What You Can Do

Day 31 of 31 - Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T06:29:00.000-08:00

Day 31 of 31 - Happy New Year!

What are your New Year’s resolutions this year?? Thinking of making any green changes? You know we are!

Day 30 of 31 - What You Can Doers New Years Resolutions

2011-12-30T06:11:00.001-08:00

Day 30 of 31 - What You Can Doers New Years Resolutions.

Need some tips - look at our ideas.

Day 29 of 31 - Touch for Hunger!

2011-12-29T05:43:00.000-08:00

Day 29 of 31 - Touch for Hunger!

If you have even one minute there’s something you can do to fight malnutrition around the world. By clicking @ the Hunger Site, you can help make a difference in the lives of those suffering from hunger.

Day 28 of 31 - Save Water at Your Bathroom Sink

2011-12-28T06:18:00.001-08:00

Even the smallest change to your everyday routine goes a long way… shutting off your faucet as you brush your teeth, for instance. Watch this video for more water-saving tips.

Day 27 of 31 - At Risk Youth

2011-12-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

Day 27 of 31 - Support At Risk Youth
This time of year, we spend a lot of time thinking of children. Take a minute and support at risk youth.

Day 26 of 31 - A Last minute gift of pet lovers

2011-12-26T06:01:00.001-08:00

Day 26 of 31 - Happy Kwanzaa
Still looking for a last minute gift? What about a gift for pet lovers?

Day 25 of 31 - Green Holiday Party

2011-12-25T05:23:00.000-08:00

Day 25 of 31 - Green Party TIps!
Merry Christmas! If you're hosting a Holiday Party, consider some of these green tips.

Day 24 of 31 - Wear your Seat Belt

2011-12-24T05:52:00.000-08:00

Day 24 of 31 - Wear your Seatbelt!
Many of us are traveling today. Make a pact and CLICK IT!

Day 23 of 31 - Gifts that Give More

2011-12-23T02:55:00.001-08:00

Need gift ideas? Check out this video, and consider giving your loved ones the greatest gift by helping to put an end to world poverty.

Day 22 of 31 - Turn down your water heater

2011-12-22T05:49:00.001-08:00

For a safer, greener winter season, dial down the knob on your water heater. Watch this video to learn more about this energy-saving tip.

Day 21 of 31 - Go Green Heat

2011-12-21T06:20:00.001-08:00

- Save energy this winter with eco-friendly heating tips for your home.

Day 20 of 31 - Happy Hanukkah

2011-12-20T06:05:00.001-08:00

What You Can Do is sending the best wishes to you for a very Happy Hanukkah.
May you be surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Day 19 of 31 - Doing Dishes

2011-12-19T05:55:00.001-08:00

So, you took a trip down memory lane, letting the warm water flow over your hands as you washed the dishes…who hasn’t been there? But the amount of water wasted during that daydream is quite the wake up call. Watch this:

Day 18 of 31 - Conserve Water in Your Bathroom

2011-12-18T05:51:00.001-08:00

Entertaining guests at your home this winter? Watch this video to learn a fast and easy way to save water in the bathroom.

Day 17 of 31 - Elderly Volunteering

2011-12-17T06:16:00.001-08:00

What You Can Do teamed up with volunteermatch.org for this video on how to help the elderly get involved in their community. It only takes a minute to find worthwhile volunteering projects to keep seniors active and socially engaged.

Green and Delicious

2011-12-16T08:08:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the baking! I love bustling in the kitchen with my girlfriends or relatives. When I reflect on my favorite holiday memories, the majority of them take place in the kitchen, with my loved ones and I partially covered in flour. Not only do I absolutely love eating holiday cookies and other treats, making them brings everyone together! For this very reason, I have decided to share a few of my favorite recipes, and a couple new ones that are worth a try, along with a few helpful tips to keep your time in the kitchen as environmentally friendly as possible.

1. I’ll start with my all time favorite recipe from Mrs. Fields. It’s so simple, and out-of-this world delicious. These cookies taste way too good to be this easy!
Recipe:Mrs. Field's Brown Sugar Shortbread
Mrs. Field's Brown Sugar Shortbread

Ingredients:

1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

1 Tbsp salted butter
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (4 oz) pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar awith an electric mixer at medium speed. Scrape down sides of bowl. Then add vanilla and flour, and blend thoroughly on low speed.

Shape level Tablespoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls, then form into logs 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Place on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake for 17-19 minutes or until the cookies spread and turn a light golden brown. Transfer to a cool, flat surface.

To make topping:

Melt butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water or in a microwave oven on high power. Stor chocolate every 30 seconds until melted.

Dip top of each cooled shortbread cookie into melted chocolate, then into chopped pecans. Place cookies on waxed and refrigerate to set.

Yield:2 1/2 dozen

Source:Mrs. Field's Cookies
Page #64
http://community.tasteofhome.com/community_forums/f/30/t/305947.aspx

2. All this recipe needs is a kiss. A Hershey’s Kiss that is! I love peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss in them. My holiday just isn’t complete without them! This recipe is gluten free, and as easy as can be. Only 4 ingredients! Check out this great site for further baking instructions. The kiss is gluten free too!
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
One cup creamy peanut butter 
One cup white sugar
One teaspoon baking powder
One egg
http://glutenfreegirl.com/yum-yum-peanut-butter/

3. What’s a holiday without gingerbread? Here’s a recipe that’s sugar free and gluten free! It looks delicious to boot! Great one to try out this year. Your friends and family members who have allergies or diet restrictions will love you for it!

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/old-fashioned-gluten-free-gingerbread-recipe/

While you’re baking these mouth-watering treats, keep your kitchen as green as possible. Here are a few tips to help you.

1. Kick the paper towels.
I struggle with this one myself because I feel like I need paper towels while baking…lots of them. This of course, is incredibly wasteful and unnecessary. Instead, I’ve been trying to use a kitchen towel instead. They get the job done without wasting anything other than the water to clean them later.
If you can’t go without the paper towels, try recycled paper, or reuse them a couple times before you toss them.

2. Double your recipe, and cook batches simultaneously.
While your oven is in use, might as well make the most of it, and get as many batches baked at once to reduce energy expenditure. You can always freeze extra cookies. Here’s a link to PlanetGreen.com where you can learn more energy efficient baking tips.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/tips-energy-efficient-baking.html

3. Skip the hand washing, and load a full dishwasher instead.
Using the dishwasher can actually reduce the amount of water wasted, provided you’re running a fully loaded dishwasher. You’ll also be saving time! Avoid using the rinse cycle to further reduce the amount of water used.
For more information on helpful ways to save resources and energy around the house, head to The EPA’s site for more effective tips!
What You Can Do wishes you all a very happy holiday season that’s both delicious and green!
epa.gov

Day 16 of 31 - Learn about the Night Sky

2011-12-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

Light pollution: it’s what prevents most city-dwellers from enjoying views of the starlit sky. But it also harms wildlife and contributes to global warming. Watch this video to learn how to help protect the night.

Day 15 of 31 - Help Fight Animal Cruelty

2011-12-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

For animal lovers and pet owners, it can be hard imagining life without them, let alone the cruel conditions animals sometimes face. If you’ve got even a minute, there’s something you can do to help.

Day 14 of 31 - Make Your Holiday Party Green!

2011-12-14T05:43:00.001-08:00

Hosting a holiday party? Make it green festivity. Email your invites for starters and save paper and money!

Day 13 of 31 - Rethink your wrapping!

2011-12-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

Day 13 of 31 - Give our planet a gift this season! Save money, paper, and have fun using green wrapping paper.

Day 12 of 31 - Carpool to Work

2011-12-12T05:51:00.001-08:00

For those commuting to work, consider sharing the ride with friends or
colleagues. Organizing a car pool takes just a moment, but goes the distance in lowering your carbon footprint.

Day 11 of 31 - Make a difference with your gifts

2011-12-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

Make a difference with your holiday gifts by buying a Mercy Kit. These gifts can help people in need all over the world.

Day 10 of 31 - Click to help Kids

2011-12-10T05:04:00.001-08:00

Images of suffering children can sometimes make us feel helpless, unable to make even the slightest difference in their lives. But The Child Health Site reminds us that in just a minute’s time, there’s something we can do to help a child receive much need medical care.

Day 9 of 31 - Help those living in Poverty

2011-12-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Tis’ the season of giving! There’s a lot you can do in one minute to help others living in poverty. Watch this!

Day 8 of 31 - Traveling Green

2011-12-08T05:40:00.001-08:00

The holidays are certainly a time for travel and vacation! It only takes a minute… to help the environment by using these energy saving tips on your next trip.

10 Green Gift Ideas for under $20!

2011-12-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

10 Green Gift Ideas for under $20!

1. Reusable KeepCup
Who doesn’t need their tea or coffee on the go? Give the gift of sustainability by giving this recyclable commuter cup. It’s dishwasher and microwave safe, and baristas can safely use it too under their espresso machines.
Prices range from $12-16.
http://www.branchhome.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=956

2. Beautiful Jewelry from Globalgirlfrind.com
Show someone you care for them (and others) by purchasing unique and stunning jewelry from Global Girlfriend. Jewelry starts at around $5 and up, and when you make a purchase from Global Girlfriend, the treasures you buy are woman made, fair trade, and eco-friendly. Your gift purchase will also help support the women who produce them by providing fair living wages, employment opportunities, and safe working conditions.
https://www.globalgirlfriend.com/store/client-side.do?siteId=344&categoryId=252&adId=80584&placementId=213472&origin=&sort=Most Popular

3. Klean Kanteen
This gift is perfect for everyone regardless of age or gender. Each and every one of us needs a sleek stainless steel, reusable, and environmentally friendly canteen. Klean Kanteen is a wonderful company to support! The canteens are perfect for water, hot or cold beverages, and soup. Through many of the purchases you make, Klean Kanteen will donate a portion of each sale to a deserving foundation. Prices start around $13.
http://www.kleankanteen.com/index.php

4. Buy a toy, and donate it in someone’s honor.
This is something that I’ve always wanted to do, and this year, I’m putting the plan into action. I have a half brother and sister, who now in their teens, no longer need any more toys. Therefore, this year I’ll be purchasing a toy for a boy and girl, and donating them in their honor. If you’re in New York City, you can drop off toys at any Toys R Us location. If you’re elsewhere, visit the Toys For Tots website to learn more about making donations.
http://www.toysfortots.org/

5. Holiday Baked Goods
I baked a variety of cookies with my Mom one year when I was younger, and we prepared gift baskets that we gave to extended family. Not only did I have a blast with my Mom in the kitchen, it was a low-cost, eco-friendly way to make a delicious gift. If you purchase fair trade, or locally grown or produced ingredients, you can further help support your local economy, and make the event extra green. You can also opt to prepare healthier recipes, or you can approach the baking like my Mom and I did and just make the most scrumptious recipes you can find. Package the cookies in containers that can by recycled too! This gift idea can definitely be kept under $20, and you’ll most likely create wonderful holiday memories with your friends or family in the kitchen!

6. Fair Trade Coffee or Tea
Chances are, someone you know is a coffee or tea lover. Help strengthen farming communities, and purchase Fair Trade coffee or tea. Check out this great site for wonderful gift ideas. Prices start around $14.
http://www.fairtradecoffee.org/

7. Head to your local farmers market!
I always find unique hand made soaps or candles that are locally made that would make the perfect gift. If you’re attending a holiday party, consider picking up some fresh bread or locally produced cheese, honey, or other delicious baked good to bring as a hostess gift. You can always find something for under $20 at the farmers market!

8. Custom Eco Friendly Bag
We all use them, or we all should be using them. I recently discovered this site where you can custom make a recyclable bag. How cool is that! With this gift, you can assist your family member or friend in eliminating plastic bags, and they will be reminded of you every time they shop.
Here’s a link to their site to learn more
http://www.customecofriendlybags.com/index.html

9. Purrfect gift for a Pet Lover!
We all know at least one animal lover. We all probably even know an animal lover who would choose to forgo their gift to help animals in need. Give them the gift they will really love by making a donation in their honor to the Pet Finder Foundation. They, and a deserving four-legged friend, will love you for it!
http://www.petfinderfoundation.com/help/

10. Make your own holiday cards and gift-wrapping!
Save paper, and money, and have some festive fun making your own cards! They’ll be more personal, and much more appreciated. One of the greatest gifts of all is spending a little time showing someone you care about them, so get crafty and creative! Also, you can recycle newspapers or magazines to use as wrapping paper. Your gift will then include juicy celebrity gossip, or vital world news that they might need to be reminded of.
Price range: Could be FREE

Day 7 of 31 - Beware of Phantom Power

2011-12-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

Are you brightening this holiday season with beautiful holiday lights? Watch this video to learn more about how not to light up your electricity bill.

Beware of Phantom Power!

Day 6 of 31 - Make a difference with your holiday shopping

2011-12-06T05:35:00.001-08:00

Want to buy a beautiful unique gift that will also help support women in Africa? Make your purchases on www.globalgirlfriend.com, and watch this one minute video to learn more.

Day 5 of 31 - Remember the Rainforest

2011-12-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

Remember the Rainforest while making your purchases -

It only takes a minute to help save the world’s rainforests. Watch this video for tips from The Rainforest Alliance.

Day 4 of 31 Days of Green - Conscious Buying Tips

2011-12-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

It’s holiday shopping season! Before your next trip to the mall, check out these quick, effective one-minute ideas for greener spending choices.

31 Days of Green continues with a Tip to stay Warm

2011-12-03T05:57:00.000-08:00

Looking to start a fire this weekend? Why not try this tip instead? Make your own fire logs. It only takes a minute and they'll keep you warm all winter. Also, save your ashes to compost in the Spring. The provide great nutrients for the soil.

31 Days of Green - Rethink your holiday tree!

2011-12-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

Looking to get a holiday tree this year? Well why don't you try something different. Join us and let’s save trees this holiday season! Consider a live tree, or think Charlie Brown. Save money, and our forests!

Today is World Aids Day - It only Takes a Minute to Help

2011-12-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

Today is World AIDS Day. As we take a moment to remember those impacted by this disease and support those living with HIV, there’s something you can do to help. What You Can Do and our friends at Angelwish share how you can help grant the wish of a child living with HIV/AIDS.

Social Media for Social Good: Q&A with Heather Mansfield pt. 2

2011-11-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

In Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits, author Heather Mansfield draws on over a decade of social media and nonprofit experience for clients like The National Peace Corps Association, Safe Kids, and The National Wildlife Federation. Her book provides nonprofits with tools and effective strategies using social medial and mobile web technology. Currently, Heather is on a national book and training tour. We recently caught up with Heather for a Q&A about her new book, and how growing non-profits can best reach the public and spur positive change.

Q&A with author HEATHER MANSFIELD pt. 2

Q: With social media promotion, what are the pitfalls of relying solely on dominant platforms such as Facebook and Twitter? Ideally, what does a comprehensive marketing plan look like in terms social media mix?

