Five Important Organizations

There are a lot of crazy things happening in the world today. The war as we know it seems never ending and there are a lot of things we wish we could close our eyes to. Honestly, I wish they weren’t happening either but they are. Its 2010 and I am disgusted and saddened that certain issues are still not resolved. The behavior of many people in this country embarrass me as well. I feel that everyone is able to make a difference in the world if they unite and fight for what they believe in. My hope still remains in the American people to stand up, speak up and evolve for change. We need to remain strong and positive so that this country doesn’t sink into the depths of darkness. A place where greed, control and power reign. Keep your eyes open and do your research. This is our country. Our beautiful Earth. We need to appreciate our natural resources and all living creatures. Now is the time to be serious and make things happen!

Here are five organizations that are working hard to make a difference!

CHARITY: WATER
This non-profit organization is really making a difference that counts. It helps to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Having clean water is so important and every person on this planet should not be without it. On their website you can donate money to give water and build wells where they are needed. Just $20 can give one person safe drinking water for 20 years!



CITY HARVEST: NYC
For more than 25 years this organization is the first to dedicate its services to food rescue. It collects millions of pounds of food from restaurants, grocers, farms and other segments of the food industry and delivers it to over 600 community food programs throughout the city. For free! There are more than 1.5 million New Yorkers living in poverty and City Harvest feeds over 260,000 of them each week. Thats what I call making a difference! Do your part by donating funds or food or even better, volunteer your time. The more volunteers there are, the more money City Harvest saves. Which means more hungry people get fed!



GREEN FOR ALL
This national organization has a mission to build a green economy that is strong enough to lift people out of poverty. They work hard to create programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in the green industry. They have the right idea! I encourage you to go to their website and read up on what they do and how they do it. What you can do is get involved. They have tons of information and resources to get you started.



WAKE UP WALMART
This website is the battleground to fight back against Walmart. It includes facts, resources and information on the war against the largest retailer in the world. Their dirty list goes on and on and only gets worse. WIth issues like worker rights and wages, a horrible health care plan, slacking in security, product imports, law violations and negative community impact there is no surprise as to why people are fighting to change the system. This company is a pure example of what happens when greed and power get out of control. Shopping there and working there supports this behavior and it has got to stop! Not to mention, all our tax dollars going down the drain. Like we need any more of our money going to waste. You can thank Walmart for that too! Join the movement and spread the word. This will only help your community and make the world a better place!



PETA
If you haven’t heard of Peta than its time to wake up! This organization is the biggest animal rights group in the world. With more than 2 million members and supporters it continues to fight for the ethical treatment of animals and where they suffer the most: on factory farms, in laboratories and the fashion/entertainment industry. If you believe that animals have the right to live and shouldn’t suffer than check out Peta’s website and take a look around. There is so much to read and look at you will be overwhelmed so take your time. Help support animal rights and become a member today. For a small donation you can help Peta fight for suffering animals and make this world a better place to live in. Plus, you receive a welcome pack and their quarterly magazine, Animal Times. If you have a voice and want to be heard than get involved and help end cruelty to all animals!



These, among others, are great ways to make a difference in your lives as well as everyone around you. We all want to have a great 2010. In order for that to be successful we need to do the right thing. Don’t you think its time?

Recycle and Reuse

We all have stuff we don't need or want anymore. Why throw it out when there are plenty of people out there that could use it. Just because something may be garbage to you doesn't mean it is to someone else. I always think of where my stuff is going. Besides recycling paper, plastic and aluminum everything else in your home has a place it belongs as well. Giving to charities and goodwill is a great way to add good karma to your belt but always ask your friends or family if they need anything you are getting rid of too. You never know, that plaid shirt you outgrew might look great on your little cousin!

Here are some places you can check out for all your "getting rid of" needs. Remember, there is always a place for your trash and it's not the garbage!

Clothes & Shoes

- If you have old work clothes you don't need anymore or outgrew some of your business gear donate them to people who don't have the money to buy them. Dress for Success helps women around the world look professional on job interviews and Clothes The Deal takes garments and gives them to individuals who can't afford them. Another good organization to look into is Career Gear. They help men look good on their interviews and hopefully get the job!

- For all you ladies out there that are planning on throwing out a dress you aren't into anymore, think again. Visit Donate My Dress and help other girls look beautiful. Whether its an old prom dress or just a simple summer dress all is welcome. Also, check out the Princess Project. Their website is so cute!

