Don't Prematurely Preheat
Oftentimes, recipes will instruct you to preheat the oven even before you've collected the ingredients, much less mixed them up. But for first-time bakers, the time it takes to read the recipe, measure, mix, and pour is at least double that of a seasoned baker. To prevent your kitchen from heating up too fast (and to keep it green by saving energy), preheat the oven after you've mixed the ingredients. The oven can heat to the right temp while you spoon cookie batter onto sheets, prep cake pans, and clear counter space for your soon-to-be fresh-baked treats.
How to Do It
Almost all desserts include various amounts of flour, sugar, and butter. Scan cookbooks, recipe sites, and the back of food containers (like chocolate chip bags) for hard-to-botch, tried-and-true recipes. If you want to journey off the beaten path, try specialty cookbooks or adding to basic recipes to create your own signature dessert. Experiment with coconut, nutmeg, fruit juice, chutney, olive oil, dried fruits, even ginger — you never know which foods and flavors will mix. Or try healthier substitutions for the standard processed ingredients; agave nectar, which doesn't cause blood sugar levels to spike, can be used instead of granulated sugar, while enriched white flour can be swapped out for whole wheat flour. Accept the fact that you're going to make mistakes as well as a big mess, and build in time for do-overs and a thorough kitchen cleaning at the end of your bake-quake.
SEVEN: To Benefit Your Community and Environment
65 Volunteer for a Nonprofit Organization
Big businesses like Best Buy and Amazon exist primarily to make money. Sure, they provide consumer services — PlayStations, Linkin Park CDs — but the main goal of mega-companies, banks, law firms, hospitals, restaurants, and gas stations is to take your hard-earned dough and put it in the pockets of high-powered CEOs. Not everyone works for big profit, though. Nonprofit organizations provide social and artistic services like raising money for disadvantaged kids, hosting independent film festivals, representing the needs of various ethnic groups, and finding homes for stray animals. They are often funded by donations, and are less money-driven and more idealistic than regular businesses. Volunteering for a nonprofit is a great way to 1) gain job experience in fund-raising, project management, and public relations, 2) meet interesting people such as community leaders, scientists, and artists, and 3) give back to your community.
How to Do It
Match your interests to a nonprofit org in that field. If you're into anime or manga, contact the local modern art museum and volunteer to lead exhibition tours. Love spending time outdoors? Find out if the local nature conservancy or botanical park needs someone handy with a leaf blower. If you're a math whiz, consider tutoring younger students at a nonprofit education center or afterschool program. Live to swing a hammer? Work with Habitat for Humanity International or another nonprofit that constructs emergency relief housing. Whatever your niche, nonprofits are thrilled to work with volunteers on either a one-time or an ongoing basis. If you choose the latter, establish a schedule with the organization's project manager and stick to it.
Questions to Ask
What training will you receive?
Who will supervise your work?
What perks might you receive as a volunteer (tickets to events, networking ops)?
If your school agrees, can you receive academic credit for volunteering?
66 Go Green
What do you mean, green isn't your color? Helping to sustain the environment is about the sexiest thing around (well, apart from the Victoria's Secret catalog). The modern-day green scene, started up in the US in the 1980s by former hippies and tree huggers, has grown into a major movement. The point is to change how communities and individuals think about ecology and a range of social issues like ecotourism and biodynamic farming. By “going green,” you're pledging to uphold ecological sustainability and social responsibility and putting yourself in the same political camp as Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio.
How to Do It
There are so many ways to help out your environment, but these are good ways to start:
1. Recycle materials. Paper, cans, bottles, and certain plastics can all be recycled. Recycling means less trash, and saves our overflowing landfills from more than 200 million tons of garbage per year. That equals less land pollution, more open space for parks, less soil and water pollution (which builds up when trash is buried) and less air pollution (which comes when trash is burned). Recycle bins are provided by most city sanitation departments, but when they're not, you can take your recyclables to the nearest recycling center.
2. Recycle food. Rather than throw away food scraps, toss them into a compost heap so they turn into usable fertilizer.
3. Recycle clothes. Donate your old threads instead of trashing them, and score cool thrift shop finds instead of brand-new clothes.
4. Buy biodegradable. Products labeled “biodegradable” will decompose back into the environment.
5. Recycle bags. Bring your own shopping bags when you go to stores (most plastic bags are not biodegradeable!).
6. Reduce energy consumption. Most of our electrical power comes from coal, which spews carbon dioxide into the environment when it's burned and leads to global warming. Try to reduce your energy consumption by turning off lights when you leave a room and unplugging electrical things (like your cell charger) when not in use.
Green Political Scene
Many countries have a Green Party whose candidates champion environmental sustainability. Here in the US, Green Party candidates have yet to win a presidential election, but in 2010, 18 Green Party candidates in 11 different states won major seats on city councils and school boards, and filled mayoral and other posts.