I am a firm believer in diversifying your brand online. Having your avatar spread throughout many different communities results in a synergy that grows stronger as your communities grow larger over time. Also, like never before nonprofits are enmeshed with for-profit companies like Facebook and Twitter that provide absolutely zero customer service and little to no support for nonprofits. Eventually, I think this is going cause an increasing sense of frustration and resentment by the nonprofit sector, and unless nonprofits go out of their way to diversify their brand to inspire competition, innovation, and social responsibility on the part of these companies, we will then be completely at the whim of the for-profit Web.

Q: For more established social nonprofits, how important is reinvention and how often should organizations revise communication strategies?

The nonprofits who excel online today were on Myspace in 2005, Facebook and YouTube in 2006, and Twitter in 2007. The Web moves very quickly now and those nonprofits that embrace early adoption and take risks on new tools are the best positioned to reap the benefits. It’s not so much reinvention, but rather always evolving and acting quickly – often on a good impulse. The truth is that the best nonprofit social media campaigns are the best not because of the tools, but because of the person behind the strategy and the avatar. The best social media managers love social media and are always experimenting with the Next Big Thing – usually years before it becomes the Next Big Thing. The old model of waiting for case studies to come out to prove a tool works before a nonprofit starts to use it is dead.

Q: In addition to the book release, you’re also doing a nationwide social media and mobile technology training and book tour. Can you tell us your goals for the tour and how those who participate can actually help support deserving nonprofits while learning more about social media?

The book tour is a fundraiser, and honestly, I don’t think a book tour being launched as a fundraiser has ever been done. As of today, it has raised more than $11,0000 for partner nonprofits. Launching a book tour as a fundraiser is the nonprofit psychology at work in me. The tour is more about making the world a better place than making a profit. I have to practice what I preach, or I wouldn’t have any credibility in the nonprofit sector. Beyond that, I love to train in person and this tour is allowing me to reach nonprofits all over the country and Canada. So far, the feedback has been very good. The content of the training is based on the book, thus packed with a lot of How-To’s and best practices which is what most nonprofits are looking for these days – proven methods that work.

Q: Finally, today is the era of the Mobile Web, or Web 3.0. How is this changing the landscape as we speak and where do you think social media and nonprofit communication are headed next?

Nonprofits are tragically falling very far behind in mobile! I think it primarily has to do with what I mentioned above about nonprofits now expecting Web-based tools to be free or they won’t use them. Now is the time for early adoption, but a couple hundred dollars at least is required to experiment with mobile and most nonprofits won’t pay it. Smartphones, tablets, and texting are changing how supporters and donors consume content, and that means nonprofits need to change how they present their content. Internet TV is going to transform the sector as well, but from what I can tell most nonprofits haven’t even considered mobile or Internet TV. That said, the early adopters of the Social Web – the Humane Society of the United States, Oxfam, Peta, The Nature Conservancy – they are just now beginning to launch well-thought out mobile campaigns and “TV” stations and when they do, others usually follow. I just wish for the sake of nonprofits and social good in general that it would happen a little faster. ☺

Thanks again for this interview.

Continued success from everyone at What You Can Do!

Heather Mansfield is the owner of DIOSA Communications, principal blogger at Nonprofit Tech 2.0, and author of Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits. She also created and maintains the “Nonprofit Organizations” profiles on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, which cumulatively have more than 500,000 Friends, Followers, and Fans. A pioneer in utilizing social media for the nonprofit sector, Heather has fifteen years of experience utilizing the Internet for fundraising, community-building, and advocacy. To date, she’s presented more than 100 social media and mobile technology trainings throughout the United States and over 500 webinars to audiences worldwide.

Using Social Media for Social Good: Q&A with author Heather Mansfield pt. 1

2011-11-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

In Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits, author Heather Mansfield draws on over a decade of social media and nonprofit experience for clients like The National Peace Corps Association, Safe Kids, and The National Wildlife Federation. Currently, Heather is on a national book and training tour. Training participants will also help other organizations, like the American Indian Center for Excellence, and goodnik.org, who will receive a portion of their paid workshop fees. We recently caught up with Heather for a Q&A about her new book, and how growing non-profits can best reach the public and spur positive change.

Q&A with HEATHER MANSFIELD

Congratulations on the release of Social Media for Social Good!

Thank you!

Q: In your book, you draw on over a decade of social media and nonprofit experience, tell us what prompted you to embark on this comprehensive guide and what key tools you hope to pass on to readers?

Most nonprofits these days are very low on staff and resources and they just don’t have the time to experiment with tools or get the training they need when it comes to social and mobile media. That’s what I do 10 hours a day, six days a week. I experiment, test, and through a process of trial and error learn what works and what doesn’t. I wrote this book to share that knowledge with nonprofits so they can better communicate and ultimately execute their mission and programs. The brutal truth is that most nonprofits do not understand the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc. tool sets and are making obvious mistakes. Even if they aren’t aware it, most nonprofits need a little help fine tuning their social and mobile media campaigns.

Q: In a striking contrast with social media as we know it today, you tell of your first online fundraising campaign: emailing friends and family on Yahoo! to raise funds at the Guatemalan school where you volunteered. That was in 1997. Please give us your impressions of how social media has changed non-profit efforts and why those daunted by technology should embrace social media tools?

The most obvious difference from today’s Internet to that of 1997 is that there’s no one Internet fits all anymore. In 1997 the only Web-based tools available to nonprofits were websites and email and that’s how nonprofits primarily reached their online supporters and donors. It was simple. Then in 2003 that began to change with the launch of blogs. Today, there are thousands of Web-based tools and communities that nonprofits can tap into, but more importantly, who uses what tools and communities is usually directly related to age, location, class, and race. So, if nonprofits want to reach all potential supporters and donors, then they need to use and integrate a wide variety of Web-based tools and communities into their communications and fundraising plans.

Some nonprofits – primarily executive staff – still tend to think of social media as a fad (much to the chagrin of younger staff). They aren’t seeing the bigger picture which is that the Web is now constantly evolving and social media with each passing day is becoming more deeply integrated into the structure of the Internet as a whole. In the next decade as we migrate over to the Mobile Web, social media will be the foundation of the next chapter of communications and fundraising, and those nonprofits that have yet to embrace and integrate social media into their communications and fundraising plans are going to be a severe disadvantage.

Q: What You Can Do provides individuals with simple action steps they can take to help solve social problems from poverty, to hunger, to domestic violence. For those involved in social activism, public engagement can be difficult at first. As an expert and leader in non-profit fundraising and community organizing, can you tell about one of your most difficult undertakings and how you were able to garner support, or make the best of the situation?

I think the biggest problem facing all nonprofits today is that information overload is resulting in an increasing numbed down, collective response to our calls to action online. These days people are bombarded all day and night with bad news and negativity. Many people just can’t take it anymore and are starting to tune out. Even I struggle with it… social media burnout. So, I take time away from social media and my communities to disconnect and reconnect in person with friends and family. Nonprofits need to do this as well to recharge, and resist the urge to spin and perpetuate the bad-news-is-always-breaking news cycle. Share more success stories, be kind and generous, and for the sake of your own well-being and that of your communities, ban, block, delete, and report the Internet trolls. They have gotten out of hand over the last few years and are creating an Internet meme of gloom and doom that’s affecting our mental health, our collective sense of hope, and our economy i.e., unconfident consumers do not make donations to nonprofits.

Q: Most important advice to social entrepreneurs and nonprofit start-ups in devising comprehensive communication and fundraising campaigns?

One of the downsides of social media is that nonprofits have now become too accustomed to expecting Web-based tools to always be offered for free. Even if a premium version of a tool only costs $25 a year, many nonprofits just won’t pay it. That is a huge mistake! You have to spend at least a little money to make a little and hopefully a lot of money. If you need to hire a designer to create a new banner for your blog, do it. If you have to pay $50 a month for a premium “Donate Now” vendor, please do so. If you need a custom-designed avatar, then by all means necessary, find the funds in your budget somewhere. The era of winging on the Social Web is over. Donors and supporters expect polish and professionalism in the execution of social media campaigns. It’s tragic really, how many nonprofits are spending hours upon hours blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking while making mistakes that severely hamper their ROI (Return on Investment) simply because they haven’t been willing or empowered to spend a little money or taken necessary training.

Check back later this week for Part 2!

Bio: Heather Mansfield is the owner of DIOSA Communications, principal blogger at Nonprofit Tech 2.0, and author of Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits. She also created and maintains the “Nonprofit Organizations” profiles on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, which cumulatively have more than 500,000 Friends, Followers, and Fans. A pioneer in utilizing social media for the nonprofit sector, Heather has fifteen years of experience utilizing the Internet for fundraising, community-building, and advocacy. To date, she’s presented more than 100 social media and mobile technology trainings throughout the United States and over 500 webinars to audiences worldwide.

Show us your cans!

2011-11-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

Since moving to New York City a little over a year ago, the prevalence of hunger has become an impossible issue to ignore. I have always felt passionate about this issue since I was a young girl who boldly told my Mom to ship the food I was unable to finish at the dinner table to the children she informed me were without food in other countries. Now I see just how many people are without enough food, and I get angry about just how much is wasted everyday. With the holidays just around the corner, I’ve been reflecting on previous holiday engagements I have had with family and friends in the past years. The one thing they all have in common, in addition to the warm fuzzy feelings and holiday cheer, is an over abundance of food.
If you have ever felt like you had to unbutton the top button of your pants to prevent it from flying off and hurting someone, as I have, you probably could have eaten less at a holiday meal. Also, if you’ve ever had so many leftovers that you had to eventually throw them away before they turned into a science project in your refrigerator, as I regret to inform you I have done as well, you probably could have purchased less food at the grocery store for your holiday celebration.
Here in good ol’ ‘Merica, many of us are more privileged than we realize, and live in a world of excess and over indulgence. I know you know what I’m talking about, especially at many of our favorite stable chain restaurants where the size of an entrée is comprised of enough food to feed the entire table! While you’re shopping this holiday season, before you grab the ingredients for the additional side dish you could do without, or that extra pie, maybe stop to consider your health and waistband, but also the unavoidable fact that there are just too many people who are less fortunate and don’t have enough to eat. You can use that extra bit of cash to buy cans to donate to a local food drive.
I feel very passionately about this, and will definitely be reconstructing my holiday season with others in mind. I hope you will join me so we can spread some cheer and make sure others have a nice meal to brighten their holiday spirits!

2011-10-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

Tricks and Treats

Happy Halloween everybody!

Full disclosure: Cute ballerinas, Buzz Lightyears, princesses, pint-sized SWAT officers (true story!) and ghouls aside - Halloween is not quite one of my favorite holidays. BUT, there are certain aspects of this day that I can definitely get behind… like delectable treats, and the creativity of costumes that make even the most jaded of New Yorkers do a double take.

Which reminds me, I’ve got tickets to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight. It was a last minute invitation, but having never seen the cult favorite in its entirety, I’m “shiver[ing] with antici…pation.” I’ll even go as far as bringing one of the many props to be hurled at the movie screen… note to self, buy roll of (recycled) toilette paper...

Now, back to the matter at hand, what would Halloween be without a Trick or a Treat?

I came across a site that has plenty of both. GreenHalloween.org, encourages visitors to “think outside the candy-box” and provides families with tips for affordable ways to turn traditionally un-eco-friendly holidays into greener, healthier celebrations. The site is a trove of ideas from candy alternatives, to a National Costume Swap Day, to a thorough planning guide for a Green Halloween Party!

That’s it for now… off to see about a tissue roll…

A happy (Evil laugh, eerie music, gooseflesh… etc. etc. etc) safe, and Green Halloween to all!

Fitness Schedules Benefit Cancer Survivors

2011-10-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Cancer survivors are not at the end of their battle once they go into remission. Treatment for cancer patients often leaves the person feeling depleted, drained, and at an absolute loss as what to do next. Lack of motivation is extremely common in all types of cancer patients and survivors.

Experts have discovered and claimed that creating a regular exercise and fitness schedule each week can help cancer survivors to regain their lives and to feel in control again. Energy levels are boosted and feelings of self-confidence are redeveloped and established once again with the implementation of a consistent fitness routine.

The National Cancer Institute writes about how exercise that is consistent in routine can help to greatly improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Whether a person has had mesothelioma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, or any other common form of cancer, exercise can help to reverse the effects that treatment has had on the patient.

Cancer treatment often leaves a person feeling unable to perform typical daily chores. Although it may seem difficult at first to find the motivation to begin an exercise regimen, once a person gets started with one, the positive results are seen almost immediately. Endorphins are released in the blood stream and these create higher energy levels in the person. Muscles are built back up after long periods of not being used very much. Mental and physical stimulation begins to occur within a cancer survivor when he or she begins to embrace a fitness schedule on a regular basis.

Long-term, healthy benefits result from incorporating exercise into almost anyone’s normal weekly schedule. Cancer patients and survivors can receive even greater benefits as exercise provides a healthy outlet to reduce the anxiety and stress that has accumulated from dealing with the various aspects of having cancer. Social activity, combined with exercise, can increase a positive outlook and help a person to return more quickly to his or her old and familiar lifestyle with a new outlook on life.

This post was contributed by David Haas. For more information please visit

http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/

Thank you David!

2011-10-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

What You Can You Celebrates a Breast Cancer Survivor (pt. 3)

Hey everyone! October is coming to a close. We have been so honored and inspired by all of the support and outreach we have received in honor of our Breast Cancer Awareness month. A huge thank you to everyone who sent in names for our Breast Cancer Event (set to go next week!), and a special thank you to Katie Parker, a 37 year old, one year breast cancer survivor/ speaker /writer and a 2011 Pink Together Ambassador who has shared her remarkable journey with us over the month of October. Please read on for Katie’s last blog. We hope it inspires you as much as it inspires us.

I've told you about my breast cancer diagnosis, surgery and treatment. Now, I'll tell you what happened after I finished treatment and how I'm doing now.

One week to the day after I finished treatment, I was terminated from my job.

Although I was given a specific reason, I don't think that it was a coincidence. Yes, I did speak to an attorney. This attorney agreed to represent me and told me that in the area where I reside, it's not uncommon for those who work in the medical community to be let go from their jobs after they finish treatment for cancer.

I also learned that having cancer puts you in a protected status with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means that there are certain steps an employer would need to follow in order to terminate you if you are protected under that status. My former employer did not follow those rules. Unfortunately, this attorney discovered that she could not represent me due to a conflict of interest. I was provided the names of other attorneys that could potentially help me and I called a few, but they were not interested in my case.

For those of you that have ever been unemployed, you know how time consuming a job search is. The first attorney I met with told me that my best option would be to file a discrimination suit with the EEOC. Apparently, it's a long drawn out process that takes about six months. Who wants to do that while searching for a job/starting a new one? Let alone trying not to disclose that information to a prospective employer. Nor is it a good idea to disclose a cancer status to future employers.

Long and heart wrenching story later, I chose to put my efforts into finding work, instead of suing my former employer, as I deemed a steady income more important. More than a year later, I am still searching for full time work. With benefits. Yep, I should have pursued the EEOC suit, but I didn't so I must move on. Currently, I work several part time jobs that don't quite add up to 40 hours a week. It's a scramble to pay my bills every month. I no longer have health insurance and the state I live in does not provide any assistance to single individuals. My oncologist has encouraged me to still get my follow up exams; however, it ends up being more bills that I cannot pay. Needless to say, the loss of my job financially devastated me and I have no idea how I'll ever catch up. I get depressed about it sometimes, but always remain hopeful that things will get better.

