All People Making a Difference
Difference MakerIzhar Gafni invents a cardboard bicycle that may revolutionize transportationHis two-wheeled creation, a $20 bike made out of cardboard, could revolutionize bicycling, especially in the developing world.
Alta Gracia factory produces fair-trade clothingFor years, college student activists have pressured their schools to make sure clothing with college logos is sweatshop-free. Now, they have another choice: fair-trade clothing manufactured in the Dominican Republic by Alta Gracia.
Would the lights go out if superstorm Sandy hit the Netherlands? Nope.The US can learn from the modern, disaster-resistant electric grid in the Netherlands.
Clean cookstoves in Mozambique lure big investorsCleanStar Mozambique is a combined effort among a mix of institutions centered around replacing traditional charcoal cooking stoves with stoves fueled by sustainably produced bio-ethanol.
#GivingTuesday sparks a big spike in charitable donationsGifts to charitable groups shot up 53 percent to $10 million on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which is being promoted as #GivingTuesday.
Difference MakerEllen Calmus helps Mexican families cope with cross-border challengesThe Corner Project assists families with relatives in the US, ensuring, for example, that children of migrant workers born in the US are able to register for school or other services in Mexico.
Designing from nature could solve the world's biggest challengesCan a boat be designed to clean the water? How does a spider manufacture resilient fiber? The world needs products that don鈥檛 harm humans or the environment, and nature鈥檚 already done the research.
Nonprofit leaders to President Obama: Help the vulnerableIn his second term President Obama will likely make changes that affect nonprofit and charitable groups. Five nonprofit leaders and thinkers share their ideas about what he can do to strengthen their efforts.
Black Friday, Cyber Monday ... now Giving TuesdayA national campaign to brand the Tuesday after Thanksgiving as an annual day of giving is a product of the digital age, steeped in social media, with its own Twitter hashtag: #GivingTuesday.
New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker will try living on food stampsCory Booker has committed to living on the equivalent of food stamps for at least a week to spur a discussion on the role government plays in providing food for the poor.
Bartering may boost food supply for rural KenyansThe age-old practice of bartering 鈥� trading goods without exchanging money 鈥� may provide a better return for Kenya's rural poor.
Curacao looks at using ocean water for powerCuracao, an island nation in the southern Caribbean, may use cold seawater to generate power, taking an innovative step toward clean, local energy.
Difference MakerRestaurant mogul George Schenk melds the needs of people, planet, and profitsServing nutritious food, following ecological principles, and helping his community in Vermont make George Schenk a businessman with a social conscience.
Nonprofits work to help legal immigrants become US citizensThe costly, lengthy, labyrinthine path to US citizenship can take two years to complete, dissuading many from trying. Nonprofits are jumping in to help.
Giving back: Eight innovative philanthropists around the world The global face of philanthropy is changing. Donors no longer just open their wallets. They're actively involved in causes, use savvy business practices, and leverage what they give to achieve more good. Meet eight innovators.
Volunteer Square matches willing helpers with charitable tasksA Connecticut website provides a place where people find volunteer opportunities, and nonprofits find new volunteers.
Len Stanmore mixes adventure with helping othersHe's about to set a world record by climbing the highest peaks on seven continents and crossing the four most inhospitable deserts. But when he added a charitable aspect to his quest he made it even more meaningful.
Confronting bullying, one drumbeat at a timePrograms that get junior high school students drumming together cut down on bullying in Utah and Australia.
A 'paper rain' of political ads doesn't discourage one young BrazilianThe author's host 'sister,' Luciana, hasn't given in to cynicism about the electoral system in Brazil. 'He won! He won!' she shouts as she learns her candidate is elected.
Difference MakerRuben Garcia sought his mission in life. He found it helping the 'poorest of the poor'Ruben Garcia founded Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, which aids immigrants fleeing violence in Mexico and Central America.
