Declare A Paradigm - Global Solutions Contest Winner!

First Place ~ Rowan North

"We can choose to live in a world where we all develop our individual talents and contribute them to society in our own unique way. We can choose to live in a world where we playfully explore the landscape of contrast that life has to offer. So as we move forward into the 21st century I would hope that we all aspire to something beyond the limits of what we believe is possible, for the borders of our potential will be built only by the boundaries of our imagination."

http://multimedia.globalsolutions.org/spoken-word-poetry/declare-paradigm

The Think Global, Eat Local Thanksgiving Menu - A Greener Thanksgiving

Here's Everything You Need for an Earth-Friendly — and Delicious — Thanksgiving Meal.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/green-thanksgiving-44103008?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr&kw=ist


A Savory Five-Course Meal, with Bread and Unforgettable Sides!

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/Eat-Local-Thanksgiving

Includes several delicious vegetarian dishes....

Use LED holiday lights

The bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours (that’s over five years of continuous lighting — no more tweaking every bulb trying to find the dud!) and use up to 90% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs. One estimate puts the potential savings at over $8 for just one tree’s worth of lights!

http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/use-led-holiday-lights?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Read%26nbsp%3Bmore&utm_content=lilyfishpond%40yahoo.com&utm_campaign=Newsletter+11%2F19%2F08

Responsible Credit Cards

There are more options than ever for conscientious credit card users to make a difference every time they make a charge.

When you open a credit card with a bank or credit union, your fees— late fees, annual fees, balance transfer fees—as well as the fees that the merchants pay, provide a profit for the issuing institution. The bank, in turn, puts that money to work in the form of loans to individuals and businesses. The question for conscientious credit card users is whether the banks issuing their cards are sustainable, or are financing destructive projects.

“Community investing and socially responsible banks and credit unions provide the best opportunity for consumers to avoid supporting negative practices,” says Fran Teplitz, Co-op America’s director of social investing programs. “When you use a mega-bank’s card, you’re bolstering all the things the bank’s loans support, from clearcutting forests to building new coal-fired power plants.”


http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/realmoney/articles/ResponsibleCreditCards.cfm

America Serves (website - office of the president elect)

"When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."

The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start.