The Day is barely in and preparations have already begun in preparation for Earth Day 2008 when the world celebrates old Mother Earth as the promotion of environmental awareness expands into our lives. Similar to Earth Hour which happened a few months ago, the move is to promote an earth-friendly approach in all of us. The amount of damage we have done to this earth has amounted to so much damage that we have changed it, literally. The Earth Day Network is committed to enacting change which is to be done in order to halt further degradation of our planet which if not controlled, would end up in us in the losing end. TV networks have been showcasing the day for a week with most search engines doing the same. Earth Day is the time to think, talk and enact change in our daily lives where simple things can have bigger impacts. Lowering your carbon footprint is one way of helping the earth and many have taken up the call. In the US and other major Western nations, the switch to Biodiesel opposed to more traditional types of fuels is one of many alternative fuel technologies that have been in effect. True to this, in the far off land of Africa, one of the first commercial Biodiesel generation plants has been put up to cater to biodiesel needs that has been growing steadily. Alternative fuel cars for private and commercial use have also been growing in their numbers as more and more people shift towards the earth friendly approach to driving in their everyday forays into the urban concrete jungle.
Much has been gained by the raising of awareness but the areas which would have the most impact are also the hardest to reach, the parts of the earth where environmental awareness takes second seat to existence. Much of the world which belongs to the under developed world are the ones who have heavy reliance on earth-impacting technology, technology that came from the developed world and have been making money on. Developed countries can afford to tax their people for using plastic bags but in other countries that would be like telling people to bring home their grocery in their clothes. That is why much has to be done to get these people on the same level as those who live in developed countries so they can focus more on protecting the earth rather than using it for their short-term needs - existence.
Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Environmental, Events, Organizations, Programs, Websites, Wildlife | Tags: earth Day 2008, Environmental Awareness
The move started out as a local civic move in Sydney, Australia, to raise awareness about global warming and climate change by enjoining people to turn off the lights to their homes for a full hour. The program was started by the WWF in Australia as a move to bring the attention of the world to one of the greatest polluters in the world over, coal fired power generators. The move is expected to lessen the demand for power which comes from these dirty powerhouses that if accumulated, would amount to a sizeable amount of lost revenue from these power generation firms.
This year, the event went global and people, businesses, civic groups and governments observed a full hour of darkness which is spreading like wildfire lowering the demand on a global scale. The pollution these coal-fired electricity plants produce is one of the greatest sources of greenhouse gasses that have already caused the formation of a hole on the earth’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is responsible for the screening out of the more harmful UV-C rays which is known to be the most damaging form of UV. The hole allows the harmful radiation to get through thus making the earth warm up to the point that the ice caps on the poles are melting which can lead to rising seas.
Glaciers and mountains that used to be covered with snow are now bare rock void of their white crowns. If current trends continue, the seas will rise and most of the ice in the poles would melt. If that happens, low lying areas like Manhattan and LA can become submerged disrupting life as we know it. Scientific research also indicates that this cycle of warming may give rise to a new ice-age which would devastate many countries who’s citizens are not adapted to deal with such climate changes. Do your part, support the Earth Hour movement and send a statement that you care for mother earth, even for an hour this March 29th, 2008 at 8:00pm. Reduce your carbon footprint for a better earth and tomorrow.
Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Environmental, Events, Organizations, Programs | Tags: Global Movement, WWF Earth Hour
Nothing makes society put aside its differences than cases of missing and exploited children. Children are some of the most abused and misunderstood in most developing countries that they suffer more than we know. They are exploited as child labor, child warriors, prostitutes or simply victims of bad economic planning that allots enough resources for their future and development. The Lost Childrens Network, is a group of several non-profit charities who focus on the problem and try to alleviate some of the indignities children suffer all over the globe.
Recent statistics have shown that the use of children as child soldiers (mainly in Africa where the number of misguided children has grown to such extent that they are viewed as a resource for war) with their views of society and culture tainted with hatred, lust for power and the satisfaction of doing a good job for their war lords. These children, products of the Aids epidemic have little or no parenting supervision having fallen to conflict themselves as either victims or participants in the never-ending ethnic-cleansing that is currently sweeping the nation.
