Filantronomics

'I Dare You' - Powerful Campaign By Nike Foundation

2009-10-17T10:43:00.003+01:00

This video "provides a powerful case for investing in girls":

Michael Pritchard's Lifesaver Bottle - A Promising Solution To The Global Water Crisis

2009-09-08T12:22:00.011+01:00

Worldwide there are too many people lacking access to clean drinking water - in the video below Michael Pritchard demonstrates his invention that turns filthy water drinkable in an instant!!! If you'd like to learn more about the Lifesaver Bottle visit www.lifesaversystems.com

What You Can Do

Learn more about the world's fresh water crisis @ www.circleofblue.org and www.water.org!

Jessica Alba Dishes On Her Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

2009-07-12T12:37:00.005+01:00

"Sin City" actress Jessica Alba caught up with Vogue magazine to talk about some of the changes she has made in her home and life that benefit the environment. Check out the video below to see what you can do to make a difference, too!

BEAUTY OBSESSION - Did You Know That Only 2% of Women Around The World Describe Themselves as Beautiful?

2009-06-21T14:18:00.002+01:00

Most of you will agree: summer is the best time of the year! But while we are longing for the sunset BBQs with friends and days at the beach (or pool if you prefer), it's also the time where we are feeling body-conscious the most as the heat dares us to wear skimpy clothes.

Magazines are full of flawless girls and women in sexy bikinis, and even though I have always maintained a good body mass index (BMI), I sometimes find myself looking in the mirror thinking "will I ever look this great in a bikini?" (although I already know the answer).

Recently I came across a great interview with Cameron Diaz for the UK version of Cosmopolitan magazine and thought I share my favorite part with you as I couldn't have said it better:

"We need to inform kids that it's not real for everyone to look a certain way... We're so inundated with images of what we should look like. ...I think there should be a disclaimer the same way there is on a pack of smokes - these people do not really look this way. These are retouched photos."

The videos below, which are part of the DOVE Campaign for Real Beauty, show the transformation of an "average-looking" woman turning into a pretty cover girl thanks to lots of makeup and Photoshop-retouching as well as girls' struggles with today's typecast beauty images.

Whether you're heading to the beach these days, or just looking at yourself in the mirror, I want you to remember Christina Aguilera's words:

You are beautiful no matter what they say... You are beautiful in every single way!

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

2009-05-14T12:18:00.005+01:00

"Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young"

This is the title of a remarkable essay by Mary Schmich which was published in the Chicago Tribune in 1997. She described the essay as the commencement speech she would give if she were asked to give one - and to be honest, in my opinion it is one of the most inspiring pieces that were ever written.

Due to the economic crisis many people fell in some sort of depressive state. If you are one of these people, the video below, which is the adopted song version of Mary Schmich's essay, is likely to give you a mental boost. However, I'd recommend it for anyone because it's just an incredibly spot on outlook on life in general. Enjoy!

EVERYBODY'S FREE (TO WEAR SUNSCREEN) LYRICS

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience… I will dispense this advice.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked… You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you! Sing!

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts! Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss!

Don’t waste your time on jealousy! Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults! If you succeed in doing this, tell me how!

Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements. Stretch!

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life… The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium! Be kind to your knees; you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary...

Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body! Use it every way you can… don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it! It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own...

Dance! Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents! You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings! They are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard! Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft! Travel!

Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders!

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…

(Note: The lyrics are performed by Baz Luhrmann)

TV Shows Teach You How to "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" on Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T15:44:00.006+01:00

What do Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa have in common? - All of them used their TV shows to spread the word regarding the importance of green living to create a sustainable environment for our future generations.

I don't know about you, but I got a bit tired of reading (due to the fact that I have to read books, website texts and emails all day) these days. So instead of writing about what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint, I'd like to refer you to the following websites where you can watch a couple of very informative videos on green living. Enjoy!

What You Can Do

Check out the Earth Day specials and follow the advice provided by experts in the field of sustainable living:

Oprah Winfrey: provided by The Yakety Yak blog -> Part 1 -> Part 2

Ellen Degeneres: also provided by The Yakety Yak blog -> Part 1 -> Part 2

Regis & Kelly: click here to check out videos of Live with Regis & Kelly's Green Week!

How Vegetarianism Contributes to the Survival of the Human Species

2009-04-07T12:29:00.011+01:00

So, you think, "Real Girls Eat Meat"? Well, this is probably about as far as you can get from the truth and I tell you why (by the way, no offense to Jessica Simpson, she just happened to be the first person I saw sporting this statement)!

