Welcome to the Wednesday, April 12, 2006 issue of this Peace&Justice action email!
This email contains actions relating to a new wrinkle in the Amazon rainforest destruction, Eastern Africa drought, and Darfur actions.
______________________________________________________________
It took over a year to uncover, using satellite imagery and aerial surveillance, the 7000 km (4200 mile) journey that the soybeans took to get from the newly destroyed Amazon jungle land, to the chicken farms that produce McDonald's McNuggets and other fast food items in Europe. This issue has parallels with the Brazilian beef controversy several years ago, where ranchers cleared rainforest to graze cattle for North American hamburgers, and as such has its own complexities in finding a proper resolution that preservses the rainforest and addresses decent jobs. For detailed information about the linkages and if you want to send McDonald's a message to find such a resolution click on the address below:
Background and Take Action
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/mcamazon-060406
_____________________________________________________________
EASTERN AFRICA FOOD CRISISAs noted in an earlier email, the situation in such countries as Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania, continues its downward spiral into drought and consequent widespread death & famine. If you want to help try to stop the spiral, Oxfam has put out an appeal, using the following link:"
Take Action (donate):
https://secure.ga0.org/02/eastafrica/nAdayUO916RZr
________________________________________________________________
US COLLEGE STUDENTS - INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITYUS college students can enter a contest to join the award-winning New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristoff on an actual foreign assignment. Kristoff is one of the few journalists to maintain a focus on Darfur and other horrific situations. For more information and to enter (Please note the tight deadline: April 20!!), click on the link below:
Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/winatrip/
____________________________________________________________
DARFUR ACTIONIf you have not done so yet, you can sign the Million Voices for Darfur Postcard: a campaign to send one million postcards to President Bush, urging him to support a stronger multinational force to protect the people of Darfur.
Click here:
http://ga3.org/ct/Fdapfld1Iztq/
As well on April 30 Rally there is a massive rally planned in Washington, DC. Information is in the above link.
UWAA: This endeavour is being placed under the overall rubric of "Until Well-being is Achieved for All."
Volunteers Needed: If you can provide one hour per week or month, tracking down concrete actions to help strengthen this effort, please click the UWAA Reply button below, and add a Subject Line: “UWAA: Edit” and place any comments in the body. Diverse perspectives especially welcome.
Want to get these actions sent directly to your email address? If so, then click the UWAA Subscribe button below, add a Subject Line: “UWAA: Subscribe”; You can also optionally place any additional comments in the body.
Rod
Downing
rdowning@istar.ca.
Surrey
BC Canada
(604) 535-6550