Vol. 13 No. 12
Editor - Jan Weaver
208 Tucker Hall, MU 65211
by Jan Weaver
This is just one of those months when I ran out of time for writing a column, so I am recycling a piece from November 2003. I hope you find the message still relevant and fitting to the season.
The average freshman living in an MU residence hall spends about $29 a day for a place to sleep and bathe, for food, and for the utilities - water, electricity, heat and sewage, required to provide these services. The average African has about $2 a day to meet the same needs, or 1/14 of the amount an MU freshman has. And if the African is a resident of Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi or Sierra Leone, he or she has less than 1/50 of the resources of an MU freshman.
The differences cannot just be explained by a lower cost of living. Africans typically get 59% of the calories and 14% of the meat, milk, and eggs that an average American gets in their diet. Only 70% of urban and 44% of rural residents have sanitation services, which means that their exposure to water borne diseases is much higher. Approximately half of the women are illiterate because there are few or no public schools and parents don't have the fees to send all their children so they just send the boys. Health care is so dismal that the under five mortality rate for children is 20 times that of the U.S., and the average life expectancy is 49 years. The poverty experienced by 700 million people on this planet is real and grinding, and conditions are only slightly better for another 2 or 3 billion. However economically disadvantaged we may feel relative to CEOs, sports heroes and movie stars, it helps to look in the other direction every once in a while and be thankful for what we've got.
In that spirit, and with Holiday shopping dominating the next couple of weeks, it might be time to reflect on the story of the original Santa Claus and its meaning. St. Nicholas (Santa Claus in the U.S.) was a Bishop in Myra in the 4th century AD. He took Jesus' instruction to the rich man to "sell what you own and give everything to the poor" literally, and regularly gave whatever he had for the relief of the poor. Tradition has it that he secretly provided the dowries for a poor family's three daughters so that they could get married. The dowries, sacks of gold coins, were tossed into the window of the house in the middle of the night - which is where the idea of a secret gift bearing night visitor came from. So the real Christmas gift giving tradition isn't to gift your family or friends (or yourself) but to gift the poor.
Now it may seem that it would take all the fun out of the holiday to direct your giving to the poor, but giving to the poor actually provides some interesting shopping opportunities (see the list below) so you can still get that buzz from finding a great deal on a cow or a flock of chickens from Heifer International. If you don't like shopping, think how easy it is to give cash to any of the local, national or international charities that help the poor, or at least volunteer your time. And you don't have to go cold turkey on your family and friends either, just start focusing on qualities of gifts that aren't material. For example, kids really like unwrapping gifts even if they don't play with them, so one year I bought my youngest niece a set of wooden blocks and wrapped them all separately, kept her busy for hours. Or give a gift of time and/or skill - help with a major project, or provide an evening, day or weekend away from the kids for a stressed parent. Find out what causes a person care about and make a donation in their name.
What does helping the poor have to do with the environment? High infant mortality, low female literacy, and low life expectancy are all correlated with high population growth and severe resource degradation. Taking care of the poor - which after all is the true spirit of Christmas - takes care of the planet as well.
International Alternative Gifts International: http://www.altgifts.org/ Buy a medicine box, wheelchair, shelter or books
Heifer International : http://www.heifer.org/giving_prog/living_gift.htm Buy a heifer, pig, chicken or other livestock
Voluntary Action Center 874-2273 www.vacmo.org/
Local Salvation Army 442-3229 www.salvationarmyboonecounty.org/index.html
Central Missouri Food Bank 474-1020 www.centralmofoodbank.org Use the scan Cards at Grocery Stores - add 5% or 10% to your grocery tab - it's almost painless.
Habitat for Humanity 499-1202 www.centralmohabitat.org
Environmental Network News is going Paperless (or at least in that direction) beginning January 2008. The newsletter is available by email and to reduce time, resources and funds used to produce the paper version, the MUENN will stop printing and mailing a paper copy except for those who specifically request one. To get on the email list, just send an email to weaverjc@missouri.edu requesting addition to the email list. If you would still like to get a paper copy, email, phone or mail your request with an up-to-date mailing address.
email: weaverjc@missouri.edu
phone: 573-882-3037
mail: 208 Tucker Hall, MU, Columbia MO 65211
BioRegional Quiz: Winter may seem like a time when nothing much is happening out of doors, but many animals still have to find food to get themselves through the cold winter months. What are 10 species of animals that you might expect to see in winter time in a suburban neighborhood? (This is recycled as well, from December 2002)
Special Events/Programs/Classes/Talks
COLUMBIA TREE INVENTORY: Anytime before April 1. Complete a checklist of vegetation and trees present and sketch a map for a selected area of Columbia (can be yard, other private property, city park or public property). Contact John Fleck at 874-7659 or jef AT gocolumbiamor.com
CACHE BIRDING TRIPS: Wednesday December 12, Wednesday December 19, Wednesday December 26, 7:30 am - meet at southwest corner of Parkade parking lot.