- We all grow out of sneakers and even though some may not be worn out we still get rid of them. If you are like me than you tend to buy shoes, never wear them and get rid of them when they are brand new! There are so many people out there who can use a pair of kicks so lend a hand and share the goods. Nike is doing a great thing with their Reuse-A-Shoe program. They take old sneakers and recycle them to help make playgrounds, basketball courts and other sport related surfaces. For more information go to Nike. One World Running and Soles 4 Souls give people in need something to wear on their feet. You can also purchase a pair of kicks at Tom's Shoes and they will donate a pair to children you don't have any.

- Everyone outgrows their coats. Just think of all the jackets your kids go through! The organization, One Warm Coat, is working hard to make sure that everyone has one. Go to their site and find a local coat drive so you can help. Now I hate fur coats for many reasons. The main one being a number of animals suffered for it. If you have one or inherited one donate it to the Humane Society. Their Coats for Cubs program helps orphaned and ingured animals in sanctuaries by giving them comfort. I would say burn it but if it will help animals than that is the better choice!

You can also go to Pick Up Please and they will come to your house and pick up clothes you want to donate for free. It can't be easier than that!

Electronics

- For all you photographers out there donate an old camera to the Kid Camera Project and they will help kids in New Orleans through art therapy. What a great idea! You can also give old cameras to Global Classroom Connection and they will donate them to schools all over the world. Just make sure it still works! If you include your email address they will even send you a photo of the children who received your gift. Now that is awesome. You can also check out Picture Tomorrow and Kids with Cameras.

- If you have an old computer you want to donate visit the World Computer Exchange and you can help developing countries become more educated about technology. Another company, NextStep, recycles old computers by reusing them. They have helped to recycle more than 6 million pounds of waste so far! Through the Recycling Network you can pick who you want to donate to which is pretty cool. Some companies offer free recycling as well. If you buy a computer from Apple, which I recommend that you do, they will recycle your old one at no charge whether its a PC or Mac. They will also do it for a $30 fee if you don't buy a computer. Dell will recycle any of their products for free and there are Sony drop off centers that you can leave your old large Sony electronics.

- Now that everyone has an IPod what do you do with all those cds? You can send them to Discs For Dogs who will resell them and give all profits to the SPCA and help toward the prevention of cruelty to animals. I like that idea! You can also send them to Green Disk, CD Recycling Center of America or make something cool out of them.

- Cell phones are always replaced so there is no excuse not to donate them or recycle them properly. If you go to Collective Good you can pick from a number of charities where you want it donated to. Also, go to Recycle My Cell Phone, Cell Phones for Soldiers and American Cell Phone Drive.

- If you have mp3 players to recycle send them to Recycle for Breast Cancer. They will take all kinds of electronics and they give ou prepaid shipping labels.

Also, check out Recycling for Charities and Gizmodo and to get cash for your electronics go to Gazelle, Youre New, Buy My Tronics and Next Worth. Keep an eye out for a new "Mail Back" program by the United Postal Service. They provide free envelopes for the item you are recycling and makes sure it goes to the right place. Although, it is only in 2 states right now there is word it will spread so cross your fingers!

Everything Else

- How many of you have an old bike just sitting in the garage or the shed out back? Well, the International Bike Fund is where you can find many places to recycle it. You can also visit Recycle a Bicycle.

- I have so many books that I haven't even read them all. Being a collector I will not give them up. But there are some that I just don't need. I am sure you all have some that you can give away too. If its children's books you are ready to donate than go to Book Ends. They accept kids books and give them to schools in Los Angeles. Books For Africa and The Global Book Exchange sends books worldwide. If you want to sell them you can try Amazon, Cash 4 Books, Textbook Wheel and Book Scouter.

- There are a number of charities that take cars as donations, even if they don't run anymore! I know selling your car is the first option, especially with this economy, but if you feel like doing some good than rethink your options. Try visiting Donate Car USA and you will find tons of charities in your area that you can donate to.

- For all you eye glass wearing men and women out there do not throw out your old specs! New Eyes for the Needy helps people in developing nations by giving them everything from glasses to hearing aids. If you go to OneSight you will find many drop-off locations to donate your vision ware as well.

