Check Your Water Heater

Think there's nothing you can do to fight Climate Change at home in 1 Minute?

Starring - Joe McGivney
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The EPA, www.epa.org

Special Thanks - Dennis Arinella

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Reduce Paper at Home

Think there's nothing you can do to Reduce Your Paper Use at home in 1 Minute?

Starring - Damion Fitz
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: NativeForest.org, (currently the WildWest Institute)

Special Thanks - Matthew Koehler and everyone at the WildWest Institute, and Dennis Arinella

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Check Your Fridge

Think there's nothing you can do to Conserve Energy in 1 Minute?

Starring - Alicia Arinella & Jack Halaby
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The EPA, www.epa.gov

Special Thanks - Dennis Arinella

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Phantom Power

Think there's nothing you can do to Fight Global Warming in 1 Minute?

Starring - Grace Tortorici & Richard Tortorici
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The EPA, www.epa.gov

Special Thanks - Dennis Arinella

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Global Warming

Think there's nothing you can do to Fight Global Warming in 1 Minute?

Starring - Julie Tortorici
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Consulting Producer - Mary Micari
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission, and Young Audiences New York

Statistical Information provided by: The EPA, www.epa.gov

Special Thanks - Elisa and everyone at Energy Star, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Go Green Home - a blog written by WYCD Staff Writer, Karen T. Hartline

Our staff writer, Karen T. Hartline has been journaling/blogging/writing about her own Go Green Home effort – water conservation. The below entry, we thought, was an interesting way to incorporate the love of gadgetry and greening your life a little bit. Gadget-mongers, read on!

A Little Bubbly
I keep forgetting to write about this, but I saw the coolest thing. I'm so not a gadget person, so many many things I see are cool to me, but as one who thinks about water all the time, this was a winner. I usually don't drink sparkling water because I don't want to buy a lot of bottled drinks. But when I went to this friends house, she asked me if I wanted some and proceeded to go to this little appliance with a container full of water from her tap. She just lifted a whatsit, pressed a thingy, waited about 5 seconds and wah-la! (pardon my French) Sparkling water!

Now, don't tell my dad, but I think I'm going to get one of these things for him for his birthday (His birthday was in the beginning of January - better late than never). Like I said, I don't buy sparkling water, and I don't recommend many products on this blog because I don't believe you should have to spend oodles of money to save water. But my parents buy so much sparkling water and my father drinks it by the gallon right out of the bottles. If you like sparkling water, I highly recommend it.

If you like sparkling water, I highly recommend it. Here are some links to these gadgets:
Soda Stream
Penguin Water Carbonator
Sparkling Water Kit

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To read more entries from Karen T. Hartline's blog please visit - Every Last Drip

Story Pirates Tells Us About a World Without Art

Story Pirates Tells Us About a World Without Art

Starring - Sam Reiff-Pasarew, Rolo Vincent, Benjamin Salka, Peter Russo, Lee Overtree, Drew Callander, Francois, Dodge, and Zola
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Edited by - Julie Tortorici
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Special Thanks to The Story Pirates

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Get Families Involved in the Arts

Think there's nothing you can do to Get Families Involved in the Arts in 1 Minute?

Starring - Karen T. Hartline and Jackson Hartline
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission, and Young Audiences New York

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, Americans for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Diary of an American Shopper day 173

I know I've talked about it before, but I love this country. I love the different landscapes it offers. I'm always amazed that we have: oceans, deserts, rivers, streams, rainforest, glaciers, volcanoes, mountains, valleys, badlands, canyons, islands, capes, wetlands, basins, reefs, archipelagos, geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, plains, cities and towns. It is awesome in it's size and resources. As we celebrate, Earth Day, I want to share with you a few facts about this great land of ours.

Hawaii is the only state that features almost all of our landscape features in one location - it has oceans, mountains, valleys, deserts, volcanoes and rainforest. It's an amazing place, and the only state that is growing every year. As the Kilauea volcano continues to erupt on the big island, she continues to add land mass to the island. Therefore, making Hawaii our youngest state both in in adoption to the union, and in it's time on the earth. And this change is happening solely because of Mother Nature.

But what about the areas of our country that are changing because of Us?

