Life’s most persistent and important question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr., Day in the United States, a national holiday commemorating Dr. King’s birthday (Jan 15) and his leadership as a civil rights activist.
What you might not be aware of is that more than a holiday, this day is also a day of service. The King Holiday and Service Act federal legislation honors MLK, Jr. and “challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action through volunteer service in honor of Dr. King.”
While this blog is dedicated to green business, it’s not just about the environment. Green means sustainable and without social equality our economy, our environment and our world are unsustainable.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., here are some links to sustainable endeavors that are working for social and environmental justice.
Green For All: working to bring “green collar” jobs to urban areas, launched at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on September 26, 2007. The group, created by Van Jones, co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, seeks to capitalize on the exploding green economy while ensuring that the coming green economic wave lifts all boats.
Louisiana Bucket Brigade: empowering fenceline communities along Louisiana’s Chemical Corridor in their fight to reduce industrial pollution and protect public health. LBB works with communities that border the oil refineries and chemical plants along the Mississippi River. With the tools and support of LBB, citizens monitor air pollution and have the data to fight corporations which have ignored, overlooked and disrespected their neighbors for generations.
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice: is a collaboration between community, environmental groups and universities to address issues of environmental justice. The DSCEJ provides opportunities for communities, scientific researchers, and decision makers to collaborate on programs and projects that promote the rights of all people to be free from environmental harm as it impacts health, jobs, housing, education, and general quality of life.
Check out Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service to see how communities and individuals are honoring Dr. King this year. In Washington, to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a collaborative funding, design, and construction is in progress for the creation of “a memorial to honor his national and international contributions to world peace through non-violent social change.” Take a virtual tour of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial here and find out how you can help build the dream.
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