So you see, there is a place for everything. Even things you don't want anymore. Be kind to the earth and recycle and share your goods with people in need. Not only do you make more space in your closet but you help fill someone else's.

No Phone Zone

Today is National No Phone Zone Day! Oprah is so cool for doing this. When you have the power and the means to make a difference you should take that opportunity and use it to its fullest. Oprah did just that! She has worked so hard to get this issue out there and it doesn't surprise me that all her hard work paid off. It is really sad that lives have been lost just by using a cell phone. It is really ridiculous. I suggest you go on the Oprah website and sign the pledge. By you doing this and actually doing it you will help to stop more lives from being lost.

I will admit I have texted in my car in the past. Not much when I am driving though. When I have to use my phone I wear my headset but I am trying to just keep it in my bag and leave it alone. I am not a big phone talker to begin with so its not a huge problem for me. But some people are out of hand. I can't tell you how many times I am on the road and I see a person on their phone. Most of the time they are driving too slow, too fast or just plain retarded! I often yell at these people, haha. Its just so god damn annoying.

So do the world a favor and keep your phone off in the car. There really is no need to use it. If you need to call someone then just pull over and do what you have to do. At least you are not on the road and open to having a car accident or killing someone. Play it safe because this is no joke.

How to Start Living Green

Some people think that living green is a hard lifestyle to maintain. It isn’t. You do in fact need to make changes and be more aware of your environment. Now if that is too hard to do than I would question your priorities and the everyday choices you make. Not to be judgmental but there is a certain responsibility that we all have as humans to take care of our planet and live the best lives we can. If we don’t understand the importance of that than we are in big trouble. Now is the time to change your life for the better and finally feel a sense of pride that you never thought you could. Its 2010 people. It’s never too late to try to become the person you never thought you could be.

The first thing to do is take a look at your life and see what you can change asap. Whether its buying natural and organic food or taking a walk instead of driving, taking baby steps is perfectly fine. You want these changes to be fun and exciting! And with a positive view and peaceful state of mind you will get there. You must realize that a lifestyle change such as this one will also change who you are as a person. That is the true meaning of being green. Having the eco-friendly vision everyday come natural and not thinking twice about an earth-friendly decision. Its about observing yourself and realizing that you, the people you love and the earth from which you live are worth much more!

Here are 10 easy simple ways to get started. You can do them at your own pace and take the time you need. The more you start doing, the more you will be comfortable with your new lifestyle!

Recycle & Reuse: I am surprised when I hear that someone does not recycle. Shame on you! If everyone in America recycled we could decrease the waste in landfills by 75%. Sounds good to me! Another way to recycle is to reuse. Bags you get from the grocery store, packaging, rags to clean and even refilling your ink cartridges for your printer. These all make a difference.

Take a shorter shower: You can conserve more than 10 gallons by just shortening your showers by 2 minutes. Not to mention your water bill! Just think how much that would be if everyone did the same.

Junk Mail: We all get crap in the mail that goes straight to the garbage. Instead of throwing it out recycle it instead. If you want to reduce your junk mail or rid of it forever you can register with the Mail Preference Service. It only costs $1 and you can do it online. Its that easy so there is no excuse! Just go to DMA Choice.

Curtains & Blinds: During summer and winter keep your blinds closed. That will keep your house cooler when its hot out and warmer when its cold. By doing this you can reduce your energy needs up to 25% and save on your electric bill!

Use fewer napkins: When you are out try to take 2 -4 napkins instead of 10. I know, I know...you go to the movies and get popcorn and you need tons of napkins because of the butter! Do your best to conserve and more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year! For your home go with cloth napkins and wash them. Then you won't be wasting paper and you will saving money too!

Subscribe to magazines: You could save up to 75% off the newsstand price if you simply subscribed. Plus, who wouldn’t want the convenience of coming home to your favorite publication! About 60% of the magazines at stores aren’t sold and wind up getting dumped. What a waste!

Unplug electronics: Not only will you save money but tons of energy as well. Surprisingly enough, even though they are turned off your electronics are still using 10 - 15% of energy. Just unplugging your TV alone can save more than $1 billion in energy bills if we all did it.

Carpool to work: If it is possible, try to hitch a ride with another coworker or even a friend that may work in the same area. You would save hundreds of gallons of gas and not to mention the $$ in your pocket. Another plus of carpooling is less traffic. We don’t need any more cars on the road or any more road rage!

