10.05.09- Week 4

This week is all about WATER, in reference to Millennium Development Goal 7 Ensure Environmental Sustainability. During the Mercy Meets U.N. conference, a very dynamic speaker, Sr. Dierdre Mullen of Mercy Global Concern (the Sisters of Mercy's representatives at the United Nations) encouraged us to look at HOW we consume water. Is it from a plastic bottle that we paid for and may or may not recycle? Is it tap water from a refrigerated recycled plastic, reusable cantene? Surprisingly, the answer to this question deals less with the plastic aspect and more with how we are allowing water to become a commodity. Doing so limits the free access to water that all humans should share as a universal right.

Therefore, our goal is to try to break the habit of purchasing bottled water.

If you would like to find out more about Water and the World, check out last month's issue of GOOD magazine at http://www.good.is/departments/the-water-issue. If you would like track the composition of plastic in your water bottles or find out more about where those wasted water bottles end up, check out this reputable site:
http://waste-reduction.suite101.com/article.cfm/bottled_water_and_the_environment.

And if you find yourself in need of a cheap cantene with a green conscience, here is at least one place to purchase from:http://www.thegreenlogo.com/component/page,shop.browse/category_id,96/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,6/vmcchk,1/

Thirsty yet?

09.28.09- Week 3

This week's activity was the first installment of lessons for knitting caps for babies. As a way of aiding Millennium Development Goal 4: Reducing Child Mortality, which is a focus on child health. Students have been assembling in small groups and setting personal goals of "knitting" 5- 10 baby caps from donated yarn. The baby caps will be collected and sent to local hospitals, such as Abington Memorial Hospital, as well as to Mercy Neighborhood Ministries. Not only will these caps keep newborns warm, but studies show having handmade items are developmentally beneficial to children.

Looms are available through me or through visitation house, but can be purchased at local craft stores. If you are interested in forming a group at visitation, message me, as I will be assembling this project a little differently in upcoming weeks. . .

Also, if you would like to learn how knit on a circular loom, here is a YouTube video to follow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTOFqzjp5-w&feature=related

Just remember to knit a baby cap, cast off about 20 rows on the small blue circular looms. Any finished baby caps may be dropped off at visitation house.

09.21.09- Week 2

This week will kick off our annual Gwynedd- Mercy College Mercy Week. Wishing to incorporate the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy with our Get U.N. Inspired campaign, this week's activity is to get involved with at least one activity. Much of this week's participation will come from our AMAZING faculty, staff, students involved with the FYE program. However, there are PLENTY of opportunities for EVERYONE to get involved. I will personally be pledging my time as a discussion leader and Mission and Values representative during the viewing of Invisible Children, as well as a program leader during the Mercy U.N. Fair. I hope to see you there!

09.14.09- Week 1

This week is all about information! Set a goal of finding out more information concerning nations and their progress toward the MDG's. Not only will this support the United States' commitment to Millennium Development Goal 8, Fostering Global Partnership, but it will also help all of us to act as more informed citizens. Here are some jumping off points for your research:

The U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals Website:

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Millennium Development Goal Indicators:

http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mdg/Default.aspx

Millennium Development Goal Monitor:

http://www.mdgmonitor.org/

U.N. Millennium Promise Campaign in Africa:

http://www.millenniumpromise.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mv_main

STAND against Poverty:

http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/

Please be sure to comment on anything interesting you find in our comments section!

In May 2009, 4 students and 1 staff member from our Gwynedd- Mercy College campus visited the United Nations as a part of the Mercy meets U.N. Conference. While there, one of the biggest focuses was on member nations' progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). I was one of those students who was privileged enough to go and U.N. Inspired enough to START something back home. My goal is to get everyone involved in our campus wide campaign of GET U.N. INSPIRED! 8 Simple Ways to Save the World. With a lot of support from my fellow students, faculty, and staff, I will be posting different blogs that relate U.N. initiatives with our own, Montgomery County lives. There will be at least one post a week, explaining that week's "project" and corresponding Millennium Development Goal(s). I am hoping to see different comments and suggestions, which will continue to shape this year's campaign.

My personal commitment that I will also be posting on this blog, will be to continue each week's project through the remainder of the year.