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

Man asks older neighbor to watch his pets and receives emotional and unexpected letter in return

"It's nice knowing that I'm doing something for someone"

u/SnooCupcakes8607/Reddit
When older people get lonely, interacting with pets can be a game-changer.

One of the most dangerous conditions for older adults is also one of the most surprising: Loneliness. Sometimes when we're in the younger, busier time of our lives, it's easy to forget—or not even realize—that our elderly friends and neighbors might be lonely. But very often, people who have long been retired, who may have already said goodbye to many of their friends or who have physical limitations that make it difficult to get out to visit people, can find themselves alone most of the time.

Feelings of loneliness can lead to depression and other health risks, and even shorten one's lifespan. Being actively engaged in everyday life and interactions with friends, family, and community is critical to living a long and fulfilling life.

A viral social media post offers a good reminder of this fact, but in the most heartwarming way.

A poster named Dylan shared a photo of a typed letter with the caption: "I went on a vacation 2 weeks ago, and let my neighbor babysit my pets. Shortly after I got back home, I received this letter from him in the mail that made me smile and cry. I’d like to share it here."

"Good afternoon," the letter begins. "This letter is regarding your vacation two weeks ago and how you let me babysit Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer. I'd just like to give you a letter of thanks." (The letter doesn't specify what kind of pets Smokey, Oreo and Jennifer are, but the original poster later shared that they are a German shepherd, "the crankiest little beagle you’ve seen in your life," and a cat named Oreo.)

Then the neighbor continued:

"As you know, I'm an old man. You don't see me outside often anymore, as these joints aren't as lively as they used to be. To add to that, two years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, my dad got diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. After his death, I was left alone in my home. I don't have a wife or kids. I could go to sleep one day and never wake up again. Every day is just sitting around and wondering what I have done for this world.

Until I met Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer.


old age, pets, loneliness, dogs, neighbors, senior citizens, letters Representative image of Robert Photo by Tim Doerfler on Unsplash

Your pets are the cutest, funniest, and most troublesome (In a good way, don't worry, they didn't mess up my house too much!) individuals. They gave me the motivation to restart my life again. I started waking up early in the mornings. I began to take walks outside with your pets for the first time in years. Every 10 minutes, whenever I felt sad for a second, they would bark or rub against my leg and make me laugh.

The highlight of their stay was when I took them to the park. It was the longest time I've spend outside in a while. It didn't just bring back pet interaction, I also met other people, started talking, and made friends with a handful of fellow human beings. I was so happy to finally be able to talk with friends again, interact with others, and feel like I'm part of the human race.

I realize I sound very existential right now, but I'm telling the truth. It's nice knowing that I'm doing something for someone, even if it's my neighbor.

I adopted two dogs soon after. (You may have been hearing noise from my home, pardon them!) I now take regular walks to the park with them and talk with friends I made there. Anyways, I'd just like to say: thank you so much. You brought back meaning to my life. And that's all that matters.

Sincerely,

Robert (P.S. I think it's time for you to mow the lawn, haha!)


old age, pets, loneliness, dogs, neighbors, senior citizens, letters Walking a dog is good for the body, mind, and soul.Photo credit: Canva

People absolutely loved Robert's letter—and Robert himself, judging from some of the comments:

"Robert is a national treasure and I take anything less to be an insult!"

"I wouldn’t just mow my lawn, but Robert’s too. Forever."

"Robert really is the good in all of us. He must be protected at all costs."

Some people related to Robert, having found a new zest for life after getting pets of their own. Others had seen the same phenomenon occur in their own parents or other older folks they know.

"My Grandma is 93 and losing her mobility. She loves cats but doesn’t think she can take care of one. Enter, Rent-a-Kitty! The neighbor’s cat! He comes over and they hang out and she’s tickled by his visits, but then he goes to his own house at night. It’s a pretty big win for her."

One user was inspired to make a change in their own life: "I’m so glad no one can see me right now. Tears everywhere. I’ve been so worried that I will become that old man. This year has been such a low and trying to get out of it has been the worst. I can’t have dogs where I live but maybe a cat. I need to get my life in order and perhaps having a pet (or really anything more than a plant) will help get me there Thank you."

Others joked that the whole letter was just an elaborate, "Midwest-nice" way to tell the poster their lawn needed attention. Some doubted the veracity of the letter, but even if it's not real, the comments from people sharing how their elderly loved ones had been helped by neighbors sharing their pets with them show that animals really can help people who are lonely find more connection and purpose in their lives.


- YouTube www.youtube.com

Pets can bring much love into our lives and, according to the American Heart Association, can also help us live longer. Interacting with dogs boosts the production of "happy hormones" such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine, which reduces stress levels and provides a greater sense of well-being. Regular walking with a dog is also a great way to exercise. Plus, as Robert mentions in his letters, caring for a dog forces you out into the world where you're more likely to interact with other dog owners or just random passersby. Those little interactions can make a world of difference.

Dog owners also have a unique advantage when overcoming a serious health problem. Dog owners who suffer from a heart attack or stroke are less likely to die than those who are not.

It's a good reminder to check in with older folks around us and to share the joy of our pets with people who might be lonely. You never know whose life you might touch with your furry friends.

