Live Peace with Preserve

As part of our ongoing series of  posts highlighting groups and organizations making Good Happen, this week we bring you Preserve. For those of you who may be exploring more sustainable shopping choices, Preserve offers toothbrushes, kitchen items, and a recycling program that their items are eligible for!

The Preserve toothbrushes and other items can be found online at the Preserve website, or in store at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, and some Target locations. Find a location near you that carries the products in-store here.

Photo from the Preserve website.

Like the idea of “peace,” the idea of “sustainability” can have different meanings to different people. At Preserve, sustainability means “socially and environmentally responsible business practices.”

Here at Center for Living Peace, we celebrate different forms of both peace and sustainability. When it comes to peace, different people may have different ideas of what is peaceful to them, whether it is participating in a meditation class, reading a book, or watching a documentary film. Similarly, depending on the person, sustainability can include ideas like properly disposing of waste, recycling when possible, using alternative methods of transportation, or making different purchasing choices.

What does sustainability mean to you?

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Live Peace with iSanctuary

Today is Saturday and you know what that means: highlighting an organization that is making Good Happen in our world.  Today we are Living Peace with iSanctuary, an organization that has been working to end human trafficking since 2007. Human trafficking is defined as the trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery or forced labor. 

Image from iSanctuary.

iSanctuary rescues women of all ages from the world of human trafficking. They then have the chance to be brought to Orange County, California or Mumbai, India to learn and practice creating jewelry. The survivors are welcome to make mistakes, they are welcome to grow, and they are welcome to learn as they please. It is all about assisting the women in entering the professional world and giving them the confidence and the dignity they need. iSanctuary also helps to educate people about what human trafficking is and ways to help end it.

The beautiful hand-made jewelry is sold by iSanctuary  in select stores and online. iSanctuary is also having an online Mother’s Day sale!

If you are interested in helping end human trafficking, you are welcome to make a donation to iSanctuary. There are also other ways to get involved!

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Live Peace with One Day Without Shoes

Every Saturday, we like to highlight an organization or movement that is making Good Happen! This week we are highlighting One Day Without Shoes, an awareness event sponsored by TOMS Shoes. Each year, ODWS asks people to go barefoot for one day to raise awareness of the impact something as small as a pair of shoes can make. This year’s is coming up on Tuesday, April 16th!

So why Peace + Shoes? Why are we going barefoot?

Peace takes many forms. Aside from the common definition of peace as the absence of war, it also can encompass a feeling of contentment within yourself or ensuring that people have access to the tools and resources they need to live life to the fullest. Shoes may be one specific issue area, but they affect many aspects of life including health, education, and future economic opportunities.

Check out highlights from last year’s event in the following video:

Join us at the Center for Living Peace on April 16th, 2013 from 10am-4pm as we celebrate One Day Without Shoes! Throughout the day, there will be various fun activities for all ages:

Style your Sole (canvas shoe painting) /// 11am-3pm

Bring a pair of canvas shoes to decorate during the Style Your Sole party! Order a pair of TOMS online, or find in store at places like Nordstrom. Any canvas shoes will work, whether TOMS, Vans, or Keds! Don’t have a pair of shoes to bring? We’ll give you a canvas flag to decorate!

Raffles on the hour /// 12pm until 3pm

Free Prizes with drawings throughout the day.

Barefoot Walk /// 3pm

Experience the world around you without shoes.

Plus music, refreshments, and interactive displays throughout the day!

We’re looking forward to a great day. Hope to see you there! Not in the area? Find events near you!

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Live Peace with Light It Up Blue

This April 2nd is Light It Up Blue, a world-wide initiative that starts off Autism Awareness Month and helps raise awareness about autism. On this day, numerous landmarks, venues, buildings, homes and communities take part in this initiative and replace their regular lightbulbs with blue LED ones.

Watch the following video to learn more about Light It Up Blue, what others have done in support of the initiative, and how you can get involved in raising autism awareness!

Looking for a way to participate locally? The children’s museum Pretend City offers Family Autism Events monthly.