Watching the video of Sylvia Earle's TED Prize wish to protect our oceans (see video below) gave me the last push I needed to become a vegetarian! However, my decision to become a vegetarian has little to do with the belief that humans were or were not meant to eat meat (= the edible flesh of any animal) but is all about my dislike of the meat production process and the long-term consequences of meat consumption.

When I was in secondary school our biology teacher showed us a video about beef production and the use of chicken battery cages. It was just disgraceful: first of all, the raising of those animals and the way they were slaughtered was incredibly cruel, e.g. the chickens were raised in total darkness spending their whole life in little boxes where they couldn't even turn around; and in the case of the cows there was more meat produced than the population was able to eat so that tons of the meat were just thrown away. After seeing this video I already cut down on my meat consumption by 80% and started to buy only free range eggs.

In terms of long-term consequences of meat consumption, there is, for example, more and more evidence emerging that meat consumption isn't as good for our health as we previously assumed. Furthermore, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization cattle farming is "responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases" - the large volume of methane emitted by cattle has a warming effect 23 to 50 times greater than carbon dioxide. (Watch Mark Bittman's talk on what's wrong with the way we eat for a deeper insight into the two issues mentioned above!)

In the case of fish consumption, overfishing, by-catch and habitat destruction are serious issues that we can't afford to ignore any longer (watch the video below to find out why we have to react now!)

Just yesterday I read an inspiring Green by Design article titled "Why We Don't Need to Save the Planet" and I couldn't agree more with the author's opinion:

"Recycling, solar power... hybrid cars: the Earth couldn't care less! Making all these green choices is not about saving the planet; it's about saving ourselves. Mother Earth will be just fine without us, thank you very much."

You can see where this is going... it's the real girls (actually all human beings to be exact) who care about the survival of the human species who don't eat meat - or eat at least less of it - at this point in history!

What You Can Do

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, our consumer behavior is our most influential vote! If an entire population (I know this is not going to happen but one can dream) would stay off meat for a while because of the reasons mentioned above - I don't even talk about being a vegetarian forever - the meat industry would be forced to rethink their ways of production.

If staying off meat completely is too big a sacrifice for you, try at least to cut down your consumption, buy organic meat and free range eggs! The planet won't thank you but future generations will!

I'm interested in your opinion, so please feel free to share your thoughts on this topic by leaving a comment or contacting me via email! I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Sylvia Earle on protecting the blue heart of the planet:

Mark Bittman on what's wrong with what we eat:

Partner(s) Wanted To Help Filantronomics Get Off The Ground

2009-03-31T14:11:00.000+01:00

As Filantronomics requires so much work to become the "sub-charity" its meant to be, I must admit that this is a job too big for one person.

Don't get me wrong, I'm more ambitious than the average person and commited to work as hard as possible, but I have other commitments that require my time and attention for most of the day.

Therefore, I decided to ask for help publicly to find a person (or more) to help me make this vision come true.

The person(s) I'd like to team up with should fit the profile below:

open-minded, ambitious, hard-working, liberal, someone who loves a challenge and never gives up no matter how often people say "it's impossible" - because in my world everything is POSSIBLE in some way!
ideally someone whose native language is English (as I'd like to offer blog posts of a higher quality) and with great web design skills (as I'm unsatisfied with the current design but don't have the resources to do something about it myself).
as the objective is to interview interesting and/or famous people plus to organize and host events that benefit charity organisations, campaigns and projects, I need someone who is able to find the right contact persons to make this possible.
please note that Filantronomics is a non-profit project so be aware that you won't be paid for your work!

If you're interested in being part of this project, please contact me via email: sarah (at) filantronomics (dot) org.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Stop Discrimination! It's Never Too Late To Give Up Our Prejudices

2009-03-13T13:23:00.015Z

As I was witnessing yet another altercation over racism on Twitter yesterday, I had the idea to design the "e-card" below (click on it to see full size) to demonstrate my point of view.

What You Can Do

If you witness any form of discrimination, speak up, find a way to demonstrate that you are not okay with it!

If you like the card I designed to express my opinion, feel free to use it!

Do You Think Classical Music is for Old Folks? - Check This Out!

2009-02-22T13:13:00.007Z

The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra is part of El Sistema, Venezuela's innovative, 'life-changeing' musical education program made up of Venezuela's best young musicians. In the video below they are being conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (gotta love his crazy hair!), himself a product of El Sistema. Their music is full of energy - so even if you usually don't listen to classical music I'm positive you still may enjoy this one! ;)

Love (and a flu virus) Is In The Air...

