Links of the Week: 10/31/06

Each week, we'll profile the links we include on the homepage. Be sure to check out these great, socially-aware sites.

• Jason Foundation
  The Jason Foundation is a major player in the field of youth suicide prevention. I actually had the pleasure of meeting Clark Flatt, President and CEO, today. He's a visionary man who was led to start the foundation after his son, Jason, committed suicide. Clark found the suicide rate among young people alarming, and started the foundation to prevent more teens from becoming statistics. Jason Foundation offices are in several states and hundreds of schools around the country use Jason Foundation materials to educate and train people on suicide prevention.

• Give Meaning
  Give Meaning is to money what CoolPeopleCare is to time. Believing that the $5 philanthropist should have a place in this world, Tom Williams developed this concept to allow generous givers the opportunity to make a major impact with a small amount of money. Browse their site for ways you can make an impact with just a few dollars.

• Witness
  I found this site in the latest issue of Fortune Magazine. I love the concept of arming people with cameras as they tell their story in today's digital world. Their work raises awareness about the gravity of human rights abuses happening all around the globe. And best of all, you hear the stories from victims. The reality of pain and abuse is almost tangible. Visit their site and educate yourself today.

Rewind: Week of 10/23 - 10/27

Monday, October 23: Skip the Soda

Save calories and donate your quarters.

Tuesday, October 24: Let’s Say Thanks

Thank a soldier for doing what they do.

Wednesday, October 25: One Dollar Water

$1 provides one year of clean water for an African.

Thursday, October 26: Recycle the Cell

Put old cell phones to good use.

Friday, October 27: Recycled Paper(backs)

Trade a book. Make a friend.

Small Obsession

I promise I only have a small obsession with John Mayer. And posts like his below are a big reason why. Read the whole thing and then pop back over here and tell us what you would change:

http://www.johnmayer.com/blog

Here's the question: what do you change? Whom do you call that you haven't spoken to in years? Whom do you realize has been toxic to your heart and drop with surprising ease? What trips do you cancel, and what trips do you book? What can't you be bothered with anymore? What's the new you like?

Think about that, and then ask one more question. Why not just change it all right now?

(Working on it...)

Beta Testers Wanted: HTML Email

We are about to release an exciting new feature for CoolPeopleCare. We are going to start sending our daily 5 minutes of caring newsletter in HTML format. This will allow us to offer a richer experience for our users as well as provide more immediate access to the websites and information linked every day.

If you are interested, tech-minded, or just too impatient to wait for us to release to the world, you can help us out by signing up to beta-test the new functionality. If you wish, we can add you to our test list and you will begin receiving the daily email in all of its full-color and linkified glory.

To register, simply enter your name and email address in the form below. Thank you for your help.

—Adam.

Read This Book: The Answer to How is Yes

Most book titles are cheesy, and the ones that are provocative often lead you astray. But when this book was recommended to me, it immediately went on my Amazon wishlist.

Peter Block’s book, however, was nothing like I imagined. I thought that if the answer to How? was yes, then I didn’t understand the question. Or that questions were stupid and actions were all that mattered. As an action-oriented guy, I thought I would resonate with him saying that we should stop asking questions and start changing the world.

But that’s not his approach. Block articulates that when seeking to change or start something, the how questions are constraining. By asking them, we’ve already cemented our approach. For example, when asking, “How much will it cost?” we already assume that money is needed for something.

But, instead of simple deconstruction, Block builds and offers new questions:

1. Instead of asking, “How do you do it?” you ask, “What refusal have I been postponing?”
2. Instead of asking, “How long will it take?” you ask, “What commitment am I willing to make?”
3. Instead of asking, “How much does it cost?” you ask, “What is the price I am willing to pay?”
4. Instead of asking, “How do you get those people to change?” you ask, “What is my contribution to the problem I am concerned with?”
5. Instead of asking, “How do we measure it?” you ask, “What is the crossroad at which I find myself at this point in my life/work?”
6. Instead of asking, “How have other people done it successfully?” you ask, “What do we want to create together?”

But if you’re thinking, “I’m just biding my time and padding my bank account while working for the man so that one day I can do what I want,” then Block has a message for you, too. You’re being too predictable, and you’re still falling into the trap of the first six questions. Block writes, “Choosing to act [now] on ‘what matters’ is the choice to live a passionate existence, which is anything but controlled and predictable.”

And he keeps dropping the hammer throughout the entire book. Block knows what he’s talking about, and anyone looking to start something or change something should read this book. As should anyone wondering, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” no matter how old you are.

I read several books a year, and this is on the list of those I’ll reread every year because something new will hit me every time I sit down with it. I started it on Friday, by the way.

It’s that good.

