Big deal speaker at SIS

Science in Society Author Interview with Roger Pielke

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Friday, February 25, School of International Service Founder's Room

Prof. Matthew Nisbet from the School of Communication will interview author Roger Pielke about his new book, Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won't Tell You About Global Warming. In it Pielke contends that whenever environmental and economic objectives are placed in opposition to each other, economic concerns always rule. Co-sponsored by CAS and SOC, this is part of the Spring 2011 Science in Society Film and Lecture Series.

For additional information, contact Adell Crowe: crowe@american.edu

The Second Annual African Justice Initiative Symposium

The Second Annual African Justice Initiative Symposium

Presented by the African Justice Initiative
March 1, 2011 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Room 603

Africa’s history of rich oil reserves in countries like Nigeria and Egypt, and the recent discovery of new oil in countries like Ghana and Uganda, has placed the African continent front and center on the world oil and gas map. As transnational oil companies set their sights on these new oil reserves, we address the damage already caused in African communities by oil spills that dwarf the BP and Exxon Valdez spills. Speakers from the affected African communities, environmental and human rights organizations, law firms, and law school faculty, speak about the oil crises and access to legal redress.

Keynote Speaker:
Omoyele Sowore - Mr. Sowore is a Nigerian Journalist and Human Rights Activist who has previously been jailed and tortured. Among other things, Mr. Sowore works to promote human rights and democracy in Nigeria in relation to oil exploration.

Panelists:
Judith Chomsky - Ms. Chomsky is a renowned American Human Rights Attorney. She represented the Saro-Wiwa family in Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, concerning the summary execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and others.

Andrew Ndubisi Ucheomumu – Mr. Ucheomumu is a Nigerian attorney practicing in Maryland and WCL Alumnus. He is currently authoring several books about Africa, Law and Development, among other issues.

Professor Perry Wallace – Professor Wallace is a Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law. He specializes in Corporate Law and Finance, Environmental Law, and International Arbitration.

Moderator:
Professor Daniel Bradlow - Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law.

General Registration, no charge. CLE Accreditation (1.5 hours) will be applied for – CLE Registration, $55). To register, please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration.

For further information, contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education, 202.274.4075 or secle@wcl.american.edu.

Research job with Fintrac

Fintrac is an international consulting firm implementing agricultural
projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America for USAID and other donors.
Fintrac has worked for over 20 years to increase incomes and improve
livelihoods for the world’s most vulnerable farm families, while also
building sustainable commercial value-chains. We have an immediate
need for a Research Analyst to support a USAID/Food For Peace project.

About the Bellmon Estimation Studies for Title II (BEST) Project
As a result of changes mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill, the USAID
Office of Food for Peace is implementing a new approach to meeting
requirements of food aid legislation. Fintrac Inc. is now tasked,
under the auspices of the USAID/ Bellmon Estimation Studies for Title
II (BEST) project, with conducting the data collection, field visits,
and analyses required to assess the potential impact of Title II food
aid on local production and markets. The BEST project team provides
independent, third-party analysis to inform programming decisions
regarding distributed and monetized food aid, and regarding local and
regional procurement (including cash and vouchers).

About the Position

Fintrac is seeking a Research Analyst to provide technical and
administrative support to home and field office operations. This
position is based in our Washington, DC office, with up to 20%
international travel anticipated.

Technical:
• Assist senior staff to conduct market research on staple food
commodities and data collection, both in the office and in field
locations overseas
• Contribute to technical report preparation, writing, and editing
• As needed, assist in conducting interviews with local market
stakeholders (producers, traders, wholesalers, retailers, Ministry of
Agriculture, food aid donors and implementing partners, etc.) in study
countries
Administrative:
• Provide logistical and managerial support to deploy short-term
consultants for country studies, including coordination of
communication with field-based teams
• Provide organizational support for the project
• Organize, with other team members, periodic workshops on findings/
best practices

About the Candidate
The successful candidate will have:
• A degree (preferably a Masters) in agricultural economics,
agribusiness, statistics, international relations, or related field is
strongly preferred.
• French, Spanish, or Portuguese language skills (French preferred).
• Strong quantitative analysis and research skills required;
preferably, familiarity with international trade data.
• At least three years of experience working in international
development, preferably with substantial experience working and/or
living in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa.
• Knowledge of food aid programs and general food security issues;
familiarity with FEWS NET food security products a plus.
• Administrative experience: project administration (preferably
USAID), monitoring budget and expenditure, recruiting consulting
teams, arranging travel, and providing support to field teams.
• Familiarity with GIS (i.e., ESRI ArcMap), database design and
management (i.e., MS Access), and graphic design programs (Photoshop,
Illustrator, InDesign) a plus.
• Demonstrated self-motivation, attention to detail, team-building,
and communication skills.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States, and be
able to travel abroad. To apply, please submit CV to
bestrecruit@fintrac.com.

