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ACTIVITIES

Summer, 2003, Update for Members and Volunteers

Contents

Sad But True

Honorary Board of Directors

SLOw Down in Action

 

Alternative Media

SPECIAL for Members and Volunteers!

Editorials

Progress Report

Gentle Reminders

Stakeholder Survey

Member/Volunteer Reply

Sad But True

 

Omaha World Herald, Friday, November 29, 2002

Shoppers are urged to stay away today

A Sioux City-based group wants to fight the consumerism

that now rules the Christmas season

 

Omaha World Herald, Saturday, November 30, 2002

Mad rush for Mart bargains leaves
shopper with stitches

"They started running through like they were a herd of elephants."

 

(submitted by Myrna Nissen)

 

 

Do you think they get it? On February 27th, on AOL's home page they carried a tribute and that unforgettable smile...

"Good-bye, Good Neighbor

Mr. Roger's Dies of Cancer."

 

Right below it was a picture of a happy, traditional white family with the caption,

"STOP SHARING! Get 1025 free hours with a new AOL account."

 

Beloved Mr. Rogers must be rolling over in his grave. Do you think anybody at AOL saw the painful irony of their insensitive, typically commercial juxtaposition?

 

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Honorary Board of Directors

David Beckman
President, Bread for the World

Walter Brueggemann
Professor, Columbia Theological Seminary

*Tony Campolo
author, speaker, educator
Eastern University

Millard Fuller
Founder & President,
Habitat For Humanity International

Alisa Gravitz
Executive Director
Co-op America (publisher of The National Green Pages)

John McConnell,
founder of Earthday

Vicki Robin
author of Your Money or Your Life;
Convenor of The Simplicity Forum

Ronald J Sider
President
Evangelicals For Social Action

Betsy Taylor
Executive Director
Center for a New American Dream

Jim Wallis
Executive Director
Sojourners Magazine
Convener, Call to Renewal

*New since last issue

 

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SLOw Down in Action

 

REPORT

Three of the nights were focused on the pre- and post-celebratory periods as experienced in the Byzantine Catholic Church.  But one night was devoted to celebrating according to the ideals of Alternatives for Simple Living.  In addition to the downloads from the CD-ROM, "30 Years of Alternatives" and the advent calendars I ordered, I also handed out the catalogs you graciously sent along to me.  I think that was the best of the four nights!

I was also able to include the "Ten Tips for a Simpler, More Meaningful Christmas" in a newsletter I edit for a local pastoral ministry association.  Since this edition included the annual membership drive, it was mailed to 330 people.

Keep up the good work, and God bless you.

Lory (Loretta Nemeth)

 

Finding the holy day in the holiday

Bedford, Ohio - Spiritual reflection and practical suggestions for celebrating the true meaning of Christmas was the topic of the annual pre-Christmas retreat at St. Eugene Church this year.  The retreat talks, which followed evening Divine Liturgies celebrated by the pastor, Father Joseph Repko, were held on Monday through Thursday, Dec. 2 through 5.  Loretta Nemeth, parishioner of St. John Byzantine Catholic Church, Solon, Ohio, presented the talks.  Nemeth has a bachelor's degree in theology and an advanced certificate in pastoral ministry from Notre Dame College, as well as certification in lay pastoral ministry from the Diocese of Cleveland.   She is continuing studies in Eastern Christian theology.

She began by explaining the Philip's Fast, the 40-day period of preparation for the Nativity, which is observed by the Byzantine Church. She then reflected on the Gospel readings and feasts celebrated during the Philip's Fast, based on the book, The Winter Pascha, by Father Thomas Hopko.  In the book, Hopko illustrates the many parallels to the two preparatory seasons of Christmas and Easter.

Nemeth devoted one of the sessions to gift giving.  She showed a video, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which focused on the commercialization of Christmas and the tensions and disappointments that commercialization causes poor families.  Nemeth discussed ways to have a simpler, more meaningful celebration.  Alternative giving, to charitable organizations, especially Eastern Christian ones like St. Mary Hospitality House, St. Herman House of Hospitality, and Emmaus House was discussed.  Nemeth also suggested purchasing gifts from religious communities to help them sustain themselves.  She handed out a list of some of those communities that have food and other gift items for sale.  Other handouts, mostly from Alternatives for Simple Living (www.SimpleLiving.org) included an Advent activity calendar for families,  "Ten Tips for a Simpler, More Meaningful Christmas," a blessing for a Christmas tree, a Christmas check-list, a Christmas game (designed to get families to talk together about Christmas), a catalog of materials available from Alternatives for Simple Living, and a family pledge of nonviolence.  The United Nations has designated 2000-2010 as the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Sake of the Children of the World.  What better way to welcome the Prince of Peace, said Nemeth, than by personally committing to nonviolence.

