As with most things in life, we can not resolve problems until we fully, honestly admit the truth. Whether it’s the Middle East, COVID, the climate crisis, an inter-personal issue or anything else, we can’t fix what we don’t acknowledge. With honestly, hard work and determination to face problems head-on, we can create a better world. 💛
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Looking for zero-waste, plant-based or sustainable items? Check out the MennoAdventures online store! There are always lots of great deals to be found, with our many amazing partners! Happy browsing! 😀
This is a lovely story, from the LEGO headquarters in Denmark. While one act like this does not make up for bad policies, or replace the need for good policies, symbolically, it is a great step in the right direction, towards greater inclusion, recognition of diversity, and acknowledgment of gender and sexuality as more than how it’s been represented in the past.
In the “spraying room” at Lego HQ, tiny figurines are layered with bright, glossy paint before being placed on a rainbow-esque arch. The result, a waterfall of colour with 11 brand new minifigures striding purposefully towards an imagined brighter future, is the Danish toymaker’s inaugural LGBTQIA+ set, titled Everyone Is Awesome.
The colours of the stripes were chosen to reflect the original rainbow flag, along with pale blue, white and pink representing the trans community, and black and brown to acknowledge the diversity of skin tones and backgrounds within the LGBTQIA+ community.
In addition, as noted in the article, the company has started selling their marriage sets separately (as opposed to a man and a woman, together in one box), so that couples can choose any two individual pieces that best represent their relationship.
This is one more step, in the right direction, for inclusion, welcoming for all, and a greater respect for the full range diversity within humanity. Let’s hope that these symbolic steps lead to both more similar changes, as well as real-world, actual policy changes – including full rights for everyone, and an end to all discrimination, whether based on gender and sexuality, or anything else.
Looking for zero-waste, plant-based or sustainable items? Check out the MennoAdventures online store! There are always lots of great deals to be found, with our many amazing partners! Happy browsing!
Along with resources and lots of great info, you may not know that Menno Adventures has a new and improved online store experience, complete with access to countless sustainable items, through various partners.
No matter what you are looking for to guide your sustainable goals, one of our amazing partners probably has it! In fact, they might even have things that you didn’t know could help you on your sustainability journey. Ordering couldn’t be easier – all you need to do is go to the Menno Adventures website, browse the categories under the online store, find the partner(s) you would like to check out and click on their link. From there, you are redirected to the partner store, where you can browse and order. Ordering and shipping all happens directly through the partner website, the same as any other online ordering experience.
Whether you are looking for clothing, tech (compostable phone cases), food and related items or other sustainable solutions, you will (hopefully) find what you are looking for here. 😊
What difference does it make to order through MennoAdventures?
It saves you the work of researching and finding great stores that sell amazing, sustainable items. All the work is done for you – and there are lots of great options, all in one spot! 😊
Plus, by clicking on the link on the MA website, before continuing on with your order, with one simple click, you are helping support the work that this website is doing.
What cool things can I find in the online store? Lots of great things (all sustainable, plant-based, mostly zero-waste), including, among many other great options…
Each of the partners in the MA online store has amazing products – and there are often sales or discounts that come up as well (too many for me to list here…). So, check Menno Adventures often, see if any new partners have been added, click on the links and enjoy the amazing selection of sustainable, zero-waste and plant-based options that they offer! Know of others who might be interested? Please share widely in your circles. Have a great weekend!
The Guardian: ‘Not anti-beef but pro-planet’: recipe website reveals it secretly took cows off the menu.
Interesting update here from a food/recipe website. (Full disclosure – I am not specifically familiar with this food website, and have not specifically tracked their work in the past, although it appears to have a fairly extensive catalogue of recipes, and a significant user base.) They stopped adding/promoting recipes that contain beef – although some older recipes will remain visible for the time being.
The food website Epicurious will no longer feature beef in its recipes, in an effort to help drive more sustainable consumption.
The decision to cut cows from the menu was announced on Monday, but the organisation is confident readers will not miss the meat – because it actually made the change a year ago and has not published a beef recipe since.
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“We know that some people might assume that this decision signals some sort of vendetta against cows – or the people who eat them. But this decision was not made because we hate hamburgers (we don’t!). Instead, our shift is solely about sustainability, about not giving airtime to one of the world’s worst climate offenders. We think of this decision as not anti-beef but rather pro-planet.” (Bold mine).
One of the interesting pieces with this change is that it was made a year ago, without an announcement, and they have been watching the results, which have been positive over this test period. Their conclusion: people want great recipes – regardless of whether they have red meat in them or not. Not sure if they are planning on testing this theory further, but I would guess (and would love to see the data) on what would happen if they continue to shift their focus toward vegetarian and vegan recipes – which appears to perhaps be in their future.Some hints on their website appear to suggest that dairy may be the next to get cut, but that is only speculation, at this point.
If their followers simply love great recipes, what might they (and countless other recipe websites) offer if they switched – either further or completely – to plant-based recipes?
