Adopt an Acre

The Nature Conservancy has a program out that lets us adopt areas of the globe that need our help. This program began in 1991, and has helped identify problem areas and initiate solutions to make a difference.

For $50, you can adopt an acre of land in any of the following areas:
Africa's Grasslands and Savannas
Australia's Gondwana Link
Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula
United States: The Appalachians
United States: Las Californias
United States: The Northern Rockies
United States: Southern Coastal Plain Forests

Click on their website
http://support.nature.org/site/PageServer?pagename=faq_aaa

It was really hard for me to decide where to adopt an acre. All the areas are beautiful. Because I'm from Utah, and this is the area closest to my home, I'm going to adopt land in the Northern Rockies as my first adoption.

The Northern Rockies is pristine lands and waters stretching as far as the eye can see. Amazingly, the Northern Rockies contains almost all of the species that were there during the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition 200 years ago. This vast, beautiful 80-million-acre landscape is home to a wealth of plants and animals that represent the very essence of wildness in North America.

As one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S., the Northern Rockies is facing unprecedented threats from human encroachment. The population of the Greater Yellowstone region grew by 20 percent between 1990 and 2000. And, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that more than 44 million acres of private forests will be developed over the next 30 years, more than half within 10 miles of a national forest. These startling trends could spell the end of the Northern Rockies’ magnificent wildlife, as many of its animals require large ranges and intact migration corridors to survive.

By adopting my acre, I'll get the satisfaction of knowing I'm helping to protect this extraordinary wild habitat now and for future generations.

I encourage you to look into this program and make a difference in an area close to YOUR heart!

If the World were a Village of 100 People

Poverty plays such a huge part in the global picture. This is a sobering way to bring the concept home and make it real.
Makes me stop and appreciate all that I take for granted, and to resolve to help end this legacy of poverty that so many are forced to endure.

Here are some links to check out:
http://www.endpoverty2015.org
http://www.standagainstpoverty.org

Complaining

Recently I received an interesting e-mail.
The heading said, "This e-mail should circulate forever!"
I believe it. If we were to see this, and take it to heart even once a year, we would cut our complaining by a huge percent.

Life Straw

Half of the world's poor suffer from waterborne disease, and nearly 6,000 people - mainly children - die each day by consuming unsafe drinking water.
Visit this informative website to learn more:
http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw.htm

LifeStraw® water purifiers have been developed as a practical way of preventing disease and saving lives, as well as achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water by the year 2015.

LifeStraw® Personal and LifeStraw® Family are complimentary point-of-use water filters that will help people obtain safe drinking water at home and outside.

LifeStraw® Personal has been referred to as 'One of the Ten Things that will Change the Way We Live´ by Forbes Magazine

In fact, Vestergaard Frandsen is committed to saving lives from easily preventable diseases. They are proud to offer various solutions for diseases that claim many lives everyday. See list here: http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/targeted-disease.htm

The LifeStraw® Family is only $15 dollars and can be used for 10-15,000 Liters, which is approximately one year’s drinking water for a family of five. Donations can be made here http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw-p-donations.htm

$15 isn't that much to me. If I went without one personal item, it would probably cover this cost. Yet that same $15 may make a life or death difference to someone in need of this invention!

I'm buying ONE LIFESTRAW today, and challenge myself to do this every month. Every little bit counts!

Pay It Forward

http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/home.html

WHAT IS “PAY IT FORWARD”?

“Pay It Forward” is a book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but it's also an idea. It's an action plan within a work of fiction. But does it have to be fiction? We're hoping not. In fact, since the book was released in January of 2000, a real-life social movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. What began as a work of fiction has already become much more.

Reuben St. Clair, the teacher and protagonist in the book “Pay It Forward,” starts a movement with this voluntary, extra-credit assignment: THINK OF AN IDEA FOR WORLD CHANGE, AND PUT IT INTO ACTION. Trevor, the 12-year-old hero of “Pay It Forward,” thinks of quite an idea. He describes it to his mother and teacher this way: "You see, I do something real good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to Pay It Forward. To three more people. Each. So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do twenty-seven." He turned on the calculator, punched in a few numbers. "Then it sort of spreads out, see. To eighty-one. Then two hundred forty-three. Then seven hundred twenty-nine. Then two thousand, one hundred eighty-seven. See how big it gets?"