Get involved nationally by checking out the Tools & Resources at Light It Up Blue!

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Live Peace with Illumination Foundation

Each Saturday we like to highlight an organization or movement that is making Good Happen! Today we are shining the spotlight on a local grassroots organization called Illumination Foundation, based in Orange County.

Illumination Foundation focuses on the needs of the homeless population through services such as cold weather armories with housing in motel rooms and on-site services to effectively transition them into permanent housing, free community clinics and recuperative care programs, and case management and vital social service connections for families.

There are many ways to get involved with Illumination Foundation such as donating to their clothing and food drives, volunteering to mentor children as part of their Childhood Enrichment Program, or simply by making a monetary donation. To find out more, check out their website!

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Live Peace with One Billion Rising

This Thursday, February 14th marks One Billion Rising, a movement to combat violence against women and girls. Created in honor of the 15th anniversary of V-Day, the day encourages organizations and individuals to dance, rise, and raise awareness of the issues facing women worldwide.

One Billion Rising logo in English, Bengali, Spanish, and German (clockwise from top left). It is a global movement!

Locally, join the UC Irvine cast and crew of the Vagina Monologues at Irvine Rising in Aldrich Park on the UCI campus. Or, find your own way to RISE!

See organizations that are rising and find an event near you!

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Live Peace with Kijani Grows

Each Saturday we like to highlight an organization or movement that is making Good Happen! Today we are shining the spotlight on an organization focused on sustainable eating called Kijani Grows!

Kijani Grows is an organization that produces and installs “smart aquaponics” systems for schools, homes, and companies. They also offer courses teaching students how to build their own aquaponics system. The difference between regular aquaponics systems and the “smart” ones that this organization makes is that these gardens use a variety of sensors that allow you to monitor your garden when away from it.

The video below shows the founder of Kijani Grows, Eric Maundu, as he walks us through the proponents of his system.

Kijani Grows has various projects, including their One School, One Garden project, in which they plan to teach students how to build a smart aquaponics system and how to configure it to work on the internet. They also have the San Mateo EcoVillage in which they plan to use three 3×8 grow beds to feed residents of the EcoVillage.

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Live Peace with edX

Each Saturday we like to highlight an organization that is making Good Happen! This week’s organization goes by the name of edX.

edX is a non-profit organization founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that offers classes specifically designed for interactive study via the web. They have many interesting classes available, all of which are offered for free and can be found on their course catalog. Joining Harvard and MIT in offering classes are The University of California at Berkeley, The University of Texas System, Wellesley University, and Georgetown University.

The institutions will also be using edX as a basis of research on how students learn and how technology can shape learning. The goals of edX feature a desire to reach out to students of all walks of life and to have teachers who reflect the diversity of its audience.

All you need is an internet connection and a desire to learn!

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Live Peace with Smiling Monkey Yoga

Here at the Center, we are so thankful for our longtime partner Smiling Monkey Yoga! Their wonderful yoga instructors offer 9 classes each week, ranging in ages from babies to teens. The instructors make the class fun and accessible to kids! Check out the class offerings here.

As an added bonus, taking Smiling Monkey Yoga classes here at the Center supports weekly classes held at Human Options. We love seeing kids helping kids have the chance to enjoy yoga!

Wondering about the benefits of yoga? Watch the video below!

It’s not always easy to find yoga classes geared towards kids, but we are so happy to offer it here through Smiling Monkey Yoga!

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Live Peace this January

January always seems to be a month of change, reflection, and new intentions. This January 2013 is also a month for awareness and advocacy!

This month has been declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. While slavery is often viewed as something that was abolished long ago, it still affects many people today.

According to Not for Sale, over 30 million people are in slavery today– more than in any other time period in our history.  And the 2012 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons by UNODC states that between 2007 and 2010, the percentage of child victims rose to 27%, from 20% between 2003-2006 (UNODC full report here).

Learn more about modern slavery and how you can get involved in anti-slavery efforts with organizations like Somaly Mam Foundation and Not for Sale.

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Peace Grl Out!