The ways we do things, within and outside of the non-profit world, is constantly evolving. COVID, along with many other challenges, are forcing a reckoning on what our “new normal” will look like. In my opinion, one of our biggest shortfalls, in the NGO world, is the frequency with which organizations compete for donors/funds/projects – or start a new org instead of supporting an existing organization – when supporting/collaborating would be a much more appropriate choice.
We work in this field because we desire a better, fairer, more equitable world – but sometimes forget to make sure that our actual work methods follow the same high standards we set for our external projects. If we are working on a peacebuilding project, why can’t we make peace with another NGO and collaborate instead of competing?
Although based on the US (and written for the American context), Non-Profit Impact Pledge is one step in the right direction, and is just as applicable globally as within the US. The commitments have two parts: From NGOs and from Funders and Donors. Both are important, in their own way, to helping reshape the sector as a whole, and to creating more positive change in the world — which is so critically needed.
To our communities and all those who benefit from the work of nonprofits…,
Our country is at a turning point, and so is the nonprofit sector. The disparate economic and social fallout from COVID-19 and the widespread reckoning with racial justice have put a spotlight on many long-standing problems with philanthropy and with the way nonprofits work. We cannot avoid these problems any longer, nor do we wish for things to return “to normal.” Our old way of existence, and many of our sector’s past practices for collaborating with funders, donors and our communities (while often well-intentioned), are broken. Instead, we wish to create a new future for the nonprofit sector, for the good of all.
As our country starts down the long road toward recovery from a tumultuous 2020, demand for our services continues to grow, resources continue to shrink, and outmoded systems and ways of thinking seem determined to keep our impact small. It has never been more challenging to run and sustain an effective nonprofit organization, but it has also never been more important, and we will rise up in the face of these challenges.
That is why we take this pledge and double down on these 10 commitments to you, the people and communities we work with. We also ask our donors, funders and those who support the sector to make a similar set of commitments to us.
Together, we can create a better future for our sector, for the good of all.
Among the 10 commitments in the pledge, all are important in their own way, and all contribute to better organizations, which are better able to make positive contributions, both locally and globally. Here is one example.
Commitment 1 We will collaborate, not compete. We recognize that we can do more good for our communities together than we can do alone. We will focus our efforts on making a specific contribution that only our organization can make, and when we encounter other organizations doing similar work, we commit to closely collaborating, partnering or merging with them rather than competing in an effort to maximize our collective impact. (Bold mine).
And, I would add – we commit to supporting others before staring a new NGO that is likely to compete with others, when supporting or joining is a more appropriate and sustainable choice for the sector as a whole.
Want to add your name to the pledge? Follow the link to sign up – and add your name, with others, to commit to a better NGO sector.
News@UofT: Is a calorie always a calorie? Not when it comes to almonds, U of T researchers find.
Looking for more great reasons to eat nuts? In addition to the lower emissions from a plant-based foods (more details on the website) compared to animal-based foods, here’s some more research, from the University of Toronto, looking specifically at the health benefits of almonds.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that a calorie labelled is not the same as a calorie digested and absorbed when the food source is almonds.
The findings, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, should help alleviate concerns that almonds contribute to weight gain, which persist despite the widely recognized benefits of nuts as a plant-based source of protein, vitamins and minerals.
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The researchers found that after digestion, about 20 per cent of calories derived largely from fat in almonds remained unabsorbed, which they observed in stool samples. That translated to about two per cent less energy absorbed from the diet overall among study participants. (Bold mine).
A person eating the same amount of almonds in a daily diet of 2,000 to 3,000 calories would absorb 40 to 60 calories less than would be predicted by Atwater factors, on which many food labels are based.
The research does not specifically identify other nuts, but it’s certainly plausible/logical to guess that some of the same benefits would apply to other nuts, as well. So, here’s yet another reason to eat lots of nuts! Happy snacking!
Out of the many tragedies that have emerged from this pandemic, one of the few silver linings is the possibility that, once we have demonstrated the ability to completely shut down and restart our societies, we will, collectively, use that towards restarting in a manner that is safe and sustainable, for people and the planet. The power to do so is in our hands – all we have to do is make the choice, individually and collectively. The data could not be more clear – we know what we need to do, and we know how to do it.
US urged to cut 50% of emissions by 2030 to spur other countries to action Guardian
Global lockdown every two years needed to meet Paris CO2 goals – study Guardian
NYTimes: Volvo Plans to Sell Only Electric Cars by 2030 NYT
Carbon dioxide emissions must fall by the equivalent of a global lockdown roughly every two years for the next decade for the world to keep within safe limits of global heating, research has shown. (Bold mine).
Lockdowns around the world led to an unprecedented fall in emissions of about 7% in 2020, or about 2.6bn tonnes of CO2, but reductions of between 1bn and 2bn tonnes are needed every year of the next decade to have a good chance of holding temperature rises to within 1.5C or 2C of pre-industrial levels, as required by the Paris agreement.
