Give a Hug

FACTS

• Stimulation by touch is absolutely necessary for physical and emotional well-being.
• Touch is used to relieve pain, depression, and anxiety; to enhance a child’s development and IQ; and to nurture premature babies.
• Hugging strengthens the immune system, reduces stress, assists sleep, lowers blood pressure, and is an antidote to depression.
• Hugging bolsters a patient’s will to live, dispels loneliness, eases fear, opens doors to buried feelings, builds self-esteem, fosters altruism, and imparts feelings of belonging.
• Hugging offers a wholesome alternative to promiscuity, alcohol, and drugs.
• People need 4 hugs a day for survival, 8 for maintenance, and 12 for growth.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Hug the people you care about today. Hug them in the morning, hug them to say hello, hug them because they bring you happiness, hug them to say good-bye, hug them to say “I love you,” hug them to show compassion, hug them if they are sad, hug them if they are hurting, hug them because they did something incredible, or hug them just because.
• Hug a total stranger or someone you don’t know all that well…but ask first.
• Challenge yourself and your friends to keep track of how many hugs you gave or received today.
• Notice how you feel at the end of your day of hugging.

YOU MATTER

If everyone hugged 4 people today—the minimum requirement for “survival”—that would add up to 1.2 billion hugs. If everyone gave 12 hugs—the number required for “growth”—the total would be 3.6 billion. So take the time to give 12 hugs today. That hug might be exactly what those 12 people needed.

Choose Canvas Bags

FACTS

• Almost 7 billion paper bags and over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks, and wraps are used every year in the U.S. alone.
• 90% of all grocery bags are plastic.
• Only 5.2% of plastic bags and 21% of paper bags are recycled.
• The likely average length of time a high-density plastic bag will exist on earth is 1,000 years.
• Producing and recycling paper bags generates significantly more air and water pollution compared to plastic bags.
• Paper is 33% of all waste.
• The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags every 4 trips to the grocery store.
• San Francisco, the first city in the U.S. to ban the use of plastic grocery bags, eliminates the use of 100 million plastic bags a year.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Buy several canvas shopping bags or use duffle bags that you already own. Most trips to the store require more than one bag.
• Purchase canvas bags that are made from recycled materials.
• Keep your canvas bags in the trunk of your car—trips to the store are often spontaneous.
• When purchasing only one or two items and you don’t have a canvas bag, just carry the items out of the store without a bag.
• If you forget your canvas bag, at least avoid double-bagging.

YOU MATTER

You would accumulate 1,000 fewer bags this year if you simply used a reusable bag when shopping, especially grocery shopping. Paper and plastic bags are an environmental killer—they biodegrade slowly or not at all, deplete energy and natural resources, endanger wildlife, and poison our soil and waterways. So, from now on, when a store clerk asks “Paper or plastic?” proudly answer, “CANVAS.”

Thank a Local Law Enforcement Officer

FACTS

• Over 699,000 sworn officers and almost 318,000 civilian officers protect and serve the citizens of the U.S.
• Over 14 million arrests occur annually for all offenses, except traffic violations.
• Each year:
  • Over 59,000 officers are assaulted while performing their duties.
  • Over 57 are killed—their average age is 37.
  • Over 23 million people are victimized by violent and property crimes.
• There has been a 58% decline in violent crimes and 52% decline in property crimes over the last 12 years.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• When you see law enforcement officers in uniform, walk up and thank them for the job they do in keeping you and your community safe.
• Pull your car to your right and out of the way when you hear a siren or see a police car approaching with its lights on.
• Organize your friends, co-workers, neighborhood, or child’s classroom to create and deliver a thank-you card to your local law enforcement agency, police station, or town sheriff.
• Donate to law enforcement benefits and causes.
• Support or start a Neighborhood Watch program in your community.
• Always report crime.

YOU MATTER

Law enforcement officers make an incredible difference in your community. Every day they put their lives on the line to protect you, your neighbors, and your loved ones. Show appreciation, thank them for their valuable service, and tell them the impact they have on the lives of the people in your community. Who knows? Maybe the next officer who pulls you over will be the one to whom you gave the thank-you note…just a thought.

Have Fun With an Elderly Person

FACTS

• The fastest growing age group is 85 years and older.
• Every 7.5 seconds a Baby Boomer turns 60.
• 1 out of 5 people, 72 million, will be 65 years or older by 2030.
• Nearly 23% of people aged 75 and older live in nursing homes.
• Due to the increase in the divorce rate, a decrease in the number of children, and with more families living farther away from one another, family support for the elderly is less available.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Offer the elderly you see today simple gestures of courtesy and respect—smile and say “hello,” let them have the right of way while driving, or give up your seat in a crowded area.
• Contact a local independent living, assisted living, or continued care facility and ask if they need volunteers. You’re likely to find a place to work with seniors closer than you think.
• Ask the facility if children or pets are allowed.
• Organize your family or a group of friends to go with you.
• Be prepared. Volunteering at a senior or elderly care home can involve many types of activities—playing games or cards, reading, doing art and craft projects, singing songs, teaching a class, or just being friendly.
• Ask the seniors questions about their life.
• Have fun!

