Oakland, CA. More than fourteen different international organizations have agreed with the Global Footprint Network on bringing more awareness about Earth Overshoot Day (EOD). EOD is essentially a day calculated by the Global Footprint Network where humans’ usage and consumption of Earth’s natural resources exceeds or overshoots the amount the planet is actually able to produce.
The EOD is calculated by dividing the number of natural resources the Earth generates each year or biocapacity, by the human consumption of Earth’s natural resources that year or the world’s ecological footprint.
Generally speaking, the earlier the date is in the year, the quicker it was for humans to consume more resources than the Earth can produce.
The EOD each year generally shrinks back to earlier in the year as human activity and consumption of natural resources gradually increases. However, the 2020 EOD took place 24 days later than the 2019 EOD.
Some solutions the Global Footprint Network has put forth for this year include nurturing nature’s biodiversity in your local area, transferring to renewable energies, and transforming our systems when it comes to producing food and running our cities.
“All the while we cannot afford to wait before we take action, one city, one country, one company, one entity, one individual at a time…ultimately, a constellation of life-sustaining actions is what is needed in order to #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day intentionally and by design,” said Global Footprint Network.
From Global Footprint Network:
Everyone should be able to look forward to a bright future where we all thrive within the means of our one planet. However, our economies are currently running a fraudulent Ponzi (or pyramid) scheme with our planet. We are consuming natural resources faster than they can regenerate; we are using the Earth’s future resources to operate in the present; we are digging ourselves deeper and deeper into ecological debt.
Prosperity can only last if we embrace the limits of our planet. Accepting limits allows us to build an economy that works forever. Ignoring limits leads to a finite, time-limited economy which steadily since it erodes the planet it depends on.
A path to success – or to one-planet prosperity – requires robust metrics that relate our global context to local decisions. Measure what you treasure: To build a world where all can thrive, we need to know how much nature we have and how much we use.
San Francisco, CA. Palomacy Bird Care Coordinator Jill Shepard (seen above) discusses the organization’s root beginnings and why pigeons and doves make great pets for those looking to adopt a new friend.
Elizabeth Young, the founder and director of Palomacy, volunteered at San Francisco Animal Care and Control in the mid-2000s and monitored the small animals that came in like bunnies, guinea pigs, and pigeons.
“She would see these big white pigeons come in and they were put in the back of the kennel so nobody saw them,” Shepard said, “and they were later euthanized because nobody really knew what to do with these pigeons.”
Most of the birds that would be admitted to Animal Control were the domestic King Pigeons. These birds are popular as meat products as it only takes 4-5 weeks to fatten the young pigeons before slaughter. They are called squab on menus.
The ones that are taken away from slaughterhouses generally do not understand how to fend after themselves due to their domesticated and young nature. They will often starve as a result unless taken into shelters.
“There are over 300 breeds of domesticated pigeons that can’t live in the wild,” Shepard said, “it’s like releasing a puppy in the forest, they don’t have that DNA.”
Young wanted to focus her volunteer efforts on rescuing pigeons and doves after her experience at the animal control and adopting her first king pigeons.
“There was this parrot rescue group in the bay area called ‘Mickaboo’ and so she asked for their help,” Shepard said, “and that’s how it got started.”
Young would dedicate her spare time between jobs caring for rescued pigeons and doves in her own department at Mickaboo called Mickacoo.
Shepard first got involved with Young’s work in 2011 when the director decided to split off from Mickaboo and found her own organization called Palomacy.
“Every day is different,” Shepard said in consideration of the regular routine of Palomacy, “it’s all over the place.”
Shepard’s days can be consumed with all sorts of activities including reading through adoption or foster applications, making sure the birds’ needs are met, and transporting sick pigeons to The Medical Center for Birds in Oakley, CA.
Shepard discussed how pigeons are considered monogamous animals, and after they are about 5-6 months old, they live with a mate for life. Pigeons are “particular” about their mates and Shepard will often spend her day doing “pigeon matchmaking” to find the right pairs to live with each other in and outside of the rescue.
2020 has been an interesting year for several nonprofit organizations and Palomacy has missed out on continuing its educational outreach programs that help bring more positive attention to the birds. Despite this slight setback, Palomacy has been able to stay open strictly following CDC social distancing guidelines.
“We’re actually adopting more out than we ever have, so our numbers are pretty high with adoptions,” Shepard said.
The bird care coordinator credits the increase of adoptions to people staying at home and finding out about Palomacy themselves.
The organization runs entirely from its donations and will continue to accept new rescues to find more loving, safe homes for life.
“They’re not disposable animals,” Shepard stated, “they are very emotionally driven, they’re smart, they’re one of the few species that can self-recognize in mirrors, they’re very emotional birds, they love love.”