Short Film on Campus

You are invited to join us!

CLALS Presents a Screening of the Short Film

Protecting Sanctuary

A film by Rebecca Bartola and Kavita Myneni

Sarah Menke-Fish, Associate Professor at the School of Communication, is the Director of “Discover the World of Communication” program at American University. Through this program, student filmmakers Bartola and Myneni directed Protecting Sancturary, a documentary film that takes audiences on a journey to explore the exotic flora and fauna found in Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park. Protecting Sanctuary promotes the protection of the forest and its inhabitants and seeks to explore the implications of the booming ecotourism economy in Costa Rica.


When: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Where: SIS 300

Refreshments will be provided


Feel free to visit our website: www.american.edu/clals

For more information please contact Andrea Mesa

at amesa@american.edu or Tel: 202-885-6178

ding Private Sector Investment and Public-Private Partnerships in African Agriculture and Nutrition

Center for Strategic & International Studies
and the Partnership to Cut Hunger & Poverty in Africa

SAVE THE DATE

Expanding Private Sector Investment and Public-Private Partnerships in African Agriculture and Nutrition

Thursday, March 3, 2011
2:00-5:15pm

CSIS B1 Conference Center, Room C
1800 K St. NW
Washington, DC 20006

Agenda

Panel One: Agribusiness Development in Africa in A Time of Global Food Price Volatility

Panel Two: U.S. Government Partnerships with African Private Sector Partners

Panel Three: Market-Based Solutions to Nutrition and Links to Agriculture

Details to follow. If you have any questions or wish to RSVP, please contact Anna Applefield at aapplefield@csis.org or (202) 775-3168.

SPACE IS LIMITED

Movie Reminder - "Pig Business"

SAVE THE DATE

When: Wednesday, March 9, 2011 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Capitol Visitors Center, U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is pleased to sponsor the first U.S. screening of Pig Business, a film featuring Robert Kennedy, Jr. and UK eco-campaigner and director Tracy Worcester, that discusses the damaging environmental, social, and health effects of industrial pig operations.

There will be a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion featuring:

Robert Kennedy, Jr. (Moderator), has worked on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands.

Dr. Michael Greger, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized professional speaker on a number of important public health issues. Currently Dr. Greger proudly serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States.

Kathy Ozer, has worked on farm, rural, and fair trade policy for the past 20 years for the National Family Farm Coalition. Since 1999, Kathy has been part of the farmer delegations at the WTO in Seattle and Cancun and at the United Nations. Her current work addresses the credit and global food crisis; implementation of the 2008 farm bill; and efforts to address the dairy farmer crisis.

Andrew Kimbrell, attorney, author of Your Right to Know and The Human Body Shop, director and founder of the Center for Food Safety, and expert on genetic engineering and its implications for the livestock industry.

Event: Fresh Water

Please join the Woodrow Wilson Center's Brazil Institute and Environmental Change and Security Program as well as George Mason University for a dialogue on

Managing the Planet’s Freshwater

featuring

Karin M. Krchnak, Senior Advisor for International Water Policy, The Nature Conservancy

Dann Sklarew, Sustainability Fellow, George Mason University

Thomas Lovejoy, University Professor, Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, and Biodiversity Chair, Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment

Moderator: Paulo Sotero, Director, Brazil Institute

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 6th Floor Flom Auditorium 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20004 USA

Please RSVP (acceptances only) with your name and affiliation to
michael.darden@wilsoncenter.org



The environmental challenges of climate change, ecosystem change, energy demands, and demographic trends continue to mount. The first decade of the 21st century was the warmest in 130 years of recorded global temperatures and 2010 may be close to the warmest year yet recorded. Extreme events related to the environment -- such as the major wildfires in Russia, devastating floods in Pakistan and Australia, and record drought in the Amazon basin -- are becoming more frequent.
Meanwhile, over a billion people are without access to safe drinking water. Desertification and aquatic and wetland habitat destruction are rampant. Many now call for collective action at the global level to address these trends and move the planet and humanity toward a more sustainable future. This response requires the best of the sciences (including social sciences) and an integrated effort with the world of policymakers and practitioners.

The result is a set of "Managing the Planet" dialogues -- developed jointly by George Mason University and the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program and Brazil Institute. This session will focus on how we manage our planet’s increasingly stressed freshwater resources. Presenters will introduce key challenges, global responses and options, followed by full-audience participation in exploring solutions.