YOU MATTER

Our senior-citizen population is changing—and this group will grow by another 18 million people in the next 25 years. Today, seniors are living longer, are more full of life, have more expendable income, and have achieved higher levels of education. So, if you spend time with them, you might just find that a friendly game of gin rummy or bingo will teach you a thing or two…about life.

Donate Blood

FACTS

• Every 2 seconds someone needs blood.
• 38,000 pints of blood are used each day in the U.S.
• Nearly 500 hospitals cancelled elective surgery due to blood inventory shortages.
• Demand for blood is rising much faster than donations. In fact, donations are declining.
• 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives—maybe even the life of someone you know.
• 60% of the population is eligible to donate, but only 3.2% do on a yearly basis.
• The #1 reason donors say they give is because they “want to help others.”
• Anyone who is in good health, is at least 17 years old, and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Find a blood donor location near you and schedule an appointment today.
• Donate blood. The blood donation process takes approximately 30 minutes.
• When you donate, you’ll receive a donor card stating your blood type. Keep the card in your wallet.
• Put yourself on a regular donating schedule of once every 56 days.
• If you have type O-negative blood, the universal donor type, your blood is especially needed because it can be used in emergencies.

YOU MATTER

There is no substitute for human blood. Human blood is precious and can’t be manufactured outside of the body. If you gave blood 4 times a year for the next 10 years, you would save 120 lives. Think of how many lives you could save if you gave blood for the rest of your life! Saving just one life should be convincing enough.

Mentor a Child

FACTS

• 3 million children are currently enrolled in a mentoring program.
• 15 million youth are in need of mentoring. If they don’t get it, they’re more likely to not reach adulthood successfully. These youth are:
  • 73% more likely to begin using alcohol
  • 63% more likely to skip a class
  • 54% more likely to begin using illegal drugs
  • 48% more likely to skip school
• Mentors help children develop self-confidence, relationship skills, and a positive attitude toward school.
• Nearly 70% of inner city 4th-graders are unable to read at a basic level.
• 1 out of 3 public high-school students won’t graduate.
• 1 in 5 teens seriously considers suicide annually, approximately 1 million attempt suicide, and between 1,000 and 2,000 of these attempts are fatal.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Find a mentoring program near you and apply to become a mentor.
• Most mentoring programs will pair you with a child based on your skill set and the child’s needs.
• If you have your own children or know children who could use a mentor, be a self-starter and create your own mentoring program.
• Once a week, spend an hour or two with your mentee doing everyday activities like homework, playing sports, and having simple conversation.
• Set goals with your mentee and share in the excitement of their achievement and growth.

YOU MATTER

Children are just as capable of doing great things as any other person, but many times they are not equipped with the right foundation, knowledge, encouragement, and tools to make the right choices. The decisions they make can change the entire course of their future. You may not know what to say or do, but you will quickly realize that what matters most to them is that you care. When one teaches, two learn.

Be Neighborly

FACTS

• The average dual-career couple works a combined 18.2 hours a day.
• Urban sprawl is creating longer commutes—approximately 25 minutes per day.
• People spend less than 15 minutes per day doing outside chores and gardening compared to over 3 hours watching TV or movies and surfing on the Internet.
• The average person or family has friends over for dinner about 45% less often than they did in the 70s.
• In 1926, the first electric automated garage door opener was invented by C. G. Johnson, beginning the drive-in-and-shut-the-door method of entering your home.
• The increased number of fenced backyards, coupled with the disappearance of front porches and verandas, has privatized residences more than ever.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Meet a neighbor you’ve never met before. Simply knock on the door and introduce yourself. Take over something you’ve baked or grown in your garden, or invite them to your house for a beverage or a snack.
• Make yourself more available to your neighbors.
• Mow your front lawn, wash your car, go for a walk, or play with your children outside. Or, if you see neighbors doing the same, go out and visit.
• Plan a neighborhood yard sale or a block party.
• Write a quarterly neighborhood newsletter.

Remember, you have to be a good neighbor to have a good neighbor.