67 Contribute to Community Beautification
Scientists are a long way off from colonizing Mars, so chances are you're stuck on Earth pretty much forever. Why not do everything you can to keep this amazing but fragile planet as beautiful as possible? You don't have to clean up an entire continent, but you should take pride in your surroundings throughout the neighborhood.
How to Do It
There are countless ways to make your stomping grounds sweeter, without working up a sweat or putting yourself out too much. An obvious place to start is by not throwing stuff like gum wrappers out the car window or tossing empty soda cans in the alley behind school. Beyond that, you can volunteer with your local parks department to plant trees and flowers in sidewalk plots or to slap a new coat of paint on the park's benches. Working with the transportation department, you can adopt a bus shelter as your own, painting and tidying it as needed. Graffiti removal from storefronts is always welcome — talk to the store's owner to arrange a cleanup session. If you'd rather add art to the cityscape, organize a mural painting on a blah exterior wall (just be sure to check in with the shopowner first). Many neighborhoods also feature community gardens tended by a devoted group of green-thumbers who take care of specific plants, fruits, and vegetables that are shared by all.
Change Begins at Home
Feel like your house could use a little beautification? Do what you can to (gently) make your family more aware of their surroundings. Keep your front lawn free of weeds, clear clutter from tables and floors, and persuade your older brother to either fix that nasty broken down car or get it out of the driveway for good.
68 Visit Your Local Officials
You might not be old enough to vote, but as a member of a democratic society you should still get involved in your community by expressing your opinions. Local officials, such as your city's mayor and your district's supervisor, are not elected merely to dine at $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser dinners and make an appearance at the opening of the new mall. They're here to represent the people. So, make an appointment to meet with your town's head honchos. Whether you're eyeing a career in politics or just want to get more involved in community affairs, sharing face time with the bigwigs is a great opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of local government a
nd make your voice heard on issues that affect you and your friends — like raising the minimum wage, reducing the cost of college tuition, or making birth control and safe sex information more accessible at school.
How to Do It
First off, find out who's in charge of what in your local government. For instance, the mayor oversees everything, while supervisors are in charge of specific neighborhoods. Call or visit City Hall to find out who's who, and ask to make an appointment with the official you want to meet. These folks are busy so it may be weeks or even months until you can get in to see them. If you do snag an appointment, it probably won't be for a leisurely sit-down over decaf lattes. Instead, you'll likely be asked to visit the official's office for a 15-minute power meeting. Prepare specific questions in advance about your concern. If a one-on-one appointment is tough to arrange, attend one of the many government meetings open to the public.
People Have the Power
If you can't get an exclusive visit with your legislator, send your thoughts on that political hot topic in writing. For the biggest impact, help motivate friends and classmates to do the same — the more letters and emails you all send, the more attention you'll bring to the issue.
69 Join a Political Campaign
If you have strong opinions about policies in your community, or country for that matter, you can get more involved by joining a political campaign. Maybe you think that there should (or shouldn't) be a curfew for teens, or that your city should participate only in fair trade practices (a cause often championed by Chris Martin from Coldplay). Even though you may not be able to vote yet, your opinions are important. Volunteering your time and enthusiasm to a campaign and supporting an issue or candidate that stirs your passion puts you smack-dab in the midst of political action and social change. Don't leave all the decision-making and chance for change to older voters. Just because someone has been on the planet longer doesn't make them smarter about what's best for today's society.
Minor Involvement
The minimum voting age is 18, which is a bummer if you're younger and highly opinionated. But even if you're not old enough to vote yet, you can volunteer to serve as a poll worker. Some states have age provisions, so check with your local department of elections for details.
How to Do It
Read up on the candidates running in the next election (they are held every November). Just like in school elections for president, treasurer, and secretary, you'll most likely relate to one of the candidates for mayor or supervisor because their ideas make sense and they seem honest (well, as much as a politician can). Contact campaign headquarters and announce yourself as a willing volunteer. You can help out by answering phones, stuffing envelopes, and distributing leaflets. On Election Day you'll feel a surge of pride knowing you went out and tried to effect change, even if your candidate doesn't win — this time.
70 Feed the Needy
When we lose power for a few hours or go camping for a few days, we often bemoan the loss of our cable TV or hot morning shower. But there are a great many Americans with a real stressor and it's not a lack of cable — it's a lack of food. What can you do about it? Make and deliver food for these people. In most towns and cities, there are programs for feeding the hungry. Churches, shuls, mosques, and other religious organizations generally have something going on. Nonprofit organizations like Food Not Bombs (which promotes sharing free food while protesting war) and The Burrito Project (a national food program initially inspired by the charitable work of San Francisco hip-hop musicians) also get eats to people without funds or kitchens. Ever heard of Meals on Wheels? They assemble and deliver nutritious lunches and dinners to seniors with limited mobility. Choose an organization you like (they all are run differently) and do a little cooking and delivering for them. You'll get to meet some interesting people and feel good about how you spend your free time.
