2012 Animal Hero Award

The YOUTH LEAD for a HUMANE WORLD Club at Hialeah High, founded and sponsored by Mr. Michel Estopinan, also founder of the Humane Foundation; received today the 2012 Animal Heroes Award, at the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

The Awards was presented by Susan Hargrieves, founder of Humane Educators Reaching Out, an non

profit organization with the mission to foster compassion and teach kindness and respect for all sentient beings.

The award was given based on the following accomplishments for the Animal Care and Protection Solutionary Team:

- Started the Vegan Fridays including a vegan lunch cart at the school’s cafeteria.

- Started a School Pet Adoption Program, helping many homeless or abandoned pets to find a forever home among our students.

- Assisted and helped rehabbed frozen lizards during winter time, rescued baby squirrels, birds and other wild life living in our school greens and/or surrounding areas, some were taken to the Humane Society Wild Life Hospital for specialized attention.

- Engaged in conversations with the science department to substitute dissections by virtual online or 3D models. Some teachers agreed not to use dissection and students refusing to do dissection learned to reclaim their right to request a dissection alternative.

- Have created cat beds to donate to the Humane Society of Greater Miami. We helped a lady feeding feral cats in Miami Beach with a generous cat food donation. We have also collected toys and blankets, pet food and treats to help those foster care people that rescue elderly and sick animals as well as those waiting t be euthanized.

- Implemented campaigns to raise awareness about local, national and international animal cruelty cases in different industries where students filled petitions, attended animal walks, did educational tabling, passed out flyers, and more.

- Conducted an Animal Related Career Presentation for seniors to invite them to choose career paths that can help animals in a variety of paths and industries.

among other activities, events and initiatives.

This is the text for the award:

HSH Youth Lead for a Humane Wold Club

HF Animals :: Thanksgiving

HF VEGAN FriDAYs

VEGAN FriDAY

VEGAN FriDAY is part of the Humane School Initiative and is one of the solutionary programs implemented by the Action Teams The YOUTH LEAD for a HUMANE WORLD Clubs to promote the Humane Foundation's vision of a Humane World.

VEGANism: Is a philosophy and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing

 or any other purpose.

Reasons for becoming a VEGAN ::

•  Human Health
• Ethical commitment or moral conviction.
• The environment
• Spiritual or religious concerns

If not every day, at least try it on FriDAYS!!!

• When dressing up, make sure you don’t wear leather, fur, wool, or silk
• Use hygiene or beauty products that  are VEGAN and not tested on animals
•  Have a VEGAN breakfast at home, at work, or at school.
•  Talk to friends you are participating in the VEGAN Friday and explain them what is it about. Try to motivate friends to try it next Friday.
•  Go online and request free VEGAN materials and share them with friends.
• Create your own DID YOU KNOW? Index Cards and write facts many people ignore about animals used for food, experiments, entertainment, clothing, etc. Share a humane alternative.
• Eat VEGAN at school or at work. Bring your own VEGAN lunch or Look for the VEGAN Lunch Line if there is one, and try the available VEGAN meat substitutes in the menu.
•  If you are at school and you have a class doing dissection ask your science teacher to let you do an animal free alternative to dissection. If you are a teacher use a non animal alternative to dissection.
• Pick a VEGAN recipe, take over your kitchen at home and surprise your family with a VEGAN dinner or,
•  Go online and find a VEGAN restaurant near -by. Try something new and different, but most important, animal free.

VEGAN FRIDAYS are better for yourself, for the animals, and for the environment.

VEGANism is the FUTURE

VEGAN FriDAY is an initiative of The Humane Foundation. 

EVENT :: Spirit Day / Oct.19

The Social Justice Team of the Youth Lead for the Humane World requests all the HF friends at schools, at work, and everywhere to celebrate Spirit Day by wearing purple shirts this Friday, October19 in order to take a stand against bullying. 

Spirit Day is an annual day in October when millions of Americans wear purple to speak out against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.

To learn more about Spirit Day and check other initiatives to take a stand against bullying in support to the GLBT youth click here.

MOGO Tip: Practical Suggestions for Embracing Responsibility

Zoe Weil in her book MOST GOOD LEAST HARM, MOGO for short, makes some suggestions for embracing responsibility.


