees in 2011 were instrumental in the passage of 10 laws and 10 non-legislative policies while blocking passage of 28 harmful new laws and protecting two existing policies from repeal.” The evaluation also addresses the challenges to the fund’s work and in the field as a whole. It highlights the fund raising, communications and capacity difficulties for the groups as well as the current political environment which can be both helpful and harmful to their efforts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">In addition to the quantitative data on policy victories, opinion leaders influenced and alliances built, qualitative interviews and stories of the grassroots groups’ work reveal why foundations and other partners, including Overbrook, have been so excited to be a part of this project. The evaluation reveals that this work is not easy, but these groups are continuing to demonstrate impact. From our perspective, supporting local grassroots groups working on the issues most important to their communities and led by those who are most impacted by reproductive health inequities is essential to expanding access to reproductive justice here in the United States. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Please click <a href="http://groundswellfund.org/assets/files/Catalyst%202011%20Snapshot%20FINAL.pdf">here</a> to read the report’s summary and <a href="http://groundswellfund.org/assets/files/Catalyst-2011-Evaluation.pdf">here</a> to read the full evaluation found on the Groundswell Fund’s (which houses the Catalyst Fund among two other reproductive justice funds) website. </span></div>
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-7213280828507789132012-05-25T13:16:00.001-04:002012-05-25T13:16:41.038-04:00Two Overbrook Grantees Help Establish Clearwater, an Indigenous Ecuadorian Initiative to Provide Communities with Clean Water<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Flowing from the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/world/americas/15ecuador.html">February 14 2011 decision by an Ecuadorian court finding Chevron guilty</a> of dumping oil and contaminants in the Amazonian rainforest over decades, indigenous Ecuadorian communities and a coalition of non-profits - including Overbrook grantees Rainforest Action Network and Amazon Watch - founded <a href="http://clearwater./">ClearWater</a> in late 2011. This initiative aims to provide clean water in areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon hardest hit by years of oil pollution.</div>
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In early October, 2011, the ClearWater pilot
project broke ground in the community of Cofan Dureno, with the
community-led installation of 52 rainwater catchment systems (please see <a href="http://www.giveclearwater.org/project/" target="_blank">here </a>for an example of the installation of a catchment system).</div>
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The basins are intended to reduce dependency on river systems for water, which have been heavily polluted through oil extraction activities. They cost about $1200 per family, but are also easy to install and can last up to 50 years if maintained properly. Further, not only are the systems ideal for rural areas, but the specially designed filtered catchment units will enable
families, health clinics and schools to have clean water. </div>
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<a href="http://amazonwatch.org/">Amazon Watch</a> and <a href="http://www.ran.org/">Rainforest Action Network</a> are key partners in this effort and are active in helping to raise awareness for the project, which not only offers Amazonian communities safe drinking water, but highlights their decades-long struggle to achieve recognition and reparations for destruction of their environment and way-of-life. </div>
</div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-49966044449796860412012-05-18T14:21:00.000-04:002012-05-18T14:21:14.513-04:00Overbrook Grantee 350.org helps introduce the End Polluter Welfare Act into Congress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On May 10th, Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and Rep. Keith Ellison (MN), joined by Overbrook Grantee 350.org, introduced the <a href="http://www.350.org/sites/all/files/one_pager_fossil_fuel_subsidy_bill.pdf" target="_blank">"End Polluter Welfare Act"</a> legislation into Congress. The bill aims at cutting billions in federal subsidies currently given to the oil, coal, and gas industries.<br />
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The bill notes that fossil fuels are subsidized at 6 times the rate of renewable energies: $72 billion in 2002-2008, compared with $12.2 billion for renewables. By contrast, in 2011 alone, the five largest oil companies earned a combined $137 billion. Furthermore, the new bill would not only prevent millions of tons annual carbon emissions, it would save billions of dollars. For example, $12 billion would be saved by repealing a 2004 law that allows fossil fuel corporations to take deductions by claiming they are manufacturers, one of many such exemptions.<br />
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The efforts of Bernie Sanders and Keith Ellison were supported by <a href="http://350.org/" target="_blank">350.org</a>, a global grassroots coalition that seeks to curb carbon emissions by using social media and online campaigns to catalyze public protests. For instance, in the wake of the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/environment/la-me-gs-unabomber-billboard-continues-to-hurt-heartland-institute-20120509,0,7023138.story" target="_blank">Heartland Institute's billboard attacks</a> likening climate change believers to the Unabomber, it immediately organized online counter-protests. The backlash resulted in the pull-out by several high-profile funders from the Institute. 350.org also offers a host of resources on organizing events, protests, workshops, and campaigns.<br />
