The Difference a Day Makes: 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours
272
The Difference a Day Makes: 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours
272eBook
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781577317852 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | New World Library |
| Publication date: | 10/05/2010 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 272 |
| File size: | 313 KB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
The Difference a Day Makes
365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours
By Karen M. Jones
New World Library
Copyright © 2005 Karen M. JonesAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-57731-785-2
CHAPTER 1
Nature Nurture
* * *
Fill what's empty. Empty what's full.
— Alice Roosevelt Longworth
Where is your favorite retreat? On a curve of deserted beach, a leafy lakeside hideaway, the summit of a snow-capped peak, a patch of sweeping prairie? We are all stewards of planet earth, with its precious resources entrusted to our care. Whether or not future generations will enjoy these same riches — or whether our own private paradises remain — is up to us, today.
1
Un-Litter the Land
Take a trash bag to a local park, playground, or picnic area and pick up what others have carelessly discarded.
2
Smell the Flowers
If you like to garden, check with local schools, community centers, nursing homes, or hospitals to see if you can plant some perennials to create a bright spot in people's lives.
3
Sort It Out
Visit your local recycling center to see what it would take for you to start separating your trash and disposing of it smartly. Start by purchasing a trash container with two or three separate, removable "bins" so that you don't have to sort your recyclables later.
4
Give Yourself a Refill
If you buy bottled drinking water, find out if a local grocery store has a filtered water vending machine where you can refill your empty water bottles for about twenty-five cents per gallon. If your favorite grocer doesn't offer this service, put in a request with the manager.
5
Use It or Refuse It
If you intend to eat your takeout food at home, ask the counter clerk or drive-through provider to hold the napkins, flatware, and condiments you have in your cupboard. If you're calling in your order, make a special request for "no napkins, no flatware, no condiments." Make an effort to patronize establishments that use recycled and recyclable containers for takeout orders.
6
Say It with Pixels
Save a tree by sending electronic greetings for special occasions. You can double your environmental impact with an e-greeting from care2.com, where your missive generates support for eco-friendly causes.
7
Shop for Something Green
Whatever you're buying today, it's likely that an environmentally friendly option exists. You can find it online by visiting greenmatters.com or ecomall.com/greenshopping, or by entering "green shopping" into your favorite Internet search engine.
8
Reuse Your Shoes
Turn your old running shoes into a soccer field, basketball court, or playground. Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program recycles athletic shoes of any brand — not just Nike shoes — and transforms their materials into athletic surfaces and Nike products. Find a drop-off location at nikebiz.com (click on Responsibility, then Environment) or mail shoes to:
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Avenue
Wilsonville, OR 97070
9
"Green Up" Your Home
Preserve the environment of your own household by buying eco-friendly products for cleaning, pest control, home improvement, lawn care, and more. Find out from the National Institutes of Health's Library of Medicine (householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov) what's in your home-care arsenal and whether it's harmful. Environmental Media Services provides suggestions for healthier alternative household cleaners and landscaping practices; visit ems.org and click on Library, then topics under Consumer. For more information, contact:
National Library of Medicine
Division of Specialized Information Services
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
E-mail: tehip@teh.nlm.nih.gov
Environmental Media Services
1320 18th Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202-463-6670
10
Put Down Roots
Plant a tree for Arbor Day or to commemorate another event or meaningful occasion. You can start your tree as a tiny seedling in a pot. Ask your local nursery what trees are native to where you live, or take advantage of the resources and fun facts at arborday.org.
11
Don't Medicate the Fish
Old or excess medications flushed into sewage systems or discarded where drainage can transport them to waterways can affect aquatic life. Call your pharmacy or local hospital to ask if they collect expired medicines for safe disposal or destruction. If they don't, contact your local hazardous-waste disposal center for instructions.
12
Put Trash on the Wall
Make a poster for your home that lists common materials — aluminum cans, paper, oil-based paints, batteries, motor oil — and how and where you can recycle them. Use the information at earth911.org, at your local library, or from your local hazardous-waste disposal center.
13
Order a Refill
Drop off empty printer-ink cartridges at your local office-supply store for recycling.
14
Achieve a Healthy Glow Use oils and waxes to finish wooden furniture and other items instead of volatile, vaporous polyurethane, lacquer, or varnish.
15
Preserve Public Lands
Annually in September, National Public Lands Day provides a wealth of opportunities around the nation for one-day volunteerism, from cleaning up waterways and restoring habitat to painting park benches and planting sea grass. Find out what you can do by calling 800-8658337 or visiting npld.com.
16
Give Kids Fresh Air
Take a small group of kids on a day hike or other outdoor excursion in your area. Kids from urban locales, in particular, can benefit from connecting with nature.
17
Know Plastic's Number
If you must buy plastic, avoid buying plastics with numbers 3 through 7. (Look for the number inside the embossed triangle on the bottom of most plastic items.) They are difficult to recycle, and their manufacture is very polluting. Be conscious of what types of plastic can be recycled in your area (1 and 2?), and buy accordingly.
