Anything that's worth doing is worth doing 100%. Don't settle for second-best and don't let others try to keep you from doing what you want to achieve. When it comes to issues like homelessness, social rights or poverty, give it 100%. Don't just watch a documentary special and think, "That's really a shame." Get out there and do something about it. Find out which organizations in your area are trying to solve the problem. Inform yourself about the issues. Attend a protest rally. Anything to make sure that you're really giving 100%.
Dominic Basulto: February 2008 Archives
Bank of America has this promotion where every debit card purchase is rounded up to the next dollar, and the extra amount of each transaction is then deposited into your savings account, where it can earn interest. It's like a forced savings program. So, for example, if something costs $9.65, you would automatically contribute $0.35 to your savings account.
What if this idea were extended to the philanthropic realm? Instead of sending that $0.35 to your savings account, though, you would send it to a charitable organization of your choosing. Every day, you would be contributing to a charitable cause, knowing that you were somehow helping the world in your own little way.
What if this idea were extended to the philanthropic realm? Instead of sending that $0.35 to your savings account, though, you would send it to a charitable organization of your choosing. Every day, you would be contributing to a charitable cause, knowing that you were somehow helping the world in your own little way.
Kiva.org is a great site for connecting micro-lenders in the West with entrepreneurs in developing nations. (It's even been featured on Oprah) The site features profiles of entrepreneurs seeking funding for their small business ventures. Usually, it's someone like a market vendor looking to raise $1000 to repair a roof or plant a new crop. While it may be too much to ask one person to provide the full $1000 for the loan, what if you could pool together small amounts like $25 or $50 from people all over the world to get to that $1000? Once the full amount of the loan has been assembled, a lending specialist in that home country sends the money to the entrepreneur. Over time, the loan is paid back, and each of the original lenders gets their money back in full.
There are little things that anyone can do to become more environmentally-conscious. For example, you can trade in your old light bulbs for more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and find out how to make your home more energy-efficient. Throw away your plastic bags and find new alternatives. Before traveling or commuting, think about your ultimate impact on the environment. This is easier than it sounds. A growing number of sites -- like Ideal Bite (a Daily Candy for the "green" crowd) -- provide "bite-sized" ideas for green living and help you choose the right types of "green" products that really make a difference for the environment.
There's a lot happening right now on the edge of capitalism and philanthropy. Bill Gates refers to it as "creative capitalism" and others call it "benevolent capitalism." It's all about the "double bottom-line" -- not just profitability but also the ultimate impact of business on society. At Stanford, there's even a Social Innovation program to help all those high-tech entrepreneurs who would otherwise work for Google or Yahoo learn how to start "social" ventures that "do good" while still turning a profit.
If you run a business, think about ways to incorporate the notion of a "double bottom line" into your overall strategy. If you work for a business, think about ways you can integrate this "social venturing" model to that business. Companies have always done pro bono work for local organizations. What else can they do?
If you run a business, think about ways to incorporate the notion of a "double bottom line" into your overall strategy. If you work for a business, think about ways you can integrate this "social venturing" model to that business. Companies have always done pro bono work for local organizations. What else can they do?
