Today is Blog Action Day! Every year, thousands of bloggers all over the world gather together virtually and discuss a topic.

Back in 2007, when I was just a newbie blogger, I joined the movement and the conversation regarding The Environment.

In 2008, we all rallied around the next topic, Poverty.

This year, the topic is Climate Change, and here I am once again.  (You can follow conversations on Twitter by looking for the #BAD09)

Climate Change is one of those hot topics (punny!) that polarizes (hooo, I’m on a roll!) people, when it really shouldn’t. On the surface, climate change is climate change. You don’t have to be a scientific researcher to see that changes are taking place. The polar ice caps are melting. Wacky stuff is happening with the weather, and it’s all connected. (No, I’m not going to site sources, because a quick search on Google will give you an overwhelming amount of data.)

To be honest, I don’t know if humans caused this problem. I don’t know if this is where the Earth was headed in its climate cycle anyway.  I think it’s a little of both…but at the end of the day, does it really matter?

Let’s agree to set aside the blame and look at what can be done about it.

Do I think that by recycling as much as we possibly can to keep trash out of our landfills will solve Climate Change? No, but I do it anyway, because recycling is a good idea and makes sense on so many levels. Even if it isn’t a solution, it’s a step in the right direction.

Do I think making our house as energy efficient as possible is going to solve Climate Change? No, but I do it anyway, because it saves us money and makes sense on so many levels. Even if it isn’t a solution, it’s a step in the right direction.

Do I think supporting research, funding, and implementation of renewable energy is going to solve Climate Change? No, but the thought of doing something better for the environment while reducing our dependence on foreign countries is not only practical and smart, it makes sense on so many levels. Even if it isn’t a solution, it’s a step in the right direction.

Do I think these things and more will solve Climate Change?  I don’t think you can solve a complex problem with a single answer. Even if they aren’t a solution, they’re a step in the right direction.

And, I’ve always been a fan of going in the right direction.

As you can see by the banner, today is Blog Action Day, and this year, the topic of discussion is Poverty.

For a week or so now, I’ve been tossing around ideas as to how I could participate in this call to action in the blogging world. To be honest, I’d see this on my To Do List, and I’d sigh and then move on to something else. Poverty isn’t a happy subject. This coupled with the uncertainty in the market right now created thoughts I didn’t want to face…I mean, I don’t have any answers. I don’t want to focus on the negatives. I want to use my energy for other things.

But, I said I’d participate, and I’m a writer of my word (Totally accidental pun alert…ha!), so I sat down last night and decided to type “poverty” into Google and see what came up. Google always has the answers. Always. Surely something would catch my eye and I’d be able to take this whole fighting poverty issue in a positive direction.

It only took about 10 seconds for my brain to start clicking. I caught images and flickers of words here and there. Poverty. Hunger. Feed the hungry.

And, at that instant I knew what I would write. I knew how to focus on the positive and still address something negative.

Play the Free Rice Game to the rescue! Why hadn’t I thought of this before??

I showcased this game almost a year ago. For a while, I was totally hooked on this fun and challenging game.  Eventually, my interest waned.  I’d play it every now and then, but to be honest, it eventually slipped my mind, and I’d forgotten all about it. I’d said I would try to add a link to it on the sidebar of my blog, but I’d never gotten around to it.

Well, it’s there now, and it looks like this:

If you’re interested in adding this to your own blog, go to this link to check out the different banners.

Poverty and all the issues that stem from it are very real and affect all of us, in one way or another. Playing this game is an ingenious way to work toward a solution. It’s fun. It’s easy. It’s really working.

So, if you haven’t done so, check it out! Or, if you used to play but have stopped, go back! Play a round or two. Or, if you already play, great! Every little bit helps, and we’re all in this together.

Now, I’m off to try to beat my score and feed a hungry person in the process. Wanna join me?

Check it out!

About a year ago, a neat little book arrived in the mail addressed to Claire. It looked kinda like it was part of a magazine subscription, but it was thicker paper, and it was just her size. I was thinking it was a gift from someone, but I couldn’t tell for sure. I did some calling around, and that’s when I discovered it was a surprise birthday gift from Grandma. As what happens sometimes with gift subscriptions, the book arrived before the little “Gift for You” postcard. That’s when I found out that my mom gives all her grandkids a subscription to The National Wildlife Federation’s Wild Animal Baby.

What a great idea! Claire loves it! Every month or so (there are 10 issues per year), a new issue arrives, and she loves it to pieces (quite literally, I’m afraid). I was very impressed with the quality of the books and the entertainment and educational value of the pictures and stories. They not only discuss colors, shapes, numbers and letters, but they are also fostering a love of the environment in Claire.

We read every issue of Wild Animal Baby to her over and over and over, usually starting the moment we bring it in from the mailbox. She never tires of looking at the different animals or the pretty pictures. She’s at the stage where she will pretend to read the book to us, as well. I can tell which page she’s on by the different sound effects she uses or her version of how the story goes.

For someone who’s not even two years old yet, it’s amazing how quickly she’s catching on, and I’m so glad that she’ll grow up to have an appreciation for the world around her. My hubby and I wanted to instill these values in her, and this subscription makes that very easy to do.

Here she is with one of the issues.

Because Claire enjoys this book so much, I’ve given gift subscriptions to other friends of ours. It feels good knowing that our money is going to a worthy cause, and that other kids are getting to share in the Wild Animal Baby experience.

So, if you’re trying to think of a creative gift to give a little kid, check out the different subscriptions at The National Wildlife Federation. They have Wild Animal Baby for ages 0 to 4, Your Big Backyard for ages 3 to 7, and Ranger Rick for ages 7 and up.

It’s never too early to start paying attention to the world around us or understand how interconnected we all are, and Wild Animal Baby is an awesome place to begin.

Personally, I found out about it here. You can read more about it here or by clicking on this banner:

What a great idea! I’m always on the lookout for interesting topics, so I’ve made a note to participate on Monday, October 15th. It will be interesting to see how many sites on Monday touch on this subject.

Behold the power of the Internet.