She recommends to:


1- Pay attention to your thoughts and language, and notice if you are using words and phrases that blame on others, deflecting responsibility from yourself.


If you find yourself thinking or saying, "So and so did such  and such to me, " or If only ___ would stop ___." or "Everything would be fine if ____, " try reframing the situation to become aware that you are responsible for your responses and your choices. 


Meditation teacher Eknath Easwaran reminded people that no one irritates another rather, people allow themselves to be irritated. As soon as you find yourself ready to blame another, look inward. How can you take responsibility for your own joy and live according to your own values?


2- Acknowledge that you choose your actions. Nobody determines how you will act other than you. With this awareness you can make conscious choices and thereby accept responsibility for what you say and do.


3- Remember to take responsibility for your attitude. 

___________________________

You can read more on Zoe Weil's book: MOST GOOD, LEAST HARM. A Simple Principle for a better World and Meaningful Life.

____________________________

HUMANE FOUNDATION: This entry applies to the Humane Foundation Elements ONESELF, and OTHERS.

Veganism & the Environment Infographic

Better View here

Personal Reflection: Animal Rights Movement Must Go Bigger

A new animal lover friend shared the thought of how lonely those very few who opposed slavery in the 1800's felt when it was considered normal, moral, and just  by the majority. 

According to my friend's analogy, it is gratifying to know though that human slavery, in the form of the 1800's is history, and even when there are new cases of modern slavery emerging all over, we can say that today it is popularly unaccepted by the masses, what brings me hope that today's systemic animal exploitation will also be a thing of the pass.

My only regret is having to live in the historical moment when by the time I am writing this, animals are used, abused, exploited, enslaved, tortured... and for most people it is still ok. 

I believe animal slavery and exploitation will one day be a thing of the past, but each day it is still a thing of the present, it is necessary for those of us who oppose such slavery and cruelty to hurry up, animals can't wait. I always think the animal rights movement need an Al Gore that start a global initiative. Today the environmental movement is widely spread and it's been adopted by the main stream society. We need something like that happening to the animal rights movement. Maybe start a fund to be able to bring the animal rights message main stream and put it in front of the eyes of all the people. We need people taking over the air waves, and make it to radio, tv. We need columnists in the most important newspapers, I think if we don't think big and go big, it is going to take much longer for animals to see the end of their sad reality. 

Humane Ed.:Culture: Media Influence: Advertisement

HUMANE EDUCATION: Culture: Media Influence: Advertisement

In a capitalist society, consumerism is what moves the economy. Because of this, corporations and companies some times get desperate trying to sell their goods and services. In their campaigns, carefully designed by marketing specialists that know how to persuade people to buy, they try to send us the 'buy' message so that we become consumers of their product, and if possible, become addict to it. 

Many times we end up buying things we don't really need, and even sadder, we may be buying products from companies that exploit other people, animals, and the environment. Humane Education invites students to think critically about the messages youth and all people are constantly bombarded with. In analyzing the advertisement, humane education invites you to consider answering the following questions:

1- What product or service is the ad selling?

2- What deep need or desire is the ad appealing to?

3- Who is the intended audience, and what do you suppose their reaction to the ad might be?

4- Who is excluded in the ad?

5- How does the ad affect your personal desires, self-image, beliefs, and consumer choices?

6- What are the effects of the product or service the ad is selling on people, other species, and the environment, and what suffering, destruction, and/or exploitation remains unseen?

_______________

These questions were shared from Zoe Weil's book: The Power and Promise of Humane Education" pp. 23-24

Humane Education: Rats 1

Rats have personalities, and they can be glum or cheerful depending on their upbringing and circumstances. One study showed that rats accustomed to good times tend to be optimists, while those reared in unstable conditions become pessimists. Both rats will learn to associate one sound with a good event a gift of food and another sound with no food, but when exposed to an ambiguous sound, the optimist will run over expecting to be fed and the pessimist will grumble and skulk away, expecting nothing.

