Message from Eboo Patel

Today, one of our best frinds Jan Taddeo invited Eboo Patel and Hannah McConnaughay from Interfaith Youth Core (http://www.ifyc.org/) over to Meadville/Lombard Theological School. We had a great discussion about interfaith leadership.

This is our greatest pleasure to receive his encouraging words for Oikos. Let's keep enjoying the Green Drop and spread the word to our friends more!

Thanks again, Eboo and Hannah for coming over to Meadville/Lombard and had creative and inspiring time together! And thanks Jan for your so generous work for putting us together today!

We are Oikos.

eCOvenant,

eCOllaborate,

eCOmmunicate

What is the Green Drop?

Dear Friends of Oikos--

Welcome to the brand new Green Drop blog! In this space, we hope to create a space in which Oikos members (and eventually a larger community) participate in this new initiative and share their stories with each other. Read on below to find out about the new Green Drop project!

Blessings,
the Green Drop team


What is the Green Drop?

• The Green Drop is a new Oikos initiative that encourages a practice of mindfulness, environmental action, intentional generosity, and collective collaboration. Although each individual act and financial contribution may be just a "drop in the bucket," the strength of community-wide sustained participation will generate larger ecological changes and monetary gains.
  

Objectives:

• Foster ecological transformations for both the earth and the individual
• Increase awareness for environmental issues by emphasizing the collective impact of individual actions
• Create a sustainable source of funding for Oikos

Before You Start:

• Learn about Oikos at our website.
• Get an Oikos sticker by coming to a meeting or by e-mailing us at rei@meadville.edu.
  
• Find a container (a recycled box, jar, or bottle) and paste the Oikos sticker on it. This is your Green Drop.
• Create a "starter list" of small things you can do to reduce your impact (e.g., walking to the drug store, buying locally grown produce, washing clothes in cold water).
  
• Decide how much you will donate per action--for example, $0.10 per action, a dollar a day, five dollars per week that you participate.
  

The Green Drop:

• Every morning, spend a few moments in reflection about how you can reduce your impact on the earth today. To yourself, pledge something like, "I am grateful to be part of the Oikos community. I will try to be a better global citizen by participating in the Green Drop today."
• Throughout the day, make an effort to do extra things to reduce your ecological impact. Keep track of how many actions you take.
• Every evening, reflect on your actions that day. To yourself, pledge something like, "I am grateful to be a part of the Oikos community. Today, I took four actions. Let me continue my actions tomorrow as a part of Oikos and as a global citizen."

Contributing your funds:

• Keep track of your daily actions, and put your pledged funds in your Green Drop regularly.
• Bring the box to Oikos meetings or social events, and watch how our collective actions fund group activities!
• Share your story by posting to this blog! Become an authorized contributor by e-mailing ashley at ahoran@meadville.edu, or just send your tips, stories, and ideas to rei@meadville.edu and we'll add them to the blog for you!