Slacktivism & the Degradation of the Philanthropic Community

Image by Mindful One via Flickr

"I've written a lot about my feelings on the rise of "slacktivism"--that is, the growing prevalence and acceptance of all the small, simple, easy things people can do to make a difference: Embedded philanthropy, tweeting for donations, virtual volunteering, signing petitions, running races, etc. When I saw this new list of "5 Cool Things You Can Do RIGHT NOW To Make a Difference" (OMG!) I thought I'd fire off another snarky post lambasting this degradation of the philanthropic community." - Jeff Raderstrong 'Change Charity'

There is quite some furore around the internet over the merits (or lack thereof) of "slacktivism" - and I have to admit that I lean quite heavily towards the "I LOVE IT" side of the debate.  (I even wrote the list of 'slacktions' that nearly tipped poor Jeff over the edge!)

100 Ways to Make a Difference

This is a post by Caroline Ganun and was originally posted on her blog at DevelopmentCrossing.com.

Are you looking to make a difference in your community? Approximately 1.6 million more volunteers served in 2009 than in 2008, making this the largest single-year increase in the number of volunteers since 2003 (annual data collection for volunteering statistics started in 2002). A total of 63.4 million volunteers contributed 8.1 billion hours of service in 2009, equaling an estimated dollar value of approximately $169 billion for their services.

Here are 100 ways to make a difference:
1. Help teach a younger child to read.
2. Help cook and/or serve a meal at a homeless shelter.
3. Gather clothing from your neighbors and donate it to a local shelter.
4. Make “I Care” kits with combs, toothbrushes, shampoo, etc. for the homeless.
5. Pack and hand out food at a local food bank.
6. Adopt a “grand friend” and write them letters and visit them.
7. Visit senior citizens at a nursing home.
8. Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean gutters, or wash windows for a senior citizen.
9. Pick up groceries or medicine for an elderly person.
10. Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community.
11. Deliver meals to homebound individuals.
12. Hold an afternoon dance for your local nursing home.
13. Teach a senior friend how to use a computer and the Internet.
14. Paint a mural over graffiti.
15. Invite local police officers to present a drug awareness or safety program.
16. Tutor a student that needs help learning English or another subject.
17. Organize a canned goods drive.
18. Clean up a vacant lot or park.
19. Organize a campaign to raise money to purchase and install playground equipment.
20. Plant flowers in public areas that could use some color.
21. Volunteer to help at a Special Olympics event.
22. Set up a buddy system for kids with special needs in your community.
23. Raise money for Braille books for visually impaired people.
24. Read books or the newspaper on tape for visually impaired people.
25. Bring toys to children in the cancer ward of a hospital.
26. Contact your local political representative about key issues.
27. Register people to vote.
28. Organize a public issues forum for your neighborhood.
29. Volunteer at a polling booth the day of an election.
30. Take a friend to the polling booths.
31. Vote.
32. Offer to pass out election materials.
33. Plant a garden or tree where the whole neighborhood can enjoy it.
34. Set up a recycling system for your home.
35. Organize a carpooling campaign in your neighborhood.
36. Adopt an acre of a rainforest.
37. Clean up trash along a river, beach, or in a park.
38. Create a habitat for wildlife.
39. Create a campaign to encourage biking and walking.
40. Test the health of the water in your local lakes, rivers, and streams.
41. Contact your local volunteer center for opportunities to serve.
42. Volunteer at your local animal shelter.
43. Help build a home with Habitat for Humanity.
44. Walk a neighbor's dog or pet sit while they are on vacation.
45. Teach Sunday school.
46. Learn to be a peer counselor.
47. Send a letter to one of America's veterans or overseas soldiers.
48. Volunteer at your local youth center.
49. Participate in a marathon for your favorite charity.
50. Become a candy striper at your local hospital.
51. Mentor a young person.
52. Serve your country by joining AmeriCorps.
53. Become a volunteer firefighter or EMT.
54. Donate books to your local library.
55. Donate clothes to the Salvation Army.
56. Start a book club in your area.
57. Adopt a pet from the Humane Society.
58. Hold a door open for someone.
59. Give up your seat on the bus or train to someone.
60. Donate your old computer to a school.
61. Give blood.
62. Coach a children's sports team.
63. Become an organ donor.
64. Teach a dance class.
65. Participate in Job Shadow Day (February 2).
66. Organize a project for National Youth Service Day (visit www.ysa.org/nysd).
67. Volunteer on a hotline.
68. Meet with local representatives from your area.
69. Don't drink and drive.
70. Listen to others.
71. Write a letter to the editor about an issue you care about.
72. Bring others with you when you volunteer.
73. Shop at local, family owned businesses.
74. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister.
75. Take a historical tour of your community.
76. Write a note to a teacher that had a positive effect on you.
77. Get together with some friends to buy holiday presents for a family at a shelter.
78. Recycle.
79. Drive responsibly.
80. Get CPR and First Aid certification.
81. Don't litter.
82. Shop responsibly.
83. Don't spread or start gossip.
84. Tell someone that you appreciate him/her.
85. Hold a teddy bear drive for foster children, fire victims, etc.
86. Make a care package for an elderly or shut-in person.
87. Teach at an adult literacy center.
88. Sing for residents at a nursing home.
89. Befriend a new student or neighbor.
90. Baby sit.
91. Look for the good in all people.
92. Coordinate a book drive.
93. Donate money to your favorite charity.
94. Make quilts or baby clothes for low-income families.
95. Bake cookies and bring them to your local fire or police station.
96. Donate toys or suitcases to foster children.
97. When visiting someone in a hospital, talk to someone that doesn't have many visitors.
98. Around the holidays, visit the Post Office and answer some letters to Santa.
99. Start a neighborhood welcome committee.
100.Visit www.SERVEnet.org to find volunteer opportunities in your area.
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So just who's Fault is it then?

