It’s the holidays, which means it’s time to get shopping! Americans estimate they will spend an average of $885 on gifts this holiday season, higher than any projection since the 2008 recession. But instead of purchasing something destined to be ditched or quietly regifted, put your hard-earned dollars to good use on gifts that are truly sustainable, ethically produced and/or support good causes. Since greenwashing sometimes makes it difficult to determine which companies really have a double bottom line, we’ve done the work for you to ensure that the ones listed below are the real deal. Feel good about doing good by gifting from one of the companies listed below.
Uma Oils
Uma’s oils, toners, masks and cleansers might look like something you’d buy in an upscale boutique — which makes sense, since they also supply essential oils to top beauty brands like Tom Ford and Estée Lauder — but you’re paying for more than luxe marketing. The company’s founder, Shrankhla Holeck, was born in India to a family known for its expertise in ayurvedic and holistic medicine, and Holeck launched her line of products to benefit women in the Central Indian community. All workers are paid fair wages on par with their male counterparts, in an effort to eliminate gaps in gender pay and encourage women to obtain freedom through financial independence. They also fund the local health clinic, where residents can obtain medical care free of charge.
Global Giving
Looking for an easy way to spark the spirit of donating to a cause in your less-than-charitable friends? Consider a gift card from Global Giving, which gives the recipient freedom to donate to a cause of their choice. Some of their most successful projects include education in Kenya via Kenya Connect, and support for life-saving vaccine programs in India. Other causes include disaster recovery, climate change and LGBTQ rights. The only catch: Gift cards expire after one year. Unused funds will be donated to the GlobalGiving Fund, which will be used to provide matching gift funds to causes listed on their site.
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One Hope Wines
What’s a holiday party without wine? Essential to provide if you’re the host; a really nice gesture if you’re an invited guest. One Hope Wines partners with eight nonprofits benefiting animals, children, education, the environment, global, health, veterans and women. Since 2017, proceeds from purchases have facilitated the adoption of 19,000 shelter pets, provided meals for more than 399,000 children and the planting of about 16,000 trees. Not into wine? No problem: You can gift coffee, kitchen accessories or food items that benefit global causes, such as access to safe drinking water.
Conscious Step
Most consumers want to buy sustainable and ethically produced goods. But while it’s easy to say you support a cause, it’s harder to prove you actually do so. Conscious Step actually walks the walk: All socks are made in India using sustainable, ethical production methods. The entire supply chain is GOTS and Fairtrade certified, and all products are made by workers who are paid minimum wage (and are compensated for overtime). Sales benefit one of 12 different causes, such as animal rescue, breast cancer prevention, treating HIV and fighting hunger.
Eighth Generation
This Seattle-based company was founded in 2008 by Louie Gong, an artist from the Nooksack tribal community. Though Gong started making shoes in his living room — and launched Eighth Generation’s brick-and-mortar store in Pike Place Market in summer 2016 — he wanted to ensure that indigenous artists also got the capital they needed to become successful. Through The Inspired Natives Project, Gong works with fellow natives who are weavers, graphic artists and jewelers to ensure proceeds from the sales of their wares go back to the community. The Inspired Natives Grant also ensures that 5% of profits from Eight Generation’s blanket sales go back to the artists, while also contributing to causes such as Standing Rock.
Little Loving Hands
If you’re a parent who believes it’s never too early to instill altruistic values in your children, consider purchasing a box from Little Loving Hands that you can work on together. Each kit has a theme — such as Puppy Love, Military Gratitude and Wells of Love — and contain instructions on how to make items that benefit each cause, such as leash and treat bags for no-kill animal shelters, an American flag pin for troops stationed around the world, and a collapsible water bottle that can be sent to Water Wells for Africa, a non-profit dedicated to reducing health risks from contaminated water. After sending the finished product in a pre-paid envelope, your child will receive a button and certificate of achievement as a thank-you, as well as encouragement to continue paying it forward.
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Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network
Purchase tea and help protect elephants? Or buy a sweater and save a puma? These days, it seems like everyone is selling products that also promote social good. Some of it is surely marketing mumbo-jumbo, but these guys are the real deal: The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network’s “Wildlife Friendly” label guarantees that any product with that designation has been produced in an animal-friendly way. For example, tea with a “Wildlife Friendly” label is sourced from plantations that co-exist harmoniously with the elephants that roam their fields. Without this protection, elephants sometimes fall into drainage ditches or are poisoned by eating fertilizer. If walking lightly on the earth is something you aspire to, look for the label next time you shop.
