by Llewellyn
How to get involved
Visit www.ala.org and click on “Issues & Advocacy” for more resources, lists of frequently challenged books by year, and some frequently challenged classics. Encourage your local library to celebrate Banned Books Week, if they don’t already, and then snuggle yourself up with a banned book and read on!
When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.
~Desiderius Erasmus
october 22–november 21
scorpio
Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, raw food diet, fruitarianism . . . what does it all mean? November is Vegan Awareness Month, and with an estimated 3.2 percent of U.S. adults (some 7.3 million people) eating a vegetable-based diet and 1 million of them following a vegan lifestyle, it’s worth understanding the vegan ideals.
Veganism is a philosophy that shuns the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other product. While some vegans focus solely on the human diet, the larger movement has its roots in animal rights activism in Britain. Donald Watson founded the Vegan Society on November 1, 1944. Vegans not only abstain from animal flesh and animal-derived foods like milk, honey, or eggs, they don’t use leather, wool, fur, down, or cosmetics or other products tested on animals. (In contrast, many vegetarians will consume animal-derived products such as milk or cheese.) Veganism is touted as a cruelty-free lifestyle, aimed at bettering the lives of animals, improving human health, and supporting the environment. The animal meat industry produces an estimated 51 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and is charged with a great deal of water pollution.
How to get involved
If you’re not quite committed to the vegan lifestyle, try a gentler approach this month by reducing your overall meat consumption. If meat is a must, buy grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, and other products where the animal’s quality of life was taken into consideration. Outside the home, ask your cafeteria or local lunch spot to add vegan-friendly options to their menu.
On the non-food front, avoid goods made from leather or fur, and see if you can swap wool items for those made of cotton.
There is no sincerer love than the love of food.
~George Bernard Shaw
november 21–december 21
sagittarius
On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the aftermath of World War II, human rights was a topic of vital importance. An 18-member special commission within the UN, led by Eleanor Roosevelt and comprised of members from around the world, spent nearly three years drafting the seemingly simple declaration. When the declaration was complete, the member countries of the United Nations adopted it without dissent.
December 10 now stands as Human Rights Day, and December is Universal Human Rights Month. The declaration is now the most widely translated document in the world.
So what is it? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a legally binding document of 30 articles that ensures all people’s right to dignity, liberty, privacy, property, fair employment, health, education, religion, and freedom from slavery and persecution. These rights are inherent to all humans, regardless of “race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” The declaration can be read in its entirety at www.udhr.org.
How to get involved
The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute’s website for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides history, resources, a calendar of events, news, and scores of ideas on how to commemorate this month. Go to www.udhr.org and click on “Action” for ways to get involved in human rights causes. Activities are in five categories: Request and Read, Act Locally, Act Nationally or Internationally, Grab a Partner, and Raise Your Voice.
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
december 21–january 19
capricorn
Well, the holidays are over and spring is still far off—are you feeling cabin fever yet? Is the stale winter air making you yearn for fresh air? Maybe that’s the feeling that inspired Canada to declare the third week in January Non-Smoking Week back in 1977.
The week’s activities are coordinated by the Canadian Council on Smoking and Health. Canada has a very strong national smoking ban, both for indoor public spaces and work spaces, including restaurants, bars, and casinos. The United States has no national smoking ban, but as of March 2010, 26 states have some type of public smoking ban, 7 states have bans that do not include adult locations, 6 states have detailed bans, and 11 states have no statewide smoking ban. In addition, many local governments have passed smoking bans for public spaces. And it’s no wonder: cigarette smokers are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.
How to get involved
While occasional tobacco use is common in ritual, dependence on nicotine is an unhealthy addiction. If you are currently a smoker, there are many resources to help you kick the habit; try www.quitnet.net, www.smokefree.gov, or www.quitsmoking.com. The American Lung Association even offers a free online smoking cessation program. Visit www.lungusa.org and click on “Stop Smoking” for more information.
Are you close to a smoker? Visit www.quitguide.com and click “Help Someone Quit” for tips on supporting others trying to quit.
If you’re curious what bans are in effect in your area, try a search of “List of Smoking Bans” on Wikipedia for smoking bans by country and links to a list of smoking bans by state.
We are the music-makers
And we are the dreamers of dreams.