18
Express Wild Thoughts
Learn about the environmental issues that matter to you, then send an automatic message to your congressional representatives at saveourenvironment.org. You can also get tips at the site for writing a letter to your newspaper editor. At sierraclub.org, you can send messages to corporations that have environmentally unfriendly practices.
19
Nix Paper and Plastic
Take your own reusable bags to the grocery store; most grocers sell inexpensive, sturdy versions with their name on them. Try to buy products and food with little or no packaging; if you're buying just one produce item, such as a melon, don't bother to bag it in plastic.
20
Surf Active Turf
Introduce a young environmentalist to great Websites with lively games, contests, and activities that teach fun eco-lessons. Enter "kids environment games" into your favorite Web search engine, or try eddytheeco-dog.com, kidsdomain.com/games/ earthday.html, or missmaggie. org.
21
Pay Tribute to a Tributary
Find inspiration in the poetry and artwork about watersheds created by young participants in River of Words (riverofwords.org). Encourage a young person to enter this annual contest affiliated with the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
22
Choose Friendly Fabric
Look for organic cotton, linen, or industrial hemp instead of rayon. Silk and wool are also good choices. While regular cotton is more forest-friendly than rayon, the pesticides used in growing it cause other environmental problems.
23
Tap Into Good Energy
Find out what products, practices, and energy suppliers in your area will help you save energy and access renewable sources (such as wind, solar, and geothermal energy) at the Energy Guide (energyguide.com).
24
Get Reports from the Wilderness
Stay informed with the biweekly Wilderness Support or periodic WildAlerts from the Wilderness Society. Sign up at wilderness.org or contact:
The Wilderness Society
1615 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
800-THE-WILD
E-mail: action@tws.org
25
Discover Oceans of Inspiration
Take a trip beneath the ocean to appreciate our undersea treasures. At Oceana (northamerica.oceana.org; click on Oceana Interactive), you can look through an ocean-cam, download photos and screensavers of aquatic creatures, get tips on saving beaches, and more. Or find out how many pounds of debris were collected along your state's coastlines during the Ocean Conservancy's annual Coastal Cleanup; see the list at coastalcleanup.org/results.cfm or contact:
The Ocean Conservancy
1725 DeSales Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
202-429-5609
26
Green-Screen Your Car
Find out how your car ranks in terms of gas mileage (mpg), greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution ratings at fueleconomy.gov. Don't like what you see? Click on Gas Mileage Tips for advice.
27
Give New Life to Old Electronics
CollectiveGood (collectivegood.com) recycles your used cell phones and other mobile devices to benefit your choice of more than fifty partner charities. For example, you can drop used cell phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and pagers at any Staples store to support the Sierra Club.
CHAPTER 2Care about Kids
* * *
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
— Theodore Roosevelt
You may have children of your own, you may know some kids on your block, or you may have a child-free life in which "youth" is more a concept than a daily reality. Whatever your circumstances, we all have a stake in how young people grow up, and they rely on us to guide them wisely. By advocating for the health, safety, education, and well-being of children, you pave the way for a productive, promising adulthood — a community that reflects the care given during those early years. Take time to provide attention, engagement, and a listening ear to a young person in need; see what you can do in a day to design a brighter future for a child.
28
Get Parents Talking
Host a group of neighborhood parents to discuss common issues among the kids on the block — even if you don't have kids of your own. A fresh perspective can be invaluable.
29
Share a Story
Read to children at your local library, community center, or child-care center.
30
Open Your Arms to an Infant
Your local hospital needs volunteers to rock babies in its care.
31
Walk Along
Participate in a "walk a child from school" program. Call your local school for information, or organize an informal effort among your neighbors.
32
Be a Shelter's Relief
Contact a homeless shelter in your area to ask how you might help with a field trip, picnic, or art workshop for its young residents.
33
Share Your Expertise
Teach what you know — poetry writing, art, crafts, music, theater, nature, computers — at a local youth center or after-school program. Ask the director if you can be part of a special day of "guest instructors."
34
Form a Friendship
Take an hour or two to value a child in need of extra care. Figure out when you could be available to do any of the following, then contact your neighbor, your church, or your community center and extend your offer to:
• Take a walk together
• Attend a play, movie, sporting event, or school activity
• Work on a creative project together
• Wash the car
• Go grocery shopping, then cook together
• Play catch
• Go to the library
• Go sledding, skating, or snowman-building
• Join a community service project
35
Take Credit for Caring
Apply for the America's Promise credit card. A percentage of your purchases will help fund the work of this national youth-support organization. For more information, visit americaspromise.org or contact:
America's Promise — The Alliance for Youth
909 N. Washington Street, Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314-1556
703-684-4500
36
Inspire a Shutterbug
Provide a child with a used or new camera and invite him or her to capture life on film. For inspiration, visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's ImageMaker's online gallery at bgca.org (click on Programs, then The Arts).
37
Provide a Professional Peek
Introduce a secondary school student to a future career via virtual job shadowing. Kids can watch professionals go through a typical day's activities in online videos at virtualjobshadow.com. You can also plan for a child to shadow you in person on National Job Shadow Day.
