For Giving Tuesday 2017, I recommend some of my favorite nonprofits

Happy #GivingTuesday 2017!


National Day Calendar has more on National Day of Giving/Giving Tuesday.

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Quite simply, take advantage of all the holiday deals to add to your charitable giving. Combined with your family, friends, local and national organizations and through the power of social media, National Day of Giving can become a tradition worth passing on. Use #GivingTuesday to post on social media.

HISTORY

In 2012, 92nd Street Y in New York City created National Day of Giving to bring focus to the charitable season in the wake of the commercialized Black Friday and Cyber Monday. More commonly referred to as #GivingTuesday, National Day of Giving harnesses the power of social media to give back around the world and throughout the year.

Follow over the jump for the nonprofits I've given to and others I recommend.

Detroit's bankruptcy, one year later

It's the one-year anniversary of Detroit files for bankruptcy, so here are two videos from WXYZ about the ongoing saga of Detroit's adventures in insolvency.

First, some good news: More donations for DIA.

The DIA is $26 million closer to its goal of raising $100 million for the grand bargain in Detroit's bankruptcy.

So far, I was right to be optimistic in Looks like good news for the DIA.

Next, a follow-up to U.N. declares Detroit's water shutoffs a human rights violation: What to do if your water is shut off.


Detroit's water crisis will be a topic at Netroots Nation tomorrow.  Speaking of which, it's time for me to go downtown and see Elizabeth Warren.

Looks like good news for the DIA

First Good news on crime in Detroit and now this from the Detroit Free Press:  $330M pledged to save pensions, DIA artwork from Detroit bankruptcy.

Rosen, the federal mediator in the Detroit bankruptcy, led a wide-ranging 3½-hour dicussion, during which he floated a novel idea for a grand bargain: Could the foundations pony up hundreds of millions to bolster at-risk city pensions and prevent the Detroit Institute of Arts from having to sell its treasures?

It was a long shot at best. But on Monday it may have paid off big time.

Rosen announced nine foundations pledged $330 million that would be used to shore up pension funds so the art would not have to be sold, a crucial step toward solving the contentious issues surrounding pensions and paintings. The money represents an unprecedented coalition of foundation support for a troubled American city and a bold stroke of out-of-the-box creativity. It is a potential game changer in Detroit’s struggle to restructure $18 million in municipal debt in bankruptcy court.

This deserves Professor Farnsworth.  Preserving both pensions and the DIA looked like it would be almost impossible.  The key word is 'almost,' as this proposal shows.  I'm very optimistic about the possible deal.  Still, it could still fall short.

Despite the immediate acclaim that greeted the foundations’ pledge Monday, a myriad of challenges remain that could scuttle a deal. Leaders of the pension funds representing city workers and police and fire personnel would have to accept the terms. The $330 million still remains shy of Rosen’s original goal of $500 million and is unlikely to satisfy unions trying to protect pensioner nest eggs. Other creditors are likely to scratch and claw for more money from the city, hoping paintings and other assets can be liquidated.
...
Still, bankruptcy experts said that if multiple parties, including pension representatives, sign on to the plan, it might create breathing room and momentum needed for Rosen and Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr to reach a global settlement.

This will vastly reduce the heat in the bankruptcy, as it removes the possibility of affecting people's entertainment.  People demand that their entertainment go on, as I've pointed out in Detroit River fireworks show continues and Detroit's Thanksgiving Parade--the tradition continues.  According to our screwed-up priorities, that's more important than keeping pensions whole.*  As my friend Nebris has said about my observations on this topic, "Americans will take all manner of social, economic and political abuse, but will rise up with righteous fury when you disturb their Entertainment."

*I don't agree with these priorities; that's why I called them screwed-up.  I plan on collecting my pension one day, and I don't want people messing with that.

WXYZ follows up on DIA

In Detroit's Emergency Financial Manager asks for appraisal of DIA's collection, I promised to follow this story.  WXYZ has made it easy for me by summarizing the major points in Can the DIA be protected?


In addition to the DIA, the report mentions Belle Isle, the water system, and Manoogian Mansion.  Of those, the one that would have the greatest impact would be the water system, which I pointed out during the first month of this blog in Water wars, Detroit style, plus a programming note.  Privatization of the water system could lead to a situation much like that I described in Greenfinger.

Suez, a Vivendi affiliate, actually took over the water supply in a city in Bolivia, then lost control as a result of massive protests.

That would affect not just the 700,000+ people of Detroit, but the 4,000,000 people in the service area, which covers nearly all of Metro Detroit and then some, as parts of Washtenaw and Genesee counties get water from Detroit.  It's one of the reasons why I expressed interest in Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner; whoever occupies that position would be on the front lines of dealing with the issue, particularly if the solution is a regional board, not privatization.  Here's to hoping that Jim Nash, the new Commissioner, is up to the task.*

The report concluded by mentioning the millage to support the DIA.  I voted in favor of that and said that I was in favor of it last August.  The millage passed and, as WXYZ reported, it's having the intended effects of secure funding and increased attendance.  Selling off major parts of the collection would be a betrayal of voters like me from all three counties.

