Wow! I apologize for not updating the blog this week. It has been crazy busy and got hit with a bad cold. Will try to make it up with a few good posts today.
So, for those of you with an MBA you should really check out a site called MBA without Borders. it has some great postings for job/positions around the world in international development. There is a social network component as well so you can connect with other like-minded MBAs. (I’m GlendaM).
Categories: volunteers for change
Here is another example of a company doing great things.
TOMS shoes where Blake Mycoskie, designer, will give a pair of shoes to a child for every pair of shoes sold. The shoes are simple, comfortable and some are quite funky in style. Oh and reasonably priced as well – men’s and women’s around $38 USD and children’s for $28 USD.
If you are in the Santa Monica area on July 28th be sure to get tickets to the TOMS Shoes Block Party. All proceeds will go to 2007 South Africa Shoe Drop. Tickets are $55 and you get a pair of shoes, food, music, drinks and fun!
Categories: volunteers for change
Nine million children are refugees right now.
Ninemillion.org is a campaign to raise awareness for refugee youth. It is trying to raise funds for education and sport programs. Refugee youth, live away from their homes, usually fleeing with few belongings, and unable to return sometimes for many years.
The UN defines a refugee as a person who woeing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…
Part of this is the Right to Play program, which is supported by amateur and professional althetes. It uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in disadvantaged regions of the world.
Categories: volunteers for change
Here is an example of a company using its profits for good – being a good corporate citizen. I found the group on Facebook and started to read about the company.
Earth Water is a bottled water company. In today’s world that isn’t very unique. What is unique about them is that 100% of their net profits go to support United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The UNHCR is at work right now in 119 countries helping provide for the basic needs of approximately 20.8 million refugees.
As citizens are becoming more socially conscious, by maintaining a globally responsible mandate, Earth Water International seeks to bring incremental change in the global community by generating a culture that recognizes the need to be responsible for the sustainability of our world.
And what’s great – it’s a local company from Alberta. They have a list of retailers on their website, but if you see it sold somewhere – be sure to pick one up and you can be sure you have done your good deed for the day. (Oh, don’t forget to recycle the bottle.)
Categories: volunteers for change
So, like many good citizens I try to do my part to reduce my carbon footprint. And I have tried to remind others of little ways they can change. I reduce, reuse, recycle; I don’t drive and try to car pool or take public transport; I am vegetarian and try to “eat local”. I have even created a culinary festival to promote regional cuisine and foods and increase awareness of the issue.
But after a car accident last year, I don’t like to go on the highway as often. I have to travel around the province for work frequently. As a result, I fly more frequently. Of course, this has a large footprint.
So, I was online booking flight this evening and noticed “offset your flight” as a small link under the ton of “small print” on the intinerary. To be honest, I am not sure how long it has been there (I booked with Air Canada and book as often with Air Canada as with WestJet for both personal and business). It might not be new, but I noticed it for some reason today. And for an extra $6.40 I offset the flight across the country. Considering how much I paid in taxes, fuel taxes, airport taxes, etc. that was pretty cheap.
So, it was http://www.zerofootprint.net/ that I purchased it from and will make an effort to do so from now on for all flights I book. Now if only Air Canada would just add it on to the ticket price as an option, that would be good.
As I am on the site reading about the organization, I see one of their partners — ZeroFootprint Energy. Well, I live in a energy-rich province. We have an abundance of many things – gas, oil, money. Yet, we are probably the worst offenders for emissions. At the same time, we have great minds – amazing engineers and designers – and find it hard to believe that they can’t find a better alternative. Then I see things like this site offering earth energy, solar and wind powered energy. I am not even sure this are alternative energy sources that are available to us here. And if it means reducing my energy bill in January- I am all for that!
Categories: volunteers for change
Got a note about a new site that has been launched with a great concept. You can donate money in very specific ways or you can create a profile and wishlist and share it with friends and family.
ChangingThePresent.org lets you change the world, in exactly the way you want. For just a few dollars, you can provide a child with her first book; fund an hour of cancer research; protect an acre of the rainforest; or restore a blind person’s sight with cataract surgery. It offers thousands of inspiring donation opportunities from hundreds of leading nonprofits, so you’re sure to find something that moves you, no matter what cause you most care about.
So…I created a wish list of things that includes the items that mean the most to me personally. So, anyone want to buy me a birthday gift? Go to the wish list for items ranging in price from $5 (help me off set all those plane trips) to $250 (water pump). It’ll make both of us feel good and most certainly whoever else is receiving the gift.
What can you do?
Categories: volunteers for change
Just reading an article that made reference to “give up your seat to someone who needs it”. It’s not funny to see people hurt themselves.
So, what makes people give up their seat? Why do some people seem to notice and others just try to hide their faces/eyes to not notice? Almost a year ago in the city I live, a group of people randomly attacked and beat a man to death on a bus. It was unprovoked and others on the bus were present. No one did anything as the group of 4 teenagers beat a man to death. The kids ran out of the bus, but later voluntarily surrendered to police. So, it goes without saying that the teenagers should be charged, but what is the responsibility of everyone else on the bus?
At what point do we no longer tolerate such abusive, offensive behaviour in our society? When do we stand up and say no more! Don’t you think that when we do that, as a society, that the world will become a different place.
You can’t continue to ignore the world around you. So, take notice and get up and give your seat to someone. It’s a gesture of goodwill and kindness. It will change the way others around you view the situation, and how they in turn will act.
Categories: volunteers for change
It takes half as many muscles to smile as it does to frown.
And it makes you and others feel twice as good!
Categories: volunteers for change
Read a story,
Dance,
Sing,
Play with blocks,
Draw a picture,
Finger paint,
Jump through a sprinkler,
Do a puzzle,
Play a board game,
Act out a play,
Write a story,
Play hide and seek,
or
Just play…
You will both feel richer for the experience when you take time to play with children. It just makes you feel good, reduces stress, brings you joy. Try it.
Categories: volunteers for change
Reading a comment recently about how we should spend more time listening to one another. We may solve more issues, problems and support each other if only we just listened.
I will admit that I get passionate about topics that I believe in and love to talk, debate, argue, etc. I listen and change my mind, I think I am fair, but I like most could spend more time listening.
I wonder if we listened if we could hear someone come up with the solution to the world’s problems? Who has the best solution to feeding the world and ending global hunger? Who has the solution to climate change? Who has found the cure to cancer?
Imagine the world if we just listened a little more to each other….
Categories: volunteers for change