At one point, the wetlands along the Gulf Coast, protected our shores from all sorts of natural disasters as well as housed wildlife and improved the overall water quality of the area. On the EPA's website, I learned that an acre of wetland can store 1-1.5 million gallons of floodwater. That up to one-half of North American bird species nest or feed in the wetlands, and Although wetlands keep only about 5% of the land surface in the lower 48 United States, they are home to 31 percent of our plant species. And despite these fact, the US loses about 60,000 acres of the wetlands each year. That gave me pause. The wetlands along the gulf coast are deteriorating. And I want to do something about it.

Glacier National Park in northern Montana is losing it's glacier's at a staggering rate. This year, it lost an additional two glaciers, and experts are predicting that the remaining 25 glaciers could be gone by the end of the decade. These glaciers are disappearing at such an alarming rate that Dan Fagre, an ecologist with The U.S. Geological Survey stated, "When we're measuring glacier margins, by the time we go home the glacier is already smaller than what we've measured." I find that terribly upsetting. Glacier Bay once homed 137 glaciers and now, we could live in a world where our children may never understand where this National Park got it's name. These glaciers feed the streams and therefore ecosystem of the region. Also, without the water flow, the chance of forest fires also increases.

But what can we do? In the spirit of What You Can Do, I pledge to make one simple change to help save these Wetlands and Glaciers. I vow that I will not purchase any new yarn (I'm an avid crocheter) or books for the next 6 months. I will use what I have, and donate the money I save to organizations that address these issues.

I mark day 173 a depressing but motivating challenge. Will you join me?

Earth Day Good, Earth Year Better, a Guest Blog by John Ausiello

Earth Day Good, Earth Year Better - A Guest Blog by, John Ausiello

On September 20th, 1969 Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin proposed a nation wide teach-in day regarding the environment while delivering a speech in Seattle. Approximately 7 months later, on April 22nd, 1970, 20 million Americans from across the nation joined in celebration of our common home: earth. And so was born “Earth Day” now a yearly event occurring every April 22nd. For those who are counting, this year marks the 40th anniversary of this important day. From 20 million Americans in 1970 to 1.5 billion worldwide participants expected this year, clearly the event has grown exponentially. Unfortunately so have the problems plaguing Mother Earth.

Cynics would argue that Earth Day has accomplished little. Each April, the numbers grow as the party gets bigger and yet CO2 emissions have continued to rise, glaciers have continued to retreat and our ability to cope with our problems has become more difficult. So would say the cynics. Unfortunately they are correct. Our problems are bigger, our solutions less effective and our confidence is weaning. And yet it is difficult to ignore 1.5 billion people. Approximately 25% of the world’s population will listen to music, eat good food, recycle plastic, perhaps even replace an incandescent bulb with an energy efficient one, all in the name of Mother Earth. All on one day, all for one cause. So no, Earth Day has not been a failure, quite the contrary it has been an unmitigated success. Clearly it has accomplished what it intended to do: raise awareness of our environmental problems.

The problem has been the other 364 days of the year. For one day of the year (or in some parts one week of the year) collectively we may act in an eco-responsible manner. And for many, such good will carries over for weeks, perhaps months as behaviors change but invariably most of us return to our “less than eco-friendly ways” by the time the hot dogs are on the grill for our 4th of July barbecue and our memory of the pledge we made on April 22nd has faded like a New Year’s Day resolution. Therein lies the problem, how do we channel the optimism raised on April 22nd into action on December, January or February 22nd?

Not too sure, but I do have one idea: carbon sharing. The idea is simple, we should “share” our daily activities to a much greater degree than we currently do. Environmentalists continue to preach the need to reduce our carbon footprint, espousing the virtues of restraint, calling on us to spend less, consume less, waist less. And of course they are correct. The problem is that the mortals amongst us (myself included) struggle with such restrictions. There is a reason most of us do spend too much, consume too much and waist too much and it is not solely because we are lazy, irresponsible or uncaring. It is difficult to do otherwise.

However, if we “carbon share” perhaps we can do a lot less (collectively) without having do much less individually. Picture the average suburban home or high-rise apartment across America on a hot summer night: we all dutifully tune in to our favorite TV shows, cook our favorite foods and run our energy-intensive AC units, each household maximizing its energy consumption. If instead we chose to join our neighbors (or friends) to watch the same show, cook the same food and stay cool with the same AC, we would significantly reduce our footprint at the sole expense of some personal down time. Realistic? Perhaps not in 2010 America given the intense pride we have for individuality. But there are countless other applications of “carbon sharing” from carpooling with neighbors to work or run errands to sharing common household goods with each other that are less radical but still effective.