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While the bill will certainly face daunting challenges in both the House and the Senate (where climate change deniers grow ever more vocal), its introduction signals a new willingness to tackle entrenched energy interests. And, by partnering with next-generation grassroots organizations like 350.org and harnessing broad-based public support, such bills may finally have a chance to succeed.<br />
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<br /></div>Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03631009191830163873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-40757434267956895672012-05-04T15:38:00.000-04:002012-05-04T15:39:40.430-04:00National Advocates for Pregnant Women in the New York Times Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This past weekend, the New York Times Magazine ran an
article, “Mommy Had To Go Away For A While", and its website published it under
the title, “<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/magazine/the-criminalization-of-bad-mothers.html?pagewanted=all">The
Criminalization of Bad Mothers</a>”. In
the article, Ada Calhoun tells the story of several women who have been
arrested under Alabama’s chemical-endangerment law, a law which requires the
prosecution of mothers abusing substances that might harm their children or
fetuses. She traces the cases and family
backgrounds of several women impacted by this law. She also provides background on both the
groups supporting this law and fighting it. Beyond covering an issue of
importance to the Foundation’s grantee, <a href="http://advocatesforpregnantwomen.org/">National Advocates for Pregnant
Women</a>, and extensively relying on information from its Executive Director
Lynn Paltrow and Director of Policy and
Advocacy Emma Ketteringham, this article is remarkable for its exploration of
the complexities around this law and the criminalization of several women who
have used drugs during their pregnancies. </div>
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It soon becomes clear that these are tough cases to get
involved with because the women are not always that sympathetic; they can be
bad mothers and they may be engaging in illegal activity. On the other hand, the article exposes that these
cases are often more complicated. These
women do seem to care about their children and they have often struggled with
addiction so abandoning drugs during pregnancy proves quite difficult. </div>
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Regardless of your feelings towards these women, one thing
remains clear. Advocates, like NAPW, continue to take on
these critical cases because they are extremely important for defending women’s
rights and fighting fetal personhood laws that have appeared around the country. In fact, </div>
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[Ms. Ketteringham] argues that
applying Alabama’s chemical-endangerment law to pregnant women “violates
constitutional guarantees of liberty, privacy, equality, due process and
freedom from cruel and unusual punishment.” In effect, she says, under
Alabama’s chemical-endangerment law, pregnant women have become “a special
class of people that should be treated differently from every other citizen.” </div>
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They also argue that criminalizing these behaviors is neither
appropriate for the families nor the health of women. Alternative measures need to be created that
respond in a way to encourage healthy behaviors rather than take away the
rights of women in favor of fetuses. We truly
recommend you read this article. It
offers a nuanced examination of an extremely complicated set of issues that bring
about these laws and why it is important to support NAPW’s challenge,
despite personal feelings towards the mothers.
Again, to read the article, please click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/magazine/the-criminalization-of-bad-mothers.html?pagewanted=all">here</a>.
</div>
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-83218523630576649232012-05-03T11:37:00.000-04:002012-05-03T11:37:37.445-04:00Oklahoma Supreme Court Rules to Keep Unconstitutional Personhood Measure Off Ballot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This past month, the <a href="http://www.aclu.org/">ACLU</a>
and the <a href="http://www.reproductiverights.org/">Center for Reproductive
Rights</a> filed a legal petition against efforts to put a personhood initiative onto the
ballot in Oklahoma in November.<span> </span>This week, the state’s Supreme Court
ruled on this legal challenge upholding the constitution and earlier rulings of
the US Supreme Court by unanimously deciding to bar putting this measure to a public vote. <span> </span>This ballot initiative would have proposed
giving a fertilized egg<span> </span>“personhood”
and the affiliated rights that are afforded to a person.<span> </span>Despite appearing in many US states over the
past five years, these personhood measures have dangerous implications for the
safety and rights of pregnant women and women seeking abortions or fertility
treatments. It would have banned abortion under any circumstance, banned
several contraceptive options and could create legal challenges for medical
care providers serving pregnant women and the women seeking this health care.<span> </span></div>
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<span></span>Many of Overbrook’s reproductive
justice and domestic human rights grantees, including those listed above, have