For more information and directions, visit www.wilsoncenter.org\brazil

Woodrow Wilson Center - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. - Washington, DC
20004

Event: Carrying Capacity

Please join the Environmental Change and Security Program for a discussion of

Carrying Capacity: Should We Be Aiming To Survive or Flourish?

featuring

Sir John E. Sulston FRS, Chair, People and the Planet Working Group, Royal Society; Chair, Institute for Science, Ethics, & Innovation, University of Manchester; and 2002 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine Laureate

Martha Campbell, President, Venture Strategies for Health and Development

Parfait Eloundou-Enyegue, Associate Professor, Department of Development Sociology, Cornell University; and Associate Director, Cornell Population Program

Tuesday, February 22, 2011
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
6th Floor Flom Auditorium
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004 USA Webcast live at http://www.wilsoncenter.org

A reception will immediately follow the program.

Please RSVP to ecsp@wilsoncenter.org with your name and affiliation.

The UK-based Royal Society is undertaking a new study entitled People and the Planet, focusing on the roles population dynamics play in sustainable development. The working group effort, chaired by Nobel laureate Sir John Sulston, aims to take a fresh look at the factors affecting and affected by changing populations.

Some countries in Africa, Asia, and Central America continue to have rapidly growing populations while many others have transitioned to slower or even negative population growth. This diversity of demographic growth profiles is accompanied by a wide spectrum of views on population’s importance in sustainable development debates. Some see population questions as a distraction from the urgent imperative of reducing resource consumption in the wealthiest countries. Others argue population growth is an issue that will solve itself, as global population size is projected to peak and then fall from the middle of the 21st century. Still others argue stabilizing population is a key to achieving sustainable development.

To be completed in early 2012, the Royal Society’s People and the Planet study will speak directly to these debates by analyzing how population variables will affect and be affected by economies, environments, societies, and cultures over the next forty years and beyond. The aims of the study are to provide policy guidance to decision makers and inform interested members of the public based on a dispassionate assessment of the best available evidence.

While the scope of the study is global, it explicitly acknowledges regional variations in population dynamics. It looks at the implications of population decreases and increases that are observed and predicted in different parts of the world. It considers how scientific and technological developments might alter the rate and impact of population changes and affect human well-being. And it examines what population levels are likely to affect quality of life regionally and globally - should we be aiming to survive or flourish?

If you are interested, but unable to attend the event, please tune into the live or archived webcast at www.wilsoncenter.org. The live webcast will begin approximately 10 minutes after the posted meeting time. You will need Windows Media Player to watch the webcast. To download the free player, visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download.

Location: Woodrow Wilson Center at the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW ("Federal Triangle" stop on Blue/Orange Line), 6th Floor Flom Auditorium. A map to the Center is available at www.wilsoncenter.org/directions. Note: Due to heightened security, entrance to the building will be restricted and photo identification is required. Please allow additional time to pass through security.

USAID Africa Bureau Internships

Applications for the Africa Bureau’s internship program are being accepted online now through March 15. Please feel free circulate this link to anyone you know who might be interested.



http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/internships.html

Sierra Club Apprenticeship Program

Sierra Club Careers http://www.sierraclub.org/careers/apprenticeship/default.aspx
Environmental Career Apprenticeship Program

We are now accepting applications for the Sierra Club's 2011 Environmental Apprenticeship program! Please see the attached application to receive details on required materials for submission. All application materials are due Friday, March 18, 2011.

Sierra Club's Environmental Apprenticeship is a training program to cultivate future leaders in environmental advocacy. This program is designed for recent college graduates who are interested in legislation, media, and community outreach as a means of promoting green initiatives. Consider this your starting point for an environmental career course, helping you transition from your college experience into the non-profit working world.

An Apprenticeship is a full-time, 6 month paid staff position based in one of our offices around the country. Past work locations have included San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Minneapolis, MN; and Austin, TX. Location placements for the chosen 2011 Apprentices will be based on the Conservation Department's campaign and program needs, as well as the chosen candidates' individual experiences and skills. Location placements occur after all final Apprenticeship candidates have been chosen.

The position runs from July through December of each year. During the 6 months, each Apprentice will gain experience in the areas of grassroots organizing, national legislative advocacy and media and public communications. You will be trained and guided in your job responsibilities by a team of experienced and enthusiastic Sierra Club staff. At the end of 6 months, if you wish to continue working for the Sierra Club, you can apply for job vacancies in any of our offices across the nation.

