upworthy

Skip Black Friday and shop discounts at these companies making a positive impact on the world

Michelle Gant
11.27.19
Courtesy of DoneGood

While Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate all we have to be grateful for, it's also the unofficial kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Last year, Americans spent about $1 trillion on gifts. What if we all used that purchasing power to support companies that reduce inequality, alleviate poverty, fight climate change, and help make the world better?

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the coming days will have spending on everyone's brains. But in an effort to promote the companies doing good for the world, DoneGood founder Cullen Schwarz created Shop for Good Sunday (which falls on December 1 this year.)

Dubbed the "Alternate Black Friday," Shop for Good Sunday is dedicated to encouraging people to shop brands that do good for people and the planet. It also serves as a reminder to support local businesses making a positive impact in their communities.

While Shop for Good Sunday technically falls on a single day, this year, participating ethical and sustainable brands are running discounts for the whole week prior.

Where you invest your dollars matters, and there's great potential to put that money to good use if you know how. Check out these six brands that sell amazing products while also making a positive impact on the world. You'll not only be getting your loved ones meaningful gifts, but also making the world a brighter place along the way.

Isn't that what the holidays are really about?

Functional outdoor gear

Parque Rain Shell

Cotopaxi makes unique, sustainable outdoor gear, like this Parque rain shell, while keeping ethics at the core of its business model. The company gives 1% of its annual revenue to organizations that fight poverty and improve the human condition.

Modern furniture

Simbly Coffee Table

Simbly is a direct-to-consumer furniture company that sells modern, sustainable products built in the U.S. made of FSC-certified wood. And for every product sold, the company plants a tree.

Beautiful jewelry

Tho Bar & Geo Buffalo Horn Earrings

Hathorway is a jewelry company that handcrafts its accessories with materials like ethically-sourced up-cycled buffalo horns and handwoven rattan. Each item is designed and assembled in the U.S. with thoughtfully selected materials sourced from Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea. A portion of the company's profit goes to initiatives that empower young, underprivileged women.

Luxe linens

Bamboo Charcoal Sheet Set

Ettitude crafts its home textiles from CleanBamboo fabric, a unique material made from 100% organic bamboo, the most resource-efficient plant on the planet. It also requires significantly less water to grow and produce than traditional cotton textiles. The products are also ethically made and come in packaging made from extra pieces of fabric.

Unique wood wares

The Charcuterie Board

Would Works creates and sells beautiful household wood products handcrafted by people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. The company works with its artisans to provide job skills, financial literacy, and an income so they can reach their financial goals.

Empowering candles

She Inspires Candle

Prosperity Candle products are created by women refugees building a brighter future for themselves and their families. Each candle is made of soy-blend wax with essential oils hand poured in a well-designed container that is easily refilled or repurposed.

Find more of these great deals at DoneGood!

*Upworthy may earn a portion of sales revenue from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.

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Business

Doctor reveals the 1-minute daily hack that can radically improve public speaking skills

It all starts with putting a pen in your mouth.

Photo credit: Canva

Want to speak better? Put a pen in your mouth.

Ever been told that you mumble? Or that your way of speaking is quiet or lacking confidence? It could be affecting you in a range of situations, from asking someone out to giving a presentation at work or interviewing for a job. Well, a behavior researcher has a solution for you: put a pen in your mouth.

Behavior expert and speaker Dr. Shadé Zahrai shared a technique in a social media video that could help people who mumble, rush through speeches, or generally struggle to enunciate when speaking aloud. She recommends taking a clean pen and placing it horizontally in your mouth, like a horse biting a bridle. Then take out a book and read it aloud to yourself for one minute, even overpronouncing some words if you need to. After a minute has passed, take the pen out of your mouth and continue reading the rest of the page. Doing this "Pen Drill" once a day should help you speak more clearly and effectively overall.

@shadezahrai

I promise you - so this for 60 seconds and you’ll enunciate better.

This may sound silly, but there's solid reasoning behind it. Because you're trying to hear yourself clearly while speaking with a pen in your mouth, you naturally slow down as your mouth opens wider than usual. This makes your speech and enunciation clearer by forcing you to slow down and articulate each word. A side benefit is that speaking slowly and enunciating clearly makes you appear more calm, confident, and authoritative.

@joseczuniga

Try this pen trick to enunciate better and get a deeper more confident voice #josezuniga

There are additional benefits beyond clearer speech. Content creator Jose Zuniga claims the technique can help men deepen their voices. Zuniga says that when men speak from their chest rather than their throat during the "Pen Drill," the wider mouth opening allows them to speak at a lower pitch than usual. Singers and vocal coaches also recommend putting a pen in your mouth in order to reduce vocal strain.