Image by .chourmo. via Flickr

I discovered this great quote today at 'Big Adventure Calling'

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it, but I'm afraid God would ask me the same question."
-Anonymous

Certainly makes you think . . .

Does Personal Change Bring About Political Change?

Image by Lulu Vision via Flickr

In an earlier post I asked the question "Can you really make a difference?". Most readers agreed that the little things we do can all add up and become big things. It would seem that Derrick Jensen doesn't necessarily share this opinion:

WOULD ANY SANE PERSON think dumpster diving would have stopped Hitler, or that composting would have ended slavery or brought about the eight-hour workday, or that chopping wood and carrying water would have gotten people out of Tsarist prisons, or that dancing naked around a fire would have helped put in place the Voting Rights Act of 1957 or the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Then why now, with all the world at stake, do so many people retreat into these entirely personal “solutions”?

uncompromise.wordpress.com, Forget Shorter Showers – why personal change does not equal political change

I have to say I agree. It doesn't feel that just making changes in your own lifestyle is enough. We ALL need to be agitating for change at a higher level.

What do you think?

Can You Really Make a Difference?

Image via Wikipedia

Overfishing
Global Poverty
Corporate Greed
War in the Congo
Whaling
The Great Northern Garbage Patch
Hunger
Genocide in Darfur
Deforestation
Toxins in our Food, Water, Air

In the face of all this does it really matter what we do as individuals?

I take reusable bags to the supermarket . . . but I only ever see one or two other shoppers doing the same thing when I go . . . should I bother?

We use cloth nappies for our kids, but we are definitely in a minority amongst the families I know. Is it worth the effort?

We use vinegar and baking soda to clean pretty much everything in the house - but from the horror expressed by a friend who came to help me clean the house the other day after I had been unwell, I am pretty sure that it is not the norm . . . does it make any difference?

Is it enough for us each to just do our bit? Does it really all add up? What are the most important things we can do to really make a difference?

What do you think?

3 of the Best Blogs to Help You Make a Difference

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The blogosphere is a busy place, and there are plenty of great green blogs and websites out there. Here's a few I love and thoroughly recommend!

Twilight Earth

Twilight Earth is a fantastic blog "dedicated to saving the Environment through shared News, Discussion, Advocacy and Activism"

Its written by Adam Shake and Derek Markham.

Check put their fabulous article 'The Ties That Bind - Roadblocks that Keep us from Living Sustainably' and watch out every Sunday for their beautiful Photo Sunday articles!

