48+ ways you can do something about the news
It’s time to conquer your feelings of helplessness and start creating positive change in response to news headlines
Three years ago, in response to the daily torrent of negative headlines, Today Do This published its first ‘do-something-about-the-news letter’; a way to spotlight those doing good, and inspire others to follow their lead. Too many people, we’ve found, believe they can’t do anything about the state of the world. They think they’re too small, too inexperienced, too ignorant of the situation or too lacking in talent or connections or influence. We disagree.
Each and every one of us — through our actions, or inaction — bears some responsibility for making the world how it is. And it’s our small individual actions today that can create big collective change tomorrow.
So, every Friday since, we’ve picked a news story from that week and shared one simple thing you can do that day to make a difference.
This is our third annual roundup of actions you can take that are much more productive than ‘doom scrolling’, including ways to fight climate change, confront discrimination, stand up for peace and lots more besides.
You can read our first annual roundup here, and our second here. Many of the issues we covered in each remain relevant today.
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Contents 🔎
1. Protect the planet 🌍
2. Confront discrimination ✊
3. Defend democracy 🗳
4. Improve your community 🏘
5. Respond to disasters 🆘
6. Do something for yourself 😊
🌍
Avoid climate catastrophe 🚨
Against a backdrop of devastating floods from Germany to China and raging wildfires from America to Siberia, two hundred scientists issued a “code red for humanity”. “It is unequivocal and indisputable that humans are warming the planet,” said Professor Ed Hawkins, one of the report’s authors. “We are already living the consequences of climate change everywhere,” said Professor Carolina Vera. Meanwhile, after witnessing unprecedented disintegration of its ice sheet, Greenland suspended all new oil exploration, saying it “wants to take co-responsibility for combating the global climate crisis.”
What can you do?
The report’s scientists say we can avoid the most harrowing effects of climate change if we act now to drastically cut emissions. Put pressure on governments to shift away from fossil fuels. Eat less (or no) meat. Switch to a green energy provider. Avoid car and air travel. And share your concern with friends and family.
Wear it better 👗
The Met Gala took place in New York. The annual event raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and marks the opening of its Costume Institute’s fashion exhibit. It’s also an opportunity for celebrities and fashion designers to make a statement. Singer (and vegan) Billie Eilish wore an Oscar de la Renta dress on the condition that the fashion house goes completely fur-free. Actor and comedian Dan Levy partnered with designer Jason Lowe to “celebrate queer love and visibility” with his outfit.
What can you do?
Make a statement with your own wardrobe. Read this list of ’15 things everyone should know about sustainable fashion’ and arm yourself with information to make better decisions. Top of that list is the fact that it’s best to buy less, or buy second hand. But if you do buy new, Good On You will show you how thousands of brands are rated in terms of their impact on people, planet and animals. Why not check the brands you’re wearing right now?
Stop wasting food 🍞
British grocery chain Morrisons dropped the ‘use by’ label on milk, replacing it with ‘best before’ and urging customers to decide when milk has gone off by smelling it. The company says this can save millions of pints of perfectly good milk being poured down the drain. Meanwhile, Too Good To Go has been lobbying food brands to change their labels in order to help customers avoid unnecessary food waste. That includes a campaign urging people to ‘Look, Smell, Taste, Don’t Waste’.
What can you do?
Look, smell, taste and stop throwing out food that’s perfectly good to eat. Contrary to popular belief, the dates on labels almost never correspond to food safety. Discover what date labels actually mean here and see what foods you can safely eat past the ‘best before’ date here. If you work for a food business, get your company to join forces with Too Good To Go. Or, if surplus food is regularly left over at your office (or at home), download the OLIO app to connect with people nearby who can make good use of it.
Green your transport 🚌
The Welsh government suspended all new road-building projects as part of its plans to tackle the climate crisis. Money saved by not building new roads will be used to improve existing ones, including creating more bus and cycle lanes. On the continent, Paris is transforming its famous Champs-Élysées into a huge urban garden, cutting the number of car lanes in half. Across the Atlantic, cities like Seattle, New Orleans and Los Angeles have been turning more of their streets over to pedestrians and cyclists.
