Stories Matching 'Environment' Tag (50)Environment Research New Ideas Public Transportation Children Inspiration Teachers Seniors OnThe Road Grocery Store Money Workplace Animals At Home Anonymous Friendship Kindness Kindness of Strangers Courage Small Acts of Kindness Health and Wellness Generosity Sharing Family Respect Neighbors Reconciliation Smile Cards Advice Good Samaritan Giving Money Giving Ability School Church Youth Collective Arts Creative Kindness Random Act of Kindness Homeless Travel/Vacation College/University Holidays Internet Birthday Sharing Food Emergency/Disaster Community Relationships Paying-It-Forward Coffee Shop/Restaurants $100 Kindness Idea Smile Decks Thank You Serendipity Something Warm--posted by Anonymous, on Mar 28, 2006 A few years ago, this southern Alabama town experienced unusually frigid weather, cold enough to knock out the power for days. My husband, braving the cold, was on the way to the grocery to resupply our perishibles, and passed a police officer. He was standing in the middle of a fairly remote and windblown intersection, directing traffic. He thought of the officer again when he'd completed his errands, thinking of how cold he must be, stopped at a convenience store and bought a large cup of hot chocolate or coffee, it escapes me now. But, when passing the officer again, he rolled down his window, passed the cup to the officer, and thanked him for his help. My husband's description of the expression on the officer's face was that he was surprised, and grateful. What a simple, easy way to practice these thoughts we have. comments (5) | email this | print | permalink Snow Angel--posted by Anonymous, on Apr 4, 2006 I was at work and it had been snowing all day. I peeked outside about an hour before leaving work and I was terrified to see that every square inch of my car had been blanketed in about 8 inches of snow. I stayed in the office a few minutes after 5 trying to figure out how I would get the snow off of my car in heals, a skirt and no window scraper! I finally sucked it up and walked outside. To my surprise as well as relief, my car was completely clean of snow. My windows were scraped, ... comments (4) | email this | print | permalink Laundry mat Veggies--posted by Danielle, on May 31, 2006 I have a big veggie garden and every year i plant a little more than i can handle. It's something like my eyes are bigger than my appetite. I decided to take all of my excess veggies down to the laundry mat with a sign that read "free veggies". I guess that those who use the laundry may prbably rent places and might not be able to plant a garden. I did this all summer and each time when i went to collect the box...it was empty! comments (6) | email this | print | permalink An Unforgettable Birthday Gift--posted by Laksmi, on Jul 24, 2006
comments (7) | email this | print | permalink Driveway Turns Into A Beach--posted by Tom Gerdy, on Feb 14, 2008
A dear friend was only weeks away from death from cancer. She said she was sorry she wouldn't be able to see the ocean again and get her toes in the sand. We live in Central Virginia and she was unable to travel so the trip to the coast wasn't going to happen. Some of us decided the solution was pretty simple. We would surprise her and bring the beach to her. comments (45) | email this | print | permalink Got Up Off My Bed--posted by Jac, on Aug 8, 2006
For a long time, I have been toying with the idea of going abroad to do something worthwhile, a voluntary thing, either working with kids or animals... and have been spoiled for choices with the kind of organised things you can pick, different causes, different countries. It's very expensive though. And I was puzzling over how can I be able to afford the flights and costs and everything. And impatience took over me. comments (9) | email this | print | permalink A Cucumber From Our Backyard--posted by earthling, on Aug 12, 2006
On a Saturday morning, I glanced out of our window to see our chubby, middle-aged postman huffing and puffing on his rounds. I went out with a glass of water. He refused it politely but stopped for a few minutes to chat. comments (3) | email this | print | permalink A Cup of Chai At 3AM--posted by MS, on Aug 22, 2006 The third round of flooding came at night. Residents kept vigil all night, waiting and watching the water level rise. Would it enter their home? As the water rose, people moved to the street, but still they wouldn't sleep. The water level continued it climb upwards, displacing more people as the hours passed. The stores were closed and traffic on the street minimal, but activity was in the air as people moved to help their relatives and neighbours. A distance away, a man heard the news. He jumped on his scooter and instead of heading to the ... comments (3) | email this | print | permalink Father and Son Getting Home--posted by Wes Bennett, on Nov 6, 2007
A few months ago, while driving home from work, I was thinking about my long tiring day at work and worrying about my other half, and would he be OK when I got home. My partner of 6 years, was lying in bed at home, sick and facing a long illness and possibly death. comments (66) | email this | print | permalink Sharing warmth on a cold night--posted by klz16, on Nov 30, 2006
comments (6) | email this | print | permalink Giving someone a chance to recharge--posted by KingHartuc, on Jan 20, 2007
comments (20) | email this | print | permalink An Idea For a Rainy Day--posted by preciv95, on Jan 22, 2007
We have many people in my area who walk everywhere. Today it was raining, and I had a thought. I would go to the dollar store, and buy a bunch of umbrellas. If I see someone walking in the rain, I could stop and give them an umbrella to use.
