Five minutes of caring

It’s Not Your Birthday

Sam Davidson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    Once again, Cool People Care is back with our [Christmas is Not Your Birthday][] campaign. This year, we&#39;re focusing on **giving people things that inspire them**: things that uplift them and encourage them about all they can do to make the world a better place. Tune in each Friday until Christmas for one suggestion as to an inspiring gift and your holidays will be unique and purposeful. Today&#39;s idea? **Give something handmade, either by you or someone nearby.** The precision and detail (and sweat) that goes into a labor of love will surely motivate us all to do something good!

Thank You!

Sam Davidson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    **If you do nothing else today, please - please - thank someone.** Tell a relative how much you appreciate them. [Call][] your parents and tell them thanks for all they did (and still do) for you. Thank your kids, your neighbors, or your friends. Yes - eat lots of food, [save the leftovers][], turn on the TV - do whatever you like to do on Thanksgiving. But, don&#39;t miss the main point of this holiday: to remind us in the midst of very busy lives that spending focused time on thankfulness is a worthy pursuit. And, if it&#39;s easier, [just get a rock][].

Nada for Me

Sam Davidson — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    At first Black Friday gave way to [Cyber Monday][]. And now, it seems like many stores are taking the Friday out of Black Friday by [opening their doors][] right after the turkey has been carved. **You can stay out of this shopping whirlwind simply by pledging to buy nothing.** Sure, there are deals to be had, but the [Buy Nothing][] campaign does its part to remind us that the holiday season isn&#39;t just about consumption. Instead, spend this Friday with loved ones eating leftovers, [telling stories][], making memories, or doing something together that doesn&#39;t [cost anything][]. Talk about savings!

Normal Jeans

Sam Davidson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    If you&#39;re in the market for a new pair of jeans this Friday, **check out what Levi&#39;s is doing to help save water**. The average pair of blue jeans uses [919 gallons of water][] in its lifetime. Levi&#39;s new initiative, called **Water&lt;Less**, [saves water][] in every part of the manufacturing process so that you can [use less water][] when you wear blue jeans. Or, if you&#39;re in the market for ways to reuse your old jeans, check out these ideas - [all 25 of them][] - for keeping blue jeans out of the trash. How green are your blues?

A New Day is Coming

Sam Davidson — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    Very soon, you&#39;ll be enjoying a revamped [CoolPeopleCare.org][]. Not only will we be freshening things up on the website, **we&#39;ll also be debuting a brand new look and feel in our daily emails**. So, while you&#39;re wrapping things up at the [office][] this week in order to get your [turkey][] ready, we&#39;ll be at work behind the scenes so that next week, the great tradition of [saving the world][] can continue in a new and exciting way. Don&#39;t worry - we&#39;ll still be here all this week, too. We&#39;re just so excited about what&#39;s coming that we had to share.

Like a Rock

Sam Davidson — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    We were very thankful to come across this great idea, courtesy of blogger and speaker Michael Hyatt: [get yourself a gratitude rock][]. The idea is that you carry a smooth stone (or any other small object) in your pocket. Then, throughout the day, each time you touch it, **silently think of something for which you&#39;re thankful**. It&#39;s a great way to keep track of all those things you may appreciate but take for granted. And, it&#39;s a great way to get ready for [Thanksgiving][] next week. What about you? How do you remember to [be thankful][] throughout the year?

Feast Ahead

Sam Davidson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    A week from now (if you&#39;re in the US), you&#39;ll be cooking or eating or cleaning or eating with friends and family nearby. Before you go shopping, **be sure to follow these suggestions to make your table as sustainable as possible**:

Slow Food USA has some quick ideas for being thankful and buying the right food.
Maybe it's time you gave a different kind of turkey a try.
See if you can round up some locally grown vegetables for all those side dishes.
If you're not going to eat those leftovers, be sure to put them to good use.

Potty Mouth

Sam Davidson — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    This Saturday (November 19) is [World Toilet Day][]. And while we&#39;re sure you&#39;d love a newer model in your home, **the real point is to call attention to the realities of substandard sanitation around the world**. Globally, [more people own a cell phone than a toilet][]. This, coupled with the fact that [toilets can save lives][], means that you should [lend your voice][] to raise awareness about how to take action. [Sign up for email updates][] to stay on top of the latest developments, and know that your one voice can make a big difference in this important movement.

Time to Recycle

Sam Davidson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    Each year on November 15th, [America Recycles Day][] is celebrated. While you probably won&#39;t get a day off of work today, you can make sure to take time out to recycle something and spread the word. So, once you [take this pledge][], be sure to dive into these articles about ways to recycle - and to get other people involved:

Here are some steps for upping your recycling game at work.
Remember: the more recycling bins you have, the easier recycling becomes.
With the holidays coming up, consider giving a recycled gift to someone.

Tell us: what do you recycle?

Get It All Out

Sam Davidson — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    In an effort to save money (and reduce your consumption), **make sure you&#39;re getting the most out of the stuff you buy**. With a little effort, you can make sure you enjoy every last drop. For example, here&#39;s a tip for using the corner of your bathroom counter to make sure you [empty each tube of toothpaste][]. Or, [punch a small hole in your laundry detergent bottle][] to get enough for an extra load. With a little elbow grease you can make sure a little goes a long way. **What tips do you have for using all of something?**

In the Club

Sam Davidson — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    We&#39;ve written about the gripping short documentary [The Country Club][] before, and now, **we&#39;re happy to announce that you can stream the movie for free online**. Once a prestigious country club overlooking Port-au-Prince and the Caribbean Sea, the only golf course in Haiti has become an impromptu home to tens of thousands living beneath tarps due to a devastating earthquake. Out of the estimated half-million left homeless, this documentary follows one 12-year old boy struggling to find hope despite heavy rains, instability, and a future unknown. [Block off some time and catch the movie here.][]

No Email Day

Sam Davidson — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    Tomorrow is [No Email Day][]. This new, grassroots campaign is aiming to get people to [not read or write emails for an entire day][]. The point? We often send an email instead of speaking to someone face to face. We like the idea of more human contact, so if it takes [not reading or replying to any emails for an entire day][] to get you to [pick up the phone][] or schedule time with someone, then so be it. Of course, we&#39;ll still be sending an email tomorrow morning, but you can wait to read it some other time.

Underwhere?

Sam Davidson — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    There are some things that we assume can&#39;t be recycled or reused. But, time and again, we&#39;re shown the light. **Today&#39;s case in point: underwear.** As it turns out, when it&#39;s time for you to upgrade, those old unmentionables can still be put to good use. But don&#39;t take our word for it. [Here are five ways to recycle underwear][] (for example, you can cut off the elastic band and compost some pairs). If you&#39;re still looking, [here are some more great ideas][] for extending the life of your undergarments. And, for good measure, [here are four more suggestions][].

One at a Time

Sam Davidson — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

    In your attempts to [save the world][], it&#39;s good to be reminded that we don&#39;t have to do it all at once. For example, in your efforts to live a greener lifestyle, instead of replacing all of your household cleaners at once (for more eco-friendly versions), **just focus on replacing these items as they run out and you need to restock**. Opting for [the better version][] next time you&#39;re in need will help you eventually change up your whole [cleaning closet][]. And, if you need the run down on some common green cleaners, [check out this informative article][].