2009-02-01T11:45:00.005Z

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the world's greatest guy who is in bed with a bad cold since a couple of days including today on our 3rd anniversary! Well, that's bad timing but we'll make the best of it! I'm a really lucky girl to have found such a funny, smart and loving man to share my life with. :)

I also wanted to let you know that I won't be able to work on this blog next week as my best friend from Germany is going to visit me and we have some serious soul searching to do. ;)

Have a nice week!

xoxo

Living With Epilepsy - My Most Personal Post Ever

2009-01-29T00:13:00.016Z

Today I finally finished the post about Epilepsy, a "chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or synchronous neural activity in the brain." In 1995 I was diagnosed with a rare form of Benign Epilepsy (common during prepubertal adolescence). This was the most agonizing time of my life and for me it is one of the most difficult topics to write about.

This post focuses mainly on my personal experience of living with epilepsy: what it is like to suffer a seizure, how society sees people with epilepsy and what you can do to help.

How it feels like to have a seizure

In the year before my diagnosis I started to have seizures with horrible auras (a dream-like state). I remember my first seizure as if it was yesterday. It was very early in the morning, I lay in bed and suddenly my arm began to tickle strangely. I tried to call my parents for help but I was unable to make even a sound and within seconds I was "trapped" deep in this so-called aura (I had the same one every time I had a seizure).

With the risk of sounding crazy, I will for the first time publicly speak about what my aura was like and why it turned me from an adventurous girl into a person so full of fear that it is paralyzing... In my auras I would swim in a river against the strong current desperately fighting against drowning. Then, I saw my grandmother's face telling me that it was ok to let go (and die). Eventually I lost all my energy and drowned. As it felt so real to me, I would regain consciousness being immensely terrified and exhausted.

My parents woke up from the strange noises I made during the seizure and were immediately at my bedside. The next thing that frightened me to death was that I was unable to move, I couldn't even lift my arm so my father carried me from the bed to the bathroom. When I was done in the bathroom I told him I was unable to walk. My parents didn't want to believe me so my father put me on my feet and let go. I somehow managed it to take two steps before falling flat on my face. However, I was lucky as I fell against a hat stand full of coats. My parents felt terrible and this never happened again. It took about two hours until all body functions were back to normal. This was when I realized that even though my face suffered no damage thanks to the hat stand, I had a horrible pain in my big toe. As it was disgusting I'd rather keep the details to myself.

The diagnosis

No doctor knew what was wrong with me and they initially laughed the seizures off by telling me this was a disturbance of growth and I should increase my intake of vitamins. This didn't help at all and my seizures became more frequent, leaving me afraid of sleeping - unfortunately, the sleep deprivation increased the frequency even more. The doctors then decided that it might be a brain tumor and just the thought of it scared me to death. However, the x-rays came back negative, leaving me relieved (however, since then I suffer from claustrophobia). After that I had my first of many EEGs (measurement of electrical activity produced by the brain) diagnosing me with epilepsy. As epilepsy is often regarded as inheritable my siblings had to take the EEGs too, and even though abnormal activity in their brains was diagnosed, both have never had a seizure.

How society sees people with epilepsy

Living with epilepsy at that time was difficult. People didn't know much about the disease and had cruel misconceptions about it.

I remember once when I was in a church summer camp. One night I suffered a seizure which woke everyone up. While my best friend took care of me everyone else just stared at me (including the adults who knew I had epilepsy). During the next day I heard the other kids talking and laughing about me. It was so humiliating and the beginning of serious depression.

My treatment besides the EEGs included pills. I needed three of them every day in the end to finally make the seizures stop. Since 1997 I have never had a seizure again and fortunately it isn't likely that they reoccur.

So you might think now, how is it possible that I was "cured" even if there allegedly is no cure for this disease. You should understand that there are various forms of epilepsy and not all of them are lifelong. Some, as in my case, are confined to a particular stage of childhood.

Another memorable experience I have about epilepsy took place in 2004. As part of my job education I had to participate in a first aid course. We were given a brief introduction on how to help someone who suffers an epileptic seizure. That was when the classmate I had a little crush on at this time lifted his hand and announced that he has heard that people with epilepsy are dumb because their brains are not working properly. I almost fell from the chair when I heard this remark, so even though I was really shy and normally didn't contribute much to the classes I lifted my hand and said to him: "You know, I have suffered many epileptic seizures in the past and I have always been an excellent student so do you really think I am stupid?" The teacher backed me up telling the class that this is a common misconception and that recent studies have shown that people with epilepsy are often actually a bit more intelligent than the average person. Well, this was the one time where epilepsy actually got me a date! ;)

From evil spirits to genius and creativity - read about famous people with epilepsy (the most famous being Socrates and Julius Caesar) and the history of the disease here or at wikipedia!