The final night of talks focused on the 40-day period from the Nativity to the Feast of the Presentation, or Encounter, in the Temple - the season of the Epiphanies.

Nemeth concluded with a story that used reflected light from a mirror as a metaphor for the meaning of life.  She said that, as Christians, we can take the metaphor one step further and reflect the Light of Christ to everyone.  She handed out a memento as a reminder to reflect that light.

About 20 people attended the retreat, some from other Greater Cleveland Byzantine and Roman Catholic parishes. The parish hosted a social following the final talk.

 

 

A truthful prayer before meals:

I am sorry God for my intentional and unintentional participation in the current world market that has brought this food produced often through environmentally dangerous and negative farming practices, packaged in resource and environmentally unfriendly containers and harvested in many cases by underpaid, abused migrant and alien labor to my table - a table at which I often consume food in unnecessary amounts and even waste it.

As penance and in hopes of redeeming myself for participation in this daily tragedy which contributes to the unequal distribution of the bounty You do supply, I will strive, with the help of Your grace, to use the energy created by this food in my body to serve someone other than myself and, whenever possible, those in greatest need.

God, please continue through the Holy Spirit, to work with me on my conversion and awareness so that tomorrow I may buy less and eat less.  If I accomplish this, my prayer of thanksgiving can truly be one of simple thanks rather than a confession of my indulgence and the over importance given to me as a first-world male so obviously demonstrated by the over abundance of out-of-season, imported, transported and over packaged food on my table.

May God forgive me for what I am about to do.

 

(submitted  by John Sentovich from a friend)

 

If you have a powerful worship item like this, send it to us. We are working again on Worship Alternatives. Request a copy of the submission guidelines for that new collection.

  

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Alternative Media

Use It! Support It!

 

RADIO

Since Alternatives plans to start internet radio, you'll be reading more in our future publications.

 

TV

 

WEB SITES

 

e-NEWSLETTERS

 

MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS

Alternatives offers subscriptions to many REALLY good publications at http://www.simpleliving.org/catalog/Magazines.php

Much information about magazine web sites is available in "Alternatives' Reader" #2 at

http://simpleliving.startlogic.com/indexoth.php?place=archives/Review/AQIndex.php

If you have other alternative media you'd like to recommend, let us know. We plan to publish more in a future issue. Careful! URL's are case sensitive.

 

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SPECIAL for Members and Volunteers!

"Simple Living 101 Toolbook for Activists Shy or Bold" HALF PRICE!

Yes, here's a little incentive to do what you want to do -- speak out for voluntary simplicity! After reading this practical and inspiring guide you will be ready for this fall! $10. $5.

BONUS! Get both "Simple Living 101" and the new audio CD "Living Simply and Loving It!" (based on Simple Living 101) for only $10! Offers valid till September 1st. Order now.

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Editorials

The following two editorials were excerpted in the paper Update sent by mail.

Escaping Oil's Grip

A topic of great interest currently is "How do we reduce our dependence on oil?"

Not just FOREIGN oil but oil period.

 

HYDROGEN?

In his recent book "The Hydrogen Economy" (Tarcher/Putnam), Jeremy Rifkin, one of our most controversial and promising/interesting visionaries says "When there is no more oil," the hydrogen economy will be "the next great economic revolution." He promotes "the creation of the world wide energy web and the redistribution of power on Earth."

The January/February 03 issue of E-the Environment Magazine focused on the possibilities of hydrogen as an energy source. To read "The Coming Hydrogen Economy: Can Hydrogen Fuel Deliver Us from Oil, War and Terrorism?" visit

http://www.emagazine.com/january-february_2003/_0103contents.php or www.Emagazine.com and click on archives.

George W. Bush is staking our energy future on hydrogen. In the meanwhile he is pushing for oil exploration in Alaska and more use of coal and other non-renewable energy sources.

However, the Gallon Environmental Newsletter (March 5, 2003) explains that "Hydrogen Energy Economy Wrong Path." (To read more, request Vol. 7, No. 6 (February 14, 2003) at cibe@web.net or (514) 369-0230.)