Green Pepper

Great UK site by Paul Thomas covering eco-friendly living and environmental issues.

Read his review of the fascinating book Hungry Planet by photojournalist Peter Menzel and writer Faith Aluisio. Or his thought provoking series on Gifts that Really Matter. And every Friday he offers a Green News Round Up to keep you up to date with the weeks green news from around the web!

Global Stewardship Initiative

The Global Stewardship Initiative is all about "fostering environmental stewardship by connecting with nature and each other in appreciation of the earth's natural resources".

Its a great social networking site where people who care about the planet can connect, share ideas and take action to make a difference and act as stewards of our environment.

Check out the member blogs, photos and forum discussions and join in!


What are your favourite blogs and websites that inspire you to make a difference?

I am who I think I am

Image by Martin_Heigan via Flickr

There’s always some way I can reinforce the things that matter to me in the universe, and I’m the only one that can do it. And if they don’t accept my praise and rewards, or if it means less to them than it does to me, that’s fine. It still keeps my cares and behaviors consistent with each other. I can look someone, or myself, in the eye and say “I am who I think I am.” - Scott Berkun

To make a difference, you occasionally have to choose a course of action that others may disparage or disagree with. Its a fact of life. Whenever we lift our head out of the sand to stand up for what we believe in we run the risk of someone chopping it off - or thinking we are weak, or silly or just plain out wrong. Its not easy - and its not always a great deal of fun. But ultimately, if we hold back from doing what's right for fear of what other people might think, we are selling ourselves short.

You can't live your life based on other people's perceptions of who you are. It makes you fearful, and fear makes you weak. It means you hand your personal power over to others. It means you will never live up to your potential. It demeans you.

Other people will always have something to say about the choices you make. When you choose to be kind, some people may perceive it as weakness or naivety. When you choose to show gratitude some people may be nonplussed or unappreciative. When you choose to champion a cause some people may think you are an idiot, or a troublemaker. But their perceptions of you are not necessarily reality.

The only person whose opinion should matter to you is YOU! You cannot control the perceptions of others. You are only in control of your actions, your choices. If your life choices are not based on a strong set of core values, then standing your ground in the face of opposition is all but impossible. You become extremely vulnerable and easily swayed. How can you have a positive impact on the world if you are being buffeted to and fro by the storms of public opinion?

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The Best Way to Save the World is to Save Yourself

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The best way to save the world is to save yourself. Sweep your own doorstep. Tend your own garden. Always do what you've agreed to do. Never take anything that's not yours. Be generous, but sceptical, kind, but not naive.
- The Daily Reckoning Australia

Poverty, violence, hunger, war, global warming, religious intolerance, terrorism . . . the problems of the world may seem big, but the solutions to them are small. They start with one person, you. They start with simple actions, the kind of things that you, and I , can do everyday. Grand gestures are exciting, but its the little things that really count. Their effects ripple out from our own lives and make a difference in the lives of others.

1. Put your money where your mouth is
   Live by your values. Its easy to complain, its easy to throw up your arms in horror. But if you want to make a difference you need to have the courage of your convictions and you need to take action. Stand up for what you believe in.
   
   
2. Do less
   Sometimes less really is more. Spend less time talking and more time listening to others. Make a point of consuming less. Use less resources. Drive less and walk or cycle more. Eat less meat. Slow down and enjoy life.
   
   
3. Value the things you have
   Do you really need more Stuff? Do you need a new car, a bigger house, another TV? For many of us more stuff means more debt. And more debt means less time and more stress. Appreciate the things you already have.
   
   
4. Build relationships
   People are more important than things. Really! Make your life's focus more about people and less about Stuff. Cultivate your friendships, treat everyone you meet with respect, be kind.
   
   
5. Share what you have
   If any one thing can make a difference to the world then it has to be generosity. It doesn't have to be on a huge scale - we can't all give like Bill Gates. Be generous with your love, your time, your possessions, your money. Giving generously creates a feeling of abundance. It makes us less afraid of what we might lose, it builds community and connects people, it creates opportunity.
   