With the bad, I've had a lot of good. My breast cancer diagnosis was not devastating for me. It gave me a greater purpose and I knew that the second I was diagnosed. I've been able to speak at several events and spread the word about early detection. I've written for The Pink Lotus Breast Center's Breast Cancer 101 blog and am a breast cancer writer for www.thefightlikeagirlclub.com. I was selected to be a 2011 Pink Together Ambassador. As a Pink Together Ambassador, my picture, along with the four other women chosen appears on the back of select boxes of Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Total cereals. My individual picture appears on the back of select packages of Chex Snack Mix (Sweet and Salty and Turtle Mix) and Betty Crocker Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix. Pink Together also invited me to ride on the Pink Together Express powered by Amtrak for Martina McBride’s “Eleven across America” tour.

So, what does the future hold? I don't know, but at least I'll always be hopeful for what's to come.

Clearly, if you find yourself in a situation similar to mine, you'll need more than 60 seconds, but while you should not have to be secretive about a cancer status at work, it may be best to inform only those who need to know. Also, be familiar with the laws regarding cancer and employment in your state.

Of course, if you only have 60 seconds, what can you do to give yourself the best chance to survive breast cancer? Call your doctor's office or local imaging center to get scheduled for a mammogram!

Katie Parker is a 37 year-old, one-year breast cancer survivor/speaker/ writer and is a 2011 Pink Together Ambassador.

Tricks and Treats

2011-10-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Halloween is almost here! Hope everyone has their costumes ready!

While I do love the candy that comes with the holiday, Halloween has plenty more treats to offer. I found this awesome recipe on www.Care2.com for a pumpkin face mask that will make you look and feel fabulous, especially when you take off all that scary Halloween make-up!

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/pumpkin-face-mask-vitamin-rich.html

One of my absolute favorite treats in the fall is pumpkin pie! I could probably eat it every day of the year, but it’s much more special if I hold out for Halloween/Thanksgiving. I love to make them, but I have yet to try baking an organic pumpkin pie. I found this mouth-watering recipe, which I’m going to try out, and figured I’d share it with you. If you have any good recipes, or baking tips, please feel free to share. I know my way around the kitchen but I can still use any help I can get ☺

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/organic-pumpkin-pie-recipe.html

Also, I don’t know about you guys, but it’s starting to feel very chilly in my apartment. Almost time for the heat to come back on. While my West Coast blood has thickened a little, I’m still a complete wimp in the winter and I love making my apartment warm and toasty. As I learned last year, which was my first ever East Coast winter ever, and not an easy one at that, is that the warmer your apartment the higher your bills are. To avoid astronomical bills this season, here are a few energy efficient tricks for heating your home from www.energysavers.gov. I will definitely be using some of these tips this fall/winter!

Heating and Cooling Tips
• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

Hope everyone has a very safe, warm, scary, and happy Halloweeeen!

2011-10-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Go Green For Halloween!!!
Halloween has always been my second favorite holiday, right behind the 4th of July. This could be due in large part to my sweet tooth that just never seems to go away, but I also love the costumes! On what other day is it acceptable for you to live out your secret fantasy to be a pirate, or vampire? I also love horror movies, so the whole season is right up my alley! While I love a good scare on the screen, one of the scariest parts of Halloween has to be the costumes that are sold. Expensive, poorly made, and campy, oh my! Let’s be honest, for the price tag you’d think some of the women’s costumes could cover a wee bit more skin.
Since working for OTL, mind wheels have been turning about how all of us, including myself can make positive life changes, especially those that are beneficial to the environment. I then thought maybe I can apply my newly revived earth conscious thinking to one of my favorite days…and I’m challenging you to do the same! This year, I am planning on making the majority of my costume out of recycled materials. Not only is this going to be way more fun than going to the store, I’ll be saving a ton of money and helping our planet. This could also be a great activity to plan with your friends or kids, and help spread the word that recycling can be more than just separating your bottles, cans and other recyclables from the rest of your garbage. It’s amazing what you can do with different materials when you get creative.
Won’t you join me this Halloween, and see what we can do when we put our thinking caps on and go green! If you feel like sharing, as I will do, send us a pic of your magnificently beautiful, terrifying, disgusting, or fantastical creation.

What You Can You Celebrates a Breast Cancer Survivor (pt. 2)

2011-10-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Katie Parker, a 37 year old, one year breast cancer survivor/ speaker /writer and 2011 Pink Together Ambassador offered to share her remarkable journey with us. Over the month of October we will be sharing with you Katie’s story in her own words. We hope it inspires you as much as it inspires us.

Although I was told that my breast cancer was treatable, I didn't know exactly what that meant.

Treatable can mean a lot of different things. For six months? A year? Forever? Fortunately, my question was somewhat answered when I met with the doctor who would be performing the surgery to remove the cancer. I was told that since the size of the mass in my breast was 6 mm (approximately the size of a man's wedding band), and that I would have 3 surgery options to choose from-partial mastectomy, full mastectomy or bilateral (both breasts) mastectomy.

This meeting with the surgeon was truly a crash course in breast cancer 101. Terms and phrases I've never heard in my life or expected to know. My dad came with me to this appointment, to take in all of the information as well in case I forgot something. Bless his heart. I'm sure it was hard for him to listen to all of this stuff. Instead of just telling the surgeon to simply do what she thought was best, I decided to take the information she gave me and do my own research. Of course, I wanted to do the least invasive thing that would provide the biggest impact. This is why I chose to have a partial mastectomy-my first real surgery ever.

My partial mastectomy was done as a same day surgery, and I spent about 2 hours in surgery and several more in recovery as I felt really nauseated from the anesthesia. In my specific case, my treatment wasn't decided until after my surgery was completed, so I had no idea or expectations of what was to come. It was possible that I could wake up to the news that I would need several months of chemo followed by radiation. Luckily, my surgery was successful and the cancer was contained to the mass only. I did have 3 lymph nodes removed as the surgeon thought they felt swollen. In fact, I tolerated the surgery so well, I was able to go for a short walk with my mom that same night.

Since no other cancer was found, and testing of the mass found that it was estrogen/progesterone positive and HER2 negative, it was determined that the only treatment I would need would be radiation, which I started 6 weeks after surgery, so that my body could heal. Being ER/PR positive and HER2 negative is considered to be the "good kind" of breast cancer. While I met with an oncologist prior to surgery, he didn't really know what to tell me since my treatment wasn't decided until surgery. He gave me a general explanation of chemo and radiation treatments, but held off on going into much detail until we knew what was needed. Since my mass was so small, I did inquire about partial breast radiation, as opposed to whole breast radiation. I was informed that having partial breast radiation for my particular case would be extremely experimental. The oncologist offered to make some phone calls to check to see if this would be the best option, but I was having thoughts of the cancer returning with the partial breast radiation, so I decided to go ahead and have full breast radiation.

While I have no regrets, I do wish that I had explored the partial breast radiation more. I had little problems after surgery and no real pain, just extreme soreness. When I was finally able to start radiation, I found that to be easy as well. The appointments last about 15 minutes and you lay on a table while the machine does all the work. You can't move even once during the radiation treatment, as everything has to be lined up specifically and accurately in order to radiate the correct area. All of this is measured out prior to the actual treatments starting. I tolerated the radiation well, although it was not made clear to me that I should have been using a deodorant without aluminum in it, as aluminum causes a bad reaction with the radiation. My skin had a pretty serious skin reaction to this, so it took me a little longer to heal. Even though my surgery and treatment was relatively easy, I was surprised at how long it took me to heal. Even now, over a year later, the surgery site is still sore. I guess it would be, although it gets better every week.

If you only have 60 seconds, what can you do to give yourself the best chance to survive breast cancer? Call your doctor's office or local imaging center to get scheduled for a mammogram!

Rosie the Ribonner

2011-10-05T13:55:00.001-07:00

Think there's nothing you can do to help fight Breast Cancer in one minute? Join The Pink Ribbon Army today - http://apps.facebook.com/pinkribbonarmy

Starring: The What You Can Do Ensemble
Written by: Jessica Arinella & Cassandra Lizaire
Shot by: Alicia Arinella, Amanda Blohm, Cassandra Lizaire, and Brittney Phelan
Edited & Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Graphics Designed by: Amanda Blohm
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Dave Pell
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

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

Special Thanks: Rian Cool, Rosemary Jones and everyone at The GreaterGood Network and Dennis Arinella

Help fight Breast Cancer by clicking today at www.TheBreastCancerSite.com and help fund mammograms for Women in Need.

Join the Pink Ribbon Army

2011-10-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Think there's nothing you can do to help fight Breast Cancer in one minute? Lend your name to The Pink Ribbon Army today - http://apps.facebook.com/pinkribbonarmy

Starring: Alicia Arinella
Written by: Jessica Arinella & Cassandra Lizaire
Shot by: Amanda Blohm & Cassandra Lizaire
Edited & Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Animation by: Ace & Son Moving Picture Company
Music by: Shohan Cagle
What You CAn Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

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

Special Thanks: Rian Cool, Rosemary Jones and everyone at The GreaterGood Network and Dennis Arinella
This video was a collaboration between What You Can Do, TheBreastCancerSite.com, and Ace & Son Moving Pictures Company. Thanks to everyone!

Help fight Breast Cancer by clicking today at www.TheBreastCancerSite.com and help fund mammograms for Women in Need.

What You Can You Celebrates a Breast Cancer Survivor

2011-10-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Jessica here, the creator of What You Can Do. One of the things that I have loved most about working on this project is the collaboration that ensues with our talented community. When we were thinking about what we could do to honor those affected by breast cancer this month, we asked for someone to share their story with us. We were so honored when Katie Parker, a 37 year old, one year breast cancer survivor/ speaker /writer and 2011 Pink Together Ambassador offered to share her remarkable journey with us. Over the month of October we will be sharing with you Katie’s story in her own words. We hope it inspires you as much as it inspires us.

I'm Katie. A 37 year old breast cancer survivor. I will be writing a series of blogs detailing my experience with breast cancer. This first blog is about how I learned I had breast cancer.

The last thing I ever expected to hear from a doctor was "You have breast cancer." Breast cancer does not run in my family, there was nothing in my general health history to indicate that this diagnosis would be a possibility, nor had I ever had any pain or problems in my breast area. However, on May 23, 2010, at age 36, I was being told over the phone by a radiologist that breast cancer was now my reality.

Without family history, pain or problems or specific health concern, you may be wondering why I decided to have a mammogram. At the time, I was working in a radiology clinic and noticed that several women my age were calling in to schedule what's called a baseline mammogram. Since the clinic I was working in offered free digital mammograms to eligible employees, I figured that I would get one. After all, it was free and I like free things. At a regular check up with my primary care doctor, I informed her of my decision to get a mammogram. She advised me to wait a year. As crazy as it seems, this was not bad advice. Remember, there's no family history or a specific health reason why I should have one. Thinking about it for a month, I decided to have one anyway. The mammogram took about ten minutes and I expected to move on with my life and resume regular screenings at age 40.

A few days later, I was notified that there was an area of concern found and needed to have more images taken. This is what's called additional views or add views. This did not alarm me, and I expected this due to density in my breasts. During my add views, I was told that an ultrasound was needed. When that was completed, I was informed that a biopsy was needed and was being done right then and there. As I was being prepped for the biopsy, the radiologist gently informed me that the results would most likely be breast cancer. Even if it wasn't cancer, the mass would still need to be removed. Since it wasn't quite 8:00 a.m., it was a lot to take in. Plus, I just had this done because it was free! I was thinking that I was getting a little more than I bargained for. Once the biopsy was completed, I was given specific instruction to keep the biopsy area as cold as possible to prevent pain. I was provided with ice packs to keep and use for the remainder of the day.

Once everything was done, I simply returned to work. Since all of this was done by the company I worked for, I just had to drive to the building I worked at and start my work day. No big whoop. It was a Friday and I had lots to do during the upcoming weekend. Even though I was told that cancer would be the likely outcome, I was still shocked by the diagnosis when I received the call at home two days later (a Sunday evening). It was during that call that I knew I had received the freebie of all freebies. The cancer was caught early. Very early. Good news! The cancer type was invasive ductile cancer, the most common type of breast cancer. The second bit of good news was that it was treatable. The radiologist told me that I would look back on this later in life and see this all as a big inconvenience. Next steps were to notify friends/families/boss and to wait until the next day to meet with the surgeon and determine what the next steps would be.

NEXT BLOG: I'll tell you about my meetings with the surgeon, oncologist and let you how my surgery went!

So, if you only have 60 seconds, what can you do to give yourself the best chance to survive breast cancer? Call your doctor's office or local imaging center to get scheduled for a mammogram!

Honoring 9/11

2011-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Think there’s nothing you can do to help commemorate the memory of 9/11 in one minute?

Starring: Jack Halaby
Written by: Jessica Arinella & Cassandra Lizaire
Shot by: Cassandra Lizaire
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:
Martin Blair and everyone at The 9/11 Healing and Remembrance Program, & Dennis Arinella

Check out this Interview with What You Can Do Creator, Jessica Arinella on Halogen TV!

2011-08-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

What You Can Do Creator, Jessica Arinella, was recently interviewed by Halogen TV. She talks about how the project has developed over time and what issues inspire her the most.

What can you do in a minute? Order a pizza? Brush your teeth? Jessica Arinella , founder of What You Can Do, believes you can do a lot more.

Creator of one-minute videos about small and simple ways to make big and meaningful differences, Arinella shows that you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, alleviate cruelty to animals, protect the oceans or reduce hunger – take your pick, or do them all! (Warning: Doing them all will take four minutes.)

Arinella remembers the day she decided that she was going to start paying it forward; on her blog she wrote that it was not unlike the feeling that she got while watching the polar bears in “An Inconvenient Truth”. At the time, she was gripped by what she calls an “ISD,” short for Impending Sense of Doom.

That sense would eventually lead to a monumental surge of inspiration when she started What You Can Do in 2009.

Halogen TV recently chatted with Arinella to discuss her motivations, which issues hit home the hardest and an easy way to save 25 million trees.

How did you get motivation for What You Can Do , and how has it evolved since its inception?

Jessica Arinella: The motivation for What You Can Do came from a two-fold catalyst in my life. The first part was that I lost my mother to lung cancer. Losing her was a profoundly shattering experience for me, and it brought up that age-old question of “What’s it all for?” I found myself deeply questioning the world, how it works and what my place in it was. For some odd reason I was watching a lot of documentaries during this time. During one especially compelling film, I became so agitated that I left the room and started reading Us Magazine. I kept thinking, if there is nothing I can do about this issue, then I don’t want to know about it. I would rather read an article on Brangelina than confront that overwhelming feeling of helplessness again. Documentaries are so good at illuminating the gravity of the perils facing our world, but they often stop short of showing us how we can help fix the problem. I kept thinking, someone should do something about that! And then it hit me. Wait! I have access to one of the best producers in New York – my sister, Alicia Arinella. I have (albeit limited) production skills! Maybe I could do this.

