Powerful Media
 If you want to see the gritty straight-talk campaign from today's CThings news, check out the ads at Montana Meth Project or the campaign site aimed specifically at teens at NotEvenOnce.com. It's sad that it takes this kind of campaign to reach people these days, but we're glad it's getting people talking. This is the kind of media effort that is literally saving lives.
 
Volunteer or Intern Abroad
 Global Crossroad offers a variety of placements in 20 different countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including volunteering, internships, mini-adventures, group summer escapes, and paid teaching opportunities. Consider a vacation that lets you work with orphaned children, disadvantaged local residents, and rural women's groups where volunteer efforts will leave lasting, positive results in the lives of the less fortunate. Global Crossroad offers 2-week Mini-Adventure programs which combine rewarding volunteer service, language and cultural immersion, and adventure travel at a very reasonable cost, while the Summer Escapes Program offers volunteers a 4-week cultural and educational adventure to beautiful Costa Rica, Ghana, Nepal, Tibet, India, or Thailand. These programs combine language orientation, cultural immersion, and inviting village stays with the opportunity to volunteer on local village service projects. As part of Summer Escapes, the volunteers are treated to exotic journeys off the normal tourist routes along with visits to popular tourist destinations.
Unexpected: "Latte Art"
 Check out the joyous java celebration at the Dutch Latte Art Championship site, a yearly coffee competition where it's literally all about the presentation. In addition to photos of the winning latte artists' designs, the site gives budding baristas tips and tricks (in Dutch), as well as information on latte art workshops and upcoming competitions. What a way to impress your friends.
Kids Play, Water Pumps!
 Here are some startling facts everyone should know:
- More than 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean water
- Water-related diseases are the leading cause of death in the world
- A child dies every 15 seconds from a water-related disease
- Each day in developing countries, women and girls spend more than 200 million hours collecting water from distant, often polluted sources
- The average distance a person living in rural Africa must walk to a water source is five miles
- Girls in developing countries often can't go to school because collecting water takes up so much of their time
From this water tragedy comes another innovative solution. The PlayPump doubles as a water pump and a children's merry-go-round. As children spin, water is pumped from underground into a 2,500 liter storage tank, and the stored water comes out a faucet with a simple turn of the handle. Four billboards screen the sides of the tank - 2 promote healthy lifestyles and 2 are leased for consumer advertising, with ad revenue paying all pump maintenance costs. Nearly 700 PlayPumps have been installed in South Africa, providing safe water to a million people. Check out Playpumps to learn how you can support this important organization and help bring a brighter future to millions of families in Africa.
Flowers for Landmines
 Every 30 minutes, of every day, someone finds a landmine by accident and either loses their life or suffers horrific injuries. Over 90% are innocent civilians, and one third are children. From this tragedy, comes an innovative and extraordinary use of genetic engineering to help remedy the problem. Danish biotech company Aresa last year developed a genetically modified flower that could help detect landmines, and hopes to have a prototype ready in the next year. The genetically modified weed has been coded to change color when its roots come into contact with nitrogen-dioxide evaporating from explosives buried in soil. Within 3 to 6 weeks from being sowed, the plants turn from green to red whenever close to a landmine. Unbelievably, there are still more than 100 million landmines spread out over 45 countries, with tens of thousands of victims still being injured, maimed, or killed each year. For more information on the landmine problem and how you can help, visit the Adopt a Minefield website.
Paypal Mobile is Live!
 Paypal has always been the quick and easy way to send money online to anyone with an email address, but starting today, all it takes is your cell phone. To begin using Paypal Mobile, just click here to sign in (you must have an active account already) and register your phone. Once your phone is confirmed, you can instantly send money by sending text to 729725 (PAYPAL). For example, if your friend just paid for your movie and you want to repay him the $11.00, just type in "send 11 to 3105551212" (his cell phone number). The service automatically calls your phone back to confirm the payment -- enter your PIN and you're DONE. In addition, anytime you see Text to Buy next to something you want to buy--on a poster, in a magazine, at an event--just text PayPal the item number, and they call you back to confirm the purchase. No wallet to carry, no checks to write, and you don't even have to fill out your shipping address. The downside is that this makes impulse buys even easier.
Happy World Water Day!
 In 1992, the UN designated March 22 as World Water Day to draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide. It is a time when we are encouraged to pause and consider the largest public health issue of our time--the global scarcity of clean water. More than 1 billion people world wide--20% of the planet's entire human population--lack access to clean, safe drinking water. According to the UN, this world water crisis leads to the death of more than 4,500 children every day and is a leading cause of poverty, disease, and social instability world wide. This year, Starbucks, Ethos Water, and leading non-profit organizations, are initiating a multi-year effort to significantly raise the profile World Water Day and to highlight the extraordinary ability of every individual to make a difference. Events are being planned across the United States and online. Check out the World Water Day website and get involved.
Paper or Plastic?
