Be a Little Brother

Hey BK-ers,

The holidays are coming up, and if you live in New England right now, you can definitely feel it by the sudden chill in the air.  For many of us, the holidays are associated with large gatherings of family and friends and food.  But for some, the holidays are painfully lonely and go uncelebrated.  This is especially true for many elderly folks who live in isolation with no nearby friends or family members.  Dedicate some of your Thanksgiving this year to spend time with someone who might really appreciate your company!

Consider volunteering with Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly, an organization dedicated to offering relief from loneliness and isolation for elderly people.  Little Brothers motto is "flowers before bread," which showcases their "core belief that sharing love and respect and bringing beauty into the lives of the elderly is as essential as meeting their physical needs" (from their website).  Little Brothers has a network of volunteers who visit with the elderly, help them with everyday tasks, and organize special events for them to participate in.  For the holidays, volunteers are sent to as many homes as possible to visit and deliver flowers and a warm and delicious meal.  Especially with the current state of the economy and the cutback in social services, the number of low-income senior citizens living in isolation is increasing.  If you would be interested in volunteering with Little Brothers for the holidays or as a regular volunteer, please visit http://www.littlebrothers.org/.  

Stand up for action on climate change!

We have all heard about global warming and climate change.  Sometimes the issue seems daunting and out of control, especially for those of us not in political power.  That is why its so important to let our elected officials know that we refuse to continue harming our planet.  The United States is a huge perpetrator when it comes to global warming.  While we only make up 5% of the world's population, we contribute to about 20% of the world's carbon emissions.  Unfortunately, our pollution does not only affect our country.  Developing countries, especially those in Africa, are hardest hit by the changing climate of the earth.

In December, leaders from around the world will gather in Copenhagen to discuss possible solutions to climate change.  We need to let our President know how important this issue is to us.  The United States will play a HUGE role in negotiations and we need to make sure that rhetoric and words are turned into concrete actions.  President Obama has publicly recognized the dangerous threat that climate change poses, and we need to make sure that he leads Congress in taking the necessary steps needed to stop this downward spiral.

Make your voice heard.  Change.org has a petition for citizens to sign urging the President to take a bold stand on the issue.  Sign it and make sure to pass it on to your friends and family: http://www.change.org/actions/view/tell_president_obama_its_time_to_act_on_climate_change?alert_id=TxIfaPjMvd

Take a stand today!

Drink water

Water is something most of us take for granted on a daily basis.  We wash our hands, flush the toilet, take a shower, do a load of laundry, and drink clean water from the faucet without much thought.  However, crises over clean water and sanitation are one of the biggest up and coming problems this world is facing.  Around 1.1 billion people lack access to clean and safe drinking water; that is twenty percent of the world's population.  This lack of clean water leads to major sanitation problems, and it is estimated that forty percent of the world's population does not have access to adequate sanitation.  Most experts agree that the lack of clean water and proper sanitation is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) challenge facing developing countries today.  Around 4,500 children die each day due to these problems. 

So what can you do?  The answer is quite simple.  Try purchasing Tumai bottled water instead of your normal bottled water and help provide clean water, sanitation, education, and health care to those most in need around the globe.  Proceeds from every Tumai water bottle will go to fund different non-profits that work on these issues.  Bob Downey, President of Spero Group, the company that started Tumai Water, says "Tumai Natural Spring Water was created to allow anyone that drinks bottled water, to help make a difference. Drink water and help stem these global crises. It's as simple as that."  To learn more about the company, or to find out where you can purchase some water bottles, visit http://www.tumaiwater.com/index.htm.