~Arthur O’Shaughnessy
january 19–february 18
aquarius
Back in 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson started Negro History Week, celebrated in February due to Civil War president Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12, 1809) and the birthday of abolitionist author and former slave Frederick Douglass (c. 1818–February 20, 1895). In 1976, the commemoration was expanded to a month but kept in February. In the UK, however, black history is celebrated in October.
The usefulness of Black History Month is now widely debated, with some arguing that black history is American history, and there is no need to separate the two. But remember: if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Just as we study the Holocaust and wars of old, we ought to examine the slave era and civil rights movement in order to avoid such prejudices in the future.
How to get involved
Take some time to learn a bit about the slave era and pledge to uphold racial equality in your community in whatever ways you can. Visit www.blackhistory.com for profiles of historymakers and more. Check your local television listings for special programs this month, particularly on channels like History and Biography. Biography’s website has timelines, trivia, and (no surprise) biographies of famous abolitionists and equal rights activists at www.biography.com/blackhistory.
Children are the future of society. Talk with your children and see what impressions they’ve formed of race and racism. You may be surprised what your children think and what they’ve absorbed from you, the media, and their friends. Racism is learned: be sure it’s not what your children are being taught.
Uncovering what is wrong must always precede
the discovery of what is right.
~Guy Finley
february 18–march 20
pisces
March is Women’s History Month in the United States. The first International Women’s Day was on March 8, 1911. Congress passed a resolution to recognize Women’s History Week in 1981, and the commemoration gained such popularity in many schools that it was expanded to a whole month in 1987.
Though women were n
ot historically allowed to be explorers, teachers, or scholars, intrepid females have played a great part in the story of humankind. From scientists like Madame Curie, who discovered two new elements, to politicians like Great Britain’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, women have been studying, inventing, exploring, and leading since the dawn of time—even if they had to do so behind the scenes.
Some instances of discrimination based on sex do still exist, but women in America have come a long way in recent decades. The eighteenth amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on sex, among other things.
How to get involved
Visit the website of the National Women’s History Project at www.nwhp.org to learn more about the unique role women have played in America’s history. This organization was founded in 1980 to celebrate women’s accomplishments and provide positive role models for young girls.
Girls Explore is another useful tool for learning about adventurous women. The site (www.girls-explore.com) features books, dolls, and biographies of famous women who changed history. Also included are pages of interesting information and links for children, parents, and educators.
All I am I owe to my mother.
~George Washington
march 20–april 19
aries
April is Community Service Month in the United States. After reading about months that celebrate history, traditionally oppressed groups of people, and health topics, a whole month dedicated to community service may seem somewhat vague. But sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. According to a study by Volunteering In America (www.volunteeringinamerica.gov), 63.4 million Americans volunteered in 2009, contributing 8.1 billion hours of service.
A 2007 study found that volunteering offers both social and health benefits. Volunteers have lower mortality rates, higher functional abilities, and less depression than nonvolunteers (www
.nationalservice.org). Volunteers often feel they receive just as much as they give.
Monetary donations can do a world of good, but some tasks can only be accomplished with hands-on help. Even if you think you don’t have much to offer, an open ear and a kind smile may make all the difference to a person in need. Don’t have much time, either? Don’t worry! Some volunteer options require very short amounts of time or one-time commitments.
How to get involved
Maybe you already have some ideas of where to volunteer in your community, but you just haven’t taken that step yet—make a pledge this April to actually get out there and sign up! If you don’t already have a favorite cause or specialized skill to offer, try www.serve
.gov to find opportunities in your area. You can search for openings based on interest, location, and time. You might also try your local library or school, as they almost always need homework helpers.
It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
~Albus Dumbledore (J. K. Rowling)
april 19–may 20
taurus
May brings warm weather and the coming end of school for most American children. But some kids enter the summer months not knowing where they will sleep or eat, or if their parents will be able to care for them. May is National Foster Care Month. The most recent national data from the Child Welfare Information Gateway (www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth) was collected on September 30, 2008, estimating that there were 463,000 children in out-of-home care at that time. About a quarter of those lived with relatives, but close to half were living in nonrelative foster family homes. Almost half of all foster children remain in the system for less than a year, highlighting the ongoing need for responsible, short-term care. Some children are placed in out-of-home care only until their original family can work through a difficult time or situation, such as chemical dependence, financial straits, or health problems. Being reunited with biological parents or family is the goal in about half of all foster care cases.
