Welcome to the ALR designletter, a semi-regular update on the activities at Another Limited Rebellion design, the world of socially conscious design, and beyond. As always we welcome your comments, suggestions, criticism or praise.
You are on this list because you have worked with, contacted, or have a personal connection to ALR design. The names on this mailing list will never be sold or given away. If you no longer wish to be on this list, just respond with "REMOVE" in the subject section and there will be no hard feelings. Back issues can be found on our web site in the ISSUES section.
ALR news
ALR's work will be featured in the upcoming Regional Annual issue of Print magazine (http://www.printmag.com/). We also have 2 pieces in the new book One Color Graphics from Rockport Publishing (http://www.rockpub.com/).
activism
If you feel strongly that the US should not be involved in a war on Iraq and don't know where to turn, visit MoveOn.org (http://moveon.org/). This site is devoted to helping ordinary Americans become more engaged in our political process and is chock full of resources that can help you get your voice heard.
For a list of upcoming anti-war events happening around the country visit Not In Our Name (http://www.notinourname.net/). They have plenty of materials and info to help you in your protest plans and an excellent "Pledge of Resistance" that you can sign and distribute (which can be accessed directly at http://www.nion.us/)
information
Unanswered Questions (http://www.unansweredquestions.org/) and the Guerrilla News Network (http://www.gnn.tv/) have teamed up to make an enlightening series of "news videos" called AfterMath (http://www.gnn.tv/after_math/). Currently on part 2 of 5, these short films include interviews with respected people from a variety of backgrounds on political issues surrounding September 11th that the mass media has refused to investigate in depth. Powerful and moving stuff.
If you want to keep track of how well your elected officials are representing you, check out CongressionalReportCards.org (http://www.vis.org/visweb/html/ratings.htm). There is a small fee to use the site (only a penny a day!) but the information contained is extremely valuable.
inspiration
Billionaire Phil Anschutz proves that money isn't everything. He recently donated the rights to drill for oil on land in Montana to the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation after he discovered that it was sacred to Native Americans. The NTHP will be working with the Bureau of Land Management to permanently protect the site. Anshultz Exploration Corp.'s VP was quoted as saying, "It was the right thing to do." in the Denver Post. (source: Co-op America Quarterly Summer 2002)
Ever been to a socially conscious state fair? Well if the folks organizing the Rolling Thunder Down Home Democracy Tour have their way, you may soon. Organized by populist author/commentator Jim Hightower this evolving roadshow of speakers and musicians is currently looking for cities to visit. Why not suggest yours at http://www.rollingthundertour.org/
corporate watch
The US government hires hundreds of companies every year and spends millions of dollars on their contracts. These contractors are beholden to laws that protect their workers and our environment, yet many of these companies routinely break the law with little or no penalty and continue to be used by the government. Mother Jones magazine recently published a list of the worst offenders (MJ May/June 2002) which can also be found online at: http://www.motherjones.com/magazine/MJ02/contractors.html. Read it, get incensed and make some noise.
In 1886 the Supreme Court granted the same constitutional rights rights to corporations that are applied to citizens, yet corporations have more resources for exercising their rights and receive different punishments for breaking the law than individuals do. This inequity is of great concern to the folks behind the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD) and they are organizing activists to do something about it. If you feel similarly, visit their website: http://www.poclad.org/
graphic design
The Graphic Alliance is a rapidly growing network of designers committed to social, cultural, and political change. Started by activist design firm Justice Design, the ultimate goal is to have a web based resource network for like minded creative people. For now interested parties can sign on at http://www.justicedesign.com/graphicalliance.html. Justice Design is also a supporter of ALR design's own Designers Against Monoculture manifesto (http://alrdesign.com/dam.html)
art
In an era when information can be easily transmitted and copied the idea of intellectual property has become murky. The folks at Stay Free magazine have created a travelling exhibition that deals with issues of copyright law from an artists viewpoint celebrating what many consider illegal. The show, called appropriately, Illegal Art, runs Nov-Dec in NYC and Jan-Feb in Chicago and has a companion website that features background articles as well as downloadable audio and video: http://www.illegal-art.org/.
