The world is a very big place and therefore there are several things you can do to make it a much better place to live. However, sometimes having so many options can be overwhelming, and there may be ways to help you never imagined. When you're feeling optimistic but don't know where to start, wikiHow can help you with this helpful guide to improving the planet and society as a whole. Just read the steps below.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Make Local Improvements
Step 1. Volunteer
Volunteering with a local charity is a great way to improve the world around you. You will be able to do good in a more direct way and you will see the impact you have on the people you help. If you have a practical skill or can learn one, or volunteer with a local humanitarian organization, using that skill will provide the most benefit (skills like construction or medicine are good examples).
- Tutor underprivileged children
- Work at a local soup kitchen
- Work with a charity
Step 2. Reduce your negative impact
Another way to really make the world a better place is to reduce the negative impact you have on the world around you. Being a good steward of the world has a positive impact on your environment and helps preserve the planet for the next generation.
- Be consistent about recycling
- Reduce the garbage you produce and compost
- Conserve water and grow your own food
- If you want to really help the local environment, buy and install solar panels in your house and switch to public transport, use a bicycle or an electric vehicle.
- Increase the positive impact. Notice how your happiness and well-being connect with other people and the natural environment. Learn how you can leave a legacy of sustainable happiness.
Step 3. You must have a civic commitment
Exercise your right to vote. Bad politicians and policies can have an incredibly negative impact on your community and your environment. By not voting or allowing your voice to be heard, you give bad politics a chance to rule. Get involved with your city and country by voting and talking to the politicians you support, as well as educating others on important issues.
For example, in America only 50% to 60% of voters actually vote during presidential elections. And that number drops to around 35% to 40% in legislative elections. Imagine the changes people could achieve if 90% of voters voted during presidential elections and 60% voted during legislative elections
Step 4. Make a statement with what you buy
With companies, your money talks… so speak out as loud as you can! Don't buy products that harm animals or from companies that abuse animals. When you get the chance, buy local products that support the people around you and the local economy. When a company makes bad decisions that negatively affect people, stop buying its products.
Always feel free to contact the companies to let them know what you are doing and why. Some (not all) businesses really have an interest in what their customers want. They will never know how to change if people don't tell them
Step 5. Be proud of where you live
Be proud and take care of the area where you live. This will help you preserve the area not only for yourself but for everyone in your community. If you have the opportunity to help, take advantage of it because not everyone will have the opportunity. You must also find ways to improve the environment where you live. Here are some ideas:
- Combine good citizenship and clean the environment by doing volunteer work in your city (like planting trees, maintaining sidewalks, and conserving green spaces).
- Never throw garbage when you are away from home. Always try to find a trash can or recycling bin for your trash. Clean up any trash you find, even if someone else threw it away.
Part 2 of 4: Make Global Improvements
Step 1. Donate to the right charity
If you want to help people around the world, it is important to donate to charities that provide the right kind of help and do so where the greatest benefit is achieved. The charities that create sustainable profit in areas where it is needed are the best and the ones that will accomplish the most good. Examples of these types of charities are The Against Malaria Foundation, The Deworm the World Initiative, and Give Directly.
- You don't need to donate money. Some non-profit organizations accept educational materials, clothing, or other supplies. Call or email to ask what is needed. Some are especially keen to raise awareness, so you can help by spreading the word, in addition to any physical donations you can make.
- Volunteer or participate in fundraising efforts for charities helping abroad. Organize a half marathon or other fundraiser for an international charity of your choice. Look for programs that allow you to hand out flyers and volunteer in person. Consider other alternatives, such as providing input, advice, or mentoring at small nonprofits, as well as some online.
Step 2. Buy products with the Fair Trade seal
Products certified with the Fair Trade seal are guaranteed to be produced under humane conditions for workers. In this way, workers receive a fair wage and produce in sustainable conditions. By purchasing these products as much as possible, you show these companies that you believe these practices are worth the extra pennies, and you encourage other companies to invest in these types of practices as well.
Fair Trade items will always be labeled as such. If you're not sure, at least try to avoid articles that boast unethical sources. Coffee, bananas, cocoa, many tropical fruits, wine (mostly from California), clothing (mostly from China, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia), and jewelry often come from unethical sources
Step 3. Invest your money
Sometimes all the needs of a developing country or a disadvantaged community can become an opportunity for its own economy to flourish. One way you can help these people help themselves is by making small business loans. This means that you must receive your money back and that the small business must achieve what it takes to contribute to the economy and the community. One way to do this is through Kiva.org, which provides small business loans to people in disadvantaged areas.
This especially is a good way to help women and other helpless groups to support themselves
Step 4. Protect the environment
Carry out activities that help the environment globally. A good way to do this is to reduce your dependence on fossil fuel and other fuel sources that have a negative impact on the environment. You can do this by using public transportation, a bicycle, or an electric vehicle to get around. You can also use solar power to heat your home, instead of things like natural gas (which puts stress on the environment). Eating local food and using local products will also reduce global fossil fuel use.