Pay It Forward Foundation board member Charley Johnson has introduced a new web site, a great location where anybody and everybody can submit their PAY IT FORWARD stories and also post comments, visit the website here.
http://payitforwardnow.blogspot.com/

Charley and the Pay It Forward Foundation have officially gone through 150,000 bracelets in the past 6 months with a 2nd batch of 100,000 just received. http://www.cryanhyde.com/payitforward_wristband.html
These bracelets have made their way to 5 continents (Asia, Europe, N. America, Australia & Africa) and over 50 countries.

The website says, "We are just getting started, but Charley feels something very BIG is going to happen with Pay it forward in 2008, something that is going to change the world. We agree. Let's prove him right!"


I remember seeing this movie and thinking, "What if this REALLY caught on?!!!" This site shows that the phenomenon is real. You can click on a list of REAL stories and be inspired by what is happening out there in the world.


After I saw the movie, I couldn't wait to read the book. It is mostly the same, but different. I recommend either seeing the movie, or reading the book---or BOTH!

My goal is to actively do three Pay It Forward gestures this week. I'll keep you posted, and if a good story comes out of it...I'll post it to the official site.

Eating Green

The SCPI, Center for Science in the Public Interest, http://www.cspinet.org/EatingGreen/index.html, has an interesting link to educate us to the consequences of our food choices. Eating Green has several interesting interactive resources to help determine the impact our diet has on the planet.

For 35 years the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest has published hard-hitting studies exposing the dreadful nutritional content of movie theatre popcorn, fast foods, and restaurant meals. Its latest book is SIX ARGUMENTS FOR A GREENER DIET —a meticulously researched examination of scientific studies that finds that eating more plant foods and fewer fatty animal products can lead to extra years of healthy living. Happily, explains lead author and CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, that same diet also leads to much less food poisoning, water pollution, air pollution, global warming, and animal suffering.

The Interactive Tour of the Food Supply is both interesting and horrifying. There are so many parts of food production that we simply don't want to know. Because if we acknowledge these facts to ourselves, we'll have to take some soft of action. For me, that time is here. I'm ready to ruthlessly omit certain things from my diet.

The things I'm concerned with are not merely calories, or fat content. I'm concerned with where and how we get the resources. Are animals being treated compassionately? Are the people involved getting an adequate wage and working environment? Is the Supplying Company practicing Green Measures?

It certainly gives me plenty to think about!

Room to Read

Last year I read the book about John Wood and his Odyssey to Educate the World's Children. It was a fascinating read, and I encourage you to read it.

I often think about what I would do if I could do one thing to change the world. John's account is a real life version of that dream.

There is much written about John Wood and what he is accomplishing. He has been featured in many magazines and articles, and I hear Oprah has "sanctioned" him. Read one of the many articles here: http://www.edutopia.org/global-education-room-to-readhttp://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com/faq.html

Reading is such a valuable gift. I've been a voracious reader all my life. I can't imagine where my life would be without books. So, I'm going to do something to give the gift of books to others. My goal this month is to support ROOM TO READ, and I encourage you to do the same. Check out http://www.roomtoread.org/

Plant a BILLION Trees

http://www.plantabillion.org

The Nature Conservancy http://www.nature.org, working with United Nations Environment Programme www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign has started a program to restore 25 million acres of land in the Atlantic Forest and plant a BILLION trees in the next seven years.

They need our help, and the help is easy to give.
One Dollar Plants One Tree

I'm starting with 10 trees. You can join me in reaching my modest goal of 333 trees by clicking on the link and giving your dollar to plant a tree.

Earth Day

Yes, today is Earth Day, and many places have enlarged on the idea to participate in Earth Week, but I'm leaning toward the campaign for Earth Day Every Day!

Look at this link for suggestions on ways you can help the Earth, and listen to the podcasts. I listened to the one titled "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" and made my Earth Day Resolutions.
http://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts/?z00m=14887316

My personal commitment is to Recycle more. We are pretty good around the house, but there are still a few things that slip through the cracks, mostly when I'm lazy. So, I'm going to try harder!
Also, I'm going to remember to take my own bags with me when shopping. I have quite a collection of reusable bags, but after I use them, I often forget to get them back into the car for the next shopping trip. I'm going to do better!

