Make a Difference: Community & Calls to Action Archives - Page 4 of 26

Calling Crafty People: Crochet or Knit Nests for Wildlife

March 7, 2016 By Robin Strong Elton Leave a Comment

The most important thing, as I am constantly saying,
is to think about small ways in which we can make a difference—
every day.

Jane Goodall

There have been many, many times in my life that I wished I was more crafty, and this is one of them. Wildlife Rescue Nests for Wildlife Rehabilitators is a non-profit project that facilitates the production of “nests” knitted and crocheted by volunteers, which are then donated to rescue centers around the world (currently 240 wildlife rescues in Canada, the U.S., Ireland, the U.K., Norway, Denmark, Germany, India, Africa, Australia and New Zealand).

The nests are then used as warm and comfy places for displaced or injured wildlife to grow and heal. The result, as you can see, is pure adorableness.

I love how this is such a wonderful example of using your talents to make a difference: not just on the part of the crafters, but also those who began this project and keep it organized.

You don’t have to donate a ton of money or get out on the ocean to protest seal clubbing or change your lifestyle to live in a tiny house or on Walden’s pond or whatever grand gestures. While it would be great if we could all do our part to protect animal habitats from human encroachment so that wildlife isn’t being displaced or injured in the first place, it’s also vital to help rehab those that need it. And let’s be honest: heart hugging photos like these go a long way to building public awareness and sympathy for the cause.

If you’re the crafty sort I’ll hope you consider donating a bit of time and handiwork. It’s important that the nests be made with tight stitches and high tension on the yarn, so that the resulting nest is rigid and stable so little toes and claws don’t get tangled or injured. You can find patterns for cave, hanging and regular nests here.

To register as a participant, get more general info, feel somewhat better about the human race and see tonsssss of cute baby wildlife photos of all kinds, hit up the Wildlife Rescue Nests page on Facebook.

If, like me, you are not so handy with yarn, you can still support the rescue nest effort by donating or purchasing a t-shirt, calendar or tote bag. All proceeds go towards a “yarn and shipping fund” to help defray costs for volunteers.

They're finally safe and warm.

Posted by The Dodo on Sunday, March 6, 2016

All photos are from the Wildlife Rescue Nests website.

#GIFtATree in 5 Seconds: Create a GIF or Send a Tweet

December 16, 2015 By Robin Strong Elton Leave a Comment

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.

—John Muir

This treehugging photo is from the first post I published on this site, in 2008. Cass still pretty much looks exactly like this, and while she’s not really compelled to give them spontaneous displays of affection anymore, we’re still treehuggers at heart.

That’s why we love the #GIFtATree holiday campaign from NBCUniversal and the Arbor Day Foundation. During the month of December, if you create and share a holiday GIF from greenisuniversal.com, or send a tweet using #GIFtATree, a tree will be planted in a state park or national forest— up to 25,000 trees!

The GIFs are very cute and are animated; creating them would be a fun activity for kids, especially over winter break. Every time you share one a tree is gifted, not just once.

I made one during the Rockefeller tree lighting special in NYC, and Cass made one a little bit later, and I was quite a bit delighted to find she’d made the exact same one I had.

not animated bc I couldn’t quickly figure out how to put that here and dinner’s almost ready

Every tweet you send out that includes #GIFtATree counts as a tree gifted, too. What an easy way to make a difference: after all, just one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people. Over the course of a year, just one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, releasing oxygen in exchange.

There are many practical reasons to protect existing trees and plant new ones:

Trees help clean our air and water
Trees improve our mental and physical health
Trees help to fight climate change
The cooling effect of trees saves energy
Trees provide habitat essential for wildlife

Trees are so important to our ongoing physical existence, and we’ve come to think of them in ways that correlate to our emotional existence. Trees are dependable; they stay in one place. Like trees, we aim to lay down firm roots in the earth, but lift our arms and faces to the sky. We strive to grow strong like tree trunks yet flexible like branches in a storm. We try to breathe in the bad and breathe out the good. And when we are tired, broken down, we remain resilient, confident that the next season will come and we will once again be bursting with energy and new growth, like trees in spring.

Most importantly, trees are promises. Trees are potential.

Inside a tiny acorn lies majesty that can weather a thousand storms.

Go on, make yourself a pretty little card and feel good about your role planting a tree. Or three. Or three dozen!

(And while you’re thinking about all this tree related goodness, pin this list of ways to repurpose or recycle your Christmas tree for later.)

The Importance of Creating Sustainable Communities: Infographic

November 30, 2015 By Robin Strong Elton Leave a Comment

Today, November 30th, presidents and leaders from countries all across the world will gather for the Paris United Nations Climate Change Conference. The purpose of this conference is to bring together some of the world’s most powerful individuals to discuss ways to develop more sustainable communities, regions, and nations. To help bring awareness for this conference, I wanted to share with you this infographic, created by Norwich University’s Online Master’s in Public Administration, which highlights the importance of creating sustainable communities. For more information, check out the full infographic below!