Make a Difference - Take Your Own Lunch to Work

When it comes to changing the world for the better, its easy to get overwhelmed by the big picture and forget how the little actions that everyone CAN do really add up over time to make a huge difference.

Take a look at the following list to see how something as simple as taking your own lunch to work can end up having a significant positive impact!

Its healthier
If you make your own lunch then you can make sure you are choosing healthy foods. For delicious, nutritious lunch ideas, take a look at 'How to Make a Healthy Packed Lunch'.

It produces less waste
When you take your own lunch you can use reusable containers - so you're not generating rubbish to the landfill, or encouraging takeaway restaurants to waste perfectly good food and you are reducing the amounts of energy, water and packaging that go into making pre-packaged and takeaway lunches.

It saves money
Taking your own packed lunch to work could save you around $10 per day. Thats about $50 a week, or approximately $2500 per year. That's a lot of money! (You could purchase more than 100 WE ADD UP Plant Trees T-Shirts for that - and plant over 1000 trees in the rainforest and raise almost $250 for SALVEASERRA!!)

It saves time
Just think how much more time you will have to enjoy your lunch break if you don't have to race around town buying your lunch! Being able to have a relaxing lunch break without needing to queue for food will definitely help you face the second half of the day with more enthusiasm and focus!

The American Dream

Image by FotoRita [Allstar maniac] via Flickr

I don't, as a general rule, like to get mired in American politics. But (bet you saw that coming!!), I couldn't help looking up this whole Joe the Plumber saga.

I'm sure there is more to it than this, but what really took my breath away was his comment:

"Its not for the Government to decide I earn a little too much and so I need to share it with other people. That's not the American dream"

Americans seem to have interpreted the American Dream as the individual pursuit of succcess, fame and wealth. And while this has led to Americans (in general) becoming wealthier and better educated than ever, it doesn't seem to have made them happy.

According to Dr. Steve McSwain, that is because the life they really want, the true American Dream, is not in getting, but in giving.

"The happiest and healthiest people are those who have
learned to be extravagantly generous. In an age of unprecedented wealth
and record charitable giving, McSwain makes a compelling argument that
your highest purpose in life is to give yourself away and generously
share your abundance with the world."

Historian and writer James Truslow Adams coined the phrase "American Dream" in his 1931 book Epic of America:

"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be
better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each
according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the
European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us
ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of
motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which
each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature
of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for
what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or
position."

While he doesn't specifically mention sharing and generosity, it seems to be implied. If life is going to be 'better and richer and fuller for everyone", then everyone needs to have fair access to resources - education, healthcare, housing. . . and for this to happen there needs to be a fair balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of the community.

For all Americans to achieve the American Dream, it seems obvious that there is a need for a fair system of wealth distribution. Not only in America, but globally, people need to be asking themselves how much is enough? We need to be considering the difference between personal financial security and hoarding wealth. And we need to think long an hard about the ethics of pursuing our own financial advancement at the expense of others.

Quite frankly Joe the Plumber, you do need to share with others. Given that people in your enviable position are obviously not doing this of their own accord, maybe it is time for the American Government to step in and force the issue.

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5 Reasons to Stop Buying Products Made using Palm Oil

Want to make a difference and help save the Rainforest? Then stop buying products made using palm oil!

If you're not sure what exactly it is that's so bad about Palm Oil, you need to take a look at the list below (thanks Friends of the Earth):

1. Demand for palm oil is the most significant cause of rainforest loss in Malaysia and Indonesia.
2. Palm oil plantations destroy biodiversity and are associated with human rights violations and worker exploitation.
3. The industry could drive the orang-utan to extinction within 12 years.
4. In Indonesia, the area of land occupied by palm oil plantations has doubled in the last 10 years. This threatens species, such as the Orang-Utan & Sumatran Tiger, with extinction.
5. Serious environmental pollution is associated with palm oil processing.
   

Palm Oil is found in a surprising number of everyday supermarket products. Everything from chocolate and bread, to lipstick and detergent.

So, take the time to be a conscious consumer and avoid supporting companies that support rainforest destruction!!

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5 Things You Can Do to Help End Global Poverty

Poverty may seem like a big issue, best left to the politicians and policy makers. But ordinary people like you and I have a responsibility to do our part to end poverty too. There are plenty of things we can all do to help redistribute wealth and plenty more fairly. The list below is just an appetiser to get you started:

1. Buy Fair Trade Products
By choosing Fair Trade products you are doing your bit to ensure that producers in developing countries are getting paid a fair price for their goods. You empower them to live with dignity beyond subsistance and exploitation. Paying a fair price for their work enables them to put food on the table for their families, send their children to school and plan for their futures.

Check out World of Good, Ganesha and Tribes & Nations for Fair Trade goodies!

