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social marketing & corporate responsibility (CSR) & business and human rights

The best Mother’s Day present

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The best Mother’s Day present

There is something unifying about Mother’s Day that few other commemorative days have to offer – we all have a mother and wouldn’t be in this world without her (our fathers have played a minor role of course… but that is a story for another day.)

Mother’s Day is for all of us and, regardless of circumstance, is an opportunity to cherish women for what they bring to the world. Women, like men are diverse human beings and come in all shapes and forms. Women are not perfect by any means however, today is not about a balanced discussion about the complexity and diversity of women. [Read more…]

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International Women’s Day: girls and women – where to from here?

Here we go again, it is International Women’s Day 2016. A great day to celebrate women’s achievements and their place in the world. If you are a man, cherish the women in your life. If you are a woman and lucky enough to live in circumstances that allow you to kick back and relax, do whatever makes you feel good – and yes, I know it is Monday, but what the heck! We deserve it 🙂

250 million girls live in poverty worldwide

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Single on Valentine’s Day? Don’t stress – it has it’s benefits!

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Single on Valentine’s Day? Don’t stress – it has it’s benefits!

You are single on Valentine’s Day – you are not alone!

World-wide, the single person household is growing rapidly in line with economic development and education. The more developed and educated, the higher the proportion of single person households…it is predicted that the lone person household will rise most of all households over the next 25 years and more than half of these households are females.  And the reason is simply that people want to live an individualistic lifestyle when they can afford it.

The economics of Valentine’s Day

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World Animal Day 4 October

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World Animal Day 4 October

Did you know that there is such a day as World Animal Day? And that this week is also ‘Be Kind to Animals Week’?

Each of us can make a big difference to animals.  Rather than harping on about the state of animals around the world today I will let the wonderful initiatives that various people have founded to celebrate animals speak for themselves:

Check out the Be Kind To Animals Week website which is a bounty of resources for schools and others who simply wish to care for animals.

The top 10 ways to help animals according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). I don’t entirely agree with this list but it is good food for thought.

World Animal Day UK website – very cool site with lot’s of information!!

Check out the beautiful rescue animals – more than 300 – who live at Edgar’s Mission in Victoria, Australia! That will put a smile on your dial! There are similar projects all around the world which are testimony to the many animal lovers out there who wish to create a fairer place for all animals, human and non-human! And maybe somebody will get inspired to set one up right now.

And last but by no means least, please watch the wonderful Avian Behaviourist Josh Cook : Thinking Outside the Cage and showing us how we could engage in a beautiful two way relationship with birds.

 

Happy World Animal Day everybody!!!

 

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9 must reads for conservationists

Protecting the environment is becoming more and more urgent and is by no means a new issue. We need more conservationists. Our green conscience has been evolving since the beginning of the industrialisation. Here are nine must read books – some because they put the climate change debate and environmental protection into historical context and others because they are entertaining and have brought environmental issues to the masses.

Just click on the links in the carousel below. Should the carousel not load for you, below is the list spelled out again.

The list is:

  • Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens, 1865
  • Germinal by Emile Zola, 1885
  • Silent Spring by Rachel Carson 1962
  • Flight of Ashes by Monika Maron 1986
  • Farewell to Matyora by Valentin Rasputin, 1995
  • Purple America by Rick Moody, 1998
  • The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson 2003
  • The Swarm: by Frank Schatzing,  2007
  • The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, 2008
self induced hearing loss & how to prevent it

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self induced hearing loss & how to prevent it

Self Induced Hearing Loss

Attention has been focused on the potentially negative effects smartphones can have by way of emissions, privacy intrusion and unsafe driving practices. We haven’t yet shed sufficient light on the impact smartphones, MP3 players and other listening devices can have on our hearing.

1.1 Billion Young People Are at Risk of Hearing Loss

This has led to a situation where,  according to estimates by the World Health Organisation, about 1.1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.

Due to the prevalence of relatively cheap modern technology we are facing a sharp rise in self-induced hearing loss.  Luckily, however, state of the art remedies – including highly effective and almost invisible hearing aids- are available.

Prevention of Hearing Loss Requires a Change in Attitude

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Reflections on Mother’s Day

vcm_s_kf_repr_640x448It’s Mother’s Day again. We take the existence of modern day Mother’s Day for granted and it seems a great idea. Because mothers mostly put their children first Mother’s Day is designed to put mothers’ needs first for a change. It apparently is celebrated in more than 45 countries. Because, surprise, surprise, everybody has a mother! Hence – this day is relevant to all of us. Whether we want to remember our mothers or still have the opportunity to spend time or money on our mother or whether we are a mother – Mother’s Day is for all of us.

The modern day version of Mother’s Day originated in the USA and is just over 100 years old. Unfortunately and allegedly to the despair of the women who advocated for the day, it is has been largely commercialised.

Mother’s Day gifts that Won’t Cost the Earth

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International Women’s Day – make it happen – make what happen?

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International Women’s Day – make it happen – make what happen?

International Woman’s Day marks the achievements and highlights the plight of women around the world.  This year’s theme is: Make it Happen.

Making what happen, you may ask. People often state that woman have achieved so much and enjoy equal rights and don’t require special attention these days and age.  This might be true in our immediate environment, BUT, there is one particular area where women seem to be most vulnerable.

Violence against women.

Here are some key facts: [Read more…]

From speciesism to compassionism

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From speciesism to compassionism

It’s time we exercised some compassion – we have become pretty sufficient at being passionate just about everything. Passionate about food, cooking, design, music our jobs and the list goes on.

Now it is time to be COMPASSIONATE and exercise compassion-ism!   Compassionism is the practice of compassion for ‘all living things’ as opposed to species-ism, a term which was coined in the mid 70 ties to describe ‘the idea that being human is a good enough reason for human animals to have greater moral rights than non-human animals’. On what basis? And why do we eat some and not other animals?

 Did you know that, every year 65 billion animals are raised and slaughtered for their meat. That’s nine animals for every person on Earth.

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how to keep happy

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how to keep happy

If you  do a lot of things at once with few resources, need to deal with negativity and at the same time, need to keep your energy levels up, these strategies might help you too to keep balanced and happy.

Here it goes*:

1. Take stock.

What do you like doing?  What is frustrating you? Focus on the bigger issues. Which of the things that frustrate you can you change and which are beyond your control? Don’t waste time on the latter. Identify and remind yourself of your goals and values. Be honest.

2. Eat well and set exercise goals.

If you are a meat eater and wine lover, commit to 2 or 3 meat & alcohol free evenings and [Read more…]