comments (16) | email this | print | permalink A Lift From The Storm--posted by tambu, on Apr 21, 2007
My daughter works in a drive-thru coffee shop downtown. Our town is small, so we know just about everyone that goes by. comments (22) | email this | print | permalink Not Great, Only Kind--posted by lovebug, on May 25, 2007
comments (13) | email this | print | permalink What The Geese Taught Me--posted by JZ, on May 26, 2007 Next fall, when you see Geese heading South for the Winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going, more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another. When ... comments (42) | email this | print | permalink An Unforgettable Fishing Experience--posted by Mike Delyria, on Dec 12, 2008
comments (30) | email this | print | permalink Few Bills Under A Paper Napkin--posted by Shephali, on Dec 27, 2007
comments (42) | email this | print | permalink Dancing in the Rain!--posted by philster, on Jul 31, 2007
comments (28) | email this | print | permalink Stormy Night Outside Taco Bell--posted by Keleth, on Sep 2, 2007
comments (17) | email this | print | permalink A Young Man and the Starfish--posted by moni73ka, on Oct 31, 2007 Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead ... comments (14) | email this | print | permalink Why Do You Share?--posted by warmth, on Dec 19, 2007
comments (29) | email this | print | permalink The Biggest, Bestest Present Ever!--posted by anwahs, on Dec 26, 2007 There is an elderly man who lives up the street from us. He has no one to shovel his driveway. He is a bit of a miser so most people aren't so inclined to help. One day, I don't know who did it, but someone used the sticky snow on his driveway to make a whole bunch of snowmen on his lawn facing his front window. They were all smiling and waving and his driveway got cleared in the making of them. As my son and I were walking by, I could hear him grumbling under his breath. "What's the problem?" ... comments (26) | email this | print | permalink True Story of A Grateful Whale--posted by Gayu, on Jan 2, 2008
comments (48) | email this | print | permalink Smiling In The Rain--posted by Tikit, on Feb 4, 2008 Where I live, afternoon showers a a common occurrence. They might not last long, but when the skies open up, it pours! After seeing so many folks are caught by the unexpected rain -- people waiting by bus stops, waiting under awnings of stores, and so on. So I decided to stock my car up with "Smile Umbrellas." Oh, they're quite ordinary; in fact, I bought the cheapest ones I could find at the dollar stores. The idea is not that they will last any great length of time, but that they will give someone an unexpected kindness. I went on rain "patrol" today ... and was able to give out 3 of my umbrellas, handing out a Smile Card with each one. The look on two of those people's faces was incredible -- they just couldn't believe it. I came home wetter than drowned rat, but happy as a clam. :) comments (27) | email this | print | permalink Trees DO grow in Brooklyn!--posted by lmil1954, on Mar 25, 2008
Almost forty years ago, back on 12th Street between 8th Ave and Prospect Park West in Brooklyn, a group of people decided to hold a block party. The money raised was for planting trees on each side of the street.