Every weekday in 2010, we produced a new video highlighting what someone could do to take action on a variety of social and environmental concerns. We now have a website that serves as a toolbox for change and features over 260 videos. Each episode showcases a different one-minute idea to make a positive impact on causes like climate change, hunger and ocean conservation.

What are the issues that really hit home with you?

I care deeply about all of the issues we have covered, but I think the one that hit me most deeply is cancer. But even more than any one specific cause, I am most inspired by the idea of offering people an action that only takes a minute to do.

When we first started making the videos, we honestly weren’t sure there was something you could do in a minute for something as serious as cancer. But we were excited to learn from experts that, yes, there IS something you can do to help fight lung cancer, for example, in just one minute. This is especially inspiring to me because it implies that if real change is possible in one minute, then these problems are potentially solvable.

One of your one-minute videos says 75 percent of the energy used to power consumer electronics is consumed while the product is not in use. Think of how much less coal we could burn if we just unplugged our phone chargers!

I know! We’ve learned so many illuminating facts like that during this project. But our goal is to present these statistics in a way that inspires people rather than just making them feel guilty. For example, the average American can use up to 100 gallons of water a day. BUT, eight of those gallons can be effortlessly saved just by shutting off the tap while you brush your teeth morning and night. If one person made that simple change, he/she would save 240 gallons of water a month! Multiply that and the numbers are staggering. If 100 people did it, we’d save 24,000 gallons of water. With 1,000 people? We’d save 240,000 gallons!

Our one-minute actions don’t need to happen in a vacuum. We are hoping to build a community where we can start to see our individual actions add up to real and measureable change.

Conserving water is a recurring theme on your site. Why is this a major concern?

The EPA estimates that by 2013, 36 of the 50 states will be facing local, regional or statewide water shortages – and that projection is for non-drought-like conditions. The good news is there are countless ways to easily save water. We’ve already discussed turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, but you can also do so when you wash your face or shave. When you are heating up the water for your shower, put a bucket in the tub to catch the run off. You can then use the saved water to refresh your plants or wash your car.

In your opinion, what’s the best way to get people to understand the cause and effect of their actions?

One thing that helps me is to be more mindful of how much of a resource I actually need. Just become aware of how much water is going down the drain when you wash the dishes, or how many napkins you grab for your lunch. And then, start making changes where it’s easiest for you. If a hot shower is your favorite part of the day, don’t make your life miserable by taking it away. Start with something that feels easier. For example, maybe start with turning off the water when you wash the dishes, or make an effort to unplug your electronic equipment when it’s not in use. We recently learned that cable boxes are a huge culprit when it comes to energy drain, so maybe unplug your box at night.

I’ve learned that changing the world doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Know you can make a difference even one minute at a time. Just try it for one week. You will be amazed by what you can do.

Wanna read the article on Halogen TV click here!.

Alicia Beats the Heat

2011-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a week we had huh? I am not one for the heat. I get grouchy, blotchy and tired. In other words, I am no fun to be around. AT ALL. In fact, I don't have much patience for the cold weather either. I have about a 20 degree span of comfortability. Anywhere from about 55 - 75 degrees is my ideal. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but once we hit the triple digits? There will be a reckoning!

With heat reaching 105 degrees in New York and a heat index of 115 degrees, last week I gotta say, my first reaction was annoyance! I know it's summer and therefore Mother Nature has license to make it as hot as she likes wherever she sees fit on this continent of ours. I, however, disagree with the adamant and persistent attack that she enforced on us. I mean, we deal with the snow and the shoveling, we shouldn't have to deal with this kind of heat.

And then...as I went to restaurant after restaurant and their lights dimmed and their air conditioners failed cause of power outages, I got scared. Really scared. What was happening? This heat was not normal. Was this global warming? Eh Gads!

I am a subscriber of Green Energy and use a lot of recycled or green products in my home. I also recycle, reuse and reduce as much as possible, but on a recent vacation, I realized that's not the norm throughout this great country of ours. Even in 2011. And that makes me sad. We all gotta pitch in folks. We gotta help to fight these issues in our own homes first. If we want change to happen, it has to start with us.

If this past week freaked you out at all, or annoyed you in any way - consider watching these videos for some ideas on how to help stop global warming. Or please feel free to share ideas of your own.

All of these big changes start with us, we have to do something about it.
Take Action!

Hot Child, Summer in the City

2011-07-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Summer. Wonderful, beautiful, glorious summer is far and away my favorite time of year. I love the light. I love the long days. I love the food and the leisurely pace that comes from taking the time to slow down and relax. But here in NYC it is HOT. Really, truly, oppressively hot. And apparently we are not suffering the worst temperatures in the country. It is well established that watching the news can make me a lunatic, yet somehow I can’t stop myself. Everywhere there are reports of extreme weather. Extreme heat is pulverizing the middle of the country and Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas and their neighboring states are facing the most serious droughts since the Dust Bowl of the 20’s. All of this extreme weather has made me spend an enormous amount of my time thinking about water.

Water is our most precious and finite resource. Although about 70% of our planet is covered in water, only 1% of that water is available for human use. As the world’s population increases so does the demand for fresh water. The EPA has estimated that by 2013, 36 states are anticipating local, regional or statewide water shortages - and that is without drought-like conditions. So what do we do?

I created What You Can Do, because I firmly believe that we, all of us, want to help. I believe that we want to get involved and help fix these problems. And while we hold out hope that our elected officials will do their best to pass legislation to help ameliorate these issues, we can’t wait. We need to start with us. The good news is there are countless ways that we can easily save water in our everyday lives. Our Facebook fans collectively saved almost 2,000 gallons of water in a single week simply by turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth morning and night.

That’s just one idea! Here are some more:

• Cut your shower by just two minutes.
• Turn off the water while washing your face or shaving.
• While you are eating out, forgo the complimentary glass of water if you don’t intend to drink it.

There are hundreds more ways to conserve. It’s just a matter of turning our attention to this precious resource and being honest about what we really need. Below are a few videos with some simple tips to help us continue to effortlessly save water each day. You can also check out What You Can Do writer Karen T. Hartline’s blog : Every Last Drip (everylastdrip.blogspot.com) for more ideas. Also, please write in and share ideas of your own. I don’t believe that we are powerless. I believe we have a tremendous capacity for success. We just have to make it a priority in our own lives, even for just one minute, to prove to ourselves and to each other what we can do.

Conserve Water in your home

http://www.whatyoucando.ontheleesh.com/waterconservation/wc01.html

Small Changes that Save Water

http://www.whatyoucando.ontheleesh.com/waterconservation/wc04.html

Save Water while Dining Out
http://www.whatyoucando.ontheleesh.com/waterconservation/wc10.html

Alicia's Eyes on a Self Portrait

2011-07-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Alicia's Eyes on An Awesome Self Portrait

Have you seen this?

No it's not a Pixar monkey created by really talented animators - this is a real crested black macaque monkey from a national park in Indonesia. Julie stumbled upon the photo on The Huffington Post Green. Turns out this monkey stole a photographer's camera and took some hilarious self portraits including this one which has caused Julie and I to double over in laughter for about two days now.

And it reminded me of this photo that was filling cyber space two summers ago.

Remember this one? Well this couple was on a vacation in Banff National Park in Canada and timed a self portrait when this squirrel had other plans. Brilliant. Still love this photo. (Check out Melissa Brandt's caption at National Geographic Daily Shot. Choose Week 1 August 2009.)

But they both make me think...what would the world be like without these amazing animals? And without our amazing Parks for that matter? We have to protect our wildlife and our wild spaces. There is too much wonder in this world to take for granted.

Til next time, keep our world a green and safe place for everyone.

An Interview with Rupert Scofield (Part 5)

2011-07-01T08:57:00.001-07:00

Our final portion of our interview with Rupert Scofield.

Check it out!

An Interview with Rupert Scofield (Part 4)

2011-06-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Check out Part 4 of our interview with Rupert Scofield, author of The Social Entrepreneur's Handbook

Farm fresh summers in the city.

2011-06-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

My husband Gregory and I are obsessed with 3 things: beer, Lola (our havanese) and food.

Since Greg and I are from California we both grew up having access to the freshest fruits and veggies around. While my favorite grocery store, Fairway, here in NYC, has amazing produce, there is nothing like getting a head of lettuce straight from the field still slightly caked with dirt from the farm.

With that in mind, this summer we decided to try something new. We got involved with a small farm share for the summer months. We are currently enrolled with Corbin Hill Farms. They specialize in getting fresh produce to low-income areas. There are different sizes of farm boxes that you can chose from depending on the size of your family. The medium share runs about $12.00 and you can choose to donate a few extra dollars a week to the farm to help subsidize boxes for families who can't afford the full price. Greg and I opted to pay $15/week. The pick-up location is only one block away at a school in our neighborhood of Harlem.

Other advantages to using a local farm share are that it supports local growers and helps cut down on the use of fossil fuels. The less distance your fresh produce has to travel to get to you, the better it is for the environment.

Since our box comes every Tuesday Greg and I decided that from now on Tuesday would be known as "Iron Chef Tuesdays". We get the secret ingredients from the box, than we go get a protein and a special beer from Fairway to pair with our food from the share.

Yesterday was our first box. We got the following:

3 large potatoes

4 small apples

1 cucumber

1 bundle of Garlic Scapes (the top green portions of the garlic plant, harvested early in order to allow the garlic plant to focus more effort on growing the bulb)

2 small yellow squash

1 very large turnip

2 Candy Onions

1 bush of Kale

After much debate and discussion we decided that our first meal would be a sauté of organic Australian steak marinated in soy sauce with garlic scapes and elephant garlic. We also made baked mashed potatoes with butter, sour cream and finely chopped garlic scapes and sautéed yellow squash with a few heirloom tomatoes and finely chopped scapes.

We paired the entire dinner with a couple bottles of the deliciously hoppy and floral Race 5 IPA from Bear Republic Brewing Company in Healdsburg, CA.

Overall the meal came out great and I am excited to use the rest of my vegetables later this week.

I think I will be making some kale chips tonight when I get home!!

Happy Summer!

An Interview with Rupert Scofield (Part 3)

2011-06-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Here is Part 3 of our interview with Rupert Scofield. We'd love to hear your comments!

Want to get caught up? You can view Part 1 here.

An Interview with Rupert Scofield (Part 2)

2011-06-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here is Part 2 of our interview with Rupert Scofield. We'd love to hear your comments!

Want to get caught up? You can view Part 1 here.

An Interview with Rupert Scofield (Part 1)

2011-06-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, the team at What You Can Do was honored to have the opportunity to interview the President and CEO of FINCA, Mr. Rupert Scofield. Mr. Scofield has recently published the book, The Social Entrepreneur's Hanbook: How to Start, Build and Run a Business That Improves the World.

He sat down with What You Can Do creator, Jessica Arinella to talk about his experience with FINCA, to explain what microfinancing is exactly and to talk about his new book. This is Part 1 of our 5 part interview. Please check it out!

Alicia's Eyes on Wildlife - Florida Panther

2011-06-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Alicia's Eyes on The Big Cats.

Okay - let me start off by saying, I have witnessed the experiment in my psychology class about eye witness accuracy. My professor was talking, someone comes in to interrupt, then leaves. My professor continued lecturing as if nothing happened. A half hour later, he asked us what the person who interrupted us looked like. It was hard to remember. Was she wearing a white shirt or a white jacket? Was her hair brown or dark blonde? Glasses or no? Most people got it wrong.

Now, I know I have an excellent memory. My friends are always impressed and somehow stupefied with the things I can remember. It is kind of freakish, but I look at it as an asset. I'm quite proud. I got the eye witness test right. Nailed it!

However, and this is a big HOWEVER, I am not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw a Florida Panther at our hotel in May. I remember it clearly. Jess and I were standing on the balcony and we were looking at the ground towards the pool. This is a great site to people watch, but that morning we didn't see people, we saw a BIG CAT sauntering down the path and disappearing under the porch.

The first thing I did, after making sure that Jess saw what I saw and I wasn't hallucinating from the heat, was call the front desk. The woman who answered seemed to be familiar with said cat although she didn't offer specifics. When I said, "I know this sounds insane, but I just saw a cat the size of a labrador walking from the pool under building 3." Her reaction was more of a 'bummer' than 'this girl is bonkers.' I truly admire southern politeness, but this was a stretch - even for the south. I had the distinct impression that she knew what I was talking about and what I had seen.

So Jess and I started doing research. What we saw was large and tan with a black tipped tail. So far so good. No pointy, furry ears which would indicate a bobcat. Panthers' habitat can be wetlands or drylands. They are good swimmers and can go from wet to dry easily, but they prefer cover or woodlands. So, maybe it wasn't a panther? Also they are estimated to be very endangered. So what would they be doing at a resort in Florida? I know we all need vacations, but I started to think my love of Friday Night Lights and Coach Taylor's Panthers caused my mind to create visions. I started doubting myself.

And then I went online and found this website. Right under this picture (which is very similar to the cat we saw) were these words - This "Palmer Ranch Panther" has been determined to be a panther by a professional wildlife photographer that photographs panthers. Last sighting of the Florida Panther was in 2010 but it was only 19 miles away from our hotel. I think that it's entirely possible that my panther friend could have walked up the beach and found a nice and cozy home under the resort's porch.

What do you think? Did Jess and I see a Panther or were our eyes playing tricks on us.

To help protect the big cats - watch this.

To Our 10,000 What You Can Do Fans

2011-06-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

What is, "What You Can Do?" Is it a documentary? A how-to-get-involved tool? A public service announcement? A television show? A web series? What? Well... it's all of those things. On Facebook, we're a tool that gives like-minded people a place to share tips to help fight climate change or vote on his or her hot button issue. Our website, www.whatyoucando365.com, is our home. This is where we house all of our one-minute action videos. This is where you can look up simple, active ideas based on the issue of your choice. We've got close to 300 videos on there now - all with a wealth of information within a short amount of time. Our blog: whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com is where you can find our extra feature videos and updates from the producers like me and Alicia as well as the series' creator, Jessica Arinella.

So why am I telling you this?

Good question.

We've recently reached 10,000 fans on Facebook. Yahoo! That milestone was really appreciated over here. 10,000 fans. That's more people than went to my high school (I think). Everyone likes a big number and 10,000, is a nice big number. Yet, for us, we want more than those awesome digits - we want what's behind them - you. As we grow, we want to make sure that you're on board with us. We want to make sure that everyone still knows what "What You Can Do" is at its heart.

So here it goes:

What You Can Do is a short form series that offers you one-minute ideas to help combat major world issues like climate change, domestic violence, poverty, animal cruelty and wildlife extinction. We also offer tips on how to support our troops, promote tolerance and help people battling hunger. We take ideas from some of the best nonprofits around and put them into a video for you. That, at it's very essence, is what we do.

Here's what we're not going to do - we're not going to judge you for some simple pleasures. We're not going to tell you that you can never take a long hot shower again. We aren't going to tell you that you can't ever buy those little snack packs that have more packaging but make it faster for you to pack your child's lunch. We aren't going to beat down your door if you drive to work instead of taking public transportation. The truth is, over here at "What You Can Do" we often talk about the things that we could improve on. Jessica has an addiction to paper towels, I love a long shower and Alicia loves to take a lengthy drive alone in her car. We are like you. Living our lives as best we can while hoping we can do something that makes a difference in the world.