"Bush's  hydrogen fuel program does not reverse the U.S.'s dependence on foreign oil. It does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nor does it reduce pollution. Why?

"First, the primary sources of today's hydrogen are fossil fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas).

"Secondly, stripping hydrogen out of water is energy intensive. Massive amounts of new coal-fired and nuclear electricity will be required to separate hydrogen from water. That means more oil and gas and coal will be needed, not less, to achieve President Bush's clean hydrogen fuel goal. So, while no pollution is generated in the urban areas by the cars burning hydrogen fuel, whole new rural areas will be polluted from new coal-fired, oil & gas-fired, and nuclear-powered electricity plants. This sounds like a scenario right out of Vice President Dick Cheney's National Energy Policy that he negotiated secretly with ENRON and other oil, coal and gas companies. In fact, it will take almost as much BTU-energy to separate, prepare, and store hydrogen from water, as the actual energy that will be generated by the hydrogen fuel.

"Thirdly, by throwing $1.7 billion at the oil and auto industries over the next 17 years, the Bush Administration will certainly help out the oil and auto industries, but it will do nothing in the immediate and interim periods for reducing U.S. dependence on OPEC and the Middle East imported oil. It will do nothing to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions until 2020. It will do nothing to reduce urban smog and nationwide air pollution.

Some of the best ways of stripping hydrogen from water is by using electricity generated from large solar photovoltaic systems floating on oceans. The best way to get the United States off of imported oil and improve its national security, is to invest in energy and fuel efficiency and develop large renewable energy systems diversified throughout the U.S. It would generate employment and help regional development. But unfortunately, the US $1.7 billion wouldn't go to the oil and auto industries."

In "Hydrogen's Dirty Secret," Mother Jones Magazine, May/June, 2003, says "Bush promises that fuel-cell cars will be free of pollution. But if he has his way, the cars of tomorrow will run on hydrogen made from fossil fuels." (To read the whole article, pp. 15-17, visit ttp://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2003/19/ma_375_01.php  To read more about hydrogen cars and alternative fuels, visit www.motherjones.com/textra/hydrogen - link no longer valid)

 

MOST PROMISING

What is most promising is the development of renewable energy in all it forms - solar, wind, tides, biomass, geothermal. These can meet our energy needs both directrly and as an assist with the hydrogen indiustry.

What is immediately important is a change in North America's world view.

If we're not careful, the promise of hydrogen gives us an excuse to continue being as profligate as we like with our natural resources. That ATTITUDE is destroying the Earth. Energy is just one symptom. Even is hydrogen is wild successful, we're still stuck with our over consumption of other natural resources.

So what if we have a new energy source in hydrogen if we have no Rainforests? Mass extinction of plants and animals? Filthy air and water and rising sea levels from global warming?

In The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices (300 pp., $15 $12 from Alternatives), we get a clear picture of our biggest problems...

The Leading Consumption-Related Environmental Problems

  1. Air pollution
  2. Global warming
  3. Habitat alteration
  4. Water pollution

 

Of the seven Most Harmful Consumer Activities, #1 is cars and light trucks.

 

The Consumer's Guide offers eleven Priority Actions for American Consumers

* Transportation

  1. Choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive.
  2. Think twice before purchasing another car.
  3. Choose a fuel-efficient, low-polluting car.
  4. Set concrete goals for reducing travel.
  5. Whenever practical, walk, bicycle, or take public transportation.

 

* Food

6. Eat less meat
7. Buy certified organic produce

 

* Household Operations

8. Choose your home carefully
9. Reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water.
10. Install efficient lighting and appliances
11. Choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy

What we need is a new attitude of care and conservation of Creation. A big part of that is voluntary simplicity, choosing to live simpler lives for our own sakes and for the whole planet and all its inhabitants.

At Alternatives we're producing our first audio CD, "Living Simply and Loving It!" (We're moving to CDs without jewel cases because they use fewer resources than tapes.) We hope you'll listen to it, share it with others, give it as gifts. $10 (or free with a $100 contribution).

 

- Gerald Iversen

 

Article above was suggested by Kathy McGinnis, Alternatives' board member.

 

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Wage Peace!