@sophiesaidcoaching

A tip guarenteed to help with vocal strain!! Just grab a pen or a chopstick #vocalcoach #singing #singer

Speaking clearly is incredibly beneficial, not only because it helps you be understood and get what you want, but also because it makes you appear more eloquent and intelligent. Speaking in a clear, calm way makes you sound confident, which helps people believe your words and arguments more than if they were delivered meekly, filled with "ums" and "uhs." Combined with strong body language, it can mean the difference between being believable and being believed.

"Clear speech signals calm authority, and calm authority is magnetic," explains Zahrai in her video. "You don't sound rushed, you don't sound unsure, you sound like someone who expects to be listened to."

@gentlemens_collective

To be become a better speaker FAST… slow down.

If you want to improve your speech, whether to reduce mumbling, slow a rushed, worried pace, or sound more confident, put a pen in your mouth and swallow your pride (but not the pen!). With time and practice, it could change your speech patterns into ones people clearly understand and feel compelled to listen to.

authoritativebehavior researcherbody languageconfidencedeepen voiceseloquentenunciationinterviewmumblepresentationpublic speaking skillsquietsocial situationsspeaking slowlyvocal strainspeech patternspen drilllife hack
Learning

People share the 18 best cleaning and organizing tips they've learned from housekeepers

"Baseboards wiped with a dryer sheet 🙏🏻."

Photo credit: Canva

People share tips from housekeepers that they do to keep their homes organized and clean.

Keeping a clean house is not easy. Approximately 21% of Americans report that they find cleaning tasks overwhelming according to a survey from the American Cleaning Institute, and approximately 10% of Americans enlist extra help to keep their homes spotless from housekeepers, notes the Home Cleaning Centers of America.

In an online discussion about cleaning tips on Reddit, people shared the most impactful housekeeping advice they've gleaned from housekeepers that have helped them keep their homes not just clean, but free from clutter.

"When I think of a clean home, it’s not just a wiped down surface; it’s tidy, organized, decluttered and presentable," one person wrote. "These tips contribute to the feel of a tidy, intentional and presentable home."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

These are 18 helpful housekeeping tips that will help you keep your home orderly and sparkling clean.

"I wrap my phone charger through my bed frame so it’s always easy to grab. It used to just hang on the ground. It was life changing when I first got into bed and saw my housekeeper did this for me." - Bubbly_Picture_9876

"I open ALL blinds and curtains. I used to clean but keep it pretty dim, but opening ALL blinds makes a huge difference! Feels so much cleaner immediately." - Bubbly_Picture_9876

"[Having a handheld vacuum]. LIFE CHANGING!!! Taking out the vacuum was a pain so I did it when crumbs would accumulate. Having a small one in the kitchen drawer makes it so easy, so I don’t mind quickly vacuuming crumbs and dirt whenever I see them." - Bubbly_Picture_9876

"Wipe down the bathroom surfaces with toilet paper before cleaning to get the dust up. Then clean. So much quicker. Even better - cut a small piece of a disposable duster off and use it to dust the toilet first. It works SO well and gets in the weird nooks and crannies of the exterior toilet where dust and whatnot accumulates." - Advanced-Public4935, dodie437

"I worked as a housekeeper for a while and picked up the habit of vacuuming the bathroom before cleaning anything. It picks up dust, hair, and any other miscellaneous things you might not want to grab with bare hands." - iufgv

"Baseboards wiped with a dryer sheet 🙏🏻." - dphiloo

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"LIGHT SWITCHES! It’s the first thing I notice in homes and I would say in general one of the big 'blind spots' for people. And refrigerator and oven handles, wipe daily with a damp micro fiber and you’ll notice such a nicer feeling grabbing them." - ccoopp10

"Scrub the door that goes from the house to garage. It is usually filthy, and we rarely think of it cuz guests don’t usually use it." - ExpressionKey2820

"I have a step to climb to get into my bed. My ladies put my slippers there. It made me feel cared for, like when I was a child." - Lily_V_

"I clean off the counters / wipe them down, then sweep, BEFORE doing the dishes. I always get water on the floor while doing dishes and then either mess up my broom / sweeping bc it’s wet or have to get on my hands and knees to clean up the water and waste paper towels or a dirty up a towel. So my order goes: counters, sweep, dishes, mop." - Sanch0panza

"Dishwashing soap to clean my glass shower stall." - wildblueberry9

"Dusting & disinfecting the underside of the toilet. So between the seat and the floor. So many people miss this area and it's like night and day. Most don't notice dust there because you'd have to get up close to see it, or deliberately look at the underside of the toilet, but once it is dusted you can tell right away from a distance. The whole bathroom feels so clean." - DaisyFart

