Whether you are looking for something productive to help you kill time, or are looking for some meaning to your hours spent on the computer, these sites will help you pass the time and make a difference in someone’s life all at once.
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Kiva
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Fun Advice
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Eco-Libris
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Petfinder
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Free Rice
This site has set up a microlending program for entrepreneurs in various countries. It works with a simple formula: You browse people in other (poorer) countries who need money to start up a business, you lend them money through Paypal, and then they pay you back as their endeavor becomes profitable. It’s a great way to help people around the world, and it feels very secure.
If you’re full of knowledge (both useless and useful), FunAdvice can be a great place for you to help others by giving them advice on almost any topic. The site’s “business principles” aim toward a site where advice can be given while they, “make the world a better place through improved cross cultural understanding and greater religious tolerance, enable individuals to get advice on any issue, so long as it’s a positive one and promote respect, tolerance and human rights.” And it’s free!
This is a great program for those bookworms out there. If you struggle with the inner conflict of being a bookworm who loves the environment, shell out a few bucks for this organization. For every dollar you give, a tree is planted. You also get a sticker for every dollar so you can put it on a book and spread the word that a tree was planted to replace the paper used for the book. If it sounds complicated, it’s not, just go try it.
For anyone who is looking for a new member of the family (whether it be feline, canine or other), Petfinder.com is a free site with searchable listings of animals needing rescue. You can search by zip code and animal type and even more detailed categories, such as breed. Listings from local animal shelters and rescue groups will show photos and information about pets needing to be rescued. You will make a difference in their lives, and they’ll touch yours in return.
Are you a vocabulary whiz who scored an 800 on the verbal SAT? Even if you didn’t, freerice.com is a great place to expand your vocabulary and help those in need. With various vocab questions that range in difficulty based on your abilities, grains of rice are donated for every question you get right. For each correct question, Freerice donates 20 grains of rice to the UN World Food program. You’ve got nothing to lose.













March 8th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Dara,
Thank you for having us on this great list. Eco-Libris is a green business committed to making reading more sustainable and I’m happy to report we already balanced out more than 19,000 books, which results in more than 25,000 trees being planted by our planting partners (we plant 1.3 trees for every tree you pay for to make sure at least one tree will reach maturity).
Raz Godelnik
Eco-Libris