Rats love to laugh, specially young rats. Scientists say giggling, ticklish rats have provided them with the first evidence that animals unrelated to humans can laugh. Scientists Jaak Panksepp and Jeffrey Burgdorf, of Bowling Green State University in Ohio have discovered that rats "laugh" when tickled. Rat laughter consists of high-pitched, chirping whistles, outside the range of human hearing. They found that young rats chirp vigorously during rough-and-tumble play sessions and that they chirped more than their older relatives when tickled. 

According to the scientists, this fits in with the idea that children are more ticklish than adults. Mr Panksepp told New Scientist magazine: " They clearly have a sense of fun. Keeping rats laughing isn't difficult. They're small, of course, but it's really no different than running your fingers as if you're tickling a child.You get the most laughter at the nape of the neck, where they direct each other's play behavior. When they play together its like a children’s playground" Rats register their gratitude with little nips.

They are as choosy as us with food. They like variety and pick around their food, eating the tastiest parts first, and separating out what they dislike. Tt’s a myth that rats like cheese, in fact they are lactose intolerant or allergic to cheese

While in the west rats are considered pests, eastern cultures are far more tolerant and respectful of all life. The Egyptians deified them. In Imperial Chinese culture, the rat is the first of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. People born in this year are expected to possess qualities associated with rats. These include creativity, honesty, generosity, ambition, a quick temper . They are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex.. 

In the Indian pantheon of Gods , the rat is the vehicle of Lord Ganesh and a rat’s statue is always found in a temple of Ganesh. In fact, in the northwestern city of Deshnoke, in the Karni Mata Temple, the rats are held to be destined for reincarnation as Sadhus. The priests feed milk and grain to both pilgrims and animals. Eating food that has been touched by rats is considered a blessing from god.

Those who have kept rats as companions will tell you how much they loved them and what they learned from them, just like a dog or a cat. The only thing rats need to become more popular is a good public-relations campaign, and maybe a new name. Short-tailed squirrels, maybe? Next time you see a rat, discard the training that you have been given and take time to appreciate the clever and gentle creature that God has made to share your world.

Maneka Gandhi

Original Article found here

HF Elements: ONSELF

*ONESELF* 

“Be the Change you Wish to see in The World”

- M. Gandhi

Personal Growth - Character Development – Healthy and Sustainable Living.

   Wellness and Life Choices   

Wellness should be viewed from a holistic perspective emphasizing te intimate relationship between our body and all the other aspects of ourselves -psychological, social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual.

Wellness is an active process consisting of conscious choices we make in fashioning a healthy lifestyle. It stresses positive health rather than merely the absence of disabling symptoms.

Donatelle, Snow-Harter, and Wilcox (1995) state that if you are living a wellness lifestyle you are moving toward more deliberate, conscious actions to craate the best self possible within the limitations of your situation. Three aspects characterize this wellness lifestyle:

1- Assume responsibility for your actions and the quality of your health.

2- Have a concern for others and be tolerant of imperfection in others (this connects with the second element: OTHERS)

3- Be willing to devote time and energy to developing a sound basis for making good decisions about health.

Benefits for adopting a wellness lifestyle:

- Improved cardiovascular efficiency.

- Increased muscular tone, strength, flexibility, and endurance.

- Reduced risk for injuries.

- Improved sense of self-control, self-efficacy, and self-esteem.

- improved management and control of stress.

- Improved outlook on life.

- Improved Interpersonal relationships.

- Decreased mortality (death) and morbidity (illness) from infections and chronic deseases.

The essence of wellness is captured in these brief statements:

- Wellness is a choice - a decision you make to move toward optimal health.

- Wellness is a way of life - a lifestyle you design to achieve your highest potential for well -being.

- Wellness is a process - a developing awareness that there is no end point but that health and happiness are possible in each moment, here and now.

- Wellness is an efficient channeling of energy - energy received from the environment, transformed within you, and sent on to impact the world outside.

- Wellness is the integration of body, mind, and spirit - the appreciation that everything you do and think and feel and believe has an impact on your state of health.

- Wellness is the loving acceptance of yourself.

~ I Never Knew I Had a Choice: Explorations in Personal Growth by Gerald and Marianne Corey

HUMANE FOUNDATION PRESENTATION: Catalyst Miami

The Humane Foundation will present the Humane School Initiative to the Youth MOVE Miami Summer Camp.


