S.A. Miners on strike ... dance...

Costs of safety? What a surprise...but what about the benefits of safety?

Rockin out as a dancer. Yes I often find myself saying, "I think I can Dance"

Buy Nothing Day

Ironically, now that I am selling food, I find myself on the wrong side of this fantastic movement. I want to sell you stuff. I want people to eat fair trade, organic food. But, perhaps, buy nothing day can mean more than just hesitating to shop one day a year. Perhaps, on a day when the specials are so exciting, we can try to think about the gift of giving not just to our immediate friends but to our collective futures, and the futures of our great grand childen, whose voices are keeping Drew Dellinger awake at night...

But hey...buy some fair trade books?

Better acting late than never...Green living

Blog Action Day is all about reaching the big wide world out there and raising consciousness about the environment. Being the green hipster that I am I thought I would catch the tail end of the green wave.
I hope that the wave continues and sweeps beyond the blog world.
1. Turn off computer ...

Darfur - Nigerian NGOs call for action

Tune into the radio tomorrow at 6am-7am. Never say I don't give notice for these things!
Tune into the Dan Shield's show on ckcu 93.1 FM in Ottawa - online:http://www.ckcufm.com/programs/schedule.html

Take action on September 17th
See the poster below
Full article



Highlights:
As President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua marks his first 100 days in office, two leading Nigerian non governmental organisations, Independent Advocacy Project (IAP) and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have called on the president to publicly declare his support for efforts aimed at bringing lasting solution to the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur Sudan.

Adds SERAP's Adetokunbo Mumuni: ‘The government of Sudan has a track record of shifting under pressure only to break its promises when the international community looks elsewhere. Until the attacks on civilian's cease and the full peacekeeping force is deployed the international community must not look away.'

The two organisations reminded the federal government that this September's meeting of 192 world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York is another opportunity to address the Darfur issue. Specifically, IAP and SERAP are asking President Yar'Adua and other world leaders to:

* Demand that the Sudanese government, armed groups and Janjawid militia in Darfur and eastern Chad halt attacks against civilians and humanitarian agencies;
* Ensure and commit to the expeditious and full deployment to Darfur of the joint African Union (AU) and United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force, and ensure that the government of Sudan facilitates the swift and unimpeded deployment.

We are also asking President Yar' Adua to use Nigeria's leadership role in Africa to encourage the African Union to:

* Work expeditiously with the UN to reinforce AMIS so as to ensure that the civilian population in Darfur is effectively protected; and
* Take all steps necessary to speedily implement UN Security Council Resolution 1769

Darfur - Action Now

Yes now, and September 17th outside Parliament, Ottawa, Canada with STAND Canada. I will be there with Bells and enthusiasm!
If you are having trouble convincing your friends to attend show them this Darfur Game review and game.

UN Secretary-General Ban-Kim is having some trouble in Sudan!

CERES - Investor coalitions challenging securities law

Ceres is a coalition of over 80 investor, environmental and public interest organizations united to advance corporate responsibility.

I had never heard of them but I find it pretty cool that there is a coalition this big of responsible investors that is focused on changing securities laws and pushing corporations towards being responsible:

The institutional/financial professional sign-on statement at www.SaveShareholderRights.org spells out specific concerns: "The SEC has issued three specific proposals which we believe would eliminate or cripple the resolution process. We cannot support the following proposals: (1) the 'opt-out' option that would allow the most unresponsive companies -- those with the worst records when it comes to good corporate conduct and governance -- to drop out of the shareholder resolution process and isolate themselves further from their shareholders; (2) the unilateral substitution of the electronic petition model or 'chat room' for the vibrant and public 14a-8 shareholder resolution process; and (3) the raising of shareholder resolution resubmission levels from the current 3%, 6% and 10% vote levels to 10%, 15% and 20% levels, thus effectively killing many important shareholder resolutions."
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The Social Investment Forum (http://www.socialinvest.org) is the national membership association for the social investment industry. It is dedicated to the concept, practice, and growth of socially responsible investing. The Forum's 500-plus members include financial planners, banks, mutual fund companies, research companies, foundations, and community investing institutions.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (http://www.iccr.org) is a coalition of nearly 300 faith-based institutional investors, representing over $100 billion in invested capital. ICCR members bridge the divide between morality and markets by envisioning a civic economy that integrates ethical, environmental and social values. Inspired by faith, committed to action, ICCR members work to build a just and sustainable global community.

Ceres is a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as climate change. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a network of 60 institutional investors managing $4 trillion in assets focused on the business impacts of climate change. For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org

Publicity

Let's get some readers!

I like the free aspect of this directory:

Zambian workers, Chinese bosses

What if Canada got everything right in CSR, but our companies couldn't compete with other country's companies? Is this just a way of hiding behind the old excuse of "Johny doesn't have to make his bed, why do I?"

I may come up with an actual answer to this but I thought I would just point out two examples that raise the issue:
from the BBC: BBC - Zambia miners 'see little reward' By Orla Guerin BBC News, Zambia

from the Talisman Sudanese controversy:

• The sale
• China's purchase
  
• Talisman's home

Sudan divestment / Student action: Standnow in the US and Stand Canada
More info on CSR, Genocide and activism at Corpobligation.com

Sustainability standards

I look forward to delving deeper into this website:
Sustainable Measures. Take a look if you like.

Goodbyes and nostalgia

Law school is over for most of my friends. I just have a few last assignments...boo

This weekend, we had quite a bash. It was like we were new and we were old friends. Talking to everyone and sharing hugs, laughter, secrets.

What a day.

P.S. Still obsessed with CSR.