Changes of this scale, as with the pandemic, are multi-faceted, including individual actions (eg wearing masks, staying home when needed to protect ourselves and others), governmental (eg clear public health orders, income support as needed), business (eg switching to curbside pickup or work from home, where applicable). Likewise, for the climate crisis, we need all levels and sectors involved, doing everything possible to get us to where we need to be.
So, in the most immediate term, reducing our emissions by 50%+ over the next few years (and then further after that) is not a small task. How are we going to get there, and what actions can we take, starting today, to get us there, in each sector?
Reducing the size of our home by 50% will reduce our heating/cooling emissions in half (as a rough estimate, simply because we have less space to heat/cool). If, by extension, we also own less stuff, there are emissions reductions (and other gains) to be found there, as well.
Switching from an animal-based diet to a whole-foods, plant-based diet has a significant impact (exact % depends on what you were eating before, and whether you switch fully or partly to plant-based etc)
Living in a higher density area helps reduce driving-related emissions, as more day-today trips are within walking distance (as does using public transit or an EV when you aren’t walking or biking)
Significantly reducing or eliminating flights will take out a significant emissions source, depending on how much you were flying before and how much you reduce. Before flying, consider whether the flight is essential or not.
Electing governments that are serious about tackling the climate crisis
Supporting businesses that are working to tackle the climate crisis (zero waste and others) instead of business-as-usual
Countless others – far too many to list here. 🙂
Naturally, different people will tackle things in their own order – and for someone who already lives in a small home in a high density area, downsizing is obviously not the place to start. However, most of us have room to improve, and places to start. What changes have you already made? Which are you interested in trying next? Which are you most curious about? Which do you think will be easier or more challenging?
We’re all in this together, so let’s help each other out, and build a better future for everyone!
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There are always lots of amazing deals on sustainable, zero-waste items in my online store! Check the website for details!
It is shocking (and quite disturbing) to me, that some faith groups still believe that they are called to a mandate of exclusion, instead of inclusion, on any of a wide number of otherwise protected identifiers, including gender and sexuality. Over and over, to the best of my knowledge, faith group and their major texts call for love of neighbour, welcome of the stranger, living simply and service to others. Nothing in that suggests, or allows, discrimination based on who we are at our core, or an acceptance of destruction of creation. And yet, some faith groups still fight for the right to discriminate, and avoid talking serious action on the climate crisis – and it must end.
Major Evangelical Adoption Agency Will Now Serve Gay Parents Nationwide
At a time when we are facing multiple global crises (including a pandemic and a climate crisis), faith groups should be leaders, setting an example of how to care for all of creation – including all people, animals, and the environment. Instead, some groups still put their energy into excluding others, and denying women the right to a full range of reproductive health services, as though that is the way to a better world for everyone.
A justification that I sometimes hear from others is that something can be found somewhere in one’s ancient texts to justify discrimination. In response, I would suggest that many people only take texts literally on things that are life-limiting for others, without requiring us to change ourselves. I’m suggesting a different approach (along with countless others).
Want to take the Bible or other ancient texts literally? How about focusing on the countless times that we are told not to accumulate wealth? Living simply requires a lot more from us than telling someone else how we think they should live their lives.
Think swapping out “My faith says that you should be straight” and replacing it with “My faith says that I should be less wealthy, live in a smaller home, eat more lentils, help others more, create less garbage and drive less often.”
Likewise, the admonition to not kill or steal features in many faith texts: how about putting our energy into banning militaries and the theft of natural resources (and extreme wealth discrepancies, locally and globally) that is contributing to climate change? The list could go on and on…
For faith groups to be relevant into the future, we need to, collectively, move beyond this idea that we can live our own lives as we wish, while excluding others, and destroying the planet. We can, and must do better, together. We can do it. 🙂
Winter may be almost over, or spring may feel a long ways away, depending on where you are living. Either way, the Encircled Winter Clearout sale is now, some items have been reduced by 40%. Looking for cozy items for next winter, or something for cool evenings in summer? Now’s the time to put an order in!
(Note: Discount code should apply automatically when you order items from the winter discount collection. Having trouble? The code is at the top of the Encircled page on my website for reference.)
Looking for other cool, sustainable stuff? Check out all of the amazing partners in the online store.
Great news! Another partner has been added to the online store! Our “Good Food for Good” page is now live and ready for you to browse, click and order!
On a mission to create a positive difference by making it easy for you to add flavors you crave without the added sugar or preservatives, and by donating a meal to a person in need through Buy One, Feed One program.
When love for great taste, meets quest for clean ingredients & giving back to the world.
NO ORDINARY SAUCE At Good Food for Good, we make our food with organic ingredients and ensure it is free of gluten, soy, corn, refined sugars, dairy, preservatives or any other ingredients you wouldn’t add if you were cooking yourself. That’s not all, every time you buy any of our products, we donate a meal to feed someone in need. We are a Buy One, Feed One venture.
We are a B Corp Certified™ Company. We use business as a force for goodin the world. Our accreditation aligns us with other like-minded companies globally.
