Monday #20- Don't Flick Cigarette Butts!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• The average smoker smokes 10,000 cigarettes a year.
• Cigarette butts are the most commonly littered item.
• Over 100 billion cigarette butts weighing 100 million pounds end up as litter each year.
• Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that takes decades to decompose.
• 25% of all ocean and beach debris is cigarette butts. They have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales, and other marine creatures that mistake them for food.
• Over 750 civilian deaths, 1,500 critical injuries, and $480 million in direct property damage occur each year due to over 25,000 cigarette-caused fires.
• Annual cigarette butt litter, end on end, measures more than 2 million miles. That's 337 roundtrips from Los Angeles to New York!

Take action today!

1. When you see a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or stranger smoking, ask him or her to discard the butt in an appropriate receptacle.
2. If you see someone flick a cigarette butt on the ground, politely ask them to pick it up, or do it yourself. Maybe they will see you and get the point.
3. Consider posting the above statistics at designated smoking areas at your workplace or school. 
4. Purchase pocket ashtrays for those close to you who may smoke.
5. DON'T SMOKE!

You matter.

Why is it that people who wouldn't even think about throwing trash into the street don't hesitate to flick a cigarette butt? 

Most people who litter their cigarettes either don't fully understand the consequences of their actions or they have rationalized their behavior. Imagine fewer fires as well as less litter, pollution, and harm to animals simply because people stopped throwing their cigarette butts out their car window or tossing them on the ground.

The sheer volume of cigarette butt litter isn't just ugly, it's hazardous!

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #19- Adopt A Pet!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• There are 4,000 to 6,000 animal shelters.
• Nearly 8 million dogs and cats are placed in shelters each year.
• Approximately 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year because not enough people want them.
• 1 out of 4 dogs in shelters are purebreds. Adoption fees are usually much less than the cost of purchasing dogs from pet stores and breeders.
• Only 16% of owned dogs and 15% of owned cats were adopted from an animal shelter.
• Many shelters vaccinate, deworm, and spay or neuter for free.

Take action today!

1. Go to a shelter near you to see if there is an animal with which you "connect." If not, visit another shelter or return another day.
2. Speak with an adoption counselor at the shelter about whether your choice of a particular type or breed will be best for you.
3. Only select a pet if you have a realistic understanding of the time, effort, and money required to provide a healthy, loving environment for your pet.
4. Enjoy your newfound friend!

You matter!

Animals are unconcerned about age, looks, or physical ability; they accept you just as you are. If you're thinking about getting a pet, seriously consider adopting. 

Not only will you be saving your new pet's life, but you'll also be rewarded with years of companionship, entertainment, unconditional love, and increased opportunities to meet others.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #18- Show Your Smile!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures.
• A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent.
• Smiling or even seeing somebody smile releases endorphins that work in the brain to give an overall feeling of well-being.
• Happy people generally don't get sick as often as people who are unhappy.
• Adults laugh approximately 15 times per day, while children laugh about 400 times a day.
• It takes only 17 muscles to smile compared to 43 muscles to frown.
• Women smile more than men.

Smiling is contagious!

Take action today!

1. Smile at EVERYONE you see today.
2. Keep track of how many times you smile and laugh today.
3. At the end of your day of smiling, notice how you feel and whether people acted differently around you.
4. If you are having trouble smiling, here are a few suggestions to help:

- Make faces at yourself in the mirror
- Shake your body like it's laughing from inside
- Jump on your bed
- Hug someone you love
- Visit a pet store

You matter!

Happiness leads to smiling, and smiling leads to happiness. Happiness is your natural immunity, having a profound, positive effect on your health and well-being. 

If you are happy, smile. If you aren't happy, smile anyway. It will help you get there!

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #17- Register to Donate Your Organs

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• Over 97,000 people are in need of one or more organs.
• 77 people receive organ transplants every day.
• There is no age limit on who can donate.
• 300 new transplant candidates are added to the waiting list each month.
• Most family members are not aware of one another's willingness to be a donor, even if it is indicated on their driver's license.

Take action today!

1. Declare on your driver's license your wish to donate tissue and organs.
2. Carry a donor card in your wallet.
3. Sign up on your state's donor registry today.
4. Inform your family, loved ones, and physician of your decision.

You matter!

18 people die every day waiting for a transplant.
Because more people need transplants than there are organs available, register your organs on the donor registry. In addition to indicating your wishes on your driver's license, make your family members aware of your decision. Saving a life by donating a heart, lung, or kidney or allowing someone to see again through your cornea may be the most significant gift you ever give...

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)