So what if we all changed just a little bit? What if, for more days of the week, I kept my morning shower to a minimum? What if Jessica limited her paper towel use 80% of the time? What if Alicia went for a long walk instead of that drive every other time she felt the need? What if you...?

"What You Can Do" is built on the "what if" principle. What if you watched a video today and promised to do the activity that week? Would it alter the world immediately? No. Would it make a difference? Yes.

This is who we are. This is what we're about.

Now we'd love to hear from you. Watch a video. Get in touch with us. Join our mailing list. "What You Can Do" is growing but our growth isn't worth anything without you. And if you have any ideas or issues that you'd like to see covered, let us know. You never know, we might just add it to our series' roster!

Thanks so much for reading and I hope to talk with you soon,
Julie

From Our Friends At Traveling Greener

2011-06-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Whether you plan to escape to the nearest beach or jet off to an exotic locale this summer - check out Traveling Greener, one of our favorite blogs for green travel.

The blog features cool ideas for trekking the globe and being kind to the planet.

Check out recent Traveling Greener posts below and start dreaming about your next vacation:

Cool Global Holidays

French Lessons in Paris

How to Green Your Car Rental

Stunning Ocean Photos

Alicia's Eyes on Vacation

2011-06-09T08:02:00.001-07:00

Whew. Its been a long time since I've written anything. Confession time, I was on vacation and it was awesome!

For the past 25 years, my family has been going to Long Boat Key, Florida. It's such a beautiful place with white sand beaches, great restaurants and shopping and wonderful people. This year we got to go for two weeks, and it was a huge treat.

The hotel where we stay is called the Long Boat Key Club and they have always been interested in sustainability and the environment. However, this time, I noticed that they received Florida's official "Green Lodging" certification which means they are recognized as one of the premier environmentally conscientious lodging facilities in the state. They are also the first resort and club in the Sarasota area to be awarded the "Green Business Partner" certification by Sarasota County. And their 291- slip, deep-water marina, is recognized by the State of Florida as a "Clean Marina", based on their commitment to implementing and maintaining environmentally friendly business practices. What a great place for the What You Can Do creator and producer to spend two weeks vacation. Not only is the place beautiful and peaceful, but you don't have to feel badly about negatively impacting the environment.

Over the next few blogs, I want to talk about the trip - about wildlife, the night sky, food and going green. Stay tuned for more.

And if you're going on a vacation this summer consider an ecofriendly one!

Alicia

Help A Child In India

2011-05-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

Action Link: Commit 2 Change

Starring: Julie Tortorici
Written by: Jessica Arinella and Julie Tortorici
Directed by: John Ruocco
Shot and Edited 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: Commit 2 Change, http://commit2change.org

Special Thanks:
Sumana Setty and everyone at Commit 2 Change
Dennis Arinella

You Can Help Veterans

2011-05-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Action Link: The Veteran's Site

Starring: Alicia Arinella

Written by: Jessica Arinella and Julie Tortorici

Directed by: John Ruocco

Shot and Edited 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: http://www.theveteranssite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=10

Special Thanks:

Rosemary Jones and everyone at The GreaterGood Network

Dennis Arinella

An Interview with Angelight Films Creator, Stephanie Angel

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Recently we were introduced to an organization called Angelight Films. As stated on their website, this nonprofit production company gives chronically and terminally ill children the opportunity to express themselves in their own short film.

We had the chance to interview Angelight Films creator, Stephanie Angel, about her organization, where her inspiration came from and how you can help support this important company.

1. Angelight Films is a great example of a person taking their expertise and passion and using it in a way that can help others. Was combining your two passions - film and advocating for children with brain and spinal tumors - obvious to you, or did something more specific spark the idea?
I had a younger sister who died of a brain tumor when she was five and I was seven. I wanted to do something in her honor. As I met more children who had brain tumors, I kept thinking of how wise, smart and funny these children are. I believe that we have a lot to learn from them, which is why I have combined my passion for helping these children and love for film, to give back in this particular way.

2. What is your end goal for each film that is created? What are you hoping the child and his or her loved ones walk away with?
The end goal is two-fold; first the child has a sense of accomplishment like none other, as their focus shifts from being a victim of a brain tumor to being a creator. This has proved to be an empowering process. Second, the child's family has a film to cherish that truly captures their child's brightness. A further goal is to expand to share our films in hospitals and other outlets where others can be inspired by films made by these children.

3. How much guidance are you providing the children when they make their movies?
The process begins with a kickoff meeting where I go to the child's home and meet the child and his or her family. They usually show me their room and share with me their interests and challenges. I ask them a series of questions to get to know them better and leave them with a sketchbook and some crayons which they use to draw and/or jot down some of their ideas. I meet with them again as many times as it takes to develop their ideas into a filmable format. The films are all about what the child wants to create, and they are engaged in the entire process. Our priority throughout the entire production, from the filming to the editing, is to manifest their vision into a film.

4. What are the reactions of the families when watching their film for the first time?
Lily, our first filmmaker, with her eyes wide open said "I want the whole world to see my movie!" Lily and her family call to tell me that they can't stop watching it. Kyle with his arms reached up in the air said “I am important!” And Colin, who was a King in his movie, invited his Queen and all of his friends over to watch the première. They kept playing it over and over.

5. What has been your most profound moment since creating Angelight Films?
It's hard to choose just one. I think the most profound moments for me are simply the looks on the children's faces when they realize they get to create a movie and it's about whatever they choose. It is priceless to see their proud faces when they are the center of attention for something so positive, and the way that they light up when they watch their finished film.

6. What advice do you have for other people who are motivated to create their own nonprofit, but are completely intimidated by the entire process?
If you are passionate about your cause, be persistent, don't give up, and eventually you will make your vision a reality. Don't be discouraged by the paperwork or the processing time. Use that time period to develop your ideas and reach out to contacts in your field. Also, surround yourself with a supportive Board of Directors who believe in your mission and are willing to go the extra mile.

7. What You Can Do focuses on actionable ideas that people can take in one minute. Is there something a person can do in one minute to help Angelight Films? If they can't donate money, is there another way they can contribute?
Email ten people a request to do the following to see if there are ways they may be able to help out:
View our films on our website http://www.angelightfilms.org/
"Like" us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/AngelightFilms
And follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/search/angelight%20films

Help Japan

2011-05-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Action Link: http://www.mercycorps.org/japanearthquake

Starring: Alicia Arinella and Julie Tortorici
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella 
Shot and Directed by: John Ruocco
Edited 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: Mercy Corps

Special Thanks:
Sylvia Ross and everyone at Mercy Corps
Dennis Arinella

The 46 Day Action Plan - Numbers 41-46

2011-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been following along with my 46 day challenge, and want to take part, I've been posting the ideas over the past few days. We're fans of simplicity over here, and this takes out all the guess work; therefore, it limits the excuses. I've already posted ideas 1-40 in previous posts but here are the last 6.

Here are numbers 41 - 46.

41. Support a Native American Family
Sign up for The Adopt-a-Native Elder Program and help supply food and medical supplies to Native Americans.

42. Protect the Night
Prior to May of last year, I didn't realize how important natural darkness is to our health and environment. Download these guides to learn out why - Since this is an issue that I didn't realize even existed, I'm guessing some of you may be unaware too. I'm using my minute today to share these 4 print outs - 1. Wildlife, 2. Energy, 3. Safety, and 4. Human Health from The International Dark Sky Association.

43. Help Brighten the Day of a Child Living with a Chronic Illness
Donate to Angelwish's Wish Program and bring a smile to the face of a child living with chronic illness.

44. Donate Your Frequent Flyer Miles to Service Members and Their Families
Through Fisher House, you can donate your frequent flyer miles to service men and women who are undergoing treatment from injuries from combat.

45. Support and Visit Your Park
Visit a local park and vow to do your part to leave it cleaner than how you found it.

46. Adopt a Manatee
Sign up to Save a Manatee and protect these amazing animals.

And that's it.
Please let me know if you take part in any of these ideas. I'd love to hear.
thanks!
Alicia

....more to come....

The 46 Day Action Plan - Numbers 31 - 40

2011-05-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, we're getting there. I've already recapped items 1 - 30. Next up, another ten ideas that I featured in my 46 day challenge. If you're interested in participating in any of these, here's a comprehensive list of the next 10 items with links on how to get started.

Here are numbers 31-40.

31. Show Shelter Animals Some Love
Donate to the Petfinder.com Foundation's Vaccination Fund and help keep shelter animals healthy and therefore more adoptable.

32. Dishwasher Dilemmas
It was sad to report that my dishwasher is on her last legs. I'm looking to get an energy efficient model, but based on my post - I got a lot of great suggestions in how to deal with the problem. Would repairing be the better fit?

33. No one should be Hungry
Play the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana's online game Hunger 101 to put yourself in the shoes of someone who is struggling to find something to eat.

34. Shop Responsibly
Through Green America's Green Pages program, you can search for companies and products that are sustainable.

35. Offset your footprint by Planting Trees
Donate to American Forests' Global ReLeaf Program. For every dollar donated, they will plant a tree.

36. Give Cancer the Bird
I asked our What You Can Do community how many people have been directly affected by cancer. I wanted to start talking about this disease, and share information with each other. And oh yeah, I HATE CANCER.

37. Get Yourself Fire Safe
Check out some Safety Brochures from the FDNY's homepage and get yourself fire ready.

38. Buy a Double Duty Gift
This year for my sister's birthday - I bought her a gift through the GreaterGood.org. Their Gifts that Give More Program you can purchase a variety of gifts to help people or animals in need. I donated to help the relief effort in Japan.

39. Text to Help Fight Domestic Violence
Text “HOTLINE” to 85944 and you donate $10 to The National Domestic Violence Hotline.

40. Support Your Local Animal Shelter
After your "daily click" at The Animal Rescue Site follow the link to vote now. Then you follow the instructions to vote for your favorite Petfinder.com shelter.

Logon tomorrow for the last 6 ideas
Thanks
Alicia

The 46 Day Action Plan - Numbers 21 - 30

2011-05-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it while I was doing it, but compiling all these actions - they really total up to A LOT of ideas. So again, to recap, I'm putting a list together of my 46 day challenge topics in case you want to join in.

Here are numbers 21-30.

21. Adopt a Soldier
Visit Soldier's Angels to give thanks to a service member by sending them weekly letters and monthly care packages throughout their deployment.

22. Protect the Honeybees
Jess is very happy to report this was our most popular post. Plant items in your garden that attract honeybees.

23. Make a Kid Smile
Support therapeutic horseback riding by supporting organizations like - Pal-o-Mine Equestrian.

24. Support Green Energy
Visit Defenders of Wildlife's Gulf Page you can sign a petition urging President Obama to reinstate the ban on offshore drilling.

25. Choose your Seafood Wisely
Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program to make sure the seafood you are eating is not in danger of overfishing.

26. Pick Restaurants that Help Fight Hunger
If you're visiting New York City, pick a restaurant partner through City Harvest to visit a restaurant that is committed to fighting Hunger in New York City.

27. Adopt an Acre of Rainforest
Visit Rainforest Alliance to adopt an acre of rainforest, play games and learn about these precious resources. Be sure to buy products that carry their Rainforest Certified Seal .

28. Help Haiti's Children
The children of Haiti are still suffering from the earthquake of 2010. Visit Mercy Corps Gifts to find a list of gifts to help people in need. I opted to Plant a Tree. Remember these are great gifts to give for Birthdays, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.

29. Help At Risk Youth
Through the OneCause program, I was able to buy my father a gift on Amazon and make a donation to The Home for Little Wanderers.

30. Help Protect Our Fishes
Play Go Fish on the Ocean Conservancy's website to learn about the state of fish in our oceans.

Logon tomorrow for ideas 31 - 40.
Thanks!
Alicia

Alicia's Eyes On... A Top Ten

2011-04-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Alicia here again. We got such great feedback on my 46-day challenge, that we decided to start different series on our blog where the What You Can Doers can talk about various issues and ideas that matter most to each of us.

Starting today, we're going to launch my series corner called, Alicia's Eyes. To kick off the blog, I've decided to write about my love of lists! I love a list. I love a count down. Basically, I love anything that I can scratch off after completion. The satisfaction is wholly rewarding to me. Last year, my dad and I completed our goal of setting foot in all 50 states and I savored the feeling of crossing each state off that to-do list as we went. This year we're starting a new list: Visit all the National Parks.

List lovers usually enjoy hearing about other people's checklists and I'm no exception. I especially love reading other people's top ten lists. When a viewer wrote in mentioning his Top 10 Zoos to Visit, I knew it would be a fun thing to share. Part of the joy of list making is getting people talking - did we include the right things? Is there a random addition on there? Was something outrageously excluded? Not all people agree on what should be on a top 10 list, so let's get talking.

I thought this was a great list to start with because it involves one of our favorite things over here - Wildlife Conservation. I have visited 4 of the zoos mentioned: The Bronx Zoo, The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Animal Kingdom and The Phoenix Zoo. I have always wanted to get to the San Diego Zoo (especially since now they have the Safari Park , but I haven't made it out there yet). No worries - it's on a list of places to visit, so I'll get there someday.

Though it's not a huge zoo, as I mentioned in my Earth Day Blog, one of my favorite things to do in New York is to visit the Central Park Zoo and watch the sea lions while sharing an ice cream with Jack. I just love watching the animals. I also love the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I could sit and watch the sea otters for hours. Jack and I are planning to make a trip up to the Bronx Zoo soon. I haven't been there for a few years, so that'll be fun to visit and I promise to report my adventures after I go.

So what do you think? What makes a good zoo? What would be included in your top ten zoo list?

Please let us know!

Thanks!
Alicia
more to come....

The 46 Day Action Plan - Numbers 11-20

2011-04-28T08:12:00.001-07:00

Okay here's part 2 that lists my 46 day challenges. If you came a bit late to the party, don't worry - I'm recapping it for you. We're all about simplifying stuff over here, so if you want to follow my lead, just look at this list and pick what you want to do.

Without further ado, here are numbers 11 - 20.

11. Help Support Women and Children
Donate to your local women's shelter. I visited the wish list for Doorways for Women and Families and donated a baby monitor and some diapers.

12. Magazine Swap
Instead of throwing out your magazine, use them for craft projects, donate them to schools or office waiting rooms. If no one wants them, be sure to recycle them.

13. Spread the Word about Clean Water
Post a photo from charity:water's website to your social networking page to let your friends know that people all over the world are in desperate need of clean water.

14. Erase Hate
If you want to help erase hate in this world, consider signing up for Kindness Cards through Rachel's Challenge or purchase anErase Hate T-shirt from The Matthew Shepard Foundation.

15. Test Your Fridge
Put a piece of paper in the door to your fridge and shut it. Pull it out. If it comes out easily, there's probably something wrong with your seal and you may need to replace it to help save energy.

16. Wear Your Seat Belt
In one of my most moving actions, I shared Christopher McDonough's story and ask you to join me and making any passenger in your car (either with you driving or riding) vow to wear his/her seat belt.