"Invest in a steam cleaner. It cleans everything." - iNerdRage

steam cleaner, steam cleaning, steam cleaners, steam cleaning rug, using steam cleaner Woman uses a steam cleaner on a rug.Photo credit: Canva

"I found some cable clips that I love for my cell phone, iPad, and watch charging cables. They’re attached to the side of my nightstand. Go to Amazon and search for 'cable clips.' Then I can find the charging cable I need within reach." - blueSnowfkake

"When my fridge starts running low on food and I’m purging I do a quick inside wipe down / sink wash of a couple of fridge shelves and also wipe down the inside and around the fridge." - No-Rush8716

"I also got some rubber gap covers that cover the slit in between the stove and counter. It’s been a game changer because it keeps that spot clear. It use to drive me crazy to clean and stuff would stuck in there all the time." - No-Rush8716

"My last cleaning crew used a mop that had clips. They could attach microfiber or other cloths to use depending. I couldn't find exactly the model they used but found one on Amazon called Mr. Siga. I buy 50 packs of terry shop cloths at Costco and similar packs of microfiber cloths. They all fit on the head of this mop. For me, these are so much better than Swiffers. I use a spray bottle with all purpose cleaner dilution when I'm doing the floors. It also works much better than a broom when dry." - gripping_intrigue

"I keep a dish scrubber brush in the shower, and in the soap reservoir of it I use 1/2 cleaning vinegar and 2/3 dish soap. Once a week while I'm in the shower I can scrub the shower down while I'm in it and it makes it so much easier. Got it from a housekeeper on Tiktok." - tatertots8sunburns

clean homeclean housecleaningcleaning tipsdecluttered spacehousekeeperhousekeepers advicehousekeeping adviceorderlyorderly livingorganized homeorganizingorganizing tipstidy livinghousekeeping
Community
Education

The one sign that someone is highly intelligent, according to author Oscar Wilde

Joy

Stranger leaves the perfect note for upstairs neighbor about their noisy cat running around

Education & Information

Communications expert explains how a 5-minute self-tape can drastically improve speaking skills

Ex-convict buys North Carolina prison and turns it into housing for other former inmates

It could solve one of the biggest challenges facing people who have served time.

Photo credit: Canva

Kerwin Pittman wants to give ex-convicts like him a better chance at a new life.

When Kerwin Pittman was 18 years old, he was convicted and served 11 years and six months in prison for conspiracy to commit murder. Now, eight years after his release, he returns to another prison, not to serve time, but to offer hope for other former inmates. Pittman purchased an abandoned correctional facility to create a campus that helps former inmates transition back into life outside prison.

Since his release, Pittman has founded and serves as the executive director of Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, Inc. (RREPS), a nonprofit organization committed to helping incarcerated people reintegrate into society after completing their sentences. Through a series of donations and grants, Pittman was able to purchase the former Wayne Correctional Center in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He is believed to be the first formerly incarcerated person in the United States to have purchased a prison.

- YouTube youtu.be

Pittman aims to transform the 400-bed correctional facility into a campus where former inmates in his program can live for six months while earning certifications in trades such as electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, and construction. Pittman's formation of RREPS and purchase of the abandoned prison were inspired by seeing too many former cellmates return to prison because of the stigma attached to incarceration.

"I had family support, so I had housing. But a lot of my friends didn't have any place to go. Or if they did, there was a time limit on how long they could stay," Pittman told NC Newsline. "The campus would be like a stabilization phase for guys coming out of jail or prison, to give them a six-month pause so they can get their life back on track."

@kerwin.pittman.activist

It’s A Blessing To Be A Blessing ~ over 250 plus lives touched, 100 plus records cleared, and countless new beginnings sparked. RREPS Wake County Expungement Clinic reminded us what it truly means to serve with purpose. Throughout the day, well over 200 people showed up, each one ready to take a step toward a fresh start. By the end, over 120 plus people had dismissed charges and convictions cleared from their records, giving them a real chance at new opportunities. We also helped folks obtain birth certificates, Social Security cards, and IDs, while connecting them to housing, jobs, food, and more! Heartfelt thanks to all the attorneys and law students who volunteered their time and expertise, and to our incredible partners: SouthLight, North Carolina Empowerment Organization, The Black Coalition of Forensic Peer Support Specialists, Wake LRC, Affluent Logistics and Transportation and Healing Transitions for standing alongside us in this work. Photos by:Glenn Alan #RREPS #ExpungementClinic #ReentryMatters #viral #fyp

Once the prison has been refurbished and looks less like a correctional facility, Pittman plans to have up to 300 residents live on the campus during a six-month training program designed to help them acclimate to life outside prison, learn a trade, and prepare to live and work independently. After that six-month period, a new group of 300 former inmates will be granted the same opportunity, and the cycle will continue.