This is the essence of “carbon sharing.” We simply do the same things we already do but in larger numbers effectively re-establishing a sense of community that is badly needed and in turn creating a more energy efficient lifestyle. It will take effort, perhaps more than we are ready to put forth but if we can begin to create such “communities” we will go a long way towards creating an Earth Year rather than celebrating an Earth Day.

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This blog is part of Carbon Sharing, a guest blog series by John Ausiello

Social Decorum and The Need for Sustainability: One Vegan's Quest Not To Sound Like a Self-Righteous Bore, a Guest Blog by Eric Walton

Social Decorum and The Need for Sustainability: One Vegan's Quest Not To Sound Like a Self-Righteous Bore, a Guest Blog written by, Eric Walton

On April 22nd of this year, Earth Day will turn forty and eight months later, so will I; which means that for exactly half of my life, I will have been a devout vegan. And yet, when asked to explain why I am a vegan, as I often am, I'm nearly always stymied by the question. Not because I don't have plenty of good reasons for not eating animals and the food made from them, but because I know that giving anything like a complete answer will often result in terrible awkwardness.

For instance, I sometimes give this pithy answer that only partially accounts for my decision to abstain from animal foods: “I don't eat animals because I believe in compassion more than I like the taste of muscles and organs.” And true though that is, it always sounds sanctimonious and preachy. I realize that I have no reason to apologize for the moral clarity I feel on this issue, but nonetheless, I'd rather not sound like a sententious prick to someone who's just asking a polite question.

Still other times someone will ask why I'm a vegan and I'll respond with the somewhat more ambiguous answer that, “It's for ethical as well as environmental reasons.” This will sometimes allow me to expatiate briefly on the demonstrable links between a meat-based diet and deforestation; water-shortages; desertification; top-soil erosion and water and air pollution. If time permits, I might even mention that in the U.S. alone, over 260,000,000 acres of forest have been converted to cropland to grow feed for farm animals. And though these are also perfectly legitimate and sensible reasons for eating low on the food-chain, who wants to ruin someone else's otherwise happy meal by confronting them with the damage done to the planet just so they could eat it? I'll tell you who: party-poopers.

When I'm feeling especially indignant about the state of the world and the social injustice and economic disparity with which a meat-based diet is inextricably linked, I'll sometimes reply to the curious that I'm a vegan for political reasons, that I find it unconscionable that over half the world's grains are fed to livestock, while 16,000 children starve to death on this planet every twenty-four hours; and that is to say nothing of the 84,000 adults who suffer the same hideous fate every single day, in part because the grains that could have been used as sustenance for them are instead being fed to cows, pigs and chickens. Take it from me, introducing that little bit of trivia into the conversation is the perfect way to get yourself crossed right off the guest-list.

And on those occasions on which I'm feeling particularly philosophical (as is often the case) and am in the company of those who seem to be of like mind (as is seldom the case), I may invoke Kant's Categorical Imperative and state solemnly that in sparing the lives of animals and showing solidarity with the world's needy and hungry by eating a diet that doesn't deprive them of the means to feed themselves and their families, I am acting, “according to that maxim whereby I can at the same time will that my actions should become a universal law.” Of course, when in a Thoreauvian state of mind, I may explain that though I am not bound to devote myself to the eradication of any evil, I am obliged to wash my hands of it and lend it no practical support. I cannot tell you the number of friends of I have won with that bit of rhetoric.

Socially speaking, certainly the most palatable reason one can offer for being a vegan or vegetarian is simply that it is healthy. Given the amount of research that has been done on the subject and the ready access to information that we in the 21st century enjoy, many people already know that compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians not only live, on average, six to ten years longer and are fifty percent less likely to develop heart disease, but also tend to have lower body mass indexes; lower blood pressure; lower blood cholesterol levels as well as lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and colon and prostate cancers. And, as vegans Natalie Portman and Alicia Silverstone can attest, it helps keep you skinny. Not surprisingly, the most solipsistic reasons for being a vegan can be the most agreeable to many people in our image-obsessed culture. Perhaps for this reason, I am almost never content to defend the vegan diet on the basis of its health benefits alone, even when doing so might bring relief to the poor sod who had the impertinence to inquire about it.

As the 40th anniversary of Earth Day approaches, as the connection between diet and the environment becomes more and more demonstrable and as climate-change threatens to imperil the future of our own species and many, many others, I am compelled (nay, obliged!) to answer the question “Why are you a vegan?” with a truth so inconvenient that even the venerable Al Gore is (so far) reluctant to mention it: the vegan diet combats global-warming.

