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Calendar of Events

Sustainable Indiana 2016

Earth Charter Indiana

As we send out this newsletter, signs of spring and new life are evident everywhere. Here

at Earth Charter Indiana, we have just completed our move to new digs at 3535 Kessler

Blvd North, home of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Pastor Gretchen Schneider and the

rest of the staff at St. Andrew's have been very welcoming. We share a large classroom

space with the nonprofit "Hoosiers Concerned about Gun Violence."

April kept us busy with many tabling events, beginning with the Midwest Peace and Justice

Summit, the Women's Chorus event at the Eiteljorg, and finally, Earth Day events at the

White Violet Center in Terre Haute, First Congregational Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, and

the downtown Indianapolis event on Saturday, April 26th.

Volunteer and Board Secretary Hannah Corbin created an electronic game for our table

that takes a question, for example, "Why eat locally-produced foods?" and asks participants

to pick the best answers in terms of the four principle Earth Charter values. When you pick

the four best answers the board buzzes. It's been dubbed "the hardest game in the world",

but it was very popular with kids and their parents at Earth Day. Thanks, Hannah!

on April 17th, where they visited Cooley Family Farm in Lafayette, were treated to a

fabulous "local" lunch provided by Lali Hess (with brand new baby in tow) of Juniper Spoon

Catering and heard presentations by John Ferree of Seldom Seen Farm, Kim Robinson of

Two Cookin' Sisters, and Anthony Lineberry of Edibles. Purdue has a tour scheduled every

month through November, but you need to sign up a week in advance. The next one is on

May 15 at Royer Farm Fresh Beef, Lamb, and Pork.

As always, thanks for your support!

John Gibson Kim Ort

Executive Director Deputy Director

Earth Charter Indiana Earth Charter Indiana

This June, July, and

August, Earth Charter

Sustainable Food

challenging 100

families to derive more

than 50% of their diet

from locally-grown

foods, that is, foods

produced within 100

miles of their home.

Tips, resources,

recipes, links, and

more will be provided

to help participants achieve this challenge. More importantly, we hope that challenges and

successes will be shared through online discussions.

You might say that you're already eating locally-produced foods and that's great. But

pushing up the percentage that you eat can be a challenge. By sharing experiences and

knowledge online, we help each other and develop community at the same time. As of

this writing, 72 courageous people have already signed the pledge, but we are looking for

here are a few reasons connected to Earth Charter values.

Respect for the Community of Life - We teach our children where food comes from and

how we are connected to the land.

Ecological Integrity - Less energy is used in the production and transport of food.

Social and Economic Justice - We support the local economy and the right of local

farmers to a livelihood.

Democracy, Nonviolence and Peace - Community relationships are nurtured when you

support and get to know your local farmers.

News from the Board

Plans to hold the first Earth Charter National Leadership Conference in Indianapolis have

taken a major leap forward with Butler University's decision to accept our invitation to

sponsor the event. The national conference will take place over the weekend of June 19-

21, 2009.

As reported in the last issue of this newsletter, Earth Charter leadership from across the

US selected Indianapolis to host the conference because of our Midwest location and the

strength of the Earth Charter movement in central Indiana. As many as 300 community

activists with an affinity for Earth Charter values are expected to attend. Conference

objectives are to inspire and strengthen Earth Charter movements to be more effective

agents for progressive change. To that end the conference will include nationally known

speakers, workshops from an Earth Charter perspective on sustainable development,

organizing, political action and the arts, a student poster session, music, celebration, and

making many new friends from across the nation.

Earth Charter and Butler both expect that the university's conference sponsorship will give

rise to other areas of partnership, potentially seeing the Earth Charter integrated into

certain classroom and student-led community activities.

A committee is forming to plan the logistics of hosting the national

conference. Anyone interested in helping with local preparations is invited to contact

Jerry King at jerryking@ecoisp.com or at 317-356-0043.

We are about midway through our spring membership drive and renewals are coming in

daily. If you have not yet renewed your membership, this is a gentle reminder to do so.

website.

Thank you very much for your continued support!

There are many organizations in Indiana working towards making Indiana a "greener"

State. Some are focused on technical innovations, some on public policy solutions, while

our niche is to catalyze mainstream enthusiasm for sustainable living through a variety of

educational and motivational initiatives.

If this sounds like something you would like to get involved with, why not consider our

Volunteer Corps? The time commitment is 20 hours a week for 16 weeks (flexible and

renewable). Tasks are tailored to the individual. For more information, contact our

Executive Director John Gibson at 317-525-1856 to schedule an interview.

Justice, Terre Haute

Oct. 3-5, State Fairgrounds

Sign up to be an exhibitor

or workshop presenter now!

Oct. 11 in several Indiana locations

Five Weekends (Details to follow)

October / November 2008

Earth Charter Indiana envisions a just, sustainable, and peaceful Indiana by its bitcentennial in

2016. Our mission is to catalyze mainstream enthusiasm for sustainable living throughout Indiana.

John Gibson (Executive Director)

Kim Ort (Deputy Director)

Earth Charter Indiana

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Earth Charter Indiana | P.O. Box 88770 | Indianapolis | IN | 46208