What can you do?
The next time you’re about to get in a car (including taxis, Ubers and the like) take a bike, bus, train, tram or your own two feet instead. Apps like Citymapper can help make it a habit.
Cut waste 🗑
Quartz reported that switching from single-use plastics to reusable solutions isn’t just better for the environment, it’s also saving businesses money. California’s Rethink Disposable campaign is working with food business operators to help them transition to reusable cups, containers and cutlery. At the time of writing, 251 participants were making annual savings of over $650,000 and had prevented more than 120 tons of waste.
What can you do?
Avoid disposable items. If you don’t have a refillable water bottle or coffee cup, get one (they also make great gifts). And if you’re offered disposable items at local businesses refuse them, and explain why.
Make your money matter 💵
Pension schemes have been urged to shift their funds toward lower-carbon portfolios which, with £2.6 trillion held in the UK alone, would do a lot to help tackle the climate crisis. Spearheading this movement is Make My Money Matter. It’s calling for all pension providers to invest their funds in industries like clean energy and green transport, arguing “what’s the point in saving for retirement in a world on fire?”
What can you do?
All pensions belong to savers (that’s you!), whose voices matter. Write to your employer or pension provider telling them you want a pension you can be proud of.
Fight greenwashing ❎
Drinks brand Innocent had its advertising banned for implying its products are good for the environment. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority said the company provided no proof of how its single-use plastic products had “a net positive environmental impact over their full life cycles.” Companies that overstate the environmental benefits of their products are increasingly targets of criticism. For example, comedian Hasan Minhaj used an entire episode of his show The Patriot Act to call out fast fashion brands Zara and H&M for greenwashing.
What can you do?
Read this article on how to spot greenwashing, and avoid buying from brands that do it.
Travel light 🧳
British Chancellor Rishi Sunak cut taxes on domestic flights, making it cheaper to fly between UK-based airports. Given the impact of air travel on the climate, many felt the move sent the wrong message just days before the country welcomed the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Meanwhile, as part of wide-ranging climate legislation, France approved a ban of domestic flights where the alternative train journey is less than two and a half hours.
What can you do?
When holidaying, consider alternatives to air travel. And if you can’t ditch the plane, offset the carbon emissions from your flight. Of course, you can offset car, bus and train journeys too!
Save a species 🐢
In the same week, two thought-to-be-extinct species turned up in South America: a giant river otter in Argentina, and a Fernandina giant tortoise in the Galápagos Islands. Re:wild locates animals not recorded by science for a decade or more. The Fernandina tortoise was the seventh of their ’25 Most Wanted’ list to be found, increasing hope that the species can now be saved.
What can you do?
Help other species avoid extinction and adopt an endangered animal via WWF (UK, US) today.
Get fixing 🔧
Responding to pressure from the ‘right to repair’ movement, Apple announced it will finally let people fix their iPhones and Mac computers themselves. Repair Café, a global network with thousands of locations around the world, is already helping with this issue. Visitors can find tools and materials needed to fix broken household items, and repair them with the help of expert volunteers.
What can you do?
Repairing saves money and is better for the environment. Even if you don’t feel confident prying open your phone, there’s likely something lying around your house that could easily be fixed. Use these guides to mend clothes and shoes, repair appliances and household items, or fix just about anything else.
Reduce tech waste ♻️
The delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games awarded medals made from recycled electronics, including millions of used mobile phones donated by the Japanese public. The Restart Project keeps electronics out of landfill too, by helping prolong their life and campaigning to make tech repair easier than replacement. That’s crucial, because in addition to precious metals, electronics contain toxic substances like lead and mercury.
What can you do?
Two things: Hold onto your electronics longer. Do you really need to upgrade? And recycle your electronics responsibly. Here are local recyclers in the US and UK.