17. Help Someone's Dream Come True
Through Dream Foundation's Adopt a Dream Program, you can help grant a wish to someone who is suffering from a terminal illness.

18. Help Your Car Save Gas
By removing excess weight from your trunk and following these tips from US Department of Energy, you can help save gas.

19. Stop Getting Junk Mail
Interested? Visit - The Do Not Mail List and get rid of the junk! The trees will thank you

20. Spread the Word about Human Trafficking
Consider joining The UNODC's Blue Heart Campaign to help raise awareness for this issue.

Come back tomorrow for items 21 - 30.
Thanks!
Alicia

The 46 Day Action Plan - Numbers 1-10

2011-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you have come late to my 46 day Challenge posts, I figured I'd take the work out of it for you. After all, we're all about the one-minute movement here. This way you can see what ideas I took on, and how you could follow my lead. One stop action if you will. Since 46 is a rather large number in list form, I'm breaking it down in groups of ten.

So here you go...Numbers 1 - 10

1. Turn down the heat to 68〫
I still can't believe I hadn't done this one sooner.

2. Set your internet browser page to load onto the GreaterGood's click sites, and click every day.
The Animal Rescue Site, The Hunger Site, The Breast Cancer Site, The Veterans Site, The Child Health Site, The Literacy Site, The Rainforest Site

3. Spring Clean Clothing Swap
Instead of throwing out old clothes, accessories or household items - consider swapping them with your friends. It's a green tip that gives you a new wardrobe!

4. Give the Gift of Sight
If you have old eyeglasses lying around - donate them to Lions' Club International's Recycle for Sight Program.

5. Share Coupons
When you're doing your weekly coupon clipping, look for coupons for local shelters. For instance, you can send a local shelter coupons for pet supplies. Just remember to check with your local shelter first. You can also do this with women and children's shelters.

6. Show someone you care
Take a minute to write an elderly friend or family a letter to let them know you are thinking of them.

7. Symbolically Adopt an Animal through Defenders of Wildlife
Simply visit the Wildlife Adoption Center to pick an animal that you would like to adopt. Remember these make great gifts for the person that has everything.

8. Support After School Programs
Contact your local representatives to tell them to keep funding After School Programs. Let them know this issue is important to you. Click Here to find out how to find your representative and to view a sample letter.

9. Become a Micro Mentor
Ever want to give back a bit of the knowledge you've learned through the years. Mercy Corps has a program that teams you up with someone who is starting out in your field of expertise. You can offer your advice to someone when they need it most. Visit Micromentor.org to find out how to get started.

10. Turn off your power strip
Another one I can't believe I didn't do regularly. The Department of Energy estimates that 75% of the energy used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.

That's it for now. Check back tomorrow for numbers 11 - 20.

Thanks!
Alicia

The Past 46 Days - What I've Learned

2011-04-24T05:12:00.001-07:00

To be honest, when I started this challenge, I wasn't sure I would complete it. Not that I didn't believe in what I was doing, far from it. But I'm the person who, in the past, had a built-in back up system for falling off the Lent wagon. For every slip up, I would charge myself $10 in the past and donate that money to charity. So, did that mean I would donate $10 to charity for every day I missed in this challenge? What if my challenge was already donating to a charity? Hmmm, my backup system might not have worked...

Well, surprisingly, I've made it. It's Easter which means the end of Lent and the end of this 46-day experiment. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole thing, was picking which programs I wanted to participate in. We've teamed up with close to 90 organizations and from that list, we have featured several different programs within those organizations. How could I narrow it down to 46?

Here's how I did it. I picked issues that meant the most to me. From animal extinction to cancer awareness, these are issues that I support wholeheartedly. If I was going to commit one minute every day to an idea, I wanted it to be something that I'm passionate about. I also was particular about not picking ideas that I already implement in my life. For instance, we've done a number of videos highlighting green ideas. If it was an idea that I already do, like using the back of paper as scrap paper, or using my left over water to feed my plants, I didn't want those actions to count. This left room for other ideas.

So what did I learn?

#1 I have more time than I thought I had. When you break down this challenge into one minute actions over a long period of time, it becomes attainable. It's not as overwhelming and harder to put off or avoid.

#2 I have finally crossed things off my to do list. For instance, I wanted to adopt a soldier since we filmed our video about the program, but always had a host of reasons why right now wasn't the right time. Now I'm signed up and have already written three letters. I look forward to continuing the correspondance as her deployment continues.

#3 My sister was right. Shhh, don't tell her that - as her little sister, I have to retain a certain amount of resistance to her ways. But her advice was true. As I mentioned in my exchange on Ode Magazine Commit to Making an Impact, Jess said to me - "Lent is a great time for a busy person (i.e. me) to slow down and reflect on life." It was more meaningful and important to me to take on this challenge than to withhold chocolate, caffeine or sugar from my diet. She is very wise, and I'm very grateful to her every day. This picture (taken by accident I may add) - encapsulates how I think of her. She is the captain of this What You Can Do Ship, and I'm honored to hold the camera.

She's my parents' greatest gift to me ♥. (Don't tell her I told you that either).

#4 Like George McFly says in the greatest movie of all time, Back to the Future. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. And that's how I'm going to think of this project from now on. If we want to make a difference, we can.

Even if you only have one minute, there is something you can do about it. Be the change you want to see in the world, come on let's show them What We Can Do!

~Alicia

I'm Crazy about Manatees!

2011-04-23T05:18:00.001-07:00

So, as I mentioned in my blog Adopting an Animal - a dilemma, I'm a big fan of helping endangered species. I don't think that any creature on this earth should go extinct because of the selfishness of humans.

Growing up my favorite animal was the elephant. I was infatuated with them. To this day I still find them incredibly fascinating. For instance, did you know that the only known predator for a healthy adult elephant is humans?

Did anyone see that 60 Minutes episode focusing on American scientist, Angela Turkalo's research into a Secret Language of Elephants? If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend clicking the link right now. Ms. Turkalo has been studying a group of wild African elephants for twenty years. While observing their behavior, she has learned about how they communicate, and is beginning to compile a "dictionary of sounds." No joke - check it out. These animals are just INCREDIBLE.

My love of wildlife continued with age. As I got older, I became more and more fascinated with our oceans and the rich life living there. One animal really stood out to me - the Manatee. From the moment I saw these strange looking creatures, I was fascinated. I fell in love. Would it surprise you to learn that they're related to elephants? No, cause they're awesome. My love has a focus!

My family has been going to Sarasota, Florida for over twenty years. While we were down there, my parents learned about the Parker Manatee Aquarium, home to Snooty the Manatee. You can help support Snooty and visit this fascinating animal. Can't make it down to Florida? Check out the Snooty Live Cam. This is definitely a time sucker. I'm obsessed.

Last year, we teamed up with Save the Manatee Club. Through this organization, you can Adopt a Manatee and help protect manatees and their habitat. This program allows you to choose between a bunch of manatees that you want to symbolically adopt. You can read a little bit about them and see which one calls out to you. They have manatees from a number of different places one of which is Homosassa Springs State Park in Florida. And like Snooty, if you're near Homosassa Springs - you can visit the very manatee that you adopted.

So join me and adopt a manatee today. I'm choosing Brutus cause he reminds me of Atticus (my pooch is the biggest poodle I have ever seen). (***This photo isn't actually of Brutus. His photo was too small, but I thought this one was too cute!)

A symbolic adoption is a great addition to an Easter Basket. Who wouldn't want a manatee with their chocolate bunnies?

Help save these amazing creatures! Let's get them off the endangered list. Let's show them What We Can Do.

Alicia

In Honor of Earth Day - Support Your Parks!

2011-04-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

Living in New York City has its downsides. We don't get to spend a lot of time in nature. Since moving to the city, I have lived on the Upper West Side, and there is a very good reason for that. I love Central Park. I can't imagine living in this city without having walking access to it. When you're in Central Park, it's so big, you can almost convince yourself that you're in the country for the day. Almost.

My favorite spot in the park is Bethesda Fountain. It's pretty close to my apartment, so I can walk there easily. I love seeing the statue change throughout the seasons. I find myself there on every walk. I just like to check in and say hi, she's become a familiar face and one of my favorite landmarks in the entire city. But there are so many gems. The Zoo is amazing. The Alice in Wonderland statue? Amazing. And who can forget the Turtle pond?

When I was growing up, the first sign of spring was always seeing a Robin on our lawn at home. Now the first sign of spring is seeing snowdrops and daffodils poke their heads above the dirt in the park.

Since today is Earth Day, if you find yourself in NYC, consider visiting the Spring Flowers in bloom in the park. On a Central Park blog, I found this bit of info on the Top 10 place to see Spring Flowers. Definitely worth visiting. In the park right now you can see Magnolias in bloom, tulips and of course daffodils.

This blog also features the Top 10 Romantic Spots in park. So if you want a romantic respite with your honey, think of doing it in this lovely park. And you don't have to be ooey-gooey either. Jack and I just like to walk in the park, share an ice cream cone and watch the sea lions swim at the zoo.

To kick off this day, I'll take a walk in the park and just take in the beauty that is abundant. I've visited the park so many times for fun and for work. We shoot in the park often (it's our favorite location to shoot in the city), and each time I visit, I find something new.

So support your parks! Remember that they are a gift and we have to take care of them. Leave them cleaner than you found them, so that they can last for generations to come.

Donate Your Miles to Service Members and Their Families

2011-04-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Do you have a credit card that accrues mileage on an airline? Do you use those miles? Well I can safely say yes to the first question and sort of to the second one. Seems I'm never using the miles properly. Airlines have black out dates which cause problems and sometimes I forget that I have miles available (which is crazy but it happens). Other times the airline is having a great deal, so I think I'd rather save my miles (for what, I don't know, but I save away). These companies love me. Basically I sign up for a program and don't use it. I'm a dream!

HOWEVER, after producing our video with Fisher House, I now know what I can do with those miles I have sitting around. They have a program that allows you to donate your frequent flyer miles to wounded service members and their families. Specifically, Fisher House Foundation provides free airline tickets to military men and women who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center incident to their service in Iraq or Afghanistan, and their families.

Brilliant!

I feel good about signing up for a free miles program because I can use it to give back to the people who are giving up so much to protect me and my family. Really, the balance still feels skewed in my favor, but at least I'm doing something to help.

So today I'm going to donate a few miles to this amazing organization. It's a pretty simple process. Just click here. Click on the airline that has your miles, and then follow the steps for where to email or fax your request. It's super simple and definitely takes less than a minute!

If you have a few extra miles lying around, why don't you join me?

Thanks!

Alicia

Help Brighten the Day of a Child Living with Chronic Illness

2011-04-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

One of the first organizations that Jess ever volunteered with was AIDS Project Worcester . Through working at this organization, Jess learned a lot about giving back to her community and it helped instill a lifelong passion of helping people in need.

Cut to many years later, when we were looking to sign on organizations for What You Can Do. We came across Angelwish, an organization helping children living with chronic illness. They were one of the first organizations to join on to this project and were part of our initial 21 videos. Angelwish has developed over the years from focusing on children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS to reaching out to children living with or affected by chronic illness (such as diabetes, asthma or kidney disease).

At the heart of Angelwish is their Wish Program. Simply click on the country and then state where you want to help. You can select a program in your community to get started. Angelwish also has an Amazon Wishlist where you can purchase gifts that they will get into the hands of children in need. On the right hand side of the wishlist, you will see where the gift is going.

For today's challenge, I will grant a wish and hope that it helps brighten a child's day.
Will you join me?
Thanks

Darkness is Important

2011-04-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love the stars, am fascinated with NASA and watch every show on NOVA about the universe. One thing I really hate about living in New York is the fact that I can't see the night sky anymore. The black out of 2003 was terrible, but it did give us one of the coolest gifts ever - stars behind the Empire State Building. It made up for the oppressive heat (at least in hindsight).

Last May, my family visited Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. When we got there, we went to the visitor center, and Jess saw a notice about Dark Ranger Kevin Poe's Live Events. We were instantly curious. We all thought it would be amazing to look at the night sky through a telescope. Ranger Poe said we would see Saturn (which we did - AMAZING!) We were excited about it - thinking it would be an astronomy show. We didn't realize that it would be a presentation about protecting the night sky.

During the presentation, Ranger Poe talked about the effects of the vanishing night sky; what it does to our health by affecting our melatonin. What it's doing to our wildlife by confusing migrating birds. If you're interested in any of these studies, you can visit The International Dark Sky Association's resource page.

Since this is an issue that I didn't realize even existed, I'm guessing some of you may be unaware too. I'm using my minute today to share these 4 print outs - 1. Wildlife, 2. Energy, 3. Safety, and 4. Human Health.

Take a minute to read them over and let know what you think.
Thanks!
Alicia

Support a Native American Family

2011-04-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

I have always loved Native American textiles. I love their weavings as well as their pottery and jewelry. Ever since my first trip to Arizona when I was 13, I've been in love with the region, the culture and the people. After visiting a number of reservations, I was disheartened by how this amazing heritage has been forgotten in our country. They are mostly forgotten and over looked, and it's alarming.

When we worked with The Adopt-a-Native Elder Program last year, I knew that this would be a program that I would want to participate in. As their website states: The “adoption” program is the heart of Adopt-A-Native-Elder. Each spring and fall the program makes a series of “food runs” to the reservation to deliver food and medical supplies purchased for the elders by their sponsors.

If you are interested in helping this amazing organization, but do not want to participate in the adopt-an-elder program, they also have a variety of other ways you can get involved. You can sign up for their newsletter or, if you're interested in buying a weaving, you can visit their Annual Rug Show. And if you're interested in helping children instead, ANE has a number of programs that help support children. Please click here for more information.

If you are interested, please consider helping this important organization.

Thanks,
Alicia

Help Your Favorite Animal Shelter!

2011-04-17T08:02:00.001-07:00

For today's challenge, I'm opting to vote for an animal shelter through The Animal Rescue Site.

The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com have teamed up for this $300,000 challenge. After your "daily click" follow the link to vote now. Then you follow the instructions to vote for your favorite Petfinder.com shelter.

Each week they select a winner to receive a $1,000 grant to help animals!

Please take a minute to help your local shelter! The animals will thank you:)

Thanks!

Alicia

Text for Domestic Violence

2011-04-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

So many of us want to do something to help fight Domestic Violence but where do we start? This issue seems so overwhelming and so threatening that it easily induces Jess's phrase - "Impending Sense of Doom."

Well we have had the pleasure to work with The National Domestic Violence Hotline on a number of their campaigns. As the leading organization on the front lines of this issue, The NDVH provides crisis intervention, information and referral to victims of domestic violence, perpetrators, friends and families.The Hotline answers a variety of calls and is a resource for domestic violence advocates government officials, law enforcement agencies and the general public.

Through working with NDVH, we have learned that there are a variety of things that you can do to help fight this issue in one minute. Please Click here for a variety of ways that you can help NDVH, or click here for ways to get involved with Love is Respect, the teen dating abuse hotline.