Examples of Past Apprenticeship Placements:

Worked on our Lands Policy Team with the Resilient Habitats Campaign (Washington, DC)
As a part of our Trade and Labor Team on projects like our annual Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference (Washington, DC)
Partnered with our Sierra Student Coalition to work on projects like our Summer Youth Trainings around the country (Washington, DC)
Various positions with Sierra Club's national Beyond Coal Campaign:
- Helped to build a coalition of health professionals around the negative impacts of Coal pollution (Minneapolis, MN)
- Worked on our Dirty Fuels Project (San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC)
- Rallied to build teams of people in communities impacted by Coal Pollution (Austin, TX)
- Assisted our Online Organizing Team analyzing Sierra Club's online impact with members and campaigns (San Francisco, CA)
Qualifications:

Be either a US Citizen, permanent resident, legal resident with a valid work permit, or be able to attain a valid work visa independently to be considered eligible for this program
Be a conscientious and reliable team player
Possess strong written and verbal communications skills
Video from past apprentices | Application Form (Word doc) | Brochure (PDF)

Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce.

Sierra Club Internship

The Sierra Club’s Building Bridges to Outdoors is now accepting
applications for an Internship position in Washington, D.C.

DESCRIPTION:
The Building Bridges to The Outdoors of the Sierra Club is looking to fill an unpaid
internship for Spring and Summer semesters. The Sierra Club is America's oldest, largest
and most influential grassroots environmental organization. This position will be located
in the Sierra Club’s Legislative Office in Washington, DC.
While working as part of a dynamic team, you will also gain insight into the workings of
a successful nonprofit organization as well as receive valuable exposure to governmental
affairs.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Actively pursing a college degree or a recent graduate
• Interest in both Environmental Policy and the Outdoors
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong research and writing skills
• Ability to work well with others

INTERN RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Research
• Special Project Assignments
• Providing Administrative Support to the team

EXPECTATIONS:
This is a fulltime internship located in downtown Washington, DC - 30hrs/week
(negotiable). Duration of internship will depend on applicant availability.

COMPENSATION: All internships are UNPAID, though academic credit can be
arranged.

TO APPLY:
Please send resume, cover letter, and a two to three page writing sample to
lala.shamirzaian@sierraclub.org

Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce.
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

Managing Director of The Oberlin Project

Managing Director of The Oberlin Project
Posted Date: Feb 03, 2011
Application Due Date: Feb 21, 2011
Department: Sustainability and Environmental Affairs
________________________________________
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE OBERLIN PROJECT

Oberlin College invites applications for the position of Managing Director of The Oberlin Project to coordinate and integrate the planning, development and implementation of the Project’s Core Planning Teams. The Oberlin Project is a collaborative venture among Oberlin College and the City of Oberlin to build a prosperous post-fossil fuel based economy. Of the eighteen international cities in the Clinton Climate Positive Development Project, it is the only project that represents a model for a small city and college collaboration.

This is a full-time, 12-month, Administrative & Professional Staff position reporting to the Special Assistant to the President on Sustainability and Environmental Affairs in collaboration with the City Manager of Oberlin and the President of Oberlin College. The position is projected to span 3 years contingent on funding and performance.

Essential Job Functions:
Provide leadership for planning and coordinating the development of the Oberlin Project, bringing together a broad group of community, college, and external constituencies.
Manage the core planning teams of the Oberlin Project integrating the work of the subcommittees; oversee the schedule and agenda; work with committee members to communicate activities and outcomes.
Lead the development of a communications plan for internal and external constituencies. Work with key constituencies to execute the communications plan and to create and maintain the project’s web page. Prepare briefings and presentations for a wide range of audiences.
Provide support to the Special Assistant to the President on Sustainability and Environmental Affairs in identifying fund raising opportunities. Maintain relationships and provide stewardship to donors, funding agencies and federal partners.
Prepare status reports to the Clinton Climate Positive Development Initiative (CCI). Work with CCI to define commitments, identify data related to the project and accomplishments. Coordinate with the City of Oberlin and College faculty and staff on the reporting.
Oversee a research team that works on goals relating to the Project.
Facilitate dialog with the academic deans, faculty and students to link the Project results with academic priorities and the mission of the College.
Establish office and office procedures, hire support staff, oversee student workers and interns as needed.

Required Qualifications: Strong analytical and planning skills; knowledge of environmental management policies and issues and economic development; demonstrable skills in communications, writing, public speaking and management of complex community and academic relationships; ability to work with a wide range of organizations and people; ability to build partnerships; Bachelor’s degree or higher; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications: 5 to 7 years progressive experience in planning, economic development and environmental infrastructure; ability to work as the leader of team and to work independently as a member of a team; proficiency in Word, Excel, Power Point and Website management.

