• Care2 Toolbar - probably the easiest way to generate credits. Each time you search the web using the toolbar you'll earn 10 credits.  The credits add up fast!
• C2NN - help vet upcoming stories on Care2's people-powered news service.  Simply vote ("note") for the stories you like, or demote the stories you think aren't worthy of being on Care2's homepage. Earn 3 credits per story. You can also "note" already popular stories for 2 credits or comment on a story for an additional 20 credits.
• Care2 Webmail - earn 1 credit for every email you send.  Join the 100,000+ people using Care2's free webmail service (and show people you care with your email address at @peacemail.com, @vegemail.com, @wildmail.com or @care2.com)

• post in a Group discussion (5 credits)
• start a petition (earn 100 credits + 2 credits for everyone who signs!)
• send ecards - select from 25,000+ cards (5 credits)
• sign activist petitions (50 credits)
• post a comment on a Cause or Healthy & Greenliving blog (20 credits - ideally comments are more than a few words!

We recently announced the 10 finalists in Care2's “Hero Next Door” contest. If you haven't voted yet, please be sure to vote for your favorite hero so that he or she has a chance to win $2,500 and a matching $2,500 for charity.

This contest is a great reminder that our communities are full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to make a difference. We had more than 700 nominations honoring heroes doing everything from helping out a family member in need, to traveling across the world to assist strangers they have never met. Our finalists are making a difference in the areas of animal welfare, the environment, poverty, safety, health, and more.

I encourage you to read the stories of our top 10 finalists, and vote for your favorite. I promise you they will warm your heart, and remind you that it’s possible for all of us to make a difference.

It's like deja vu all over again here. You may have noticed that we reduced the Care2 member count (see left side of homepage)  from nearly 13 million back down to 12.4 million members.

With so many members it's natural to have such obsolescence over time.   Have no fear, we're still growing rapidly... we just like to do periodic purges to keep the numbers in line with reality.  We've reduced the numbers by several million over the past couple of years alone (so this post may look familiar to you!)

Per our members' request, we won’t actually delete the old profiles, as they're not really causing any harm (they have near zero impact on site speed), and the hope is that some of these folks will come back over time.

If you have an old profile you'd like to remove, you can do that at anytime by logging into that account and using the delete account option.

When toxic fumes from a neighborhood roof-tarring project started impacting the health of her daughter, Shelby Rodriguez sprang into action. A self described "stay at home Mom" at the time, Shelby took on the housing development with her "No More Tar Roofs" campaign - successfully halting the project and forcing them to switch to a more eco-friendly solution.  Shelby's story has since been published in People Magazine, the Sacramento News & Review, and Lifetime's "Remarkable Women" series. In addition, Shelby was awarded the first annual Mom on a Mission award from Healthy Child, Healthy World.

I recently had the opportunity to ask her about her campaign:

RP: What motivated you to take action to stop the roofing project?
SR: My motivation for fighting the roofing tar project was my daughter, Elise (age 5). I had been diagnosed with intermittent asthma and was put on inhalers after being exposed to the tar fumes for several months. The symptoms I had were nose sores, twitching lungs, constant coughing, fatigue, nausea, difficulty breathing, and asthma.
 
I was living in fear. We couldn’t play outside, and I was forced to tape my door shut and close off air intakes, etc. On several occasions, the inside of our house was filled with fumes so badly that and I had to put a mask over Elise and leave the area to breathe. When Elise told me she had a sore throat I went into a productive panic because one of my first symptoms was a sore throat too. Finding out that the project was for three years and knowing that we had limited options financially I knew that I could not sit by and be a victim anymore. Elise deserved a safe place to live.

RP: What did you do to get the project stopped? (and how did you know what to do?)
SR: The first step in getting the project stopped was to research and learn everything I could about the project and the product. Once I knew what and who I was up against I began making contacts within the community, local government, the US EPA, grassroots organizations, and the Air Quality District to plead my case. In addition, I needed to find an alternative to asphalt roofing tar so that I was asking for a change that was actually realistic. The people I was asking help from respected that because I wasn’t just complaining; I had found a doable solution to the problem.
 
I actually didn’t know what to do! But I was very persistent and never took no for an answer. My first strategy was to try and force the Carmel Partners (owners of the community) to change to the alternative “cool” roof system. I learned that no one in local government was going to help me force them to stop because what they were doing was actually legal; so I had to change my strategy.