2. Let your Elected Representatives know You Care
Write to your elected officials and let them know that making poverty history is important to you - whether it be in other countries or in your own. Remind your Representatives at all levels of Government that Poverty is an issue they need to address.

3. Find out where you are on the Global Rich List
Think you don't have enough to spare anything for those less fortunate than you? Put your income in perspective with the Global Rich List. Cultivate a sense of abundance and gratitude and you may be surprised how much you can find to share with those in need - whether it be time, money, skills or possessions.

4. Volunteer
Volunteer in your own community - or check out the UN Online Volunteering Service. They connect development organisations and volunteers over the internet. They have assignments ranging from the translation of documents to creating audio files for online ESL courses to sourcing donations of used computers.

5. Take a Vacation
Need a break? Why not make it a worthwhile one and take a volunteer vacation? You'll get to see the world, connect with some wonderful people - and make a positive contribution. Take a look at Global Volunteers, Global Vision International and IVPA (International Volunteer Programs Association).

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5 Things to Consider Before you go Off the Grid

There are so many reasons to look to Renewable Energy sources to power your home. Even for the least environmentally friendly among us it has its appeal just in the potential savings you can make and the idea of ensuring your own personal energy security in time of crisis.

But before you race out and install your new windmill or solar panels, check out this list of important steps to take in preparation for leaving the grid behind!

1. Conserve Energy
   If you're planning to go off the grid, start by conserving energy in your home as much as possible. It seems silly to invest in a Renewable Energy System before you change all your incandescent bulbs to CFLs! So turn off the lights, turn down the heating, turn your appliances off at the wall each night . . . then start thinking about the big picture!
   
   
2. Invest in Energy Efficiency
   For every $1 you spend on energy efficiency, you will save from $3 - $5 on the cost of setting up your Renewable Energy System. So ditch the old faithful energy gobbling fridge (in an environmentally sensitive manner of course!!) and trade up to something more energy efficient. It will save you money.
   
   
3. Heating & Cooling
   In the USA, heating and cooling account for some 50% of the energy used in homes. So make sure that your home is properly insulated for winter and well ventilated for the summer.
   
   
4. Landscaping
   Deciduous trees are a great passive solar feature in your garden. In the summer, when they are all verdant and leafy they cast a lovely shadow. In the winter, with no leaves to block it, the sun can shine through! So consider adding one (or two) if you have the space!!
   
   
5. Design with the Sun in Mind
   If you're building new, then consider Passive Solar Building Design. For example: Site your house to make the most of the sun, with its long axis running east/west. Use materials with thermal mass for heat storage. Use natural ventilation for cooling needs and daylight to provide natural lighting.
   
   
   

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Making a Difference One Hug at a Time

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Only 24 Hours to Save the World

New Day Revolution

How to Save the World in 24 Hours

By Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley.

"New Day Revolution shows you how small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference. Next time you throw out the juice carton, take five seconds to compact it and save space in the landfill, or grab an extra box of crayons for your local school when you buy a box for your child. For people who feel they have little time, this first book from the duo that launched CoolPeopleCare.org gives helpful hints, practical tips, and step by step instructions on how to make a big difference in the local community and the world at-large with whatever time you have. We can’t all be Jack Bauer, running down bad guys and defusing bombs – but we can all make an impact where we are with what we’ve got."

Want to own your very own copy . . . for free? Sign up to the How to Make a Difference newsletter using the form in our side-bar today and find out how!

Don't Just Stand There . . .

Image via Wikipedia

There are a million ways out there to make a positive difference in the world. Its a dizzying array of non-profits needing funds and volunteers, causes needing passionate supporters, habitats in crisis, communities in need. . .

How do you decide where to start trying to make a change? How do you choose who to donate to? How do you choose what to do?

Don't get caught up in the numbers, or overwhelmed by the sheer variety, don't over think it trying to find the best way or obsess over whether your action will be noticed or make a big enough difference . . . JUST DO IT!

Do something. Do anything. Take action. Any action.

See a problem that needs fixing in your community? Fix it. Who is going to do it if not you?

Pick up that litter on the side of the road. Write to the council requesting recycling facilities in your town. Tell someone about the issues that move you. Fight back against the guy killing your main street. Turn off the tap when you clean your teeth. Do something! Speak out!

You don't have to do something epic. It doesn't need to be awe-inspiring. You just need to take action.

You can do it. Don't let your perceived shortcomings hold you back. Embrace your weaknesses and push on regardless. You are at least as capable as anyone else.

Its easy to sit back and wait for someone else to start things off. But if you want things to change . . . well, I think Ghandi said it best when he said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

We can't all do everything, but we can all do something. We can all be part of the change the world needs.

Don't just stand there . . .

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