Pay your bills online: Why waste money on stamps and envelopes when you can pay all your bills online. Thats the convenience of the internet! Take advantage and save time and money.

Paper or plastic: The best solution is to use reusable bags. Nowadays, every retail store sells them and they are usually under $5 or so. Its worth it. Plus they are stronger and more reliable. But if you have to choose one than go with paper. And don’t forget to recycle and reuse!

I hope that you can follow these steps and have fun in the process. Just think about all the great choices you are making and the difference you are able to achieve. With these 10 steps you are well on your way to an eco-friendly life!

Is It All Worth It?

I do a lot of reading on vegetarianism and animal rights and the more I read the more upset I get. My choice to not eat meat is a positive and healthy one. Even though I feel very strongly about the subject, I do not preach to other people. But what I will do is talk to people and share information that I feel is very important for everyone to know. Honestly, I find that many people do know the horrors of animal cruelty and they simply don’t care. The others are either naive, ignorant or really have no clue. Especially, to all the sickness and diseases that are linked to factory farmed animals and food. Like I said, the information I have gained from my research and experience I will continue to share with the world.

Here are just a few facts about the food you are eating and some thoughts to get you really thinking. Please read them through and really think about what you put in your body. Not to mention, the food you put on your family’s table.

1. If you can eat chicken, turkeys, fish, cows and pigs, then why not eat dogs and cats? Just because they are household pets doesn’t mean they are illegal to eat. Why are these animals domesticated and others not? Pigs and cows are just as smart and chickens and turkeys are just as playful. Fish are also considered some of the most intelligent creatures. All animals deserve the right to live a long healthy life.

2. Do you eat fish? Well, then you should know that modern day fishing methods not only harm but kill hundreds of other sea life in the process. They are called bycatch. So the next time you are eating shrimp think about the 80% of sea animals that have suffered just so you can have a 10 minute tasty meal. Don’t eat crawfish? Other fish like tuna is no exception. More than 145 species of sea life are regularly killed while catching and killing tuna. Is all this suffering and killing worth it just so you can eat it? No.

3. Chickens are now put in two categories. They are either broilers and layers and have been engineered for two different functions. What ever happened to just being called chickens? In factory farms (which are far from the farms that you and I picture in our heads) the layers are allowed only about a space the size of a piece of paper. They are kept in cages that are stacked liked shelves and left to live a short, horrible life. No windows, no fresh air and no healthy food. But plenty of darkness, manipulation, torture, chemicals and antibiotics. Worst of all, they never get to live a full life. Most are killed after a months time. Its these eggs that you are eating.

Then you have the broilers who are treated the same way but are not in cages. They get about an inch or two more space on the floor and get to hang with out other broilers who are sick and diseased and dead. Don’t forget about all the feces they are forced to sit and sleep in. Killed about 6 weeks after birth they never get the chance to live the life they deserve either. I will leave the processed part of the time line up for imagination. I will only say that it gets worse. What about the male chickens that the layers produce? Well, to the food industry, they have no function. More than 250 million male chicks in the United States alone are killed each year. Destroyed as if they aren’t worth anything. How? They are sucked through pipes onto electrified plates, tossed into large containers to suffocate slowly and sent through macerators and torn apart fully conscious.

Is this what you want to put in your body? Tortured, unhealthy and sick animals. Is this what you feel comfortable about your country doing? Are these stories you would tell your children? The more you buy factory farmed livestock you are supporting this behavior and prove to the food industry that you are weak enough to fall into their traps and naive enough to believe all their lies. Even worse, you are consuming the dead rotting flesh of amazing, loving animals that are honestly worth more than you are. They wouldn't eat you if they had the chance!

4. These horrible methods used by factory farms are legal as long as they are commonly practiced. The Common Farming Exemptions allow this to continue. How crazy is that! What ever happened to laws that you had to obey?

5.There is an estimate of around 2000,000 cows a year that collapse and suffer from poor health and do not have the strength to stand back up. These poor animals are left to die a slow tortured death. In America, it is legal in most states to allow “downers” to die or toss them in dumpsters while still alive. If that doesn’t make you upset than you are not human.

6. Most farmed pigs are slaughtered when they reach about 250 pounds and still young. If they lived a natural, healthy life they would normally reach 800 pounds or more. Just more animal lives that are cut short so you can eat them. I hope its worth it.

