Donate Only What is Needed to Hurricane Harvey Survivors

Did you know that everything donated after a natural disaster or devastating event is not needed?  From people to corporations, after Hurricane Katrina & Rita, after Sandyhook, after Haiti and now after Hurricane Harvey, we must be cognizant of the most effect and efficient ways to give and volunteer.

Believe or not, a lot of the wrong stuff causes more harm than good and may not be used at all.  CBS Sunday Morning did an updated story on this important topic right after Hurricane Harvey so that our good intentions can bring joy instead of wasting resources and causing pain.  Perhaps we simply need to donate cash via online website, through churches and at on-site donations events to well-vetted organizations.  So think before you give. View the full show segment at:

https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/disaster-relief-donations-that-dont-bring-relief-2/

Also, Tom Joyner set up a unique fund with $20,000 seed money and is taking donations where 100% of proceeds will go to the people.  This fund collects money donations to give $1,000 Walmart gift certificates to people who open their homes to family, friends, co-workers and strangers. In many cases, these Harvey survivors will be staying indefinitely with these angels who opened up their homes.  In one letter to the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS), a family had taken in 21 people who lost their homes.  Can you imagine the increased food and  utility bills?  See the full story an how you can help:

Open Arms In The Midst Of A Storm

BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund

Now you have the information you need to make sure your donation will be used by those who need it for the purpose for which you intended.  Thanks in advance for being a part of the village of people who do not just talk about how bad the disaster is, but gives what you can to make a difference for those in need.

And, people who survive these traumatic events, whether a weather or violent catastrophe, let us refer to those affected by these disasters as “survivors” instead of “victims “.   Thanks!!

Photos from Google Images.

Are Smart Cities the Answer to Urban Woes?

 

Is it a smart move for governments around the world to continue to invest in smart cities?

By 2030, you will be 13 years older.  Think about it because it will be here before you know it.  And according to U.N. studies, “about 5 billion people will make a move from rural to urban areas. This will, in all probability, lead to a resource crunch and consequently affect the quality of life. Governments are investing in smart cities to better monitor the day-to-day activities and enhance the quality, performance, and interactivity of urban services.

So, what is a smart city?

A smart city heavily depends on technology to efficiently and securely manage a city’s assets, such as hospitals, power plants, water dams, universities, schools, and waste management, to name a few. Real-time monitoring systems, using sensors, are used to collect data from citizens, as well as public and private facilities, which give a detailed view of what is happening in the city. This allows city officials to interact with the community directly or indirectly. Use of IoT in these cities helps reduce costs and resource consumption. Besides, it helps governments give a real-time response to citizen concerns. A smart city analyzes the data collected from various sources for efficient use of civic amenities. This supports healthy economic and social development. It focuses on an e-governance model that encourages people to participate, leading to collective development of the city. Countries like Singapore are already adopting such features and budging towards becoming one of the first smart cities in the world.”

See the full article by Naveen Joshi:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-governments-around-world-investing-smart-cities-naveen-joshi

Are you sold on smart cities?

Do you believe for those who can, an escape to the suburbs is the way to go?  Why?

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