"Normally, people will go to a halfway house or a reentry house, and those individuals will have to go outside for services," retired correctional officer Mario Davis told WITN. "But what he's done here is bringing formerly incarcerated people in, so they don't have to go out to get services."

In the U.S., a combination of stigma and lack of education makes it difficult for many former prisoners to find jobs. This often leaves former inmates desperate and unhoused, forcing some to return to crime to make ends meet or, in some cases, to be incarcerated again. For many, it's better to be in prison than to be homeless. By offering both shelter and what is essentially a trade school, Pittman can give former prisoners the chance not only to find jobs through trade certification, but also to work for themselves as independent contractors.

@brentcassity

The Shocking Truth About Recidivism: Employment as the Key Recidivism rates are alarmingly high, with 77% of former inmates returning to prison within a year due to joblessness. Richard Bronson on the NIghtmare Success Podcast explores how securing stable employment can drastically change lives and reduce reoffending—revealing the true silver bullet for lasting change. #Recidivism #EmploymentMatters #nightmaresuccess #JobOpportunities #PrisonReform #ReentrySuccess #SecondChances #SocialImpact #ReduceRecidivism #prison #resilience #fyp

"For me to be a beacon of light in somebody's life when they're in a dark place, I know how it feels," said Pittman. "I remember when I was in that dark place of having to transition and not knowing what the possibility of my life could become, so to be able to guide somebody into that next step is extremely important, and I'm grateful to be able to do it."

If Pittman's mission inspires you to support people who have served their time and are seeking a second chance, there are resources available to donate your time, skills, or money.

Justice

In a 1973 special, Paul McCartney showed off his amazing fingerpicking in an acoustic medley

Is there anything prettier than "Blackbird"?

via Angel Carmona/YouTube

Paul McCartney performing on the "James Paul McCartney" special.

In the aftermath of The Beatles' earth-shattering 1970 breakup, each member of the Fab 4 started solo careers in their own lane. John Lennon chose self-reflective, stripped-down songs about vulnerability and his love for Yoko Ono. George Harrison released the epic triple album All Things Must Pass, steeped in spirituality and warnings against the dark forces in life. Ringo Starr leveraged his affable personality by recording pop standards and country songs to surprising success.

Much was expected of Paul McCartney as a solo artist, but his early work, drawn heavily from his new life in the Scottish countryside with his wife, Linda, was often dismissed as superficial compared with that of his former bandmates, Lennon and Harrison. It also didn't help that, after the breakup, McCartney bore the brunt of the criticism for the band's demise because he was the first to go public with the news.


In 1973, he was given a TV special that aired in the U.S. and the UK, allowing him to showcase his full range of talents as an entertainer. The special featured a Busby Berkeley–style musical number, a segment introducing his new band, Wings, and a performance of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in a bucolic country setting.

Critical reception to the James Paul McCartney TV special

Unfortunately, McCartney's special did little to change critics' minds. "McCartney has always had an eye and ear for full-blown romanticism, and nothing wrong with that, but here he too often lets it get out of hand, and it becomes over-blown and silly," Melody Maker wrote.

Nestled within the spectacle was a quiet acoustic performance in which McCartney played four songs from his Beatles and solo careers: "Blackbird," "Bluebird," "Michelle," and "Heart of the Country," showcasing his angelic voice and remarkable fingerpicking. He is also joined by his wife, Linda (a famous photographer), who sings a lovely harmony with him while she takes photos. The simple medley is a wonderful example of McCartney's musical skill, blending his past and present. It's also worth noting that in most of The Beatles' public performances, McCartney played bass guitar or piano. Here, he shows that he was a virtuoso on the acoustic guitar as well.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

McCartney's big comeback

History would prove McCartney's early critics wrong. Later that year, he released "Live and Let Die," the theme for the James Bond film of the same name, which became an international hit. By the end of the year, Wings released their third album, Band on the Run, which became McCartney's biggest-selling post-Beatles album and featured massive hits such as the title track, "Jet," and "Let Me Roll It."

McCartney and Wings would go on to have tremendous success throughout the decade, both on the charts and with audiences, including a 1975-76 tour that played 66 shows worldwide.


Over the years, critics would reevaluate McCartney's early releases, especially McCartney (1970) and Ram (1971).

"What's interesting to me is that Ram has now come to be heralded as a masterpiece, with younger generations recognizing its loose performances and off-handed charm as its own form of brilliance," Pop Matters notes.

James Paul McCartney was never released on home video, but was issued on DVD as part of the Red Rose Speedway super deluxe boxed set in 2018.

You can watch the entire special below:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

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