The premise of this idea is that money is one of the fundamental elements of today's society, so changing how money is created and used will change society at a fundamental level! The following are the main propositions of this new currency model:

1. Direct the flow of money towards socially, ecologically and environmentally intelligent producers of goods and services.   Read more...

Egyptian blogger Tarek Amr said he was extremely distraught over the negative news he was finding online. “I was on a verge of a nervous breakdown because whenever I read any of the Egyptian blogs, I find nothing but torture, harassment, demonstrations, etc," he wrote. "Later on, when I started writing for Global Voices, I was required to select and translate blog posts into English for the world to read. At this point I fell in the clutches of a breakdown, it was almost impossible to find that little light at the end of the tunnel, the light that would make the Egyptians feel that Egypt is a beautiful country not a swamp.”

Instead of complaining and continuing the negativity, Amr decided to discuss an initiative with his fellow bloggers and friends. They now dedicate one day of every month to showcase a positive image about their country.   Read more...

Michael Brune is the executive director of Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and a founding board member of Oil Change International, an organization dedicated to dissolving the political barriers to a clean energy transition. Here he cites evidence from a 2001 report which supports that the clean car technology available in 2001 would have saved more oil than is now imported from the Persian Gulf.   Read more...

When Lebanese singer Rima Khcheich was asked to join the Yuri Honing Trio from the Netherlands for a cross-cultural collaboration called "Orient Express" in 2002, a very special and unique musical friendship was forged between her and double bass player Tony Overwater. Since that first project Khcheich and Overwater have frequently performed as a duo, mainly in the Arab world. When I met the two recently in Holland, Khcheich told me that before meeting Honing and his colleagues, she had rarely listened to jazz.

"Having been trained as a classical Arabic vocalist, I was used to singing with an orchestra playing exactly the same melody. So all those strange chords and counter melodies were really very confusing at first."   Read more...

Iqbal Mashih was a Pakistani child-laborer in a carpet factory. Hadijatou Mani was a Nigerian slave. Simon Deng was a child soldier in Sudan's Arab militia. Somaly Mam was a Cambodian brothel-worker and Given Kachepa was sold into slavery in the United States after moving from Zambia with a child choir.

Each one of these former slaves has their own grave story. However, instead of being released and seeking a life of quiet-comfort after so many years of abuse, these people have become activists, hoping to rid the world of such evils and improve the quality of life for others.   Read more...

The parking lot where my car sits while I'm at work every day is frequented by several homeless people. I used to think I had great parking karma when I'd come in at close to 9am and still get a spot up against the building near the sidewalk. Then one day I arrived to find the real reason I was so lucky: at the head of one of these prime spots was a person sleeping. Some days there were two or even occasionally three people there. The days I got great parking weren't due to the "parking angels" at all; it was because someone had been sleeping there not too long before I pulled in.

After nine months of parking in this lot, I've grown accustomed to its nighttime tenants. But today, walking out of the lot, I saw something new. Hanging on the parking meter just 20 feet from where homeless people can often be found was a wool jacket. This in itself was enough to catch my eye, but when I saw the tag still on the jacket I had to take a closer look. The jacket was purchased from Goodwill for just under $10.   Read more...

Ingida Asfaw came to the United States from Ethiopia on a cargo ship when he was sixteen. The two-week-journey was worth the wait. Today, Asfaw is a world-renowned surgeon based in Detroit. However, he always believed he would return to his homeland to improve the lives of his fellow Ethiopians.   Read more...

The World Food Programme and local NGOs are helping Nepalese villagers grow herbs to supplement their incomes. Specifically, they are growing the chiretta plant, which is known for its medical qualities and can be exported for use in other South Asian countries like India. The herb is used to ward off fevers, skin diseases, intestinal worms, and bronchial asthma. It has also been used to heal burns, regulate the bowels and cure hiccups.

"The plant used to be plentiful in the nearby forests and we would pick it for our own consumption and to sell," said Sal Bahadur Rawal, supervisor of the nursery. It is a real income earner. While a kilo of millet costs 20 rupees (about 26 US cents), a kilo of chiretta costs 200 rupees (US$2.66), 10 times the amount.   Read more...

Kraft Foods has been warming up bellies for generations with their warm, delicious dishes. Now, they are warming up bus stops in Chicago to promote their new Stove Top Quick Cups.

Kraft has posted ads in 50 bus shelters that say, "Cold, provided by winter. Warmth, provided by us". It's a good night for Stove Top." Kraft hopes that residents of Chicago will first enter the heated bus stops to enjoy shelter from the cold, and then decide that eating a Stove Top Quick Cup would be a good idea.   Read more...

December 5th is International Volunteer Day, as designated by the United Nations beginning in 1985. The UN says the aim of this activity is to thank international volunteers for their efforts and increase public awareness of their contribution to society. International Volunteer Day is marked by many non-governmental organizations, including Red Cross, scouts and others. It is also marked and supported by United Nations Volunteers.

Organizations like Nabuur.com honored their volunteers. Nabuur is a website aimed at connecting people who want to make a difference all over the world from where they are. They explain that you do not have to travel abroad to be an international volunteer. Nabuur allows communities in need to sign up for the site. They then assign a volunteer facilitator who guides and coordinates efforts of volunteers all over the world.   Read more...