Buy nothing 🚫
85% of independent retailers planned to boycott Black Friday in 2021. Among their reasons for the protest: the increased waste generated by overconsumption and a desire to protect local businesses. Swiss bag brand Freitag launched Shopping Without Any Payment (S.W.A.P.), a project that encouraged customers to swap their bags with each other while the online shop was closed for 24 hours. Inspired by Freitag, other brands said “no to Black Friday”, including Dutch wallet makers Secrid, who offered customers a free repair service instead.
What can you do?
Celebrate ‘Buy Nothing Day’, an international day of protest against consumerism that is observed alongside Black Friday (but you can follow the ethos any time). After all, the best way to save money is to not spend it.
Celebrate Earth Day 🌳
The world is once again witnessing extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, from deadly floods in South Africa to record-breaking heatwaves in India. For over 50 years, Earth Day has raised the alarm on issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Though officially observed on April 22nd, Earth Day is more than just a day… it’s a global movement to mobilise people and drive change.
What can you do?
Visit earthday.org for a list of actions you can take to celebrate Earth Day, any day. You could call on governments to support a global plastics treaty, become a citizen scientist, join (or organise) a local cleanup, and much more. At work, double (or triple) your impact. Invite a colleague (or two) to join you in taking action.
Save the koala 🐨
Across eastern Australia, koalas have been officially recognised as endangered, with concerns they could become extinct in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and New South Wales by 2050 if no action is taken. While drought and disease have contributed to the koala’s decline, it’s the loss of habitat to bushfires, land clearing and development that’s causing immediate concern. To tackle this, The Australian Koala Foundation created The Koala Army to enlist support for the ‘Koala Protection Act’, binding national legislation that will protect the habitat koalas rely on.
What can you do?
Join the Koala Army from anywhere in the world to support its work in various ways, from spreading the word and writing to legislators to planting trees. Australia-based readers might find these day-to-day tips useful too. At work, instead of small talk about the weather, talk to colleagues, customers or suppliers about the rapid decline in koala numbers and what they can do to help.
Stop climate change 🛑
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a report setting out a plan to tackle climate change. Chief among its recommendations is a drastic reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, as many governments scrambled for alternatives to Russian oil and gas after the country invaded Ukraine, the opposite began to happen. Lead author of the report, Stephanie Roe, drove home its message saying: “Cleaning up emissions after the fact is much more difficult and costly than it is to prevent them in the first place.” You can read the inspiring story of how Roe went from working on Wall Street to becoming a leading climate scientist here.
What can you do?
Write to your government representatives urging them to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy sources and improved energy efficiency. These US and UK focused resources contain helpful text that anyone anywhere can make use of. At work, check out WorkforClimate for step-by-step guides on how anyone can accelerate their employer’s move toward a fossil-free future.
Encourage investment in the planet 💵
The US Securities and Exchange Commission proposed new rules requiring publicly-traded companies to report their climate impacts. This should show companies taking action on climate change in a more favourable light than those who continue to damage the planet, which means more investment in greener businesses and less support for the worst offenders. There’s a veritable alphabet soup of organisations working to improve climate reporting. But two worth special mention are the non-profit CDP, who’s been at it for 20 years (!), and the ISSB, set up late last year to create a global reporting standard.
What can you do?
Find out what your employer — or another company that matters to you — is doing to measure, manage and report its climate impact. One simple step any company can take is to support the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Visit ClimateVoice for lots more ideas on how to advocate for more corporate climate action as an employee or a student.
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Erase racism ❌
A statue at the centre of a deadly white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 was removed in July 2021. The figure of Confederate General Robert E. Lee will now be melted down and turned into public art that’s “more reflective of [the] entire community’s social values”. In response to that same rally, Billy White, a tattoo artist from Ohio, decided to help “erase hate” in his own way by offering to cover over racist tattoos for free. His work is the subject of the Emmy-nominated documentary short Beneath The Ink.
What can you do?
You may be wary of conversations with colleagues, family or friends who exhibits racist views. To help erase hate yourself, follow these tips for challenging racist views in a constructive way.
