Posts Filed Under charity
Donating vs. Recycling
Let me introduce my newest “improve-my-karma” dilemma. Shall I re/up-cycle my 6-month-old-now-obsolete-to-me mobile phone or shall I donate it to an organisation that aims to keep “connected” the mature adults of our society?
If I decide to up/re-cycle my fully functioning mobile phone -granted it will not be done in China, I fulfill my end-user ecological responsibility. A large percentage of my phone mass will be reused to build new products, and only very little will end-up in a landfill. This is very well, but I am still wasting a perfectly functioning product.
By donating my mobile phone, I am supporting a social initiative, which aims to keep our more and more isolated seniors connected. Mobiles phones not only have the ability to shift time and place (feeling closer), they enable a wide range of pertinent and necessary services (health, education, play, etc.). All things considered, it’s very appealing second life for my phone. Except that I give up its recycling destiny to someone that might not care. In this case, it just delays its journey to the landfill. Something I don’t want.
Since 1+1=2, how about a system that donates/repurposes my phone to one (or many) community in need (communication, education, etc.) AND then up/re-cycles it. When my phone has been processed at final up/re-cycling facility, I (the original owner) receive a message certifying that my phone has been up-cycled according to my wishes – Karma points attached to the message.
In principle, social and ecological endeavours are not divergent nor conflicting, yet in practice they are going after at the same products and audience. Consequently any synergised system will have greater resonance with people and success.
Filed Under: charity, mobilephones, recycling
The Patrick O'Brien Foundation
Early this week, I learned some disheartening news regarding a friend of mine Patrick O’Brien aka Transfatty who had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Patrick is a mind blowing artist (filmmaker, musician, and creator), and is a huge inspiration to many. He has won numerous awards and has had a successful commercial career with various TV channels such as MTV, Spike, VH1. I am shocked that he’s been diagnosed with ALS at only 30 – extremely young to have the onset of the disease.
Patrick has started the Patrick O’Brien Foundation to help spread awareness about ALS, and to get people hooked up and involved in doing anything they can to help find a cure for the disease. His site now redirects to the foundation site, where you can get a preview of the documentary “October 5, 1974” he’s working on based on living with ALS. I beg you to spend some time watching the short clips, download the media kit to spread the word and donate if you can.
Filed Under: charity, foundation