Sifting through the bull

Some companies are genuinely interested in doing the right thing. Other companies know their actions smell a bit dicey and feel badly, so they paint their crap pink and call it a cupcake. And then there are companies who'd push their grandmother down a staircase for her bingo money, post a video of it on YouTube, and laugh into their mimosas while you write scathing letters to the editor.

All three of these companies are adopting a new creed: Corporate Social Responsibility. Is it an oxymoron or a new movement? Cynical whitewash or the turning of a new leaf? Depends on the company. I fully believe some companies take this seriously. I also believe that others see it simply as a way to reach a demographic with spendable cash.

The answer is up to each of us to decide. But first, we have to know what companies are doing.

A few sites are getting popular as places for companies to publicize their good works. Publicity grab or standing up for what's right? I used to work in public relations for a multi-milllion dollar home builder. (Talk about a tough warm and fuzzy sell.) So I've learned that it's usually somewhere in between. In general, I'll give a company the benefit of the doubt unless I smell something stanky. I suggest you read the news on these sites with a similar amount of skeptical trust.

I do know this: corporations literally cannot handle any kind of big initiative unless it's labeled and acronymed. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now both. Maybe that's a good sign.

CSR Wire (mostly news releases, some genuine, some slimy)
CSR News on Edie.net (little bit of everything from every angle)
CSR-News.net (news for and about organizations)

Kiva loan update: second payment on time

Two months, two loan payments right on time. Another $113 was just posted to Kiva.org for our loan to Zaituni Mudoobi and her group for her catering/restaurant business in Kireka, Uganda.

The businesswomen haven't posted any journal entries yet, it'd be interesting to hear directly from them about their experiences and success.

Don't confuse Kiva with a "donation" loan. This is a REAL loan and the great majority get paid back in full. Read my first post explaining the Kiva microloan service and my post about making my first loan.

TODAY'S TURN: Win for a good cause

THE ISSUE:
Auctions are about winning. Silent auctions, online auctions, live auctions - that moment between bid and gavel can make your heart race and your palms sweat. You get something cool and unique, and if you do well, you get it at a solid price. What if you could make it even more fun by supporting a cause you believe in?

THE GOOD TURN:
Now, auctions are about winning for a good cause. Next time you're about to hit eBay, visit BiddingForGood.com first. You'll see auctions for stuff you can't find anywhere else. Every item sold raises money for a different non-profit, from community causes and arts organizations to local grade schools. It's like being at a non-profit benefit, but you won't have to dress up in a tux and pay $1,000 to reserve a table.

Just a quick scan showed me this stuff:
Behind the scenes tour of the Today show to support a New York City nursery school.
A portable air compressor to support a symphony in Montana.
Be a Zookeeper for a Day at the Cincinnati Zoo to support pediatric brain tumor research.
Green Bay Packer tickets to support Junior Achievement in Iowa.
Dinner and a movie package to support American Red Cross in Virginia.

Click here to do this Good Turn:
See more auction items at BiddingForGood.com.

TODAY'S TURN: Turn Strangers Into Neighbors

THE ISSUE:
People with just two hands, a thin wallet and arms tired from being pulled in several directions (like myself) can feel helpless in the face of enormous issues. That's why this site exists.

And there's probably no bigger issue than the tens of millions living in makeshift slum communities around the world. That's pretty intimidating for one person to take on.

THE GOOD TURN:
Thankfully, I know someone who's doing just that. His book, Dispossessed: Life in Our World's Urban Slums, is an eye-opening read.

This blog thrives on the idea that small actions and everyday decisions add up to something special. We can do what we can control. But urban slum communities are a bit more to wrap your (tired) arms around than buying fair trade shoes. What can you possibly do?

You can start by simply learning about the people and their reality. This book will introduce you.