Show pride 🏳️🌈
European football’s governing body UEFA turned down Munich’s request to illuminate the city’s stadium in rainbow colours for Germany’s Euro 2020 match against Hungary. UEFA cited “the political context of this specific request” coming as it did in response to Hungary’s passing of anti-LGBT legislation. In the event, UEFA were widely condemned and spectators took it on themselves to fill the stadium with rainbow colours anyway. On the other side of the Atlantic, Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay. He said he hoped to “cultivate a culture that’s accepting” and donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a charity providing judgement-free conversations for young LGBTQ people.
What can you do?
Make a clear statement of acceptance, pride and love to those around you — at work, at school, in your community and to your family and friends.
Challenge disability discrimination 💪
In Japan, broadcasting and viewing figures showed that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games weren’t getting nearly the level of attention of the Olympic Games a few weeks before. This isn’t unique to Japan. Launched at the Paralympics, WeThe15 is campaigning for greater visibility, inclusion and accessibility for the 15% of the world’s population who have a disability.
What can you do?
Take action as an individual and raise awareness in your organisation to remove the barriers and discrimination people with disabilities face on a daily basis. You can also Download Be My Eyes. This free app lets blind and low-vision people connect with sighted volunteers through a live video call to help with everyday challenges like reading instructions and navigating new surroundings.
Help Afghan women 🧕
In Afghanistan, girls were excluded from school reopenings and female government workers were ordered to stay home unless their job can’t be filled by a man. Many of these women and girls risked their lives to fight back. Women taking to the streets to demand their rights have been assaulted by the Taliban. Even girls taking to social media to demand an education put themselves at risk.
What can you do?
The most effective way to help Afghan women is to pressure global leaders to ensure women’s rights are protected as a condition of recognising the Taliban government. Sign a petition to the US President, the UK Parliament, or start a petition to your own government.
Play fair 🧸
A law passed in California means large retailers will need to provide a gender-neutral section in order to sell children’s toys. Although the rule does not ban ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ sections, it is hoped it will reduce disparities between genders. LEGO has also committed to removing gender bias from its toys. This decision follows research showing that both girls and boys continue to be held back by deeply held social stereotypes.
What can you do?
Commit to giving children better gifts. The UK-based Let Toys Be Toys campaign has lots of inspiration worth bookmarking, including a directory of inclusive toys and retailers and resources for parents who want to challenge gender stereotypes. Let Clothes Be Clothes is a spin-off campaign “calling for an end to lazy gender stereotypes in the design and marketing of children’s clothes”. Check out its resources for challenging retailers to do better.
Be a sport 🏆
A team of 29 refugees competed at the Olympics in Tokyo. This was the second Games to welcome a refugee team after ten athletes competed in Rio in 2016. Klabu has been building sports clubs in refugee camps since 2019. By bringing young people together through sport, they aim to provide hope and develop skills that help displaced people rebuild their lives.
What can you do?
Buy a Klabu football, jersey or other sporting accessory to support their work. And during future Olympics, be sure to support the Refugee Olympic Team too.
Combat mass incarceration ⚖️
Rapper Lil Nas X released a music video helping raise funds for The Bail Project, a nonprofit fighting racial and economic disparities in the bail system. In the US, cash bail is a key driver of mass incarceration which every year puts millions of people behind bars without a trial. One quarter of incarcerated Americans have not even been convicted of a crime. Software developer Matt Korostoff created a simple data visualisation (keep scrolling!) that shows the scale and injustice of mass incarceration in America.
What can you do?
Donate to the Bail X Fund. 100% of online donations are used to provide free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year. And because bail is returned at the end of each case, donations are then recycled to help someone else.
Rethink disfigurement 🤔
James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’ features not one but two villains with facial disfigurements. Disability campaigners drew attention to this as an “outdated trope.” The ‘I Am Not Your Villain’ campaign from Changing Faces calls on the film industry to stop using scars, burns, and other visible differences as a shorthand for evil. The British Film Institute backs the initiative, and won’t fund films showing negative characteristics through disfigurement.
What can you do?