The consequences of epilepsy

I consider myself very lucky that I had epilepsy only during childhood. Over 30% of people with epilepsy still suffer seizures even with surgery or the best medications available. In my experience, the worst thing about epilepsy is that you might have an accident while having a seizure. My ugly toe injury (thankfully my seizures only occured while I was in bed) was nothing compared to what my best friend's mother had to endure. She suffered a seizure in the shower which left her with major burns in the intensive care unit for several weeks. Many people cannot predict when a seizure is going to happen and therefore may live in constant fear of suffering severe injury or being ridiculed by the people who witness the seizure. This anxiety can ultimately lead to depression.

My life after epilepsy

Although I suffered my last seizure many years ago, epilepsy still affects my life. The experience of being ridiculed for having seizures made me depressed and ate up my self-esteem. The experience of the auras in which I died of drowning every single time caused my fear of deep water; I'm such a terrible swimmer. I am also still claustrophobic because of the machine that x-rayed my brain. Every time I feel a strange tingle in my arm I get scared for a second because this was how the seizures started. When I saw the first episode of Dr. House last year, I got really emotional. In that episode the woman doesn't have epilepsy but she suddenly was unable to speak and fell to the ground having what seemed to me a seizure. When she was in hospital they x-rayed her in this machine, and for the people who have never been in such a machine, it makes a nerve-wracking hammering sound. Just hearing this sound again after all these years brought back the memories and feelings I had during this time.

What You Can Do

To date, most people still don't know much or have misconceptions about epilepsy which affects about 50 million people worldwide at any one time. So far, there hasn't been done enough research and there is no cure. It is about time to change that!

A charity that I like a lot is the Muir Maxwell Trust (see picture above). Their campaign encourages you to organise a dinner party at your own homes where you have an auction and/or charge your guests for the hire of their cutlery for the evening, donating the proceeds to the MMT.

Other notable charities are The Epilepsy Therapy Project and The Epilepsy Foundation.

If you are living in the United States, join Heroes actor Greg Grunberg on The Walk for Epilepsy on Saturday, March 28, 2009. For more information click here.

We Know All About The Problems In The World - Here Are The Solutions!

2009-01-28T17:10:00.024Z

For every problem facing the world there has to be a solution. In order for everyone to get an idea of the solutions that have been developed to date, I'd like to refer you to this genuis website, worldchanging.com, which is home to a "global network of independent journalists, designers and thinkers covering the world's most intelligent solutions to today's problems."

The video below shows Jamais Cascio's talk about remarkable tools for building a better, and particularly, greener future (this talk illustrates very well the potential of mobile phones to be more than 'just' a toy and medium of communication):

"The World of Celebrity Giving"

2009-01-25T11:16:00.000Z

Recently I came across two great projects that I wanted to introduce to you.

Have you ever thought about what's the best thing about being famous? - In my opinion it's two things: MONEY and INFLUENCE - the only reason why I've ever thought I'd like to be famous one day is to have abundant resources to support great causes and the benefit of having people actually interested in listening to what you have to say and inspiring them to make a difference - no matter how small.

In fact there are many famous people who do exactly that - using their stardom to increase awareness of certain important issues and donating assets to great causes. Look To The Stars informs about those celebrities and the charities they support. "We hope to help charities by inspiring their celebrity supporters' fans to follow their heroes' example", declares Myrlia Purcell who launched Look To The Stars with her husband Steve in 2006.

The second project I really loved I found out about thanks to my birthday/Christmas present. Friends of ours gave us these absolute stylish Whatever It Takes mugs designed by Giorgio Armani and Donna Karan. Those mugs are part of 21st Century Leaders, a remarkable charity artwork project that produces "merchandise with a meaning". They sell a wide range of ethically produced products designed by famous people, including -among others- fashion designers, actors and athletes. The proceeds benefit charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader.

What You Can Do

First, check out the websites of the projects mentioned above to learn more about what the famous people you admire are doing to help making the world a better place - and follow their example! Secondly, buy one (or more!) of those great Whatever It Takes products for your friends or family - Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

The Obama Administration - Hope and Change?