green consumer
Coffee drinkers unite! By making sure the coffee you drink has the "Fair Trade Certified" logo you are guaranteeing that the workers who grew it were paid a living wage and that it was grown in a sustainable manner. Many locally owned and chain coffee shops brew Fair Trade coffee, but some may need a bit of nudging. To find out more visit: http://fairtradefederation.org/ and http://transfairusa.org/ (source: RealMoney June/July 2002)
Traditional kitty litter not only doesn't biodegrade but it often contains silica dust, a known carcinogen. Eco-conscious consumers now have an alternative with Swheat Scoop (http://www.swheatscoop.com/). This biodegradable product is made from ground wheat and is already available in many pet stores. (source: RealMoney June/July 2002)
If you are still using a traditional dial-up internet account consider switching to EcoIsp (http://www.ecoisp.com/). They donate 50% of their profits to a non-profit environmental organization of your choice and provide users with up-to-the-minute news about environmental issues. They also only support ecologically responsible advertisers.
human rights
The Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire recently reported that people who were not spanked as children actually do better in school, have better marriages, and earn more money. Currently 90 countries ban corporal punishment for children in schools and penal systems and 10 have even outlawed it in the home; the US is not part of either group. More info can be found at the Center for Effective Discipline's site http://www.stophitting.com/ (fact source: Christian Science Monitor 7/10/02)
environment
If you hear the term "progressive environmentalism" in the media it will often be accompanied by the name of The Rocky Mountain Institute. This think tank, founded by Hunter and Amory Lovins in the 80's, started a small group of people focused on energy policy and has blossomed into one of the most innovative and upbeat environmental problem solvers around. Visit their site to get an overview of what they are up to and how you can get involved: http://www.rmi.org/
money
For many people economics is the only thing that will sway their political decision making. If that is the case for you or some of your friends, the National Priorities site (http://nationalpriorities.org/) may help give some direction with regard to America's current political landscape. Especially enlightening is the fact sheet on the cost of invading Iraq and how it will affect each of us.
education
If you are looking to continue your education and are interested in environmental issues Colombia University's Center for Environmental Research and Conservation may be the place for you. Course information and enrollment details can be found online at http://cerc.columbia.edu/index2.htm
conservation
While many people are aware of the decline in the biological diversity of this planet through animal and plant extinction, few are aware of the cultural knowledge lost through language extinction. Terralinga (http://terralingua.org/) is a non-profit group dedicated to preserving this diversity through research, education and advocacy. Become a member and help stem the growing homogenization of our world. (mentioned in: Utne Reader March/April 2002)
bookshelf
No More Prisons is less focused on our penal system than its title purports, but there is still reason aplenty to read it. It is actually an engagingly written story of author William Upski Wimsatt's growth as an activist that touches on several major social issues he has focused on. While much of what he writes about is specific to his own circumstances (growing up white and well off, but drawn to Hip-Hop culture) anyone interested in focusing their lives on the issues that concern them will find it a worthy read. Available online from Soft Skull Press at http://softskull.com/
The surprise bestseller, Fast Food Nation, provides an indictment of the fast food industry that is hard to ignore. By looking at the business of food from a variety of angles and avoiding the traditional animal rights rhetoric author Eric Schlosser builds a case that has caused many a Big Mac fan to consider other options. Schlosser's writing is both meticulously researched and totally engaging, and fits nicely in the niche carved out by Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Jeremy Rifkin's Beyond Beef. Look for it at your local independent bookstore.
nosh
In a rare case of the environment winning over popular culture, the initials WWF now officially stand for World Wildlife Fund alone and not the World Wrestling Federation as well. The wrestlers lost to the animal rights group in a court case in England which was based on a breach in an agreement made between the groups in 1994. The wresting WWF is now WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). (source: CNN.com 6/17/02)
Finally, file under "things to practice for next year"...
Petri Valta was the winner of this year's annual Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships in Finland. His winning distance: 215 feet using a Nokia model 5510. (source: Christian Science Monitor 8/27/02)
in closing
Thanks for your time and feel free to contact us with suggestions for future issues, web sites to check out, or just to say "Howdy".
Thank you,
Noah Scalin, founder
ALR design
socially conscious graphic design
noah@alrdesign.com
http://www.ALRdesign.com