Interventions

The phrase Think Globally, Act Locally was reportedly coined by David Brower, founder of Friends of the Earth, as its slogan when it was founded in 1969, although others have stated it was originated by Rene Dubos an advisor to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. As an advertising and branding strategy several companies later picked up on the phrase and coined the word "glocal" to represent  the interconnectedness between thinking big (globally) and doing the little things (locally) in order to bring about positve change. Regardless of who said "what-when", the message is clear, in order to impact the world we need to impact our community. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."  Recognized as one of those individuals who was "the change she wanted to see in the world", Mother Theresa toiled tirelessly among the "untouchables" of India, bringing comfort and healing to the poorest of the poor; people with leprosy, blindness, and crippling diseases; those rejected by family and friends. She is quoted as saying "If I hadn't picked up that first person many years ago, the 77,500 plus who came next wouldn't have been picked up off the streets." She is credited with saying that "big things are accomplished in small acts." 

1. Why do you suppose many of the issues/problems of hunger, homelessness and drug abuse of today's world are the same as those 25-30 years ago?

2.  What can we interpret Gandhi's quote "Be the change you want to see in the world " to mean for us? What can we interpret from Mother Theresa's belief that  "big things are accomplished in small acts" ? How do these two quotes relate to the phrase Think Globally, Act Locally (or the word "Glocally")?

3. As citizens of our community and world, do we have a responsibility to help those who are victims of these major issues/problems? If so why? If not, why not? How might being philanthropic (giving of one's time, talents and/or treasures to promote the common good) help to solve the issues/problems of hunger, homelessness, and drug abuse in our community? How might volunteering in one's community impact these issues/problems worldwide?

4. If we as a class were to decide to take on the challenge of helping to solve the issues of hunger, homelessness, and/or drug abuse in our community what is one small act (appropriate and doable) we could do? To address homelessness in our community? To address drug abuse in our community?