Thoughts on Global Citizenship

-- Thoughts on Global Citizenship -- 

I’ve been chatting quite a bit about different ways of proactively participating as a global citizen. Let me dig a little deeper here offering you a few stats and a discussion on some things we can consider doing about it.

For instance: Did you know that about 410,000 plastic cups are produced as waste by the airline industry every 15 minutes? Something to think about.

How many of us have used cell phones, cords, out of date electronics and kitchen appliances we no longer use laying around? According to lecture I was listening to earlier this year, 152 million cell phones are thrown out every year and only 11% of these are recycled.  Some of the remaining may have been donated somewhere. Most are sitting in junk drawers and the like.

Now don’t be disheartened by the information here – Knowing this information is very empowering for inventors, designers, scientists and proactive citizens. There are numerous organizations that are begging for your old cell phones including this one highlighted below:

Rainforest Connection’s founder speaks about the organization’s repurposing recyclable cell phones and solar panels in order to have a huge impact, globally, in reducing illegal logging and poaching in protected areas. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/topher_white_what_can_save_the_rainforest_your_used_cell_phone

Check out the Rainforest Connection organization via links below: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/topherwhite/rainforest-connection-phones-turned-to-forest-guar

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www.facebook.com/RainforestCx

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www.rfcx.org

Did you know that there are something like 7 million actively employed scientists in the world today? Many of whom are working on projects that are changing the world for the better. This number is not including the retirees who might still be working their craft. Nor does it include students and youth or volunteer, amateur citizen scientists. Nor does this number include small business owners and the millions of engineers and designers out there. 

Modern designers, for instance, are now working with waste reduction interests by looking at ways to improve the recycling process of their product and choose materials that are not only made from recycled materials but are also recyclable. All of this matters and should be celebrated.

I find that statistic quite encouraging. All of these great minds; many of them collaborating across the planet, creating positive change. That is an exciting thought!

OK so I am going to stop there and let you mull today’s post over in your mind. I’ll keep on this topic though, so keep checking back on the blog... and if you are up to it, check out our Trash Talk book series via the links below: 

https://www.createspace.com/3849039

https://www.createspace.com/3852051