The combination of several things helped me change the project. I received great advice from helpful allies along with media attention. In addition, the help from the US EPA through their TASC (Technical Assistance Services for Communities) was a huge win for the community.  I also had the backing from SAQMD (Air Quality District). They are the governing agency and very kindly informed the owners of the repercussions should they use asphalt roofing tar and have the community fight back with the public nuisance law. I would say that was the ultimate reason the Carmel Partners opted to try the “Cool” roofs instead. I think it made sense to them to choose an easier route rather than to move forward against such opposition. It was a gamble, but I wasn’t going to give up.

RP: What was the biggest lesson you learned from your experience?
SR: The biggest lesson I learned was the power of one person to influence change. I was nearly discouraged so many times by people, who meant well, but who tried to squash my momentum by pointing out I was alone in my quest. They told me to give up for the sake of my own sanity, to know my place as a middle-class woman with no influence in our society. But the truth is, when you have the facts, and are truly dedicated and passionate, eventually others will take notice and positive changes can happen no matter who you are.

RP: Why did you choose Care2 for your petition?
SR: I learned about Care2 when the Sierra Club helped me author the No More Tar Roofs petition. I knew I needed to have a place online where people could sign the petition even if they hadn’t met with me in person.

What I like most about Care2 is the community of people taking action on issues that are important to them.  It helps bring awareness to issues not covered in the media, which is extremely empowering for the everyday person out there who knows change needs to happen but could feel powerless otherwise.

It’s based on the idea that one person can make a difference, which is what I’m all about! I love that when I visit the site I’m shown petitions to sign, there are blogs to read, and there is other good work to participate in. It was a positive influence in my community, throughout the country, and hopefully will be the catalyst for the human movement needed the help save the world for future generations.

RP: If Care2 members have similar environmental health concerns in their neighborhood, what would you recommend they do?
SR: My advice to others would be to pace yourself, know your stuff, make a reasonable plan, and don’t let your emotions overpower your will to succeed.

• Do your homework— If you know who and what you’re up against you are more likely to succeed.
  • Create a flyer to hand out with a site they can visit with more information online. Also create a paper version and an online petition to document and empower others to join in on your cause.
  • Don’t just complain. Find an alternative to the problem in your community and mention it at every opportunity.
• Find allies and contacts for advice and to spread your story.
  • Don’t be afraid to hit the pavement and respectfully knock on doors and talk to your neighbors to find out if they are having symptoms too. You can find help with your campaign that way and it also helps in knowing you’re not alone.
  • Write, call, and attend public meetings to get the attention of your local government or other local activist.
  • Don’t stop there. In my case the Federal Government was helpful as well.
  • Sometimes, you’ll need to bypass the staff and go directly to the person at the top of the organization or public office. You’d be surprised at how helpful the big wigs can be if contacted directly.
  • Take notes about advice and contacts. Contact everyone you’re directed to call. You never know who will be the right contact. I was able to get on the news because one of my new contacts knew a news reporter.
  • Be passionate, but calm and factual.
  • Make sure everything you say or write is true to the best of your knowledge. Sometimes retaliation comes in the form of threats of lawsuits for defamation or libel by your opponent.  As long as you can prove that you thought what you said was true at the time you said it they will lose (and they know that too).
  • Know your rights about freedom of speech. Talk to the local police to make sure they know about your campaign or any threats you’ve received, and so that you know the rules about campaigning on public and private property.
• Just don’t give up!
  • You will hear more “No’s” than” Yes’s” during your campaign. Just know that people are used to business as usual. They have a job duty and protocol but when moved to act because of your enthusiasm and dedication they may eventually decide to help you. Just remember that in the confrontation between the rock and the stream, the stream always wins—not through strength but through persistence.

I've met lots of heroes, but none wears a Superman cape.  In fact, the majority of them look pretty much like everyone else.  When you pass them on the street, you have no idea how powerful they are.  And that's a shame, because there's something inspiring when you know you're in the presence of greatness.

To make sure some of that wonder is revealed, we've teamed up with Tom's of Maine to create the "Hero Next Door" contest.  It's an opportunity to honor everyday people who are doing extraordinary things to make a difference. 