Compensation: Within the range established for this position, salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and includes an excellent benefits package.

To Apply: Applicants should submit a résumé, along with a cover letter describing qualifications and interest in the position and contact information for at least three references to: Jane Mathison, Oberlin College, Cox Administration Building 201, 70 N. Professor Street, Oberlin, OH 44074 or email to: opsearch@oberlin.edu. Review of application materials will begin on February 21, 2011, and continue until the position is filled.

Oberlin College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to creating an institutional environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, marital status, religion, creed, national origin, disability, age, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, family relationship to an employee of Oberlin College, and gender identity and expression.

February 2, 2011 / APS11-238

Job in Baltimore: Community Health Organizer

Community Health Organizer


JOB TITLE: Community Health Organizer for Food Access Issues


GENERAL FUNCTION: The Virtual Supermarket Program (VSP) is one component of the Baltimore City Health Department’s (BCHD) and the Baltimore Food Policy Advisory Council’s (Food PAC) growing efforts to address diet-related health inequities by improving access to healthy foods in all Baltimore communities. The community organizer is integral to the success of these efforts and in our ability to raise the profile of food access issues in the City and to generate collective and sustained movement towards ensuring that all residents, regardless of neighborhood or income, have the fair opportunity to eat healthy. The community organizers primary role will be to ensure that there is sustained and strategic community engagement to around Baltimore’s food access issues.

The community organizer would help spread the word about the VSP (general and targeted outreach), by scheduling appropriate meetings with community organizations such as schools, neighborhood associations, faith organizations, etc., and also to serve as a consistent point of contact, liaison, and advocate for the VSP and other food-related issues. The organizer will work as an entre and energizing point to increase and anchor efforts at mitigating the City’s food deserts in a coordinated and sustainable fashion that builds lasting power and commitment. The community organizer would also work with the BCHD Health and Wellness Initiative, assisting 1095 BCHD employees, half of which reside in food deserts, in becoming community advocates for improved food access and healthy eating.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Identify key community organizations and schedule meetings to help promote the VSP
**Plan community events and discussion forums to discuss and track food access issues/concerns is their neighborhoods
**Identify and mobilize key community organizations and residents around new strategies in the Food PAC, including Neighborhood Food Advocates
**Assist VSP customers in the ordering/delivery process at VSP sites
**Provide assistance with other daily operation aspects of the VSP
**Assist with planning and operation of the BCHD Employee Wellness Initiative
**Assist with the operation of other food-related projects that may arise, including youth photovoice and other community engagement/assessment projects



SUPERVISION RECEIVED: The Virtual Supermarket Co-Coordinators.



JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

Knowledge and Abilities:

· Excellent communication skills.

· Basic knowledge of grammar, spelling punctuation, and simple mathematics.

· Basic computer knowledge including ability to write/send emails

· Strong knowledge about neighborhoods in Baltimore City and existing community organizations.

· Familiarity with the general food environment in Baltimore City

· Ability to travel to multiple community sites in Baltimore City. (Must provide own transportation. You will be reimbursed for gas/parking.)

· Fluency in a language other than English is a plus

Minimum Education, Training, and Experience Requirements:

Requirements - A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in public health, public policy, social work, community nursing, or similar field; AND either one year of experience in formal community organizing, or two years of experience with community-based health programs and outreach.

Equivalencies - An associates degree and two years of experience in formal community organizing or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Information about the position should be directed to Laura Fox at laura.fox@baltimorecity.gov. Please send your resume with references by February 28, 2011

Baltimore City is an Equal Opportunity Employer

FOODCORPS RECRUITING FIRST CLASS OF SERVICE MEMBERS FOR SCHOOL FOOD SYSTEMS

NEW YORK CITY – (February 8, 2011) — Today, FoodCorps, a brand new and much anticipated national service program, opens applications for its first class of service members. Those selected will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems – sourcing healthful local food for school cafeterias, expanding nutrition education programs, and building and tending school gardens.

FoodCorps is a scalable solution to the national obesity epidemic. Since 1980, the percentage of American children who are overweight or obese has doubled. With one in four U.S. children struggling with hunger and one in three obese or overweight, FoodCorps addresses the root cause of both: access to healthy food.

“We’re on the lookout for hard-working young leaders who believe healthy food should be available to every child,” said Executive Director Curt Ellis. “Being part of FoodCorps is a chance to make that vision a reality for kids in this country—and to have fun in the process.”

