A Holiday Gift That Shrinks Your Carbon Footprint

Many of us are fortunate enough to have a peculiar problem as the holiday season approaches.  We have everything we need and many of our friends have everything they need, so what can we offer in the way of a meaningful gift?

In recent years, more and more people have chosen to honor friends and family by making charitable donations in their names.  There are many wonderful organizations to choose from and sometimes finding the perfect match can be tricky.  When you find an organization that really exemplifies your core beleifs and passions, gift giving takes on a much deeper meaning.

As an environmentalist and educator who ”thinks globally and acts locally,” I have discovered the perfect solution for my holiday gifting needs. Through the organization, Wells Bring Hope, I made donations in honor of my loved ones to the Los Angeles Senior High School Water Circle. The LASH Water Circle, founded by L.A. High student Dennis Ojogho, plans to drill a well in a village that has no safe water source. The women and girls of such villages walk four to six miles a day to get water, water that is often contaminated, causing death and disease. With the presence of a well, girls no longer have to get water and can go to school. Women are given micro-loans and create small cottage industries. 

I took my involvement a step further and have arranged to provide matching funds for any other donations that are made from now until the end of 2012 to The LASH Water Circle.  Here are some of my reasons:

As an , I am extremely concerned about the water crisis that currently faces our planet and it’s people. Relief cannot wait!  When I donate to a Wells Bring Hope project, such as the LASH Water Circle, I know that I am assisting with that relief. 

As a retired teacher, I am always on the lookout for ways to support students who want to make a difference. Ojogho’s commitment to initiate a Los Angeles Senior High School Water Circle speaks volumes about his character and motivation. My involvement gives him the recognition he needs to keep moving forward with his dream.

As a wellness coach, I find that the “gift-giving” season is a very stressful time for many people. The focus in our culture has shifted from enjoying the company of family and friends to spending too much time and money on shopping for things no one truly needs. I hope my donation to the Los Angeles Senior High School Water Circle will remind others of the true spirit of the season and give them an alternative to anxiety-provoking, mindless purchase of "stuff." 

There are still a few shopping days left this year.  Next year there will be birthdays, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, confirmations, etc.  How will you show that you care?