2009-01-21T12:58:00.001Z

January 20, 2009 - a truly historic day! The Bush administration finally came to an end and America achieved a milestone in the fight against racism with Barack Obama taking the oath of office - becoming the first African American to rule the country.

I watched the Inauguration online via CNN.com Live in cooperation with facebook which was really quite something as you were able to share your thoughts instantly with people from all around the world.

Obama is definitely the embodiment of hope but I am quite concerned that the people now have tremendous expectations that are very hard to live up to. Change is a process that takes time - especially if there's so much that needs to be improved. Well, I wish everyone patience and continous confidence that change is about to come as I hope Obama and his team aim to solve the problems in the long term. I'm always a bit skeptic about quick fixes as they often have consequences that become future problems. Well, we'll see...

Happy 2009, everyone!

2009-01-01T09:24:00.002Z

It's a new year and a new chance to make this year the best one of your life!

Reflecting on last year I can sum it up in a simple quote: "We plan, God laughs." Well, in my case it's more "I plan, destiny laughs!" but what I'm trying to say is last year I wasted so much time planning and nothing worked according to my plans. New year, new chance, right? We'll see. ;)

For this year I made the following resolution: work more on filantronomics.org - I got so many ideas but just didn't find the time to write, but this year I want to change that for the better! So stay tuned! ;)

All the best,

Sarah xoxo

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T15:39:00.009Z

Happy holidays, everyone!

I must confess I can't believe it's Christmas again and there are just a couple of days left until 2009! The older I get, the faster time's passing...

Yesterday we saw Four Christmases which made me realize my family isn't that bad after all! ;) So I wanted to give a quick shout-out to my parents and my siblings whom I'm missing very much (as I unfortunately won't be able to celebrate Christmas with them this year): I love you very much and can't wait to see you again!

Well, everyone, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and stay tuned for new posts coming up shortly! xoxo

Nikki Stylizes Blogs For A Cause

2008-12-10T21:41:00.008Z

There are many ways to make a difference in the world - and blogging is one of them!

I just came across this great blog and I really liked this idea so I decided to share it with you:

"Hi everyone! My name is Nikki and I am a University student living in Canada. I am in the process of raising money to go on a humanitarian aid trip. Through Blogs for a Cause, I was able to raise the money to go to the Dominican Republic (see my blog) for a month in July of 2008. I am now raising money to go to Ethiopia for 2 weeks in February, and back to the DR for 2 months in May and June. To do this, I am going to stylize blogs for $30 each. Of this cost, $25 will go towards funding my trip and $5 will go to a Charity of the Month. My experiences in the DR have completely changed my life. I now have a passion for improving the lives of people living in poverty all over the world.... and I need your help to do this."

What You Can Do

Check out Nikki's blog and get inspired by the amazing work she does!

If you have a blog of your own that needs a stlye makeover, let Nikki stylize it for a good cause - her designs are very pretty.

If you don't have a blog but want to support Nikki, you can still make a donation via PayPal - every little helps!

Galileo Reveals the Truth Behind 6 Common Assumptions About Eco-Friendly Behaviour

2008-12-10T13:56:00.026Z

There have been some reasons to be ashamed of being German - but this one surely isn't one of them! According to a recent survey 95% of Germany's population claims to make an effort to behave eco-friendly in everyday life. I couldn't be more proud of my fellow countryman and women. However, the German infotainment magazine Galileo thought it was about time to show that eco-friendly behavior isn't always as good for the environment as it seems.

Below you can find a list of the most common assumptions regarding eco-friendly behavior and what they truly mean for the environment - I am sure most of it will apply to you and your country as well!

1. Products with an organic seal are always of good quality and healthy. In theory, any store can have their own seal of quality. To be sure the products you buy are truly organic it is recommendable to buy products labeled with a well-established organic seal, such as the hexagonal seal of the European Union or the USDA organic seal of the United States Department of Agriculture. However, even though those products are usually free of pesticides there is no guarantee that they are always 100% free of other harmful substances as well.

2. Buying regional products is always good for the environment. Buying regional products is better than buying the ones imported from other countries because the transportation by plane, ship or truck pollutes the air with lots of CO2. However, sometimes an apple you buy locally might be responsible for the same amount of CO2 as an imported apple. The reason for this is apples are seasonal fruits. In Germany, for example, the season for apples is autumn so if you buy a German apple in May it means it had been stored and cooled for a couple of months. Keeping the apple fresh in the warehouse produces as much CO2 as if the apple would have been imported from New Zealand. In conclusion, if you want to protect the environment you have to buy regionally as well as seasonally!