FoodCorps seeks up to 80 young men and women with a passion for serving their country by building healthy communities. Beginning in August 2011, service members will get their hands dirty in one of 10 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina or Oregon.

FoodCorps recognizes though broad in its reach, America’s obesity problem does not affect all parts of our country equally. First, there are geographic patterns to its severity. High rates of childhood obesity plague whole regions, particularly the American South: North Carolina 18%; Arkansas 20%; Mississippi 22%. Zooming in on a map of American obesity, there are also localized geographies in crisis: rural communities in Oregon where children are twice as likely to be overweight as their counterparts in healthy Portland; and small-town kids in Iowa who, despite living amidst the nation’s richest topsoil, lack regular access to the fresh fruits and vegetables required for a healthy diet.

In addition to geography, there are demographic and environmental patterns associated with the epidemic, including: 1) Ethnicity: in Michigan, 42% of African-American children are overweight or obese, compared with 28% of non-Hispanic Whites. In New Mexico, American Indian kindergarteners suffer obesity at three times the rate of non-Hispanic Whites. 2) Poverty: in Massachusetts, wealthy Arlington maintains a 10% childhood overweight and obesity rate, compared to 47% in impoverished Lawrence. In the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona, where annual per capita income is uniquely low––$8,100––rates of Type II diabetes, diagnosed in children as young as six, are estimated to be the nation’s highest. 3) Food Insecurity: in Maine, where 1 in 5 children are at risk of hunger (the highest rate in New England), a low-quality diet puts the same kids at heightened risk of obesity.

“Schools––their classrooms, cafeterias, and playgrounds––are the logical frontlines in our nation’s response to childhood obesity,” said Debra Eschmeyer, FoodCorps Program Director. “More than 31 million children eat school food five days a week, receiving more than half their daily calories from school food programs. What we feed our children, and what we teach them about food, affects how they learn, how they grow and how long they will live. Considering that when last studied, only 2% of schoolchildren met the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nation’s school food environments have significant need for improvement.”

America’s sweeping epidemic of childhood obesity requires us to martial a national response. The known geographic, demographic and environmental hotbeds of this epidemic are strategic places to concentrate our work. Accordingly, in partnership with Host Sites in the ten states identified above––Arizona (Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health), Arkansas (Arkansas Children’s Research Hospital), Iowa (National Center for Appropriate Technology), Maine (University of Maine Cooperative Extension), Massachusetts (The Food Project), Michigan (Michigan State University), Mississippi (Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity), New Mexico (University of New Mexico), North Carolina (North Carolina State University and North Carolina 4-H) and Oregon (Oregon Department of Agriculture)––a new national service program, FoodCorps, stands ready to bring significant assistance­­: a “troop surge” for healthy kids.

“We’ve heard from young people around the country interested in developing knowledge and skills in farming, food systems and public health,” said Cecily Upton, FoodCorps Program Director for Sites and Service. “FoodCorps will connect these young leaders with hands-on experience and the opportunity to change our food system for the better.”

Applications and more information can be found at www.foodcorps.org. The FoodCorps recruitment video, created by Peabody-winning filmmaker Ian Cheney (King Corn) can be viewed and embedded from the site as well.

ABOUT FOODCORPS:

FoodCorps is a new national service organization that seeks to reverse childhood obesity by increasing vulnerable children’s knowledge of, engagement with, and access to healthy food. Service members build and tend school gardens, conduct nutrition education, and facilitate Farm to School programming that brings healthy, affordable local food into public schools. The program also trains a cadre of leaders for careers in food and agriculture. FoodCorps was developed with funding from AmeriCorps and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, in partnership with Occidental College, the National Farm to School Network, Slow Food USA, The National Center for Appropriate Technology and Wicked Delicate, as part of an open planning process that engaged thousands of stakeholders from around the country. www.foodcorps.org

Job posting (Palo Alto, CA): Project Assistant with a Passion for Sustainable Food

Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) -- the leader in socially responsible food service, with 400+ cafés operating in 31 states -- is looking for a project assistant to support our internal and external communication and marketing efforts. The ideal person will be not only highly detail-oriented, enjoy working independently and juggling a variety of projects, and possess excellent writing, editing, and interpersonal skills, but also have a demonstrated interest in sustainable food production.

