FAMVIN: The International Vincentian Family

Sr. Zenaida Gan, Daughter of Charity and staunch environmental advocate, is challenging a coal-fired power plant in the Philippines.

A heirloom seed sanctuary supported by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Vincent de Paul is a finalist for the Canadian Environment Awards is a project. The sanctuary specializes in “open-pollinated” seeds, seeds that allow a bio-diversity generally absent in hybrid or genetically modified seeds. Read the story.

A plan designed to encourage use of solar energy is, in effect, a regressive tax, according to the manager of policy and research for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Victoria (Australia). Solar energy is a good idea; having poor households subsidize richer ones is not. Read the article.

Sister of Charity Marty Dermody had been “hoping and praying” for someone like Jill Russell, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biology at the College of Mount St. Joseph. Read why — and don’t stop at the headline. This avocation helps spread environmental awareness.

March 22 is the international observance of World Water Day, an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. For information about the observance, including events celebrating World Water Day 2008, see the website.

Sister of Charity Paula Gonzalez, co-chairwoman of the Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, believes that “connecting with the Earth is beginning to happen in our culture.” Some know her as the “solar nun.” Read the story.

The UNDP says that global warming threatens to “lock the world’s poorest countries and their poorest citizens on a downward spiral.” Although climate change will affect everyone, the poor will “face the immediate and most severe human costs” in the form of malnutrition, water scarcity and loss of livelihood. Read the article.

Recently the weekly feature on systemic change spotlighted Seton Harvest, a Daughters of Charity project of community supported agriculture. The Sisters of Charity of New York also have a project; see their interesting blog.

The Holy See affirms that protecting the environment is a grave responsibility shared by every person, but also warns that two extreme attitudes should be avoided. Source and full text

Unless there isn’t enough of it or a health crisis causes reconsideration of diet, most people don’t spend much time thinking about food. But hunger and health — our own and that of the increasingly stressed land — are reasons to think about changing the systems that bring food to our tables. The Daughters of [...]

An innovative green product is gaining a toehold in environmentally conscious pet supply stores. “Dogma Dog Beds”, manufactured at the EcoFiber facility of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Eugene, Oregon, recycle cotton fiber and mattress materials and raise funds for the Society. Read about it.

LORETO, Italy (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Saturday led the Catholic Church’s first eco-friendly youth rally — where nearly everything used was biodegradable or recyclable — and urged his young listeners to shun “disposable love”. BBC coverage (includes video link)

Sr. Margaret John Kelly, DC, served as a panelist sponsored by the US Bishops in  educational campaign reminding people that environmental toxins emitted from lead, mercury and greenhouse gasses threaten not just the health of children and adults, but also that of the unborn.

About the impact of bottled water on the environment, allwater.org says:
The bottled water industry causes a severe strain on the environment, but solutions to this environmental damage significantly lessen the quality of water in the bottles.
Not quite the effect we’re hoping for when we uncork a bottle!
Also, take a look at the Web site for [...]

Biofuels are not clean and green.  Biofuels will result in deforestation.  Biofuels will not bring rural development.  Biofuels will cause hunger.