In a world where everything seems bleak, we try our best to find some sort of escape. Whether or not this is simply denial of reality is something we won't delve into (we're Guru, we don't do existential crises). But with the stress of the real world and our quest to discover things that would temporary alleviate what we feel, we seldom ask the question, "What can I do to make the world a little better?." It may seem cliché but there are a number of little things you can do and it's not all about volunteering in a dense forests where you have to sleep in rickety tents with no toilets (shudder) all for the sake of saving Mother Earth. There are simple things like buying something online, adopting a doggo or even go shopping that can help a cause. This week, we've got some causes that you can get behind.
WVS Thailand
9.30am-4.30pm, Mon-Sun
12 Moo 11, Wiang Dong, Nam Prae, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai
http://CareForDogs.org, http://fb.com/Street.Dog.Rescue
contact@carefordogs.org, 086-913-8701
Based in Chiang Mai, WVS Thailand is an organisation that helps man's best friend in a number of ways. They are always on the lookout for dogs in need, going around neighbourhoods to see if any need help and seek public help if ever a stray needs help via their FB page. Their shelter provides a free clinic for street dogs and they also do periodical outreach clinics in different areas providing sterilisations and vaccinations. They also work with the local municipality to humanely address the problem of overpopulation. While they've stated that the best way to help their cause is through responsible ownership, there are also a couple of things you can get involved in. One of the easier ways is adoption. A quick glance at their website and FB page and you'll see a number of doggos who need love and affection and a home. The process of adoption is pretty quick so if you fall in love with a four-legged friend, you can take him or her home the same day! Another thing you can do is donate through their website. But if you want to get into the nitty gritty of it, volunteer and help out. The basic tenet of the foundation is "Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely the world will change for that one dog" and doing any of these things will surely do just that.
(Photos: WVS Care For Dogs)
Carenation
Care-Nation.com, http://fb.com/CarenationThailand
092-962-9524
Carenation is a one-of-a-kind social enterprise that donates its proceeds to a number of charities in Thailand. It sells funeral wreaths, a common sight at the many temples around the city. According to a founder, Parith Rungsimanond, Thailand spends around B4 billion on wreaths every year so he and his partner sought to remedy that. They devised a way to make the wreaths as a way to raise money for causes. The wreath is made with recycled paper and paper from farmed trees and is also assembled by impoverished people, which means it's good for the environment and provides jobs for the poor. Twenty to 35% of the proceeds go to different charities like Unicef or The Mirror Foundation, an NGO which works with hill tribes in the North, as well as hospitals like Chulalongkorn. Carenation wants to be transparent in their dealings so that customers are aware of where their money goes and hence, provides receipts which are tax deductible. They've got a variety of wreaths on sale, the cheapest being B1,500, which can be ordered via their website or via LINE @care-nation.
Clutter Sale
10am-5pm, Mar 30 Grand Ballroom, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel
http://fb.com/ClutterSaleBangkok
If you live by the motto "shop 'til you drop" then there's no better way to spend money than at the Clutter Sale at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. The one-day sale (take note) is a bargain as organisers promise 70 booths that will be selling new and used branded items from clothes, home decor and gadgets, which have been donated by expats, celebrities and "local VIPs". Of course, this isn't just about getting a bargain on really cool items and "making it rain" in that Grand Ballroom. It's all to raise funds for the Genetic Cancer Research Center of Chulalongkorn Hospital, so not only do you get to buy brands at a bargain, you can also spend for a good cause. There's also a lucky draw where you can win hotel stays, dining vouchers and two economy class tickets to Istanbul and a domestic flight to any destination in Turkey courtesy of Turkish Airlines.
CHEWW.CO
http://fb.com/ChewwCo, IG: Cheww.co, LINE @cheww.co
Living a sustainable lifestyle doesn't necessarily mean you have to make drastic changes right away so maybe stop chucking out all your Tupperware. You can start off with little easy changes and ease yourself into it, like refusing to use plastic, trying to use refill stations (check our previous article on refill stations on the Bangkok Post website) or you can switch some of the everyday stuff you use to something more sustainable. For example: toothpaste. CHEWW.CO is barely a month old but it's got one goal in mind: lessen plastic waste by reducing the use of conventional toothpaste tubes. They estimate they can cut plastic waste of 10,000 tubes in their first year. CHEWW.CO candy-like toothpaste bits come in a reusable package and can be ordered with a subscription so you can get a year's supply. They're working on making it available at bulk-buy stores so follow their social media for updates. You can order via their social media or through LINE.
Special Thai Running
A charity run is nothing new but a virtual one may have you raise your eyebrows. Special Thai Running joins force with Taejai to host the "Rangers Virtual Run 2019" to provide funds for -- yes, you've guessed it -- Thai rangers when they are injured or passed away. Here's how you can run for a good cause at your own pace -- and wherever or whenever you want. Pick the distance that you would like to accomplish (up to 100km) upon signing up. Conquer that distance in one run or several. Record your progress with the help from an app or a smartwatch. At the end, submit your e-Bib number along with screen grab(s) showing how may kilometres you've completed and wait for souvenirs to be sent to your address. This run accepts applications until Apr 6 (B650 per person for all distances) and the running period starts from Apr 1 and ends on Apr 30 at 11.59pm. One runner means B100 towards helping Thai rangers. Now that's a worthy cause we all can run behind.
