Mother Pelican
A Journal of Solidarity and Sustainability

Luis T. Gutiérrez, Editor

Current Issue

Welcome to Mother Pelican's Home Page MISSION STATEMENT The mission of this web site is to collect, organize, and disseminate information on sustainable development, with especial focus on human development; and to publish monthly updates via the Mother Pelican journal on solidarity and sustainability issues. MONTHLY UPDATES Monthly updates on this project are distributed free of charge via the Solidarity-Sustainability group list. The monthly journal currently includes the following: An editorial essay on current solidarity-sustainability issues. Several one-page articles on recently emerging research. Six supplements: 1. Advances in Sustainable Development 2. Directory of Sustainable Development Resources 3. Long-Term Strategies for Sustainable Energy 4. Short-Term Strategies for Sustainable Energy 5. Fostering Gender Equality in Society 6. Fostering Gender Equality in Religion To view the first page of the current issue, click here. Links to each page of the current issue are provided below. RESEARCH AGENDA The current research agenda is to examine all the significant dimensions of sustainable development in order to integrate the resulting multi-dimensional knowledge and make it available in a form suitable for use by sustainable development groups. The following modes of research are being used: Review and analysis of sustainable development concepts and trends. Review and analysis of sustainable development news and emerging research. Review and analysis of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) projects and trends. Review and analysis of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects and trends. Review and analysis of human behavior in response to economic growth-human development trade offs. Use of System Dynamics (system behavior simulation) to analyze sustainable development scenarios. Use of Girardian analysis (mimetic theory) to analyze scapegoating behavior. Use of NxN inter-dependency matrices to analyze precedence relations. Sacred scriptures from various religious traditions are used as a point of reference. KNOWLEDGE TAXONOMY The knowledge organization model that has been chosen for this web site is the Knowledge Map of Chaim Zins: SOLIDARITY & SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION PACKAGE This package contains a college-level powerpoint presentation on ecological sustainability. The presentation is about the transition from the consumerist society to ecological sustainability. After definitions of ecology, sustainability, ecological sustainability, and sustainable development, the presentation unfolds as a series of questions and answers centered around the "sustainable development paradox" (i.e., the paradox of infinite growth in a finite planet). This is the essence of the sustainable development paradox: If consumption continues to grow indefinitely, natural resources will be depleted, pollution will reach saturation levels, and the human habitat will degrade so much that it will not support human civilization. If consumption growth comes to an end, the worldwide economic-financial system will become disfunctional and eventually may collapse with severe social repercussions. In other words: Increasing consumption will eventually destroy the human habitat Stabilizing consumption would stagnate materialistic economic growth The purpose of this presentation is not to resolve the paradox, but to show the relevance of "Ecological Sustainability" for engineers and other professionals. Due to the ubiquity of sustainability issues (all locations, all industries, all human activities), at least one course in "Ecological Sustainability" should be required in all professional programs (undergraduate and graduate levels), as well as continuing education programs. For K-12 and other programs, see the following: Teaching Stewardship and Sustainability US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit UN Education for Sustainable Development Program Sustainability Guide for Everyday Folk To download the information package, click here. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SIMULATION (SDSIM) The objective of the Sustainable Development Simulation (SDSIM) is to analyze trade-offs between human development and economic development priorities. It is a global model, in the tradition of Limits to Growth and other similar projects. However, it attempts to take into account both material resources, which are limited, and human resources such as wisdom and the human capacity for adaptation, which are not physically limited. The time window is 1900-2100, and the transition from consumerism to sustainability is expected to begin happening during this century; in fact, empirical data suggests that it may have started already. For more information on SDSIM 1.5, click here. To explore the SDSIM 1.5 web-based interface, click here. NOTE: Development of SDSIM 2.0 is in progress. The horizontal and vertical scales are not shown in order to emphasize that this is a simulation, not a prediction. The simulation merely shows what we already know, i.e., even if in the short-term population stabilizes and technologies buy time, eventually a further adjustment will be needed in order to sustain life on earth based on the steady influx of solar energy. Is "dark energy" a reasonable hope? ANCIENT SYMBOL The pelican is an ancient symbol of unconditional service. To be a "person for others" requires full awareness of the personal self and also requires sacrifice of the one who serves. The following excerpt from The Physiologus (the author is unknown, circa 4th century CE) captures this ideal: "The long beak of the white pelican is furnished with a sack which serves as a container for the small fish that it feeds its young. In the process of feeding them, the bird presses the sack against its neck in such a way that it seems to open its breast with its bill. The reddish tinge of its breast plumage and the redness of the tip of its beak fostered the folkloristic notion that it actually drew blood from its own breast." The author of The Physiologus found the action of the pelican, interpreted in this manner, to be a symbol of merciful and sacrificial service and thus an apt symbol of Jesus the Christ (Cf. Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34). While professing no affiliation to any specific religious body, the Mother Pelican journal is committed to the promotion of basic Christian values, human rights, social justice, gender equality, and ecological sustainability. SITE SEARCH MOTHER PELICAN SITE SEARCH ARCHIVE May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 For an annotated list that shows the themes covered in each issue, click here. SUBMISSIONS The submission of articles for publication is cordially invited. Only previosuly unpublished articles on the dual issues of solidarity and sustainability will be considered. Articles can be submitted via email to the editor. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Substantive letters to the editor are published in a separate page. To read some of the recent letters, click here. TRANSLATION |Back to Top| LINKS TO THE CURRENT ISSUE Page 1      Page 2      Page 3      Page 4      Page 5      Page 6      Page 7      Page 8      Page 9 Supplement 1      Supplement 2      Supplement 3      Supplement 4      Supplement 5      Supplement 6 PelicanWeb Home Page

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