Save The Planet: One Tree at A Time

Decorating a tree can be a highlight of the holiday expereonce. Why not go green this year?

 

Buy an artificial Christmas tree. People love my blue and silver “disco tree” which I got at yard sale a few years ago. It is VERY festive!  On average, over 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year—that’s over 30 million trees cut down each year, trees we could be saving and using for oxygen, housing material, and paper products instead of decoration for a small amount of time. Consider buying an artificial tree—you will save money within the first few years and they look just as nice without the mess of pine needles! http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees/facts.cfm

Honor Human Rights Day: December 10th

What can you do to help others on a global scale?

Turns out, more than you might things. December 10th, World Human Rights Day, presents an opportunity to celebrate human rights and advocate for everyone to receive equal human rights everywhere. As much as we like to think that the world is all sunshine and rainbows, that is not the truth, and we should not be blind or ignorant to the truth. Today, make yourself aware of the injustices going on in the world, do some research on the prejudices people face and the hate many experience from others. Do what you can to help promote human rights today and every day. To keep up on all the latest, check out http://www.hrw.org.

Giving the Gift of Sustainability

In this era of decluttering and less is more, try giving acts of kindness instead of things!

 

Don’t want or need anything for Christmas? Have a friend or loved one that wants something unique? Visit www.heifer.org to view and purchase some of the most helpful and generous gifts that can be given—but they’re not for you or anyone you know. Heifer International is an organization that works with communities to end hunger and poverty by providing sustainable agriculture and animals to families in need. You can “purchase” a goat for $120, a flock of geese for $20, a hope basket for $50, and browse the website for other options. These gifts are priceless (figuratively) and won’t go unappreciated or unused. Think about the positive impact you can make on family-a world of difference, actually

Gifts That Keep On Giving

What if all your holidays gifts gave back and helped feed hungry people?

 

My favorite kinds of gifts are the ones who keep on giving. The FEED project has many cool options that are made-in-America and crafted with love and pride.  By presenting a beautifully carved wooden cutting board for your best friend’s birthday from www.FeedProjects.com, that gift will help feed the hungry.  I love their FEEDbags, which are a handy way to ditch the plastic and the paper, too

Operation Christmas Child: A Box of Love

Are you starting to feel the holiday spirit? Good! Now, get busy!

 

Pack a shoebox with new toys, school supplies, socks, whtever you think a young child might need. Just go to www.samaritianspurse.org for more information on how to pack a box. It will be donated to a child in need (you can decide the gender and age group) and you can even track the box to see where it ends up! Check out this website for some packing ideas: http://faithfulprovisions.com/2012/10/01/101-operation-christmas-child-shoebox-ideas/

DIY Holidays: Crafting Love

Make your Christmas presents this year. It’s more personal and will save you money.

 From a tin of homemade fudge to a colorful knitted scarf, your family and friends are sure to appreciate your hard work and thoughtfulness. You can also think bigger! Here are some ideas that  list many ways to knit, sew and quilt your way to a better world.

Socks For Soldiers knits socks for soldiers serving in the Middle East.
Stitch for a Cause knits, crochets, sews, and quilts blankets and infant apparel for local children's agencies. Based in Louisville, KY, USA.
Stitches From the Heart sends handmade clothing and blankets to premature babies across the nation. Based in Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Stitching Up The World knits, crochets and sews items to donate to a variety of organizations. Their main effort is items for chemotherapy patients in New Hampshire, Based in Candia, NH, USA.
Threads of Love provides clothing, blankets and other handmade articles for premature and sick infants. Threads of Love has chapters in the United States, Canada and London, England.
Tiny Stitches is based in Gwinnett County, Georgia and provides basic layettes to disadvantaged newborns and preemies in north Georgia. They also provide burial ensembles to families who lose an infant.
Ugly Quilts for the Homeless, My Brothers' Keeper.
Victoria's Quilts and Victoria's Quilts Canada. Quilts for cancer patients.

World Aids Day: We Can All Help

HIV is still an major health issue in underserved communities and countries. 

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has become one of the world’s most serious health and developmental challenges. In the United States alone, 1.7 million people are estimated to have the HIV virus. You think that number is big? According to http://www.aids.gov/, 33.4 million people are living with the HIV/AIDS virus globally with more than 25 million deaths resulting in the virus worldwide since the first reported cases in 1981. Educate yourself and your family about this epidemic, promote safe behavior, and consider volunteering some of your time toward helping those infected. Anyone can help by supporting and donating to a number of organizations dedicated to finding a cure. By banding together collectively, the human race can help preserve the lives of others.

AmfAR’s “Countdown to a Cure for AIDS” is a research initiative aimed at finding a broadly applicable cure for HIV by 2020. “Countdown to a Cure” is designed to intensify amfAR’s cure-focused HIV research program with plans to strategically invest $100 million in cure research over the next six years.   www.amFar.org