 It is estimated that Americans use a minimum of 14 billion plastic shopping bags every year--about 425 bags for every American man, woman and child--that end up in landfills for 20 years after their "life span," usually in trees and on fences. Stores pay less than a penny per bag for plastic and 3 to 4 cents per paper bag. This makes it a no-brainer for the grocers, but, as with everything, there are savings and then there are costs. Ireland started taxing plastic bags a couple of years back, leading the world on a movement that is catching on elsewhere. BBC reported that the Republic of Ireland has cut their use by more than 90% and raised millions of euros in revenue. Taiwan and Singapore are also moving to ban free plastic bags and in South Africa they have been dubbed the "national flower" because so many can be seen flapping from fences and caught in bushes. Will the use of re-usable fabric bags catch on in the U.S.? If you're ready to make the switch, check out Norquest Bags. They carry all-natural promo bags and totes, as well as bags for shopping, duffels, laundry, messenger, beach, and gifts. And these handcrafted, cotton bags won't end up in a landfill somewhere.
Google Mars
 First came Google Earth, then Google Moon, so it was only a matter of time before we saw Google Mars, the browser-based mapping tool that gives users an up-close, interactive view of the Red Planet with the click of a mouse. There are three different views: the elevation map is color-coded by altitude; the visible-imagery map shows the surface in black-and-white pictures; the infrared map indicates temperature, with cooler areas dark and warmer areas bright. Zoom in on any of the three maps to view geographical features such as mountains, canyons, dunes and craters. The maps also pinpoint the locations of unmanned space probes that have landed on Mars, and include the locations of the NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have been exploring opposite ends of the planet since 2004. While countless Mars images are already available on the Internet, this is the first time that members of the public can explore Mars on their own.
World's First Kitchen Garden Appliance
 If you want to see the future of gardening, look no further than the Aerogrow countertop indoor garden. Using NASA-tested aeroponic technology, the Aerogrow is a fully automated "smart garden" that grows plants using only water and air - no dirt, weeds, pests, or mess. You can have fresh herbs, vegetables, strawberries, and flowers all year long right in your kitchen. Built-in timers automatically turn grow lights on and off, and remind you to add water and nutrients, and deliver different levels of light/water/nutrients based on the type of plants you're growing. This is a great idea for chefs and home cooks, as well as city dwellers who don't have the luxury of a yard. Complete units are $149, and available at their website or at Sur La Table nationwide.
What the BLEEP Redux
 Fans of the cult hit movie What the BLEEP Do We Know? will be glad to hear there's a new "re-imagining"of the movie available now. More than just a Director's Cut, What the BLEEP - Down the Rabbit Hole still traces Amanda's journey of self-discovery, but this time her story is slimmed down and the science is beefed up to include:
- Four new characters (two scientists, a journalist, and an animated Dr. Quantum),
- 90 minutes of new, never before seen material,
- A new exploration of Entanglement, the greatest mystery in physics, and
- 20 minutes of new animation, including the Double-Slit Experiment (often called the context of quantum physics, and still not understood)
Check out the website for a listing of special screenings across the U.S., or to host a screening yourself.
A Magazine for the Global Citizen
 Check out Corporate Knights, a Canadian magazine aimed at corporate responsibility. The magazine's mission is to "humanize the marketplace by a) making it easier for people to know the environmental and social impacts of their marketplace decisions; b) showcasing the leaders and innovators, and c) bringing together key decision makers from all sectors to identify common sense solutions that make the market work better for the environment, society and economy." Given the power of corporations to influence the environment, we need more watchdog sources like these to be well-informed global citizens.
Power of Imagery
 Change Me is an open conversation that brings people together to share ideas through powerful imagery. Find an image that inspires you and use it to express an idea that has the ability to touch or affect the person viewing it. If selected, your image/idea may appear as part of a traveling global exhibition, and be published in a book. For each submission, Getty Images will donate $10 to Friends of the Global Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis, & Malaria. The website is a beautiful and powerful place to browse around - check it out.
Businesses Saving the Planet
 1% For The Planet is an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet. Members recognize their responsibility to and dependence on a healthy environment and donate at least 1% of their annual net revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. The alliance aims to prove that taking environmental responsibility is good for business.
World's Only Indoor Beach
 Check out Ocean Dome, the extraordinary man-made beach and water park in Japan. The park features its own flame-spitting volcano, crushed white marble sand, and the world's largest retractable roof, providing a permanently blue sky. Temperature, wind and humidity are closely controlled to provide an ultra-safe "sea-side" experience. Every hour, the volcano erupts and the hi-tech wave machines start up, starting a few minutes of salt- and pollution-free surfing. Entrance is US$50 (expensive given that there is a free, natural beach only 300 metres away), but probably worth it just for the one-of-a-kind experience.
Sand Art
 Check out this extraordinary Google video of a sand art performance piece. The artist throws sand onto a projector and manipulates it before your eyes. The effect is mesmerizing.
Hydropolis Underwater Hotel
 It will be interesting to see what the environmental impact of underwater hotels will be, but check out the first underwater luxury hotel in Dubai. Approaching contemporary hotel design with the constraints of nautical living is certainly a challenge, but this kind of structure creates a whole new paradigm for architecture. It also opens up a new world of undersea exploration - even for people who can't dive or even swim. The Dubai project with its 220 luxury underwater suites will open at the end of 2007.
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