Conserve as much energy as possible. Producing energy is too demanding for the planet, often requiring the combustion of gases or the production of nuclear energy. Any energy you don't use can be used for more important things, and as a consequence less energy will need to be produced globally. Turn off bedroom lights when you're not inside, shower in cooler water, use energy efficient light bulbs, turn off your computer when you're not using it, etc. There are many ways to conserve energy
Step 5. Reduce waste
Don't eat more than you need, don't buy things you don't need, and avoid buying new clothes every year. Buying used clothing can help reduce the waste that is created. Eating a healthy, balanced, and minimal diet will also reduce waste. If you have food scraps, compost. You need to reduce the waste you produce before the planet looks like a Wall * E photograph.
- Compost your excess organic waste. Get or build a large container that you can leave outside your home, as well as a small one that you can put inside. Collect any food scraps left over from meals (when preparing and eating them) and things like yard waste and put them in the large bin. Use a pitchfork or rake to mix the compost regularly. You will also need to add soil from time to time. Once it has become a homogeneous mixture, the compost is ready to spread in your green spaces.
- Recycle more and correctly. Most cities collect recycled material along with garbage, but keep it in separate containers. Recyclable items vary from city to city, but generally include most plastic containers, metal cans, and paper.
Step 6. Become an animal advocate
As the dominant form of this planet, it is your responsibility to protect the creatures that cannot protect themselves. Because of our current way of life, many animals suffer and may even become extinct. If you want to improve conditions for animals, there are many ways you can help them.
- Promote and vote for legislation that protects animals.
- Buy only products that do not contribute to animal abuse.
- Donate to charities that help animals, such as the Human Society International, the Marine Mammal Center or the Performing Animal Welfare Society.
Step 7. Donate feminine hygiene products
In many disadvantaged countries, such as many regions in India and Africa, women do not have access to feminine hygiene products. This, at best, leads to humiliation and isolation and, at worst, discomfort and even fatal infections. By donating items and money to charities working to solve this problem, you will help keep women healthy and help them do activities like going to school and working. In this way, they will have a chance to improve their lives.
One charity like the one described is Days for Girls
Part 3 of 4: Making Home Improvements
Step 1. Be nice
Many times you can get so involved in improving the world that you forget that there are many things you can do every day at home that will also have a positive impact. One of the best things you can do simply and routinely is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Do something nice for someone as much as you can. This can be something small like giving someone a birthday present or something big like driving someone in your vehicle until they can get theirs repaired. When you work as a team, everything works better and you are able to invest that profit for the benefit of the rest of the world.
Step 2. Set a good example
Set a good example for your friends and family and educate them about it so they can make good decisions too. Help them understand why these kinds of things are important so that they are also motivated to change their lives. Changing some minds greatly increases your positive impact on the world.
Step 3. Get a job
Almost any job you get can have a positive impact on your community. You will be able to provide a service to people who want it and contribute to the economy in your immediate area, in addition you will improve the condition of all those around you. It will also help you have money that you can use to donate to charities or finance small business loans.
Step 4. Be positive
When you are surrounded by people who are negative and cruel, you become sad and pessimistic, making it much more difficult to overcome life's difficulties. Let your attitude show others that a smile and an upbeat character can really make everyone's day better. By finding the positive sides of difficult situations and working hard to solve problems, you can positively impact the people who are in contact with you.
Step 5. Be useful to everyone
Every day you have opportunities to be kind and helpful to other people. Many times you don't take the opportunity because you think you are too busy or that someone else will. If you want to improve the world around you, do the right thing and help instead of thinking that it is not your problem.
For example, if someone brings supplies to your car and drops the bag, help them pick up their supplies and put them back in the bag. People really appreciate gestures like that
Part 4 of 4: Get More Ideas
Step 1. Help the homeless
The homeless are a defenseless group who are often misunderstood. By helping the homeless in your area and around the world, you will improve people's lives and help create safer and more sustainable cities.
Step 2. Help the women
Women are traditionally another defenseless group. Although conditions have improved in many places, even in the most feminist countries you will continue to see unequal pay and disproportionate abuse. Do what you can to help women, not only in the obvious places, like developing countries, but also in your city. Remember: creating a society with gender equality opens up more opportunities for everyone.
Advice
- If you know a way to make the world a better place, go ahead and teach others how to do it. Spread the word!
- Protect the weak, speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, fight for those who cannot fight on their own.
- Do not throw trash. Instead, recycle.
- It's always good to do someone a favor. Never be afraid to help someone.
- Volunteer to be a reading tutor at your local elementary school. Just being nice to children teaches them to be nice to others.
- Build a big garden with all the compost you made and grow food so you don't have to go out and buy it.
- Don't waste food. It is better to buy an average amount and consume it than to buy too much and end up throwing away what is left over.
- Make sure to share with everyone you can what you know about pollution and especially global warming. You have the freedom of speech, so stand on a big rock and tell people how they can help (you can use the steps above in your "surprise speech").
- Donate money to charities, big or small. Not only big charities need money, but small ones too. One example is Animals Inc, a charity that sells baked goods and other products to reduce the abuse of animals.
- Being a vegetarian doesn't just help animals. It also reduces the amount of carbon emissions that are expelled (helps with global warming and the environment), allows more food to be made for the hungry, and even reduces the risk of cancer (not to mention the risk of heart disease and obesity).
Warnings
- Always research the organizations you want to help or donate to. Some organizations, even if they are a "real" charity, spend almost none of the donated money actually helping people. Use tools like Charity Watch and BBB to learn more about an organization.
- Don't be discouraged because you feel like you have no power to make a change. Big changes often start with a small conversation between two people and grow through the joint strength of like-minded people.