When:  Wednesday, July 12 PM at 


Where: 19 Biscayne Boulevard. Miami, FL.

HUMANE FOUNDATION PHILOSOPHY :: MOGO

MOGO. The Humane Foundation adopted the MOGO principle as its main philosophical stand. MOGO is short from MOST GOOD, and it implies doing the most good and the least harm through our daily choices, our acts of citizenship, our communities, our work, our volunteerism, and our interactions. By doing this we create inner and outer peace. (MOGO is the leading principle of ZOE WEIL, author and founder of the Institute for Humane Education)

‎IMAGINE if people everywhere were committed to MOGO living. IMAGINE if socially responsible, humane, and environmentally sustainable companies and institutions became the norm.IMAGINE if governments stopped subsidizing corporations and systems that pollute and destroy,and instead supported initiatives to create sustainable, clean energies and technologies. IMAGINE if we promised each other and ourselves that we would solve the problems we've created and improve all of our lives in the process. IMAGINE the world we would create. IMAGINE the joy and inner peace we would experience. 

We are already on the way to creating such a world. The question is, will we succeed? 


The answer begins with each of us, which means it begins with you and me"


~Zoe Weil in MOST GOOD LEAST HARM p. xiv

HUMANE FOUNDATION PROGRAM : The Humane School Initiative 2012-13

SUMMER 2012-13 INFO MEETING

The Humane Foundation is inviting high school students to participate in the 2012 Summer Info Meeting for those willing to start a YOUTH LEAD for a HUMANE WORLD Club in their school.


The meeting will offer general information about the mission of our organization and a step by step guide on how to start a club. We will discuss the month by month school activities and events.


If you or someone you know attend a High School, and have leadership skills to lead one of the most holistic world changing organizations, please contact us at:


Michel Estopinan
Founder and President of The Humane Foundation at:
mestopinan@gmail.com

HUMANE WORLD SOLUTIONS: Permaculture

About us: Permaculture Miami for many who know the term almost sounds like an oxymoron. The idea of a large Metropolitan area being sustainable seems far fetched.  Responding to that notion, we have planted a prominent mark of Permaculture right in the heart of Miami; obliterating any position stagnating the sustainability of this city. We at Permaculture Miami are now expanding the awareness and outlook of our eco-future by educating and empowering people through courses and projects offered within the south Florida area.  We believe there is more then enough food, water, land and resources to create a sustainably living ecological system right here! Right now! And we need your help! Join with us, share with us, plant with us, teach with us!


ABOUT PERMACULTURE

Permaculture

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Permaculture is a branch of ecological design and ecological engineering which develops 
sustainable human settlements and self-maintained agricultural systems modeled from 
natural ecosystems.^[1][2]

The core tenets of permaculture are:^[3][4]


- Care of the Earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply.
- Care of People: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
- Setting Limits to Population and Consumption: By governing our own needs, we can set 
resources aside to further the above principles.

To read more, click here

See also: Permaculture Principles here

HUMANE WORLD SOLUTIONS: Edible Gardens

                                                       Miami Ready to Grow Gardens                                                  

Ready-to-Grow Gardens was started by Miami native, Dylan Terry.  He began gardening as a teenager.  While a student, he managed New College of Florida’s edible garden. Since then, he has planned, installed, and maintained organic edible gardens all over South Florida.   Garden sites  include homes, schools, businesses, retirement homes and community gardens. Recently Chris French has joined the team as the Ready-to-Grow Gardens “Gardineer”.

Ready-to-Grow Gardens, is an excellent resource for schools or communities willing to start their own organic edible gardens. The organic edible garden is one of the requirements by the Humane School Initiative Green Team challenges. 

One of the To learn more visit Ready-to-Grow Gardens

SOLUTIONS: Green Housing

GreenHouse System Earth - Sheltered Housing

A new way of living protected by nature. A revolutionary building system, registered in the Library of Congress of the U.S.A. as a new technology.

