We all want to give more, but it’s a pain. It either costs money or we have to “run for a cure” while panhandling to our friends and co-workers. We say, forget all that. Let’s get down to some ways you can do good without having to give anything. We’re talking about Slacktivism, and if you’ll put your best eh-fort forward, the world might just end up being a better place because of it!
Amazon Smile
We all buy stuff from Amazon, from Christmas gifts to airline approved pet carriers to Kleer-Fax legal index tabs, but when you buy online you could have 1% of your purchase go to your favorite charity.
All you have to do is fill up your cart and go to:
Smile.Amazon.com when you check out.
Really. It’s that simple. It’s literally the same site with the same prices, but 1% of your purchase will go to your favorite charity. The alternative is that Amazon gets 100% of your purchase, and unless you’re a shareholder, why would you want that?
Forward This to Someone
So, now that you’ve learned about Amazon Smile, there’s no way you can just sit back and do nothing. Your friends are buying junk they don’t need with 100% of the purchase going to some corporate behemoth and all those stiff shirts (AKA – the man!).
Having said that, we don’t want you to break your neck over the matter. Just do a little copy and paste, and if you send it to even 6 people, there are incredibly good odds that one of them will now be getting their purchases split between Amazon and the charity of their choice.
Don’t have a favorite charity? Consider these:
- Homes for Our Troops
- Your local hospital
- Doctors Without Borders
There are so many generous people, and it’s unlikely that anyone would prefer not to give when this is available.
Re-Tweet or Like a Message About a Charity or Fundraiser
There are so many people on Twitter who are, frankly, promoting nonsense. It’s overwhelming, but we can dilute their messages of celebrity fashion faux pas and hateful political messages to something about helping others.
Just as we linked to a couple of charity websites above, here’s a batch of Twitter profiles:
If you click “follow” you’re part of the solution. Re-Tweet, and you’re spreading the message. We did it and so can you!
Buy From a Local Store/Pharmacy/Service Provider
Eventually, you will have to leave your home. Conscious purchasing can go a long way without requiring much from you.
If you need a prescription, consider the local, family-owned pharmacist instead of a large chain. Not only does your purchase benefit local jobs, but so will the profits that are made.
When buying goods you need, check the label to see where it is manufactured. If it’s made in Mexico, China or somewhere outside of the United States, does it actually cost less? We have found that in many cases, goods Made in the USA are competitive, and sometimes less expensive. Don’t believe us? Compare our legal index tabs to Avery, who shut down US plants, or our file folders to Smead, who also shut down US factories.
When you buy goods produced in the USA (and even better if in your own neighborhood) you support every job that company provides. Now, this goes a bit beyond the nature of this article – painless, easy giving – but there will come a time where we all have to pitch in with some real effort, or we won’t have anything left to give at all.
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