Consider this:

*The production of just one pound of beef creates as much greenhouse gas as driving an SUV forty miles.
*Following a vegan diet decreases your carbon footprint by fifty percent more than switching to a hybrid car; and for every person who follows a vegan diet, one acre of trees is spared each year.
*According to Goveg.com, “In the U.S., seventy percent of all grains, eighty percent of all agricultural land, half of all water resources, and one-third of all fossil fuels are used to raise animals for food.”
*A study at the University of Chicago concluded that if every American had just one meat-free day per week, it would be the equivalent of taking 8,000,000 cars off the road.
Given the clear and unequivocal evidence of the connection between meat-production and global-warming, it is, I believe, a matter of great moral urgency to inform those who will listen of that connection, regardless of the social stigmas that may result. However, as everything is more pleasant when delivered in rhyme, I have composed the following Limerick to help soften the blow:

As you sit serenely devouring your steak medium-rare,
I would indeed be remiss not to tell you, “Beware,
Of the horrible things that brought that meat to your fork,
(And the same applies, I might add, to fish, fowl and pork)
And, incidentally, you're wounding the planet, perhaps beyond repair.

*G Eshel and PA Martin, “Diet, energy, and global warming,” Earth Interactions 10, Paper No. 9 (2006): 1-17.
www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html and www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=263

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation

*H. Steinfeld et al., Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, Livestock, Environment and Development (2006).

*NewScientist.com, "It's Better to Green Your Diet Than Your Car," 17 Dec. 2005.

*Andrew Pierce, "Global Warming Is Mankind’s Greatest Challenge, Says Prince," The Times 28 Oct. 2005.

*http://www.goveg.com/environment-globalwarming.asp

*Diet For A New America by John Robbins, Stillpoint Publishing (1987)

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Guest blog written by, Eric Walton

Support the Arts

Think there's nothing you can do to Support the Arts in 1 Minute?

Starring - Maria Christina Perry
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission, and Young Audiences New York

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, Americans for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Foster Creativity in Kids

Think there's nothing you can do to Foster Creativity in Kids in 1 Minute?

Starring - Sam Reiff-Pasarew and Rolo Vincent
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Story Pirates, www.storypirates.org

Special Thanks -Benjamin Salka, Peter Russo, Sam Reiff-Pasarew, Lee Overtree, Drew Callander, Rolo Vincent, Francois, Dodge, Zola and everyone at Story Pirates, and Dennis Arinella.


For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Arts in Education

Think there's nothing you can do to Support Arts Education in 1 Minute?

Starring - Chris Keane, Shannon Keane and Winnie Keane
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Consulting Producer - Mary Micari
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission and Young Audiences New York, www.yany.org

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, American for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

How the Arts Affected them - a talk with Young Audiences New York

Interview with Katie Miller and Brad Malow from Young Audiences New York, www.yany.org
Shot by - Alicia Arinella
Edited by - Julie Tortorici

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

An Interview with HiTops', Elizabeth M. Casparian and Carolyn Santoro

I have to admit, after working on this week of episodes, some of what I learned made me want to lock both my kids in a room until they turned 30 to keep them sheltered from all of the horrible temptations and pressures out there – many of which never even existed when I was a teenager. But this interview with HiTops made me realize that all of the influences in today’s world do not exist separately from the world we as parents create for them. In fact, the parameters I create for my kids are probably going to be stronger than the four walls of my imaginary lock-down facility. Parenting is not something to take for granted. It is a skill like any other, and needs to be practiced and perfected. The mistakes we as parents make have a much greater cost, but the drive to do better every day is stronger than it is with anything else. We can blame the outside world all we want, but ultimately, our kids will live in the world we build for them.

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Interview with Elizabeth M. Casparian, PhD, Executive Director, HiTOPS and Carolyn Santoro, CHES, HiTOPS Health Educator and Coordinator of Teen PEP

• What is the most enviable thing about being a teenager these days? What is the least enviable?

Access to information and opportunity is incredible for teens today. Because of technology, young people can interact with a wider world and find learning, exploration, growth and service experiences more readily. However, we have yet to determine if the ever-present use of cell phones and computers will have long-term negative consequences. Many adults fear that using technology for all kinds of interaction is hurting young people’s ability to develop the social and interpersonal skills needed to develop lasting personal and professional relationships. Helping young people manage their time and balancing screen time with face-to-face time, as well as time outdoors, time with family and time learning through group discussions and experiences are a very new aspect of parental responsibility.