worked to defeat these measures through legal challenges (i.e. Oklahoma) or
through grassroots mobilization and coalition building (i.e. Mississippi). We are
glad to hear that the court has recognized the constitutional rights of
Oklahoman women and that many organizations continue to successfully fight for
the rights and health of American women in spite of these personhood strategies. For more information, click <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/05/01/oklahoma-supreme-court-strikes-personhood-amendment/?mod=google_news_blog">here</a>
to read an article from the Wall Street Journal, <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=336&articleid=20120501_16_A1_OLHMIY449545">here</a>
to read an article from the Tulsa World, <a href="http://reproductiverights.org/en/press-room/oklahoma-supreme-court-rules-%E2%80%9Cpersonhood%E2%80%9D-initiative-%E2%80%9Cclearly-unconstitutional%E2%80%9D">here</a>
to read the Center for Reproductive Rights’ press release on the victory and <a href="http://reproductiverights.org/en/press-room/center-for-reproductive-rights-launches-legal-challenge-to-keep-abortion-and-contraceptio">here</a>
for its description of the petition against ballot measure. <span> </span></div>
<br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-31103987312198580692012-05-02T19:05:00.001-04:002012-05-04T12:22:33.623-04:00US Human Rights Fund Launches New Racial Justice Website<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Overbrook
Foundation is pleased to share the <a href="http://www.ushumanrightsfund.org/">US
Human Rights Fund</a>’s news of the launch of a new website - <a href="http://www.racialjustice.org/">www.racialjustice.org</a>. This site
includes resources and stories from human rights advocates present at the US
Human Rights Fund’s <i>We Shall Overcome: Using Human Rights to Achieve Racial
Justice </i>Convening<i> </i>held
in Philadelphia last November. Not only does this site explain the human rights
framework that united the interested funders, activists, artists and
journalists who attended the meeting, but it also includes convening-related
and external resources for those who are interested in learning more about the
Human Rights movement in the United States. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Highlighted stories from
leaders in the field on the importance of human rights and their experiences
with human rights-based campaigns also have a place on the site. For example, leaders at <a href="http://www.nesri.org/">NESRI</a>,<a href="http://www.civilrights.org/">
the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights</a>, and the <a href="http://www.aclu.org/">ACLU</a> share their experience with using human
rights frameworks. In addition, it draws attention to the story of the 2011 Human
Rights Hero Award Winner, Jessica Lenahan. Ms. Lenahan is an American human
rights defender who brought her case to the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights to fight for government accountability for the human rights abuses she
faced here in the United States. (Her
story was actually featured on this blog in November - click <a href="http://overbrookfoundation.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-us-human-rights-funds-human-rights.html">here</a>
to view it.) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The organizations and the convening lessons covered on this site address a variety of issues that intersect with
racial justice ranging from education reform to immigrant rights, from criminal justice reform to health care issues.
Despite this wide array of focuses, these individuals and their
organizations see how their work can be connected through human rights. They view the fight for racial justice in our
country as a fight for the human rights of all. We hope you can check out <a href="http://www.racialjustice.org/">www.racialjustice.org</a> to explore and
learn from the exciting tools and resources found on this new site!</span></div>
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-78627863923256889892012-04-26T16:53:00.000-04:002012-04-27T01:55:08.155-04:00Jay Naidoo writes about site visit to Cabo Pulmo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">After threats to the natural environment in Cabo Pulmo from
commercial fishing and the proposed construction of a resort by Spanish
developers, local community members and NGOs were able to stop the destruction
of their ocean resources by advocating for a marine preserve. This impressive
example of local activism has not only moved Overbrook, it has also inspired
Jay Naidoo to write an </span><a href="http://dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2012-04-10-our-future-lies-in-the-mothers-of-nature"><span style="color: #164ee5; font-family: Helvetica;">article</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> about the
preserve and the groups that advocated for it. Jay Naidoo has been involved
with social justice movements both in his current position as the Chair of the
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and previously as the head of
COSATU (Coalition of South African Trade Unions) in the years leading up to the
release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid. Mr. Naidoo, along with
Overbrook Board Member Vincent McGee, visited this marine preserve as part of a
group organized by Martin Goebel of Sustainable Northwest, and heard the local
community advocates’ story of this remarkable campaign to protect this area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This important narrative demonstrated a community successfully
determining the type of development they wanted for themselves, particularly
important given the existence of many such communities around the world without the experience of being heard.
