These websites are about ways to help people and the planet, shop consciously, and to find out more information. Further suggestions are welcome.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the scope of some world problems, and to have indecision over what to support. A la the Flylady, doing just a tiny bit regularly helps to keep from crashing and burning, or not even starting. And if we all do a tiny bit…

HELPING PEOPLE

The Hunger Site
The easiest way to do a tiny bit. And it's free! I think this site is incredible. Every day you can quickly click once on 6 screens that will donate food and money, paid by advertisers, toward world hunger, child health, literacy, mammograms for women in need, saving the rainforest, and animal rescue. You can make it your home page and click once a day, and also use it for gift shopping.

Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps for years has been an excellent high efficiency, high value international aid organization, with over 90% of its resources allocated directly to programs. You can arrange to have a regular donation by bank account or credit card, or make individual and gift donations for specific projects and causes.

Amnesty International
Amnesty International's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. Amnesty International is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. The site is an excellent place to read about world events as they impact human rights.

HELPING THE PLANET

Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-profit organisation, with a presence in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas , Asia and the Pacific. To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants. As a global organisation, Greenpeace focuses on the most crucial worldwide threats to our planet's biodiversity and environment. You can have as little as $10 per month automatically donated from your bank account or credit card.

Stop Global Warming
The site dedicated to the messages and research in Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth . There is tons of information, projects, and ways to support research and action about global warming.

SHOPPING CONSCIOUSLY

As Reverend Billy (of the Church of Stop Shopping ) says, we need to recognize who and what is standing behind the product on the shelf. Are there dangerous environmental practices? Unfair treatment of workers? A child making your product?

Coop America 's 10 things you should never buy
This page is a great introduction to Coop America , whose mission is: “To harness economic power – the strength of consumers, investors, and businesses – to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.” Coop America has tons of resources, including a national green pages where you can find prescreened businesses for products, services, and investing; simple ways to ‘green' your daily life and much more.