Rewind: Week of 10/16 - 10/20

5 minutes a day x 5 days a week = REVOLUTION

Monday, October 16: Stand Against Poverty

Stand up and declare that 24,000 people dying every day from hunger is unacceptable.

Tuesday, October 17: Stop Domestic Violence

It’s quick and easy to take a stand against violence against women.

Wednesday, October 18: No Plastic Spoons

Skipping the plastic will make the world a better place.

Thursday, October 19: Share a Subscription

Team up with a buddy and consume less paper.

Friday, October 20: Feed Someone

You can be incredibly lazy and still feed a homeless person.

The Down Side of Cheap Oil

I’ve been thinking more about the notion that everything in America is tied to money due to out democratic and capitalist society.

This thought was further confirmed when I read this article in today’s Washington Post. While we all love living the 2-dollar-a-gallon lifestyle that comes with lower oil prices, there are a few casualties. Some investment moves went south for some folks. But even worse, people once again are not talking about alternative energy.

Al Gore and crew got a lot of airtime this summer, not just because of the nature of the film and the money behind the marketing campaign, but also because lots of Americans felt the pinch of gas costing nearly $3 a gallon. Some people didn’t resonate with Al Gore or the polar icecaps. They resonated with the thought that they could save money in the end by using the sun and the wind.

Unfortunately, the byproduct of everything being tied to money is that when a particular financial burdened is eased, the solutions to the problems that caused the burden disappear. Should oil prices spike again, you can believe that Gore’s face will once again be on your TV.

And while saving money is great (it’s one of my favorite pastimes), in terms of alternative energy, it’s the added benefit, not the focus. Again this month, we saved money on our electric bill because of some of the changes we’ve made around the house and in our usage habits. But more importantly, we used 238 fewer kilowatt hours this month when compared to last year. That does result in a monetary savings, but better yet, it results in almost 250 pounds of unused coal, keeping natural resources in the ground and the environment healthier. In fact, even if the changes around the home weren’t paying for themselves in this way, we still should have made the adjustments given the positive social benefits of doing so.

Of course, this is easier said than done. There’s a reason Wild Oats is in Green Hills and why people near the poverty line don’t shop for organic food, even though the health and environmental benefits are myriad. Have I mentioned the relationship between money and nearly everything else in America?

I would hope that investment money still finds its way to alternative energy projects, even if oil falls to $25 a barrel. The key will be to find alternative sources of energy that are affordable to everyone. I dream of seeing a compact light bulb cheaper than an incandescent one. I dream of seeing homes taken off the grid for pennies on the dollar. Until that happens, the urgency of energy conservation will fade from the public consciousness.

Fresh Ideas

Today marks our first day that our 5 Minutes of Caring article has been written by a user.

Indie Davis is a mother, poet, advocate and friend. Inspired with our post about donating meat to the Nashville Rescue Mission, Indie checked out their website and saw that a small donation could be made quickly and easily. She acted, wrote about it, and hopefully will inspire others.

Check out more of Indie's writings about life on her blog: The World is Too Much With Us.

If you've got a great idea for a 5 Minutes of Caring article, send it our way. Don't be overwhelmed by the links of trying to arrive at exactly 99 words. We'll package it and make it look pretty for you. Just give us the idea and we'll do the rest.

During the month of December, we'll feature 5-minute ideas from you, the user. You'll get authorship credit and we'll link to you so that folks can find your MySpace page, blog or other website you want people to see.

So send those ideas our way, and get ready to change the world.

Rewind: Week of 10/9 - 10/13

Because typically we only use the Fast Forward button on our TiVo:

Monday, October 9: Give Meat

Whether you’re a carnivore or herbivore, your donation is appreciated.

Tuesday, October 10: Breast Cancer Site

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Wednesday, October 11: Trich Your Plate

Tell that tailgater that HYS853 supports a good cause.

Thursday, October 12: Time for Tolerance

Stop the hate. Tolerate.

Friday, October 13: Micro-changenomics

5 minutes too long? What about 5 seconds?

Breathing Earth

Today I stumbled upon an interesting (and mesmerizing) simulation.

Visit the site. In just a few minutes, you can learn more about geography, the Earth's population growth rates, and just how much CO₂ we create.

From the site:

Welcome to the Breathing Earth. This presentation displays the carbon dioxide emission levels of every country in the world, as well as their birth and death rates - all in real-time.

Site URL: http://www.breathingearth.net/

What Class Are You?

What social class are you in? Upper? Middle? Lower?

Look at the following graph of a 2005 Census Bureau study about income:

How much does your household make? I'll ask again: What social class are you in?

Chances are your answers are different. Most of us say that we're middle class, even if we think we're a little above that. For some reason, there's a certain stigma in American society with saying you're in the upper or lower classes when it comes to income. Middle class is a safe answer, a safe place to be, and safe place to tell others you belong, should that need arise.