So, join me in celebrating Earth Day Every Day.

More FREE Click to Donate sites

"There are no more excuses. You can now make a difference, with the click of a mouse."
--- Kofi Anan, former Secretary General of the United Nations



Some caring person has taken their own time and spent their own money to create a site where you can click for over 30 causes every day! Some of these are already on the Click to Donate sites that I'm using, but many are new. Some are from countries that I wouldn't have found, as I don't speak the language. But this person has translated the site so our click can make a difference everywhere. Because there are so many sites, this once takes a little longer than the other Click to Donate pages.

Click this link for the Page For Free Daily Charitable And Humanitarian Donations
http://www.dailyvisits.com/daily.html

This next part is directly from the website:
Daily visits here would help your chosen causes more than a single visit, which explains the name of this website - DailyVisits.com

Note from the webmaster: I don't benefit in any material way from your visits. I pay to keep this website online. There's no advertising on this website that might help defray these costs. I don't ask for donations either. I script each page by hand, using no specialized software or programs. The point is -- I do this because I think it's worthwhile.
If you think this page is worthwhile, please use it and share it with others who care. Thanks!

I Care, I Share!

Cost of a Week's food Around the World

Ecuador $31.55 for one week!

Recently I received an e-mail titled "Cost of a week's food Around the World" which showed the amount of food for various families and the cost of that food. The cost for groceries for one week ranged from $500.03 (Germany) to $1.23 (Chad). When I tried to find where this information came from, I found it is from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio.

The only link I can find to the pictures from the book that were in the e-mail is at the blog "Rusty Lime"
http://www.rustylime.com/show_article.php?id=1497
(I hope they don't mind my sending traffic their way!)
The first batch of pictures is shown, and there is a link at that blog to see the next set of pictures. It is very eye openning to put it mildly. Look not only at how MUCH we eat, but WHAT we eat. The higher grocery bills are mostly from processed food.

I caused me to really look at my personal eating habits. Yes, they are appalling, as I love bakery goods and sugar, and I've always intended to do better...some day. I believe that "some day" has arrived. I need to change my diet for my health, sure, but as a way to begin my humble attempt to help in the goal of eliminating hunger.

My intention is to change my diet and cut my grocery spending in HALF!! It is not going to be easy, but I'm going to try. I'll keep you posted!

Micro Loans

This is an idea whose time has come. I remember hearing how a small amount of money could make a difference to people, especially women. It wasn't until recently that I realized that I could participate and make a difference for both me and someone that needs a little help.

Here are four sites that are making a difference with Micro Loans.


GRAMEEN BANK is the work of Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner. You can hear Mr. Yunus explain his view on poverty in this Short film:


He started in 1976 with $27 from his own pocket. Now he heads a foundation that helps 6 million poor families with loans. They suggest multiple ways to help, everything from educating yourself to making a donation of time and/or money.
Read about this remarkable man and his Bank at

www.grameenfoundation.org

If you want to see more of this unique man and his views, watch the Long film:





COMMON GOOD BANK has a motto that says:
"If you could SAVE $$ and SAVE THE WORLD just by changing banks,WOULD YOU DO IT?
You can go to their website to read all about it. They are planning to open in 2009 and will need help from many of us if we are going to end poverty in our lifetime.

http://commongoodbank.com

MICROPLACE was joined by e-bay to create a place where you can earn a return on your investment and help end world poverty. This site is different because you are investing your money, not just making a donation. Their website can be found at

http://www.microplace.com

KIVA takes the microloan and makes it personal! Their mission is to "connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty." Go to their website to find out how you can participate in loaning money to actual people, for a specific purpose. You can also meet the people that are both lending and receiving. It makes the world a very small place when you realize just how easy it is to help.

http://kiva.org

I know this is a lot of information. I've been looking, reading, and learning for a few weeks, and haven't decided yet where to invest my money. But I'll keep at it until I decide where to start, and make that initial investment. I invite you to join me!