This is a junior-level position. Please submit a résumé and cover letter describing your administrative experience and include any relevant non-professional activities having to do with sustainability. Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Minimum of Bachelors Degree, humanities preferred
• Three years' office administrative experience, preferably in a food-related or retail company
• Some knowledge of issues surrounding the sustainability of our food supply
• Demonstrated experience assisting with creation of promotional publications. Great proofreading skills are essential.
• Must have strong project management skills with the ability to triage multiple priorities and flexibility to take on varied tasks
• Self-motivated, able to work both independently and within a team
• Familiarity with print and digital signage, social media, and web-based projects
• Experience in the restaurant industry (even waiting tables) a plus
• Fluency in Microsoft Office applications, Internet, and basic desktop publishing programs.
• At least a working knowledge of Adobe applications (Acrobat, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.) and Web development programs

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Assemble, coordinate, and track all material from the field (text, images, menus) for Bravo, our internal quarterly magazine
• Update and disseminate the implementation guides for Bon Appetit's Low Carbon Diet, Eat Local Challenge, and other campaigns
• Assist the director of communications with updating the company website, blog, and social media platforms
• Format and send the quarterly email newsletter
• Occasionally handle trade press inquiries
• Proofread catering menus and other field-generated documents
• Handle general office tasks, such as invoice processing and shipping list management
• Stay abreast of sustainability news as well as Bon Appétit’s commitments in sustainability
• Other projects as assigned

The position is based out of our Palo Alto headquarters, which is easily accessed on Caltrain.

Diversity:
Bon Appétit is a diverse, growth-oriented organization. Our goal is to create an environment where all employees feel comfortable with fair and consistent treatment and equal opportunities. Bon Appétit is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V

Film Screening and Panel: Pig Business feat. Robert Kennedy, Jr. and Tracy Worcester

SAVE THE DATE

When: Wednesday, March 9, 2011

6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Capitol Visitors Center

U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is pleased to sponsor the first U.S. screening of Pig Business, a film featuring Robert Kennedy, Jr. and UK eco-campaigner and director Tracy Worcester, that discusses the damaging environmental, social, and health effects of industrial pig operations.

There will be a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion featuring:

Robert Kennedy, Jr. (Moderator), has worked on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands.

Dr. Michael Greger, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized professional speaker on a number of important public health issues. Currently Dr. Greger proudly serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States.

Kathy Ozer, has worked on farm, rural, and fair trade policy for the past 20 years for the National Family Farm Coalition. Since 1999, Kathy has been part of the farmer delegations at the WTO in Seattle and Cancun and at the United Nations. Her current work addresses the credit and global food crisis; implementation of the 2008 farm bill; and efforts to address the dairy farmer crisis.

Andrew Kimbrell, attorney, author of Your Right to Know and The Human Body Shop, director and founder of the Center for Food Safety, and expert on genetic engineering and its implications for the livestock industry.

National Geographic Society’s Landmark Series Great Migrations

National Geographic Society’s Landmark Series Great Migrations

Tuesday, February 8, 7:00 p.m., Wechsler Theater (third Floor, Mary Graydon Center)

Producer David Hamlin will show excerpts from the stunning footage he and a team of world-class filmmakers shot over 3 years in 20 countries and talk about the challenges they encountered. Great Migrations is an exploration of the millions of creatures who wage tortuous journeys every year for the sake of themselves, their families, and even their species.

Sponsor: AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking and Filmmakers for Conservation
Contact: Chris Palmer, 202-885-3408 or palmer@american.edu, or Justine Schmidt, 202-413-4490 or justineschmidt2002@yahoo.com

Web: http://environmentalfilm.org or http://filmmakersforconservation.org

Event: A Student Activist's Guide to the Galaxy

Dear Friends:

Are you a student who wants to make a bigger impact on your campus, community and world? Are you interested in advocating for global health and women's rights, or impacting climate change and water scarcity?

Build skills to make yourself heard at 'A Student Activist's Guide to the Galaxy' - a free advocacy and issue training on Feb 5-6, hosted by Americans for Informed Democracy.

When/Where:

Saturday February 5, 9-30-5pm (Lunch provided). George Washington University, Marvin Center Room 308
Sunday February 6, 1:30-4:30. George Washington University, Phillips Room 109
How: RSVP on Eventbrite: http://aidemocracydcconference.eventbrite.com/. The event is free, but space is very limited!

If you do not live in DC, transportation and housing scholarships may be available. Please email Priti@aidemocracy.org for more information.

Workshops and training include:

SPECIAL ADDRESS by Heather Hurlbert, National Security Network: Snapshot of the global system - what role for the US moving forward?
Health in Crisis- includes an on-the-ground update from Haiti
Organizing and leadership for social change
Healthy moms, healthy communities: Maternal health and development
What's sex got to do with it? Reproductive health and environmental sustainability
Strategic Communications 101: messaging, narrative, audience, outlets and more. With ReThink Media. (Sun 2/6,1:30-4:30pm)*
Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill! (Mon 2/7, 8am-2pm)
Speakers include: The Sierra Club, CARE, International Women's Health Coalition, Population Action International, ReThink Media and more!

