Debra Baker

https://www.change.org/year-in-review/2014?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=218876&alert_id=cbUonqdWoV_qU54jY%2FDdpuR8Hufy15AUs%2FDCvkzWHVFL1QKwIu6beQ%3D

     This is a short video. Unfortunately, it's not on YouTube so blogger won't support it, but I put in a
screen shot so you know what you're clicking on. The video's an ad for Change.org, but I thought that it touched on some really important things. Change.org is website for online petitions, and it's the biggest of it's kind. Last year, 5,000 petitions made on the site were successful, or one every hour. A 27 year old cancer survivor stopped a hazardous coal plant from being built. Two girls started a movement to prevent female genital mutilation. Journalists were released from prison. Libraries and Bison alike were saved. Businesses from  Coco Cola to Barbie agreed to change they're practices and the NYPD launched a body cam project.  I've seen many people saying that these kinds of sites don't make a difference. This proves that these websites are actually really helpful, that one person can make a difference; that thousands of simple signatures can make a bigger one.

     One of the things that has always annoyed me is people saying that they have nothing to do. (Though I have done this many times.) Being bored is fine. Everybody get's bored, and when there's not enough outside stimulation to keep our brains happy, it can be hard to motivate yourself to get up and do something to un-bore yourself. But please, do not say that you have nothing to do. Half the world is starving and without functioning toilets and sinks, the ice caps are melting, schools suck and like, a lot of other terrible things that could use your help. You live with at least a million other people in a hubbub of different tastes and sights and scents, and, most likely right in front of you, is a magical box with 99.98% of anything you could ever want to know. There is ALWAYS something to do. Not only something to do, but there are always worthwhile, productive, people helping, and exciting things to do. You just have to move your butt. Anyways, if you want something easy and worthwhile to fill your time, go to a petition site. Look for things that you care about. Educate yourself about what's happening in the world. Add your signature to a few causes that catch your attention. You'll be helping to change the world, I promise you it's a good use of your time, and "I was helping to save a starving family in Mongolia," is more likely to get you an extension than "I was whining to my friends on Facebook."

 Friendly reminder that in 2008 we grew enough to feed 11 billion people, but 45% of child deaths are still caused by malnutirtion. Anyways, you should all watch this video I found on upworthy. It's really short and rather interesting.