Also, anyone that brings their empties into any of Origins 450 locations nationwide throughout the month of April will receive a free sample of A Perfect World

Origins is encouraging bloggers, attendees and fans to share their passion of recycling, here’s how:

1: Upload your photo of empty beauty products to the Origins Facebook page here:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Origins/19777183712 

2: Post the image on Flickr and tag it “Origins Trash Talk” 

3: Tweet about recycling your beauty product empties and participating in Earth Month initiatives by tagging those tweets #OriginsTrashTalk 

For new Facebook fan Origins receives and every image of beauty empties uploaded to Flickr tagged “Origins Trash Talk”, Origins will plant a tree in your honor.  

Happy Earth Month!

The organizers of Earth Hour are capitalizing on social media to spread the word about Earth Hour.

“Social media has proved it can be a powerful force for driving change, but when the stakes are as high as they have ever been, we really need the support of the online community for Earth Hour this year,” said Earth Hour Executive Director Andy Ridley.

The Earth Hour organizers are asking bloggers, podcasters, online video makers, mobile users and online social networkers to spread the word.

Below are specific ways social media users can help spread the word:

• Create blog posts and podcasts about the importance of global action on climate change and how participation in Earth Hour can make a difference

• Join one of the 50 Earth Hour social media profiles on networks such as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, flickr and Twitter

• Create a video and post it on the web

• Embed the codes to Earth Hour videos

• Download and share Earth Hour web banners, online badges, posters, wallpapers

• Mention Earth Hour in your status updates in the countdown to Earth Hour

• Register on the http://www.earthhour.org/ website

Earthhour.org offers more action steps here.

By: Anna Brew

So, yesterday was World Water Day.  In 1992, the UN General Assembly designated March 22 as World Water Day to draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide. Though the day itself has come and gone, we’re prolonging the “celebration” by posting about it today. In case you were late getting the memo as well, here is the lowdown from WorldWaterDay.net:

“The world water crisis is one of the largest public health issues of our time. Nearly 1.1 billion people (roughly 20% of the world’s population) lack access to safe drinking water1. The lack of clean, safe drinking water is estimated to kill almost 4,500 children per day2. In fact, out of the 2.2 million unsafe drinking water deaths in 2004, 90% were children under the age of five3. Water is essential to the treatment of diseases, something especially critical for children.

This problem isn’t confined to a particular region of the world. A third of the Earth’s population lives in “water stressed” countries and that number is expected to rise dramatically over the next two decades4. The crisis is worst in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The world water crisis is created by a confluence of factors including climate and geography, lack of water systems and infrastructure, and inadequate sanitation, something that 2.6 billion people (40% of the world’s population) lack access to5. Some of these countries have additional problems, including high levels of arsenic and fluoride in drinking water6.

Many women and young girls in rural areas in Sub-Saharan African and other parts of the world must trek as much as six miles everyday to retrieve water for their families7. Due to this manual labor, such women and children are prevented from pursuing an education, maintaining their households or earning additional income8.

Thus, the lack of clean water, coupled with the lack of basic sanitation and a dearth of hygiene education, is one of the largest obstacles to progress and development in these regions and across the world. The UN has prioritized water access among its Millennium Development Goals because it contributes to such widespread suffering, including increased poverty, high child mortality rates, depressed education levels, and political instability. Without question, the world water crisis condemns billions of people to a perpetual struggle to survive at the subsistence level,9 thus inspiring millions to engage and alleviate this problem. Join us. Get involved today.

Sources: [1] WaterAid, 2005 [2] UNICEF/WHO Water for Life, Making it Happen, 2005 [3] UNICEF/WHO Water for Life, Making it Happen, 2005 [4] BBC News October 19, 2004 [5] UNICEF/WHO Water for Life, Making it Happen, 2005 [6] Department of International Development, Water Action Plan, March 2004 [7] UNESCO/ International Year of Fresh Water 2003 [8] UNESCO/ International Year of Fresh Water 2003 [9] UNICEF/WHO Water for Life, Making it Happen, 2005

For more World Water Day information, check out these links:

• World Water Day video from Charity Water
• This Treehugger post about World Water Day includes powerful images by Munem Wasif that reveal the daily impact of the scarcity of clean, safe water on the people living in poor, rural communities.
• WorldChanging marked World Water Day with  a short list of water innovations, stories, resources and big ideas, handpicked from the Worldchanging archive
• The SlowFoodUSA blog compiled a list of ways to get active about the cause of clean water.
• How Much Water Do you Really use? EarthFirst posted a shocking graphic from Good Magazine that shows how much water is required for everyday foods and activities.

We tell our clients that the best way to get started is to observe. Start following people and organizations with similar interests and listen to the conversation until you’re comfortable taking part.

This morning, Mashable has a post entitled 26 Charities and Non-Profits That Tweet. The article lists and describes organizations ranging from the American Cancer Society to The Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, and links to each group’s Twitter profile. The 26 listed are great models for effectively sharing information on behalf of your organization.

Check them out and follow as many as seem relevant to you– especially if you’re a Twitter newbie from the nonprofit world.

By: Anna Brew

I first encountered Soap for Hope in my Christmas stocking a couple years ago in the form of a deliciously mocha-scented bar of bath soap. I didn’t know anything about Nakee’ Natural at the time but I loved the scent of mocha with my morning shower! Since then I’ve tried other Nakee’ Natural products and learned more about the Soap for Hope program… and I love it even more.

Nakee’ Natural offers freshly made soap and skincare products handcrafted in small batches. All the products are spa quality and made from organic, unrefined, and fairly-traded ingredients. The founder, Candy Sweeney had long been passionate about healthy, natural home and body products but was frustrated with costly and often times deceptively labeled “organic and natural” products she found at the store. So in 2005 she started making soaps at home. This hobby morphed into a business while her son (then a senior in high school) was undergoing treatment for leukemia. Making skincare products allowed Candy to work from home and care for her son.

Knowing first-hand the toll cancer takes on families, Candy decided to create a charity program within Nakee’ Natural. Every year, Nakee’ Natural creates a limited edition soap, the proceeds of which go to a charity that funds cancer research and support services for patients and their families. Last year’s recipient was CureSearch.

This year, the Soap for Hope proceeds will support The University of Michigan Pediatric Chemotherapy Infusion Room– where Candy’s teenage son was treated. The room is set up for young kids (blocks, stuffed animals, story books) and Candy’s family decided it would be nice to help provide some age-appropriate material for teens who also spend hours hooked up to the IV polls.

Visit the Soap for Hope page on the Nakee’ Natural website for more information about childhood cancer and Soap for Hope. And while you’re there check out the rest of the Nakee’ Natural selection.

First up? Our dear friends at TOMS Shoes. It’s not surprising that the company who year around is in giving mode is taking it one (maybe twenty) steps further this Holiday season. Their business model is based completely on a One-for-One mission;  for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes will be given to a child in need.  They just launched their Holiday Project: 30K in 30 Days. Share the video below with friends, family, long-lost elementary school friends, co-workers etc and help TOMS make a difference this holiday season.

By: Naomi Hirabayashi