{"id":9298,"date":"2013-08-06T02:12:56","date_gmt":"2013-08-06T02:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.trueactivist.com\/?p=9298"},"modified":"2013-08-06T05:41:47","modified_gmt":"2013-08-06T05:41:47","slug":"10-ways-to-make-positive-change-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trueactivist.com\/10-ways-to-make-positive-change-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways To Make Positive Change In The World"},"content":{"rendered":"
By: Sophie McAdam, staff writer How can I<\/em> make a positive difference in the world? Where do I start? Which of the overwhelming number of urgent global issues should I focus my attention on first? These are questions most of us have asked ourselves at some point, but although being an active citizen can sometimes feel hopeless, remember: you can only be responsible for your own actions, and major changes start at the grassroots level- just look at the Occupy movement. Maybe you can’t save the world, but you can<\/em> save your backyard. And imagine what would happen if we all did the same? With that in mind, here are 10 things you can do to get those green shoots growing in your own communities, expanding outwards like ripples in a pond to inspire others and make changes on a big scale. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small, committed group of citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”<\/strong> The following list could be longer- things like recycling, buying fair trade and avoiding plastic wherever possible are taken as given, for example. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section, and whatever you choose to do, have fun with it!<\/p>\n 1. Join or launch a gift economy<\/strong><\/p>\n Gift economies<\/a> enable people to exchange goods, services and favours without any need for cash payment. One of the best initiatives is freecycle<\/a>, a global online gifting website based on the idea that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Why throw things into landfill sites when other people in your local area could make use of them? The chances are there is already a group in your town, but if not, creating a new group is quick and easy. Simply check the site’s homepage, join the mailing list for your area, and see how many people you can help by gifting your unwanted goods and receiving whatever you need in return. Books, toys, furniture, electrical appliances and even cars are up for grabs. Another idea is to launch a skill swapping or time bank<\/a> initiative in your community.\u00a0 These models allow for people to find painters, carpenters, gardeners, babysitters, and any other services we all need occasionally, without worrying about payment in cash. After all, isn’t time the most precious thing we have? Get a group of like-minded people together and start keeping a record of the skills they can offer and what they would like to receive in exchange. Then simply match users, updating how many hours they have spent helping others and how many they are owed in return. In places like crisis-hit Greece, bartering systems have enabled people living in poverty to continue life as normal, as this inspiring video<\/a> shows.<\/p>\n 2. Start your own alternative currency<\/strong><\/p>\n Want to do something a little more ambitious than the suggestions in #1? Here’s a challenge: why not boycott the monetary system altogether and launch a local currency for your own town or city? Alternative currencies<\/a> like Bitcoin are growing in popularity, and other local tenders have been launched in cities around the world. They help to create a sense of community, encourage people to shop locally, and are an effective way of protesting the power of the banks. Here is one example<\/a> from Brighton, England. Moving your account from a corporate bank to a credit union<\/a> is one simple way of active protest too- if you can only do one thing, do this!<\/p>\n 3. Politicians not listening? Be the change you want to see!<\/strong><\/p>\n What urgent problems are there in your area? Sometimes, rather than waiting for the elected leaders to listen to your concerns, the quickest and most effective way of making a difference is to do it yourself. Maybe you live near a<\/p>\n
\nTrue Activist<\/a>.<\/p>\n