7. Do you care about the environment? Do you consider yourself an environmentalist? Well, you must be a vegetarian. Great! Oh wait, you aren’t? Than you are a fraud. Factory farms are the number one reason for global warming, 40% more than all transportation combined. It causes air pollution, water shortage and pollution and land degradation. So give yourself a pat on the back. Thanks to you the earth and everyone living on it is suffering as well. How important is your choice to eat meat?

8. When you see these labels, “free-range”, “fresh” and “cage-free”, ignore them because they mean nothing. Organic is the only safe way to go.

9. Remember the “swine flu”? How could we forget. Well, it didn’t come from Mexico. Its funny how far the government and food industry will go to make American’s believe their lies. When researched, scientists found that the virus was linked to a hog factory farm in North Carolina. The scary thing is that they also found that the virus combined genetics from birds, pigs and human viruses. This is not the end folks.

10. Vegetarian diets are a good choice for everyone, even children. There are a number of health advantages such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease and hypertension and type 2 diabetes. They also contain higher levels of fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. Not to mention, that vegetarians tend to be healthier and less fat. Just more reasons to make the switch to a better way of life.

You know, these farm animals are alive just like us. They have beating hearts and brains that keep them moving. It is said that humans are more intelligent but by the way we act it doesn't seem like it at all. People choose to live like cavemen instead of living in the now. Its 2010 and we should not be killing and torturing animals for food or any reason for that matter! We do not need their meat to survive and there are tons of alternatives that are so much healthier. So why do we do it? Some people have a big problem getting over how selfish they are and surpassing the greed that consumes them. Its as simple as that. If you just open up to the truth and let your heart actually feel something for another living creature than maybe things can change.

Animals are beautiful, smart, funny and brave. They belong here as much as we do. I hope you can read through these and really think about the reasons you eat meat. Are they valid? Are they important? Do you really need to eat animals? Do you feel right knowing all the torture that is involved? Keep thinking people....evolve for change!

Eco-Friendly Food Storage

I bet everyone uses plastic bags for something. Whether its your kids lunch or just leftovers, you need to keep food in something right? Well, we all know plastic is not the best way to go unless its recycled. Here are some alternative solutions.

I recommend you use glass containers for your home. They hold better, keep food fresh longer and look nicer too! I love the storage bowls from Crate and Barrel. Right now they have a set of 12 on sale for just $19.95.



You can also check out the glass food storage containers from Anchor Hocking. They are toxin-free and all glass. Even the lids! You can purchase a set of 3 at Free Market Organics for $33.50.



Packing your kids lunches is just another daily task. Who knew it could be fun! These organic snack and sandwich bags from Graze Organic are so awesome. Not only will your kids love them but the planet will he happy too. They come in sets of 3 of your choice for $24. Not bad for bags you can reuse over and over again. The bags are soft and flexible and have a hook and loop closure that is easy for young children to open. I don't even have kids and I want them!



For produce and other food items you can try these Organic Muslim Bags. They have 2 sizes at $2.95 each. You can't go wrong. You can find these on Reusable Bags.

Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day here are a few films you should check out. Remember, our Earth is a beautiful place and all living creatures are amazing. Let's keep the planet beautiful so that our children can witness what a miracle it is to be here.

Earth Days
This film explores how Earth Day began. The 1950's and 70's were amazing times that changed the world. Director, Robert Stone, captures it all for us to see. Including never before seen footage, the film shows the true environmental crisis we faced back then and are still facing today.



Dirt
Directors Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow, shed some light on all of us about the Earth's soil. How important it is and how we are destroying it. The way we treat dirt affects us all. Jaime Lee Curtis narrates this educational and eye opening documentary about how precious dirt really is.



Planet Earth
How could I not suggest this phenomenal series. Produced by the BBC and shown on the Discovery Channel here in the United States, this breathtaking production is far beyond the others. If you haven't seen it than please do. It is so worth watching!



The 11th Hour
With all the global disasters we have seen over our lifetime it is no surprise that Earth is unhappy with us. The 11th hour explores this issue. How we are destroying the planet and what will happen if we don't stop. Leonardo DiCaprio narrates this thrilling documentary on what could happen next unless we start changing today. Joining him are many professionals and scientists like Stephen Hawking that hope to shed some light on how we see life.



So check these few films out and get a little closer to loving the planet.