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Access to safe and clean water is a right that should be afforded to everyone, but unfortunately pollution, climate change and privatization, among other obstacles prevent one billion people obtaining this vital necessity.

This upcoming Thanksgiving week, SYRV, a non-profit that connects travelers with volunteer opportunities in developing countries, will be traveling to Jiquilillo, Nicaragua, one of the many places that lacks access to clean water, where they will help build desperately needed water-purifiers as well as other community support projects.

And if you happen to be in Los Angeles this evening, you should head down to Venice to attend the SYRV fundraiser where you can learn more and help support the amazing work they do.

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Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and while many of us envision a table overflowing with a delicious feast, unfortunately the dinner table won’t look the same for the one billion people around the world who suffer from hunger.  So, this holiday season SocialVibe is inviting you to help fight hunger and provide meals for those in need with their new Thanksgiving Feast application on Facebook.

For each virtual food item that you and your friends bring to the online table, real meals will be provided to real people by the UN World Food Programme.

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Last night Jimmy Fallon performed a hilarious set of eco-friendly remixes to pop songs, creating an amazing sustainable soundtrack for NBC’s Green Week.  Some of my favorites of the environmentally-inspired rewrites include Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” adapted to celebrate Jimmy’s sustainable wood flooring and Justin Timberlake “Bringing Recycling Back”.

The green adaptations are a fun way to get people thinking about ways they can conserve energy and reduce their impact on the planet, and they’re pretty catchy too.  Check out the clip below, which also features green versions of songs from Green Day, Amy Winehouse and T.I. with Rihanna.  And be sure to use the “Act” section below to find out what you can do to get involved with NBC’s Green Week. Read the rest of this entry >>

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for a little over a year now, and while I’ve noticed the small oil rigs on the way to LAX, I did not realize that their are other rigs located all over the city, some hidden within fake office buildings and others that you’d only notice if you were looking for them.  The city actually sits on the third largest oilfield in the country, which given the amount of petroleum that people use to get around town in LA’s notorious traffic, I suppose is poetically appropriate.  A short film from Palladium Boots explores the cities oil rigs that often go unnoticed, so check out the video after the jump.

While some of these oil derricks may be well hidden, I would prefer them to disappear completely and see the city switch to clean and renewable energy sources, tapping into the regions abundance of sun and wind power, rather than relying upon fossil fuels.  I’d love for Los Angeles to become known as a leader in green energy and jobs, rather than a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, full of relics from the age of petroleum-dependency.  Watch the video below and use the action link to learn about renewable energy initiatives taking place all over the country.

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October may have been Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but the entire staff of the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland Oregon are helping to raise plenty of attention for the issue with their Pink Glove Dance video.  The hospital’s employees donned bright pink gloves, filmed themselves dancing to Jay Sean’s “Down” and posted it on YouTube.

The hilarious video is a fun way to raise awareness of such an important issue, and who knows, maybe people will start wearing pink gloves around town in addition to the pink ribbons usually worn.  Watch the staff boogie down in the video below and use the action link to find a cure for breast cancer.

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The holiday season is quickly approaching, and to help you get into the spirit of giving, the Starbucks Love Project invites you to help fight AIDS in Africa by picking up a copy of the limited edition (RED)Love CD.

The compilation features exclusive songs from an excellent line-up of artists, including U2, John Legend and Playing For Change, and when you spend $15 at any participating Starbucks, you’ll receive a copy of the CD and $1 will be donated to the Global Fund.  You can also create a Love Drawing and for every drawing added to the online gallery, Starbucks and (RED) will contribute 5 cents to the Global Fund.

Check out the video for U2’s I Believe in Father Christmas below, and use the action link to get involved with the Love Project. Read the rest of this entry >>

The new documentary Coal Country examines America’s complex relationship with coal mining, a practice that to some people promises jobs and a reliable fuel source, but to others poses a grave and inexcusable threat to human health and the environment.  While I strongly believe we need to end our dependency on fossil fuels and think the dangers of coal far outweigh the benefits, I think it’s important that we understand both sides of the conflict in order to find alternatives to coal mining and help end the devastating effects it has on these communities.

The film is airing this week on Planet Green, but you are also invited to host or attend a screening of Coal Country in your community, and discuss the issues surrounding mountaintop-removal coal mining with your friends and neighbors.  In addition to purchasing the film for your screening, I’d recommend grabbing a copy of the companion book and CD, which features some amazing Appalachian musicians.  Check out the trailer below and use the “Act” section below to find out how you can host a screening. Read the rest of this entry >>

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Climate change is helping to spread dangerous diseases, including malaria and Lyme disease, as warming temperatures are allowing pathogens to travel farther and more quickly than before.

Obviously, we need to continue to push for a global climate treaty in Copenhagen this December to deter these conditions from worsening, but we also need to look at ways to prepare regions to combat these diseases, including halting deforestation, which brings humans in closer contact with disease-carrying wildlife.  Many of these pathogens pose a serious and frightening threat, but with proper precautions, distribution of medical supplies and a strong climate accord we can hopefully combat the rising incidents.

According to Sonia Shah’s new report in Yale Environment 360: Read the rest of this entry >>

The Bed-Stuy Farm in Brooklyn, NY provides 7,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables every month to around 4,000 residents of the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood where healthy produce is otherwise difficult to find.  Unfortunately, this vitally important urban farm is in danger of being torn up and paved over in order to repay a debt owed by a non-profit housing development group that had left the property to languish unused until the Brooklyn Rescue Mission reclaimed the land to provide food for an emergency food pantry.

Our friend Kerry Trueman recently wrote an excellent post about the battle for the Bed-Stuy farm on the Green Fork Blog, where she pointed out that while affordable housing is an important pursuit, other lots should be considered by the city instead, in order to preserve this remarkable example of urban agriculture that benefits the neighborhood in a variety of ways.  As I mentioned the other day in my post about an urban farm in the South Bronx, green spaces such as these provide desperately needed healthy foods to the under-served community, as well as an educational center and a beautiful and quiet space for neighbors, young and old, to gather and celebrate life.

Watch this video, a Grace project directed by Dulce Fernandes and sign the petition below to help save the Bed-Stuy Farm: Read the rest of this entry >>

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I’ve always admired Jane Goodall’s steadfast commitment to environmental conservation and protecting endangered species, and on a recent appearance on The Daily Show the good doctor discussed her efforts to pass that mission on to future generations.  Roots and Shoots connects youth from around the world and provides them with the resources to create positive change for humans, animals and the environment.

Check out the clip from the show below to learn a bit about the program, Dr. Goodall’s new book, Hope For Animals In the World,  as well as her candid take on animal rights extremists. Read the rest of this entry >>