38
Start with One Thing
Discover 101 Things You Can Do for Our Children's Future, a free list available at connectforkids.org (click on Volunteer). You can purchase the printed version by calling toll-free: 888-884-1200.
39
Keep Up with Youth
Sign up to receive e-mails about youth issues from the Children's Defense Fund (childrensdefense.org/getinvolved; click on Subscribe to an e-mail Listserv under Take Action Online). If you prefer, you can purchase printed materials for a nominal fee at the site's Web Store. For more information:
Children's Defense Fund
25 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-628-8787
E-mail: cdfinfo@childrensdefense.org
40
Develop Character
Tell your school about Operation Respect and its free Don't Laugh at Me programs, which use inspiring music and video recordings along with curriculum guides to teach kids about mutual respect. Programs are tailored to various grade levels, including one for summer camps and after-school programs. Visit dontlaugh.org or contact:
Operation Respect
2 Penn Plaza, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10121
212-904-5243
E-mail: info@operationrespect.org
41
Remember Recess
Find out if KaBOOM has scheduled a playground building or revitalizing project in your area by visiting kaboom.org. If not, contact your local youth-support organization, civic leaders, or Home Depot (KaBOOM's official partner) to tell them about the KaBOOM playground building program. When Build Day arrives, pitch in or donate needed tools or materials. For more information:
KaBoom!
2213 M Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037
202-659-0215
42
Outfit a Princess
Fairygodmothersinc.com welcomes donations of formal gowns, bridesmaid's dresses, and accessories to outfit underprivileged young women for attending their high school proms. You can mail items to them, or find similar programs in your area by using the site's locator.
Fairy Godmothers, inc.
c/o Cobra Wire & Cable
2930 Turnpike Drive
Hatboro, PA 19040
43
Mark a Milestone
Depending on the cost, pool resources with a few neighbors and friends to sponsor a high school graduation (cap, gown, portraits) for a child in need.
44
Surprise a Student
Create and send a "care package" to a new college student: brownies or popcorn, a hometown newspaper, photos from home, a movie gift certificate, recorded messages from family and friends.
45
Give Kids Purpose
Involve kids in your community in a project to help other kids. Have them collect gently used children's books from your community and send them to Book-Ends, where they are recycled and placed in schools, shelters, family literacy centers, and youth organizations. Find instructions at bookends.org or contact:
BookEnds
6520 Platt Avenue, #331
West Hills, CA 91307
818-716-1198
E-mail: info@bookends.org
46
Blanket a Baby
If you can knit, crochet, quilt, or complete a fleece or fiber-art baby blanket in a day, you can comfort a vulnerable child. Project Linus provides new, homemade, washable blankets and afghans, created by volunteer blanketeers, to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Find all you need to know at projectlinus.org or contact:
Project Linus
PO Box 5621
Bloomington, IL 61702-5621
309-664-7814
E-mail: information@projectlinus.org
47
Redirect Adrenaline
Ask your local police, fire, and emergency medical teams to host at-risk teens for a day "on the job." Have them emphasize the urgent, action-packed elements of their work so that teens looking for a "rush" can see how those energies can be directed to help others.
48
Provide a Piece of Home
For your next business, community, or social gathering, ask everyone to bring a picture frame. Donate them to a foster-care program and request that each child get one to frame a favorite photo. As children move to new families — some of them repeatedly — they can use this one item to create their own sense of home.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Difference a Day Makes by Karen M. Jones. Copyright © 2005 Karen M. Jones. Excerpted by permission of New World Library.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction,A Word about Websites,
Chapter 1: Nature Nurture,
Preserve our earth's resources and unspoiled places.,
Chapter 2: Care about Kids,
Shape a promising future for children and teens.,
Chapter 3: Healthy Interest,
Be a healing force for physical well-being.,
Chapter 4: Sharing Wealth,
Provide relief to those living with insufficient means.,
Chapter 5: Keeping Peace,
Promote alternatives to violence at home and abroad.,
Chapter 6: Conscious Consumerism,
Affirm your values with your spending decisions.,
Chapter 7: Common Humanity,
Embrace the richness of all races, religions, and cultures.,
Chapter 8: Arts Afire,
Feed creative expression that inspires and uplifts.,
Chapter 9: Honoring Elders,
Help an older citizen continue a life of dignity and esteem.,
Chapter 10: United Nation,
Express your freedom as a U.S. citizen.,
Chapter 11: Home Delivery,
Ensure respectable, affordable housing for everyone.,
Chapter 12: Creature Comfort,
Assume responsibility for the welfare of animals.,
Chapter 13: Mind Matters,
Make learning an engaging, lifelong pursuit.,
Chapter 14: Food on the Table,
Make sure no man, woman, or child goes hungry.,
Chapter 15: Friends and Neighbors,
Remember the little things close to home.,
Chapter 16: Happier Holidays,
Make red-letter-day celebrations more rewarding.,
Calendar of Monthly Events,
Acknowledgments,
About the Author,