Up to 130 million cell phones are thrown away in the United States each year. Instead of opting for the latest gizmos, use your cell phone for as long as possible before buying another. And when you do replace it, be sure to give your old one to a good cause.
Please check out www.collectivegood.com to see who you can donate your phone to, and to find out why donating or recycling your old phone is so important!
For Today's Daily Action, I will find charities to donate my phone to, and read about the hazards of throwing away old phones!
Donate or Recycle Your Old Cell Phone
Tuesday 30 September 2008
Learn More About Volunteering Abroad with Cross-Cultural Solutions
Monday 29 September 2008
If you've ever traveled abroad, you know how enriching experiencing another culture can be. But have you thought of combining your interest in making a real difference in people's lives with international travel?
Cross-Cultural Solutions gives you the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, working side-by-side with local people and sharing in the goals of a community that warmly welcomes you.
Taylor's experience at an orphanage in Costa Rica is representative of many international volunteers. "I can't tell you how it feels to see wide smiles and little eyes running to you at 8 a.m. You are the highlight of their day and your presence does change the world, because it changes those children," Taylor says. "I gave them something they otherwise would not have - I gave them love, I gave them my time, and I did it because they needed it, and really looking back, I needed it too."
Make your dreams of volunteering abroad a reality, and engage in an experience that will profoundly enrich your life and the lives of others. Fill out the form here to get more information from Cross-Cultural Solutions, a non-profit organization that helps make it easy and safe to volunteer abroad. CCS programs are available in 12 countries, with start dates year-round, and lengths of stay from 1 to 12 weeks.
Have an Herb-tastic Dinner!
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Tonight at dinner, how about using some fresh parsley or cilantro? These herbs not only make meals extra tasty, they also have incredible health benefits! The leaves, seeds and essential oils all have different ways to boost your health, such as reducing levels of cholesterol, fighting against free radical damage and more. For today's Daily Action, add some green to your plate by using parsley or cilantro.
What Is Your Peace Quotient?
We are often urged to practice peace with every step. But how closely do our behaviors match up to this ideal?
Here’s a fun quiz to give you an idea of where you fit in on the spectrum of peace. You may want to share it with your friends and co-workers! Take the Peace Quotient Quiz here to see how well you practice peace in your daily life:
Which of the following is CLOSEST to the response you would usually have to the following situations?
1. When someone tailgates me, I usually:
a. Mouth obscenities at them or flip them the bird.
b. Slow down to really, really aggravate them.
c. Pull over so they can pass me.
2. When a salesperson is really snippy to me, I usually:
a. Snarl at them or make rude remarks to them.
b. Report them to their supervisor.
c. Make an effort to be especially friendly, since they must be having a bad day.
3. When a serious misunderstanding crops up between me and a friend, I usually:
a. Yell at the person or write them a nasty note.
b. Talk behind the person’s back to our other friends, to make sure everyone is on my side.
c. Suggest a meeting so we can talk the problem through.
4. A loved one is very upset with me for something I did. I usually:
a. Remind him or her of the obnoxious things she or he has done in the past. The best defense is a good offense!
b. Get back at them by giving them the cold shoulder and punishing them with silence.
c. Empathize with them for feeling upset.
5. After an especially grueling day at work, I usually:
a. Take it out on those nearest and dearest to me. I can be a real bear!
b. Pour myself a stiff drink or flip on the television.
c. Take a brisk walk, meditate, or take a soothing bath to wind down and de-stress.
6. In my group of friends or relatives, I am usually:
a. The cause of conflicts, or at least at the center of them.
b. The one who keeps conflicts going by talking about people behind their backs.
c. The person others come to for advice on resolving conflicts.
7. The following most clearly sums up my attitude to life in general:
a. Nuke ‘em. Or, sue the bastards.
b. Trust no one. Everyone is out for themselves.
c. We’re all in this together, so we may as well do our best to get along.
SCORE:
If you answered mostly a, you tend to be a bit belligerent and pugnacious. You might benefit from an anger management course! And have you had your blood pressure checked lately?
If you answered mostly b, you are more passive-aggressive. You usually avoid direct confrontation, but you’re not exactly promoting peace, either. You might want to get some assertiveness training so you can be more direct without being aggressive.
If you answered mostly c, congratulations! You are doing your best to being peace and understanding to your little corner of the world.
