March 10, 2011 actions are a collaboration between Development and Peace, Polaris, the Canadian Federation of Students, CUPE, and Sierra Youth Coalition.
By creatively planning events around the need to STOP the privatization of water, you can help build a community that recognizes the right to water. Let’s continue to create and support alternatives to bottled water!
*And this amazing website Tap That Water! Teens Against Privitization of Water: http://www.tapthatwater.org/about. They have embedded awesome videos and documentaries on the right to water, so you can watch them too!
* On facebook, the Canadian Catholic Student’s Association is doing a facebook blast – with this passage “Let justice flow like a river” Amos 5:24. Post it as your status over the next 24 hours!
* Participate in an activity sending a message to Cedar Springs, who are trying to take over our day for themselves. Click here to participate in the phone and email blitz.
* More resources on our campaign can be found throughout this blog, but here is the page with the print materials, skits and action ideas.Go Water Justice!
One way you know your advocacay and organizing is working – when companies try to flip your actions! For Bottled Water Free Day – where WE fight for water justice and pledge to tap back into the tap… some companies are taking advantage and giving away free bottled water.
There are over 120 events across the country taking place around ending the privatization of water for Bottled Water Free Day and industry is feeling the pressure. Bottled water company Cedar Springs and the Canadian Bottled Water Association are at it again with bottled water giveaways on Bottled Water Free Day. Last year we shut down their phone lines—but apparently they didn’t get our message!
Flood Cedar Springs Lines–Call today!
Flip the TAP to the bottled water industry! Bottled water company Cedar Springs and the Canadian Bottled Water Association are at it again with bottled water giveaways on Bottled Water Free Day 2010. Last year we shut down their phone lines—but apparently they didn’t get our message! Call Cedar Springs today and tell them you back the TAP! Call: (416) 798-7675
“On Canada’s Second Bottled Water Free Day I am working to kick the bottle and back the tap! The knockoff website that Cedar Springs has produced to promote giving away free bottled water is a desperate effort on behalf of your organization. It is clear that your company and all bottled water companies are feeling the heat as education and action around the negative environmental, health and social impacts of bottled water is growing! I choose NOT to drink bottled water”
Thanks for chipping in – all our efforts are working!
Genevieve Gallant for Development and Peace, part of Bottled Water Free Day 2011!
This year, in addition to the printed material, Development and Peace has also created an interactive blog that will use the testimony of members to publicize the work being carried out by its partners in the Global South.
You will find photos, videos and articles to share, a calendar of events and all the resources you need to a rocking Share Lent in your school or parish!
FUNDRAISING ONLINE!
This year, for the very first time, you can participate in our online fundraising efforts for Share Lent by creating a personal page. Offer your talents to those who need them (music, gardening, cooking) and, in exchange, ask your entourage to give to Development and Peace.
Word from the Nelson Youth Justice Rally – February 25, 26 & 27, 2011
The Nelson Youth Rally rocked, shocked, and stirred us all weekend, galvanizing everyone into agents of social action in Nelson and the wider world.
Little did I know what was waiting for me when I set out from Victoria on a snowy Thursday morning to begin the epic journey to Nelson through oceans, mountains, and a multitude of Dairy Queens. Smooth traveling is often preferred, but a total absence of friction on ice-covered roads is a step too far. My intrepid travel companion, Julia, and myself gritted our teeth and slid over the many passes (with names such as “Anarchist” to sooth the nerves!) before descending in ecstatic relief into the little mountain town of Nelson.
The arctic winds were still blowing when the busload (and extra van required en route for overspill) of high school students arrived at St Jo’s school, Nelson, late on Friday. The delays and looks of bus-induced fatigue showed that they suffered in the smae fate on the roads.
However, undeterred, the rally began and energy levels bounced back with the start of Penticton’s finest worship band leading us in high-energy, fist pumping, song and dance. We launched straight into the rally’s theme of “Water for all – Let justice flow!” with an improvised skit, ‘Out of Order’, that was as funny as it was disorganized.
Yet, there was no missing the obvious points made about our perceptions of bottled water – clean, attractive, and convenient – and the contrasting reality – unregulated, unsustainable, and exploitative. Armed with our shiny new re-useable aluminum water bottles, we all returned to our respective territories on classroom floors for a refreshing sleep.
The following morning, a volunteer awoke me by prying the table, which I had taken refuge under for the night, from my grasp. The shock was hers when she found me curled under it, but negotiations over its imminent use for breakfast convinced me to it let go. Semi awake, but well fed, we got organized for the day’s mission: a citywide bottle drive to raise money for the local food bank.
As we set off in our groups, it soon became apparent that serious endurance was required to deal with the pain of freezing extremities and avoid hypothermia in the -15 degree winds. But the effort was well worth it. People greeted us warmly, fully backed our campaign to go “back to the tap,” and heaped empty cans and bottles on our backs so that we ended up shuffling through the snow looking like Sherpas.
