Thursday, November 26, 2009

International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women



This is my late start of 16 days of blogging on Ending Violence Against Women as observed starting on 25 November by many international and local organizations, NGOs, and activists. In particular, I'm interested in the technology activities from Take Back the Tech activists who post up daily activities, actions by various bloggers, tweeters, and other media activists. Every year, their efforts and activities grow in scope and complexity. I continue to be amazed by all the blogging, tweeting, photo-video-making, social media activism around the world and the positive impacts and changes that they have generated.

Alas I never enrolled in Twitter last year, but am thinking about it again.

My meager offerings for this first post:



I will continue my discussions later today and in future posts will address issues surrounding violence against women in and around the military, in war zones, in USA, ongoing violence against women in Bangladesh including Awami League youth members' rapes of young women in Bangladesh, and other related topics.

This also a busy time for assorted events:

  • to my Muslim friends, Eid Mubarak
  • to my friends gathering for Thanksgiving--safe travels as well as remembering the indigenous people who suffered greatly colonial takeovers.
  • In response to the onslaught of conspicious consumption commercials for post-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas sales, I will be observing international Buy Nothing Day, 27-28 Nov.



Thursday, October 15, 2009

Blog action day on climate change/vegan MOFO III








Today is return to blogging for me and a two-fer day: Day of Blogging on Climate Change and Vegan MOFO III (Vegan Month of Blogging). Ironically my last post in December 2008 was on food....

In my reflections-teaching on globalization, the latest economic crises (since November 2008), President Barack Obama's election (!), and ongoing recovery from illness, I've adopted some new interests-actions and personal changes.

First, I'm proposing that one solution to climate change is also a change in our diets and eating patterns...in particular to eat more plant-based, local, and seasonal foods in our diets, i.e. vegan diets. In 1978, I became a vegetarian because of inequities in food distribution as well as inefficient food production, for example, ten pounds of grain->one pound of beef. I sought to eat closer to the food chain. In 2008 and teaching about globalization, I also realized that our factory models of meat, milk, and egg production cannot be sustained through free range production around the world (more on this later) as well as the climate change induced by methane, by-products, and land cleared to grow grains to support factory food production. Mark Bittman in Food Matters and his column also inspired me by his exhortation to eat vegan for morning and mid-day meals and whatever you want in the evening.

Second, I've transitioned into a vegan diet (all day) while I have been recovering from an inland hurricane or derecho in Carbondale, tick-induced disease, and a flareup of my MS ...and limited energy for blogging, research, and writing. This diet has posed some interesting challenges for buying, cooking, and eating in my current USA location and also for overseas travel.

Third, changes have occurred in my activities in Bangladesh, research, and teaching and I will address some of these changes in future blogposts. At the same time, I remain very interested in violence against women in general and in Bangladesh (which still does not have a law against domestic violence), global economy & women workers, and empowerment. For example, what are the implications of the global crisis for women workers and their families? Diet and purchasing changes in the North for agricultural workers in the South? Fair trade? Organic? Genetically modified food? Eating locally? Time and $ implications for slow food vs. fast food? Last, I hope to post for the 16 days campaign against violence against women starting on November 25(see takebackthetech.net)

Finally, I leave you with a few of my favorite blogs on vegan issues-recipes:

http://www.theppk.com/

http://happyherbivore.com/

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

http://thevoraciousvegan.blogspot.com/

http://www.rhymeswithvegan.com/

http://www.veganplanet.com

http://showmevegan.blogspot.com/