ON ANIMALS :: Outstanding presentation by Philip Wollen

Outstanding presentation by Philip Wollen while addressesing the St James Ethics and the Wheeler Centre debate

Philip Wollen OAM (born 1950) is an Australian philanthropist. He is a former vice-president of Citibank and was also a general manager at Citicorp. At age 34, Australian Business Magazine named him in the top 40 headhunted executives in Australia. In 2005 he received the Order of Australia and in 2007 he won the Australian of the Year (Victoria) award .

The following was said about Philip by the National Australia Day Council:

"Through his kindness and generosity, Philip Wollen brings crucial help to many charitable causes and inspires others to share his humanitarian values and ideals. His achievements in the business world mark him as a man of action and he channels this energy into practical outcomes for the causes he champions through the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust. Philip promotes kindness towards all other living beings and strives to enshrine this as a recognisable trait in the Australian character and culture. The measure of his support can be seen in the extraordinary list of organisations the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust supports, benefiting children, animals, the ill, the environment and aspiring youth. Essentially a private man, he seeks no personal publicity but is not afraid to step into the limelight for a just cause."

ON HUMANE EDUCATION :: Zoe Weil Presentation at TED Talks June 6, 2012

Zoe Weil is the co-founder and President of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE), www.HumaneEducation.org. IHE works to create a humane, just, and sustainable world for people, animals, and the environment through education, offering a variety of programs for teachers, parents, students, concerned citizens, and changemakers, including the only graduate programs in comprehensive humane education in the U.S., online courses, workshops, and free downloadable resources at www.HumaneEducation.org. Zoe is the author of six books and hundreds of articles and tours with her one-woman show, "My Ongoing Problems with Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl." You can find her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter at ZoeWeil, and read her blog at www.zoeweil.com.

About TEDx: x=independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self- organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. For information: www.ted.com/tedx

TEDxConejo

Under the theme "Together," the 3rd Edition of TEDxConejo explores the always fascinating, often inspiring, occasionally surprising and sometimes vexing interconnectedness of our world.

Now in its 3rd year and produced in association with the Conejo Valley Unified School District, TEDxConejo is developing into an exciting community of thinkers, and doers, interested and interesting people of all ages and backgrounds. Each year hundreds gather for a day of stimulating short talks and engaging discussion. The program is as diverse as the interests of the audience. More information at tedxconejo.com

HUMANE FOUNDATION :: Presentation at Earth Save Miami

The Humane Foundation was invited to offer a presentation at Earth Save Miami, on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 5:30 at the Coral Gables Congregational Church.

Earth Save is an international non-profit organization that educates people about the powerful effects our food choices have on the environment, our health and all life on Earth, and encourage a shift toward healthy plant-based diets. 


This is the formal announcement made through Earth Save's Meet Up page:


Vegan Potluck South-NEW TIME-Humane Foundation


Humane Foundation


Hialeah High’s Humane Youth Lead’s purpose: create a safer-greener- and humane environment in school and the world. Also personal growth in four main areas: Character development and healthy living, Positive human relations, Social Justice, and human rights, Environmental responsibility and sustainability, Respect for animals, their liberation from human use and exploitation. Humane Education Week includes: Awareness Monday, Kindness Tuesday, Green Wednesday, Action Thursday, Vegan Friday

Speaker: Michel Estopinan H.S. Teacher and Humane Educator; Founder of The Humane Foundation; Winner of the 2009 National Award Best practices on Character Education for his Youth Lead Clubs and Humane School Initiative; Michel organizes *EARTH-tra-VEGAN-za* an event day Celebrating all LIFE. He supports a plant-based diet in the school and the creation of in-school organic edible gardens.

Coral Gables Congregational Church (Fellowship Hall - Enter- Columbus Blvd) : 3010 De Soto Blvd. 33134 (across fr. Biltmore Hotel)

Bring 8-10 portions of healthy* vegan food and washable place setting

*prefer organics- exclude meat, fish, eggs, dairy, GMO’s, honey, transfats, hydrogenated oils, nano or chemical additives

Members, Kids & First-timers: Free Guests $5. $1 No Plate Fee $8 No Food Fee

Everyone welcome! Taste Share Learn

Unsure what to bring? Simple organic green salad, large beverages or fresh fruit. Raw fooders welcome. Reheat available.

To visit Earth Save Miami website click here

To check the Earth Save's e-Blast publication click here