Don’t Be Idle

Turn off your car if you’re going to be idle for more than 30 seconds (unless you are stuck at a red light). This will help save gas money, lessen air pollutants, and improve your car’s fuel economy.

Make Time for What Matters

Been meaning to spend more time with your family? Are you putting off errands? Is there not enough time to volunteer, go for a walk, or make dinner? Make time. Once you commit to something and begin to make a habit of it, you will be more likely to continue instead of saying, “I would like to, but I don’t have enough time.” You have the time; you just need to find it.

Take care of the Planet

Each year, the National Environmental Education Foundation coordinates hundreds of events around the country on Public Lands Day. Volunteers are recruited to improve public parks and wildlife refuges by removing trash, planting trees, and doing other earth-friendly activities. Visit their website to find a service day near you: publiclandsday.org.

Friend a Family

Sponsor a low-income family via boxproject.org. The Box Project joins struggling families in depressed regions of rural America with individuals or groups who send about $50 worth of food, clothing, and medical supplies monthly. The idea is not just to provide financial support, but emotional support as well. Most participants develop long-term relationships over many years, cemented through letters. In addition, the organization encourages volunteers to learn about where the family they help lives, so they can impact public services and local policy. I know this is helping a lot of people in my home state of West Virginia where hard times remain.

Give Someone’s Grandfather or Great Aunt What They Always Wanted

https://twilightwish.org/fulfilled-twilight-wishes/

Grant a wish to a senior citizen. Volunteers for the Twilight Wish Foundation fulfill requests by donating items (like a home computer requested by a grandmother who wanted to email her grandkids) or by contributing their time. Learn all about it at twilightwish.org. Some wishes-like one from a retired postman who wanted to go over his old route one last time-require planning instead of money, and volunteers tend to choose items or actions that most speak to them.

National Car Free day

Walk, bike, run, skip! Try not to drive so often. Put on your walking shoes and enjoy the area around you. Walk to the nearest convenience store if you need something or spontaneously visit a friend who lives close by. You may rediscover the beauty of your own neighborhood again in the process!

Offer Unconditional Positive Regard

Be accepting. No matter a person’s race, age, culture, or sexual orientation, accept everyone for who they are. Embrace the beauty of humanity and our myriad differences. By opening your eyes and mind to the possibility of love and friendship, new people will flow into your life and change your perspective in miraculous ways.

Power Your Life with the Positive

When life gets you down, remember to look on the bright side-and there is always a bright side. Be strong not just for yourself, but for those around you as well. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “It is better to light a single candle than it is to curse the darkness.” 

Look into the meaning of this quote: focus on the light in your life-and if there is none, try to be that light.

“Attitudes are contagious.Make yours worth catching.”

-David Mezzapelle 

Think Good Thoughts

Each morning, I state the intention of my day by thinking about all the good things that are going to happen. I also think good thoughts for my friends and loved ones, especially those going through difficulty. It certainly doesn’t cause any problems and I know it helps me, a lot.

Surf’s Up

The Surfrider Foundation is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches through conservation, activism, research, and education.

Local chapters of this 19-year-old group work hard testing our ocean’s water, cleaning beaches, campaigning, and visiting our schools for the benefit of all people, and hence marine life. The Surfrider Foundation distributes an excellent leaflet, “20 Ways to Cleaner Oceans and Beaches.” Call 1(800) 743 SURF, or check surfrider.org for a copy.

How You Can Spare the Air

Here are some things that you can do starting today:

• Support our scientists by letting our elected officials know we need fossil fuel alternatives-wind power, solar power, and wave power.
• Choose more Earth-friendly transport, which also reduces smog-causing emissions.
• Recycle, conserve energy, and support the work of Environmental Defense and other environmental organizations.
• Go to environmentaldefense.org and get involved. 

Make a Social Call

Simply pick up the phone and call a good friend to talk about what is on your mind. Bare your soul; don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Talk about what is going on in the world and what you can do about it. In this age of texting and Twitter, I have discovered the old-fashioned phone call is very welcome.

Try Global Cooling, Instead

Scientists already know what is causing global warming and we are all contributing to it with our wasteful attitude and shortsightedness. We burn too much fossil fuel and massive deforestation of natural woodlands and forests continue unabated. Fossil fuels are pretty much pure carbon, laid down by the Earth over thousands and thousands of years. According to the folks at Environmental Defense, whenever you save energy-or use it more efficiently-you reduce the demand for gasoline, oil, coal, and natural gas. Less burning of these fossil fuels means lower emissions of carbon dioxide, the major contributor to global warming.. Right now the US releases about 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per person each year. If we can reduce energy use enough to lower greenhouse gas emissions by about two percent a year, in ten years we will lose about 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per person.

Animals Have Rights, Too

Even with progressive legislation, our wildlife still faces a variety of threats. If it weren’t for organizations like Defenders of Wildlife, I doubt almost any animals would be safe. Alaska’s Arctic Refuge, the manatee, lynx, wolves, otters, and now the Endangered Species Act all are in harm’s way.

On defenders.org, you can sign up for free wildlife updates, called Den Lines. Keep informed of any shenanigans going on and of how you can help, simply by using your mouse to make yourself heard. You can adopt an animal or two (adoption also makes a great gift!) or you can become a member and receive their excellent magazine. Defenders continue to need our support to carry on their fantastic work on our behalf… and on behalf of our wildlife and our wild places.

Pay Tribute

On September 11, 2001, America experienced a shocking and tragic loss that still reverberates. VOICES of September 11th provides information, support services, and annual events for 9/11 families, rescue workers, and survivors. Help commemorate this tragic day by helping organizations like VOICES to prevent acts of terrorism, improve responses to traumatic events, and promote resiliency to our nation. Visit voicesofseptember11.org for more information and learn how to become involved. We can learn from our history by honoring the past.

Give ‘Em Space

Leave the parking spot up front for someone else that might need to park closer than you do.

Be nice

Offer to help your roommate or spouse with one of their chores or do them entirely by yourself without anyone knowing. They will appreciate coming home to a vacuumed house or dinner already on the table. September is back-to-school and back-to-work time, and everyone is that much busier-so you should be that much nicer.

Don’t Resent, Represent

Wash the dishes in your office kitchen. Your coworkers will notice that somebody did them and might return the favor of the anonymous example.

Welcome Home, Baby (and Mom and Dad)

Make dinner for new parents the day they come home with their baby. Odds are they will be too busy and tired to cook dinner themselves. A healthy and delicious meal with plenty for leftovers can ease parents back home and into their new routine.

Go Ahead and Make Someone’s Day

Some shops have punch cards that offer a free product after a certain amount of purchases. When you reach the limit before you get a free item, give the card to someone in line behind you and surprise them with a free coffee, frozen yogurt, or sandwich!