BuyMeOnce
Launched by a former ad executive who was sick and tired of promoting crap, BuyMeOnce is simple as it is brilliant: Every product they promote must be built to last. They also research the provenance of every item: If your titanium teapot was made by slave labor, then it’s a no-go, even if it’s built to outlast Methuselah. The 2000+ products on the site include everything from earbuds and kids’ toys to silicone straws and apparel. There are also handy categories to choose from, if the phrases Zero Waste or Lifetime Guaranteed align more clearly with your values.
Tag: charity
Why American Transit Systems Need to Adopt This Donation Platform
No matter where you go, using public transportation often results in a pocketful of transit cards loaded with small amounts of leftover money. There’s simply nothing you can do, except pass along the extra fare to a friend or save for the next time you’re in town.
But a 22-year-old Oxford University graduate has a bright idea for that big problem.
Determined to find a recipient for the extra fare other than transportation authorities, Zander Whitehurst designed Common Pence, a system that allows commuters to tap their cards against a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader to donate the remaining cash to charity. Though it’s designed for London’s Oyster Card, Whitehurst is hoping to bring the idea elsewhere — an idea that transit companies in the U.S. should latch onto immediately.
In Europe, holding the Oyster Card against the panel automatically transmits 50 pence and commuters can drain the remaining balance completely by continuing to press it against the system. The system also allows users to track the funding online, see the progress and measure their impact, according to the site.
While not all transit cards come equipped with RFID technology, Whitehurst is also aiming to expand the concept to bus passes and contactless credit cards, which are now available for use in London’s transit system. Whitehurst tells Fast Company he’s been talking to London’s transit authority, Transport for London (TfL), regarding the idea.
Whitehurst has also designed a hand-held version of the device for fundraisers to use while trying to raise money on the street. Instead of hassling people with writing down emails, the hand-held panel eases the process.
“Face to face, people try to get you to send an email just to donate £3, and it’s such a hassle for most people,” he says. “The other free-hanging panels can exist almost anywhere in the urban environment. I’m trying to encourage local charities to be displayed on the panels so people can give back and invest in their own communities.”
The idea is to one day help charities simplify fundraising and help commuters do something with leftover fare cards by being able to use a smartphone app, credit card or fare card at one of any of Common Pence’s panels throughout the world.
“It’s trying to innovate donation to the point where we’re not using physical spare change,” he says.
Our guess is that this is an idea that the Salvation Army would love.
MORE: Public Transportation Is Getting a Major Makeover
The Organization Making Charitable Giving Easier Than Ever
The hashtag dominates cyberspace and our lives, regardless of whether or not we understand where it comes from. (You can thank Twitter for its ubiquitousness.) And now, one group is harnessing the power of the hashtag to bring social good.
Instead of visiting a charity’s website and inputting a whole bunch of information, GoodWorld developed #donate, which allows social media users to donate directly to a charity when they use it.
It’s literally as simple as it sounds. According to the Washington Post, once a charity registers with GoodWorld, all a Facebook or Twitter user needs to do is include the hashtag in their message, along with the amount being given, and a donation is made directly to the nonprofit. (Facebook users must also post it on the charity’s page.) For a first donation, users must supply their basic information, but with all subsequent gifts, only the hashtag is required.
GoodWorld just launched on Oct. 7 and already has seven charities on board: ALS Association, Women Thrive Worldwide, Becky’s Fund, Global Kids, Alliance for Peacebuilding, Healthy Living, Inc. and Lolly’s Locks. Soon, though, GoodWorld plans to have about 30 additional participants.
Seven percent of each donation is kept by GoodWorld with the remainder going directly to the charity.
GoodWorld founder Dale Phiefer hopes that using by social media, the importance of giving will be amplified and go viral.
“What’s really important with giving is that the head, the heart and the action can happen at one time,” Pfeifer tells the Washington Post. “With online giving people were seeing things and feeling the emotion but had to take like eight steps to go and do it.”
