Dr. Brent Ridge

Area to be addressed by your commitment:
Education

What is the title of your commitment?
Funding the development of an educational infrastructure for the nomadic children of Kenya.

Tell us about your commitment to action:
I believe the foundation of a healthy, long life begins with a good education. For the past several years, I have donated money to fund an education project in the desert area of northern Kenya. The goal is to get as many children of the nomadic families to come to school as possible.

With my small $1,000 donation, I completely support a school for an entire year. Every element of the school, from the lightweight structure to all of the supplies, travels with the tribe so the ability to get an education does not interfere with the culture. The program was started by my friend Jane Newman, and it has
been very successful, going from just 130 children enrolled in school when we started in 2001 to 680 this year. It works because it is local and one-on-one. Everything can be tailored to the situation and there is accountability with responsibility for the end result. Jane periodically sends me photos of the children in my school. This year, my commitment is to double my donation.

If others are interested:
Sereolipi Nomadic Education Foundation Inc.
C/O John Fraley
137 East 36th Street
New York, New York 10016

Jacqueline Jameson

Area to be addressed by your commitment:
Energy and Climate Change/Education

What is your commitment to action?
I am designing and renovating my 1840 house, buildings, and six-acre property following principles of green design. I will create a place of beauty, inspiration, and learning that will directly
reduce carbon and sulfur emissions.

What is the title of your commitment?
Greenovation! Designing a beautiful property on which to live, explore, inspire, and educate following principles of sustainable living.

Tell us about your commitment to action:
I am committed to reducing climate change with everyday decisions. I'm creating a green laboratory to inspire others looking for opportunities to act. The renovation of the colonial-style house and farm is guided by environmentally and socially responsible principles. This will be a beautiful home,
a laboratory for exploration, and a source of inspiration for others. The property will become carbon negative, absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than I create.

Actions/projects include:
-Installation of solar thermal and power systems to immediately reduce carbon and sulfur emissions.

-Deconstruction of building(s) and reusing building materials

-Use of natural materials in construction, including local timber, plaster, and natural paints.

-Creation of organic fruit and nut orchards and vegetable and ornamental gardens to reduce the use of fuels to ship food

-Composting

-Rehabilitation of native communities, including meadows, woodlands, and wetlands

-Creation of habitat for wildlife: shelter, food, and water

-Making biodiesel

-Maintenance of a website to share the information and experiences

Please visit jackiejameson.com to watch the developments.

Donna Kramer-Merritt

What is the title of your commitment?
Educating and inspiring others, walking the talk, putting my money where my values are, and leading by example.

Tell us about your commitment:
My commitment is on many levels.

1. I am one of 1,000 people trained by Al Gore to give the "Inconvenient Truth" slide show presentation to educate and inspire people to personal, political, and social action. I committed to give 10 presentations in 2007 and have already done more than 15 presentations reaching more than 1,000 people. I have many more planned for this fall, and have just become an assistant regional manager in Massachusetts for
the Climate Project.

2. I have owned a Toyota Prius hybrid since 2001, and am committed to another hybrid or electric vehicle on my next purchase.

3. I ride my bike whenever possible, including to and from work on a regular basis, which is 15 miles each direction.

4. I changed to CFLs and decreased my electric bill by about 50 percent this year.

5. I am installing new energy-efficient windows this month and solar panels within the year.

6. I plan to institute an internal sustainability audit at Body+Soul
to assess our current energy and environmental impact, and
work to decrease it.

7. I am committed to working locally to educate and inspire environmental action.

Jacqueline and Michelle Terrebonne

Area of need to be addressed by your commitment?
Energy and climate change.

What is the title of your commitment?
Greening our apartment.

Tell us about your commitment:
We are hooking up all appliances and power cords to power strips in our apartment; changing all lightbulbs to CFLs; and evaluating all cleaning supplies and swapping it out for greener ones.

Suzie Wall

Area of need to be addressed by your commitment:
Education, Land Preservation.

What is the title of your commitment?
President and treasurer of the L. Douglas Nolan Foundation Inc., founded by my late brother, L. Douglas Nolan. Before my
brother's death in 2002, I served three-year consecutive terms as secretary.

Tell us about your commitment to action:
The L. Douglas Nolan Foundation Inc., was incorporated in 1992. The foundation continues to expand as a tribute to my late brother's commitment and dedication to education and land preservation.

In June of each year, the foundation's board of directors chooses six to eight high school students from the East Haddam, Old Lyme, and Essex, Connecticut, areas. The board of directors works closely with high school counselors to select accomplished and outstanding students who are in need of financial assistance to advance their four-year college education.

The foundation annually contributes a designated percentage, according to the bylaws of the foundation to the scholarship foundation at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, established in my brother's name; the Weston School of
Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and East Haddam
Land and Trust Inc., of East Haddam, Connecticut.

Jennifer Lewis

Area of need to be adressed by your commitment:
Climate change, environmental change.

What is the title of your commitment?
TV recycling.

Tell us about your commitment to action:
The Plan
I propose we reuse the scrap paper our offices acquire during
the many days of production.

How It Works
In designated areas throughout the offices small bins will be placed to collect scrap paper. Every other month the scrap paper will be collected and made into notepads and notebooks of recycled paper. The notepads will be made simply by cutting the paper in half and using a large binder clip to hold the pages together. These notebooks will be made with recycled paper bound together using staples and recycled chipboard or card stalk. To add a personal touch someone could even use Martha Stewart craft paper to cover the outside of the book. These notebooks would even make great gifts!

Do You Know -- Recycling Can Be Fun!
I will host recycling parties after work hours for people to
volunteer their time and creative skills to help save the planet by recycling paper. The group will collect the paper and make the notebooks. There will be food, drinks, and even a little music for everyone to enjoy!