"If there’s a world here in a hundred years, it’s going to be saved by tens of millions of little things. The powers-that-be can break up any big thing they want. They can corrupt it or co-opt it from the inside, or they can attack it from the outside. But what are they going to do about 10 million little things? They break up two of them, and three more like them spring up!"
- Pete Seeger, in YES! Magazine

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Plastic Bag Recycling GALORE!

The project:
Drop off two big shopping bags full of plastic bags for recycling.

Time:
Moments to drop on our way by the store.

Why bother?
While we're doing much better remembering to take our own, reusable shopping bags with us, we still collect a plethora of plastic. There are sandwich bags and cereal bags, plastic wrappings on a variety of foods, produce from the store often comes in plastic bags. All of these I stuff into the grocery bags for return to the system.

Worth it?
Yes - I like to think these bags will become park benches rather than detritus in our forests and seas.

Photo courtesy Eflon under Creative Commons license.

Friday, November 6, 2009

More Web Maintenance for Non-Profit


The project:
Further update the Web site to reflect holiday happenings and include new images.

Time:
An hour or so.

Why bother?
See the original post.

Worth it?
Yes. The changes are well received, the chorus is happy to have a site up, and I like to think the site is helping the chorus spread the word about its programs.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Jump Start a Fellow Motorist


The project:
Offer a jump start to a fellow motorist whose battery was kaput.

Time:
15 minutes or so

Why bother?
This is a simple roadside service that can have devastating effects if you blow it. But my dad taught me right, and emphasized the danger of doing it incorrectly. I always go in wary.

Worth it?
Yes. It only took me a few minutes, and saved the other driver lots of time. Even with the auto club service, the wait can be lengthy. What was in it for me? A smile and word of thanks.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Donate Magazines to Library Shop

The project:
Donate our magazines to the local library, which sells them for a quarter apiece to raise money for new books.

Time:
20 minutes to sort, 2 minutes to deliver

Why bother?
While we only have a few subscriptions (thanks, Mom & Dad), magazines quickly pile up around here. It's amazing, isn't it, how much paper passes throughout mailboxes? I don't see reading them and tossing them when our local library can sell them to another reader, serving both the reader and the library while delaying those magazines' return to the recycling bin.

Worth it?
Absolutely - lightens our load, and provides for other readers and our neighborhood library.

Photo courtesy John Lambert Pearson under Creative Commons License.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Donate to Local Food Bank

The project:
Donate a bag of groceries to our local food bank.

Time:
Twenty minutes to collect. Five minutes to deliver.

Why bother?
It's that time of year again - the temperatures are dropping, the holidays are coming. Plus, the economy's still a major challenge.

Worth it?
I hope so. It wasn't so easy this time. We're pinching pennies around here, with cutbacks at work combined with the costs of the girls' increasing activity level. Still, we're very fortunate to have a job, a home, an income and (knock on wood) our health.

Photo courtesy Waldo Jaquith under Creative Commons License.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Feeling Uninspired - and busy - and overwhelmed

Dear Readers: I'm sorry to have fallen behind in my online reporting of my attempts at being charitable in everyday living. While I've been keeping old-fashioned, pen-and-pad notes, I haven't carved out time to blog on this site for several days because I've been inundated here with other distractions, chiefly wrapping up work on Best Family Adventures: Santa Barbara County which is due out in a matter of months. So, allow me to catch up:
As I look back at the deeds done this year, I feel underwhelmed. Some took more time than others. Most were simple daily projects. And even though some of the larger projects were done with the best intentions, there were recipients of these services who actually complained.

These little deeds, do they matter? I believe Mr. Seeger is correct, but it still takes a LOT of people doing little things to make a real difference. On my block, nothing has changed. While we bring in papers and trash cans for neighbors when they're away, ours sit out on the curb and driveway awaiting our return.

Mr. B once told me I'm too tit-for-tat. Maybe he's right. I know my expectations of people are too high, but it's hard to let go of that. Having no expectations is practically impossible, and having low expectations is just plain depressing. Still, why, if I do a favor for anyone else, should I expect anything in return? I guess I figure a simple "thank you" or a smile is a common courtesy when you've opened the door for someone, or offered a hand. I figure being neighborly is a simple gesture toward the common good in today's compact neighborhoods.
We do have some bigger projects lined up for the next few weeks, but as the holidays come upon us, and I feel more overwhelmed than ever at the obligations of adult life, I'll back off again to select simple, quick deeds over big projects.
Today's project:

Respond to players' requests for photos shot at this weekend's games. This is the last week I'll be taking photos of the team. The season is almost complete and I'd like to just sit back and watch a couple of games before it's over.

Time:
About an hour.

Why bother?
I thought it would be fun to take pictures during the girls' youth soccer games, and I thought others would enjoy some photos, too. It's a skill I can share, and in this digital age, it's easier than ever to do so.

Worth it?
For the most part, I'd say this project was worth it. Most of the families requested photos, and responded warmly to the gesture. Some parents gushed with compliments, and the coach was very happy with his year-end photo album provided by the team.

But it doesn't take much to burst my balloon. Two families actually complained about the project. One because the mother said I didn't take enough photos of her daughter. (Hint: I take action photos. If your daughter doesn't go after the ball, I'm unlikely to capture action shots of her.) The other because taking photos was "just too much work." ("Why don't you just get him a gift card?")

My mistake in this project is that I didn't ask the parents first if they'd be interested. If I do this again, which I probably will, I'll ask the parents, and avoid shots of any kids whose parents react less than enthusiastically.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Help Kids on Bikes Get Up The Hill

The project:
Help some neighborhood kids get their bikes up a steep grade near a new bike path.

Time:
5 minutes

Why bother?
V and I were out for a ride this afternoon to explore a brand new bike path in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, there is no easy approach from our end, so we toughed the steep decline, rode the path a few times back and forth, then climbed back up.

A gaggle of kids were close behind us. They gave the climb a good effort, but some were just too small to push their bikes up the slippery, dusty trail while maintaining footing. I walked back to help them get their rides to a manageable spot because the challenge was NOT a fun one for them. It took nothing but a few more minutes of my time, and some energy (which I needed to expend anyhow).

Worth it?
Absolutely.