But, before you answer or think to yourself next time, be honest. The notion of you telling someone you're middle class when you and your spouse bring home six figures is just plain wrong.

We don't need to begin wearing T-shirts or name tags with our social class on them. But, it does make a difference when someone is living the upper class life and claims to be middle class. It influences their vote. It influences where they live. It influences who they are.

Based on this data, all of our lawmakers in DC are upper class. No wonder they vote as they do.

So what does this mean other than being honest with ourselves?

In America, income and social class divides us as much as race (the two are deeply related, in my opinion). If we are to build broad-based coalitions that work for change, we must be able to understand the differences that exist between us based on our paychecks. Until we are honest and realize that we live different lives and therefore defend different things, we may never be able to sit at the same table.

Saul Alinsky, the godfather of community organizing, had this to say 35 years ago:

Organization for action will now and in the decade ahead center upon America's white middle class. That is where the power is. When more than three-fourths of our people from both the point of view of the economics and of their self-identification are middle class, it is obvious that their action or inaction will determine the direction of change. Large parts of the middle class, the "silent majority," must be activated; action and articulation are one, as are silence and surrender.

Your middle class-ness means more than fitting in. It means it's time to shake things up.

Best of Nashville

A big and loud thank you to the Nashville Scene for including us in the "Best of Nashville" issue which hit newstands today.

Under the category of "Media, Issues & Politics" CoolPeopleCare.org earns its distinction as "Best Proof That Young People Give a Damn"...

Think all twentysomethings wanna do is hook up on MySpace or in the clubs? Coolpeoplecare.com, a new website that not only inspires young Nashvillians to change the world but does one better by offering them concrete ways to do so, is flipping that script. Whether this means volunteering with local nonprofits like Oasis Center or Hands on Nashville or doing something with global impact like leaving the Camry under the carport and taking the bus to work, coolpeoplecare.com is all about young adults getting out and getting involved. For local teens, go to teenedge.com.

Thanks to the paper and to Bill Friskics-Warren who penned the writeup. Bill is a talented and well-respected journalist who has written about popular music for the New York Times, Newsday, the Village Voice, the Washington Post, No Depression, the Oxford American and Rock & Rap Confidential, among other publications.

And now he's written about us.

Thank you Bill, Chris, Rob, Eric, and all those at the Scene who thought enough of what we're doing to include us in this year's issue. We're more grateful than you could imagine.

Plus, we're right next to Nemesisboy, and who wouldn't be proud of that?!?

Not Beautiful, But...

The folks at Nashville Lifestyles magazine put out a very slick, attractive, and well-written magazine and we're happy that our first bit of printed publicity comes within the pages of their current issue with Carrie Underwood on the cover.

Granted, we're not featured in their cover story, "Nashville's 25 Most Beautiful People," but to get to that article, you at least have to thumb by the one about CoolPeopleCare.org.

Writer Megan Byrd does a great job of describing what it is we're doing online:

The concept is simple. Prompt people to spend five minutes of their day doing something positive. The problem, as Davidson and his partners see it, is not that people don't care enough to help, it's that they just don't know how.

We're hopeful this reaches some in the Nashville community and are deeply appreciative of the Lifestyle's editorial staff for giving us some column inches in their glossy pub.

If you're around the Music City, grab a copy and give it a read -- and if nothing else, you can peruse pages of pretty people like Chely Wright and Erron Kinney and support your local publishing community.

Starting the Conversation

While we are working on being focused on Nashville, time, self-improvement and the betterment of the community here at CoolPeopleCare, the world around us moves in ups and downs, ins and outs, goods and bads.

Sam has an uncanny ability to keep tabs on just about everything, and today is published on ethicsdaily.com talking about Darfur and the MTV generation. The article is most definitely worth a read as Sam seamlessly builds bridges for young Americans to the rest of the world.

Even though the game is packed with facts and stories in the small print, the die-hard gamer may not stop to read them all while playing. But, the simple fact that the game exists, coupled with MTV's backing, is a conversation started in itself.

Game on!

Rewind: Week of 9/25-9/29

Change the world in less time than it takes to flip through the channels:

Monday, September 25: Party for a Cause

Think you’re ready to really revolutionize things? Then have a party.

Tuesday, September 26: 180 Seconds of Reality

The truth is shocking sometimes, especially if you can watch it.

Wednesday, September 27: Stop Human Trafficking

An estimated 27 million people around the world are enslaved right now--more than at any time in human history.

Thursday, September 28: Smell the Difference

Now it’s possible to look good AND feel good.

Friday, September 29: Buy Local Food

Shorten the distance between their fields and your stomach.