New Articles to inspire!

"How to Teach Your Children the Benefits of Green Living" July 31, 2009
In the fast-paced world of video games, iPods and Twitter how do you teach your children the benefits of green living and how important it is for the future of our earth? A mother of two shares her experience in raising compassionate, eco-conscious children.

"Easy Green Living Tips You Can Use In Your House Today" August 15, 2009
Would you like to make your home more earth-friendly but can't afford to add solar panels to your roof? Here are some easy and no-cost or inexpensive tips you can use today to get on the path to a greener home!

"Inspiring Social Entrepreneurship: ChangeMakers at Ashoka" September 8, 2009
With global warming on the rise, and many other issues such as world hunger and gang violence, it's no wonder that lots of people feel a need to take action. Changemakers at Ashoka is helping to create an army of world changing social entrepreneurs. Learn what they are up to and how you can help!

"Reduce Waste in Your Home Today" October 29, 2009
Would you like to lessen the impact of your carbon footprint by reducing waste in your home? You can do a few simple things today that will not only help the earth but save you money! Read on for some great tips.

"Growing Your Own Food For a Healthier Planet and a Healthier You" October 29, 2009
Consumers across the globe are becoming more and more aware of the harmful products they are putting into their bodies and the trend towards organic food and home gardening is growing! Learn why growing your own food will help you and the earth and how to get started!

"Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Program: 'The Power of Youth is Global' " October 29, 2009
Roots and Shoots is the environmental, wildlife conservation and humanitarian program from the Jane Goodall Institute that teaches and inspires young people to be warriors for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. Join the cause today!

The Lemon Lady: A Bay Area Local Hero

Tonight on ABC7 news, I was pleased to see a story of an up-beat nature for a change.  The feature was on Anna Chan, a woman from Clayton who, in her own words has been running a “one-woman fruit harvesting campaign against hunger!”  Anna has been collecting the spare fruits and vegetables growing in the gardens of the people in her community, with their permission of course.  And the community is more than happy to donate their extra produce to Anna, who has been dubbed “The Lemon Lady”.  After Anna goes around collecting the fruits and vegetables she takes them to local food pantries.   She also organizes a community garden to grow additional produce for her campaign.  The message of her mission is quickly spreading.  

Local heroes like Anna are much needed.  According to the statistics posted on the website for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, children make up 33% of those who need emergency assistance.  It’s a travesty when any child goes hungry, but many people don’t realize the epidemic that exists in neighborhoods all over America.  The efforts that Anna is making speak volumes about the spirit of goodwill that does exist.  It also shows what one person can do: in just a few months Anna has collected over 8000 pounds of produce to help feed the hungry!  Feeling inspired yet?  There’s a wealth of information about things you can do to get involved on the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano’s website.  A simple thing is to gather some of your non-perishables to donate.  Food Banks usually put containers outside of grocery stores so people can drop off their non-perishables, making it very easy to give.  Anna points out that the food banks also accept produce, so don’t stop at soup cans!  You can also follow in Anna’s footsteps and collect your neighbor’s spare fruit and vegetables, or start a community garden to donate food for the hungry.  Volunteering at your local food bank or soup kitchen is also an option for those eager to help.  

People like Anna “The Lemon Lady” give us hope and restore our faith in humanity.  We all need to hear that there are plenty of people fighting the good fight.  Those kinds of people never disappeared; unfortunately the flashy stories, the stories that focus on the seedier side of human beings, often drown out the ones about people like Anna.  But what a breath of fresh air it was to hear her story!  Get involved, spread the word and one by one we can all bring truth to the cliché “that one person can make a difference”.  Follow Anna’s blog to get updates on what she and others are doing to stamp out hunger, and join the cause in your community!