getting involved

-- Getting Involved -- 

I have often been asked what I felt was the best way to start having a greater positive impact. I believe it starts with looking inside at the Self first... becoming more aware, speak with a more positive voice, looking at daily activities such as shopping, food and waste disposal. Once you feel that you have a good handle on that (and perhaps you already do) the next step is to look around your home and yard to see what you can do there - i.e. eco-upgrades, growing more plants, start composting, etc. 

Beyond that we can begin to influence our circles at work and socially as well (online too) - just by doing, by providing an example, we can influence them. We don't have to preach it or nag them, just show them by doing. 

 What is really exciting now is that all of us around the planet have all kinds of opportunities to have a greater impact by participating in all kinds of free or frugal activities already available to us. 

Here are a few examples that I copied from recent email newsletters I received from Japanfs.org:

“In the Republic of the Congo, even women who cannot read can join a data
collection project by helping to provide photographic data on illegal
hunts and logging in forests. Researchers then analyze the data and
create maps that are utilized in managing forest conservation. As this
case shows, even people disadvantaged in literacy can contribute to
science.”
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/excites/projects/excites-projects/intelligent-maps/intelligent-maps

“In Europe, lively exchanges of information occur between the public and
scientists via the Internet. Previously, data collected by the public
were viewed with skepticism due the allegedly low degree of accuracy. As
projects collaborating with the public have expanded, however,
peer-reviewed research papers written based on citizen science have
increased year-by-year in the United States, giving the highly effective
use of citizen science more prominence.”
http://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/about/

So as you can see, there are a lot of groups asking for citizens to participate around the globe. 

Get online and start looking for group programs that allow average citizens participate in data gathering such as those that track specific wildlife, counting numbers of birds, identifying backyard insects, and so on. Monitoring programs also exist for specific protected areas, or other areas of interest (that are not yet protected). A lot of these activities can be done while camping, while you are resting on your balcony or viewing your gardens from the window with a pair of binoculars. 

Alternatively, people who are inspired by intellectual challenges can get online and view open source technologies that they can improve on and share that information with others to improve on …and so on. Another option is to look for think-tank related events that deal with local or global issues. Most of these things can be done from the comfort of your own home (and possibly your own workshop).

These are great activities for families, school classes, seniors groups, church groups and youth groups who are looking for something to do.

http://www.facebook.com/lillian.brummet 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ldbrummet

http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com