3. Energy-saving light bulbs are eco-friendly in every way. We have to reduce our carbon footprint and in order to do so we have to reduce our use of conventional energy. Energy-saving light bulbs are one way of doing it. However, those light bulbs harm the environment - and that is if they are discarded incorrectly! Energy-saving light bulbs contain mercury and other toxic substances and therefore don't belong in the household garbage can (the same applies to batteries). Nevertheless, in Germany, for example, 70 million light bulbs a year are discarded incorrectly and harm the environment with their toxic substances. Another aspect is to buy only certified light bulbs (e.g. Philips); they are a bit more expensive but they save more energy than the cheap ones.

4. Recycling means old packaging is used to get new raw materials. The Germans have sorted their waste exemplary already for 17 years! The question is - is it really useful? Separating packaging waste from residual waste is subject to heated discussion. The recycling of packaging in order to make new packaging is very complex and costly, so most of it gets burnt in the end. Therefore, in some regions, such as Munich, the packaging waste doesn't get separated from the residual waste. Munich owns one of Germany's most modern waste incineration plants. All household waste (including packaging) is burnt in one big oven - and generates heat and electricity for 200.000 households. The remaining slag generated as a result of the burning is then used in construction work. Only glass and paper are being separated before the combustion, because 83% of the recycled paper becomes new paper and 82% of the recycled glass becomes new glass - which is really useful and eco-friendly.

5. Buying green electricity means it comes from renewable energy resources. With regards to Europe, this assumption is wrong. The energy supply system in Europe is transnational which means, for example in the case of Germany, that energy comes from different resources and from different countries. Germany's electricity is mainly generated in coal-fired power plants, so if a supplier offers green electricity he needs to buy, for example, wind-generated energy from Scandinavia. If all the wind energy is used, Scandinavia needs to buy more energy and gets it, for example, from a French nuclear power plant. In conclusion, green electricity in Europe is still a mix of energy from renewable energy resources as well as coal and nuclear power plants. So, if you want to buy green electricity look out for certified suppliers who still offer the same mix of energy but use part of their revenues to build more renewable energy resources.

6. Driving is more eco-friendly if you use biodiesel. Many people in Germany switched from the conventional fossil fuels to biodiesel because it claims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the production of biodiesel seems in many ways as harmful as using the fossil fuels. The most disturbing factor in the production of biodiesel is that the demand for the plant feedstock is so high that huge areas are cleared for its cultivation leading to deforestation and loss in biodiversity. In some parts the plants used to produce biodiesel even replace the plants that people need for eating which results in a worldwide increase in basic food prices - and the people who suffer in the end are the indigenous people and people from poor countries. Is this really worth it? - I'm sure the intentions of those who came up with biodiesel were good, but if you want to do something for the environment leave your car at home until there is a better alternative with less drastic externalities!

Mr. Francis changes the world 'one step at a time' - literally!

2008-12-09T19:26:00.017Z

Can you imagine to travel a continent by foot for 22 years - 17 of those years without saying a word?

- This is exactly what John Francis did after seeing the damage caused by a 1971 oil spill in San Francisco Bay.

During his long silent walk to deliver a message of respect for the Earth, he completed three college degrees including a Ph.D. in land management.

In the video below, Francis tells his remarkable story:

Update: Elections, Eco-Friendly Ping-Pong - Listen Up Everyone, It's Good News Day!

2008-12-09T18:18:00.007Z

Hey there!

I'm back from Colombia and ready to blog again! The previously announced articles are almost ready and should be published by the end of this week. I have to clear quite a backlog due to my illness (which wasn't the flu but an acute nerve-wracking sinusitis) and my jetlag which still leaves me tired all day; but I'll catch up quickly! So stay tuned!

During my one-month abstinence from the blogosphere, America made history and I can't tell you how proud and excited I am that Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States! This is definitely a milestone in the fight against racism.

However, I was saddened to hear that at the same time there has been issued a new ban on gay marriage which is quite a setback in terms of human equality.

I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to my father who has been elected to the board of directors of his church! :)

Another good news I would like to share with you is that I am now officially working on becoming a certified environmentalist! With hard work and a bit of luck I'll finish my degree in three years from now.

What You Can Do

Some guys from Madrid used their 'ping pong' talent to show you how to protect the environment. So check out this pretty awesome video and please DO try this at home! ;)

Greetings from Colombia!

2008-11-03T22:59:00.006Z

Hi everyone!