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Mataura Fights Back

Some time back I wrote a post Shame on You Dr Jack Phillips!! Give Us Back Our Town!! about how my home town, Mataura is being held to ransom by a foreign investor who is letting our main street fall into disrepair and stifling our community.

Today I spent the afternoon with Campbell Live's Natasha Utting doing a piece for national television on the difficulties Mataura is facing. It is such an exciting development and it has spurred Dr Phillips on to great things. Since Natasha contacted him last week to organise an interview he has had his staff out in full force sprucing up the town.

The broken window panes on the movie theatre have been repaired finally - after being broken for months. Buildings on the main street were being painted as we filmed today. We even saw workers tending to the interior of one building.

And the story hasn't even aired yet!

Here's hoping that this is just the nudge Dr Phillips needed to remember that with his rights as a property owner - and the major property owner in our town - come some responsibilities to the community. Hopefully now he will start some kind of dialogue with the Mataura Community to form a realistic, fair and community centred vision for Mataura that will benefit all parties involved!

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Shame on you Dr Jack Phillips!! Give us back our Town!!

I live in a small town. Its almost at the very bottom of New Zealand on the main road between North and the little bit of South that is left before you hit the sea.

We are on the edge of what is a beautiful river. Unfortunately in the 1800's someone got the great idea to build an abattoir and a paper mill along side of the river (and blast the impressive Mataura Falls to oblivion while they were at it). So Mataura is a working class town, definately more industrial than picturesque.

In the past it has been a very important town - it had the only bridge across the river for miles around. Then they built the railway on 'the other' side of the river and our bridge didn't matter so much anymore.

But the Mill and the Abattoir kept the town humming. They both employed a lot of people. We had our own council and a main street full of busy shops.

Then 8 years ago the Mill closed (the work went overseas) and the town died. The people just gave up, they abandoned homes and businesses. The community spirit died too. The council amalgamated with Gore, a nearby town and Mataura no longer runs its own affairs.

An American investor, a retired dentist by the name of Dr Jack Phillips, who owned properities in beautiful Queenstown and in Gore, took the opportunity to buy the town centre. He owns all but a few of the commercial buildings in our main street. He owns the cinema, he owns the squash club, he owns a church, a masonic lodge building and all are unused. He brought them cheap from people who saw no future for themselves after a devastating and unforseen loss of industry and jobs. Apparently he has a vision for our town.

So far it seems to involve a deserted main street of increasingly dilapidated buildings and charging rents for said neglected buildings that are more in keeping with those charged in a busy urban centre. In fact, thus far it seems to involve actively discouraging potential businesses from starting up in Mataura.

Dr Jack Phillips does not live in New Zealand (that's ok - lots of people don't its not their fault!) and he does not live in Mataura. He comes here for a couple of weeks each year (I believe that is a requirement of holding property in this country if you are a foreign national) to oversee his investments.

His 2008 visit has just drawn to a close and he has finally let us in on what his grand vision for our town actually is. He plans to turn Mataura into a boutique town, with art galleries and antique stores. Sounds lovely? How many boutique towns do you know with a freezing works as the focal point?

Mataura is a town with a lot of social problems. People here are poor. We have the most needy school in the whole of Southland - kids turn up to school with no breakfast. Illiteracy is a BIG issue in our town. So is alcoholism and despair. People in Mataura do not need art galleries and antique stores. We need a green grocer, a dentist, a cafe, a hair dresser, recreational facilities to keep the kids off the streets, a bakery. We need practical stuff.

The Squash Club could be up and running - it is a relatively new building and when last used was all in good repair. But Jack Phillips wants to turn it into a gym, so we miss out. The Movie Theatre has all it needs to be operational and could run quite nicely as a small town theatre. But Dr Jack Phillips wants to turn that into an art studio, so once again we miss out.

His vision for our town has not been formed in consultation with the people that live here. In fact if it were to go ahead, many of the people that live here now would not be able to afford to stay. Where are they supposed to go? Many of them have lived here all their lives.

How can a foreign investor, who does not live in New Zealand, let alone in Mataura, come to own the majority of this small town and decide unilaterally what the direction of our community is to be?