How it works: Simply nominate an individual you see as a hero. In January, we'll review the nominations and select 10 finalists for a popular vote to determine who will win $2,500 for themselves and a matching $2,500 for the charity of their choice.

But this contest is about so much more than picking a winner. It's about giving thanks to the people around us who are making a difference in our lives and the community.  Maybe you want to thank your Mother, your neighbor, or a teacher who made a big impact in your life or the lives of others.  Maybe they didn't end world hunger, but they showed compassion and concern for others and took action to make a difference.

For example, you probably wouldn't pick my neighbor out of a crowd and know he's a hero - but he's coordinating a ballot drive to pass legislation that would provide $6 million in funding to our local schools and library - money desperately needed given state and county cuts.  He's got a job, a family, a dog and plenty of other things to keep him busy, but he's also volunteering to take on this huge project to benefit the community as a whole. That's hero material in my book.

Another more visible example, from the Care2 Community: members Bill and Victoria Strong. Their daughter was born with a terrible genetic disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a situation that would paralyze with anguish most parents.  Not the Strongs. They took action to organize a grassroots effort - collecting over 80,000 petition signatures - to pass the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act, which thanks to their efforts is now with Congress.  True heroes.

We've already received over 400 hero nominations, and I encourage you to take a look at their stories for a dose of inspiration, humility and sense of gratitude.  We're all surrounded by heroes - we often just aren't aware they're out there.  The Hero Next Door contest is a great opportunity to show your appreciation and give a little something back to these wonderful Forces for Good.

We're thrilled to announce that Care2 has won the People's Choice Award for Green Business of the Year!  The award is presented each year by Green America, one of the nonprofit pioneers helping to build a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us!  I want to make it clear though, that those most deserving of kudos are all of our members and nonprofit partners who are taking action every day to make the world a better place.  Our impact is really a reflection of all the good each of you is accomplishing.  So congratulations and Thank you!!

I also want to thank Green America which is as genuine and committed to a sustainable future as any organization I know - and plays a pivotal role through its Green Festivals, Green Business Conference and Green Pages.

We are also honored to be among a such an outstanding group of finalists for the prize, including ReusableBags.com, Lunapads, Grounds for Change, and others committed to using the power of markets to make the world a better place.

When I started Care2, nearly 12 years ago, I had two primary goals: 1) Empower as many individuals as possible to make the world a better place and 2) Create a new model for business where the product is literally "goodness" - so that the more good we do, the more revenues we generate.  I'm pleased to say we're well on our way to achieving the first goal (though we have a few billion more members yet to sign on and we've actually accomplished the second goal.  Because sponsors pay us based on the number of people using our site for good, in general, the more good that happens on Care2, the more revenues we're able to generate to put back into making the site even more powerful - a virtuous cycle.
 
During the recent award ceremony, Green America noted that the reasons people said they voted for Care2 were diverse.  I love to see that, as we believe that we must take a holistic approach to change; we must change ourselves *and* we must change the world around us.  It takes a diversity of people and approaches to solving the World's toughest challenges.

A few of the comments from folks who voted for Care2:

"Care2 does so many wonderful things for people and the earth. I have become so much more informed about things and better able to make my voice heard."
-- Lora S., MO

"Care2 makes it easy for people to give to charities of all different
kinds. It doesn't take a lot of time, and this helps people to realize
how simple it truly is to help make a change in the world." 
-- Jennifer H., Sweden

"Care2 has been reaching out to the global community for over 10 years to "make a difference". A tremendous outreach for awareness, solutions starting at the personal level, and provides a network for communication among so many that care. Fun, too!"
-- Denise D., TN

"They empower individuals to live a more conscious lifestyle in order to make the world a better place and to help demonstrate that businesses and the internet can be a powerful force for the good."
-- Jo Anne F., MI

Thank you again, and Congratulations to all Care2 members and nonprofit partners. Together we are making a difference!

I had the good fortune to spend some time with former President Jimmy Carter, yesterday, at a gathering in Menlo Park, CA.  I was impressed with his achievements, but also for his authenticity, compassion and commitment to those less fortunate. In the 28 years since he was president, Carter has arguably achieved more good than he was able to while holding the most powerful office on Earth.

