Five minutes of caring

Home of the Safe

Sam Davidson — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    No matter how you choose to celebrate the [independence of the United States][] this weekend (if you choose to celebrate it, of course), **by all means be safe**. Be safe while you [gather with friends][], be safe when [using fireworks][], and be safe when you [fire up that grill][]. We hope to see everyone back here on Monday, when we&#39;ll continue dishing out your daily dose of caring, [five minutes at a time][]. And, if you want to green your holiday, be sure to read up on our [green grilling tips][]. Make sure you [carpool][] to those festivities, too.

R.E.A.C.H. a Child

Sam Davidson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    For children, **crisis situations can be made a bit better with the gift of a book and a friend.** That&#39;s the aim of [R.E.A.C.H. a Child][], a nonprofit that&#39;s quickly spreading around the country. Whenever a child is in a traumatic situation, [a first responder is able offer comfort][] with a gift in a tough time. Although small, [R.E.A.C.H. a Child][] is rapidly expanding, so see if they&#39;re [working in your area][]. And, depending upon where you live, it&#39;s very easy to [give them your old books][] so that they can re-give them to a child who needs them.

July is 4 (Caring)

Sam Davidson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    Here we are in the [seventh month][] of the year (is it warm where you are?). And, if we say the word &quot;celebration,&quot; you&#39;re probably thinking about fireworks ([be safe this weekend][], by the way). However, **there are a few ways to be cool this month as you live the caring lifestyle:**

Learn a new word - then learn more about hemochromatosis.
See what you can do to care about juvenile arthritis.
It's UV Safety Month, so make sure to protect those peepers (among other things).
Speaking of eyes, this week is Eye Safety Awareness Week.

Don't Waste Threads

C.J. Adams — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    Do you have an old [shirt][] that someone has threatened to turn into a dust rag or a scarf that you&#39;re pretty sure you&#39;ll never wear?  Want to do something beneficial with it instead of contributing to the [68 pounds of fabric][] the average American throws out each year?  You could donate it to [Wasted Thread][], an installation for the [Blend Studios Art Gallery][] at the [Arcade][] in Nashville, Tennessee.  After its stay at the gallery, the project will be sewn into clothing and [sold to benefit][] a family in Cambodia. **Take your old threads and make a difference.**

Nine Lives, One Home

Sam Davidson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    While you&#39;re already aware of [how many things you can do in June][] to make a difference, there&#39;s certainly still room for one more. **So why not adopt a cat?** With more than [four million cats][] ending up in shelters each year, June has been designated as [Adopt-a-Cat month][]. We understand that such a commitment may not be quite up your &quot;alley,&quot; so remember: you can always [help someone adopt a furry friend][]. And if you&#39;re wondering what adoption might look like for you, just check out [this article][] from our archives. Bring home a [new family member][] today!

SPREAD THE WORD: For each person that signs up to receive our email today, we'll donate $1 to our local animal shelter. So, tell your friends about us!

Green (Car)Washing

Sam Davidson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    If you&#39;re like us, you only wash your [car][] when it rains (we&#39;re lazy). **But, if you do like to keep your ride fresh and clean, here&#39;s how to do it in a green way:**

Using a commercial facility could be better than washing at home, since car washes are required to drain their water into a sewer (so it can be treated). Washing at home means that the water runs into a storm drain and straight to waterways.
There are several options for eco-friendly soap to use.
Or, consider going waterless with your car wash.

I Like to Move It

Sam Davidson — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    They say that you can tell who your real friends are when it&#39;s time for you to move. Maybe it&#39;s true with working out, too. Regular movement and exercise have been shown to [treat and prevent][] the effects of [arthritis][]. So, **how will you get moving this month?** If it&#39;s too warm (already) in your [neighborhood][], then here are some ways you can [stay active while indoors][]. And while the latest [video games][] make movement easier than ever before, we&#39;d also recommend [getting out and enjoying nature][] when you can, too. So grab a friend and [get moving][] today!

No Water, Waiter

Sam Davidson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    The next time you head off to your favorite [diner, drive-in or dive][], **only ask for a glass of water if you&#39;ll actually drink it**. If you usually order something other than [H20][], pass when [your waiter][] asks if you&#39;d like water, too. Or, if it&#39;s towards the end of your meal and your [waitress][] is hovering nearby with a pitcher at the ready when you take a few sips, politely decline her offer. We&#39;re not sure how much water is wasted at [restaurants][] the world over, but hopefully you&#39;ll be a bit more aware when you [dine out][].

Coming in Handy

Sam Davidson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    When it comes time to buy something new, you&#39;ve always got [all that packaging][] to hassle with, even if you try your best to buy things that use the least of it. Here&#39;s a new twist on your purchasing decisions: **only buy items that come in packaging you can use again later**. Whether it&#39;s a study [box to put your foxes in][], or a plastic container that can hold those [small craft items][], you&#39;ll be sure to reduce the amount of [trash][] in your house. Or, make a commitment to only buy items in packaging that can be [recycled][].

Quite a Legacy

Sam Davidson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    What began as a [presidential proclamation][] in 1984 to honor a very remarkable woman has now become [an entire week][] of awareness events. Inspired by the life of [Helen Keller][], and commemorated on the week of her birth, [Deaf-Blind Awareness Week][] **seeks to heighten the awareness about deaf-blind individuals and helping us all recognize that over one million Americans are deaf-blind**. You can [learn more about Helen Keller here][], and you can [click here][] to see if your state is holding any awareness activities.  Take 5 minutes today to learn something new and how you can make a difference.

The Teenth of June

Sam Davidson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    Today is June 19, which is also known as [Juneteenth][]. While this may be news to you, Juneteenth marks the [official end of slavery][] in the US, 144 years ago. In 1865, the words of the [Emancipation Proclamation][] finally reached Galveston, Texas, where those enslaved were set free. While the stain of slavery is a serious blot on our world&#39;s history, **much can be learned so that all people can live freely**. Celebrate Juneteeth by [learning more about the holiday][], signing up to be a part of the [anniversary campaign][], or doing something to [end slavery around the world][].

Everyone Needs Shoes

Sam Davidson — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    We&#39;re only a third of the way through our [50,000 Shoes in 50 Days Campaign][], and already we&#39;ve impacted several lives. What we find so interesting about the idea of providing shoes for people who don&#39;t have them is that **you&#39;re able to help people from all &#39;walks&#39; of life**. Whether they&#39;re living [halfway around the world][] or they [lost everything in a natural disaster][], your [donation][] is able to bring hope and footwear to so many. If you haven&#39;t yet, [check out how easy it is to make a small gift][] that changes the lives of so many.

Office Audit

Sam Davidson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    We&#39;ve shared countless (really, we&#39;ve lost count) ways for you to [go green at home][], but what about that place where you spend 40 hours (or more) each week? [How green is your office?][] **Perform an office audit and then make a few recommendations to the boss.** Many ideas you&#39;ll have will help [save the company some money][] - so expect a pat on the back very soon. Here&#39;s where to start:

Suggest that folks shut off computers and lights when they go home.
Develop an eco-friendly printing policy.
Go green when it comes to office supplies.

Healthy Man

Sam Davidson — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

    We&#39;ll be honest: females make up the bulk of Cool People Care&#39;s audience. But, these females know males, so we&#39;re hoping everyone can spread the word about National Men&#39;s [Health Week][]. Since Father&#39;s Day is [happening this weekend][], there&#39;s no better week to tell the dads, husbands, brothers, boyfriends or friends in your life that [now is a good time][] to **&quot;heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.&quot;** There is a lot of information (and [events][]) to be found - you just have to know [where to look][].