New Haven/León Sister City Project

 One World House

The One World House exhibit features a full size model of a house typical in rural communities in Nicaragua (and around the world) and nine banners that describe the impact of climate change on vulnerable rural communities, the science of climate change, and what we can do to mitigate the impacts.

The House can be set up at schools, churches, parks and is a great way to get people thinking about climate change and what it means for  vulnerable rural communities around the world.

Click for  Introduction,  Rural Communities,  Science, and Take Actions banners.

For more information contact Chris at nh@newhavenleon.org or 203.562.1607.

New Haven Independent story on One World House at Fair Haven School here.

 Home in Goyena, Nicaragua.

                                              Poneloya, Nicaragua

Why Climate Change??

For years, part of NHLSCP's work in Nicaragua has addressed environmental issues - water safety and levels; the  epidemic of kidney failure in sugar cane workers; etc.  NHLSCP is now focusing more on the environment because of the risks climate change presents to the community where we work in Nicaragua (Goyena).  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states, “The combination of low economic growth and high levels of inequality can make large parts of the region’s population very

               Hurricane Alma over Central America, 2008.

vulnerable to economic and natural stressors, which would not have to be very large to cause great social damage.”   And say Dr RK Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC. ”The impacts of climate change will fall disproportionately upon developing countries and the poor... within all countries.” As you may know, Goyena was a displaced by Hurricane Mitch in 1998....and is still working to recover from that storm.

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Did you know...that every American is responsible, on average, for the release of 20.6 metric tons of greenhouse gases per year, and that Nicaraguans generate 0.74 metric tons? 

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Click here for an article from New Haven Independent on Earthathon 2009.

Also check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=88114390040&ref=mf

From the mines of Bolivia to industrial agriculture in Nicaragua to the Gulf Coast to Oil Tar Sands in Canada.....

“The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it.”  Wendell Berry

“Change means movement. Movement means friction.“  Saul Alinsky

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Take action!

Send letters to Congresswoman DeLauro and Senator Lieberman to encourage them to support the TRADE and CLEAR Acts!  Click here to print our letters.

The TRADE Act is a bill that requires a review of all current trade agreements and sets standards for future agreements.  By ensuring the inclusion of food and product safety, environmental and labor standards; and basic human rights standards in trade agreements, this act will help decrease the environmental and economic exploitation of lesser-developed communities. 

The CLEAR Act is a bill that focuses on fixing our environment at home in the U.S.  It outlines a plan for decarbonizing the economy while compensating consumers for increasing energy costs.  It also creates funds for researching clean energy options.

For more information visit:

http://supportclearact.com/

http://www.citizen.org/trade/tradeact/

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Want to learn more about environmental justice issues in the Americas?  Click on one of our PDFs to learn more about a specific issue.

• The Texaco/Chevron oil spill in Ecuador

• Mountaintop Removal & Coal Mining

• El Riachuelo, Argentina

Environmental Resources

New Haven/ Connecticut 

 CT NOFA -  CT NOFA is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the practices of ecologically sound farming and gardening, and to the development of local sustainable agriculture. Our efforts give consumers increased access to safe and healthy food.

 Elm City Cycling -  ElmCityCycling is a nonprofit organization of more than 400 advocates who work to make New Haven a better place for bicycling and walking

 CitySeed -  Engages the community in growing an equitable, local food system that promotes economic development, community development and sustainable agriculture.

Yale Sustainable Food Project - The Sustainable Food Project directs a sustainable dining program at Yale, manages an organic farm on campus, and runs diverse programs that support exploration and academic inquiry related to food and agriculture.

New Haven Land Trust -  The New Haven Land Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to land conservation, environmental education and community vegetable gardening in New Haven.

New Haven Bioregional Group - The New Haven Bioregional Group is a group of New Haven-area citizens committed to the philosophy of bioregionalism and relocalization. We sponsor monthly walks, canoe trips, film showings, potlucks, discussions and other programs designed to deepen our connection to each other and to our surroundings.

Clean Water Action CT - Clean Water Action is an organization of 1.2 million members working to empower people to take action to protect America's waters, build healthy communities and to make democracy work for all of us.

Urban Resorces Initiative- Urban Resources Initiative (URI) is a community not-for-profit that works in conjunction with the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. Our dual mission is to foster community-based land stewardship, promote environmental education, and advance the practice of urban forestry, as well as provide Yale students with clinical learning opportunities.

Solar Youth -  is a non-profit environmental education and youth development organization

Interreligious Eco-Justice Network - Our mission is to engage people from every faith tradition in prayer, dialogue, education and advocacy in celebration of the sacredness of creation. We encourage faithful living that reflects a right relationship between humankind and the environment

National/International

 Greenpeace -  Our committed activists and supporters have come together to ban commercial whaling, convince the world's leaders to stop nuclear testing, protect Antarctica, and so much more. Today, we have grown from a small group of dedicated activists to an international organization with offices in more than 30 countries.

Fundación Cocibolca - La ONG Fundación Cocibolca ha sido la organización pionera en ser la primera organización sin fines de lucro en firmar un convenio de co-manejo con MARENA desde noviembre de 1996, constituyéndose en la decana de las organizaciones civiles en co-manejo de 8 áreas protegidas.

Rainforest Action Network - Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is made up of 43 staff members in San Francisco, CA and in Tokyo, Japan, plus thousands of volunteer scientists, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens around the world. We believe that a sustainable world can be created in our lifetime, and that aggressive action must be taken immediately to leave a safe and secure world for our children.  

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) - The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is the largest peace lobby in Washington, DC. Founded in 1943 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), FCNL staff and volunteers work with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people from many different races, religions, and cultures to advocate social and economic justice, peace, and good government. FCNL is nonpartisan.

Earth Policy Institute -  Welcome to Earth Policy Institute, dedicated to building a sustainable future as well as providing a plan of how to get from here to there.

Rainforest Alliance - we work to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Go here to  Help Schoolkids Protect a Mountaintop Cloudforest Mombacho in Nicaragua.

The Land Institute - The Land Institute has worked for over 20 years on the problem of agriculture. Our purpose is to develop an agricultural system with the ecological stability of the prairie and a grain yield comparable to that from annual crops

Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change - The IPCC is a scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Its constituency is made of :

• The governments: the IPCC is open to all member countries of WMO and UNEP. Governments of participate in plenary Sessions of the IPCC where main decisions about the IPCC workprogramme are taken and reports are accepted, adopted and approved. They also participate the review of IPCC Reports.
• The scientists: hundreds of scientists all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC as authors, contributors and reviewers.
• The people: as United Nations body, the IPCC work aims at the promotion of the United Nations human development goals IPCC Report on Latin America