From Palomacy:
Palomacy (a Community Initiatives project) is a volunteer-powered, donation-funded rescue for domestic (unreleasable) pigeons & doves in the San Francisco Bay Area. Palomacy provides avian vet treatment, foster care & adoption services locally & consultation & referrals all over the country. Started in 2007, Palomacy has directly saved the lives of more than 1,000 birds & assisted countless others.
San Francisco, CA. Palomacy Bird Care Coordinator Jill Shepard (seen above) discusses the organization’s root beginnings and why pigeons and doves make great pets for those looking to adopt a new friend.
Elizabeth Young, the founder and director of Palomacy, volunteered at San Francisco Animal Care and Control in the mid-2000s and monitored the small animals that came in like bunnies, guinea pigs, and pigeons.
“She would see these big white pigeons come in and they were put in the back of the kennel so nobody saw them,” Shepard said, “and they were later euthanized because nobody really knew what to do with these pigeons.”
Most of the birds that would be admitted to Animal Control were the U.S. native King Pigeons. These birds are popular as meat products as it only takes 4-5 weeks to fatten the young pigeons before slaughter.
The ones that are taken away from slaughterhouses generally do not understand how to fend after themselves due to their domesticated and young nature. They will often starve as a result unless taken into shelters.
“There are over 300 breeds of domesticated pigeons that can’t live in the wild,” Shepard said, “it’s like releasing a puppy in the forest, they don’t have that DNA.”
Young wanted to focus her volunteer efforts on rescuing pigeons and doves after her experience at the animal control and adopting her first king pigeons.
“There was this parrot rescue group in the bay area called ‘Mickaboo’ and so she asked for their help,” Shepard said, “and that’s how it got started.”
Young would dedicate her spare time between jobs caring for rescued pigeons and doves in her own department at Mickaboo called Mickacoo.
Shepard first got involved with Young’s work in 2011 when the director decided to split off from Mickaboo and found her own organization called Palomacy.
“Every day is different,” Shepard said in consideration of the regular routine of Palomacy, “it’s all over the place.”
Shepard’s days can be consumed with all sorts of activities including reading through adoption or foster applications, making sure the birds’ needs are met, and transporting sick pigeons to The Medical Center for Birds in Oakley, CA.
Shepard discussed how pigeons are considered monogamous animals, and after they are about 5-6 months old, they live with a mate for life. Pigeons are “particular” about their mates and Shepard will often spend her day doing “pigeon matchmaking” to find the right pairs to live with each other in and outside of the rescue.
2020 has been an interesting year for several nonprofit organizations and Palomacy has missed out on continuing its educational outreach programs that help bring more positive attention to the birds. Despite this slight setback, Palomacy has been able to stay open strictly following CDC social distancing guidelines.
“We’re actually adopting more out than we ever have, so our numbers are pretty high with adoptions,” Shepard said.
The bird care coordinator credits the increase of adoptions to people staying at home and finding out about Palomacy themselves.
The organization runs entirely from its donations and will continue to accept new rescues to find more loving, safe homes for life.
“They’re not disposable animals,” Shepard stated, “they are very emotionally driven, they’re smart, they’re one of the few species that can self-recognize in mirrors, they’re very emotional birds, they love love.”
From Palomacy:
Palomacy (a Community Initiatives project) is a volunteer-powered, donation-funded rescue for domestic (unreleasable) pigeons & doves in the San Francisco Bay Area. Palomacy provides avian vet treatment, foster care & adoption services locally & consultation & referrals all over the country. Started in 2007, Palomacy has directly saved the lives of more than 1,000 birds & assisted countless others.
Oakland, CA. It started out as a personal mission to inspire spirituality throughout her neighborhood for Jasmine Taylor (pictured above on the right). She launched the “Stepping Out on Faith” prayer walk in October of 2014 and that led to her founding a nonprofit called 1C13 Productions.
The strategy of continuing 1C13 Productions, especially with the youth, during the COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing discussion within the organization according to Taylor. Because the nonprofit works extensively with youth through direct interaction within school settings, COVID 19 has halted its programs. However, 1C13 remains dedicated to creating and offering programs that allow interaction with the students while adhering to social distancing mandates.
Services within the organization include youth outreach, community events, feeding the poor, and providing resources for Oakland families to fight poverty and enrich their children’s future through The Legacy Program.
One goal of 1C13 Productions is to eradicate hunger in urban communities. Given the effects of poverty and gentrification, many men, women, and children in urban communities face hunger daily. The nonprofit regularly feeds the homeless and is planning on expanding these efforts.
While initially focused on community programs,1C13 provides several programs for the youth of Oakland to acquire the skills which will bolster their confidence and create positive opportunities. The Walking in Royalty program exposes youth to many different disciplines of study and career opportunities to encourage the young people of Oakland to recognize their full potential and ensures a well-rounded exposure to different career possibilities.
