Contributing
“When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
3 Questions
- Am I contributing to the world or just consuming it?
- Am I someone others can count on?
- Am I helping to make things better for others?
These were the questions I read in the Annual Integrity Report by James Clear a few years ago. He listed three questions for each core value that he cared about to think more deeply about it.
These questions really resonated with me and so I too will try to do my best to reflect and contribute in any way I can.
Share, Donate, Save, Sign
Other than being a kind and helpful person in the everyday life, one can also help by trying to actively contribute through different services. For example:
- I use “ShareTheMeal“, an app that helps fight world hunger by enabling you to donate whatever amount of money and in whatever way (one-time, regularly), such that the needy can directly buy food for themselves. You even get reports on who bought what from your donation! It is definitely a rewarding and empowering feeling and honestly it is one of the easiest impactful contributions one can make. For example, with only 4.80€, you can already give 12 whole meals! As I am writing this, 55 meals have been donated. I also just opened a “Team” now, where we can work as a team and raise money for the needy!
Join in and share the meal! Every Euro counts!
1. Install the app “ShareTheMeal”.
2. Go search for the team #MakeAChoi.ce (pun intended)
3. Donate whatever amount you like, done! - I didn’t think I would actually be doing something like that in any time soon, but I am a sponsor of a campaign by WWF Germany. I was approached by a student that works for WWF and couldn’t quite brush off. Initially, I was very skeptical because I thought “Can they be trusted? There were scandals, I am sure.”. I went home having signed the donation subscription with the 30-45€ per quarter. After some research and receiving the welcome package, I can definitely see the effort and progress that is made possible with the donations of the community. You can choose any campaign you want to support. Mine is the sponsorship of “Polar Bears and Climate Protection”.
- TooGoodToGo, an already pretty popular app to help prevent food waste. I heard from it through a conversation with friends and had to immediately note it down. In Heilbronn during my studies I eventually tried it and it was an amazing experience actually. It is truly a genius concept, where everyone can benefit. By simply not throwing away food, restaurants can still make money, while users can enjoy the still good food for a cheaper price.
- A simple yet effective way to trigger positive change in the world is to sign petitions. I am sure you have done it at least once at some point. Through whatever service like change.org you can sign your vote for any campaign that deserves to succeed.
Make contributions here, however small
End World Hunger -> #MakeAChoi.ce
Protect The Nature
