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

Jamie Lee Curtis shares the bonkers story of how she met Christopher Guest, her husband of 41 years

It was love at first sight, but with a twist.

GabboT (left), Samhsa (right) (Wikimedia Commons)

Christopher Guest and Jamie Lee Curtis met and got married in 1984.

While every love story has its sweet or unexpected elements, some couples' origin stories are surprising enough to makes you say, "Wow." Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband of 41 years, Christopher Guest, has one of those.

In an interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, Curtis opened up about how she and Guest fell in love in 1984, and how she knew she was going to marry him before she ever met him. In fact, she knew before she even knew his name.

In April of 1984, Curtis was sitting on a couch with her friend Debra Hill, who co-wrote and produced 'Halloween,' and they were looking at an issue of Rolling Stone.

"I opened the magazine, and there was a picture of three men with their arms around each other," Curtis said. It was the actors from the film This is Spinal Tap, dressed in their regular clothes. "And there was a guy on the end, and I went to Debra Hill, "Oh, huh. Interesting. I'm gonna marry that guy.'"

Hill told her that his name was Christ Guest, and he was an actor with Curtis' agency. Curtis called Guest's agent and left her number to pass along to him.

"And Chris did not call me," she told Barrymore.

Two months went by while Curtis dated someone else, who definitely wasn't "the one." One day, after taking that person to the airport, she picked up Melanie Griffith and her then-husband, and they all stopped at a restaurant in West Hollywood.

And wouldn't you know it, Guest was sitting just two tables away, facing Curtis. He waved. She waved back, embarrassed about his never calling her. Then, when he left, he stood up, shrugged his shoulders and waved again. Curtis did the same. Not a word was spoken between them. But the next day, he called her.

"That date was June 28, 1984," she told Barrymore. "We went out July 2nd. He was leaving for a year on Saturday Night Live on August 8th. I was starting the movie Perfect in Los Angeles on August 10th…so we are now on opposite coasts. We went back and forth every weekend. We got engaged September 13th. And we got married December 18th, that year."

"But," she adds. "That's crazy."

It does sound crazy, but Curtis and Guest have been married for 41 years, which is a successful marriage no matter how you slice it. That's not to say it's been a piece of cake, though.

“I don’t think we have an easy marriage," Curtis said in a 1991 interview with PEOPLE. "We have a difficult, but successful marriage.”

“Chris and I have a wonderful, complicated, imperfect life,” Curtis wrote later in an essay for Oprah in 2004. “And a very real marriage. I’ll never know why I thought we’d understand each other when I saw his photograph."

They say, "when you know, you know," but this story takes that trope to a whole other level. Most people take a while to know, and the vast majority have at least, you know, spoken to their partner before they realize they are the one. To pick a face out of a magazine and have that knowing is either a testament to the mysterious elements of life none of us can fully explain or a testament to Curtis and Guest's willingness to stick with it, no matter what.


Or maybe it's a little bit of both. In the lead-up to their 40th wedding anniversary in December 2024, Curtis shared the secret to a long-lasting marriage with Entertainment Tonight. "You don't leave," she said. "I'm also sober for a long time, and we have a phrase in recovery: 'If you stay on the bus, the scenery will change.' And that's marriage. If you stay on the bus, the scenery changes."

Every marriage is different, of course, but "you don't leave" is perhaps the most profoundly simple marriage longevity hack ever. Congrats to these two on 41 years of marriage, two kids, and two legendary careers in Hollywood.

christopher guestdrew barrymore showfalling in lovejamie lee curtislong-term relationshipsmarriagesuccessful marriagelove stories
Love Stories

A viral post asked for positive things happening in America. Here are 10 of the best responses.

There are great things happening if you know where to look.

Photo Credit: Canva

A jaguar relaxes, a chestnut tree blooms.

It's a brand new year, and there's no reason we can't tweak our algorithms just a bit to focus on some positive news.

One Reddit user posed the question, "What's something *positive* going on in America people should be aware of?" It seems many people were quite eager to answer. There were more than 1,600 comments in less than a day, and the number continues to grow.

Here are just a few reasons to be excited about the future:

Affordable insulin

"Starting today, my state is selling insulin pens at $11/pen," one Redditor wrote, later clarifying that the state is California.

