Posts Tagged ‘climate change’

Thursday’s Thought: Giving Back!

Posted 12 Nov 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Reed Educates, Taking a Stand

This week I’ve been sifting through my belongings, packing and such! I find that many things my family considers junk another can use! Of course, it’s time to give back. Then I think about those in need that need more then what I have sitting in my home. What can I do more to give back?

Think of the little things I buy throughout the month, a Pepsi here, a bag of chip there… I probably spend a few dollars a day on much of nothing for the kids and me. I set to do something more for another and a bit less for myself! As I think of this my daughter speaks to me about wanting to blog about a report she is doing for abused children in Africa. What better way to tie in my wanting to give more to another in need. Maybe she would like to help those she is researching.

After all this thought I was contacted by globalgiving.com (a million little earth-changing ideas)! Sky is the limit. Just about any cause you can think of from homelessness, to climate change, to children in need they have a cause listed in which we could help. You name it; there is a way to help out through their website.

I’m sitting my children down to tell them to pick a cause dear to them. When they want that little bag of chips from the corner store, I will ask them, “Chips or your Cause?” They can decide where that dollar goes. I’ll allow them to earn extra money for their cause as well. I’m excited and will keep you posted on which child of mine picked which cause and how much they were able to donate.

Sinya is thinking of helping Kenya families have clean water and Jamarae is thinking of helping Afghan boys trade guns for books. We will see what they chose and how much they earn. I’m very excited.

Check them Global Giving: Donate To Your Favorite Cause at GlobalGiving.com and Change The World Today !

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Blog Action Day: Recycle Food Scraps

Posted 15 Oct 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Taking a Stand

Today is Blog Action Day; bloggers are uniting today to tell the world that it’s time the United States takes an act on climate change needs. This brings me to discussing an everyday issue in most of our homes that can help tremendously.

How much food does your family waste? We do our share in saving our leftovers for the next day, but at times thing go bad or the kid’s scraps get looked over. 

See video below of my families waste for dinner and dessert:

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Two productive things can be done with this waste:

  1. For example, RDN Food Waste provides residence the option to recycle food and organic waste. This waste is picked up separately then basic garbage and is processed to soil for future plants. Of course, if you have compost for your garden, you can use the waste for your own home.
  2. Bay Area utility recognizes that many restaurants are wasting food. In recognizing this they give restaurants an option to recycle food and organic waste. Over 2300 restaurants are participating and are taking corrective action of employees that don’t use the recycling program. Bay area utility then processes the food and organic waste to methane gas, and use the methane gas for renewable energy. According to Climate Ark website, “the utility now powers its wastewater treatment plant, which serves about 650,000 homes in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, by processing many kinds of waste, including the food scraps.” Also, noted by ”the end of 2010, the utility expects to double its capacity to create power … allowing it to sell more than 5 megawatts of energy to Pacific Gas & Electric Co. The utility eventually hopes that about 1 megawatt will come from food scraps, enough to power 1,300 homes…”

With that said do your part! Serve smaller portions to avoid waste and obesity (I’ve lost 10 pounds eating smaller portions). Serving smaller portions will lead to less scraps being left over by the kids. If you are still fighting with waste find a recycling program that best suits you. I will be looking into recycling programs in my area.

For our government, please adopt more programs like RDN Food Waste, and Bay Area Utility.

What ways are you going to do your part with climate change? I would love to know and so would our readers. Please comment below, and subscribe to our updates on the right sidebar. Your comments may be the inspiration to our next article. Thanks in advance!

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