Fast forward some years, and the last time I went back to Brooklyn, I actually saw those little saplings turn into beautiful, full grown, majestic trees! I looked up to the sky and thanked God for such a creation, for giving life to such a small seed planted in the hearts of a few people so many years ago!
comments (14) | email this | print | permalink It Doesn't Stop With Umbrellas--posted by liztree, on Apr 6, 2008
comments (34) | email this | print | permalink Daffodil Principle--posted by freckles, on Apr 4, 2008
comments (22) | email this | print | permalink Sandpiper To Bring You Joy--posted by Jimpa, on Apr 5, 2008
comments (19) | email this | print | permalink Hand in Hand on a Stormy Night--posted by carolreid40, on May 14, 2008 The train was not working that night as I was heading home. I had to catch a bus and 2 hours later was dropped off in the middle of the town I was staying in. The ice storm froze the ground and it was very difficult to walk. I asked three people for directions, but they were too hurried to help. Then I saw an old lady holding onto the corner post with her packages, afraid to move. I asked her where she was going and it was at least 3 miles away. I tried to find a cab or police car but I was told they do not stop in this neighborhood. So, we proceeded to walk along, holding onto each other for dear life. The roads were layered with a sheet of ice. Then and there I decided that I could not leave this old lady alone like this. So, I decided to walk her home, hand in hand, for a good 2 hours. Later that evening, I finally reached my destination wet and exhausted but filled with joy and love for life. comments (14) | email this | print | permalink Noticing An Agitated Duck--posted by Elizabeth, on Jul 10, 2008
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My daughter's birthday is May 29. She was 6 by then. As it was Monday, we prefered to celebrate it earlier, i.e. on Saturday 27 May. This was easier for me as I'm free on Saturdays. On Thursday the entire family was busy packing the presents and putting funny pins on them. I promised my litte princess that I would wake her up early in the morning and distribute the presents to her classmates. 
Being in the high school Band isn't always easy. Hours of practice go into making the show(s) perfect! (Not including if your football team makes it to districts, and so on.) You need a lot of dedication and I realize that because I am in the band.
Every day in August from 8am-12pm we have 'band camp' practicing for the upcoming football season. This past week was one of our last regular season football games and it was COLD! During our break, I was standing in line at the concession stand for a hot chocolate when a band member from ... 
Good day,
I was recently traveling and bad weather had surrounded the airport, causing many flights to get canceled or delayed. I was sitting by the gate, having changed my flight to another one already and was watching the unfortunate airline rep at the gate counter. She was being bombarded by a number of people who seemed to assume that the poor weather, flight cancellations and everything else causing them grief was her fault and each one in turn laid all of their grief on her and I could see she was being pushed to the brink.
A little ah-ha light bulb ... 
Several years ago, I worked for a trucking outfit as a driver. It was my habit to go in on Saturday and spend a couple hours maintaining my truck. As I was under the truck greasing it, I noticed the owner's elderly father making his way over to his grandson's truck next to mine.
The old man was in his high eighties, had been an avid fisherman all his life, and had come out to ask the kid to take him fishing after work. The grandson told him all about how much he would love to do that, but, he ... 
He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how ... 
Today, a friend and I were returning from volunteering at Camp Quality, a great nonprofit that gives cancer-kids a chance to be kids! We spent two days there, and on our way back decided to make a stop for some junk food -- yes, Taco Bell!
It was 10:45PM and one of the fiercest storms of the year had hit when we arrived at a local Taco Bell. Half way out of the entrance, a car appeared to be stuck; so while my friend ran inside to see if TB was open, I went over to the car to offer help. ... 
If you read the front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, Dec 15, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.
The fifty-foot whale was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her her tail, her torso and a line tugging in her mouth.
A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental ... 
I have a good friend, Tom, who keeps extra umbrellas in his car. On rainy days he drives by bus stops and hands free umbrellas to anyone who needs one.
Yesterday, a young man knocked on my door. He was canvasing the neighborhood setting up appointments for free window replacement estimates. He stood far from my door and spoke carefully. I knew why. Despite much progress, stereotypes are still very real. I knew this young African-American man was not getting a whole lot of doors opened in my neighborhood. I opened my door wide and we chatted for a few ... | Home | About Us | Our Friends | Get Involved | Contact us |  |  |  |