Heal the world, make it a better place!

I'm watching Super Size Me right now. It's frigtening me. Not only the shit going on there, but its making me realize how much shit goes on all over the place. War, Disease, Pollution, Obesity, Drug abuse, Poverty, Violence... shit the list goes on an on. So what can I do... LOTS. I decided to spend the afternoon of my day off here to compile a list of websites and actions that each of us can do to help make the world a better place. I challenge anyone who reads this list to visit or participate in just one of these programs every day for the next week. It's all really easy stuff... REALLY easy, heck for some of them, they're fun.

Of course I know these aren't all the problems. Not by far. Not only that, but these aren't all the solutions either. So if you choose to participate, I ask one more favour. Talk to me and others about it. If you have a website that you''d like to mention, tell me, I'll post it here for eveyone to read. Tell me what you've done in your life to make the world better. Tell your friends about this blog and this small challenge, through e-mail, word of mouth, MSN, on a forum or in your own blog. Only through strength of numbers will this thing work. I'm gonna start by posting this page then suggesting it to as many people as I can.

Finally I'd like anyone who can to suggest to me some other problems that I could tackle here another day. I've had ideas of stopping animal cruelty, eating organically grown foods, information sharing issues (P2P filesharing rights) and the destruction of the rainforest. Drop me a line with ideas if you have them.

Problem 1 : Pollution

Your Solution : Canada's One Tonne Challenge. A challenge spearheaded by the Canadian Government for each Canadian citizen to reduce their waste emissions by 20% or 1 tonne on average. These things are easy, switch to ethanol blend gasoline, use those flourecent bulbs in your house, recycle... its all easy, heck some of them will IMPROVE your way of living in my opinion. Even if you're not Canadian, go to the site, it will help everyone. The trick that got me wasn't so much to recycle, but to recycle MORE.

Problem 2 : AIDS Pandemic

Your Solution : Acting On AIDS. This is probably the hardest of the challenges for the average 25 and under person to help with. Although generous donations help, I know I don't have anything to give, neither do most of my friends. Prayer is easy, but many people I know would be skeptical of its positive effects. This solution requires only that you sign up to receive Acting on AIDS announcements via e-mail. They will send you information on how to help, events that will help influence politicians, neighbors and corporations to address the AIDS problem quickly and effecively.

On a personal basis many of you can also take action in your personal lives. Adopting less sexual partners, using or being sure your partner uses a condom, never enlisting the services of a prostitute and protecting yourself should you come in contact with a person in need who is spilling blood or sexual fluids will help prevent you and possibly those around you from becoming part of the ever growing statistics.

Problem 3 : Obesity

Your Solution : My first idea is to watch Super Size Me. Honestly this can really change your outlook on things. But if you're too cheap or unable to watch it, surf by the documentarys website, the stats speak for themselves.

In your own life? How about eat healthier? Here's a good website with some quick, easy and above all HEALTHY recipes to try out. They say that if a person who drinks 1 litre of cola a day can cut the cola out or switch to diet cola will lose 10 pounds in one year.... a small change for a big result. I also found a great website here of an article of some easy things to do to fight obesity... and if you're too fat and lazy to read it, there's a video you can watch.

Problem 4 : War

Your Solution : United for Peace and Justice. This is a good website that I visited very often during the beginning of the Iraq war. Check out the Get Involved page for simple ideas of what you can do in your community to affect the people who make war. Sign up for the anti-war mailing list on the page too.

Problem 5 : Poverty

Your Solution : This is one problem that can be blamed for many of the other problems I list here. War, Disease, Pollution, Hunger AND Obesity, Drug Abuse, Violence, Poor Education can all be found to have ties to poverty. This is a massive problem and people everywhere need help. So I will give two solutions to the problem, one local, and one international.

The International Solution : Net Aid. Join Net Aid or at least sign up for their mailing list to receive information on events and programs you can participate in to help the impoverished overseas.

The Local Solution : Homelessness Action Group. Visit their "What You Can Do" Section on the site. In addition to suggesting becoming informed, they suggest writing letters or visiting local city representitives to discuss how to change what is happening in the streets.

Problem 6 : Violence

Your Solution : In this I am mostly referring to local domestic or work/school violence. This idea is a bit different. Instead of receiving information, I'd like you to send it. First visit stopviolence.com. Check it out if you like, but the thing I'd like you to use the referral box to referr the site to a friend or relative. Preferrably you should send it to someone who is affected by domestic violence, be them an antagonist or protagonist, but you can just send it to your brother or girlfriend... just spread the word to one other person... and encourage them to do the same. Violence can't be changed so much with money as much as with education and treatment.

Problem 7 : Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Your Solution : Talk To Frank. This webpage provides information for users and friends/family of users alike. This problem is hard to solve if you aren't affected, but you could become affected by your actions. So what I can suggest is to visit this site to learn how to prevent yourself or others from abusing substances or to get help for yourself or others who are affected by substance abuse.