I'm writing you today from the beautiful Colombia! I just wanted to let you know that I'm taking some time off from the blogosphere due to my vacation and a stubborn still unidentified illness.

Below you can have a look at two snapshots:

Happy belated Halloween! ;)

xoxo

Update: Family Affairs, Babies and Epilepsy

2008-10-23T23:13:00.011+01:00

Hi everyone!

It's been a busy and exhausting few weeks for me: I had the silver anniversary party of my parents which was pretty hectic but also nice to see my entire family for the first time this year. Immediately after that I got the flu which isn't really gone yet. Our friends had their second baby exactly that weekend where we've been out of the country and I was a bit sad to have missed this great event. When I went shopping for a baby gift the other day and when I held this tiny baby boy in my arms my biological clock went straight to "can't wait to have a baby myself" mood. Considering that my mother had already given birth to three children when she was my age, this inner feeling may as well be genetically predisposed. ;) In spite of everything, I still made it to think about upcoming posts which will include an article about "the way we eat" and violence against women for which I already did some research.

An upcoming post will be about the disease Epilepsy which is a topic close to my heart. I suffered from a rare form of Benign Epilepsy during prepubertal adolescence which was a very traumatic experience for me and caused most of my present fears such as claustrophobia, fear of heights and deep water. Before my epilepsy I was probably one of the most fun fearless females on earth. Still, most people don't know much or have misconceptions about this disease which affects about 50 million people worldwide. So far, there hasn't been done enough research and there is no cure. It's about time to change that!

I hope all of you enjoyed the last days of summer! Stay tuned!
xoxo
Sarah

US Presidential Election 2008: American Politics from a Foreign Perspective

2008-09-24T20:21:00.025+01:00

The countdown is on - Tuesday, November 4th 2008 is Election Day in the United States! People around the world keep a close eye on this election, wondering if America elects its first black president in history.

However, this isn't the only reason why people take an interest in this election. I've been a big fan of the United States since I was about ten years old (and to my dismay I must admit I've followed the US presidential elections closer than any election in my own country), but when I was traveling around the world for the past ten years, I had to experience that there aren't that many people anymore who share my enthusiasm. When George Bush was elected president, the great popularity that the US enjoyed began to crumble. The September 11 attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq were just the last straw, already before that many people disliked Bush's politics and his personality. Eventually, the dislike of Bush turned into rage towards the United States in general.

Let me share some of my experiences with you: As I've been raised and throughout my life lived in a multinational environment, I had the opportunity to discuss American politics with people (between the age of 15 to 70 years old) from Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, Iraq, Iran, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, China, Lithuania, the United States, Pakistan, Turkey, Venezuela, Mexico and from my native country Germany. Here are two personal examples that led to heated discussions:

1. The sister city of Hamburg, Germany (where I went to school) is Chicago. There is a student exchange program and some of my former classmates signed up for it. They attended classes in Chicago and were both surprised and severely shocked by the ignorance they were confronted with. As you might know, Germany has an utterly devastating and shameful history (please remember that it ended in the early 1950s, at least for West Germany), and so it happened that the American students asked them questions like: "Has Germany already been rebuilt after the war? Do you have roads like we have? Where is Germany actually?" and they didn't even shy away from asking the worst question that you could possibly ask a German: "Are you a Nazi?" My classmates were horrified.

2. Members of my extended family, who happen to be Colombians, still refuse to watch modern Hollywood movies were Colombia is part of the story. It really upsets them that their beloved country is shown in a "wrong" way. They would never deny that most of the world's cocaine is produced in their country or that they have a very high poverty and unemployment rate - but those Hollywood movies show Colombia as a third world country, totally undeveloped and dangerous. Last summer I decided to see the truth with my own eyes and spent about a month there. I was stunned by the beauty of this country, the huge shopping malls, the modern cities and the warmth, hospitality and zest for life of its people. This comes from a coward, I'm honestly afraid and worried about almost everything, but I felt secure there and didn't fear for my life (except regarding the driving style of certain family members, the traffic is really crazy I must admit). It was just amazing and it made me really upset to see that everything people know about this country (especially in the United States) is so limited and unfair towards the Colombians of whom 99% are hardworking, loving people who don't grow cocaine plants. If you don't want to take my word for it, check out the pictures and videos here.

Just recently I have learned that George Bush tops the list of the most unpopular politicians, with disapproval of more than 80% in France, Germany and Spain.