Integrating Voluntary Simplicity into the Life of Peace

You've heard it said "Vote with your dollars" at stores that are Earth-friendly, that do not sell sweatshop goods, etc. Now we can "Vote with our dollars" to help work for Peace.

In addition to working with your local and denominational peace organizations and supporting national groups like Pax Christi and Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), here are some ideas worth pursuing.

1. Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich has proposed (long before he announced himself to be candidate for president) that a cabinet level Department of Peace be established. To learn more, visit www.RenaissanceAlliance.org

2. Peace Universities. Let's encourage our governments to allocate at least as much for teaching peace and conflict resolution as for teaching war, such as establishing departments of peace at universities, funding at least equivalent to military training, such as ROTC.

3. Let's encourage our governments to establish a Peace Tax Fund, whereby people would have the option of not having their taxes used for making war. To learn more, visit PeaceTax.org and PeaceTaxFund.org

 

STRATEGIES

Some folks are tax resisters, refusing to pay taxes to pay for war. For a copy of the updated classic "War Tax Resistance: A Guide to Withholding Your Support for the Military" ($15) from War Resisters League, call 212/228-0450.

If you feel like this but are concerned about the possible legal consequences, here are a couple strategies.

 

1. Pay a "Voluntary Earth Tax." Give your money away instead of giving it to the government. Support those human services that the government underfunds so that it can spend more on defense.

Whenever we buy something, set aside an appropriate amount to give away.

* For benign things (made of renewables) - pay 50%

* For harmful things (non-renewables) - pay 200%

For example, if your electricity is generated with coal, set aside 200% of your energy bill each month to support your local public schools, your regional Earth fund, a national non-profit or an intentional relief agency. So, if my electric bill is $100, I'll give away $200 to a tax-deductible fund.

 

The Earth Tax is a GOOD idea. It respects the tradition of freedom strong in the US but it realizes that we need to pay for the natural capital that we are depleting. Since the Earth Tax currently has NO chance of becoming law, we can still use it as a personal model.

 

2. Keep your taxable income so low that you pay little or no Federal income tax. For a couple filing jointly that's $14,000, plus $3000 for each dependent.

 

Charles Gray's World Equity Budget in "Toward a Nonviolent Economics" is much lower than that!

 

Invest in Socially Responsible tax deferred funds - such as IRAs and 401(k)s - with the hope that by the time you can withdraw the money, an Earth-friendly administration will be in power. Invest in tax-free bonds, especially municipals and state, not federal.

How can two live on $14,000? Voluntary Simplicity! Make a budget that truly reflects our values and stick to it! One way to start, for a two income family, is to give away enough so that you pay no federal income tax on ONE of the incomes.

For example, if your two incomes are $25,000 and $50,000, decide which you want to pay no tax on. You may start with the lower, since that's the easier, then later shift the higher. If you file jointly, your combined taxable income would need to be $14,000 to pay no tax. If you can't reduce it all at once, develop an income reduction schedule over, say, five years.

Yes, that's a challenge. But think of how much good you'd be doing! Every dollar you give away will go where you want it to go, instead of half of it going to the military (for current operations, past debts and future fantasies).

According to the War Resisters League, almost half of our federal budget each year is for military purposes - 27% for current military and 20% for past military (excluding money for the war on Iraq and the war on terrorism). For details, visit www.WarResisters.org

Yes, it costs more to give it away than to give it to the government. The system's designed as a disincentive to do what we're suggesting. You only get credit for the money you give away based on your tax bracket. If you're in the higher brackets, a dollar you give away is only "worth" 28ยข on your taxes. But it's worth a lot more to people who really need it and appreciate it.

Some folks say, "Give without regard for your own benefit" or "Give without regard for your taxes." In a perfect world that may be true, but in a world where our government is working against the Earth, reducing our taxes is a political statement. Let's vote with our dollars!

DISCLAIMER: To see HOW (not if) this will work for you, talk to your tax consultant or lawyer. Otherwise, we can get into big trouble for giving tax advice.

 

- Gerald Iversen

 

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Progress Report

To conserve natural resources and to utilize North Americans' changing learning styles, we plan to use more CDs and DVDs and no more audio or video tape. Also, we plan more web-based services and resources with brief messages.

This year we plan to issue:

 

In the next five years we plan to issue:

Other resources being considered are:

Goals for our 30th anniversary celebration, March, 2003-2004, include:

 

Alternatives is operated by a small, committed staff. Our whole operation is lean and frugal. We practice as fully as possible the message we espouse.

