What if we told you that you could make a difference and it would cost absolutely nothing?
You’d go for it, right?
Well look no further: here’s today’s to-do list.
Click any of the images to see them at a larger size.
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
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
SEND A LETTER
Asylum seekers in detention will welcome your letters.
Image by Sha Nazir
BE SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO
Be a mentor to someone who needs your life experience.
Centrepoint, the homeless charity in London, says “If you’re passionate or knowledgeable about something, you could apply your skills to helping homeless young people. Buddy up with a young person who wants to get into the gym or supervise gym sessions if you really know your stuff, volunteer at cooking workshops, teach young people to garden or run sessions that help them gain some of the professional or life skills you have.”
Image by Soizick Jaffre
MAKE A NOISE
Campaign, march, demonstrate, use non-violent direct action. Take heart from those who have taken this route before, and who have made change — through history, like Martin Luther King, and in recent times, like the Feminist Library campaign in London.
Image by Una
SWAP THEM OUT
Changing your social media avatar or your mobile ringtone sounds pretty frivolous, doesn’t it?
But these small injections of your political beliefs into everyday situations can spread the word far and wide: every time your phone rings, every time you comment on a thread seen by others.
Image by Tessa Astre
BREAK THE LAW
Depending on where in the world you live, aggravated trespass, obstructing the police or criminal damage are offences for which you may risk arrest, a fine or even imprisonment.
But in the UK, it’s worth remembering that the defence of “preventing a greater crime” can hold good in Crown Court. That greater crime might, arguably, be genocide, global warming, poisoning of the water system… or many others.
Yes, you may wish to check with a good lawyer before you cross the line, but take heart from the Ploughshares activists, who walked free after damaging Hawk Jet planes in order to prevent them from bombing East Timor.
This action may contravene the law in some jurisdictions: proceed with caution.
This action contravenes the law (obviously, in this case): proceed with caution.
Image by Kate Evans
VOLUNTEER
For many charities and organisations, time is just as precious as money. Give both if you can; but if money is tight, see if you can offer hands-on help.
From helping at a food bank to running social media for an awareness campaign, there’s always plenty to do.
Image by Tom O’Brien
FORM A POSSE
Gather people together — online or in your living room.
What are you going to achieve — the downfall of the state? Helping the homeless? Changing legislation? Make an action list. Then act.
Research shows that meeting in person is a more effective way of staying motivated and productive.
Image by Jan Wheatley
ATTEND MEETINGS
Go to your political party’s local meetings: otherwise known as creating an instant social circle for yourself, filled with people who share your world view. With the added bonus that you can change the world.
Image by Emily Haworth-Booth
TEACH LANGUAGE
Help people who have just arrived in your country by getting them started with the lingo. It’s one of the most basic, yet life-changing things you can do — and by virtue of being a native speaker, you’re already an expert.
Image by Kane Lynch
All artwork on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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
SEND A LETTER
Asylum seekers in detention will welcome your letters.
Image by Sha Nazir
BREAK THE LAW
Depending on where in the world you live, aggravated trespass, obstructing the police or criminal damage are offences for which you may risk arrest, a fine or even imprisonment.
But in the UK, it’s worth remembering that the defence of “preventing a greater crime” can hold good in Crown Court. That greater crime might, arguably, be genocide, global warming, poisoning of the water system… or many others.
Yes, you may wish to check with a good lawyer before you cross the line, but take heart from the Ploughshares activists, who walked free after damaging Hawk Jet planes in order to prevent them from bombing East Timor.
This action contravenes the law (obviously, in this case): proceed with caution.
Image by Kate Evans
Draw The Line 