The author does a thoughtful job of bringing a human face to displaced "squatter" communities in Manila, Nairobi, Mexico City, Bangkok, and Cairo. He seeks neither pity nor sainthood for the people he profiles. Simply understanding. As you read about their everyday lives and the issues they face, you'll learn that people in these communities are no more noble, shiftless, generous or cruel than anyone else. They're simply people like ourselves doing the best they can with what they have to make a better life for their families.

After reading this book, the world will seem a little smaller and its people a little closer. Seems like a good start.

(You might notice that the author's name - Mark Kramer - is very close to mine. It's because he's my brother. And I coudn't be prouder of the little nose-picker. He's one of the world's truly good guys.)

Click here to do this Good Turn:
Download and read Chapter 2 of Dispossessed (pdf).
Read more about the book.
Order the book today.

TODAY'S TURN: Avoid the Bag Battle

THE ISSUE:
Paper or plastic? Sort of like asking whether you'd like your eyes glued shut or your tongue stapled. Or asking which of your children you love more. There's no right answer. I found an excellent media show on MSNBC.com that shows just how hard this choice can be. I thought it was a simple choice - would you rather have toxic landfills or wipe out some more trees? Apparently, not even that simple. The video brings up some tough facts from several sources:

Plastic...
...kills thousands of marine animals each year.
...uses 12 million barrels of oil to fill U.S. grocery bag needs.
...won't degrade until every one of us is dead, at the very least.

Paper...
...takes 40% more energy to make.
...requires 5x as many trucks to ship.
...is made by one of the top 10 most polluting industries.

THE GOOD TURN:
Both paper and plastic are improving. Makers of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags claim that their bags can degrade in as litte as a few months. And most paper bags are already made with at least 35% recycled stuff. So all you have to do is shop at stores that carry oxo-bio and recycled bags, right? We could end up doing all our shopping at Hemp.com.

How about something more realistic. Until a clear winner emerges, how about trying a reusable bag? Some are sturdy, some are arty, some are exceedingly convenient. But they have one thing in common: it's a choice you won't EVER feel guilty about.

Click here to do this Good Turn:
Trader Joe's bags are popular on ebay.
The nylon ChicoBag collapses into its own pouch.
Basura Art Bags are handmade for fair trade wages in Honduras.
Reusablebags.com has a list of reusable shopping items.

TODAY'S TURN: Turn over a new grape leaf

THE ISSUE:
Choosing a wine is tough enough already. Flavor, color, finish, aroma, palate, viscosity, clarity, intensity, character, dryness, acidity, body, fruit, temperature, vintage, age -- is it fair to throw Fair Trade into the mix? But in many developing countries, grape farmers and workers are dependant on low incomes that often don't cover labor and production costs. I think how it's made could at least be as important as how well it swirls.

THE GOOD TURN:
Choosing an ethically-produced wine that meets your taste may not be as hard as you think. Some tremendous brands have come in from South Africa, Chile and Argentina in particular. When you buy a Fair Trade wine, you can be sure the growers were paid a living wage and that it was produced in way that Mother Nature can live with. South African fair trade wineries even have to be at least 25% owned by the workers.

Can I tell you which ones to choose? Are you kidding me? I can't even be trusted to drink red wine with steak. I'm the last person to make vino recommendations. But I can show you where to find the good stuff:

Click here to do this Good Turn:
Etica Fair Trade Wines
Order a mixed case of Fair Trade wines
Melania and Taborga Chilean Wines
Top 10 Fair Trade Wines (in UK)
Fair Trade Wine Award Winners

Kiva loan update: first payment already

Not too long ago, I joined 43 other people from around the world to loan $1,350 to Zaituni Mudoobi and her group for her catering/restaurant business in Kireka, Uganda. We did it through Kiva.org, an online company that arranges microloans for thousands of businesses in developing countries.

We just got our first loan payment: $113 right on time! If all goes well at this rate, the loan could be paid off in a year. And then I can turn the money into another business microloan.

It's like recycling money!