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Oh sure, you could simply click on Planet Green and feel you've found the mecca of green thinking and great global news (no ego in that statement at all, of course!) but there are so many fantastic sites out there also working to make the planet a happy, healthy place for us to live. Amidst the bad news we've been hearing lately, from earthquakes to political dissonance, there is indeed good things happening. We want to take a moment to celebrate a few of them. Get your clicking finger ready - here are eight world-changing sites we think you need to put on your daily radar.
1. Goodlifer
A quote from Socrates sums up the philosophy of this site: "Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." Goodlifer brings you ideas and inspiration for living a boisterous, joyful, and sustainable life. Happiness is key to this green-themed website, and you're sure to get cheered into making a difference daily as you read through the articles and insights.
2. Spend For Good
While buying significantly less is the fastest way to shrink your carbon footprint and boost your budget's wiggle room, sometimes there's simply a purchase you have to make. Spend for Good helps you still make a positive impact with your purchases by donating money to the charity of your choosing without requiring you to spend any more than you normally would on the product you're buying. Easy, and helpful!
3. Kickstarter
Are you an artist with a green bent, or someone who likes to support eco-minded artists? From film to apps, from books to opera, Kickstarter is the spot for you to get funding for your project that can make the planet - or at least your neighborhood - a happy, green place. If you want to start your own project, you'll need to be invited by a current user which isn't as hard as it sounds - users are always offering invites through Twitter or you can email the Kickstarter team. And if you'd rather start backing projects than creating your own, that's even easier: All you need to do is click on "Back This Pledge" on a project page.
4. Fair Wage Guide
Already reaching women in over 61 countries by working with over 600 NGOs, trade organizations and businesses, World of Good has increased the wages of over 25,000 women by an average of 20%. This is huge, and it's all done with a simple open-source calculator program found online, and some training by advocates on the ground. The Fair Wage Guide is a very simple, free tool that puts the pricing of handmade goods into a new framework, including a localized price analysis of artisan wages, which helps users figure out what is a fair living wage to request in exchange for their work. Because women comprise the bulk of the estimated 250 million handmade good artisans living in poverty worldwide, World of Good focuses specifically on getting the Fair Wage Guide to them. It is one website making a huge difference every day.
5. GoodSearchp
There's a way to make a difference with every online search you make, thanks to Good Search. You simply choose your charity, and start your search. Donations are made with every search, with funding coming through the online advertising. Think of it like searching on Google, but your searches are actually improving the planet.
6. Tonic
Tonic - it's the good news site! There's so much bad news in the world that it can be hard to get up the gumption to stay in touch with what's happening. But when you need a shot of happy news, Tonic is the spot for you. It includes a special category for good green news. By highlighting what's going right in the world, Tonic is helping to stave off apathy and green fatigue.
7. AltUse
Don't toss that out! AltUse it. AltUse.com is an online database of creative alternative uses for anything you might otherwise be ready to throw away. Benjamin Goldfarb, formerly Nestle's interactive marketing guru, has been hard at work on the new site, which both save people money and slows the pace at which we as a society fill our landfills. You don't have to rely on your own resourcefulness to minimize your waste stream - check out the brilliant ideas others have!
8. Janta
Microlending is helping people across the globe who need access to small loans to get their businesses off the ground. But it can serve another purpose - putting kids through school. Janta Foundation is a brand new non-profit organization directed at young school children ranging from kindergarten through high school in developing countries. Janta recognizes that a solid education can go a long way in alleviating poverty. If children in poverty-stricken areas are able to get into good schools while young, they're much more likely to thrive as adults. Thus, Janta is helping children in need, and the organization is just launching the world's first microlending program for students, starting in India. You can make a big difference by getting involved!