Today I chose to take part in their text to give campaign. All you have to do is Text “HOTLINE” to 85944 and you donate $10 to this amazing organization. If you aren't able to donate financially, please check consider alternate programs related to DV and teen abuse that don't require financial contribution.

Will you join me in support of this wonderful organization?
Alicia

Double Duty Gifts

2011-04-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what to buy someone? Sometimes it's hard to pick especially when you know that person has everything they want. I try to make gifts personal. If I see something throughout the year, I'll pick it up and put it away until that person's birthday or Christmas arrives. However, even with all of this planning, sometimes I get stumped and am left with the question - do you buy a generic gift? What do you do?

Well, The Breast Cancer Site has a section called Gifts that Give More. On this page, you will find a variety of gifts that help a person struggling with cancer, that provide food and care to hungry animals or that give support to children in need. It's a great resource to visit if you are looking for gifts or even if you just want to help.

I went on the site today deciding what I wanted to get (for Jess's birthday - shhhh, don't tell her), and I saw a new tab to help with Japanese earthquake relief.

On the page, it said the following: 100% of your donation will go to emergency assistance and recovery for victims of the Japan earthquake, tsunami, and aftermath as a grant through GreaterGood.org. GreaterGood Network stores do not receive any profit from donations through this Gift That Gives More™; we bring it to you in the spirit of the greater good. We even pay the credit card transaction fee, so every cent of your donation goes to charity.

I thought this would be a win-win for Jess. So please check out the page, and think about a double duty gift.
Let me know what you decide.

Thanks!
Alicia

We are producing a video with Mercy Corps targeting how you can help this disaster, but until that time - please see our video below about the Gifts that Give More program.

Get Yourself Fire Safe!

2011-04-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Even before I found myself dating a firefighter, I was concerned with fire safety. It probably stemmed from being raised by a woman who had a healthy sense of fear based preparation. I still remember the meeting places that we decided at each of my houses growing up. If, god forbid, there was a fire -we were to meet at the lamp post (dog in tow).

To that end, I know the meeting place at my dad's and my own apartment. I've got it covered.

I have given my sister a notice for her door alerting the FDNY to Scout's (her dog) presence in case of a fire.

I change my smoke detector's (the one that's not hard wired) batteries when I change the clock. Smokey the Bear would be so proud. Wait isn't he just for forest fires? I bet he's anti-unwanted fire of any kind.

We keep a fire extinguisher in our kitchen just in case my cooking becomes an issue. I have ruined two pans on two separate occasions (oddly making applesauce both times. And its so easy!).

So I guess today is a good day to practice my 911 call. A year ago I took a CPR class. I was interested in taking one for years and never got around to it. I think it's an important skill that we all should have, but I procrastinated. However, after reading a book about Columbine, I was astounded by the fact that no one knew how to administer CPR. This was the impetus. As I mentioned, fear based preparation is big with the Arinellas.

In my class, we practiced talking to 911 about an accident but not a fire. So today, I'll practice speaking clearly, stating my address and location and the nature of the emergency. Practicing this will help me stay calm if an emergency ever occurs.

A very important bit of info we learned is that even though you're still delivering the information, help is already on the way. That's a reassuring thought when time is of the essence.

Will you take on a fire safe one-minute challenge? Hopefully you won't have to thank me for it, but as the Boy Scouts say - always be prepared!
Thanks
Alicia

An Interview with Jessica & Alicia on Shoestring Venture

2011-04-14T08:14:00.001-07:00

Hey there everyone, Julie here.

I wanted to let all of you know about a recent interview that Jessica and Alicia did for shoestringventure.com about social entrepreneurship. I may be biased about the quality of the article seeing as how it not only profiles two of my favorite people, but I also happened to be the interviewer! Check the interview out here: http://bit.ly/hTYHxu.

And as always, let us know what you think!

Thanks!

Julie

What You Can Do and Ecoseed.org

2011-04-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

What You Can Do was recently introduced to the site: ecoseed.org. According to their website, ecoseed.org is: the leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business.

Occassionally, we'll be cross-posting articles that we think you guys might like and you'll be able to find some of our videos on their site (in their multimedia section) as well.

In honor of this new relationship, we thought we'd highlight an interview we recently read on their site that highlights an organization called 1% for the Planet. We thought this was a great compliment to our 1-minute movement! Check out the interview here: http://bit.ly/g0z1hX.

Give Cancer the Bird!

2011-04-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

I hate cancer. I think it's stupid, mean and useless. I mean what do you gain from having cancer? Headaches, stress and hair loss. It's not fun! I know there are people out there who say cancer is a blessing. I am not one of them.

I asked our facebook fans how many of them have been affected by this disease. Though I wasn't surprised by the number of responses, it still made me take pause.

Hare are a few of the responses we got:

"I lost my Mother in law April 15.2010 to Breast Cancer .. My Mom also had Bladder cancer and it's been in remission for 6 years now..."

"lost my mum nearly a year ago to pancreatic cancer"

"i lost my mom to lung cancer"

"I lost my dad 4 years ago at age 62 to kidney cancer that spread to his brain"

"I lost two aunts one to cervical cancer the other to breast cancer...."

"Lost sister to Ovarian cancer, Aunt to lung, husband living with Prostate cancer..."

"my dad pass away with liver cancer. my daughter robyn has ovaian cancer its bad also she has 2 spots on her left breast. ... i had curvical, aslo had lung cancer, i'm cancer free... my daughter amanda had ovarian cancer she is cancer free"

"my mom has breast cancer for the second time"

"My dad is currently fighting lymphoma. Fortunately it is going really well and is expected to be done with chemo after two more rounds. My wife's aunt died this week due to cancer in the liver and bone... My wife had skin cancer on her nose...Fortunately all of her check-ups have been clear since."

And as for me? I lost both my grandfathers and my mother. My cousin is in recovery for Breast Cancer and doing well. Recently a very good friend of Jack's (my boyfriend) was diagnosed with the disease, so she's now in our thoughts and prayers.

What You Can Do has teamed up with The Lung Cancer Alliance, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, SHARE, TheBreastCancerSite.com, The Colon Cancer Alliance, and The Skin Cancer Foundation. All of these organizations offer great programs and support for people and families struggling with this disease.

When I took on this 46 day challenge, I knew that I would have to address cancer, but how? I wanted to get people talking so we that we could get motivated and do something about this issue. It seems that there is no one that cancer doesn't touch. It doesn't discriminate by age, gender, race or religion. There is no one target. So I'm really not sure what to do about it. I guess I wanted to get our community talking. To share stories, to offer support and guidance on where to turn for help. I knew I wanted to take time to reflect on this disease, so that's what I'm going to do with my minute today.

Hopefully in the future people's posts will be different. They'll say, "I'm cured!" but for now, all of those affected are in my thoughts - especially today.

Thanks
Alicia

Offset Your footprint; Plant a Tree

2011-04-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

We've heard it many times. Trees are important. They're vital to our ecosystem, weather, and help combat global warming. Trees are great, yet, it seems they are cut down all the time. Sometimes they're chopped down because they're sick, sometimes they're cut down to make room for something else. But what happens when all those trees are gone? Do we plant others to take their place?

We did a video last year with American Forests. Their Global ReLeaf program has planted trees in every state in the nation, and in more than 20 countries around the world. For every $1 donated, a tree is planted in one of their projects. They have planted 33 million trees since the program began in 1990, and have set a goal to bring that total to 100 million by the year 2020.

Today I've decided to donate to American Forests, because in plain sight on their page it lists TEN REASONS (THEY) PLANT TREES. I've included them here, so you can see what motivated me.

1. Trees save energy and money. Just three trees strategically planted around your home can cut your air conditioning bill in half.

2. Trees save tax dollars. Trees in a city slow stormwater runoff and reduce the need for storm sewers. Tree shade also help cool municipal buildings, lowering electricity bills.

3. Trees cool our cities. Urban "heat islands" are directly related to massive tree-cutting for development.

4. Trees clean our water and air. From low level ozone in our cities to pesticide and fertilizer runoff from our farms, trees absorb harmful pollutants.

5. Trees help community life. Tree planting and community based forestry can add significantly to a local community's sustainable economy while restoring the environment.

6. Trees protect soil. By holding soil in place with their root systems, by deflecting pounding rain with their canopies, and by adding nutrients each fall with their leaves, trees are crucial to keeping and improving our soil.

7. Trees provide habitat for species of many kinds -- including endangered species. Our projects have gone to protect habitats of such species as the Siberian tiger, monarch butterfly, grizzly bear, bald eagle, and more.

8. Trees can pay your "carbon debt". Planting just 30 Global ReLeaf trees will absorb the amount of carbon dioxide that is generated in the production of energy for the average American lifestyle each year.

9. Trees provide clean water and natural flood control. Forests act as natural reservoirs, and they protect watersheds, providing clean water for cities, bays and rivers.

10. Trees are a beautiful part of our lives. From striking individual trees that are of historic significance or are simply large and majestic, to a grove of trees in a city park, trees enrich our lives by simply being there. Trees are not just a key to the natural ecosystem -- trees are an essential part of community life.

Will You Join Me?

Alicia

Diary of An American Shopper goes Green

2011-04-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

So last year, I wrote the blogs Diary of an American Shopper. In November 2009, Julie challenged the On the Leeshers to take on an idea that we wanted to commit to for thirty days. I decided that I wanted to buy American. And I was committed. I was so impassioned that I continued this goal for many months. I did slip up, but to this day, I try to buy things that are made here. It's something I believe in.

Well, as this 46 day challenge has progressed, I knew that taking on the idea of shopping would come up. One video that we produced was with Green Pages. The National Green Pages™ is a directory listing nearly 3,000 businesses that have made firm commitments to sustainable, socially just principles, including the support of sweatshop-free labor, organic farms, fair trade, and cruelty-free products.

Through Green America's green pages program, I can order a catalogue or search on line for companies that have sustainable practices. Say I want to buy eco-friendly party goods...I just search for them online. Or maybe I want to find eco-friendly craft supplies (not that far fetched), no problem. I thought this was great, and will add it to my bookmark bar on my computer so I remember to use it for searches.

Will you check it out?
Let me know
Alicia

Give Hunger the Boot

2011-04-10T04:34:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky. I have never experienced hunger. Sure my stomach has grumbled, but I don't know what it's like to wonder where my next meal is coming from. As I mentioned previously in No one should be hungry I love food. We all do in the office, so helping to erradicated hunger was something we took very seriously.

My sister has long been a proponent of the no waste idea of food shopping. She would rather go to the store or farmer's market ever other day than having to throw the food out. To that end, she HATES food eating contests. She thinks they send such a bad message with all the food that is wasted because people try to eat more than they know they can. I tend to agree with her.

Last year we teamed up with The Second Harvest Food Bank of New Orleans and Acadian. They are a wonderful organization fighting to eliminate the issues of hunger in the Greater New Orleans area. One of the programs they offer is something that will apply to anyone regardless of where you live.

Through their Hunger 101 program, you can play an online game that gives you a "crash course on living with hunger." Through this game, "you take on the role of someone who doesn't have enough to eat."

You first pick a person by reading backstory on four different "characters." I chose Karen Jackson - a 27 year old single mother who lives with her five year old daughter and two year old son. Next up, you are given a budget for your characters expenses and asked to choose how you are going to buy food - at the grocery store, through applying for food stamps or at a soup kitchen. I choose food stamps and after going through the process was rejected because my income was too high. Now I'm out a day of work and still need food. So, I try the supermarket where I have to choose between items that will reach my calorie count for the week while staying in my budget.

As the game goes on, I have greater appreciation for what this must be like. This online tool is so well crafted that you get frustrated, depressed, confused and concerned while playing. I highly recommend that you try it and pass it along so others can do the same. It will help you think before you buy food you may not eat.

What do you think?

Let me know - Alicia

Dishwasher = ♥

2011-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

I, Alicia Arinella, have an unnatural attachment to my dishwasher. I love it. Having grown up with a dishwasher, I took it for granted. I never knew how wonderful this invention was until I moved into an apartment with NO DISHWASHER. It almost sounds like a swear. No Dishwasher. It makes me shudder.

I want to take a moment and give a big old shout out to Josephine Cochran. That's right - a pretty savvy lady invented the dishwasher and unveiled it at the 1893 World's Fair. Even though restaurants and hotels bought her invention, it didn't take off for home use until the 1950's.

Now, no offense to people who like the rhythm of hand washing dishes. I have plenty of dishes that have to be washed by hand, but for most of my things, I use the dishwasher. I'm pretty attached. Sometimes I feel like Donna Reed, so happy that I have an appliance in my home.

But lately, I think my dishwasher is sick. She's not cleaning as she used to, and that makes me worried. I know that she works hard. We like to go through dishes around here. With upwards of four people eating lunch here every day and two eating breakfast and dinner, she has her work cut out for her. I know that a dishwasher can use less water than washing dishes by hand if you run it when it's full. But what if it's not running properly?

I'll tell you. If it's not running properly, you have to rewash dishes and that's unacceptable! To wash things twice? Not only is that ridiculous but I'm wasting water. So I pledge to get a new one. I have found some pretty inexpensive ones that are Energy Star Certified. Even though the process of researching, buying and installing a new dishwasher takes more than a minute, I think that it's important to save the water, so I'm taking in on.

How about yours?
Let me know - Alicia

Show Shelter Animals some Love

2011-04-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

We're an office full of dog lovers. Through the years, we have produced videos on dog grooming, dog training and city living with your dog. Both Julie and Melissa have adopted rescue animals and we find ourselves talking about our pets for at least part of every day. It was no surprise that we wanted to do videos highlighting issues surrounding animal cruelty.

Needless to say, we were so happy to partner with The Petfinder.com Foundation. They help homeless pets through adoptions, helping shelters prepare for and recover from disaster and work to make shelters across the country more sustainable. If you're interested in adopting a new pet, they are a great resource.

We produced several videos with them - and you should check them out. But I took on this challenge to do one-minute-a-day, so I had to pick one of their programs. Today, I'm going to contribute to their Vaccination Fund. You can contribute money to vaccinate a dog from Kennel Cough or a cat from FVRCP. I wanted to choose this program because every year 6 to 8 million dogs and cats will enter U.S. shelters. Vaccinations are critical to help these animals fend off highly contagious diseases prevalent in crowded shelters. Because keeping shelter animals healthy greatly increases their chances of being adopted, vaccination programs help reduce the number of shelter animals euthanized for lack of a home. Not bad for a minute's work.

Will you join me?
Thanks - Alicia

Gardening Tips: An Interview

2011-04-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

The basis of the "What You Can Do" series is to offer the average person actionable ideas to make a difference about whatever issues speaks to them most. Alicia and I met Andrew Spilberg while producing a corporate video for PRG. He's a master at his job and travels all around the world working to make some of the biggest events, concerts and award shows awe-inspiring. In chatting with Andrew we discovered that not only is he some kind of technical genius, he, along with his wife, is becoming a master gardener. Essentially, he's a "What You Can Do" All-Star. He's changed some of his carbon footprints into earth-friendly tracks that lead to a backyard organic garden. Since I myself have been known to kill a cactus, I thought he'd be a great person to talk to.

Read on for some tips and some inspiration on how you too can create your own produce garden!