Stop the #1 Killer of African Children
Sunday 28 September 2008
| Sponsor: William J. Clinton Foundation |  | ||
| Malaria is the single greatest killer of children in Africa. And even though this disease is completely curable, one to three million children will still die, because for many families in developing countries, effective treatments and preventative bed nets are too expensive. Last year, the Clinton Foundation launched a pilot subsidy program in Tanzania--the country with the highest rate of deaths from malaria in southern Africa--to make safe, effective malaria treatment available to those who couldn't normally afford treatment. The initial findings of the pilot showed a drop in price from $10 to $0.50 in pilot areas--a 95 percent decrease. But they can't do this alone. Please support President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation in their goal to increase access to affordable ACTs to people around the world. | |||
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Alaska's Dead Wolf Pups Demand Justice!
Saturday 27 September 2008
| Please help spread the word to demand justice for Alaska's slaughtered wolves! Use our tell-a-friend tool to send a message to your friends about this petition, and then grab a web badge below to use on your blog, website, Care2, Facebook or MySpace profiles: | |
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copy this code: | copy this code: |
Hold Governments Accountable for Natural Resource Corruption
| Sponsor: Oxfam America |  | ||
| Natural resources shouldn't be a burden on the poor. Yet in many countries around the world, revenues from natural resources are propping up dictators, fueling conflict, and deepening poverty. But you can help change that today. There's a bill in the Senate that would help poor communities hold their governments accountable. The Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure (EITD) Act would require payments made between oil, gas, and mining companies and their host governments to be publicized. Too often profits from natural resources are secretly diverted to accounts of corrupt leaders or used to fund conflict and repression. More than 60 percent of the world's poorest people live in countries rich in natural resources, but they rarely share in that wealth. Natural resources should help lift people out of poverty, but for many developing countries that window is closing fast. Ask your Senators to co-sponsor the EITD Act. | |||
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Help Show the Faces of Hunger
Friday 26 September 2008
The first Freedom from Hunger Day was celebrated on April 28, 2006 with the goal of raising awareness of global hunger and promoting Freedom from Hunger's empowerment of women around the world. But this year, it takes on new meaning as the world witnesses the devestation of the Global Hunger Crisis. A crisis that is about women -- mothers who want nothing more than to be able to feed their families.
For today's Daily Action, help raise awareness of Freedom from Hunger Day and the meaningful ways that everyday people can help women in the fight against hunger. Send an e-card and let the world see the faces of hunger.
People Who Took Action: 1,039
Help The Gulf Coast Recover From Hurricane Gustav! - A Message From The Oxafam President
Thursday 4 September 2008
This blog will not be updated very often this month and possibly a bit of next month. Tara is in the process of preparing her boyfriend for driving school, moving, and getting her cats adjusted to their new home at her mothers house in anticipation of being more permanently on the road as a truck driver. Please stay tuned and thank you for the support!
Dear Readers,
Hurricane Gustav struck the Gulf Coast yesterday, damaging fragile communities still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.
Over 2 million people have evacuated the region. Effective government efforts helped save lives, and the damage was less intense in some major metropolitan areas than many feared—but at-risk, low-lying communities are flooded, roofs are torn off, crops are destroyed, and residents face major challenges in rebuilding their lives.
Our staff is already on the ground. We have been there since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, working closely with 25 organizations in Mississippi and Louisiana, and we will continue to help our local partners provide relief supplies, volunteer labor, and rebuilding assistance. The need is great.
Please donate now and help Gulf Coast residents recover from this disaster.
Gustav took a direct path through vulnerable communities that Oxfam has supported since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and where rebuilding efforts are still not even halfway finished.
Homes, businesses, community centers, and churches have been damaged in coastal communities, both by high winds and flooding. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has called Gustav "a serious storm that has caused major damage."
We just got word from Peg Case, director of TRAC, Oxfam's partner organization in Houma, LA. Houma was directly in the path of the storm, and TRAC is focusing on coordinating the efforts of 30-40 relief organizations—a critical role to ensure an effective response.
Peg is still waiting to hear whether her house is safe, and she expressed concern for bayou communities hit by the storm surge. "We know there's water in there," she told us. "How high, we don't know."
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have left people significantly more vulnerable to this hurricane. Many are still living in trailers or mobile homes. Their homes are halfway rebuilt, their savings exhausted, and most are unable to purchase insurance. Seniors, poor people, people who are disabled, and immigrants are particularly vulnerable.
Your donation will help more people return to their homes and their lives more quickly.
We will be monitoring the situation as it progresses in the coming days and ensuring your support goes directly to where it's most needed. Stay tuned to www.oxfamamerica.org for the latest updates.
Thank you so much for your generous support at this critical time.
Sincerely,
Raymond C. Offenheiser
President
Oxfam America
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