Charities Blog

Giving Something Back

Beach Watch

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midway.jpgThe Marine Conservation Society of Britain is a charitable organization in the UK which took up the challenge of promoting conservation awareness in the UK’s Territorial Waters. Their report for the year 2007 shows that the threat of plastic pollution is still on the rise in spite of all the conservation and plastic re-processing efforts like the one in Ireland which has been hailed a success story in the short time that it has been in the works.
Truly, the plastic pollution crisis of our seas has become so much of a problem that even deserted islands like the former WW2 hotspot, the Midway Atoll are suffering from the scourge of plastics. The island of Midway, now a conservation site and sanctuary for migratory sea birds such as the two species of albatross that are suffering dearly with high chick mortality due to plastic ingestion. These albatross species are considered to be endangered in the US and Canada since 2002 and are further being decimated by the plastic pollution which wash up on shore as the atoll is located in between swirling sea currents. The adults collect food from the seas surrounding the islands and then feed their young sometimes regurgitating plastics, passing them on to their young. The chicks being fragile die from complications such as blocked digestive tracts and more side-effects of the ingested plastic leaving them to starve to death.
The breeding colonies that call the atoll home have considerably lost new additions to their populations due to the incidence of high chick mortality. Conservation efforts by the American and Canadian authorities are trying to help the birds get back on their normal breeding populations. The loss of a species from an ecosystem has wide and complicated implications, some of which we are beginning to understand like the demise of bees all over the world which is expected to impact global crop production which can lead to food shortages.

Originally posted on April 1, 2008 @ 5:03 am

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis

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myanmaraid.jpgMany have been left homeless and the country is in shambles, the Military Junta run country is facing a catastrophe with them denying entry to most of the aid agencies from the West. Reports are beginning to trickle in that hundreds of thousands are dead and hundreds of thousands are without shelter, safe drinking water and food. The government had not allowed Western aid agencies to enter the most affected areas and reporters from Western news agencies are being told to go out. The government insists they can handle the distribution of aid which they are allowing into the country through aid flights from the US which has offered millions in aid. Many other countries have shown willingness to give aid and send in their aid workers but the government is standing firm and is still not issuing visas to foreign aid people for a proper distribution and mobilization of aid for those who need it most.
The UN has appealed again and again along with many aid agencies from overseas for the government to open air and waterways for aid transportation. The UN has expressed discontent and aid agencies are frustrated for they still could not send in their people to handle the disaster. Reports are trickling in that dead bodies are everywhere, in canals and rice paddies rotting which gives more urgency to the need for proper aid along with people who are better equipped and experienced in handling such situations.
The poor country is in disarray and without proper medical facilities even for a developing country and with little support infrastructure to ferry and distribute aid, many more deaths would surely result in the aftermath of the cyclone. Various aid agencies are now accepting aid and donations in hopes of the border being opened soon to allow foreign aid such as food, water, temporary shelter and many other basic necessities to help the people of Myanmar.

Originally posted on May 4, 2008 @ 7:36 am

Do Charities Still Make Sense Today?

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Everyone is suffering and surely the people who can support charities have been limited to the groups that can still hold concerts or even special shows. But independently, you will be surprised to find good Samaritans who can still devote time and a part of their income to the charity. Of course, you have to consider, their welfare comes first before doing a good deed.

There are other forms of charities though outside the standard concerts. There are other ways such as golf tournaments where participant fees and green fees act as the funds to be given to charity. If we see them a lot in the movies, they are actually done in real life. Basketball, golf and tennis, all of these events make periodic charity events and at least they are all doing it for a worthy cause.