• How are teenagers different from the same demographic, say, 15-20 years ago (Gen Y vs. Gen X?).

Today’s teens are always connected to everyone all the time – there is almost no down time from being connected with their peers and knowing if they have been included or excluded from any activity. There is also a lack of supervision. In communities where both parents work – both affluent and not – parents leave teens unsupervised for long periods of time much more often than in the past. As little kids, most had heavily scheduled after school periods from nursery school until late middle school, but as teens, parents often assume they will be fine from 3 to 7 or 8 pm most nights without supervision. It is also common for parents to travel and leave teenage children home alone for weeks at a time with a car and a credit card. Without experience navigating life on their own, many teens find it difficult to cope alone. As a result, they invite friends to join them and end up in delinquent activities because there are no rules or adults to hold them accountable. Substance use, unprotected sex and illegal behavior often take place during those hours of the days and weekends when parents are at work or traveling for work.

• What is/are the most common thing(s) that causes stress in teens.

The answer to this has much to do with socioeconomic status. Teens living in poverty are worried about shelter, abuse, violence, safety. Middle class and upper middle class teens are struggling to live up to parental expectations to do well in school, go to college and get good jobs. Economic stress plays a critical role as teens juggle academic pressure with the pressure to help the family financially by working. They also feel pressure to get scholarships because college tuitions are so high.

• How much do you think nutrition plays into behavior among teenagers – hyperactivity, depression, concentration, energy level, etc.

While it is difficult to document, those of us who spend time with adolescents certainly can see the difference in kids who eat well – whole, balanced, minimally processed foods, etc – and kids who consume a lot of junk, sugar, etc. Young people will eat good food when it is offered and seem to have better concentration, better attitudes and overall better performance.

• What is a major mistake that parents/adults make with teens (feel free to list more than one).

Adults tend to talk AT adolescents and not LISTEN. While it is important for parents to share their values with their children, it is also critical for teens to feel heard, to have their opinions matter and to be able to express their needs to people who are interested in working with them within the framework of their own lived experiences, not theoretically, or based on out-dated perceptions of what adolescence is like. Listening well, reflecting back on what teens have said, and asking them what they need from adults is the best way to keep communication open lend support. When parents lecture, chastise, assume, punish, criticize and expect the worst, they miss out on the chance to develop a rapport with teens that can develop over time. Adults also need to work within the brain development limitations of teens and learn the difference between disobedience and true developmental challenges. Inconsistent disciplinary responses are very frustrating to kids and so kids neither learn what is expected of them, nor do they respect the authority of parents who have no consistent pattern for consequences.

• What is the best way to broach the tough subjects with teens, like sex and drugs. (What if a parent feels like a hypocrite telling their teen not to do something that they themselves did as a teenager?)

Many teens experiment, so it may be unrealistic to expect that teens will not take any risks, but the key is to help them take calculated risks and to be sure they have a safety net – having a designated driver, gaining access to protection if they plan to have sex, etc. Rigid expectations and zero tolerance may lead kids to simply hide behavior and not seek support, help or advice when they are making decisions. Parents need to discuss the safety and disciplinary consequences and be consistent in following through. Parents need to discuss their fears with their kids and if the want to share their own experiences, they can do so by explaining the mistakes they made and the consequences they experienced.

• What is the best way to deal with this sexting phenomenon?

Be sure young people know the consequences of sending explicit personal information over their cell phones. Current laws have not caught up with actual experiences, so teens who send any explicit photos or language may end up being charged with felony level offenses and becoming registered sex offenders because the laws are based on crimes involving the distribution of child pornography. Even having a photo on one’s cell phone of a person they do not even know could be enough.

• My teenaged daughter learned in school that 1 out of 10 girls ends up in an abusive relationship. How big a problem is this with the teens that come to see you and who.

The problem is huge. Young people do not always know that they are in emotionally abusive situations, but many relationships are unhealthy and include emotional abuse. Teens need to know how to recognize the signs and how to get out of it. Sometimes teens are so desperate to be part of a couple, they will stay in a relationship that feels restrictive, oppressive, stressful or coercive. While teens are better at recognizing and being able to leave a physically abusive relationship, emotional abuse can take forms that are hard for them to recognize.