YOU MATTER

Does your mailman know your neighbors better than you do? It’s not enough to just drive by and wave to neighbors from your car window. To get to know your neighbors, you need to have personal interaction with them. But these days, people spend more time indoors watching TV and surfing the Internet than they do outside playing catch, taking walks, and talking to their neighbors. Change that pattern…Be counterculture.  You will be amazed when you discover what’s right outside your front door.

Go Exercise

FACTS

• More than 50% of adults do not get enough physical activity and 24% are not physically active at all.
• Over 18% of children and 66% of U.S. adults are overweight, with 34% being obese.
• 1 death occurs every 36 seconds from heart disease and strokes.
• 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure.
• Over 106 million adults have above normal or high cholesterol levels.
• Roughly 20 million people have depressive disorders.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Set a goal for yourself. Think about what types of benefits you want to achieve –weight loss? increased muscle mass? improved general health?
• Figure out what type of exercise you like most and best suits your desired goal.
• Create a plan. Start with 3 days a week, 30 minutes per day.  Try to build up to 4 or 5 days a week, 45 minutes per day.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercising.
• Don’t buy into excuses like “I don’t have enough time” and “I can’t afford a gym membership.”
• Incorporate exercise into your workday by taking the stairs, walking during your lunch break, and stretching while at your desk.
• Always consult a physician or exercise specialist for safety and guidance.

YOU MATTER

Do you really want to have heart disease, high blood pressure, a stroke, lung disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, depression, arthritis, or unwanted pounds? If not, start incorporating regular physical activity into your day. By doing so, you’ll increase your overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Physical activity does not need to be painful in order to be beneficial, so put this book down and go get some.

Pick Up Litter

FACTS

• 250 million tons of trash is generated each year in the U.S.
• 4.6 pounds of waste is created every day by the average person.
• Common litter includes cigarette butts, plastic bags, paper, candy wrappers, fast-food packaging, bottle caps, 6-pack can holders, glass bottles, and plastic straws.
• Men and women are equally likely to litter.
• People under age 15 are least likely to litter; people under the age of 25 are most likely to litter when in a group; and, people over the age of 25 are most likely to litter when alone.
• In one single day, nearly 7 million pounds of litter were removed from beaches, lakes, and streams.
• Animals from nearly 443 species are entangled in or ingest marine debris annually. The majority of these die from starvation, exhaustion, or infection.
• People litter because:
  • there is a presence of other litter.
  • it’s the easiest way to get rid of unwanted things.
  • littering is acceptable by people who pay taxes to have someone else pick it up.
  • dumping is a social activity we learned from our parents and passed on unconsciously to our children.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Spend one hour today picking up litter. Or decide that every time you see a piece of litter today, you’ll pick it up and throw it away.
• If you see someone littering, politely ask them to pick it up. Or pick it up yourself and maybe the person who dropped it will see you and get the hint.
• Organize a team of neighbors, friends, co-workers, or fellow church members to pick up litter in a specific neighborhood for an hour. Have one leader purchase rubber gloves and garbage bags for the team. Make it more fun by turning the cleanup effort into a game/contest.
• Enjoy making a difference, getting exercise, getting to know people better, and having cleaner surroundings.

YOU MATTER

If every person picked up just one piece of litter today, there would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter. If every person picked up 10 pieces of litter, there would be 3 billion fewer pieces damaging our environment. If you and your friends spend just one hour today picking up litter in your own neighborhood, you will not only pick up thousands of pieces of trash, you will also make a tremendous impact on your community. Just be sure to bend your knees.

Read a Book

FACTS

• 1 in 4 Americans don’t read a single book per year, while the average person reads 7.
• More than half of today’s adults are literary readers, meaning they read novels, mysteries, contemporary and classic fiction, short stories, plays, or poetry.
• Leisure reading has increased 10% over the last 6 years for all ethnicities.
• 58% of women read for leisure compared to 50% of men.
• 43% of all literary readers perform volunteer and charity work compared to 17% of non-literary readers. The more books people read the more active and involved they are in their communities through volunteerism, philanthropy, and politics.
• Book buying constitutes less than 6% of total recreational spending while spending on music, videos, computers, and software constitutes roughly 25%.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

• Read a book you’ve never read before. If you don’t have one on your shelf, go to the library, local bookstore, or order one online.
• Find a book on the bestseller list.
• Exchange books for the cost of postage.
• Join a book club or start one with your friends or co-workers.
• Give books to people as gifts … especially this one!

YOU MATTER

Reading is like exercising—mental and physical benefits flourish with regular practice. Reading improves language skills, vocabulary and spelling skills; it introduces new ideas, perspectives and information; it staves off the effects of aging by keeping your mind active; it provides a vehicle for mental escape and creativity; and it relaxes, entertains, and inspires your soul. Take time out to read today…this page doesn’t count.

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