Goal For The Green

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Social Power for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If  you want to be the change and make a difference now you can with Social Power.

Social Power is a new social platform that harnesses the power of social media to resolve everyday issues, both big and small. Social media is huge and allows us to connect and share photos, feelings, and ideas.

Now, Social Power takes social media one huge step further by harnessing the power-of-the-people to create meaningful long-term and sustainable change.

What  would you like to change? As individuals, our ability to impact is limited, collectively it’s enormously powerful – powerful enough to change and make positive changes that until now, we didn’t think were possible.

Social Power enables every individual to resolve issues that they never could have achieved alone. These resolutions can come in the form of a price reduction, a better product, service, or experience.

First you think of the most important, resolvable issues that affect not only you, but others as well. Then watch the video

Feel free to check out the Press Release for additional information.http://bit.ly/13196xm

Once you share your issue on Social Power,  they  work to raise awareness for it in their social network, while you do the same in yours. When 1,000 people agree that your issue also affects them, Social Power turns that issue into an initiative. That is when things get exciting. Since, nearly every Social Power initiative is potentially resolvable, there will always be a person, board or governing body capable of creating a resolution.  Agents of Change are notified of an initiative they are capable of resolving.

Resolution

Once the Agent of Change proposes an acceptable resolution, it is offered back to the Social Power user base. These resolutions often come in the form of a price reduction, a better product, service, or experience.

It is happening everywhere, schools are closing, funding is not available, school levies often fail. There are teacher in-service days, and half days every month. Wouldn’t you like to have more say on when your child is in school and when they aren’t?

Here is the issue that I raised on Social Power http://socialpower.com/i/620/Public-schools-should-be-open-year-round-and-offer-night-classes-Instead-of-closing-schools-it-would-offer-more-flexibility-and-options.

Is Summer vacation too long? Would you like to be able to choose and schedule your school time off and vacations to fit the family schedule? Not everyone is ready to start their day at the crack of dawn. It has been determined that some people are more productive in the evening. So, why not keep buildings open and offer more alternatives and individuality to education? If you agree with me or have comments, like my issue on Facebook and Twitter and help make the change.

As you can see assembling a mass of people to rally for something doesn’t require a bull-horn and a soap box anymore. All it takes is an internet connection and the desire to create change, your change, any change or a Big change.

Social Power will be the media platform to make changes happen. They didn’t invent the phrase “power to the people” but they sure  are gonna stand with you on your issue. Their reason for being is to give us the tools we need to effect change. If you’ve ever felt like the voiceless victim of consumer injustice, now, through the ripple effects caused by social power and media influence, you’ll have the power to be heard.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of QuadraFire for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Built on a strong legacy QuadraFire Pellet Stoves creates products with proven performance, durability and control in mind. Rugged construction and proven technologies highlight why “Nothing Burns Like a Quad.” With Quadra-Fire® pellet stoves and inserts, performance is standard, along with hig quality and performance. Their stoves and inserts are the quietest, easiest to operate and most durable products on the market, today.  It’s a commitment, a tradition and a guiding principle of this rugged brand.

The Benefits of adding a Quadra-Fire Pellet Stove to your home are stated here
Did you know that using a pellet stove to heat your home costs 44% less than oil, 47% less than electric, and 53% less than propane heat? This is true because biomass fuels are composed of renewable, carbon-neutral products and they are also an extremely eco-friendly and popular heating alternative.

Here also is some additional great news for you! The federal tax credit on 75 percent efficient biomass heating appliances, which expired on Dec. 31, 2011, was recently reinstated on Jan. 2, 2013. The bill includes a “tax extender” for Internal Revenue Service Section 25C, which provides a tax credit for, among many other things, qualifying biomass-burning stoves! The extender provides a 10 percent tax credit of up to $300 on a qualifying biomass heating appliance purchased between Jan. 1, 2012 and De. 31, 2013! Something you may want to consider for your home heating efficiency.

Here is a little background on the Quadra Burn System. After nearly two years of research and development, Alan Trusler and Dan Henry revealed their patented Quadra-Burn system in 1985, as an eco-conscious replacement for traditional wood-burning stoves. By burning and re-burning gases and smoke in four different zones of the stove, Trusler and Henry created the cleanest burning non-catalytic wood stoves on the market and revolutionized alternative-energy for home heating and consumption. More than 25 years later, you can rest assured that each and every Quadra-Fire stove or insert, whether it runs on wood, corn, gas, or pellets, is designed with a mind toward efficiency and an eye toward beauty.