• It seems like we’re always trying to keep up with the problems that teens face. For example, sexting was going on long before parents and the media caught up to it. Based on the teens that come into your facility, what do you think is going to be the next big issue we need to address?

If I could tell you this, we would be a rich, rich organization rather than struggling non-profit! Technology is certainly evolving faster than we are able to evaluate the consequences. Adults who live and work with youth need to keep communication flowing and must be ever-vigilant about seeing how trends in adolescent behavior might have both positive and negative impacts on health, safety, self-esteem. Adults MUST be willing to learn from youth – and to then work with them to develop strategies for reducing risk on all levels.

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Interview by What You Can Do Staff Writer, Karen T. Harline

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Blog written by Staff Writer - Karen T. Harline

Teen Stress Management

Think there's nothing you can do to improve Stress Management for Teens in 1 Minute?

Starring -Maria Christina Perry
Written by - Karen T. Hartline
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Hi Tops, www.HiTops.org

Special Thanks -Elizabeth Casparian and everyone at HiTops.org, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Teen Internet Safety

Think there's nothing you can do to improve Internet Safety for Teens in 1 Minute?

Starring -Hallie Claire Waletzko and Alicia Arinella
Written by - Karen T. Hartline
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Web Wise Kids, www.webwsiekids.org

Special Thanks - Carrie Williams, Esther Cookson, and everyone at Web Wise Kids, Joey Brenneman, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Fight Global Hunger

Support Action Against Hunger and help fight global hunger today.

“854”: malnutrition & the food crisis in Niger from Action Against Hunger USA on Vimeo.

Media Image of Girls

Think there's nothing you can do to improve the Media Image of Teen Girls in 1 Minute?

Starring - Jack Halaby & Mary Kate Funaro
Written by - Karen T. Hartline
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Teen Voices, www.teenvoices.com

Special Thanks - Laura Evans, Jenny Amory and everyone at Teen Voices, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

In Honor of National Arts Advocacy Day...

What You Can Do presents: A WORLD WITHOUT THE ARTS with The Story Pirates

Cell Phone Safety for Teens

Think there's nothing you can do to teach Teens about Cell Phone Safety in 1 Minute?

Starring - Julie Tortorici
Written by - Karen T. Hartline
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Web Wise Kids, www.Webwisekids.org

Special Thanks - Carrie Williams, Esther Cookson, and everyone at Web Wise Kids, Mary Kate Funaro, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Teen Nutrition

Think there's nothing you can do to help Nutrition in Teens in 1 Minute?

Starring - Hallie Claire Waletzko
Written by - Karen T. Hartline
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: HiTops, www.HiTops.org

Special Thanks - Elizabeth Casparian, Carolyn Santoro and everyone at HiTops.org, Joey Brenneman, Sarah Valenti, Lori Valenti and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Teen Week: In her own words, an interview with Autumn Hartline

If asked, I think the unfortunate analogy that my high school classmates would have used to describe me would have been Patty Simcox. You know her – the goody-goody, joiner-type in the movie Grease, who took her high school existence – down to the toilet paper décor at the prom – way too seriously. While it pains me to admit the accuracy of such a comparison, my memories of being a teenager are the stuff of a much more complex person. Maybe my sister and one or two friends would recall the person I remember: a kid who was much more aloof, devious and pissed at the world.

Now that my daughter is a teenager, I think it’s really important to keep in mind that – as much as I will always strive to know her on a deeper level – my image of her is most likely going to be very different from the way she sees herself. Acknowledging this gap, in my opinion, is one of the most important things I can do as a parent. It means I have to keep my ears open, it means I have to constantly engage in conversation beyond “how’s school.” It means that, as a parent, I always have something to learn about my kids.

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Interview with Autumn – Age 15

1. What do you like about this age? What don't you like?

The fact that I don't have to pay taxes or pay for everything at this age is really nice. All I have to do is ask to hang out with my friends and I'm on my way. So sure, we have fewer responsibilities - I'm aware of that - but that's doesn't mean kids aren't responsible. I have chores to do around the house as well as homework, which I find to be a drag, as anyone else would.

The thing I don’t like is probably the judgments you get. I'm guessing it still goes on as your older, but when you're in school with kids, it occurs more. Like when you dress a certain way, you're automatically this type of person. Or because you hang out with someone, people automatically think you're this or that. And then there's the need to impress everyone. Even people you don't particularly like. You just want them to like you as individual. It's traumatic at times.