The result… over $550 raised for the food bank and 80 participants delighted to defrost and refuel once back indoors.
Later that afternoon we were transformed into little communities spread across lush fields and desert plains in order to simulate the challenges faced in the equitable distribution of water.
Poor families in “Desertia” ended up with high debts, illness, death and still faced water shortages, while others in “Watopia,” by virtue of their good fortune of being located amidst plenty of water, accumulated more wealth and water than they needed. Hearing the different families share their experiences afterwards brought home how complex it can be share equitably, even when everyone is doing their best.
The day ended with a closer look at what Development and Peace is – a member-led international development organization founded by the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops – and how it tries to address challenges, such as those we encountered in our simulation game, through fundraising and education in Canada in order to support partners in the Global South who promote alternatives to unfair social, political and economic structures.
We also heard some personal stories from the leaders about their journeys into social justice activity. Juilio even rocked the house with his freestyle rap!
Before heading back home, after an eventful and thought provoking weekend, we considered how we could bring the ideas and action experienced in Nelson back to our own communities, i.e. how to share the love?!
Without going into details, the journey home for poor Julia and I made the one to Nelson seem like a Sunday afternoon stroll on a sunny day. I am still thanking God that we survived! But on reflection, there is nothing I would rather risk my life for, than quality time with great friends, working to alleviate poverty any way, big or small, and the sense of fun and fullness that is still lasting today.
A BIG shout out to everyone there, all who organized it, and you for checking this out! Peace.
Great news!! Last night the City of London upheld its commitment to promoting public drinking water by rejecting pressure from the bottled water industry to eliminate its 2008 bottled water ban. Dozens of municipalities, universities, colleges and school boards across Canada have taken similar steps to provide accessible drinking water in facilities, promote the quality of municipal drinking water, and phase out the bottle.
On March 10th, they will be joined by thousands of individuals, institutions and organizations to celebrate the second annual Bottled Water Free Day. With the Canadian Federation of Students, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Sierra Youth Coalition, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE and the Polaris Institute — Canada’s second Bottled Water Free Day is a day to take action to reject bottled water and reclaim public water.
The members of the Bottled Water Free Day coalition applaud the City of London for upholding its ban on bottled water and its pledge to promote access to publicly delivered tap water!
What can we do to make a splash on (or around) Bottled Water Free Day???
How about having a public event to announce that your municipality, university, school, parish or other public institution is going bottled water free?
Or planning a meeting with decision makers to help make that happen?
Or building a sculpture – a monster, a waterfall, a giant water tap – from empty water bottles and displaying it somewhere public and visible?
Or creating a big, public display of signed pledge cards and getting lots of other people to sign on?
Your school, university, college, parish, community group etc. can endorse Bottled Water Free Day
The first full week of February is International Development Week across Canada. It’s all about:
Learning more about Canada’s role in international development, and discovering more about life in developing countries.
Finding out how YOU can become an active global citizen and get involved in international development.
Check out Roberta Gramlich’s video I AM MAKING A DIFFERENCE with Development and Peace.
Development and Peace is involved in all of the following councils – made up of organizations who seek to end global poverty and to promote social justice and human digntiy for all.
The councils are a great place to find out about action and advocacy in your city, as well as the best go-to place when looking for internships, volunteer opportunities and jobs in international development.
Jesus felt compassion when faced with human suffering. We are called to feel that same depth of compassion when faced with the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Through your generous donations to Development and Peace this and every Lent, you help build a world of justice.
A blog for Share Lent!
This year, in addition to the printed material, Development and Peace has also created an interactive blog that will use the testimony of members to publicize the work being carried out by its partners in the Global South.
There you will find photos, videos and articles to share.
The blog will be active starting on the first day of Lent, March 9, 2011. You can subscribe to the blog right away! You will receive an invitation to follow the blog during its launch and a weekly update of published articles.
In the meantime, you can receive daily information about Development and Peace, its campaigns and its partners in the Global South by becoming part of our community in the social media:
New: Participate in fundraising online
This year, for the very first time, you can participate in our online fundraising efforts for Share Lent by creating a personal page. Offer your talents to those who need them (music, gardening, cooking) and, in exchange, ask your entourage to give to Development and Peace.
Fundraising online will be possible starting on March 9, 2011. You can sign up now to the blog to receive the necessary information in the week before Lent.
Share your comments and questions here and stay tuned for updates from the Share Lent Blog 2011.
“Welcome to Development and Peace. Please fasten your seatbelt to prepare for the ride of your life!”
This is what I could have been told as I landed in Ottawa this past September 2010. I arrived in Ontario, a western Canadian girl, trying my very best to have no preconceived notions. I came as an undergraduate student with the Laurentian Leadership Centre, a semester long internship program with Trinity Western University, hoping to cap off my degree in International Studies with an insider’s look at a development organization.
