Jilly had an *awesome* idea. I do a lot of ebook sales for my various websites. I will create a FREE ebook on

Simple Ways to Make the World Better for Everyone

I can keep updating it over time and offer it to the universe as a thank-you! I have a lot to be grateful for

What types of ideas should I put into this book?

We were talking about DNA testing for known issues. I am a strong proponent of knowing what your body is set up as so you can most easily cope with it well. It's always better to know, is my mantra.

Eat healthy foods - that affects everything you do, which then affects everyone you interact with.

Buy local That topic has been explored by many books.

Hmmmm. Of course, buying less, buying quality and fixing the well-made things you DO own...much better than joining the throw-away culture. This helps everyone. Reuse, reduce, recycle is cliche, but there are many specifics one can explore within this topic.

For example, something like a good clock, leather shoes/purse/jacket, a solid vacuum cleaner or sturdy sewing machine could fixed, rather than chunking them. There are repair places for all these things in every city. How often do we use these skilled repairers? We'd be helping the local economy, keeping things out of the landfills, saving money, and not buying into an unsustainable throwaway merry-go-round consumer lifestyle.

Shopping at Farmer's Markets. Fresh food, tastes better and is healthier, and bolsters local growers.

Reading books from the library, and donating books to the library.

Recycling used cell phones. Recycling used CDs rather than tossing them in the trash.

Not just books from the library, but all sorts of media. Even free classes (like yoga or computer skills) and all kinds of group meetings! Libraries are a great use of community money and deserve to be supported and enjoyed.

Libraries also give a warm place for people to come in and out of the weather when they don't have any other place to go, where they can sit peacefully, safely and comfortably, listening to music, reading a book, or getting answers from the internet. Libraries are good for everyone. :-)

Adopting animals from shelters of course! And volunteering there to help out shelters.

Not throwing away things we no longer need and want, but giving them away. We can bring things to charities like Goodwill, or give them away on freecycle, within local barter clubs, or on craigslist. Or we can just place things curbside with a sign saying FREE, or make a note on a community bulletin board.

This helps us personally unload clutter and stress, helps other people who could use what you have, keeps things out of the landfills, and also keeps useful things in the system longer so we do not need to use up our virgin resources as quickly.

That is so awesome and true!

Turning off power supplies when you're not using them. Unplugging items. Especially cell phone chargers and things like that. Turning off lights when you're not in the room. Switching to all energy efficient lights.

Also, this you had said elsewhere:



very true!

Grow your own food. Grow herbs in your window, container plants on your back porch or front steps. It's amazing how much better food can taste when fresh herbs are sprinkled on it!

Grow sprouts on your kitchen counter, we do that and we love them. It's *super* easy.

What a neat idea. Here are some of my suggestions:

Be nice to people. If you greet people with kindess and friendlines, most often that's what you get in return. And, it is often contagious and spreads good vibes to many others.

Clean up after yourself. No matter where you go, pick up and dispose of your trash, put stuff back where it belongs, leave things the same or better than you found them.

Listen. Listen to your advisors (friends, family, therapists, gurus), the universe, great music, babies laughing and especially to yourself. We hear way too much, all day long, but if we stop to listen, we can learn so much more.

Heya, Deb, those are awesome ideas, and oh so true! If each of us cleaned up after ourselves, and spread waves of peace and serenity outwards, amazing how much better the world would be!

Pay attention to local politics. Know what your town and state are doing, and speak up on important issues. That way you can guide how your tax dollars are being spent, and try to ensure that government waste is slowly brought under control.

Imagine a world where all the money wasted by government went towards something useful instead. We could solve all sorts of problems!

I do try to make a point to pick up trash when I am hiking, or just walking about. I can often even recycle some of the things I find, which makes me feel even better.

I worry about germs, so i carry little plastic gloves and a bag to toss the trash into.

I think people have more respect for the places they live, and pride in their community, when there is less trash blowing around. So this helps everyone.

