Join the Cause & Hit the Switch

The global climate crisis, also known as climate change, seems to be a reoccurring topic in our everyday conversation. Yet there still remains a large number of people who are unaware of its impact and what they can do to help.

So what is climate change?
• Climate change is a change in the earth’s climate.
According to "The Psychology of Climate Change Communication," “climate change” is preferred over the term “global warming” because it avoids the misleading implications that every region of the world is warming uniformly and that the dangerous outcome of growing greenhouse gas emissions is higher temperature, when that, in fact is just the tipping point for a cascade of changes in the earth’s ecosystem.

One major contributor to the global climate crisis is electricity. Electricity is something we use on a daily basis that requires an electric charge, which may be potentially harmful to our bodies and the environment. Unconsciously we waste a large amount of energy on a daily basis.

Get involved
According to The New York Times the unemployment rate is high and more people are unemployed than ever before.In addition to global climate crisis numerous individuals are being affected by the economic crisis. Numerous people are living paycheck to paycheck, not knowing when things are going to get better. So what can people do to cut their monthly expenses cutting their to contribution to the climate change crisis?

"Cut down the cost"
According to thinkquest.org, there are various ways to preserve electricity and cut back on expenses:
• Be sure to turn off lights when you leave a room.
• When you go away on a trip, be sure to unplug these same machines because they have standby functions that consume electricity even when they are turned off.
• Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth, and take shorter showers. This will not only save water, but it will also save the electricity that it takes to pump and heat the water.
• Use fluorescent light bulbs because they use 75 percent less energy and last longer than incandescent light bulbs.
• Use light bulbs that are low in wattage in areas of your house where you don’t need bright light.
• Make sure that outdoor lighting is turned off during the day. Use motion-detectors lights or timer switches.

So remember to do your part and help save our environment. It doesn’t take much. Once you begin to change your daily habits you will begin to see a finical change as well as a change in the atmosphere.

And don’t forget to hit the switch!

"The Social Network"

A must see film!

If you love Facebook and you are a fanatic who uses it on a daily basis, I suggest that you go and see "The Social Network". It is a movie about the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, which was inspired by a book written by Ben Mezeich," The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal". The Social Network gives its audience a Hollywood perspective of how Zuckerberg went about creating Facebook. I believe that this is an inspiring film for any who wishes to day business in the social media industry.

On Sept. 30, I had an opportunity to see a free screening of the movie, a day before it came out. Sony Pictures granted 150 students from Florida A&M University (FAMU) an opportunity to catch a sneak peak of the movie, in hopes to create a buzz about the newly released film. The movie was an eye-opening experience, which completely altered the way I view Facebook. For years my friends and I have been heavy users of Facebook, but I don’t really think we understood its purpose or magnitude until recently.

Many times we hear stories about how a 20-year-old college drop-out comes up with a brilliant idea and how they magically become a millionaire. Often, the most important details are usually left out, such as the long hours, hard work, dedication and brilliance that is required. I personally believe that a large majority of people fail to realize what is actually required when it comes to creating something as powerful as Facebook. The Social Network "exposed the intellectual intelligence of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook. Prior to seeing the movie I thought that some kid just randomly came up with a creative idea and boom, there goes Facebook! Now, I can’t help but laugh at myself because it clearly took more than creativity.

A major issue in the movie is character. The film shed light on some of, the choices Zuckerberg made while creating Facebook. Character is something that is highly thought of no matter what job market you chose to work in. I am currently reading a book, "Do the Right Thing" by James Hoggan. In chapter one of the book he stresses the importance of three things: do the right thing, be seen doing the right thing, and don't get #1 and #2 mixed up. In other words make sure you are doing the right thing for the right reasons. I believe that if Zuckerberg would had an honest PR practitioner by his side while in the beginning stages of Facebook, he would have thought twice about some of the decisions he made.

Neverthless, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist or a genius to be the next social media guru to create something along the lines of Facebook; however, it does take hard work and dedication. Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter were not created in a day; it took long hours, hard work and dedication. Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey are great examples of the quote “never give up”. These men had ideas that were rejected many times, yet they never allowed adversity to keep them from making their dreams become reality.

For those who have some free time within the next couple of week, I recommend that you go see this movie, so that you can learn something new about Facebook. In addition to seeing "The Social Network", should read "Do the Right Thing". It will help you understand the importance of making good ethical decisions. Trust me, you wont regret it!

Sources:

The Social Network (2010)

Facebook movie doesn't disappoint

Do the Right Thing: PR Tips for a Skeptical Public