More "Click to Donate for Free" Links

I've come across yet another site that let's you donate for FREE just by clicking!
The page to bookmark is http://www.care2.com/click2donate/


This one takes a little longer, as there are more causes to support with your click.
They also keep track of your clicks and tell you what you have achieved with your support. It's pretty impressive.

In addition to the free donations, they have a variety of petitions you can sign to let your voice be heard. You have to register to sign the petition, but it makes it easy to take action and lend your support to worthy causes.


http://www.care2.com

This site is large, and I've just begun to feel my way around it. But I thank the Gods that someone is doing all this work so that I can support the effort already being made.

It's also a way to "meet" people in discussion groups. They have over 8 million members at Care2Make A Difference, so drop in and join the community.

Give for FREE

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive


One of the easiest ways to help is to BOOKMARK this site, then click on this site daily. It only takes a moment to go to each page and press the button that let's you give for FREE! You can help fight Hunger and Breast Cancer. Make a difference in Child Health, Literacy and Animal Rescue, plus help save the Rainforest.

It may not seem like much to do, or much to give--but if everyone did this EVERY day, it makes a difference.

Since these sites started, they have really developed into something significant. If you click on any of the tabs down the right side, you can read what each agency is doing to make a difference in their special field.

Each of the sites also has things for sale. I order gifts from these sites all the time, because the money I spend there gives extra points to the various causes. Many of the gifts are original, affordable, and not your everyday sort of stuff. You can also send free e-cards. This is a card I made for YOU! Make a Click, Change A Life Your E-card @ The Hunger Site

Take some time to browse this site. Every time I do, I realize how very blessed I am, and vow to help make a difference for so many that have so much less.

One.org

I'll admit it. I've had my head in the sand for some time now. It was purely defensive, because I could see so many things wrong in the world and I had no idea how to help. So I did nothing, and felt guilty and powerless.

But I'm changing that, for me. I'm finding that there are MANY people and groups out there making a difference. By adding my voice, my support, my energy to the cause already in motion, I can make a difference. It makes me feel better. I hadn't realized just how heavy this burden I've been carrying around was, until I decided I could put it down. And in putting it down, looking at it differently, I'm not afraid of picking it back up. Because of my willingness to consider changing, I feel better, lighter...hopeful.

I know that if I feel this way, there are others out there. I encourage you to look at the possibilities open to us to help. It doesn't have to cost you anything but time. To begin, I'm investing an hour a day looking into these possibilities, becoming educated, and taking simple action. I'll sign a petition, watch a video, become informed. Later, I might volunteer my time, open my checkbook, take on bigger causes. But just now, I'm relieved to find a place to begin. I invite you to join me.

Today's link is http://www.one.org
I've added my name to their member list, signed the Declaration and looked for an event in my community that I can participate in. I'm smiling! Together as ONE we can make a difference.

Sharkwater

Today I saw the documentary "Sharkwater" and it changed my life. During the course of the film, I totally changed how I think about sharks. They went from being scary monsters to being interesting creatures. I came away wanting to know more about sharks and what I can do to save them.
http://www.sharkwater.com

The movie was beautifully filmed. The underwater photography is excellent. We not only saw sharks, but all sorts of wonderful and unusual plants and creatures. When it centers on the sharks, and what is being done to them I had to cry. Partly from compassion for the cruelty being inflicted on the sharks, and partly from humiliation at being a human.

I've often been horrified by man's inhumanity to man, but when we start with our inhumanity to creatures, I am embarrassed to be classified as a human. Because we are only as good as our lowest common denominator, and that is pretty low indeed.

The line, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem" came to mind, and I vowed to become part of the solution.

So, what CAN I do?

There are a number of links at the site. I tried a couple of them, and got signed onto a petition to put pressure on a company that sells shark fins online. I pledged to talk about sharks to my friends, and to learn more about sharks. I want to go further, and find ways to support educating people as to the non-value of shark fins. It isn't good as medicine, and as a food source--well, it's virtually tasteless. It has a status symbol value! The only way to get people to change, is to educate them.

This film is a beginning. Click on the link above to see the preview. Then, try to find it playing somewhere near you.