The people with whom I discussed American politics are interested in this year's elections, because they hope that this time around the Americans choose someone who doesn't think the United States is the center of the universe but that all people in the world are equally important and besides that, would be delighted to see the Americans vote for someone who tries to avoid war no matter how much money there is to be made with it.

This year there have been some good candidates in the game which created a wave of new hope and enthusiasm throughout the world! Let's see how America decides!

Famous Voters

Hollywood has a keen interest in this year's elections, too. The rich and famous don't shy away from speaking out for their favorite candidate. Here is a list of some of the famous voters:

Meet the Candidates online

The Internet is probably one of the most effective media these days to encourage especially young people to vote. YouTube even dedicated a whole channel to the presidential race so you can "face the candidates" online (click here to check it out). You can also click on the name of each candidate to see their campaign: check out Obama vs. McCain!

While I was researching for this post I found some noteworthy both informative and entertaining videos that I wanted to share with you:

Academy Award-winning actor, and father of Angelina Jolie, John Voight opens up about being a conservative in Hollywood and why he endorses McCain:

Young Hollywood demands a 'change we can believe in': check out this video where former The OC actor, and lifelong Texas democrat, Benjamin McKenzie talks politics and opens up about his fear of killing my favorite actor, the legendary Al Pacino:

The following video shows a heated McCain vs. Obama discussion between the ladies of The View:

A little note regarding Whoopi Goldberg's remark about a likely tax increase: It's not always a bad thing! In Germany we have high taxes and people are upset about it, but since I left Germany and experienced life in different countries, I must say I'd be glad to pay the higher taxes as long as we maintain a high quality of life -- I'm quite satisfied with the government's efforts to protect the environment (e.g. that every second wind turbine and every third solar cell is produced in Germany which creates new jobs), the state-of-the-art health care system and even greater medical facilities, the solid social welfare system that takes care of everyone in need, or that a woman rules our country -- just to mention a few good things, some of which are only possible because of the high taxes. Sure we have lots of issues that still require improvement, but instead of complaining all day the Germans shouldn't forget the good things about their country. Meanwhile the Americans should bear in mind that sometimes it is necessary to make some sacrifices in order to benefit in the long run. However, this requires a trustworthy government that uses your taxes in your best interest.

What You Can Do

Change and progress require proactivity! Whether you are an American citizen or not, it's important for everyone of us to keep an open mind and get well-informed, because politics - foreign or national - affects all of us in one way or another.

No matter where you're from, discuss the US presidential elections with your family, friends, co-workers, communities or teachers. If you prefer to not just talk about it but to actively support your favorite candidate, both Obama and McCain offer a facility on their websites where you can sign up as a supporter.

If you are an American citizen make sure you vote - and if you care about people from outside the US too, then vote for someone who is not only the best for the United States but also for the rest of the world.

Click on the banner below if you haven't registered to vote yet! "If you don't register, you can't vote!"

I just found an article on wikiHow called How to Convince Someone to Vote which made some interesting points. What was even more interesting to me was the discussion that followed the article. The majority of commentators at that moment stated they don't vote because 1. they think there's no candidate who isn't "corrupted by money and power", and 2. because they don't like any of the candidates.

Many of us are still waiting for the day politics will be free of corruption, but this day may never come as there's always evil people. However, if you don't vote because of that it means you've abandoned hope that one day things will really change for the better. If all people would think this way nothing good would have ever been achieved.

If you don't vote because you don't like any of the candidates (which I can understand perfectly well), be aware your "not voting" is still a vote that may benefit or even elect the worst of the candidates. Unfortunately, most elections are about choosing between bad and worse.

Update: Jinxing Electronics, some Friendship Nostalgia, plus getting Ready for Takeoff

2008-09-23T14:22:00.002+01:00

Hi there!

Unfortunately I didn't make it to post some new stuff in a while as I had some busy time to deal with:

1. My laptop broke -- hard disk failure -- (confessing here and now: I'm an Electronics jinx, 'cause this is about the 11th time that something like this happens to me!) and while it was on the way to the repair center it broke even more -- the monitor got crushed!

2. My childhood friend Judith visited me for about a week and we were busy laughing at 20-something years of friendship memories while creating new ones in the process.

3. As mentioned a while ago, my parents' 25th wedding anniversary is coming up so I was busy shopping for a dress and some fancy shoes (which is quite a challenge if you're very tall and your man is not). Also coming up is our one month Colombia visit which needed to be prepared.

Well, I hope this is enough of an excuse for letting things slide here for a while. ;) I'm throwing myself into American politics now to get my thoughts out before the election. So stay tuned!

xoxo

Sarah