By my mid-twenties, I had left a successful career in Hollywood film production in order to become a middle school teacher. I was experiencing the quintessential “quarterlife crisis”, and I was determined to find a way to make a difference, not just earn a living. I was also looking for resources to provide me with information about social and environmental causes, as well as organizations that I could easily get involved with, either professionally or as a volunteer. When I realized that there was no single book that did this, I decided to write one.
I knew that I was not alone in my quest. Many people leave college with both the idealism and energy necessary to improve the world in which they live, but they often lack the resources and guidance to do so efficiently and effectively. I wanted to offer those in their twenties and beyond an easy to use resource that would inspire and empower them to take action.
Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties is organized into ten thematic chapters, each of which is filled with concrete suggestions, companies, and Internet resources, as well as examples of individuals who are already making a difference in the world.
Each of the suggestions is ranked according to three major categories:
Its impact on your budget
The amount of time it is likely to consume
And its effect on your current lifestyle
I hope you find that Ten Ways is a resource that you refer back to often as you embark on your own world-changing adventure!
Thanks to all of you who have supported Ten Ways through its first month of existence!
There is now a Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties Facebook page - please join and invite your Facebook friends to do the same. We're trying to make the page as interactive as possible without bogging it down in pesky applications, and suggestions are welcome!
For those of you who don't live in Seattle and couldn't make it to the West Coast book release party - here is the highlight of the evening - my husband Steve's toast from Jordan. Since this book wouldn't have been possible without his support, I wanted to share his video with the Ten Ways community.
Since I never took art history, I can only describe Gaudi's architecture as Gingerbread Modern
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it centers around gratitude. We focus on what we already have rather than on what we want. We travel long distances to embrace and enjoy loved ones over the preparation and consumption of meals that take days to prepare. We stop whatever we are doing to shop and cook. We find ingenious ways to concoct new recipes from leftovers. We slow down and enjoy food and each other.
On this day after the day of feasting, I'm thankful for this blog by Maira Kalman, over at the New York Times, titled Back to the Land. As a lover of food, words, and pictures, I'm happy to find an entry that contains a beautiful message about our food and country at its best.
I recently spoke at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, and over dinner in the cafeteria, I discussed issues of food with the Environmental Studies professors. They are avid gardeners and hikers, and it is clear that they want to instill this love of all that nature has to offer in their students, but they struggle with this question in a world that embraces convenience. "How do we encourage our students to eat more sustainably?" they asked me, and it is a question I have since been pondering.
I devote an entire chapter of my book to eating healthfully, and I believe that changing our eating habits is one of the easiest ways to change the world. It is no surprise that we develop our eating habits at a young age. If we grow up with a garden, we will grow up loving to prepare and eat the food that it provides. We will want others to experience the same simple joy we derive from our connection to our food.
Of course, not everyone has the land or means for their own garden, and fast food in our current system is often more affordable than its healthier cousins. Kalman explores the correlation between the quality of our food, and sustainable living in our country. She talks to students in Berkley, CA as they grow, harvest, prepare, and enjoy food they have grown. She goes back to New York and visits a school in NYC that is preparing to break ground on a similar project. Where now there is a parking lot, soon there will be a garden.
Esteemed professors in New Hampshire, I believe we have our answer. For those of you interested in the issues surrounding food and the potential solutions, please watch Food, Inc. now on DVD, read Kalman's blog, and wherever you are this holiday weekend, be sure to enjoy your loved ones and your food.
While in Barcelona, my husband and I went to the market and prepared a fresh food feast, replete with local cheese, produce, pasta, and of course wine. Not turkey, but delicious from start to finish!
Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties(www.tenways.org) is an organization and book whose mission is to offer tangible ideas to young adults who wish to be active in shaping the world in which we live, but may lack the guidance and resources to easily do so. The book discusses our social, environmental, and political responsibilities. At the same time, it offers innovative strategies and suggestions to the next generation of leaders for improving the world they are inheriting. The website offers a forum for discussion about how to enhance the world at both a local and global level. It also provides resource guides to businesses and organizations already making a difference in their communities.
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