“A single rose can be my garden…a single friend, my world.” –Leo F. Buscaglia
Recently I’ve had occasion to do a little letter writing in an effort to make the world a better place. When I say letter writing I mean I use the handy form that companies have on their sites. I wrote Starbucks about their Universal CityWalk missing certain community elements like coffee grinds for gardeners and a community board for local events. I wrote my local grocery store to encourage them to give a discount to people using reusable bags.
Each of them politely responded, saying that my suggestion was taken into consideration. Getting the responses felt kind of empty though, a pat on the head if you will. I got a little more mileage out of the response I received from my grocery store by posting it on my Facebook which in turn spurned a spirited discussion and even has one non-believer experimenting with reusable bags. But I’m still not sure if my voice will be heard with the companies themselves. So it makes me wonder if the missives are worth my while.
Similarly, I received an email response from President Obama about the BP oil spill and his administration’s dedication to cleaning up the mess. That’s all well and good, but he was replying in response to a form email I sent asking him to reconsider off-shore oil drilling – that email was sent prior to the Deep Water Horizon debacle. A pretty clear indication that nobody at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue bothered to read my letter in the first place.
Give up? Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but I’ve decided to write Mr. Obama again, but this time using tips I learned through a TEDTalk by Omar Ahmad. I’m also going to write my elected officials to get action on plastic bags; individual companies taking action – like Target – is heartening, but we can’t rely on that.
Like most things in life, improving the world is a process. We can either be at peace, realize it and appreciate it, or go through it kicking and screaming. I’d really like to be more at peace with the process, and I’m going to try to focus my energies toward doing that. It’s hard, to be candid, because I’m a pro at kicking, screaming, and yelling.
Here are your Monday Ripples. I hope they inspire you on your quest to make the world a better place.
Mr. President, Quite Contrary
Transparency: Obama’s Presidential Garden
…How does your garden grow? Apparently quite well! Sure we all have that evil cynic lying dormant within us, ready to lift his ugly head when we’re tired and world-weary, and he might have had a good opportunity when we heard that the Obama’s would have an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn. “Politic posturing,” your inner monster might have mumbled. Not so, as you’ll see from this clever “infographic” from the folks at the always delicious Good magazine. Take a look at how much produce the Obama garden has produced and, better yet, what is happening with that produce.
Dawn is for the Birds
Why Dawn Is The Bird Cleaner Of Choice In Oil Spills
I’m offering this NPR article up for you to mull over and discuss, because I’m having a hard time knowing what to think. Here’s the irony in a nutshell: Dawn dishwashing liquid is the cleaning product of choice to clean oil off birds as teams of people are doing for the Gulf disaster right now, but Dawn has petroleum in it. A conundrum, yes? One thing the piece doesn’t go into is if the Seventh Generation dishwashing liquid has been tested on the animal. (The company donated product to the cause, as you’ll read.) We use it at home and we’ve been very happy with it.
Would You Like to Play a Game?
Free Rice
Free Rice is a site with a dual purpose. You play a game in which you answer questions, for each correct answer 10 grains of rice is donated to the United Nations World Food Program. The questions are facilitated by the Berkman Center for Interntet & Society at Harvard University, so you might actually learn something while you’re at it! Answer vocabulary questions, identify the painters of famous artwork, or test your geographical knowledge.