SHAME ON YOU Dr. JACK PHILLIPS!!! GIVE US BACK OUR TOWN!!!

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Bill McKibben Talks Organization, eActivism, Alinsky, and 350.org

Bill McKibben, one of the first people to bring global climate change to the attention of the general public, is one of the most articulate and well-respected voices in the modern environmental movement. His books on localism, environmentalism, and sustainability have sold millions and he presently directs the Middlebury Fellowships in Environmental Journalism at Middlebury College in Vermont.

McKibben’s Step It Up Campaign, which took him across the state of Vermont by foot, made his demand for Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 was one of the largest global climate change awareness campaigns to date. In 2006, I had the pleasure of seeing McKibben arrive to the fanfare of thousands of Vermonters in Burlington, Vermont at the end of his statewide walk with Sen. Bernie Sanders—then in the middle of his Congressional campaign—by his side. A follow-up campaign in 2007 stepped up expectations, demanding that the Senate reduce emissions by 10% over the next three years.

Now with the creation of 350.org, McKibben has taken his awareness campaign online. The number makes reference to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (350 per million) that would conceivably cause irreversible damage to the earth (read McKibben’s oped in the Washington Post about the number here). With the help of Internet communication, he plans on using their website to help to spread this message throughout the world. McKibben took some time to answer the following questions about bringing off-line activism online, online activism off-line, how living in Vermont influences his engagement as an activist, and more. . . read more

Thanks to Alexa from Make Something Happen for bringing this interview to my attention!

Check out The Point - another fantastic social networking site

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5 Ways to Change the World

Well, actually its only one way . . . but 5 places to do it!

Social Networking is not just Facebook and MySpace anymore. Social Networks are springing up all over the internet and there are plenty out there that focus on bringing people together who want to make the world a better place. They cover everything from stopping Global Warming, to sharing your Good Deeds - and everything in between.

Signing up to a Social Networking site and adding your profile is all very well, but if you really want to make a difference you need to get involved. Join in discussions, share your opinions, spread the word about the causes you are passionate about. And remember too, that while Social Networking is a great thing, its no substitute for getting out and about with the real people in your local community to make your own neighbourhood a better place!

So take a look at the 5 sites listed below and get connected to make a difference!!

1. Care2.com
The premise of Care2 is simple: One person can make a difference.

Whether you’re passionate about green living, health, human rights or protecting the environment, Care2 puts the tools for change in your hands.

Over 8 million wonderful people discover, share and take action on Care2 and Care2's The Petition Site. It's the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference.

Its a great site offering everything from free e-mail to e-cards and blogging. And its full of great information on green living.

2. Ladder to Heaven
Every day, people are doing great things for each other. We are performing incredible acts of kindness, selflessness, and generosity, whether these actions are planned or completely random. But often these deeds go unnoticed; we are too easily preoccupied with all the bad to see all the good in our world. Ladder to Heaven is the first place on the web for users to post their own good deeds and the deeds of others, bringing the righteousness of human nature to the foreground of society.

3. Brighter Planet
Here you can create a free climate profile. Then get ongoing estimates of your carbon footprint, see your progress towards carbon neutrality and link up with friends and join teams (join the How to Make a Difference Team when you sign in!!).

4. Wiser Earth
WiserEarth serves the people who are transforming the world. It is a community-editable international directory and networking forum that maps and connects the largest movement in the world – the hundreds of thousands of organizations and concerned individuals within civil society that address social justice, poverty, and the environment.

WiserEarth provides the tools and a platform for non-profit organizations, funders, social entrepreneurs, students, organizers, academics, activists, scientists, and citizens to find each other, make connections, build alliances and share resources.

WISER stands for World Index for Social and Environmental Responsibility.

5. MakeMeSustainable
MakeMeSustainable was created to fill the void between how we feel about our environment and what we do about it. MMS brings you the tools to take action. Their Carbon and Energy Portfolio Manager enables you to visualize and contextualize your individual impact. MMS' sustainable solutions empower you to act upon your knowledge. They aim to help you to become a more environmentally conscious and efficient individual or business. MMS empowers you to spread the word and encourage friends, family, and co-workers to join the collective effort.