Bill Thoet is the chairman ALS Association board and believes that GoodWorld would have definitely benefited the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
“We have pretty good donation Web sites, but you have to fill out a lot of information. You have to go through that,” Thoet says. “There were a lot more videos out there than there were donations. And I can’t think that there were a lot of procrastinators out there that meant to do it, that wanted to do it, but didn’t go through those steps.”
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Three Big Life Takeaways from Bill Gates
You wouldn’t think one of the richest, most successful people in the world would have a lot of regrets. And you’re right. But, hindsight and age brings needed perspective to any life.
During an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit, Microsoft founder Bill Gates offered some choice advice for the next generation of innovators to stay ahead of the curve and lead a fulfilling, balanced existence.
Machine learning is the next wave
Forget Big Data and the Internet of Things. The next revolutionary trend, according to Gates, is computers that learn. When asked what he would focus on if he were currently a student and what the most significant technological breakthrough in coming years will be, Gates said:
“The ultimate is computers that learn. So called deep learning which started at Microsoft and is now being used by many researchers looks like a real advance that may finally learn.”
Cultivate a habit of philanthropy
Along with his wife, Gates has pledged to give more than half of his wealth to charity. The couple got a big head start with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he spends roughly two-thirds of his time doing everything from solving public health crises in Africa to reforming American education.
“Just creating an innovative company is a huge contribution to the world,” he wrote. “During my 20′s and 30′s that was all I focused on. Ideally people can start to mix in some philanthropy like Mark Zuckerberg has early in his career. I have enjoyed talking to some of the Valley entrepreneurs about this and I am impressed and how early they are thinking about giving back – much earlier than I did.”
DONT MISS: Finally, a One-Stop Shop for Charity Research
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was the single largest donor in the United States last year at the age of 29, giving nearly a billion dollars. And while we can’t all be Gates or Zuckerberg, the web makes it easier than ever to give back to local or international causes.
Better Work/Life Balance
When asked how he’s changed over the past two decades, Gates acknowledged that age has taken off some of his edge:
“Twenty years ago I would stay in the office for days at a time and not think twice about it — so I had energy and naivete on my side. Now hopefully I am a bit more mellow but with a little extra wisdom.”
MORE: NationSwell Calls to Action
The Giving Guide: 5 Things to Ask Before Donating to a Charity (And 5 Things That Shouldn’t Discourage You)
It’s no wonder that Americans are known as the most generous people in the world. In 2012, Americans donated more than $316 billion to charity, 3.5 percent more than they did the year before — and nearly three-quarters of the money that went to public nonprofits came from individual donors.
But while many Americans are eager to support their cause, with 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States alone, it’s not always clear which organization deserves to receive their money. To help figure it out, NationSwell talked to Jennifer Chandler, vice president and director of network support and knowledge sharing at the National Council of Nonprofits, a resource and advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits. Of course, the first thing you should consider is whether the nonprofit is fiscally responsible, she says. But beyond that, Chandler outlines five other key questions to ask before choosing a charity, as well as five “problems” that shouldn’t dissuade you from giving.
MORE: Finally, a One-Stop Shop for Charity Research
Things to Ask Before Donating
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Things That Shouldn’t Discourage You From Donating
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“There’s no better way to feel good about your gift than to get to know the charitable organization as well as you can,” Chandler says. That means making informed donations by doing your research first, and focusing on a charity’s overall performance — including transparency, governance and results — instead of just one or two things, like overhead or fundraising costs. By following the 10 tips above, we hope that you’ll be even more inspired to support the nonprofits that are working hard to move this country, and others, forward.
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This March Madness Bracket Supports Charitable Causes
Buzzer-beating shots. Cinderella stories. One shining moment. If you’re a college basketball fan, there’s already a lot to feel good about during March Madness.
But this spring, why not feel good by participating in a different type of bracket challenge? With Brackets for Good, the basketball teams are replaced with nonprofits, which go head-to-head to raise money for their respective cause. The charity that earns the most “points” — one point equals one dollar — advances to the next round in the tournament.
This year, 64 organizations are included in the bracket and there are prizes for teams as they advance through the rounds, as well as a grand price of $10,000, courtesy of Valeo Financial Advisors, the sponsor of Brackets for Good. “The concept of competitive or gamified giving attracts new donors,” Matt Duncan, one of Brackets for Good’s founders, told Fast Co.Exist. “It’s a different way for a nonprofit to ask for dollars, and it’s a different way for a donor to give and have their dollars amplified through the tournament.”