That is very true Jilly it's like in NYC when they did the sweep of cleaning up all the subway cars. It made a huge rolling difference in everything.

Donate excess clothes to charity. If you really don't wear it, then give it away. Take a photo if you want, to remember it, and then let it go. It'll help other people stay warm and maybe get a job!

Conserve water. Many parts of the world have serious water shortages! Turn off your faucet when you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, hang your clothes out to dry when you can. Wash with cold water when you can.

Get involed with kids. I'm not just talking about your own (if you have them).

Things like Big Brother/ Big Sister, volunteering to coach little league, reading at the library. When little ones see other people care about them - then they care about other people.

That is so true, Chelle. The way we treat people younger than us is the way we perpetuate emotions and attitudes into the world. It is amazing how much a casual word or phrase we say can have life-long effects on another person, to cement their point of view, or to open them up to new ones.

Along the same path, we should try to volunteer at senior centers or find other ways to show our appreciation for seniors. Often those individuals went through their whole life working for others, and never received any support or thanks in return.

OK Jilly suggested we add an entry for donating food to food pantries every month - not just at Thanksgiving. They already get a flood of food at the holidays and perishables don't last very long. Donate things on the other holidays! Create your own holiday!

Luvanimalsdearly has brought up a great idea - keep an eye on local pet stores. Support the ones who take great care of their pets, and report the ones who don't so that the authorities step in and make sure they do!

**mattie** gets credit for the idea of donating gifts for auctions and raffles at charity events. You create something hand-made, and the item gets sold to help a charity! It's a great way to knit or crochet or otherwise use your time for a greater cause

There is a food pantry out here where people can donate their extra home grown produce. I think that is a great idea for those bumper crops someone sometimes gets! Fruit trees count too.

That's a great idea - we have extra peppers right now that we're not sure what to do with. Our friends aren't interested. Maybe we should try the food bank ...

Smile!

It makes you feel better & it makes everyone else feel better.

That's so true PDM - and medical studies have proven that smiling actually affects your brain! That is, if you smile even if you're not happy, you start to feel better. If you frown even if you're happy, you start to feel worse. So, odd as it might sound, your body is affected by whether you force yourself to smile or frown.

It's worth it to smile while you shower!

Of course it's even better if you play fun music to get you to smile naturally

Figure out what colors appeal to you personally, and use those colors in your daily workspace / play space. Even small splashes of color can make a big difference.

In case anyone has any other ideas, I'm about to assemble the first version of this ebook, for free download! I'll let you know as soon as I'm done.

The first version of the ebook is done!! I spent all day working on it. It is 51 pages and is FREE to download and enjoy!

http://www.lisashea.com/lisabase/environment/simplewaystomaketheworldbetter/

Please let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions or tips!

I can't wait to open this link. Right now I can't download anything (this park has given my a tiny amount of megs).

Once I am installed in my new home, i will have unlimited Internet via cable. So by (if all goes well) Wed, I will be back to having lots of gigs to play with.

Thank you, in advance, for pulling together what I am sure is a wonderful ebook!

You should be moving in today! I hope everything is going very well for you!

An update! The second version of this book is done! You can download it for free -

http://www.lisashea.com/lisabase/environment/simplewaystomaketheworldbetter/

I am always looking for more suggestions!

I had read your first edition shortly after I moved in and now read your second edition. I am so proud to be a part of it. It's lovely. Eventually this will be a nice thick book we can order for ourselves from Lulu. Full of good things.

Yes, very true, there are always more ways to make the world a better, more content place!

http://www.gogreentube.com/watch.php?v=MTA0NjgwMw==

This link will take you to a short video that explains all the ways Northland College in Ashland Wisconsin. It's totally awesome school with amazing recycling programs!

I must admit my niece Andrea goes to this school & she is now in charge of composting. Andrea is the one on the three wheel bike.

This College talks the talk and walks the walk!

Kathy - a very proud aunt!