And, as a result, they have been able to preserve their local environment and ecosystems that
are important to them, including recent outcomes like the return of coral and fish in great
numbers. Despite initial challenges such as poor cooperation among NGOs,
opposition from commercial interests and differing local visions for the marine area,
this movement was able to succeed in creating the largest preserve in Mexico
even in the face of powerful economic interests promoting the development
projects. Reflecting on this visit, Mr. Naidoo draws upon his experience in
South Africa when he argues that meaningful environmental or social changes
that will positively affect lower income or marginalized communities must come
from the grassroots rather than democratic laws or governments. He writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">As the small community of Cabo Pulmo and others across the world
know, there are very few in power that can be trusted to carry the interests of
the people, especially the poor. And that is the lesson of modern democracy… A
new apartheid has reared its head, violently, and we need to unite our
communities in a shared solidarity of networks that recognise our
interconnectedness to fight back. We need to link the community of Cabo Pulmo
to those in Lake Turkana, in Kenya, where the fish are dying because of the
impact of climate change. We need to connect the shack dwellers of Mexico City
to those of Diepsloot outside Johannesburg and Mumbai in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I encourage you to read the article</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">, which </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">is published at the Daily
Maverick and is accessible by click </span><a href="http://dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2012-04-10-our-future-lies-in-the-mothers-of-nature"><span style="color: #164ee5; font-family: Helvetica; text-decoration: none;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">. Mr</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Naidoo does a terrific
job explaining this case study and how the success in the Cabo Pulmo
conservation efforts can help others to become active agents in local decisions
regarding development, social structures and conservation. In the past,
Overbrook has supported Pronatura Noroeste A.C. for its work to help
conservation in Cabo Pulmo, in large part because our Board and Staff
recognized the importance of supporting community and NGO partnerships that
have the power to work together to achieve such marine conservation victories.
As Mr. Naidoo suggests, Overbrook staff hopes that successful local models can be
replicated across the world.</span></div>
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-38987115820017526402012-04-11T16:09:00.003-04:002012-04-11T16:25:11.994-04:00Overbrook Environment Grantee Releases How-To VideoIf you already miss Easter eggs, check out a great <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iZdvPwCpGAA">new video</a> from Overbrook Environment grantee <a href="http://www.ioby.com/">ioby</a> (In Our Backyards) showcasing how to raise chickens in an urban environment. In the video, Bee Ayers of BK Farmyards talks about the basics of urban chickening in both private and communal urban environments. This is the first how-to video from ioby - a great start to what will no doubt be a fun series. Thanks to organizations like ioby, we are reminded that the environment is not just the rainforests or glaciers of the world, but our own backyards.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-25257154090395675152012-04-10T14:45:00.000-04:002012-04-12T11:13:02.932-04:00An Overbrook-Funded Event on Public Financing in New York State at the Brennan Center<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> 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Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Last fall, The Overbrook Foundation’s Board voted to award a grant to the<a href="http://www.brennancenter.org/"> Brennan Center for Justice</a> to underwrite three events focusing on the issue of money in politics in 2011 and 2012.<span style=""> </span>As a part of this series, the Brennan Center held a panel event on March 29<sup>th</sup> to examine “The Benefits of Public Financing for New York State”.<span style=""> </span>Speakers at the event included Professor Michael Malbin, Executive Director of the <a href="http://www.cfinst.org/">Campaign Finance Institute</a>; Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of the <a href="http://www.nysnaacp.org/">NAACP New York State Conference</a>; Lisa Genn, attorney in the <a href="http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/democracy/">Democracy Program</a> at the Brennan Center; Michael J. Petro, Executive Vice President of the <a href="http://www.ced.org/">Committee for Economic Development</a>, and Professor Zephyr Teachout of the Fordham University School of Law. <span style=""> </span>The diverse backgrounds and organizational affiliation of these panelists allowed for an interesting discussion on how adopting public financing could create a more vibrant democracy for the benefit of a diverse array of communities ranging from businesses to minority communities to individual constituents. <span style=""> </span>To view a video recording of the panel and a summary of the speakers’ comments, please click <a href="http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/the_benefits_of_public_financing_for_new_york_state/">here</a>. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">At the beginning of the presentation, Professor Malbin explained the advantages, drawbacks, and impact of New York City’s current matching fund system, as well as how it could model for a new public financing system in New York State.<span style=""> </span>In this system, contributions to candidates who opt into the public financing are matched 6:1 with public funds.<span style=""> </span>Dr. Dukes presented a civil rights-based argument for public financing.<span style=""> </span>She contended that a more racially and socio-economically diverse donor base can emerge under a public financing system because candidates will benefit from donations from their constituents as their gifts will be matched.