Getting a resolutions post up very late isn’t the best way to kick off the new year, but I couldn’t resist sharing this post published on the women’s community DivineCaroline. Whether in the name of sustainability or social entrepreneurship, making decisions that consider the planet and our communities also can have positive effects on our waistlines and wallets—plus they make for more enjoyable promises to ourselves than the illusion of running 10 miles a day. Unlike your resolutions of New Years past, some of these ideas for ‘09 may even last beyond the first of February.
I’ve taken the liberty of tweaking the U.S. Government’s list of most popular American resolutions (yes, USA.gov really does list these–say what you will about the use of federal resources). While it may not relieve your hangover on the first of the year, doing your part feels pretty good once you get to it.
Quit the habit
Contrary to Steve Jobs’ recent comment about Americans not being interested in reading anymore, many people think books are still worth purchasing and spending time with, thank you very much. Purchasing novels and biographies from an outlet that works to encourage literacy and protect the environment, not just their profits, is a great way to change your one-click ordering habit on Amazon. Ordering Nobel Prize winner Muhammed Yunus’ Banker to the Poor about microfinancing for the poorest of the poor from online retailer Better World Books benefits Books for Africa and other literacy partners. Reading John Wood’s autobiography Leaving Microsoft to Change the World about the work his organization, Room to Read, has taken to publish children’s books in local languages around the world, is another good way to jumpstart externally aimed personal resolutions.
Walk it off
Raising money for charity certainly isn’t made any easier by an economic downturn, but your decision to hit the road can make a compelling case in encouraging donations to an organization or cause you support. If you’ve slashed your vacation budget for the upcoming year, rounding up a few friends to meet you at the LA, San Francisco or New York AIDS Walk can make for a fun long weekend of urban hiking that benefits local AIDS research and outreach organizations. Another option is the two-day Avon Walks for Breast Cancer that take place around the country—and the miles of cheerleaders don’t hurt. The funds raised support not only treatment and support services, but breast cancer screening that is proving ever more important for early detection.
Learn something new
Composting food scraps and switching your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are cost-efficient ways to make your house or apartment easier on the earth. It’s also worth signing up for Recycle Bank, a new award program that incentivizes people to recycle more curbside and e-waste. Once you sign up for an account online, the amount you recycle is recorded so you start earning rewards from companies including natural skin care line Kiss My Face and organic yogurt producer Stonyfield Farm.
Stop consuming junk
If you’re among the many gift recipients who got another dismal album or bad DVD during the holidays, you may agree that supporting independent artists just has to improve the quality of what’s available to watch and hear. A few websites make finding projects you’re eager to see produced simple. Sellaband invites music fans to throw a few dollars behind bands and artists looking to raise money for their first professional album, which will earn browsers a limited edition copy once the musician raises $50,000. For filmgoers complaining that there’s nothing worth watching, IndieGoGo offers a wide range of film projects in various states of production that audiences can help fund, endorse, and comment on. Getting to see the $10 you would have spent at the metroplex work harder for a new or experienced filmmaker is a gift in itself.
Practice financial responsibility
One unexpected benefit of Wall Street’s mismanagement may be Americans’ willingness to try socially conscious investment funds with their emphasis on empowering small companies and entrepreneurs. While I’m working to earn the funds required to join Women Moving Millions in their efforts to invest in women’s economic growth around the world, I’m intrigued by the opportunity to make $50 loans to upstart West African companies through the new group Investors Without Borders. There are also good opportunities to help the Cambridge-based MicroLoan Foundation make loans to women starting sustainable businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. If you lack money to loan but have computer skills or the willingness to host a dress-up donation day at your school or office, you can help the foundation expand to Zambia and encourage their clients to start business projects that improve their self-sufficiency.
Organize your priorities
These ideas are only a sampling of the suggestions for helping that you can find with some brief Internet browsing. Planning for the causes and companies you’ll support in the year ahead is easy with charity and product review sites such as Great Nonprofits and GoodGuide, a site that provides information about the environmental and social impact of products you own. (The latter was recently nominated for the startup award show Crunchies in the category of “Most likely to make the world a better place.”) The large healthy and green living community Care2 also offers advice on sustainable nutrition and volunteering for causes you care about. These sites are great for kicking off your plans for more thoughtful months to come, but making them happen may require stepping away from the screen. It will be here when you’re ready to report back on making your impact felt, I promise.