Monday, May 31, 2010

100 ways to help the world and yourself

Sarah Wilson (the ex-Masterchef Sarah Wilson or a different one?!) gave a few examples of gestures that you can undertake to help make the world a better place. I'll post up a few of my favourites and some of my own.

1. If you buy something from a charity shop, pay double
2. Apologise
3. Instead of using teabags, heat your tea leaves in a pot, leave them to steep and then enjoy your tea while contemplating about the good things in life
4. Stop honking your horn
5. Switch off your mobile phone before going into cinemas and restaurants
6. If you see someone's label sticking out, tell them
7. Stop yourself saying "I"
8. Say thank you to your bus or tram driver when you alight
9. Volunteer. Give Means on Wheels a call or do a Lifeline counselling course
10. Make your own compost with vegetable peelings, lawn clippings, leaves from your gutters and tea leaves. Hardware shops stock convenient compost bins that can fit neatly in your backyard
11. If you're buying a car, consider the low-emission vehicles
12. Put a brick in your toilet's cistern to reduce the amount of water used in flushing
13. Drink green tea instead of coffee. Less caffeine and more antioxidents.
14. Don't push
15. Cut back on watching tv. Go to the park. Go for walks. Join friends for activities or organise them
16. Make a fuss...Take action on things you think are wrong or inhumane. Complain. Participate. Get organised.
17. Introduce single friends to potential partners
18. Plant a tree and dedicate it to someone special. Contact Greening Australia (1900 950 854) and find out how to become a volunteer, helping with local bush regeneration projects
19. Ditch the gym and join a team instead
20. Listen to children as you listen to adults
21. Take responsibility for your actions; don't blame others
22. Walk to your local shops rather than driving tothe larger chain store in the next suburb. The money you save in petrol and parking will pay for any price differences
23. Take a mug (or thermos) into work instead of using styrofoam cups
24. Say yes
25. Don't backstab; be honest, but not bitchy with your colleagues
26. Support your local theatre group. Nex time you contemplate a movie, check out the theatre section of the paper first.
27. Learn a new language
28. Cycle to work. Help reduce emission levels, save money and lessen your chance of getting heart disease. Learn to cook. Invite friends arund to try new dishes.
29. Walk up escalators. Or take the stairs.
30. Walk
31. Watch The Insider - Russell Crowe's new movie documenting corruption in the tobacco industry- and give up smoking
32. Buy birthday presents from the National Geographic shop, which donates a proportion of its profits to environmental and wildlife protection projects
33. Relax
34. Wash your clothes in cold water (helping the environment and your clothes last longer too)
35. Bring your re-usable bags shopping and reduce your plastic bag consumption
36. Write a letter to a friend you haven't seen in a long time, or email them rather than forwarding jokes
37. Buy organic fruit and vegetables
38. Make a stand against genetically modified food. Eat fruit and vegetables in season.
39. Read your newspaper's international pages
40. Laugh at yourself
41. Dog owners: do the right thing
42. Take up yoga
43. Learn to commit
44. Give some loose change to the busker you pass each day. Even if they can't sing.
45. Take a plant into your office. Or some home-baked biscuits to share at afternoon tea
46. Move out of the city. Grow your own herbs
47. Write thank you letters
48. If you live in a chaotic household, plan regular times to eat together. Turn off the television.
49. Ring your mum
50. Buy music or a dvd
51. Save energy by pulling your curtains over windows on hot and cold days
52. Don't shout at children, or anyone for that matter
53. Replace all your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs which are more energy efficient than normal bulbs
54. Pray and give thanks at the end of each day
55. Sign up as a volunteer for Clean Up Australia
56. Take a first aid course
57. Don't cheat
58. Stop saying: "I've been meaning to..." It really isn't an excuse
59. Give blood. For the nearest Red Cross bloodbank
60. Vist an elderly neighbour. Stop for a chat, take out their rubbish bins
61. Get rid of clutter in your workplace and at home
62. Give way to cyclists and allow them their space on the road
63. Use re-usable washable nappies because disposable nappies take about 500 years to decompose and account for about 2% of landfill
64. Don't be too obsessive about 'dryclean only' labels. Often handwashing in cool water can be just as effective ad cuts down on harmful cleaning chemicals
65. Take an elderly relative out for a drive in the country. Pack a picnic
66. Get more sleep. Don't drive when you're tired
67. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk at work
68. Visit museums and galleries
69. Take time off when you're ill
70. Smile at strangers and talk to shop assistants
71. If you see someone who is lost, show them the way (but also be wary of stranger danger)
72. Forgive and move forward

And a few extras of mine:

73. Use stainless steel cutlery instead of disposable cutleries
74. Take time to plan your meals out for the week and cook healthy, nutricious meals
75. Don't overbuy your groceries and end up with wastage
76. Tell your loved ones you appreciate them and spend time with them
77. Do something special for your parents; cook for them, help clean, take them out
78. Visit your local libraries and borrow books rather than buying
79. Share your books with others or pass them on once you've finished reading them
80. Be patient
81. Instead of grimacing and getting frustrated in traffic, listen and relax to your favourite music and enjoy the moment
82. Volunteer to help
83. Try new foods, cuisines, restaurants and flavours
84. Set time to sort your finances out and save money for a rainy day
85. Buy from your local butchers, greengrocer or delis rather than supermarkets all the time
86. Eat less meat and more fruit and vegetables
87. Organise a fundraising(or donate) for your favourite charity
88. Have a relaxing weekend at home without any plans to go out
89. Find a hobby, and if you have one, make time for your hobby
90. Separate your rubbish and recycle as much as you can
91. Eat less junk food, chips and take aways
92. Click to give to The Animal Rescue Site - sponsors donate for every click
93. Visit your doctor for a checkup on your overall health
94. Make a habit of waking up 1 hour earlier and use that time for your own projects/interests
95. When you're working, work hard, when you're having a night out, relax and enjoy it. Don't bring personal worries into your work hours and work worries into your personal hours
96. Go to bed early every now and then
97. Drink tap water. Consume less bottled soft drinks and water. Not only are they bad for your health but also bad for the environment in terms of landfill
98. Instead of buying more cheap items (clothes, goods, furniture etc), buy less items with greater quality
99. Tidy up your house/office desk and it will create good feng shui
100. Enjoy every single day, not just the weekends and you will learn to enjoy life a lot more

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