Start by watching and sharing the Changing Faces campaign film to raise awareness of this issue. Then encourage your employer to sign up to the ‘Pledge To Be Seen’, or share these classroom resources with your kids’ teachers. You can also watch Dirty God, a 2019 film starring burn survivor Vicky Knight that’s a good example of positive representation of visible differences on screen. Find the trailer here.
Get more people vaccinated 💉
In mid-2021, Italy joined a growing list of countries making coronavirus vaccines more accessible to hard-to-reach groups, including undocumented migrants and homeless people. Meanwhile, Australian doctor Professor Robert Booy asked people to pay forward their own vaccines by donating to programmes that protect the most vulnerable. Doing so reduces the risk of vaccine-resistant variants prolonging the pandemic for all of us.
What can you do?
If you’ve been vaccinated, donate to Unicef. It will make sure someone in a low-and-middle-income country gets vaccinated too.
Change Hollywood 🍿
Television network NBC announced it wouldn’t air the Golden Globes in 2022. The decision followed widespread criticism of racism, sexism and corruption in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which hands out the award. Two organisations in particular have driven the movement to rebuke the HFPA and reform Hollywood more broadly: Colour of Change and Time’s Up. Dozens of actors, directors and studios followed their lead, speaking up and boycotting the Golden Globes until real reforms are made.
What can you do?
In contrast, 2021’s Academy Awards were applauded for being more inclusive. Celebrate that inclusivity and watch one of the best picture Oscar nominees. If you like it, leaving a star rating or review online.
Protect the right to choose 🧬
In May 2022 a leaked document suggested the US Supreme Court was poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case that legalised abortion across the United States. If this were to happen it would be up to individual states to legislate on abortion rights (in which case many would reduce rights, or ban abortion altogether). We Testify is therefore on a mission to share abortion stories. It provides a platform for everyone to describe their experience in order to change the conversation about who has an abortion, and why.
What can you do?
Donate to abortion funds to support the right to choose, or use the Center for Reproductive Rights’ text and graphics to share key facts on the issue with their networks (the CRR also operates around the world if you’re interested in abortion rights in your region). Reproductive rights can also be viewed as a workplace issue, both in terms of gender and racial equality (which many companies are committed to upholding), and access to talent. This is a good overview of the issues and how businesses can take action. If you’re in the US it may be a useful resource to share with colleagues.
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Stand with Ukraine 🇺🇦
There’s war in Ukraine. Neighbouring countries, businesses, sporting bodies, artists, radio engineers, hackers, tax officials, many Russians, and, of course, millions of resolute Ukrainians are all doing something about it.
What can you do?
While the situation in Ukraine is constantly changing, there are three simple things everyone can do: Stay informed (and avoid misinformation). Write to your government representatives (and join a protest). Donate. You can find localised information and more ways to help here.
Protect your right to protest ✊
In Russia, where a 15-year prison sentence can be imposed for calling the “special military operation” in Ukraine a war or invasion, protestors are being arrested for holding blank signs. Leveraging her position as a journalist, Marina Ovsyannikova ran onto the set of one of Russia’s most-watched news programmes holding a sign that read “No War”. Having been interrogated for 14 hours without a lawyer, it remains unclear what charges she may ultimately face.
What can you do?
These restrictions may seem confined to a rogue state, but our freedoms aren’t totally guaranteed anywhere. If you’re in our neighbourhood, read about moves to restrict protest in the UK and petition your MP to protect your rights via Amnesty or Liberty. No matter where you live, know your existing rights by searching “right to protest” online — here are some resources for readers in the US and Australia. The right to protest freely shouldn’t be overlooked in the workplace either. Use platforms like Organise and Coworker to make your voice, and those of your colleagues, heard at work.
Hold politicians to account 🏛
In a single week, the UK Government broke a key manifesto promise, President Biden’s approval ratings slumped, and voters in Germany deserted the ruling CDU party. To counter political dissatisfaction in the UK, mySociety builds tools that enable ‘meaningful participation’ in democracy, TheyWorkForYou helps voters understand what politicians are doing, and WriteToThem helps hold governments to account.
What can you do?
Wherever you are, if you’re not satisfied with your representatives, tell them. Take a few minutes to send a clear message about something you care about and encourage others to do the same.