Upon announcing the pharmaceutical deal, which went into effect January 1, 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom shared, "No Californian should ever have to ration insulin or go into debt to stay alive — and I won't stop until health care costs are crushed for everyone."

There were many hopeful responses to this Reddit comment, including, "Affordable insulin will save lives. And it won't empty bank accounts doing it."

Jaguar species repopulating

Another commenter shared, "There was a new jaguar spotted in southern Arizona! It's the fifth in 15 years, and means that the species is recovering. :)"

Jaguar, wildlife, animals, species, arizona A jaguar pats the camera. Giphy

CBS News reported, "The University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center says it's the fifth big cat over the last 15 years to be spotted in the area after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The animal was captured by the camera as it visited a watering hole in November, its distinctive spots setting it apart from previous sightings."

The American chestnut tree is on the mend

A Redditor wrote, "The American chestnut tree is beginning a comeback tour after two extensive projects to make strains that are resistant to the fungus that swept the legs out from under the species after it was imported along with Chinese chestnuts. (Edit—there was an issue with one of the lines and it suffered a setback in 2023/24, but it is still moving forward per SUNY-ESF)"

A website dedicated to the restoration of the American chestnut tree further explains, "The iconic American chestnut was devastated by chestnut blight in the early 1900's. Employing complementary scientific strategies of traditional breeding, biotechnology, and biocontrol, TACF is working to restore a disease-resistant and genetically diverse population of American chestnuts in the eastern forests of the United States."

Among the reactions, one person shared: "Cool—had a late cousin who was involved in testing some strains, who told me twenty years ago a test field in my area probably had some cuttings from a tree on my grandfather's farm. It's awesome that this decades-long project is getting close to fruition." Another person joked, "Yeah, it's nuts!"

Florida introduces database for animal safety

A Redditor shared, "Today (01/01/26) Florida launches a public, searchable animal abuse database. This will prevent animals being placed with an animal abuser. It's part of Dexter's Law. Justice for the animals."

Optimistically, a Redditor commented, "The University of Florida has an incredible veterinary forensic program, so they're the experts when it comes to this kind of thing. Hopefully it spreads to other states as well!"

Libraries are getting creative

A person on the thread shared, "My local library started a program where you can 'check out' a person for a 30-minute conversation to hear their life story. It's like human audiobooks, and it's quietly the most wholesome thing happening in my zip code."

This appears to be part of, or an offshoot of, the Human Library project. From its website: "The Human Library® is, in the true sense of the word, a library of people. We host events where readers can borrow human beings serving as open books and have conversations they would not normally have access to. Every human book from our bookshelf represents a group in our society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization, or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin, etc."

Artist scavenger hunts in Tacoma

A Redditor kindly shared, "In the city of Tacoma, in Washington state, residents gather together every Chinese New Year to hunt for Monkeyshines: glass baubles and ornaments emblazoned with that year's Zodiac, made by local glass artists, while also leaving 'rogue' Monkeyshines for others to find. They all follow the rule of 'only take one,' and you can re-hide other shines you find.

The entire city turns into a collective scavenger hunt for roughly a month, and it's common to see packs of humans hunting in the rain and snow, even at night with flashlights.

In this small corner of the world, tucked into the armpit of the PNW, someone decided one day that they would make the city brighter by hiding little tokens for others to find. And now it's officially a Thing, with its own subreddit and websites and whatnot.

There's still magic worth seeking out, no matter how grim the outlook may be."

It turns out this tradition has been going on for a while, but there's always something uniquely new for people to look forward to each year. The Parks Tacoma site offers a nifty guide, noting, "It would be an understatement to say that Parks Tacoma loves Monkeyshine season, and we're excited to welcome those visitors who are dropping off their beautiful pieces of work and those on the hunt to find them."

Delaware forgiving medical debt for many residents

In a win for those saddled with medical debt, one commenter shared, "My state of Delaware forgave $19 million in medical debt for over 18,000 residents in December. The state also passed a law in October that excludes medical debt from credit reporting."

This is confirmed on the official State of Delaware government website: "Governor Matt Meyer today announced significant progress in Delaware's medical debt elimination initiative, with nearly $19 million in medical debt abolished for more than 18,000 Delawareans so far."

Others on the thread added that their states passed similar laws, sparking hope in many readers.