What drew me specifically to Development and Peace is the fact that it is a Catholic-based organization working, in direct relationship with the Church, guided by Catholic social teaching, to effectively transform the world in love through social justice action. My prior limited experience with D&P set me as an open book to be written in.
Well, rides and books aside (I am the analogy queen) interning in the Eastern Ontario Regional office was a wonderful experience. The small office—my supervisor and I comprised the office workforce—saw a flurry of activity from rallies to speaking engagements to creative adventures. I quickly discovered the mission of D&P, the basics of the operation, and the breadth of issues that the organization has tackled.
The timing of my placement allowed me to jump head in to the work conducted in support of Bill C-300. Despite the bill’s defeat in the House of Commons the entire process was such a great opportunity to be amidst the action. It opened lines of meaningful dialogue, challenging me to dig deeper and ask serious questions outside of the academic setting. I met such inspiring, passionate people. For me, it was a firsthand chance to see passion put into action—the way conviction is meant to challenge our comfortable lives.
Much of the remainder of my internship experience was meaningful in a different way. It was my turn to put faith and conviction into action. Our office moved forward in what I have coined the “Ottawa Catholic Schools Initiative”. It has been a concerted (and successful) effort to further partner with the Ottawa Catholic schools and surrounding area to share our passion and educate students on issues; it is specifically aimed to be interactive, for students to feel empowered and inspired, to know that they can make a difference. How this crystallized was through collaborative efforts with chaplains and presentations to a number of schools in the area.
Now the time has come to leave. I have met amazing people who are the lifeblood of D&P. I have been inspired by people who stand for change, who are willing to change their own lives to see transformation become a reality. I have been challenged. And now I fasten my seatbelt to go home…
by Suzanne Cailliau
(former) Intern to the Eastern Ontario Regional Animator with Development and Peace
Saturday, Jan 22, 2011 By Lauren Den Hartog St. Albert Gazette
Students and staff at Albert Lacombe School (St. Albert, Alberta) are trying to kick the habit of buying bottled water and use reusable containers instead. Earlier this month the school kicked off a new initiative that encourages the use of reusable water bottles instead of buying bottled water. School principal Julian DiCastri said the issue is about protecting people in developing countries like Ecuador and Indonesia.
In Indonesia, large bottled water companies control many of the country’s natural springs and often deny access to water to small-scale farmers.
“There was a time in some of these countries like Indonesia and Ecuador where water was abundant and now because they’re damming it up and trying to sell it and maximize the consuming of it and quantifying it, that now the locals are deprived,” said DiCastri, who became attuned to issues related to water privatization thanks to an article in the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace’s newsletter.
DiCastri said the issue is relevant in Canada where plastic water bottles are filling up landfills, something kids at Albert Lacombe can really relate to.
From a Catholic school perspective, he said the initiative also reflects their faith.
“Jesus was all about justice and getting fairness. Regardless of whether you buy into the faith or not, he stood for radical, preferential treatment for the poor, that was his mandate.”
When students returned after the Christmas break, they were asked to sign a pledge supporting publicly owned and operated water systems by choosing tap water over bottled water whenever possible.
The pledge also includes a commitment to create bottled water-free zones in students’ homes and to support efforts to have bottled water replaced by tap water in all municipal, provincial and federal public spaces.
“We’re not saying don’t use water bottles, we’re saying take a reusable water bottle and fill it up and that way you’re contributing to our environment and you’re also, in the greater scheme, looking out for things globally,” said DiCastri.
“You’re not asking them to change the world in one fell swoop but in a very small way they can make a meaningful contribution.”
According to Maude Barlow, national chair of the Council of Canadians, private sector interests knew long before the public that the world was running out of water and that whoever controlled the word’s fresh water resources would be very powerful.
“We have so lost our touch with water and we have to much to learn from people in the developing world about respect for water,” Barlow said in a recent interview with The Water Front.
She called bottled water a form a “water theft” and said the unregulated industry is growing by about 20 per cent each year.
“We’re just at the cusp of a massive change in our view of water from being something that belonged to us all that was a common part of global heritage to something that will be commodified,” Barlow said.
DiCastri said water privatization makes no sense. “When you swoop in there as a company, drill in and then start charging the locals for water, it just seems criminal.”
DiCastri said staff at Albert Lacombe will no longer purchase bottled water for the cooler in their office and will instead rely on reusable water.
March 10, 2011 actions are a collaboration between Development and Peace, Polaris, the Canadian Federation of Students, CUPE, and Sierra Youth Coalition.
When students returned after the Christmas break, they were asked to sign a pledge supporting publicly owned and operated water systems by choosing tap water over bottled water whenever possible.