STARGAZING: December 12, MU Physics Building, contact Greg Leonard 573-443-8263 or greg.leonard AT missouri.sierraclub.org
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT: Saturday December 15. Call Susan Hazelwood at 573-44-4925 or email her at hazelwoods AT mchsi.com if you would like to participate. $5 participation fee, $6 for chili supper tallying party. Feeder Counters are also needed.
TREEKEEPERS CLASS: Thursdays 6-8:30 pm starting January 17, at the ARC, 1701West Ash . Call 874-7499 or email volunteer AT gocolumbiamo.com for more information.
MASTER NATURALIST TRAINING: Feb 25, March 3, 10, 17, 31, April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12 with field trips March 15, April 12 and May 3 . visit http://extension.missouri.edu/masternaturalist/columbia/ for information on registering.
COLUMBIA AQUATIC RESTORATION PROJECT CARP: Classes March 3, 10, 17 at the Parks Management Center at 1507 Business Loop 70 West, with projects on Saturdays.
Organization Meetings and Contact Information
AUDUBON SOCIETY: 874-3904 / columbia-audubon.missouri.org Meet 3rd Wed 7:30 pm, Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd.
BIG CANOE: 573-875-8590 / bryce_crispies@yahoo.com / http://www.bigcanoemo.org/ - Saturday workdays 10-1 at 406 Sanford
BOONE COUNTY SMART GROWTH COALITION: http://smartgrowth.missouri.org/, 1st Weds 7:15 Boone Co Govt Ctr.
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING: 875-0539 or http://www.midmopeaceworks.org/sustainableliving.php
CHOUTEAU GROTTO: http://chouteau.missouri.org/, Meet 1st Wed, 7 pm, The Casteel Building, 1518 Business Loop 70 East
COLUMBIA CLIMATE CHANGE COALITION: 573-529-9273, Meet 3rd Thu http://www.columbiaclimatechangecoalition.org/
COLUMBIA FOOD CIRCLE: 882-7463 or http://foodcircles.missouri.edu/sources.htm
COLUMBIA PUBLIC WORKS VOL. PROGRAMS: 874-6271 or http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Volunteer/Opportunities/#PW
CITIZENS WATERSHED COMMITTEE: (573) 526-8916, Third Tuesdays, 6:30 pm, Daniel Boone Bldg
COMMUNITY GARDEN COALITION: 875-5995 or cgardenc@yahoo.com or http://cgc.missouri.org
ENV EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/teacher/workshops/
FRIENDS OF BIG MUDDY: friends@friendsofbigmuddy.org or www.friendsofbigmuddy.org
FRIENDS OF ROCK BRIDGE M. S. P.: 815-9255 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org/ Outdoors Bldg, 200 Old 63 S.
GREEKS GOING GREEN: new group
GREENBELT LAND TRUST OF MID-MISSOURI: 442-4789, greenbelt.land.trust @gmail.com or http://greenbelt.missouri.org
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE: 815-9836, drop off/ buy 1906 Monroe St. Columbia Mon to Fri 8:30 to 3:30, Sat 8-1 1pm,
MISSOURI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: www.meea.org
MO NATIVE PLANT SOC.: http://columbianativeplants.missouri.org/, 2nd Mon, odd months, 7 p.m., UU Church, 2615 Shepard
MISSOURI RIVER COMMUNITIES NETWORK: 573-256-2602 or www.moriver.org or moriver@coin.org
MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE ENERGY: http://www.mosafeenergy.org/Content/
PEDNET COALITION: email: pednet@pednet.org or http://www.pednet.org
RIVER RELIEF: http://www.riverrelief.org/
ROCK BRIDGE MEMORIAL STATE PARK: 449-7402 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org
SHOW ME CLEAN STREAMS COALITION: (573) 751-4115 ext 3169 or www.mostreamteam.org
SIERRA CLUB: 875-2916, http://missouri.sierraclub.org/osage/index.htm 3rd Tuesdays 7:30 pm Hillel Found., 1107 University Ave
SUSTAIN MIZZOU: http://students.missouri.edu/~sustainmizzou/
WILD ONES: 573 882-9909, ext 3257 or email wildonesmo@yahoo.com, http://wildones.missouri.org Meetings 2nd Saturdays.
Feedback - Got an opinion? If we have space, we will consider publishing it. Submit it by email (envstudy@missouri.edu), snail mail (Environmental Studies, 211 Lowry , MU, Columbia MO 65211), or call Jan Weaver to talk about it (882-7116). MU Environmental Network News is published by MU's Environmental Studies Initiative. All opinions expressed are the responsibility of the editor. Any part of this newsletter may be copied for distribution but please give us credit.
Answer to BioRegional Quiz: Animals you might see in a suburban setting over the winter include: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Starling, Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, House Finch, House Sparrow, White-tailed deer, Eastern Fox Squirrel, Easter Gray Squirrel, Raccoon, Opossum, Mourning Cloak Butterfly, Comma Butterfly. For more information on birds-http://www.conservation. state.mo.us/nathis/birds/emobirds/seasonal.htm; mammals - http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/mammals/ lifehist/index.htm or butterflies -http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/insects/butterf/
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