Occasionally working directly with schools to provide life skills classes for both the youth and families through the Walking in Royalty programs, 1C13 also offers these programs to the public through the King/Queen Connections program. Taylor, who also holds the position of Restorative Bridge Maker at Frick United School of language to diffuse conflicts between students, describes her work with the youth as “the most gratifying” and a “beautiful and humbling opportunity”. The testimonies given from some 1C13 youth confirms their reciprocal admiration for the program and their mission; “(The Life Skills) class has changed me in many ways. It’s encouraged me to never give up. It taught me to be a young lady. It taught me to never let what other people say affect my future and who I want to be.” – Mia C., 8th grade.
From 1C13 Productions:
1C13 Productions Inc. is a pillar in the community and has created a lasting impact on youth, communities, and families throughout its 5-year tenure in the Bay Area and in its schools. Here are testimonials from some of those we’ve had the opportunity to work with.
“Jasmine Taylor has the best job in the world: empowering young kings and queens of East Oakland to live their truth and nurture their brilliance. As a teacher and trauma-informed student mentor at Frick Impact Academy, “Ms. Taylor” heals interpersonal harm through her expertise in Restorative Practices and leads students in deconstructing the forces of oppression in their lives and communities as they foster resilience, confidence, and integrity.”
San Francisco, CA. Skate Like a Girl Seattle will conduct its summer skate camp online for 2020. Chapter co-director Soph Elden says that “since COVID-19 hit, [the organization] decided to switch to an at-home virtual skate camp.” The camp now gives skaters of all skill levels a variety of online tools to improve their skating and connect with mentors from the comfort of their homes. Skate Like a Girl is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals, especially young women, to become strong, confident leaders who promote and implement equity through the vehicle of skateboarding. Founded 17 years ago, the nonprofit currently operates chapters in Seattle, Portland, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Each camp session is a week-long (Monday to Friday) and features a daily opening and closing “circle time” with fellow campers and counselors via video conference. Campers receive skate skill videos designed for their distinct skill level, as well as supplemental challenge worksheets and a camper t-shirt. There is an average one counselor to five camper ratio so campers may receive individualized check-ins with counselors and more personalized instruction.
Here’s a video about the virtual summer program for 2020.
A flyer for Skate Like A Girl Seattle’s At-Home Summer Camp
The summer camp offers classes for skaters of all gender identities, as well as weeks exclusively designated for women and/or queer and trans people of all ages. The camp cost is $129 and there are scholarships that skaters can apply for to ensure that the camp is as accessible to as many people as possible. And if you don’t have a skateboard, helmet, or padding, Skate Like a Girl Seattle can help with that! Campers can reach out to Skate Like a Girl Seattle via e-mail to borrow skate gear through drop-off or pick-up services.
Skate Like a Girl Seattle also provides additional skateboarding programs and activities for people of all skill levels, ages, and gender identities year-round. The organization offers weekly women and trans skating sessions, after school programs, and 12 years and under skating clinics during the school year at All Together Skate Park, located at 3500 Stone Way North in Seattle. In addition to at-home summer camp, Skate Like a Girl is continuing its women and trans skating sessions virtually through Zoom.
Instructors and skaters for Skate Like A Girl’s women and trans skating sessions
In light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice, Skate Like a Girl Seattle has been vocal on social media about the significance of continually supporting Black lives now and moving forward. According to Elden, Skate Like a Girl’s messaging “prioritizes social justice.” Elden says that Skate Like a Girl Seattle has recently utilized social media to encourage people to take specific actions to support Black lives, including providing followers with “swipe-up” links on Instagram stories to “sign petitions and get donations matched.” Elden states that Skate Like a Girl Seattle plans to “listen to and follow Black-led causes and organizations” and “celebrate and elevate Black trans people and Black women.” Skate Like a Girl Seattle also supports defunding the police and “reallocating funds to programs like health care, education, and other resources, particularly in Black communities and Black-led organizations.”
Through its dedication to social justice, Skate Like a Girl Seattle plans to continue empowering all skaters in the Seattle community virtually until in-person programs may resume.
From Skate Like A Girl:
Skate Like a Girl is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals, especially young womxn, to become strong, confident leaders who promote and implement equity through the vehicle of skateboarding. We believe that skateboarding is a tool to build confidence, resilience, and foster inclusive community. Our mission is to create an inclusive community by promoting confidence, leadership, and social justice through the sport of skateboarding. Founded 17 years ago, we currently operate chapters in Seattle, Portland, and the San Francisco Bay Area.We value experiential learning and civic participation, by providing opportunities to be involved in the skateboarding community.
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