<span style=""> </span>Under the current system, elected officials often have to look outside of their districts or direct constituencies to have a competitive campaign if their constituents tend to belong to a lower socio-economic class. <span style=""> </span>A changing donor base may change the messaging and positions of the candidates to better reflect their communities’ wishes.<span style=""> </span>The speakers also argued that public financing would enhance diversity in the political process and create a more energized democracy.<span style=""> </span>Studies have shown that those who have contributed to candidates often become active in many arenas of politics.<span style=""> </span>From a business perspective, Mr. Petro explained that some business leaders and his organization of business leaders support public financing systems due to the belief that more competition in the public sphere, as in the private sphere, is better for the country and our government’s public policy decisions.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">While many Americans have expressed frustration with money in politics and the associated implications of corruption, they are also cynical about the system ever being fixed.<span style=""> </span>Several panelists agreed that other campaign finance reform efforts around the country are now looking to New York State as a potential model for policies that could be implemented elsewhere, if New York’s system proves successful.<span style=""> </span>As a result, the Brennan Center and several of the organizations represented by these speakers take part in campaigns to promote this critical policy change. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Additionally, panelists drew a connection between the reform/adoption of public financing systems and the influx of money from outside groups (ie: Super PACs) in recent campaigns. They recognized that public financing alone will not prevent outside spending. <span style=""> </span>However, the messaging used and the audiences targeted in campaigns would theoretically change to allow for stronger, more engaged constituents’ voices that could <span style=""> </span>better offset SuperPAC messaging during the election than the current level of influence of non-wealthy individuals. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">To learn more about this event, please click <a href="http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/the_benefits_of_public_financing_for_new_york_state/">here</a> for a summary or links to video recordings of the panel.<span style=""> </span>Our staff has found this presentation to be quite relevant in light of the current campaign cycle and the importance of money in politics to the American political process.<span style=""> </span>The Foundation is pleased to support these quality discussions of pressing issues for our democracy and we hope you have time to hear these arguments as well. <span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></p>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01423197538173773216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-84808181374942000262012-03-28T14:52:00.004-04:002012-03-28T15:16:42.060-04:00Environmentalists React to U.S. EPA Proposal On Carbon Emissions<p>As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed strict limits on greenhouse-gas emissions from new power plants this week, environmentalists remained cautious. </p>The proposal sets a standard of 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt-hour, which is expected to end construction of new coal power stations. Yet, it will not apply to existing power plants and does nothing to impact the attractiveness of natural gas for companies looking to build. <p></p><p>Overbrook Environment grantee <a href="http://www.edf.org/">Environment Defense Fund</a> (EDF) applauded the EPA's efforts but not without caution. EDF's President Fred Krupp stated, "For what they're doing today, I think they deserve a standing ovation," but warned, "we can't address the threat that climate change poses to American communities without addressing carbon from existing plants."</p><p>Other environmental and public health groups remain mostly supportive of the rule, but believe that the EPA still has an obligation to address the largest single source of greenhouse gases - existing coal power plants.</p><p>The proposal is now open to public comments.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355604576645913946.post-75548296741871718972012-03-26T12:07:00.005-04:002012-03-26T13:07:10.190-04:00EPR Featured in New York TimesExtended Producer Responsibility, not so long ago an obscure term, is gaining momentum in the media. A feature article in Friday's New York Times Business section highlights several companies amping up their programs for reclaiming used packaging and recycling that previously trashed packaging into new products. Specifically highlighted are Starbucks, Coca Cola and the <a href="http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/gimme5.html">Gimme 5</a> Preserve program, supported by Stonyfield Farms, Brita and Whole Foods. Through Gimme 5, customers can bring empty #5 plastics (usually used for yogurt cups, margarine, hummus or takeout containers) to Whole Foods stores and place them in a designated bin for #5s. Up until just a few years ago, those #5s went straight to landfill in the United States. But in 2011, around 11 million yogurt cups were collected and converted into toothbrushes, park benches and razors.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/business/companies-pick-up-used-packaging-and-recyclings-cost.html?_r=2&emc=eta1&pagewanted=all">here </a>to read this heartening article in its entirety.<br /><br />Scroll to the bottom to read Bill Sheehan's thoughts on how Walmart is helping to shape the EPR landscape. Sheehan is Executive Director of <a href="http://www.productpolicy.org/">Product Policy Institute</a>, a longtime Overbrook grantee.Samantha Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09409788863210074801noreply@blogger.com0