Make tax fair 💰
More than 100 billionaires and millionaires made an unusual plea to global leaders gathered for the World Economic Forum: make us pay more tax. “Few if any of us can honestly say that we pay our fair share in taxes,” their open letter said. In October 2021, 136 countries agreed to a minimum corporate tax rate of 15% as a way to discourage tax avoidance by the world’s richest companies and, by extension, the people who run them. It’s a start, but its implementation is far from certain.
What can you do?
Tweet someone ultra-wealthy asking them to add their signature to the open letter presented to the World Economic Forum. Or contact your government representative telling them you support a global 15% corporate tax rate. At work, contact your CEO’s office or finance department and get your employer to sign up to the Fair Tax Mark, now a globally recognised mark of “responsible tax conduct”.
Take a stand ✊
Spotify found itself in the midst of a misinformation controversy centred on podcast host, Joe Rogan. Neither an apology from Rogan, nor Spotify’s pledge to add disclaimers to content about Covid-19, helped stem the PR disaster which wiped $2 billion from Spotify’s market value. Spotify’s troubles started when a group of scientists wrote an open letter in response to an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience demanding Spotify “establish a clear and public policy to moderate misinformation on its platform.” Neil Young then removed his music from Spotify in protest. He was soon followed by Joni Mitchell, podcast host Brené Brown, and many others.
What can you do?
If you’re a Spotify subscriber, you can boycott it too. Cancel your plan for a month, or longer, and take a stand against the unchecked spread of misinformation. If your company does something you deeply disagree with, join with others to find ways of showing your dissatisfaction.
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Respond to unkindness 💛
Actor Will Smith overshadowed his Oscars victory by taking to the stage to hit comedian Chris Rock. This was in response to a joke Rock made about the haircut of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from a condition that causes hair loss. When comedian Sarah Silverman was insulted by a Twitter “troll” she responded in a very different way. By replying with grace and diffusing the situation, she turned a nasty incident around and showed her 12+ million followers a better way to deal with unkindness.
What can you do?
Given violence isn’t the answer, think about what you would do in response to unkind acts. These six simple tactics to stand up for yourself, or others, are a great place to start.
Signal for help ⚠️
A missing teenage girl was rescued by police when she used a distress signal popularised on TikTok. The social network has been drawing attention to the ‘Signal for Help’, originally developed in 2020 by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Working on a similar premise, ‘Ask for Angela’ is a campaign designed to support people who find themselves in a dangerous or uncomfortable situation while in a bar. By asking bar staff to speak to “Angela” they’ll be safely removed from the situation. The concept started in the UK, but has since been adopted in Canada, parts of the US (where it’s also known as ‘Angel Shot’), Argentina, Germany and Australia.
What can you do?
These campaigns only work if people know about them. Make yourself, and others, aware of these signals and search online to find projects in your area. If you ever need to offer help, here’s what you should do.
Give better gifts 🎁
The omicron variant, travel restrictions and supply chain woes all threatened to disrupt what was hoped would be a more routine holiday season with loved ones. Having successfully avoided Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we — Robbie and Daianna — tried to bring a little peace and joy to the festivities by giving less wasteful, more thoughtful presents.
What can you do?
You can give better holiday gifts too. Here are a few ideas… for someone who has everything; for someone who has nothing; for someone outdoorsy; for someone indoorsy; for the sports fan; for the bookworm; for the pessimist; for the optimist; for a better holidays in the future.
Make business better 🏢
Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of defunct biotech business Theranos, was convicted of fraud. A jury decided she had lied to investors about the effectiveness of the company’s technology in order to get their money. But not every business is on the take. Mike Gartner, former owner of the Iowa Cubs baseball team, gave $2000 for each year’s service to every employee when he recently sold the minor league team.
What can you do?
Resolve to buy from businesses that care in order to persuade more companies to be better. The Good Shopping Guide (UK) and Shop Ethical (Australia) are good starting points. If you’re a decision maker at work, consider suppliers and partners that give back to people and planet.