The group aims to inform people all over the world about the plight of these lost and misguided children in hopes of making the future brighter for them. They are also engaged in the search for kidnapped or literally lost children who have disappeared from their residences or while on tour abroad. These cases have increased in these past few years due to the more relaxed approach people have with regards to the time they append with their families, taking their children with them in hopes of regaining the lost time they spend at work with the time they spend on vacation. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is an estimated 15,000 soldiers that fall under the age of 18 with some as young as eight according to the BBC. In conjunction with the many charities and non-profit groups who aim to alleviate the suffering of children they are changing lives even if does not encompass the globe. Let us all help in their drive to help children wherever they may be on this earth for a brighter future which they can call theirs.
Categories: Analysis, Campaigns, Charities, Children, Events, News, Teens | Tags: charitable-organizations, child-crimes, Child-Exploitation, Child-Pornography
Though many have served with life, limb and even their lives, many veterans fro the wars that the U.S. Military branches fall victims for these scams. Such an example would be the charity The National Veterans Service Fund for Vietnam veterans who claimed to provide help to those servicemen who were exposed to Agent Orange in the said war which failed to invest enough money to the veterans they claim so much to be helping. The said chemical was used widely in the Vietnam conflict as a defoliant to clear huge tracts of forest removing all traces of vegetation making it easier for the military to check and secure. The only problem was that the said agent was also a major cause of cancer and other health disorders that only became known after it was studied extensively after the war. The said charity was supposed to provide assistance in terms of medical aid, and other financial support for veterans and their families who were left to deal with the consequences of its use.
Senate inquiries on the activities of the said organizations questioned the more than 90% of expenditures that were focused on paid fund-raiser events with nothing much given to the Veterans themselves in terms of the assistance they promised. They raised alarm bells after veterans started complaining that the said charity was continuing to solicit and obtain funds for their work even if none of the said funds go to the veterans.
The office of the Attorney General have released many guidelines regarding such activities and that one should call or notify them of any discrepancies or irregularities regarding such matters should they arise to allow proper investigation by the responsible authorities. The same is advised for all those who give regularly to charities which should have the main focus of their expenditures focused on the people or cause they intend to help rather than for other purposes.
Categories: Disabled, Events, Fundraising, Organizations, Tips, Uncategorized, Veterans
There are people who really want to devote some time they have in helping out other people. But the purpose for putting up charity drives would have to define what they are designed for and what they intend to accomplish. People would resort to medical missions, conducting community service in helping out shorthanded foundations to take care of the people under their wing.
It should however be noted that all this work is purely for volunteering and not strictly required. It is done out of entirely an open heart with no expectations of anything in return. This is the charity way of living, sharing and spreading the love that other people look for to which they have stumbled and almost fallen.
Such a task has been left under the wing of people who stand and believe in something that should be done for the oppressed. All it takes is identifying and matching the people to do the said work at the proper time.
Technorati Tags: charity, foundations, community service, volunteering
Categories: Activities, Charities, Children, Events, Fundraising, Inspiration, Jobs, Organizations, Programs, Volunteering | Tags: charity, community-service, foundations, Volunteering
The Day is barely in and preparations have already begun in preparation for Earth Day 2008 when the world celebrates old Mother Earth as the promotion of environmental awareness expands into our lives. Similar to Earth Hour which happened a few months ago, the move is to promote an earth-friendly approach in all of us. The amount of damage we have done to this earth has amounted to so much damage that we have changed it, literally. The Earth Day Network is committed to enacting change which is to be done in order to halt further degradation of our planet which if not controlled, would end up in us in the losing end. TV networks have been showcasing the day for a week with most search engines doing the same. Earth Day is the time to think, talk and enact change in our daily lives where simple things can have bigger impacts. Lowering your carbon footprint is one way of helping the earth and many have taken up the call. In the US and other major Western nations, the switch to Biodiesel opposed to more traditional types of fuels is one of many alternative fuel technologies that have been in effect. True to this, in the far off land of Africa, one of the first commercial Biodiesel generation plants has been put up to cater to biodiesel needs that has been growing steadily. Alternative fuel cars for private and commercial use have also been growing in their numbers as more and more people shift towards the earth friendly approach to driving in their everyday forays into the urban concrete jungle.