2. What do you think causes kids your age the most stress?

Well, I've stressed over homework a couple times. I will admit. But it’s different with every teen. You can stress over weight, you can stress over friends, you can stress over getting things done. Or things you want to get done. It's just like every other adult.

3. How big a problem is internet/cyber safety? How much is it discussed at school and/or among your peers?

I find talking about the Internet kind of big as teenager. “Oh did you see what so and so wrote on Facebook?" Or "Did you hear that those two are going out?" You almost don't have a private life as a teenager. Everyone is in everyone's business. It cools down a little in high school, but I remember in middle school it was like that. I have talked about cyber safety at school. Harassment on the internet or over text message, has consequences at my school, as well as “sexting,” which is legal at this age, I believe.


4. How much do you talk about the future with your friends?

Come to think of it, I talk a lot about the future with my friends. It's not a daily topic or anything, but it does come up here and there. Why wouldn’t it come up as a discussion, though? It's something everyone looks forward to. Living your dreams, so to say. Whether it's living in Rome with 20 cats or traveling around each month.

5. What is one thing that you feel adults just don't understand about kids your age? How could we as adults be more understanding?

With parents -- it's a different story. Teenagers are at that age where all they want is to leave home and they "care more" about their friends. So of course, whatever the parent does annoys them. But I will say that what adults don't know is the daily "How was school today?" question can get... bothersome. If I were to ask you "How was work today?" during dinner, while all you can think about is how aggravating one coworker is or how much work you haven't gotten done, it just brings up a bad part of your day which is... stressful.

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Blog written by Staff Writer - Karen T. Harline

Turmoil and Triumph: International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina

Turmoil and Triumph: International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina

I was excited to visit the new International Civil Rights Museum in my mother’s hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina for What You Can Do’s month focused on respect and diversity. On February 1, downtown Greensboro celebrated the museum’s long-anticipated opening in the historic Woolworth’s five and dime store building. The opening date coincided with the 50th anniversary of the nation’s first sit-in at the segregated lunch counter of the Woolworth’s store, organized by 4 freshman students from North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro.

On a spring-like February afternoon, my mother and I took the short drive downtown to check out the new museum. We joined about 50 people for a group tour, which started with a short video about the history of the civil rights struggle from the abolition of slavery to Jim Crow laws and segregation. Next we moved on to the graphic “Hall of Shame”, which displayed horrifying photos of lynchings, hangings and burning crosses during the civil rights turmoil. The appalling images resonated with my mother’s comment earlier in the day about growing up the 50’s & 60’s, “I can’t believe these terrible things actually happened in my lifetime.” A Greensboro native, she has vivid memories of the local chaos and national attention resulting from the sit-in movement.

The next exhibit was a short film portraying the 4 freshman NC A&T college students as they planned the sit-in to integrate the Woolworth’s lunch counter. I was amazed that students in their teens summoned the courage to challenge injustice in our country. When I was a college freshman, I could barely make it to class on time. After the film, a replica of an NC A&T dorm room from the 1960’s was unveiled to show where the students might have hatched their plan. Our group then took the escalator up to the Woolworth’s lunch counter exhibit, where it seemed like we beamed ourselves back in time to 1960. The sprawling lunch counter framed by metal stools with blue and orange cushions was preserved with amazing authenticity, as was the menu above the counter offering a Turkey Club for $.65, Pepsi for $.5 and Cherry Pie for $.15.

Behind the lunch counter, film reenactments showed students joining the sit-in movement at Woolworth’s by reading quietly and ignoring hecklers in peaceful protest. The film revived the historical events to show us how our lives, our country was transformed by the brave people who won the fight for their freedom decades ago. We learned that the sit-ins continued for seven months and ended with the successful integration of the Woolworth’s lunch counter.

Our tour continued through galleries revealing an inside look at segregated America from hospitals to voting and education. An especially powerful example of the dichotomy between life for blacks and whites was a hologram with overlapping images of a bright, clean school classroom for white children, and a crowded, rustic classroom for black children. The tour concluded with the somber “Wall of Remembrance”, paying tribute to the people who lost their lives in the fight for racial equality.

I left the museum with a deep gratitude for my inherent freedom and rights, and for the bravery of the protestors and activists. The museum offers a powerful view into the time in our country when “liberty and justice” did not apply to all of our citizens. Heroes like Martin Luther King and the “Greensboro 4” show that even one person has the power to inspire a movement of positive change. By living the What You Can Do project’s mission to take small steps to solve big problems in our country and beyond - imagine what we can all do together.