Here are some scheduled events for charity in the world of golf:

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The fifth annual Off the Wall and Open Door Youth Centres golf tournament will begin at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start at GolfNorth Acton. Cost is $90 per player for 18 holes of golf, cart and a barbecue lunch. Community heroes are needed to sponsor a youth to attend and play ($90). You can also assist by sponsoring a hole for $50, or donating a prize or raffle item. Tax receipts are available for sponsorships and donations. All funds raised go to the Youth Centres.
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Fore the Animals golf tournament to aid the Upper Credit Humane Society will be held at the Caledon Country Club on Monday, Sept. 8. Registration, driving range and putting contest opens at 10 a.m.; shotgun start, scramble format at 12:30 p.m. Cocktail reception, gourmet dinner and silent auction, followed by awards and prize ceremony, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Golf and dinner package (per golfer), $170; dinner only (per person), $50.
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The 13th annual Community Living North Halton charity golf tournament will be held Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Georgetown.
Entry fee is $175 per golfer which includes cart, lunch and dinner. The cost for dinner only is $45.
Proceeds go to the CLNH’s Saturday Centre, a respite program for school-aged children with developmental disabilities.

Source

Originally posted on August 4, 2008 @ 7:38 pm

Earth Day 2008

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earthday08.jpgThe 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.

Originally posted on April 16, 2008 @ 7:56 pm

NEADS

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neads.jpgMember of the Animal Charities of America, Neads was established in 1976 to train and rehabilitate puppies and dogs rescued from all over. Their main goal is to get these dogs, raise them, and then train them as aids to deaf and disabled people who need independence. The rising cost of medical care and care of animals has strained many charitable organizations that rely totally on the goodwill of people who provide donations in monetary and kind. Located in Central Massachusetts, the organization has trained and awarded dogs to many of America’s disabled and deaf. They have allowed people with disabilities to live normal lives without much reliance on other people boosting their self-confidence making them more productive members of society.
Dogs undergo a six-month training cycle where they learn the ropes of becoming a hearing-eye dog becoming the ears for the deaf and eyes for the blind. People who are candidates to receive NEADS trained dogs are houses for two weeks in fully furnished housing units where they work together with the trainers in getting to know better their animals and learning about proper treatment and care of their special animals. Being a charitable institution with little financial might, all candidates have to pay for all the equipment and training costs for their animals. But many who have received animals do earn a lifetime of memories for their dogs become more than guide dogs but members of their family. Often times we hear stories of people getting saved by these magnificent animals who would otherwise have been euthanized, given a second life as aides to the disabled.

Originally posted on April 19, 2008 @ 6:50 am

EarthShare.org

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earthshare.jpgEarthsahre is a network of nationwide non-profit organizations that are represented in 18 states in America. Their goal is to empower the individual, business and other groups in their drive to help the earth with regards to the environment. The environment’s health is our health and Earthshare knows that and applies recourses to programs that helps save the environment. Global warming is a real issue that must be addressed, the impact of which is currently being felt with severe weather, unprecedented environmental destruction and many more issues such as uncontrolled pollution and misdirected government expenditures that should otherwise be directed at preserving this earth of ours. Considered to be a respectable group with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and it is registered and recognized to be a reputable charity organization by the Better Business Bureau.
Their main target is to raise awareness in the workplace through campaigns that encourage them to take part in environmental protection. They work to safeguard the health of everybody including nature’s fragile balance. Years of neglect has led to many natural disasters, many of which have not been seen in recent history. The Antarctic ice melting, the tops of Mt. Everest without it’s glistening white crown and many more changes in the environment are warning signals of the pending danger we are going to face if we do not take action now. From recycling programs for your cell phone to volunteering they enjoin everybody to join in the effort to save the earth which we have neglected for so long. They also offer nifty tips and tricks on how you can become more friendly to the environment. Save the Earth, take action now.

Originally posted on March 25, 2008 @ 8:17 am

Earth Hour 2008

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earth-hour.jpgThe 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.

Originally posted on March 22, 2008 @ 7:37 am

Non-Profit Groups – the backbone of charitable institutions

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Volunteer work.jpgThe several charities around all rely on manpower in the form of volunteers may they be aimed at people or towards nature. The many charities survive because of people who are dedicated to provide the proper care and help to those who may need it wherever they may be. Volunteer nurses and doctors go to distant lands to help people such as those who are currently suffering in Darfur helping the sick and injured as they live day by day in uncertainty.