What made you want to begin gardening at home? Was it just because you were interested in the experience of gardening, or was it so that you could reduce the cost of your produce and control how it was grown?

Andrew: My inspiration for gardening at home as two fold. First we, my wife deserves credit as well, had a side yard that we just finished terracing. Previously it was an area that was about a 3' tall slope that was about 10' deep and 50' long. It was covered with a flowering ground cover seen along major highways here in California. It had to go. By terracing the area we were able to create two flat areas that were 100% useable. Once complete we quickly decided that some raised planting beds would be nice. In turn we built four 5' square redwood box frames. I made them stackable so we could either have four that were 1' tall or one that was 4' tall. However in the 12+ years that we have had the garden we have always had four.

Secondly we had a need to landscape the backyard. When it came time to buy plants and trees we started out slow with the ornamental variety. They looked nice but they were very expensive. One day I saw a "Citrus Fruit Salad" tree at our local garden center. It had lemon, lime, two varieties of oranges, and a tangerine grafted to one tree. How cool was this! A tree to fill an area and it produced fruit that I liked. SOLD! From then on no matter what we planted in the back yard we decided that it had to produce something that could be eaten. Over the years we added a grapes, blueberry, artichoke, rosemary, Fuji Apple, Asian Pear, and Cherry trees. They have all done a wonderful job in helping to landscape the yard as well as produce fantastic fruits and vegetables.

In the raised planters and the terraced areas we plant seasonal vegetables including; Lettuce, Beet, Corn, Peas, Beans, Peppers, Sunflower, Eggplant, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Zucchini, Radish, and whatever we find that looks interesting. We especially like the heirloom varieties that are next to impossible to find in any store.

Why did you choose to create an organic garden?

A: There was a point in the first year of our garden when I was standing in the garden center of our local home improvement store trying to decide what chemical solution I should buy. I was reading the labels to make sure that the bug or weed was included on the list of things that it would kill. I began to question what happened to those chemicals after they were applied and were done doing their job. Did I really want to apply something that had more warnings about its use then a chainsaw? I put the chemicals down and started to walk out the store when I noticed some tubs of Lady Bugs at the register. I picked one up and low and behold those little guys would eat my problems away. That is where it began. That container led me to a website where I was able to see benefits of using lady bugs and my personal favorite praying mantis. While we didn't intentionally set out to produce an organic garden it just sort of turned out that way.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own garden? Any lessons learned?

A: Even if you don't have a back yard there are other alternatives. A community garden area, a window box, or just a single plant in a pot. Not too much of an investment can lead to big rewards.

Fertilize with compost. Not only will you be sending less material to the landfill it will improve the soil and your plants will reward you.

Would you advise someone to start with one vegetable or fruit only, or would you tell someone to just go for it?

A: If you aren't ready to jump in with both feet, that's ok. Start with a single plant in a pot, something that you like. I would suggest a tomato or a strawberry. Do a little research and ask for help if you think you are running into problems. The internet, "farmer's almanac" and your neighbors are good sources of information. Don't get discouraged if you don't end up with a crop of fruits a vegetables that will feed the neighborhood. My cherry tree is not a big producer. In the first five years it produced a grand total of two cherries. Two years ago it produced one cherry. Last year it produced twelve. That was a 1200% increase over the previous year. I wish I could do that with the stock market. Admittedly twelve cherries isn't much but progress is progress.

Do you find that the produce you grow in your backyard tastes different than supermarket produce?

A. I do find that what we grow in our garden has more intense flavors and are sweeter. I think we can attribute that to the fact that we control when something is picked. Just one extra day can make all the difference in a strawberry. There isn't anything to get in the way from the time something is picked until it is being served in a salad, made into a pie, or grilled.

Anything else you'd like to share?

A. My dad likes the results of our efforts as well. He calls it "Andrews Victory Garden." He was born in the '30s and says that our garden reminds him of the victory gardens that his parents, friends and neighbors planted during WWII.

My dwarf citrus fruit salad tree produces more lemons and limes twice a year than our family of four can consume. Share what you grow with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and local food bank.

Here are a few links to some resources that I think are great:
Gardens Alive: http://www.gardensalive.com/
Beneficial Insects 101: http://www.beneficialinsects101.com
Farmers' Almanac: http://www.farmersalmanac.com/
Composting info: http://www.howtocompost.org or http://earthmatter.org/
Victory Garden info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden

Thanks again to Andrew for his insight!

Signing off,
Julie

Help Protect Our Fishies

2011-04-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Choose Wisely, our oceans are threatened by overfishing. Preventing overfishing has long been a passion of mine. When swordfish was on the threatened list - I used to pitch a fit to anyone who would try to order it around me. My passion for our oceans began at a young age, which gets me thinking...

Last year, we visited kids at a school in Brooklyn on Earth Day to talk to them about ideas for going green. Almost all of them said to shut off the lights and recycle. This lingo has become so ingrained in our kids, it's now the new "wash your hands" and "brush your teeth." Which leads me to believe that if we can get kids to start paying attention to the world's problems at a young age, there's no telling what they can do with our planet.

The Ocean Conservancy has a great program called Go Fish. It's an online game that teaches people about the state of fish in our oceans. Though it's not great for really little kids (it includes some pretty advanced concepts), it would be great for anyone age 10+. And there are incentives to play: if you answer all five questions, $1 will be donated to help the Ocean Conservancy's efforts to make overfishing a thing of the past.

Even though it's a game, it's not just for kids. I urge you to join me today and play this game to see what you know and don't know about the state of our oceans. The more people we get to play, the more $1 donations will be made. Oh and don't feel bad about your score - I got 2 right the first time I played.

If you have a little one at home, play the game with him/her. Instill your kids with the love of our oceans. This love will grow with them and there's no telling what the outcome will be. I hope that these problems won't face our grandkids, but it starts today. And it starts with you.

Will you join me?
Thanks - Alicia

Help At-Risk Youth

2011-04-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

While we were working on What You Can Do last year, my father suggested we team up with The Home for Little Wanderers. My father grew up in Boston and though he moved away years ago, he has stayed very involved in the community. The Home for Little Wanderers has been part of the Boston landscape for over 200 years, making it the oldest agency of its kind in the nation, and one of the largest in New England. Their mission is to: ensure the healthy behavioral, emotional, social and educational development of children and families living in at-risk circumstances.

We produced the video below that suggested ways to get your children involved with organizations like this. Today, however, I decided to do another one-minute action featured on their website. The Home for Little Wanderers is involved with the OneCause program. OneCause is an online community that helps you raise money for the participating organization of your choice while shopping at over 750 well-known merchants (from Amazon to Lands’ End).

Even though Father's Day is a few months away, I figured I'd double my gifts by buying a few books for my dad through this program. It's win win. Just click your favorite online store and automatically contribute a percentage of every eligible purchase to The Home.

And OneCause features a variety of organizations, so check them out, look for your favorite organization and give the gift that keeps giving. Visit Onecause.org to find out more information.

Thanks!
Alicia

Update from Doorways

2011-04-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I donated some goods to Doorways for Women and Families as part of my 46 day challenge.

Well I just got a note from them. On the card it says:
"Without in-kind contributions like your, Doorways would spend over $1,000 every month on groceries, household and personal items."

So if you are thinking of giving to your local shelter, hopefully these words will help motivate you to action!

Thanks,
Alicia

Help Haiti's Children

2011-04-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year since the tragic earthquake in Haiti. When we first started What You Can Do, we knew there might be a tragedy during the year that we'd have to address. We hoped that it wouldn't happen, but only a few months later, we woke up to the devastating news.

We scrambled in the office trying to post up-to-the-minute information from Mercy Corps and Action Against Hunger on our facebook page. We wanted to get ideas on how to help into the hands of our community.

Throughout the year, more tragedies hit, but the stories from Haiti continued to affect us. To this day, the people of Haiti are still trying to rebuild, and they still need our support. That's why today, I've decided to Plant a Tree through Mercy Corps. They no longer feature the comfort kit featured in our videos, but this gift will: help restore beauty and pride to the degraded and disaster-stricken neighborhoods while giving fruit and wood to help families make a living.

If you continue to be haunted by the images we saw, and continue to see from Haiti, consider planting a tree as well.
Thanks!
Alicia

Make Sting Proud - Adopt an Acre of Rainforest!

2011-04-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, campaigns to help protect the rainforest were everywhere. Every other report seemed to be about the depletion of the rainforest or our ozone layer, but these days, I don't hear as much about this anymore. Turns out though, the threats that faced the rainforest all those years ago are still there; we just don't talk about them as much. Except for Sting, who is the Bono of the rainforest.

Last year, we teamed up with The Rainforest Alliance on videos to help these precious ecosystems. They feature various kid-friendly programs on their site. They have online games that will educate you and your little one on how goods like bananas, chocolate and coffee get on your plate. You can also find coloring book pages and fact sheets that can help your mini-me's get passionate about protecting these resources.

I, however, opted to adopt an acre of rainforest as part of my challenge. Through Adopt-A-Rainforest, you can contribute funding to small conservation groups in tropical countries that work to stop rainforest destruction. Donations to the Adopt-A-Rainforest projects support the purchase and sustainable management of tropical forest lands. Pretty cool. I could choose to support a particular project in a country of interest, or ask the Rainforest Alliance to select one in need. I'm a little indecisive and felt bad singling one out, so I broke my donation up between the 9 options.

And next time you go to the supermarket to stock up on coffee, chocolate or fruit, be sure to purchase Rainforest Alliance Certified products. You can use your buying power to help enact change. There are a lot of options out there. And believe me, they're just as delicious.

Thanks!
Alicia

No one should be hungry

2011-04-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I have a migraine today, so i am going to keep this blog short.

I love food, love it. Plan my day around what deliciousness I will find next. And that makes me so upset for those who have to go without food. It makes me want to give back.

In New York City, we have a wonderful organization called City Harvest. Through them, you can donate food as well as money. However, you can also frequent restaurants that assist City Harvest in their fight to end hunger. Definitely something to check out if you're a native to the city or in town for a visit.

More tomorrow!
Thanks!
Alicia

Choose Wisely

2011-04-02T05:06:00.001-07:00

The Knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade said it best - you must choose, but choose wisely, for as the real choice brings eternal ocean life, the false choice brings death. Okay, I'm paraphrasing. But you get the drift. We are overfishing and most of us don't know what to do.

One of the first phone calls that I made for What You Can Do was to the Monterey Bay Aquarium because of their Seafood Watch Program. The Aquarium has broken down ocean-friendly seafood choices by region. You can download these pocket guides on their website and carry them with you, or if you have an iphone, you can download the free app. These guides help us be better Seafood Consumers, helping us make smarter choices and teaching us to ask the right questions.

My dad says that when he grew up the coasts of New England had some of the richest seafood beds in the world. Unfortunately, we have overfished these waters and what was abundant is now damaged.

Tonight I'm going to a Seafood restaurant with my family and I plan on using my Seafood Watch guide. This will help me make an ocean friendly choice. I'm gonna download a copy to Jack's Droid Then it's always with us.

I recommend that you visit the website, download your own guide and start using them at your restaurants and supermarkets. Better yet, download a few and pass them out to friends. Whenever I see that a friend has an iphone, I swipe it and download the app for them. They thank me for it. So does the ocean and so will you:)

~Alicia

My guide for tonight:

Support Green Energy

2011-04-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

I still remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill. I remember watching the nightly news in our kitchen, seeing the footage of animals covered in oil, getting beached on the shore, and struggling to move. Those images were haunting and they stay with me to today. It was at this time that I first fell in love with sea otters and my lifelong interest in marine wildlife began in earnest. I remember thinking at the time, there is no way that the powers that be would allow another disaster like this to happen.

Cut to 21 years later, almost to the month, and another disaster struck. We watched it in the office and wondered how far the impact would spread. For almost six months, the oil flow was continuous and we sat horrified - worried that it wouldn't end and that we were powerless to stop it. Now, however, it's been almost a year, and I don't hear much about it anymore.

How can things be so powerful and then lose their impact? Do we become desensitized when no longer faced with the immediacy of the threat. Or perhaps, if the threat isn't in our backyard, it's easier to forget? Well I for one, don't want to see this happen again.

We worked on a video with Defenders of Wildlife last summer. If you visit Defenders of Wildlife's Gulf Page you can sign a petition urging President Obama to reinstate the ban on offshore drilling. Defenders still needs 75,000 signatures, so please consider signing up. It takes less than a minute.

Thanks!
Alicia

From the Defenders website -

Experts say that the spill threatens at least 400 species, at least 19 vital wildlife refuges and communities dependent on the Gulf’s multibillion dollar commercial and recreational fishing and tourist industries.

President Obama has ordered a temporary moratorium on offshore drilling in new areas, but Big Oil and their political allies remain committed to industrializing our coasts… even at the cost of another ecological disaster.

Help save the lives of the whales, sea turtles and other wildlife that could be lost to the next drilling disaster. Urge President Obama to reinstate the moratorium on drilling off our coasts.

Alicia Arinella on Ode Magazine

2011-03-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

Alicia's article about her Lenten Challenge has been featured on Ode Magazine.

Read the article to find out how her idea to do a one-minute WYCD action every day for 46 days got started. A big thank you to Ode Magazine for giving What You Can Do a shout-out!

Help Make a Kid Smile!

2011-03-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

Last year, we teamed up with Pal-o-Mine Equestrian, a therapeutic horseback riding stable on Long Island. We heard about them through a friend of ours who has a son, Jonathan, with Mowat-Wilson Syndrome. Since her son started working with Pal-o-Mine, he's made great strides in some of his movement and sensory issues.

I grew up riding horses and I found that being so close to these animals helped me focus. This concentration in turn helped me with my learning disabilities and my hyperactivity. There is something about being in the presence of an animal that is so big and powerful that requires your full attention. Riding horses allows you to connect on a very instinctual level; the horse picks up on your subtle movements and emotions. You can't be worried around a horse, or the horse responds. You can't be distracted on a horse, or the horse knows. You develop a strong sense of responsibility in caring for these animals and the equipment needed to ride them.

This past October, my boyfriend, Jack was on a horse for the first time. Growing up as a city boy, he never had any experience around horses, and he was quite afraid. He was nervous that the horse would bite him or make a break for it. Jack went trail riding in Moab, Utah where John Ford and John Wayne filmed their Westerns. I didn't want to tell Jack that the horses are so trained that they would walk the path even if Jack was sleeping, but I did tell him not to worry. After the brief ride on his horse, Jack came back more centered and at ease. Perhaps it was living the life-long dream of becoming a cowboy, or maybe it was the horse himself.

Being on a horse helps with coordination and muscle control. In addition to the physical benefits, riding can help encourage confidence, cooperation and self-esteem. Therapeutic horseback riding has been proven to help with autism, downs syndrome, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and the effects of traumatic brain injuries.

Between my love for these amazing animals and my desire to help people like Jonathan, I dedicated my one-minute activity today to help support Pal-o-Mine Equestrian by becoming a Carrot Club Member.

If you are interested in this type of therapy - consider helping Pal-o-Mine Equestrian.
Please feel free to share your horse stories with me. I'd love to hear them.
Thanks!
Alicia