Lastly, I have partnered with IZEA, to offer a contest where I will mail out a Quadra-Fire notebook to one lucky  winner!  The notebook is a journal sized book made from recycled materials that has a pen with it.

For entry check out the Quadra-Fire site, specifically the Quadra-Fire Pellet Stoves. Then  please leave comments here that include why you like Quadra-Fire! Follow Quadra-Fire on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest and refer to http://goalforthegreen.com where you heard about this contest, and retweet this entire post. I will choose a winner by midnight on February 27th, 2013 .  Therefore, you must leave a reachable twitter address, working email address or both where you can be reached.  You will only have 48 hours to respond if you are the winner, so I must be able to contact you promptly. Best of Luck!
 

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holidays are quickly approaching, times of merriment and gathering, reconnecting with those you love, and those in need of love. And, even though the spirit of Christmas may be some time off, opportunities to be charitable never take a holiday.

However, while the thought of supporting a local non-profit organization that strikes your fancy may come readily to mind, committing the actual act itself is another test of one’s generosity entirely. Money can be quite tight this time of year, even for the most charitable of individuals and families. Fortunately, the shopping industry giant Walmart has the monetary weight to throw around alongside its’ equally large heart.

It is with this virtuous goal in mind that a new charity drive under Walmart’s blue and yellow banner has been set into motion. Dubbed the “12 Days of Giving“, the shopping juggernaut is providing its’ customers a chance to be charitable without breaking their own bank.

Throughout the wintery chill of the holiday season, Walmart will be giving out $1.5 million dollars in grants, as well as various “basic needs” items such as food and clothing, to local communities and the eclectic collection of peoples that define them. But this act of selfless donation isn’t necessarily directionless; those armed with a basic Internet connection and a Facebook account can focus their attention towards non-profit organizations they feel warrant the support, ones with big ideas and goals but not the budget to match.

A chance to put a perpetually-struggling non-profit organization in the black for once?

Yes, it can be a reality, though for organizations that are more locally-oriented, the minds behind such righteous pursuits are seldom free of the looming threat of debt and potential bankruptcy on their way towards making the world a better place. But this is your chance to give a long-deserved sigh of relief to those who deserve it most.

Charitable opportunities such as this do not come around often, especially those which don’t cost your personal wallet a single dime. If you have a local non-profit organization you would like to support through these giving times, letting your voice and the story that accompanies it be heard is a super-simple process. All you need to do is visit Walmart’s “Live Better” application on their Facebook page, located here:

http://walmarturl.com/YSf01nJ.

Once on the page, click on the frosty “Nominate Now” button to open the respective 12 Days of Giving Nomination Form a little way’s down the page. The form itself is very brief, so don’t worry, you won’t be filling out paperwork all night to have your voice heard.

You will need to know the non-profit organization’s name, contact info, and website, so coming prepared with the right information can cut down a few minutes of potential research on your end. You can also include a photo related to the organization that you find best suits them, pinning a face (or perhaps just a building) to the busy men and women struggling to make the world a better place for all.

One of the final form sections to fill out is a bit more personal than the rest. It asks you how, exactly, your chosen non-profit organization benefits your community, and the impact they have on the lives they touch. I, personally, chose to direct attention to the ALS of Nevada society, largely due to the experiences a close friend of mine has had with her mother.

From what she has told me in the past, the responsibility of the wellbeing of all those with this utterly horrible illness in her area fell almost solely on the weighted shoulders of a team of three women. Due to truly hard times in Nevada, now there is just one woman covering the entire state.

Just think about that for a second.

One person to help hundreds if not thousands afflicted with an incurable, and ever-worsening disease. Every day could have been the last for ALS of Nevada, yet still endless hours each day are filled helping those in dire need. ALS of Nevada is praised by those they help, those they assisted; if only temporarily. For without their care and attention, these unfortunate souls would likely perish far faster if left without support.

A chance to grant a much-needed monetary boost to such an organization seemed like a sound investment to me.

As mentioned before, a Facebook account is required to pin a name and face to the yarns spun and companies suggested, but really, who doesn’t have a Facebook account these days?

This opportunity will only run until the 18th of this month, so don’t hesitate to have your voice be heard!

After you’ve finished casting your choice, be sure to come back here, leave a comment, and share the organization you’re putting your support behind.

Doing good always feels better when you know others are doing the same. Let’s make these holidays something to cherish instead of dread for the miracle workers of the world!