How to get involved
Interested in becoming a foster family? Visit the National Foster Parent Association at www.nfpainc.org to learn more about the challenges and rewards of foster parenting. Older individuals can volunteer to be foster grandparents through Senior Corps (www.seniorcorps.gov, click on “Foster Grandparents” under the Senior Corps Programs heading).
Those who aren’t able or interested in providing foster care can still help children in need. Go to www.fostercaremonth.org and click on the “Change a Lifetime” link (under Get Involved). Here you can find other ways to support the foster care system, whether you have a few weeks, a few hours, or just a few minutes.
We’re all very ordinary in St. Mary Mead,
but ordinary people can do the most astonishing things.
~Miss Marple (Agatha Christie)
may 20–june 20
gemini
June is probably the second-most recognizable monthly topic in this section: Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. (See October 2012 for the most publicized month dedication.) The commemoration was first declared in 2000 by President Clinton. June was chosen in remembrance of the 1969 Stonewall riots that followed a police raid at a gay bar in New York City, which many consider the starting point of the LGBT rights movement. In June 2010, President Obama expanded the designation to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. That same year saw the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell rule for gays serving in the US military.
Legislation against hate crimes in general has made great strides in recent years. Leaders of the gay community, as well as celebrities both gay and straight, are now reaching out to LGBT youth to offer support and hope in the face of prejudice.
Another ongoing hot-button issue for the LGBT community is gay marriage. As of this writing, gay “marriage” is legal in ten countries and five US states: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands (which was first in 2001), Norway, Sweden, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden; and Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia. Many more states and countries recognize “civil unions” between same-sex partners; however, groups continue to push for equal marriage rights for all, regardless of gender.
How to get involved
Most cities in the Unites States host Gay Pride festivals, parades, parties, and picnics during June to celebrate diversity and tolerance. Do a simple Internet search combining “Gay Pride” and your city name to find fun and meaningful events and activities of all kinds.
Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.
~Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
june 20–july 22
cancer
In most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, July is the best month to get out and enjoy Mother Nature—which is probably why July is Recreation and Parks Month. Did you know that the United States has 393 national parks, hosting 275 million visitors each year? Yellowstone in Wyoming was the first national park, designated by President Grant in 1872. The National Park Service also maintains other landmarks and heritage areas to preserve our natural and national history. The first state park was Yosemite in California (now a national park), designated by President Lincoln in 1864. All fifty states have state parks, and most require just a low-cost vehicle permit for entry. (Fishing and hunting require separate permits.)
How to get involved
Visit www.nps.gov to find national parks nearby or for vacationing. You can camp at many state parks for around $25 per night, per group. Most parks offer showers and flushable toilets these days. If you don’t like roughing it, visit your state’s DNR website to find parks with cabins or other amenities. Camping at state and national parks is a great way to enjoy nature and give back to sustaining natural spa
ces at the same time. It can also make for an affordable vacation or staycation for an entire family.
An even easier way to enjoy parks is to visit a local park. Try
doing a Google Maps search of your address, then zoom out on the map screen to find green areas. You can volunteer to clean up a local park, whether through an organization or by picking up trash as you see it. You could organize a group to clean up or otherwise
improve a local park, or donate play equipment or gardening supplies and expertise. Can’t find a park near you? Contact your city government to establish one! Enjoy the sunshine!
The emotional appeal of nature is tremendous,
sometimes almost more than one can bear.
~Jan Smuts
july 22–august 22
leo
The sun beating down on your shoulders, car seats and steering wheels too hot to touch, heat radiating up from the sidewalk in visible waves … thirsty yet? August is National Water Quality Month in the United States. While Earth is two-thirds water, most of that is salt water, which is not drinkable without treatment. The average person requires 25–50 liters of clean, safe water each day for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, according to www.drinkingwater.org. Nearly 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. That’s one in six humans! Unsafe water can be the cause of many diseases and sicknesses. A lack of clean water also makes growing and producing food much more difficult, contributing to hunger problems.
In the United States, water suppliers are subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act. Passed by Congress in 1974 and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this act requires that drinking water be clear of harmful organisms and chemical pollution. Each year in July, water suppliers are required to send water quality reports to residents. If a supplier serves more than 100,000 people, the report must be made available online.