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Guest blog written by Ashley Kaufman, to read the full article, please visit - Points South

Cyber Bullying

Think there's nothing you can do to prevent bullying in 1 Minute?

Starring - Damion Fitz
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org

Special Thanks - Todd Gutnick and everyone at the Anti-Defamation League, and Dennis Arinella.


For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Start a Kindness Chain

Starring - Maria Christina Perry
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: Rachel's Challenge, www.rachelschallenge.org

Special Thanks - Bryan Boorujy and everyone at Rachel's Challenge, Jack Halaby and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Erase Hate Crimes

Think there's nothing you can do to erase hate crimes in 1 Minute?

Starring - PJ DeBoy
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The Matthew Shepard Foundation, www.matthewshepard.org

Special Thanks - Jason Marsden and everyone at The Matthew Shephard Foundation, and Dennis Arinella.


For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Teach Your Kids Respect

Think there's nothing you can do to teach your children respect in 1 Minute?

Starring - Alicia Arinella & Jack Halaby
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: The Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org

Special Thanks - Todd Gutnick and everyone at The Anti-Defamation League, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Civil Rights

Think there's nothing you can do to promote respect & diversity in 1 Minute?

Starring - Taeonna Ancrum
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information provided by: THe National Civil Rights Museum, www.civilrightsmuseum.org

Special Thanks - Connie Dyson, and everyone at The National Civil Rights Museum, and Dennis Arinella.


For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Respect & Diversity

Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said “ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Five years later, on April 4th 1968 , he was assassinated.

Today the majority of hate crimes still occur in The United States due to issues relating to race, gender, religion and sexuality. And to honor Dr. King and his life and work, we are devoting this, our fourteenth week of What You Can Do, to Respect and Diversity.

We did our best to reach out to organizations in our country who are continuing the message of respect over hate, and who are working to reverse the prejudices that still plague our society. Of course there are many amazing organizations that we were not able to spotlight, but in the course of our research these were some of our favorites.

I don’t know what it is in us that makes us hate. Or what it is in us that makes us so afraid of things that are different or run separate from ourselves. And I know that one web series will not be the answer to ebbing a sometimes overwhelming tide of prejudice and fear. But like Dr. King, I believe that the first step in stopping an injustice is in bringing attention to it and offering an alternative.

I hope that these videos would have made him proud.

Diary of an American Shopper day 154

Diary of an American Shopper Day 154

Okay so confession time. I hate to clean. I hate it. One of my least favorite things ever. But cleaning products are one of the few product lines that offer a wide variety of domestically made choices.

Frankly I think it stinks that there are only a few companies that make recycled trash bags here. But when it comes to cleaning supplies, the world opens up.

You have eco friendly lines like Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer's, and Method are all stamped with the Made in the USA label, but what about making your own cleaning products?  That way they are certainly made domestically. Hard to get more local than your own kitchen. And possibly that could make cleaning a bit more fun, as you become your own scientist in the kitchen. I for one, would love an excuse to don a lab coat and convince people that I am up to serious business.  And many of these recipes are easy to concoct.

For instance, did you know that you can make your own creamy soft scrubber with baking soda and detergent liquid?  Simply pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in a bowl with enough liquid detergent to create a texture like frosting. YUM - but resist the urge, this frosting will taste yucky.  Then take this mixture and put it right on your sponge and you're ready to go.  Simple.

Or you can make window cleaner by mixing 1/2 a teaspoon of liquid detergent with 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 cups of water.  Granted this window cleaner may not have that fresh clean scent that you're looking for, but most of these ingredients you might already have at home.  Just invest in a spray bottle and you're ready to go.  (And yes I realize that buying a domestically manufactured spray bottle may be near impossible, so my solution?  refill your old window cleaner bottle when you run out).

I have a pretty strong notion that this won't make cleaning any more fun, but it'll save a few bucks and that can be fun - I can use that money on some tasty frosting to put on a dessert of my choosing! Bet I can even double duty that lab coat as a new apron.

I mark Day 154 an enlightened alternative.

Spring Cleaning

Think there's nothing you can do to go Green this Spring in 1 Minute?

Starring - Jack Halaby
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Special Thanks - Dennis Arinella.


For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Support Local Farmers

Think there's nothing you can do to go Support Local Farmers in 1 Minute?

Starring - Joe McGivney
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Special Thanks - Susan Wands, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do