How do we….

…move toward world peace?

…move toward collaboration on climate change?

…move toward economic and environmental responsibility?

…become energy independent and a member of the world community?

Here is a huge step in the right direction…

I received this email from a new friend of mine and thought that it is something that we might all do to make a little boy happy. He is not asking for any money… just some folded airplanes. Here is part of that forwarded email:

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From: Monica Simons
Subject: Please read this email - Paying it Forward for a 5 year old cancer patient and his quest

Hi Everyone! I have a very special favor to ask each and everyone of you. This past Saturday JT and I met Hunter at Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo . After meeting him I knew I had to help his quest. I had heard about his quest Thursday before we met by chance on Saturday. All I can say is that he and his family are very strong and getting Hunter to talk about his airplanes is the one thing that keeps his hopes up and the drive to get through the next several weeks so he can go home and see all the places people have sent airplanes from. With that being said, please read the information below, pass this email along to everyone you know and lets help Hunter get into the Guiness Book of World Records! Pay it Forward People…..

Hunter Winship is a 5 year old boy from Fillmore , New York . He is in Kindergarten. Hunter’s wish is to make it into the Guiness Book of Records for recieving the most paper airplanes. JT and I had the pleasure of meeting Hunter on Feb. 2nd and after talking with him I felt I had to help spread the word. He is a very courageous young man. Hunter was diagnosed with rare form of cancer called Burkitts cancer. It only affects about 300 children a year between the ages of 2-11. Burkitts is one of the fastest growing tumors. Hunter went to Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo on Jan. 25th with the tumor being the size of a tennis ball. By the following Monday the tumor had grown to the size of a cantalope. Hunter was started on chemo and the treatment shut down his kidneys and then his liver started failing. Then on Monday he told his mom that he could not see very well and then he quit breathing. Hunter has had tubes placed down his throat, nose and tubes in his arms and toes. He has swelling in the brain due to high blood pressure. When Hunter went into the hospital he weighed 40 pounds and as of writing this email he weighs about 70 poounds due to the fluid build up. Hunter is in intensive care and is stable. All Hunter needs from you is a paper airplane. All you need to do is to make a paper airplane and put the state where you are from on it or the country you are from on the wing. Then send it to…..
Hunter Winship
The Airplane Cancer Goal
11227 North Hill Road
Freedom, NY 14065
United States of America

Please help this little boy reach his dream of being in the Guiness Book of World Records. He is a terrific little guy and I told him I lots of friends that I would email and ask for help. His mom was very appreciative. It took all I had to keep from crying but his mom reassured me Hunter looks forward to going home and seeing all those airplanes from all over the world. Please help us help Hunter! God Bless…. Monica and JT
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This is a wonderful project to allow a wee bit of joy into their lives. Thanks for your time. If you are not familiar with the term or movie called “Pay It forward”… it was one of my all time favorites. Here are a couple of links…

In-joy,
Bruce
P.S. The movie “Pay It Foward” was one of my all time favorites. If you have not seen the movie, here are a couple of clips from the movie.

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Here are some of the current news storys with photos of Hunter…
Channel 4 Article

From the article…….
‘And one of the only things better than setting the plane record are the results of Hunter’s first chemo treatment. “They wanted tumor depreciated by 20 percent. He actually lost 50 percent.” Young Hunter’s prognosis is very promising. Chances are he’ll grow up to set more records, possibly with a real plane.’

Email Update:
Mrs. Wilkowlowski’s class at Cleveland Hill High School started making paper airplanes for the boy in Freedom this morning. By the end of 2nd Period, they had 500. News traveled to the art classes, where the teacher, Miss Paternostro, allowed the students to abandon their class work to make more airplanes to support the cause. Senior and Valedictorian, Kerry Michelsen, relayed the story to her classmates in Economics class, and Mr. Haley, their teacher, said the kids could make the planes out of the test papers they were supposed to take, while Kerry took the test for the entire class. (everyone would get the grade she got in lieu of making paper airplanes) She got 28/30 as a grade for their efforts.

There are many ways to think of how to funnel the impressive power of a group of individuals and the larger community. One way is by setting an example for the renewable energy wave of change that is under foot.

Sometimes it is difficult to be the first one in your neighborhood to make the move to renewable energy. Most all of the time it is well worth the effort and has benefits that go far beyond your expectations!

Below is a wonderful video by Good Energy Films in England. This north London church brings solar energy to the community providing green electricity and raising awareness for renewable energy.

Suprisingly, buildings produce the biggest share of green house emmissions. More than transportation or industry. The good news… is that no other sector offers a simpler or cheaper way to cut emmissions and save energy.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report in April 2007 highlighting the importance of energy efficient buildings in the global campaign to combat climate change.

“By some conservative estimates, the building sector worldwide could deliver emissions reductions of 1.8 billion tons of CO2,” says UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. “A more aggressive energy efficiency policy might deliver over two billion tons or close to three times the amount scheduled to be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol.”

Currently the building sector has it’s CO2 emmissions are rising at the rate of one and a half to two percent per year. So conservation, higher efficiency, better insulation and renewable energy are key elements to dramatically reduce this trend. Sustainable building practice has attracted some high-profile projects and has gone mainstream over the last few years. In May-2007, The Clinton Initiative launched the Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program, a five Billion dollar project that will create more efficient energy consumption in existing uban buildings.

The new green standard Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has garnered a new respect in the building industry and has has a tremdous amount of public interest.LEED certifications take into account site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Some insurance companies are now offering lower insurance rates due to the lower risk factor…. everybody wins.

In-joy,

Bruce

Energy From The Community - Good Energy Films

Is this blog post accountable for even more CO2 in the atmosphere? Yep.

Two student entrepreneurs decided to do something about it. Now with over 1 million visitors they are having an impact and are looking to take the next step by finding green advertizing dollars to. empowured.net is proud to support them.

In a related article from earth2tech.com