Change the world at work ⚡️
Netflix employees staged a walkout to protest comedian Dave Chappelle’s latest special, which they say promotes bigotry against transgender people. The streaming platform is under fire for managers’ handling of staff concerns, which employees say goes against company values. For a while now, workers have been speaking about the harmful actions of their employers.
What can you do?
Speak up if you want your employer to do better for workers, suppliers, marginalised communities or the environment. Start by sharing your thoughts with a colleague. If you want to make more noise, staff-petition platforms like Organise (UK) and Coworker (US) can help.
Speak out 🗯
Following criticism from tennis stars and fans, organisers of the Australian Open tournament reversed a ban on t-shirts worn by spectators that read “Where is Peng Shuai?” Since the Chinese tennis player accused a member of the Communist Party of sexual assault, she has all but disappeared from public view, and many are concerned for her wellbeing. T-shirts have been used as a form of protest for decades. “Slogan t-shirts are designed to put ideas in your brain,” says designer Katharine Hamnett, who became famous for her tees 40 years ago. “You can’t not read them. They make you think, and hopefully do the right thing.”
What can you do?
Sport a shirt or badge about an issue that’s important to you. Let it make your voice heard without saying a word or, better yet, let it start a conversation. In fact, let it start more than that: “We must follow it up with action,” says Hamnett. “Otherwise it’s a waste of time.” And don’t keep your values locked up at home. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing a statement shirt or badge during work hours, consider giving a shout out to an issue you care about in your email signature.
Spend wisely 💸
In May 2022 the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, reached a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion, citing plans to reorient the social media platform toward “free speech”. His free spending reminded many that in 2021 Musk showed interest in donating $6 billion to the UN World Food Programme to save millions of people from starvation. However, this doesn’t seem to have happened. Elsewhere, 55-year-old lottery winner Frances Connolly has given away more than half of her £115 million fortune and says she’s “addicted” to helping others. In her words, “Money liberates you to be the person that you want to be.”
What can you do?
Even for those of us who aren’t millionaires or billionaires, how we spend our money matters. Have a think about the impact your spending makes, and whether you can do more good with it. If you want to buy something, choose brands that are better for people and planet. If you want to donate to charity, here’s how to make your giving more effective. And companies’ spending has an even bigger impact. Ask your colleagues in charge of procurement and charitable giving how they make sure money is spent in a way that makes the best possible social and environmental impact, and whether there’s anything you can do to help.
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Help Ukraine’s refugees 💔
Just two weeks into Russia’s invasion, more than two million women and children had fled Ukraine, and the UN estimated the number of refugees could grow to around four million (it has since reached more than five million). Airbnb is offering free temporary housing to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees in partnership with resettlement agencies across the world. Ukrainian-born actress Mila Kunis supported Airbnb’s effort with a GoFundMe campaign and her own $3 million donation.
What can you do?
You can offer a spare room of your own. But refugees don’t just need homes, they need jobs too. Ask your company’s senior leadership or HR team what can be done to hire Ukrainians. This link might help.
Help Afghan refugees 🇦🇫
Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from Kabul after the Afghan government fell to Taliban forces. Airbnb paid to house 20,000 Afghan refugees globally while they wait to find permanent accommodation.
What can you do?
Check out this Twitter thread for ways you too can help resettle Afghan refugees. Whether you’re in the US, UK, Canada or Australia, you’ll find specific actions you can take. You could also donate spare airline miles or travel vouchers here to support urgent flight requests from refugees around the world.
Help Haiti 🇭🇹
Heavy rains complicated relief efforts after Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake. The disaster left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands in need of emergency aid. This was another heavy blow to a nation already reeling from the assassination of its president and still recovering from an earthquake in 2010 that claimed 200,000 lives. Tennis player Naomi Osaka, whose father is Haitian, pledged her prize money from the Western & Southern Open tournament to the relief effort.
What can you do?
Donate to ActionAid, which has been working in Haiti since 1996. You can donate directly from the US here, the UK here, or from anywhere else here.
