Kids can get involved in making the world a better place, too.
Here’s part three in our list of actions that you can take, no matter what your age.
Click any of the images to see them at a larger size.
SEEK OUT A NEMESIS
Speak to someone you disagree with.
Have a full discussion as though both your perspectives are valid and worthy of discussion. Because here’s the thing… you might just find out that they are.
Image by John Riordan
LISTEN, PAY ATTENTION, & RESPECT
Respect the wishes of other people. If someone, for example, asks you to call them “him” instead of “her”, do it. Trust their judgement about themselves.
Image by Siiri Viljakka
RESEARCH YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS
Read up on how people prefer to be supported. Your assumptions may not be quite right.
Image by Richy K. Chandler
GIVE UP A LUXURY
In the habit of buying something you don’t need?
Whether it’s your mocha-chocca-latte of a morning or your fast-fashion habit, why not challenge yourself to give it up — for good, or for a set amount of time — then give the money you would have spent to an organisation that really needs it.
Image by Penny Sharp
PUT THE PRESSURE ON
Tell your MP or other representative what you expect them to do about the issues that matter to you. And keep telling them.
You might get a pat, generic response: that’s not good enough, and you should write back to tell them so. Otherwise, how will they know? It’s our job to hold our representatives to account.
Image by Simon Russell
SPEND WISELY
Read up on the places where you spend your money: do they pay their workers a living wage? Do they support sweatshops or child labour? Do they fund the weapons industry or finance a political party that you disagree with?
Many apps and websites can help you. Shopping with local independent businesses can also help you avoid many of the big, bad brands.
Image by Emmi Bat
LAYER UP
Instead of turning the heating on, put another layer on. Just like your mum told you.
Image by Danny Noble
EAT LESS MEAT
More people are recognising the serious impact of the meat industry on our planet.
Producing meat — especially beef — destroys forests to make way for grazing land, diverts scarce water resources and uses up resources to produce animal feed that could be used to grow vegetables and grains, feeding more people.
Cows’ burps also produce massive amounts of methane, a climate-changing gas twenty-five times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Eating less meat, or going vegetarian, can only be a good thing. Good for the planet, and good for you, too.
Image by Sarah Lippett
BE WHO YOU ARE
…and allow others to be who they are.
BlackLivesMatter say ‘be unapologetically black’.
The same can apply across all ways of being. Be who you are, unapologetically. And help others do the same.
Image by Steven Appleby
SHOP LOCAL
Using local businesses is one of the most pleasant political actions there is.
You get your goods (often with exemplary customer service) *and* the warm glow of satisfaction that comes from knowing that your money is going directly into the local community.
Image by Lucy Knisley
CLICK THE LITTLE TRIANGLE
If you see an ad or status on Facebook, and it spreads hate, lies or misinformation, look for the small triangle (usually top right) which will enable you to report it. Same on lots of other social media sites.
In the short term it will notify the site that the ad needs reviewing — but it may have an aggregate effect, too. If everyone did this, those advertisers would begin to be shunned by social media platforms and businesses who have an interest in keeping their users happy.
Image by Christine Wong
BORE ON
It can be dispiriting, always being the wet blanket who points out that buying certain foods or frequenting certain businesses is supporting unethical practices.. but peer pressure is a remarkably powerful tool.
Keep it up, and soon they’ll be the ones reminding you!
Image by H-P Lehkonen
START WRITING
Our parents wrote to the letters page of their local press.
These days, with online space to fill, many publications are happy to accept high-quality thought pieces from the public.
For local issues, approach your regional press and get your community onside. For national issues, go big.
Image by Keijo Ahlqvist
GET CREATIVE
Art speaks loudly. Painting a picture, making a movie, creating a song, a comic or a performance is a very direct way to the heart, and thence the minds, of society.
Image by Soizick Jaffre
HANG UP A WELCOME SIGN
If you own a business or work somewhere public, display a sign to make it clear that everyone is welcome.
In Portland, Oregon, USA, the Independent Publishing Resource Center made signs that read: We welcome ALL races,ALL religions, ALL countries of origin, ALL sexual orientations, ALL genders. We stand with you. You are safe here.
If you’re a maker, you can produce something similar — and make them available to others. Offer them via social media, using your local hashtag, Facebook page or message board.
Image by Sally-Anne Hickman
STOP THE ROT
Ask your local restaurants to donate their leftover food to the homeless — or like this bagel shop, turn it into beer!
Better still, see if there’s a set-up like the Real Junk Food Project which will collect waste food and turn it into meals for those who need it.
Image by Riyadh Rateme
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES
Trying to make a better world?
Write a blog as you go about it. Sharing your experiences with the world sets a precedent, and normalises them for the next person thinking of doing the same.
Image by Richy K. Chandler
DONATE YOUR WASTE GOODS
If your car is only good for scrap or your phone is due for an upgrade, there are services which will take them off your hands and donate any proceeds to the charity of your choice.
Image by Paul Shinn
All artwork on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
SEEK OUT A NEMESIS
Speak to someone you disagree with.
Have a full discussion as though both your perspectives are valid and worthy of discussion. Because here’s the thing… you might just find out that they are.
Image by John Riordan
LISTEN, PAY ATTENTION, & RESPECT
Respect the wishes of other people. If someone, for example, asks you to call them “him” instead of “her”, do it. Trust their judgement about themselves.
Image by Siiri Viljakka
RESEARCH YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS
Read up on how people prefer to be supported. Your assumptions may not be quite right.
Image by Richy K. Chandler
GIVE UP A LUXURY
In the habit of buying something you don’t need?
Whether it’s your mocha-chocca-latte of a morning or your fast-fashion habit, why not challenge yourself to give it up — for good, or for a set amount of time — then give the money you would have spent to an organisation that really needs it.
Image by Penny Sharp
Draw The Line 