Space is limited so get your ticket now: http://aidemocracydcconference.eventbrite.com/). And RSVP and share with friends on Facebook!

See you soon,

AIDemocracy Team

Transforming Africa’s Agriculture & Food Security

TechnoServe, Bread for the World Institute, & the Partnership to Cut Hunger & Poverty in Africa invite you to a breakfast discussion on:

Transforming Africa’s Agriculture & Food Security:
Perspectives on Competitiveness and Sustainability from Mozambique’s Public and Private Sector Leaders

Tuesday, February 8, 2011
8:00-10:30am

Bread for the World Conference Room
425 3rd Street SW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC


Over the past four years, with support from USAID and USDA, TechnoServe has been working with local stakeholders to revitalize the Mozambique poultry sector by getting the right policies and technical support for integrating best practices in biosecurity and food safety while improving farm incomes. The program has helped increase smallholder farmers’ income and grow the feed grain industry from $15 million a year in 2004 to approximately $65 million a year in 2009, creating expanded markets for tens of thousands of small-scale producers. Jake Walter, TechnoServe Country Director for Mozambique, and senior Mozambican public and private sector leaders supporting industry growth will share how the sector has been transformed, their learning with Cargill and SSAFE on models for enhanced public/private collaboration to support industry competitiveness, and what are the lessons for creating profitable US-Africa public-private sector partnerships.


Agenda

Welcoming Remarks – Julie Howard, Executive Director & CEO, Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa

Overview – Susan Bornstein, Senior Director for Program Development, TechnoServe

Panel Discussion:

Jake Walter, Country Director for Mozambique, TechnoServe – Creating Profitable US-Africa Public-Private Partnerships in Agribusiness: What Works & What Doesn’t?
Florencia Cipriano, Mozambique Poultry Industry – Lessons from the Field: Integrating Public-Private Sector Support for Developing Local Capacity and Industry Competitiveness in Africa
Tjada McKenna, Director, Private Sector & Innovation Office, USAID (invited) – US Plans to Scale Up Private Sector Development and Agribusiness Competitiveness in Africa
James Dunlap, Principal, The Snowcroft Group – Developing Competitive Public-Private Sector Partnerships in Africa: How Can the US Private Sector Help?
Question & Answer

A light breakfast will be served.


To register for this event, please click here.

Capacity is limited.

Short Film "Potato Heads: Keepers of the Crop"

You are invited to join us!

CLALS Presents a Screening of the short film

Potato Heads: Keepers of the Crop

A film by Larry Engel, Associate Professor,

AU School of Communication

Do you cherish French fries? Eat mashed potatoes with peas? Or are you one who slathers sour cream on baked potatoes? Whether you love, hate or ignore potatoes, come to a screening of a short film all about them. Join us on a journey from the Andes of Peru to the northern plains of Minnesota in pursuit of the culture, science, and history of this marvelous little tuber.

We guarantee that after watching the film, you’ll change the way you look at the potato and, for that matter, everything else on your plate!

When: Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Time: 3:30 pm -5:00 pm

Where: Mary Graydon Center Room # 3

Refreshments will be provided

Feel free to visit our website: www.american.edu/clals

For more information please contact Andrea Mesa

at amesa@american.edu or Tel: 202-885-6178

Get a chance to see UN Commision on Sustainable Development in NYC

SustainUS is now accepting applications to join the Agents of Change (AoC) youth delegation to the nineteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-19), which will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City from May 2 – 13, 2011. CSD-19 is a policy session and addresses the topics of transport, chemicals, waste management, and mining. In addition, CSD-19 will follow-up on the 2006 Johannesburg Summit call to develop a 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns.

Selected delegates will have the opportunity to work with government officials, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth from around the world to review progress on issues related to sustainable development. The delegation will be led by several SustainUS members who have experience with CSD and the Agents of Change program. These delegation leaders will organize sessions and will be available to guide delegates and help them find their own niche at CSD-19. SustainUS will also arrange for accreditation and assist delegates in finding housing in New York City. Unfortunately, group housing is not available for participants under 18 years of age. More information is available in the application itself.

How to apply: Please respond to the questions in the Application (http://www.sustainus.org/docs/2011/CSD-19_Delegate_Application_Form.doc) and send your application in the form of a single Word document to agents@sustainus.org. If you have any questions, please contact AoC Coordinators at the above address.

Applications must be received by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, February 14, 2011