I'll conclude by repeating something from the very first post I wrote for this blog, which I quoted in Save the libraries, save civilization,the first fight over saving local cultural institutions I covered, then following up with how that applies to cultural institutions in general.

[S]aving the libraries might strike some people as frivolous, but remember that the way the humans in the book [The Mote in God's Eye] discovered the truth about [M]oties was by stumbling into a museum designed to speed the rise of Motie civilization after the next collapse.  Another example involves Canticle for Leibowitz, the plot of which revolves around a monastery that includes a library the mission of which is to help revive civilization after its collapse.  So, it's not as stupid an idea as it seems.  Thanks to that suggestion, you can expect posts on saving cultural institutions during collapse, not just for how to keep yourself fed and safe.

I continued in that spirit while spreading some Christmas cheer last year, and repeated it while recounting how I warned the Glassmen these times were coming.

I may be wishing you all a happy holiday, but this is still a blog about collapse.  Be prepared for a lot of your favorite things, especially cultural institutions to go away, or to fight very hard to keep them.

Here's to the DIA successfully fighting off Detroit's creditors.

Follow over the jump for the footnote about a future entry.

Detroit's Emergency Financial Manager asks for appraisal of DIA's collection

As the Detroit Free Press article began, "The once unthinkable is suddenly thinkable."  WXYZ gives a video executive summary.

Kim Russell reports on Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr asking for an appraisal of the DIA's collection.

That's the overview.  Follow over the jump for the details from the Detroit Free Press.

Earth Day Event at Detroit Institute for the Arts--a MacGuffin for examining Ford's sustainabilty report

One more Earth Day event to promote blog about.


Detroit Earth Day 2011: Practical Sustainability
Thursday, April 21, 2011 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48202

My neighbor is both an environmentalist and a member of the DIA. I wonder if she's going. I'll ask her tomorrow.

Join with Grand River Printing & Imaging at the Detroit Institute of Arts on April 21st from 8:00am to noon to learn practical ways to reduce, reuse and recycle ... and reap rewards.

This year our speaker is Andy Acho, environmental initiative expert and former Worldwide Director of Environmental Strategy and Outreach at Ford Motor Company. At 9:30am in the DIA Lecture Hall, Andy will be sharing some of his experiences and best-practices at the corporate level that demonstrate how being environmentally sustainable is also about good business.

Suddenly, this topic looks a lot more interesting. Time to do to Ford what I did to Walmart--examine their sustainbility pages.

2009/10 Sustainability Report

Ford Motor Company has published its 11th annual non-financial report, entitled Blueprint for Sustainability - The Future at Work.

Our vision is for our sustainability reporting to demonstrate our values, as well as to reflect and drive outstanding economic, environmental and social performance.

In two paragraphs, Ford already looks better than Walmart. If nothing else, they talk about values and society in addition to touting how their actions are good for both the environment and the bottom line. Of course, that's just the exterior. How do things look under the hood?

"This is one of the most exciting times in our industry since mass automobile production began more than a century ago. New technologies are radically transforming some of the most fundamental and enduring elements of the automobile. The companies that lead these changes will create new 'green' jobs and generate profits while reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions, benefiting both the economy and the environment."

Alan Mulally
President and Chief Executive Officer

Another improvement over Walmart's page--this message is coming directly from the top. I don't recall anyone's name on the Walmart sustainablity page, let alone someone high up in the company. Just the same, it looks like I've opened the driver's side door, not the hood. At least I'm inside the vehicle. So, what is there to see here?

Climate Change: Ford has developed a comprehensive, science-based global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

As an environmental scientist, this is music to my ears, although I know the devil's in the details. I'll leave those to another post.

Mobility: Our goal is to make mobility affordable in every sense of the word – economically, environmentally and socially

Ford really is talking a good game here. Just the same, this is exactly the message that Ford should be talking about if they want to manufacture cars sustainably. I'll tackle whether doing so is even possible some other time; right now I just want to enjoy being spun.

Human Rights: We believe that people are most likely to excel in an environment that aims for excellence.

This sentence is boilerplate, but it's exactly the kind of boilerplate any company should be cladding their reports in. As an advocate for unions, I'm encouraged. On the other hand, it could make a much stronger stand for human rights. Right now, it's merely a statement about human capital, which is not the same thing.

Vehicle Safety: Vehicle safety is one of the key principles that informs and guides Ford's every design and engineering effort.

Nice, but I don't know what this is doing in a sustainablity report. Maybe it fits under a statement of values. Honestly, I prefer one of their older slogans--Quality is Job 1.

Sustaining Ford: Despite the economic crisis and unprecedented downturn in automotive sales globally, Ford posted its first full year of positive net income since 2005.

I thought this was supposed to be a non-financial report? Even so, I can handle this as a statement of commitment to economic sustainability. Besides, it is good news, as this report is mostly for 2009, when the economy contracted for the first half of the year.

I never did get under the hood, but that's OK. I'm actually impressed. Even if it's nothing but corporate PR, it's very good corporate PR, and much better than what Walmart has. I can tell that Ford is playing offense, while Walmart is playing defense. That's a stronger position to be in.

There's a lot more to examine, but I'll save that for another time. It's late.

Happy Earth Day!