It seems over the last few years there has been kind of a wake up call that has reached many of us deeply. I don't know if it is because of such wide spread social media, or if more and more people are just stepping up as individuals speaking their truth, doing their part, sometimes even stretching above and beyond, in positive ways, making their voice heard more then ever. The amazing internet and opportunities through social media leave us connected in the most powerful ways, making us more aware to many things about our world, our health, and the power we hold within ourselves more then any news cast or old fashioned news paper ever would dare to do.
I feel inspired and empowered by the many souls who have bravely stepped up, taking a stand for what they believe in...beliefs and values that in turn, cause a positive effect on others.
As we all know, our planet, oceans and all animal life have been compromised by litter, pollution from factories, the meat industry, and by other toxins being released into our water and into the air we breathe. There are many chemicals being placed in the products we use and the food we eat as well, where discrete packaging and misleading news leave many of us unaware what we’re putting onto our skin and into our mouths. There are countless negative effects that are happening in this world by the ‘things’ we’ve created, believing to make our life easier or better. Yet in truth, those ‘things’ we believe to be ‘convenience’ are turning around causing us and every living thing on our planet more harm then good.
It breaks my heart to know we live in such a beautiful world, yet there is much neglect, misunderstanding, pain, and suffering circling around.
Over time I’ve come across some wonderful websites and programs. I choose to recognize these causes and spread the word along because I truly believe the creators and founders of these organizations and projects really try to help for the true good of the people, or help the unfortunate ones. They stand up, inspire others, speak the truth about our heath, and are putting extreme effort into the importance of cleaning up and protecting our planet.
I’ve been very inspired by the ones who dedicate their time and much of their lives to making this world a better place. For the things we do together can make a big difference in someone’s else’s life and in our great big beautiful world.
Here is a list of wonderful sites I have come across as I personally feel the word should be spread. I do not get paid from any of these sites. These are just my own personal findings that have interested or helped me. In truth, I'd love to inspire others to give back to them. I hope that you find some of these as inspiring as I did!
I strongly believe in order to have a true positive impact in our world, we need to educate children, by not only teaching them to read and write, but by teaching them, at a very young age, about their own health and the health of our planet. The best way to fix any problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place and what better way then educating children about the negative and positive effects of the choices we make as individuals. I was inspired by Adam Braun’s story. He has put in so much effort to help in communities where the children had no place to get an education. Creating an organization to educate children so they can learn to read and write and learn about proper hygiene, I believe to be one of the greatest missions in the world. For a good education in children is the best way to make a positive difference in the future of our world.
I first came across these guys because of a documentary they put out on Netflix. Immediately I was drawn in by the way they put themselves in the shoes of the people living in Guatemala who work their lives away yet basically survive on about a dollar a day. To the majority reading this, it is almost unheard of here in the States. Yet in other parts of the world it is the norm and the guys who created the film ‘Living on a Dollar’ know first hand what a struggle it really is. I give them a lot of credit for not only putting themselves out there to live in such hard conditions to make one of their earliest documentaries, but for continuing to create such meaningful films and creating such a wonderful, informative website revealing so much truth in the world.
To me, an extremely touching story... “There is a saying. It doesn’t cost much to dream, but putting it into practice…that is what is hard.” – Rosa Coj Bocel livingonone.org/rosa/
Slowing changing the world…one piece of plastic at a time. Isatou Ceesay, a courageous woman in West Africa decided to take the wet plastic bags that laid around, breeding mosquitoes, creating a dangerous unsightly mess in her community and recycling them by creating art with them. She got together with her sister and a friend and started using the plastic that laid around as litter to create shoes, purses and change purses. It was brilliant. Not only did her ambitious idea clean up her community, she created a movement in her area that empowered woman to start working where they can bring in an income. Their efforts put together help clean up our world by re-purposing old plastic and also by controlling disease that can easily spread. Also, teaching woman and young girls they are powerful, no matter their background or what other people believe. I definitely feel Isatou deserves recognition for what she has done for her community and her efforts to help the world in general.
I came across this site and instantly I was taken in by their wonderful story. A project to not only clean up the oceans, educate and provide people jobs, but to actually come up with innovative ways to stop ocean pollution at the source. It broke my heart to hear that there is 1 TON of plastic that enters our ocean every 60 seconds. That seems impossible. It is also nothing that can be cleaned up unless it is fixed at the source. I believe these guys deserved to be recognized. Here you can purchase a bracelet made of 100% recycled material for $20.00 and help remove 1 lb of plastic from the ocean.
The health of our oceans is directly linked to the health of us all as individuals as it is our entire planet. Ocean life is not only essential on our planet, but is darn right incredibly amazing. ‘The Lonely Whale’ is a powerful site that is creative and productive, collaborating artist, entrepreneurs and community through ideas and projects that create wonderful opportunities to ultimately clean up and save our oceans. The people behind this site deserve to be recognized as well as everyone else who has put in their ideas and time to help clean up the mess in the oceans that each and every one of us has created by being consumers.
Charity water is a cause that brings clean water to people by building wells in their area. They focus on permanent solutions by creating ways to sustain entire communities with clean water. One of the greatest things about their projects is not only that they create ways to bring clean water to people, but they rightfully use 100% of all donations given.
I found this to be an extraordinary website. The information on this site easily revels the truth to the amount of chemicals that are, unknowingly to us, being placed in our beauty products, food and water. Big name companies get away with placing thousands of chemicals into our products by just listing ‘natural fragrance’ or ‘natural flavoring’. Those words alone can hide hundreds of chemicals that are passed by standard laws to be hidden with those words that seem harmless to the average person. Before I buy any new beauty product I will run it by the search section here on the site. It will actually warn you of the cancer rating of the product. This site is a big wake up call. Not intended to drive yourself crazy with every little thing, but just in general, for the main things you use on yourself and your children, I think it’s wonderful. I wrote more about it in one of my post here.
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help our planet and create a greener way of living. This site is packed with videos and true stories of ways ordinary, courageous people are making a wonderful, positive difference in our world.
2 ordinary guys waking people up to the extraordinary world of living simply, living by their values and just getting rid of the excess. Cutting out the excess in your life not only frees up time and money in your own little world, it creates less waste in our great big world in general. I find them wonderfully inspiring. I think you will gain something from them too.
All I can say is what a wonderful podcast this man has created. Lewis Howes has interviewed some of the most inspiring people out there. He is living proof that it is never too late to push for your goals and reach your dreams. I get a tremendous amount of inspiration from his podcast. He has also dedicated much of his time and money to pencils of promise. Personally I feel he needs to be recognized for his efforts in putting out such a wonderful site and I want to thank him for being such an inspiration in my own life. I feel you will greatly benefit from his podcast as well.
To ones who put much effort in trying to do good in the world, I want to recognize you for doing so. It is people like you who give us all hope that there are still kind hearts in this world and that there is still love between all of us and for our beautiful planet as well.
Thanks for reading and I hope you found some inspiration from this page as well! Click here to help make a difference