Wild horses and donkeys are getting adopted across the nation

On the thread, another commenter wrote, "The Bureau of Land Management successfully adopts out tens of thousands of wild horses and burros (donkeys) per year. 290,000 have been adopted out to private owners to manage America's wild herds."

One Redditor (@herstoryhistory) even shared a photo of their beautiful donkey, adopted from the Bureau of Land Management.

donkeys, wild horses, land management, animals, animal adoption A donkey adopted from The Bureau of Land Management.Photo Credit: Reddit User @Herstoryhistory

One adorable response included, "Love this for you and your burros!!"

Monks walking across the country for peace

Many Redditors across the U.S. were thrilled that the "Walk for Peace" movement passed through their states. One person wrote, "The monks walking for peace. They went through Georgia today!" Another added, "Don't forget Aloka the peace dog—he's walking with 'em too!"

The Associated Press corroborates that the commenters are referring to a group of about two dozen Buddhist monks who began walking in Texas in October en route to Washington, D.C. to highlight "Buddhism's long tradition of activism for peace."

Solar backpacks for homeless population

"Guy in CA making solar backpacks for the homeless; over 1,200 distributed so far," one commenter shared.

They're most likely referring to the Makeshift Traveler backpack. The solar aspect the Redditor is referencing is explained on the project's official website: "This section is highlighted by a solar panel that stores energy within the bag's battery bank and allows users to charge devices through a USB port. According to UCSF, over 70% of California's unhoused community use cell phones to stay in touch with loved ones and access critical services. The port also features a USB-C port and includes cables to charge the Makeshift Traveler if a user can access a wall charger. The pack can also charge the radio and flashlight inside the bag."

americapositive newshappy newsinsulincaliforniadelawarearizonageorgiacoloradowashingtonchinese new yearartjaguartreesusa
Community
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3 easy, expert-proven tips on how to reset your social media algorithm and deliver joy

It might be time for a healthy reset.

Photo Credit: https://www.canva.com/photos

Two women look at their cell phones. One is pleased by her algorithm and the other is not.

As we enter a new year, many set resolutions to make it healthier, happier, and perhaps even more productive. Of course, there are often roadblocks (like actually getting that gym membership or throwing away those brownies). But one obstacle many social media users face is getting caught in doom-scrolling algorithms.

These can be tricky. Some of us get stuck in echo chambers, and while that can be innocuous, it can also seriously impact our state of mind.

But first, how do algorithms even work? In the piece "The algorithm effect: How social media decides what you see" on the WGEM site, Courtney Lewis, a professor of communications, explains, "The more things that you interact with, the more of that content is going to show up in your feed." She adds, "More of that creates the silos, and so when we like things and when we dislike things, the algorithm shows us more and more of the same."

algorithm, doom scrolling, social media, new year's resolution, life hack A person scrolls social media on their phone. Giphy Fun Scrolling GIF

Literally, every time we click, "thumbs up," or comment on a post, it's almost as if we're signing up for a rewards program. They only want to sell what they think you'll buy. Many people already know this. So the question now becomes: how do we reshape and reset for a happier existence?

In an article for Psychology Today, Lindsey Godwin, Ph.D., shares, "What we feed our brains matters. Not just online, but everywhere. If we want to change how we feel, how we think, and even how we show up in the world, the first place to start is often what—and who—we’re paying attention to."

Jake Peterson, senior technology editor at Lifehacker, adds, "Sometimes, our algorithm goes a little haywire. Perhaps you had a passing interest in a creator or subject, but now it's all over your feed. Maybe an accidental 'like' or share mistakenly taught the algorithm you're a fan of something you really are not, and now you're subjected to the topic with every other post (and advertisement, for that matter)."

Assuming you can't get off social media completely, experts have ideas on how to wipe the slate clean.

"AUDIT YOUR INPUT"

Godwin suggests taking a few minutes to look through the social media feeds you see the most. She writes, "What emotions does this content evoke in me? Does it leave me feeling energized, connected, inspired…or depleted and small?"

If it's the latter, simply unfollow those sites or pages.