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Limit your working hours ⏱
Long work hours are leading to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually, according to a study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. Their research found that working 55 hours or more per week puts people at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Anyone (including you!) who dares to question our work-obsessed culture, or to normalise rest, helps move us one step closer to a better way of working. Take Twitter user @HarleyShah or LinkedIn user Jonathan Frostick, whose posts kicked off global conversations on the topic.
What can you do?
Schedule a proper break during each working day, and stick to it. Put a recurring one-hour appointment in your calendar called ‘Do Not Disturb’. Use that time to relax, read, take a walk, or do anything else that isn’t work.
Work on your mental health 🧠
Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open tennis tournament due to the stress she said stemmed from post-match press conferences. Having suffered with depression since winning her first Grand Slam in 2018, she believes mandatory media questioning damages the mental health of athletes trying to do their jobs. In response to research showing that work is, in fact, the biggest cause of stress in people’s lives, the mental health charity Mind created Mental Health At Work. The site steers workers and employers toward relevant mental health resources based on their specific sector, workplace, job role and company size.
What can you do?
It’s important to talk openly about mental health, even (perhaps especially) at work. Talk about how you’re feeling with a colleague you trust. Ask them how they’re doing, and really listen to their response.
Fight cancer 🧬
CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour announced that she has ovarian cancer. On her programme, she said: “I’m telling you this in the interest of transparency but in truth really mostly as a shoutout to early diagnosis.” Because it’s estimated that 40–50% of us will develop some form of cancer in our lifetimes, the Prevent Cancer Foundation focuses on prevention and early detection to save lives.
What can you do?
Perform self exams regularly, starting today — here’s how to check breasts and testicles. If you’re feeling frisky, check your mate.
Unfriend Facebook 👎
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before Congress. She says the tech giant knows it harms children and spreads misinformation, but won’t make changes that could hurt its profits. Haugen isn’t the first company insider to sound the alarm over the years. Roger McNamee (for one), an early investor, wrote Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe back in 2019. Here’s a review of the book.
What can you do?
If all this makes you uncomfortable, start by deleting Facebook from your phone or browser bookmarks. The company profits from the amount of time users spend on its platform, so using it less hits them where it hurts. If you want to permanently delete your Facebook account, here’s how to do it. And if you’re thinking of quitting Instagram and Whatsapp too (both owned by Facebook) here’s what that’s like.
Stay well while working 😊
The World Health Organisation issued a report warning that remote work could be bad for you. While the report acknowledges benefits like increased flexibility and reduced commuting, it warns that working remotely can lead to loneliness, burnout and harassment if not properly managed. Mental health charity Mind has created resources to help people cope with work-related changes brought on by the pandemic — from an action plan to support your wellbeing when working from home, to a toolkit for easing back into the workplace.
What can you do?
For many of us, working from home (at least to some extent) is probably here to stay. It’s time we found ways to do it better. If you haven’t yet, agree with your co-workers how to set boundaries around work hours, and how to signal when you are or aren’t available. You can find lots more tips here and here. Those who aren’t in a position to work remotely will be well aware of the burnout, harassment and health risks that come with in-person work. You might find these tips helpful.
Finish what you started 🏁
90-year-old Annunziata Murgia returned to school in Italy to study for her middle school diploma. She missed out on a formal education when the second world war forced her into work to help support her family. Returning to education isn’t unusual. Degrees When Due increases attainment among those with “some college, no degree”. On another track entirely was Shizo Kanakuri, record holder for the world’s longest marathon. While his run in Stockholm started in 1912, he didn’t return to cross the finish line until 1967!
What can you do?
Is there something important to you that you were never able to finish? However long it’s been since you began, find time to rekindle that project. Maybe you were learning an instrument or language? Planned out a side-hustle? Began an activity you hoped would improve the world? This tip should help get you going again. Organisations are also guilty of drawing up grand plans that fall by the wayside. If that’s happened to something at work you think is important, find out who’s responsible and ask them how you can help move things forward. If it involves making a more positive social or environmental impact, we might just be able to help.
🌍 ✊ 🗳 🏘 🆘 😊
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