Donations flow to those who suffer in the far reaches of the earth, delivered by volunteers who choose to do a little for their fellow man such as pilots, military men and others who just want to help. Financing is not the only aspect one can help with in terms of wanting to help. Habitat for Humanity has projects that construct free housing for the homeless relying on volunteer masons, electricians and the regular Joe to do the building. Thousands of houses have been built by these volunteers some of whom come back, time after time for the unseen reward of gratitude one gets from those who benefit from their hard work.

The people who need help are endless in this world and at any one time, a person dies in misery, his life becoming worthless and insignificant just because they are nobody’s. That is what we aim to change, everybody is somebody and all should know that. The children of Africa who have survived drought and famine now face AIDS and a life without parents due to the disease. Much can be done if everybody pitches in including businesses for they are the main source of funding besides governments and donations. Helping all those who need it is the goal, volunteering is the soul.

Originally posted on February 4, 2008 @ 1:32 pm

Wind Farms

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wind-farm.jpg
Various industries and environmental groups have been pushing for the investment of government’s and other organizations such as oil firms who other people blame as the primary culprits in the war on nature to find better ways of generating power for our daily needs. In the Philippines, the Japanese and US government’s have long been engaged in the development of geothermal energy which is an alternative energy source that is non-polluting and sustainable. Wind farms are beginning to pop out on places which get optimal wind conditions all year round having several giant towers with blades that spin massive generators to create electricity./ The commitment to providing such investments in alternative energy technology does not come cheap and companies live Chevron-Texaco have been trying to provide these facilities to help the environment.
Out at sea, on hilltops that lay barren, wind farms are being put up with each one costing millions if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some people love it some don’t, arguing that why should they pay for facilities they wanted no part of in the first place. These people should learn to accept the fact that they are obligated to accept and help promote environmental measures that affects their very dragonball z survival for tomorrow. Only a small percentage of power is generated by alternative power sources but as people begin to accept the fact that we all have to do our own little parts, the more they become amiable to such ideas. Even small-scale power production through building mounted wind farms that use small dinner-plate sized impellers tied together to create the necessary force to generate electricity have been tried and are currently in use in India. Public schools have their laboratories powered by such green tech and they are beginning to get notice from the experts for it truly is clean and green.

Originally posted on March 13, 2008 @ 11:34 pm

Going green… Not so green after all… BLUEGREEN

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corn1.jpgcorn-4.jpg>corn3.jpgThe Gulf of Mexico is turning bright green not due to chemicals dumped into the area but from abnormal blooming of algae which thrives due to nitrogen rich waters. Why, well due to increasing ethanol demands which comes from corn. Apparently, the rising demand for ethanol from corn has spurred farmers to begin shifting to corn and in the process utilizing more and more fertilizers which run off into the rivers and streams. The excessive nitrogen then causes algae to bloom and multiply rapidly which could affect the ecology of the Gulf area impacting fish and other wildlife in the process. Too much algae eats up a lot of the oxygen in the water and also blocks out the sun allowing less to penetrate down to plants and animals that need it to survive. The dead zone is growing and is expected to reach never seen size as the NASA article on the topic shows.
The effect has been noticed for sometime and the abnormal growth of algae which usually happens once a year or every two years making it a common occurrence. If the said event continues, it is forecast to affect fish stocks in the area due to less food that is available. As early as the race goes in attaining a sustainable alternative fuel economy goes, problems are already popping out of the most unlikely places. Marine life and all other dependent species would disappear during the said blooms and even stay away permanently due to lack of food due to competition.
Scientists have predicted some of these effects yet this one came a bit too quick and at a large scale that they have to find a solution to the problem. Fertilizer runoff is quite normal for water loaded with fertilizers and other chemicals such as pesticides eventually finds its way to a running body of water. The only problem, too much too fast and the runoff which should have normally been cleaned in the rivers and streams cannot digest the nutrients enough sending it down stream to the seas of the gulf.

Originally posted on March 16, 2008 @ 2:22 pm