A new earth, based on the Earth Charter, starting with my organization

Talks of ballistic missiles in North Korea (Starr, Mullen and Sterling 2013), Africans starving, Americans wasting food, slavery still exists, racism still exists, religious and gender discrimination still exists. People living in poverty, people losing jobs, companies going bankrupt…countries going bankrupt, countries in debt and countries with surplus, so many contrasting events are happening in the world today. In the 21^st century where communication is free and open, numerous globalized organizations exist and numerous meetings between nations take place to promote peace, equality, and saving the environment, and yet still so many contrasting events.

We learn as children that fighting is not the answer, yet an adult nation like North Korea (Starr et al. 2013) can take actions to begin a fight in this day and age. Parents tell us do not waste food, and yet Americans waste US$165 billion worth of food each year that can feed about 25 million people (Woodruff, 2012). State of Food Insecurity in the World (as cited by the World Food Programme n.d.) states “870 million people in the world do not have enough to eat.”

Why is slavery and human trafficking still taking place? How can one person place value on another? How can one country be so rich and one be so poor?

The community, life, and future centered Earth Charter intelligently tackles all corners of global life. It targets underlying issues that cause these contrasting events and highlights solutions. All that’s left is its adoption.

But whilst we wait on the nations we must start with ourselves, individually, our families, our communities and our workplace. In hopes that the spirit of living a global life will catch on and everyone will see and believe that the only way forward is together, as a team, thereby giving life to a new earth.

My place of work is a web development and marketing agency, one of the many small businesses in Jamaica. Though small, taking on principles of the Earth Charter can reach far and wide. Our contribution can create a ripple effect that brings us closer to a world that works as one. We can become individually and organizationally responsible for our environment, community, political practices and social standards.

Appling the Earth Charter as our guide these are some ways we can contribute:

Respect and care for the community of life

Take care of our beautiful environment by practicing the basics: practice proper garbage disposal, recycling, and planting trees. Garbage is created everyday, we need to practice proper disposal whether in trash receptors or recycling containers. Currently, at work, we have recycled a water dispenser bottle to collect coins and we also use waste paper for notepads. Another useful suggestion is to create garbage specific receptors for example, one for paper, plastic and miscellaneous items. The company can also support local organizations that push for a safer, cleaner environment such as the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) that carries out island wide beach cleanups to rid our sea shore of waste.

Employees should help each other where possible as we all strive to self actualize. Each employee has a different set of skills and knowledge. We can exchange and share information so we all benefit from one another’s brains and ultimately reach our full potential, at least professionally.

Ecological integrity

In an effort to save and preserve our endangered species and renewable resources, being a web and marketing agency we can use technologies we work with to help spread this message. Write and share articles on our websites as well as social network profiles such as Facebook and Twitter, post information about them and send to clients. We should also align our company with organizations that push for caring for the environment and community, such as the JET and the National Environment and Planning Agency. As part of our partnerships we should do what we can to help support their efforts.

Social and economic justice

Everyone was born equal, we are all humans, whether male, female, transgender, black, white, yellow, heterosexual or homosexual. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally at all times; equal rights for all man. We all have a right to food, shelter, work and play.

Our organization can work together to help feed the hungry by, for example, having employees bring in monthly food donations that we can distribute to local charities. 

At the workplace employers should enforce equal remuneration without discrimination, no man or woman should receive more pay than another in the same position doing the same tasks. Employees should be judged and rewarded on comparable standards.

Employees should not be forced to partake in any religious ritual neither should their beliefs be disregarded or belittled. Individual views on society and life choices should be respected.

Democracy, nonviolence, and peace

As small as my company is, work is segregated and information is kept secret. We need to make a greater effort to share pertinent information amongst all and collaborate more. Freedom of expression should be the order of the day and everyone’s contribution should be equally valued.

When conflicts arise we should aim for the source. Gently raise the issue, talk it out and resolve in peace.

I plan to play my part because I believe in a world that works together as one for the benefit of our lives now and for future generations. As the Earth Charter says, I believe we need to have a “change of mind and heart”, “global interdependence and universal responsibility” and also that we need to “seek a new beginning”. A new earth.  

Photo: earthcharterus.org