"CURATE FOR CURIOSITY OR JOY"

Now that you've made a little space, it's time to bring in some healthier interaction. Again, Godwin asks that you reflect on what brings you joy. Is it otters dancing? Dogs and cats? Skateboarding tricks? Or maybe even certain bands you love hearing new music from. Recognize that and simply follow those social media accounts.

joy, algorithm, social media, reset, life hacks, dachshund, skateboarding A dog skateboards with ease. Giphy Hot Dog Dogs GIF

When looking at this, Godwin makes an interesting distinction: "Who inspires real, grounded hope, not just toxic positivity?" We often get stuck in mindless, sometimes even AI-generated meme scrolls. On the surface, they may seem helpful. But unsolicited, often banal platitudes can muddy our minds unnecessarily.

PHYSICALLY RESET CONTENT

Using Instagram as an example, Peterson explains how users can go into their Account Center and reset suggested content. After clicking your profile and the hamburger menu, you'll see "Content preferences."

Once you click "reset," it will ask, "Want a fresh start?" It then reiterates that resets can't be undone. Nor will it change your ad topics. But Peterson advises that these warnings shouldn't deter you: "Enjoy building a new algorithm, post by post—though if you find your suggested posts and reels lacking in the future, remember you can always return here to reset again."

Godwin also notes that our algorithms aren't always technological. What we change "offline" matters. She shares, "Be just as mindful about who and what you let shape your inner landscape offline as you are online. Sometimes the most powerful algorithm shift is as simple as spending an afternoon in nature instead of another two hours online."



Wellness

In 1998, Americans predicted what life in 2025 would look like. Here's how they scored overall.

75 percent of people accurately predicted a transformative moment in American history.

Photo credit: Canva, Masson (left, cropped) / SHOTPRIME (right, cropped)

In 1998, Americans predicted life 27 years into the future.

If someone asked you to predict the broad strokes of life 27 years into the future, what would your batting average be? That was the task back in 1998, when USA Today/Gallup asked Americans to envision what we would (and wouldn't) have accomplished by 2025.

As CNN notes, citing archived polling maintained by Cornell University's Roper Center, it's fascinating to explore what people got right and wrong. The categories run the full gamut, from scientific developments (a cure for cancer) to everyday activities (online shopping) to existential topics (like the existence of alien life).

- YouTube www.youtube.com

How did people picture life in 2025?

So what did people get right about 2025? For one, they were mostly appropriately cautious with the more grandiose categories: 69 percent of respondents correctly guessed that space travel would not be normal for "ordinary Americans," and 60 percent answered that the cloning of humans would not be "commonplace." (That said, even the inverse is fascinating: 37 percent thought that the latter would be common.) Meanwhile, 68 percent predicted that humans wouldn't have "made or received contact with alien-life forms."

Looking at more terrestrial matters, 74 percent of people predicted that gay marriages would be commonplace; 69 percent said that the U.S. would have elected a Black president; and 75 percent thought a "deadly new disease" would emerge.

It's also intriguing to note what people got wrong—even when people were thinking in the right direction. While 56 percent thought most stores would be "replaced" by internet shopping, Sellers Commerce projected that only 21 percent of retail purchases in 2025 would take place online. (They expected that number to reach 22.6 percent by 2027.)

In another glimpse into online life, 52 percent of respondents thought most people would work remotely. (That figure is still currently a bit ambitious, at least for Americans.) Elsewhere, 66 percent predicted the country would have elected a woman president, and 59 percent thought cancer would be cured.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"We were so hopeful"

After CNN's report made the rounds online, lots of people chimed in to reflect on these predictions—often marveling at the general optimism they seemed to reflect. Here are some notable comments from the r/Xennials and r/Charts subreddits:

"Really interesting. The social ones we largely met, but but a lot of the scientific ones."

"It’s amazing how much less we thought about the tech things (internet shopping, WFH) than things that like curing cancer or commonplace assisted suicide."

"We were so hopeful. Things were just going to get better, right?"

"We were supposed to have flying cars by now"

"We were so optimistic back then."

"They actually got a surprisingly high percentage of these right. Futurology is notoriously difficult to do well."

It's always interesting to examine people's predictions for the future, even when those people aren't adults. Back in 2020, the BBC shared a video compilation of kids in 1966 guessing what the year 2000 might look like. While some of the visions were fairly dark, others touched on lighter, breezier topics like robots and, yes, cabbage pills.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Joy
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