After leaving office in 1981, Carter and his wife Rosalynn, founded The Carter Center whose tagline is "Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."  He says the role of The Carter Center is to help where governments, institutions and other organizations are not.  Their achievements are too many to list here, but range from nearly eradicating Guinea worm disease (from over 3.5 million cases to less than 4,000 today), to monitoring elections in developing nations, helping to resolve conflicts in Bosnia, Haiti and elsewhere, working toward peace in the Middle East, supporting mental health programs, building homes for the poor around the world, standing up for women's equality, and much, much more.  Well deserving of his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.  In the past two weeks alone, 85 year old Carter has been in 8 different countries, is in the middle of writing his 26th book, and sounds like he has no plans to slow down. 

He calls his gatherings like the one I attended, "conversations", as he spent the majority of his time answering questions from the roughly 150 guests.  He addressed questions about refugees (we need to do more to help, and understand that what many in the US call "illegal immigrants" are in fact, themselves, refugees), Iran (isolation and threats simply drive them toward developing nuclear weapons), and some of the controversies he's been involved in, such as the title of his 2006 book, "Palestine Not Apartheid" (his intent was to raise awareness of the terrible conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza, not label Israel as running an Apartheid state), and how he and Rosalynn severed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention (because the group, "like many of the Great Religions", puts women subservient to men, and "those kind of decisions, promulgated by religious leaders in the name of God, are picked up by men who want to abuse women in other ways, and used as an excuse" resulting in further injustices to women in society.)

I asked former President Carter how the average person could best help human rights around the world.  His response was threefold: 1) Support organizations that are working in the field to further human rights, such as Amnesty International and (he included somewhat apologetically), his own Carter Foundation.  2) Teach our children and those around us the importance of human rights and get them involved in activities where they can interact with, and help, "people who are different from us"  and 3) Recognize that the term "human rights" around the world means more than just Freedom of Speech, and the liberties that we tend to associate with the term here in the US, Japan and Europe. "Human Rights" for much of the world is about having basic needs met with clean water, food, and health care.  It's important to "help the suffering people who don't have the right to drink a clean drink of water. That is just as much help as it is to try to promote Freedom of Speech in America where you'll always have Freedom of Speech."

I walked away from the evening inspired, humbled, and with tremendous gratitude that President Carter has chosen to devote his life in the service of others. At the end of the evening I jokingly asked him if only former US Presidents were able to live such an extraordinary life, to which he laughed and replied "no, anyone can do this". And while there's no question he gets incredible opportunities the rest of us will never have, I think he's also correct that each of us, in our own way, can have an extraordinary impact on others if we live our lives filled with compassion, gratitude, and the belief that we can make a difference.

As a father of two elementary school children, I’m particularly excited about Care2’s new "America’s Favorite School" contest. We’re partnering with GreatSchools, an independent, nonprofit organization that improves education by inspiring parents to be involved, to promote this fun new way for communities to rally around their school. And when the virtual dust settles after voting ends on November 8th, the top school will win $20,000!

Parents and educators know that test scores only tell one side of the story for a school. Every day in every school across the country, committed teachers, parent volunteers, student leaders and caring communities go that extra mile to make our schools the special places our children need to learn, grow and thrive.

With our country's ongoing economic problems, schools across the nation face deep budget cuts this fall, and parents are understandably concerned. A recent GreatSchools poll found more than three in five parents (61%) believe the quality of education in their school will suffer because of cutbacks.

Now is a perfect time to support America’s schools. At the heart of every great school are passionate individuals giving it their all to help educate and inspire our children.  Our mission at Care2.com is to help people make the world a better place, so we’re excited to be able to reward the teachers, parents, students and communities that are making an extraordinary difference.

Care2 will be awarding $36,000 to schools across the United States through this contest. We are committed to ensuring that all schools, regardless of demographics and average community income, have the opportunity to win; so, we'll be awarding a cash prize every week to a randomly selected school. And, in addition to the grand prize awarded to the school with the most votes, Care2 will award a total of $11,000 to the four schools in second through fifth place.

We're off to a great start, with schools in NYC and CA leading the pack.  That said, the leading schools got most of their votes over a few days of concerted efforts - so the race is still wide open for schools that can get the word out in their communities.  The winning school isn't necessarily going to be the biggest - it's going to be the school that best rallies its supporters and gets creative to spread the word online.

Whether you’re a mom to a first grader, the grandfather of four, or a young person with fond memories of your elementary school, you can vote today and spread the word to help your favorite school win.