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	activism alerts may 2006

• Don't Know Autism? Don't Shy Away
• The Grass is Greener When it Comes to Beef and Dairy
• State of the World's Mothers and Children
• May is a Magical Month for Mothers, Midwives and More
• The Fresh Hub of a Vital Movement

Don't Know Autism? Don't Shy Away

"We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes." —Fred "Mister" Rogers

The link below leads to a powerful short film (12 minutes) by Lauren Watkins featuring four mothers and their children with autism. Within the autism community, the film is being hailed as "the most factual portrait of what autism really is for the majority of children and their families." If you've never really seen autism, if you've wondered why Mothering covers the topic, or if—as Mr. Rogers suggested—you feel a sense responsibility to your peers, please take a break from your routine and watch. By the time you've completed viewing the film, another child will be diagnosed with autism.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/media/d_200605_Autism-Every_Day_LoRes.wmv

The Grass is Greener When it Comes to Beef and Dairy

If you eat meat and drink milk, check this out: the Union of Concerned Scientists recently released the first comprehensive study confirming that beef and milk from animals raised entirely on pasture have higher levels of beneficial fats than conventionally raised beef and dairy cattle. These fats may prevent heart disease and strengthen the immune system. The study also shows that grass-fed meat is often leaner than most supermarket beef, and raising cattle on grass can reduce water pollution and the risk of antibiotic-resistant disease.

"When you eat grass-fed meat, you're getting beef with benefits," said report author Dr. Kate Clancy, a nutritionist and senior scientist in the Food and Environment Program at UCS. "There are no losers in producing cattle entirely on pasture. Farmers win, consumers win, the environment wins, and even the cattle win."

The report found that grass-fed beef and milk contain higher levels of omega-3-fatty acids, optimal nutrients during pregnancy, lactation, and childhood. Grass-fed milk tends to be higher in an omega-3-fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that scientists have demonstrated reduces the risk of heart disease. Both grass-fed milk and ground beef are also higher in CLA, a fatty acid shown in animal studies to protect against cancer. While the levels found are relatively small on a per serving basis, they may be beneficial and merit further research.

Pasture-raised cattle fertilize land with their manure in amounts that the soil can safely absorb. In contrast, thousands of beef cattle crammed in industrial feedlot operations generate many tons of manure that can harm local water supplies and fish populations. Confined cattle, which are fed large amounts of grain (especially corn), are also prone to disease, which leads most feedlot operators to routinely administer antibiotics to prevent illness and accelerate growth. Cattle that are allowed to eat their natural diet, on the other hand, are healthier and need fewer antibiotics, which protects the human population from antibiotic-resistant diseases.

Pasture-based meat production is a fledgling industry, but milk products can often be found at co-ops, larger natural food chain stores, and in some supermarkets; and grass-fed beef products can be found at farmers' markets, via the Internet, and from local producers. Help increase demand by asking local supermarket managers to carry these products.

Source: www.ucsusa.org

State of the World's Mothers and Children

Save the Children (STC), an independent global humanitarian organization, recently released its seventh annual Mothers' Index revealing the best—and worst—places to be a mother and a child. The Index, highlighted in the organization's State of the World's Mothers 2006 report, ranks the status of mothers and children in 125 countries based on 10 indicators pertaining to health and education. The report's findings illustrate the inextricable link between the health and survival of mothers and their babies.

Charles MacCormack, President and CEO of STC notes, "In countries where mothers do well, children do well; in countries where mothers fare poorly, children fare poorly. If we are to improve the quality of life for children, we must start by investing in the health and well-being of their mothers."

Scandinavian countries sweep the top rankings of the best places to be a mother, while countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom tier. The United States ties for 10th place with the United Kingdom. 

The Mothers' Index identifies female education, presence of a skilled attendant at birth and access to, and use of, family planning services, as the three areas most strongly associated with child survival and well-being.

The complete Mothers' Index and State of the World's Mothers 2006 report is available online at: www.savethechildren.org/publications/SOWM_2006_final.pdf

View a short video on STC's successful Kangaroo Care program in Malawi, and a slideshow of mamas and newborns around the globe.

Donate now to support Save the Children programs.

May is a Magical Month for Mothers, Midwives and More

Birds are chirping, buds are blooming and new life is in the air. May is springtime in all its glory, and the month is host to a number of Mothering-friendly dates:

• At least six different national observations of Mother's Day in countries around the globe (May 9th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 27th, and 30th).
• International Midwives Day (May 5th).
• International Day of Families (May 15th).
• The entire month is designated as International Doula Month.

Mother's Day in the US originated in 1870, with activist mother Julia Ward Howe's impassioned plea for peace. Her proclamation decrying war remains as relevant today as it was 136 years ago.

Mothering is celebrating our 30th anniversary this month (May 12th-14th), and our beloved Peggy O'Mara celebrates her birthday—on none other than Mother's Day, May 14th.

Check out what is happening in your community, and join the festivities!

The Fresh Hub of a Vital Movement

MomsRising.org is a new grassroots online organization founded by Joan Blades, co-founder of MoveOn.org, and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner with the goal of championing core motherhood and family issues in political, social, and economic spheres. The intent of this new organization, modeled on MoveOn.org, is to reach millions of women who have not previously been active, to educate people about the problems facing mothers and families, and to provide avenues for common sense solutions to those problems.

Currently, our country isn't adequately supporting mothers and families. Today, the leading cause of "poverty spells" is having a baby. More than a quarter of families with children under six live in poverty, and the wage gap between mothers and non-mothers is greater than between women and men (non-mothers earn 10 percent less than their male counterparts; mothers earn 27 percent less; and single mothers earn between 44 percent and 34 percent less). Too many families are struggling. These economic penalties are symptoms of a far larger problem. Our nation simply doesn't have policies and programs in place to support mothers and families. Policies like paid family leave, flexible work options, subsidized child care, and adequate health care: policies that have proven successful in other countries. The bottom line is that for America to have a vibrant future, we must invest both love and resources in our children. The best way to do this is support mothers and families.

MomsRising.org is working to build a massive, grassroots, online resource to move motherhood issues to the forefront of the country's awareness and provide support for leaders and organizations advancing key motherhood issues.  MomsRising.org hopes to ignite a major movement that brings real, necessary change to the lives of families. One major component of the MomsRising organizing effort is the creation of a website that is a primary connecting point for women and aligned organizations. Based on the MoveOn.org organizing model, this site will offer an easy entry to motherhood-focused activism and education. The site and coordinated e-mail campaigns will be accessible, appealing, and innovative. MomsRising will be a place for moms to meet, learn, and get involved. Through this website, moms will be able to set up playgroups, learn about issues, share their stories, and get more fully engaged in local community efforts, as well as in legislative and electoral politics. MomsRising will also be a place for organizations to coordinate efforts to maximize results. In fact, MomsRising is currently coordinating a "motherhood project" with more than forty regional and national organizations who are interested in collaborative movement building to support family-friendly policies in America.

MomsRising is a huge opportunity to shift the national conversation. A key goal is to build mothers' political and community engagement in order to change legislative and workplace policy to support women and families. These family-friendly policies are desperately needed by mothers—and all Americans—in order to ensure the future of our children, and the future of our nation.