Rights of Nature | Rights of Mother Earth
The ‘rights of nature’ concept recognizes that the natural systems have a right to exist, and that these rights may be superior to the commerce and property rights of humans; unfortunately this concept is only now becoming more widely appreciated.
In 2010, a general, global statement of the rights of nature, the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, was issued at the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. This lead to places, for example Bolivia, to recognize ’Mother Earth’ as having rights that are parallel to human rights.
Sustainability and the Rights of Future Generations
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled, often held to include the right to life, liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. These rights are universally accepted, as is … more
Social Research | Social Justice Conference
A unique and excellent addition to the Lehigh Valley’s offerings, the Social Research Social Justice Conference began in 2003 as a collaboration between faculty and students in the Department of Media and Communication at Muhlenberg College, with the goal to … more
PA Judge: Corporations Are Not “Persons”
A New Civil Rights Movement: Liberating Our Communities from Corporate Control Pennsylvania judge holds that corporations are not “persons” under the Pennsylvania Constitution By Thomas Alan Linzey, Esq., Executive Director, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund March 28, 2013—To protect small … more
Commit to Leadership in Sustainability
The benefits of making a clear commitment can be dramatic, especially over the long term. When students, faculty, staff, and alumni know that the college or university is making a broad and comprehensive commitment to sustainability, they are more likely … more
Endowment Investments with High Return & Ultra-Low Risk
This is another no-brainer. Recently, colleges and universities have been earning an average 6–8% return on their endowment funds. Most facilities projects to reduce energy & greenhouse gas emissions [GHG] have a 5–7 year payback — a 14%–20% return—which means … more
‘Green Revolving Funds’
A ‘Green Revolving Fund’ provides funds for small projects such as the one described above, projects that will make the college or university more sustainable and, in most cases, pay for itself by reducing expenses for energy. Any project that … more
Community Bill of Rights Strategy
From CELDF, 11/8/12: Three communities banned shale gas drilling and fracking on Election Day, Nov 6, 2012, adopting Community Bill of Rights charter amendments. Mansfield and Broadview Heights, OH, and Ferguson Township, PA, asserted their rights to clean air and … more
Turn Down the Heat infographic
Principles of Ecology
The principles of ecology were derived from years of observation about how things work in natural systems, including Aldo Leopold’s observations and insights (many of them chronicled in his now-famous Sand County Almanac…). Leopold broadened ecological thinking from a biology-centered … more
Sustainability Is Good Business
Forward thinking companies realize value in providing sustainable, renewable, organic, cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, sweatshop free, biodegradable, and locally-produced products and services. In the long run, our steadfast demand for such ethical products will yield greater profits to ethical suppliers. I believe … more