To read our Annual Report, visit  http://simpleliving.startlogic.com/indexoth.php?place=annualreport.php

If you would like to read our business and privacy policies, visit http://www.SimpleLiving.org/main/Policies.php

If you are in a position to help us reach some of our goals, please be in touch.

Thank you for your interest and support.

 

Gerald Iversen, National Coordinator

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Gentle Reminders

 

 Get a free copy of our new 70 minute audio CD "Living Simply & Loving It!" or the CD-ROM "Simply the Best: 30 Years of Alternatives" (over 1500 pages!) with a donation of $100 or more.

Read and comment on our free web site e-zine - "Alternatives' Reader" - at http://SimpleLiving.org/Review/Review.php

Get our free email newsletter by simply sending us your email address. Called "Simply :60," it can be read in under a minute.

To read our manycurrent and past Customer Comments click Feedback at www.SimpleLiving.org.

Yes, "Member Update" and "SLOw Down News" have been combined into one newsletter. To read past issues of "Let's SLOw Down," go to http://www.simpleliving.org/Archives/News/SLOwDownNews.php

To read past issues of "Update," go to http://www.simpleliving.org/Archives/InsiderInfoIndex.php

Take the initiative.

Churches and other organizations in your earea would welcome a presentation on voluntary simplicity. We'll back you up!

Take one or more media releases to your local editor(s) and identify yourself as a supporter of Alternatives. Our current releases are available on our web site under "Information: Media Releases."

Share our Resource Guide (catalog) with your church group, at a conference you may attend, as part of a display, at a meeting. A donation to cover shipping is welcome, not required.

 

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Stakeholder Survey '03

 

Dear Friend of Alternatives,

 

Thank you for sharing our dream of helping people live justly and celebrate responsibly. We need your opinions and comments, as we seek to continue providing quality resources and services.

Answer as much of this questionnaire as you choose. Reply by August 1st.  How about now?  Including your name is optional.

To show our appreciation, we will send each responder a $5 gift certificate (by request - see end of survey). One response per person.

If your household has more than one person interested in Alternatives (a stakeholder), please copy the survey and respond separately.

 

Peace,

Gerald Iversen

National Coordinator

 

Click here to reply. Then return to the Update by clicking "back."

 

 

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Member/Volunteer Reply

[6/03

]To send your reply, highlight the following, click your email's "reply," complete the new email, click send.

 

___ I want to be a dues-paying member, or renew my membership.

___ I want to be a charter member of Alternatives' endowment. I'm pledging at least $1000.

___ I have a presentation/outline that I am willing to share. A copy is enclosed.

___ I do NOT want to be interviewed. (If not marked we may share your name with reporters seeking to speak to someone in their area about simple living.)

___ I have an item for you to consider for "Whose Birthday" 2004. I'm enclosing a copy.

___ I will distribute "Whose Birthday" flyers in 2003. Send me _____ copies (___ folded; ___ flat).

___ Contact me about having a speaker in my area.

___ Send me a free copy of the new audio CD "Living Simply and Living It!" I'm enclosing my donation of $100 or more by check or credit card numbers and expiration date.

___ I'd prefer CD-ROM "Simply the Best: 30 Years of Alternatives."

___ Send me information about including Alternatives in my will and about planned giving.

 

Volunteers, please mark all preferences of service that apply to you.

___ My SLOw Down code should include:

___ S. I'm willing to be a motivational speaker. Using your support material, I may speak and answer questions, facilitate dialog, and hold conversations at conferences, schools, Sunday morning adult forums, etc. 

___ L. I'm willing to be a workshop leader. I may lead single or multipart workshops on "Unplug the Christmas Machine," etc., with activities and audience participation.

___ O. I'm willing to be an event organizer. I may consult with others and help organize events: Alternative Gift Markets, Peace & Justice Fairs, etc.

___ D. I'm willing to be a discussion consultant to help others start and maintain discussion/action/accountability groups/simplicity study circles.   

Comments, requests, questions, concerns, funny stories:   

 

It's critical that we are able to contact you. Please provide the following information.

Correct any incorrect information on your mailing label.       

 

Name:

Address:

Denominational preference:

City/State/ZIP+4:

Day phone:

Evening phone:

Fax number:

Email address:

 

 

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Page updated 1 Feb. 2017 (15 June 2003)

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