How to Do It
Luckily, you don't have to be a top chef to cook in these programs. All you need is a genuine willingness to help, take directions from the group leader, and keep a regular schedule in which to volunteer (even if it is only a few hours a month). There are probably more community kitchens in your town than you're aware of, as these orgs don't usually have enough money to do major advertising. Decide if you'd like to work with a certain demographic — like homeless families with small children, housebound senior citizens, or teenage runaways. Once you find your place, talk to the program organizer about volunteer opportunities, schedule, and training requirements. Be sure to treat your volunteer work as if it were a paying job. Your boss may not be able to fire you if you skip work, but if you don't show up, people won't eat, which is not cool. By feeding (and getting to know) people less fortunate than yourself, you'll learn a lot about the world that exists beyond your front door, plus make friends with people you otherwise would have never met.
Beyond Christmas
Soup kitchens and other food-delivery programs always get a surge of volunteers around the holidays — too many to even accommodate. It's natural for people to try to help when our culture reminds us it's the right thing do to, but your services are needed more during the rest of the year: summer, spring, and early fall. Then, if you still want to participate in the popular holiday shifts, you'll have a leg up on the guy who walks in off the street looking to help that one day a year.
71 Understand How a Farm Works
Pioneering Americans were just itching to settle on wide open plains, rope their own doggies, and raise their own chuck. But here we are today in a fast-food nation that, for the most part, is clueless about just how food goes from farm to drive-thru window. Visiting a farm is crucial if you want to understand where much of your food comes from, how crops are maintained, and why treating natural resources with respect is essential in this era of global warming and other ecological concerns.
Of course, rural dwellers probably know a thing or two about how much work it takes to get eggs from the henhouse to the table, but for those who think their breakfast is grown in the back rooms of the supermarket, a taste of farm life will bring newfound appreciation for how and why you eat what you do.
How to Do It
Research the nearest farming destination; even if you don't live in the Midwest, there's bound to be at least a few acres of farmland within a few hours' drive or bus ride. Contact the farm in advance — many small farms offer daytrip programs featuring all sorts of farming ops, from plowing fields with oxen and picking veggies to churning butter and milking Sally (that's the cow). While farming, think about what new skills you can bring back to the city. You won't be able to lay an egg, no matter how hard you try, but you can plant an herb garden (see page 88 for pointers) to hang from your window-sill or make a compost pile in your backyard (if you're lucky enough to have one).
A Growing Concern
Everyone's talking about “sustainable agriculture” these days. It's an approach taken by farmers who believe in growing food without harming the environment in the process — that means no chemical dumps or disrupting the ecosystem. But sustainable practices aren't just for farmhands. You can work your own sustainable mojo by replacing your glass cleaner and paper towel with vinegar and newspaper, choosing clothing made from organic materials, and making your own pizza instead of ordering in (to eliminate landfill-bound boxes).
72 Write an Op-Ed
Have strong opinions about what's going on in your community? Want to express your impassioned beliefs beyond the dinner table, where your expertly argued views on politics are ignored in favor of dull debates over the best and worst salad dressing? Reach out to a wide readership by submitting an opinion-editorial, commonly known as an op-ed, to your local newspaper. Most papers devote a page or two each day to these essays written by community members. Have you thought of a great reason why that abandoned lot should be turned into a skate park? Maybe you want your city to host an architectural competition for a monument to soldiers killed in a war? Or maybe you just want to speak out about your
views on an international topic of great importance, like finding a cure for AIDS or making peace in the Middle East. The more specific and detailed your op-ed, the better: The point is to spark public dialogue in hopes of bringing people's attention to important issues — and away from nightly sessions of mindless channel surfing.
How to Do It
Check the paper's masthead — that's the list of who's who in the front of the paper — and look for the name of the op-ed page editor. An email address might be provided. If not, phone the editorial department, explain that you'd like to submit a piece, and ask for a contact, as well as guidelines, such as length. To grab attention, lead your op-ed with the most important info and state a persuasive case for why your issue and opinion are important to the local community. Keep your op-ed short and to the point, and respect the other side's point of view while giving strong, factually based reasons for your own. It's pretty much like prepping for a debate at school. Follow up with the editor, who might ask for clarifications or a rewrite before publishing your masterpiece. And keep in mind that not every op-ed submitted to a paper is published — if yours isn't chosen, you can still get your opinion out there by posting the piece on a blog.
97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School Page 9