MORE: Finally, a One-Stop Shop for Charity Research
Duncan, along with his friend and coworker Matt McIntyre, dreamed up Brackets for Good as they watched their beloved Butler University Bulldogs get walloped by the University of Connecticut’s Huskies in the 2011 championship game. The Indianapolis residents were moved by the excitement that had overtaken their city and wondered how they could bottle that energy for a good cause. After what they called an “impromptu brainstorming session” they settled on a rough idea for Brackets for Good. They approached fellow coworker Dave Cornelius and asked him to build them a bracket. And with that, Brackets for Good was born.
The first Bracket was launched in March 2012 and included eight Indiana nonprofits. Together, these teams raised around $32,000, with an average of $3,600 for each charity. Last year, they expanded the bracket to 24 “teams,” which included both local groups and ones from the Washington, D.C. area. Together, they raised almost $113,000, with an average per nonprofit of around $4,290. This year, with 64 teams competing, McIntyre and Duncan expect the charities to raise around $500,000. Sure, it seems unlikely that sports fans will get as jazzed up about Brackets for Good as they will for their March Madness picks. But think of it this way: In the game of charitable giving, everyone wins.
MORE: The Charity Bowl: Which Super-Bowl Bound Team Wins the Title of Most Philanthropic?
You Can Now Search for the Perfect Volunteer Opportunity on LinkedIn
Searching for the perfect volunteer opportunity? LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, has you covered. In August, the website added a section to user profiles that allowed people to include that they’re looking for volunteer opportunities, in addition to pre-existing sections that asked for volunteer experience and participation in charitable causes. According to a LinkedIn spokesperson, more than 600,000 people added that they were looking for volunteer opportunities since August, and more than 3 million users have added volunteer experience and causes to their profiles since 2011.
MORE: You Can Do More Than Just “Like” Your Favorite Charity on Facebook
Now, Linked is going even further in its volunteer-friendly efforts. The site on January 15 opened a new marketplace for people to find volunteer opportunities that suit their skill sets. Users can search through 500 postings (more will be added in the coming weeks), including everything from board seats to pro-bono consulting.
It’s not surprising that LinkedIn would add volunteer opportunities to the site. According to the company’s research, it can benefit your career. Unemployed people who volunteer are 27% more likely to be hired, LinkedIn says, and 47% of hiring managers that the site polled said they considered volunteer work equally as valuable as paid experience. “Volunteering is not just good for the community, it’s good for your career,” Meg Garlinghouse, head of LinkedIn Good, told Mashable. “That’s just another [reason] why we feel so bullish about making this a part of the LinkedIn experience.”
You Probably Need This Class on How Not to Be Selfish
Ethics professor Peter Singer’s class at Princeton, Giving 101, is wildly popular even though it digs into really touchy territory. Anybody would save a drowning kid right in front of them. But what about the kids around the world who die every day from starvation? The class teaches students about charitable giving and how to make the world a better place. It’s a lesson we could probably all stand to learn. (For us non-Princeton types, check out Singer’s The Life You Can Save site. It even has a calculator for how much you should give based on your income.)
You’ll Never Guess What a Secret Millionaire Did With His $188M Fortune
When Seattle resident Jack Macdonald died at 98, he left behind a staggering $188M fortune. He gave it all to the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the University of Washington School of Law and the Salvation Army. Macdonald was known for cutting coupons and wearing sweaters with holes in them, but he amassed his wealth by investing in the stock market for more than 60 years. The donation headed for Seattle Children’s Research Institute is the largest gift to pediatric research given in the United States—ever.
9 Year Old Raises Money For Her Own Disorder
Malina Woodbury suffers from Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a genetic disorder that impairs her ability to gain full range of motion in one of her legs. But the precocious little girl doesn’t want anyone else to have to deal with this disease in the future, so at the tender age of 9, she’s already working to find a cure. Malina creates earrings for sale and donates half of the proceeds to the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Not only has she raised over $1,800 in the first five months, she’s also helped brainstorm other ideas to raise awareness and funds for the disease.