Our Challenge for June

This month we are going to reuse a challenge. We have picked this challenge to reuse due to it's importance. We cannot have enough awareness and practice when it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling.

When you become aware of the 3 R's you will find many ways to help save our Earth. Here are some suggestions to help you get you started on this month's challenge. If you have any other ideas...please send us an email, or comment on our post and let's find ways to help our dying planet.

Reduce:
*reduce energy by turning off lights and unplugging electronics and appliances
*reduce water by turning off the tap when you are brushing your teeth, by taking shorter showers and being water conscience when washing dishes
*reduce paper cups by taking your own mugs to coffee shops or making your own coffee
*reduce emissions by not idling your car
*reduce garbage by recycling and starting a compost for fruits and vegetables
*reduce emissions by walking to work, taking the bus, biking or carpooling

Reuse:
*reuse containers from home (replace plastics with glass)
*reuse ziploc bags and other plastic bags
*reuse items in your home by lending (see lendlist.org)

Recycle:
*take the time to wash out containers and put them in the blue box
*recycle newspapers and magazines by bringing them to work for friends to enjoy
*recycle items such as toilet paper rolls, buttons etc. by donating them to a local school for art projects
*become aware of our recycling program and the Numbers associated with containers
*return bottles and containers to the Bottle Depot

Good luck on this reused challenge!

The World Partnership Walk

Here we are: Natalie, Megan, Janey, Amanda and Ashley
Our walk to fight global poverty was a great success. We completed to the 7km walk in just over one hour. As a team we managed to raise over $500! Thank you to everyone to gave their support to us and to fight global poverty.

Recognizing Ones Struggles

Message from Candice - East Coast Challenger

When I went to Cuba I packed a suitcase full of old clothes and shampoo and lotions and anything in the house I had that I wasn't using. I distributed most of these things in my hotel room, leaving a note for the maid so that the hotel wouldn't think she was stealing (as she might otherwise be accused for). I also gave a few bag fulls to one of our tour drivers who has been living with his wife and three children in one room since he had his first child almost eighteen years ago. I think it's important that we as travellers educate ourselves about the living conditions of the local people. When we travel to beautiful places to reap the benefits of their geographies we should remember (especially in places like the Caribbean) that the people cleaning our rooms and serving our meals are often struggling to get by while foreign entrepeneurs are making millions off their land. Every person I gave to in Cuba thanked me personally either with notes or kisses but what I learned is that it wasn't just about the gifts - it was because my offers showed that I cared that really touched them. Sometimes just showing a person in need that you see them and you recognize their struggle is worth as much or more than what you can offer them in material goods.

Gas War... Use Your Power!

GAS WAR - an idea that WILL work!

This was originally sent by a retired Coca Cola executive. It came from one of his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton. It's worth your consideration.

Join the resistance!!!! I hear we are going to hit close to $2.00 per litre by this summer and it might go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea.

This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them.

BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read on and join with us! By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1.00 is super cheap. Me too! Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.00 - $1.10, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace..... not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.

Here's the idea:

For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies, ESSO and SHELL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Esso and Shell gas buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out at this point.... keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people.

I am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us sends it to at least ten more (30 x 10 =300) ... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 =3,000)...and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth group of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers. If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE
>>>>HUNDRED MILLION >>>>PEOPLE!!!

Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all. (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people.... Well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am, so trust me on this one.)

How long would all that take? If each of us sends this e-mail out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!

I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you?

Acting together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on. I suggest that we not buy from ESSO/SHELL UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $0.65 a litre RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN.

THIS CAN REALLY WORK.