So, the other day #Letsmakethisdaybetterby….was trending. I thought it was an interesting thought. I saw all kinds of responses from:

#LetsMakeTodayBetterBy having no spills with our NEW cups,in 20 snazzy designs.We have one to give away! RT to #win pic.twitter.com/HKntvk3dXf — magicup (@magicup_launch) January 27, 2016

(Which I thought could really actually make any day better) to this, which sounds nice but a little less productive, especially if it lasted more than a day:

Or #LetsMakeTodayBetterBy everyone skipping work and/or school and just staying in bed and sleeping all day https://t.co/vS9FPawPRu — ㅤㅤㅤ (@Absolize) January 26, 2016

But then I thought, why stop at one day when we could make the world better. A lot of these responses apply, so I listed them below and added a couple of my own.

#LetsMakeTodayBetterBy being compassionate, like this Apple store worker who helped a mom and her son with autism https://t.co/SNzHSCDAFb — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) January 26, 2016

#LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy meeting people where they are and showing compassion.

Wouldn’t be create a much better world, if everyone had this kind of compassion for everyone? You have no idea what people are battling at any given time. People need to learn to meet others where they are. Don’t force them to come to you and be like you, you can reach more, if you get off your high horse and meet them where they are.

#LetsMakeTodayBetterBy pledging to adopt a dog or cat from a shelter. #AdoptDontBuy. 🐶❤🐱❤🐶❤🐱❤🐶❤🐱❤ pic.twitter.com/ZVFop3qhlQ — PETA India (@PetaIndia) January 27, 2016

2. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy loving the unwanted.

Whatever you might or might not have against PETA, they get this one right. Buying animals, when there are so many available to be loved for free- except the cost of their vet bill, makes so little sense.

3. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy making jokes instead of arguments.

If you argue with this then I’ll just have to laugh at you.

#letsmaketodaybetterby thanking the incredible volunteers who are helping refugee and migrant children on the move pic.twitter.com/v7uuUqvmdZ — UNICEF (@UNICEF) January 26, 2016

4. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy thanking those who are the helpers we look for.

I think we should thanking all the volunteers EVERYWHERE, EVERYDAY. Could you imagine the dark and dangerous place the world would be without volunteers. They are such beautiful people. Again, if you argue with this, I will have to laugh at you.

5. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy saying THANK YOU.

Thank you goes such a long way. Volunteers need to be thanked more, employees need to be thanked more, friends and family need to be thanked more because they put up with us all the time. We need to be thankful for the life we have and things that make up that life. Thank you goes such a long way and a little more of it would definitely make the world a better place.

6. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy voting with our dollars. Vote for a better world.

This is a cause near to my heart. Wouldn’t it be great if we voted with our dollars. At the end of the day, even the president can’t change anything because the same company, ideas, money holders buy who ever is in power. Who has the money? We do. Ironically, since 1 percent of the population has 50 percent of the wealth or something crazy like that. But who gives that money to them? We do. Just find a smaller business to buy from. For example, instead of buying chocolate from a corporation that is doing everything it can to strip third world countries bare of resources, refusing to pay the workers decent wages in those countries, being completely greedy with resources needed to make their products, so he can buy his 5th vacation and have control of those resources, we could pay a little extra to find a free trade chocolate bar that we knew was grown sustainably and with people who are getting paid fairly for their labor. Instead of buying a new vacation home, we could know that we are helping a less fortunate family buy food. That sure is a world I would like to live in.

7. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy realizing environmental problems are human rights issues.

At the end of the day, caring for the planet creates a better life for the people living on it. Clean air is good for the planet and the people who live on it. Fast fashion is bad for our pocket books, its bad for our the Earth’s resources and it’s bad for the people who have to make it. Clean, sustainably grown, organic food is good for us, for the insects who help pollinate, for the workers who aren’t dying from illness because of the pesticides, its good for us, who won’t suffer from illnesses. When the planet is taken care of, everyone wins.

8. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy appreciating the under appreciated.

If we had better paid teachers, who weren’t having to battle parents over every decision, who could instead spend that energy on being better teachers, the world would be a much better place. Yes, I’ve had some pretty terrible or apathetic teachers in my day, but I also had some really great ones and those are the ones that single handedly taught me what 4+4 is and taught me to tie my shoe. Teachers teach the most simple of concepts and the most complex, like why Johnny had to get 71 watermelons when he went to the store or maybe why we should use our words instead of our fists.

9. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy living simply, so that others might simply live.

The Earth and its resources are not ours to hoard and use carelessly. They belong to future generations and they are letting us borrow them. In the U.S., we have a very bad habit of thinking everything is ours for the taking because we have a bigger army, more money and the promise of the American Dream. We strip the resources of third world countries, demanding they put their health at risk to make our electronics, jewelry, clothes and we never pay them fairly or care for them when they become sick from the work. Eventually when their resources run out, we will leave these countries with no means of making money. We will pack up our stuff and leave, and they will have nothing. We are not better then them. We do not own them. Please, learn to live simply, so others might simply live.

10. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy doing what we would do if fear was not an obstacle.

Sometimes I hate this phrase because it seems like when I’m trying to be awesome and do something completely outside my comfort zone, everything goes wrong and I think why did I listen to that stupid quote. But I’m no quitter (thanks to my teachers) so I keep trying. Even if I don’t succeed, I got to learn something new. The world would be a better place, if people weren’t so afraid to fail. Our society puts such emphasis on success and making money that its hard to try something new.

#LetsMakeTodayBetterBy saying thank you to a stranger — ✨Meghann (@Nutmeggles81) January 26, 2016

11. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy saying thank you for the small things and meaning it.

Again, we need more THANK YOUS! in the world. Everyone is struggling with something. Sometimes, I just want to be thanked for getting out of bed because it was hard to face that day. There are many people who feel like they don’t matter and no one would miss them if they were gone, but that’s not true. People would miss them and if they knew that because of a simple, random thank you just for being there then the world would be a better place. There are no limits to the positive changes people can have on others when they feel appreciated and cared about.

Do a good a deed for a random stranger #LetsMakeTodayBetterBy — ~♡°Katie°♡~ (@_Katiebyy69) January 26, 2016

12. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy paying it forward to those who need kindness more than we do.

I’m all about random acts of kindness. Small things that seem insignificant to others can mean the WORLD to someone else. On a bad day, when a meeting ran over and then someone helps you out by putting an extra quarter in the meter. Or you just did really horrible on a test, your hair looks terrible and you’ve been running behind all day and then someone hands you a coffee, pays it forward and you get a free meal, or someone just gives you a random smile so you don’t think everyone hates you. You have no idea the domino effects you actions, good and bad, have. Just do good and be nice to a random someone and do your part to make the world a better place.

#LetsMakeTodayBetterBy Letting go of yesterday's arguments — Manda Posthumously (@ShutUpAmanda) January 26, 2016

13. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy letting go of the things that hold us back.

Little did I know, but this is the tweet that started it all. Boy, this would really make a big difference to make the world a better place. I mean there would be no more wars, no anger that lasted more than a day. It’s hard, I know, but just let it go. Chances are if that person doesn’t know you’re upset or angry, then it’s just hurting you more than them anyway.

14. #LetsMaketheWorldBetterBy living consciously to reduce, reuse and recycle what we don’t need.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. If we did not consume so much, our resources would not be running out, the pollution made during the overproduction of products would not be made, our houses would not be overrun with clutter and landfills would not be on the verge of overflowing. Many problems would be solved, if we would learn to be happy with what we have.

There is something called the waste hierarchy and its a good rule of thumb to follow.

Reduce what you can. If you can use real plates instead of paper plates, real eating utensils instead of plastic ware, bring your own bags to the store, skip on that extra pair of shoes or that extra take out meal, then please do.

If you can’t reduce, then find a way to reuse. Use your egg shells, food scraps as compost, turn your light bulb into a Christmas ornament, reuse your ketchup bottle as a pancake squirter, etc.

If you can’t reduce, then recycle. If you can’t recycle, then you should be trying your hardest not to buy that product.

Those are my 14 suggestions on how take it one day at a time to make the world a better place.

On the documentary front, I have finished my last two official interviews.

Lorette at Sensational Silverware and Creations makes all kinds of ornaments, rings, garden markers from silver spoons. I’ve linked to her Facebook page, so you can show her support and check out her products. April from Uncookie Cutter started decorating her house when she moved to Stillwater with all things repurposed. She talks about her projects on her blog, which I linked to, so make sure to check that out. After I go back through these interviews, I’ll probably talk more in depth about their part in the documentary.

Although there are more interviews I’d like to do, I’m having a hard time getting permission, so we will have to wait to see about that.