This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.

seniorscatsdogselderly peopleaginglongevityhealthmental healthwellnessold peopleolder menlettershappinessgratitudeneighborssenior citizenspets
Pets

A couple invited a homeless man into their home for Christmas. He stayed there for 45 years.

"At last, somebody's at the gate."

Photo Credit: Canva

A man knocks on the front door of a home.

There are moments of kindness that miraculously can stretch into a lifetime. Such was the case for nearly 30-year-old Ronnie after he knocked on Rob and Dianne's door one Christmas Day in the UK.

Picture this: the year is 1975. It's Christmas in Cardiff, Wales, and a young man named Ronnie Lockwood gives a rap, tap, tap on a door. Rob and Dianne Parsons answer to see him holding a trash bag full of his belongings in one hand, and a "frozen chicken" in the other.


On the BBC Wales News Instagram page, the question is posed: "Could you imagine inviting a stranger into your home on Christmas Day?" We see a clip of Rob, who explains, "Near Christmas, there's this knock. And I open the door and there's a homeless man standing there. And we invite him in, and Dianne made him a meal. And she said to me, 'Ask him to stay tonight, it's Christmas.' And he never left. He lived with us for 45 years."

Throughout the lovely clip, we see photographs of Ronnie looking dapper and right at home with the Parsons family. Rob continues, "He got a job as a dustman, as I was a lawyer at the time. And Dianne says to me, 'Make sure he gets to work on time.' So she used to make me get up an extra hour early. And I used to drop him off at the dust yard, and then I'd go into the law practice. And I'd get home at night, and he'd be sat in a chair very often, just smiling. And I said to him one night, 'Ronnie, what amuses you so much?' He said, 'Rob, when you take me to work in the mornings, the other men say who's that bringing you to work in the car? And I say, Oh, that's my solicitor.'"


Both Rob and Dianne let out a healthy laugh. "And Di and I have talked a lot about that. We don't think he was proud to be taken to work by a lawyer. But we think maybe that he never had someone take him first day of school. He never, perhaps, had somebody say when he was 11, 'How did it go in the big school today, son?' And now he's almost 30, and at last somebody's at the gate."

The Instagram post notes that "Ronnie, who was autistic and alone, ended up staying for 45 years and changed the lives of Rob, Dianne, and their children forever."

Rob has been telling this story for a while now and wound up writing about their experience together in a book called A Knock at the Door. But for those who didn't know, the recent clips on social media are moving hundreds of thousands to their core. One person writes, "Some angels live on earth. These angels are called Rob and Dianne." Another writes, in part, "What amazing people. This is the real spirit of Christmas."

Lovingly, Rob and Dianne's niece Rachel Hurley adds in the comments, "This is my auntie Di and uncle Rob. Robbie was so loved by us all and a huge part of our family. He used to come to my nan's every Saturday for a cooked breakfast and read the papers with my grampy."

Hundreds reply to this comment alone, many with follow-up questions about Ronnie's life now. Rachel answers, "He lived with them until he died in 2020 of complications after a stroke. He was 75." To this, many send well wishes to remind the entire family how kindhearted they are.

Another friend of the family, Daf Matheson, adds a personal anecdote, "Whilst Ronnie was living there, Rob and Di let my family live with them for a few months. Robbie was shown so much love and dignity. He would always say hello to everyone he saw and then roll up his sleeves to help anyone he could. I certainly learnt a lot from all three of them!"

Upworthy had a chance to follow-up with Matheson, who shared beautiful memories of his time living with the family. "I've known the Parsons and Ronnie ever since I was born. As a child, my family stayed with the Parsons for what was meant to be a few weeks while our house was having some work done, but we ended up staying for a few months. Ronnie was living there at the time and had been there for many years. Ronnie was always really friendly and I only ever had fond memories."


He even remembers the tiny details that help weave the fabric of a family. "He would head out for work before we headed to school and would say hello when we came back. We would play darts, talk football and I just saw him as part of the Parsons family. After we moved back into our home, I would see Ronnie every week at church. He would always greet me with a smile, a high five, ask how I was doing and then crack on with putting out chairs for people. Aged 15, I played my first game for Ronnie’s charity football game. No one loved Boxing Day more than Ronnie. I’ll always remember asking him every month if I could be the team’s penalty taker and then seeing the joy on his face as he’d reply 'No chance!'"

Matheson continues to heap praise on the Parson family. "With regard to Rob and Di. I’ve always seen them as unofficial Godparents. Rob would tell me a story almost every day that we stayed with them and Di continues to be one of the funniest and most caring people I know. It’s hard to comprehend how generous they are because it is so unusual. They showed Ronnie love, which I imagine was a rare experience for him, but they also gave him dignity, independence and also the opportunity for him to be generous too."

Many others share heartwarming stories of their own wherein they took in vulnerable people, and many feel inspired to do so in the future. In fact, Ronnie himself was inspired to help the vulnerable. In another interview, Rob shares the time that Ronnie came home wearing no shoes. When asked what happened, he said, "I gave them to some homeless guy."

- Rob Parson's shares how a homeless man came to live with his family. www.youtube.com, Premier on Demand

As if the story could get more heartwarming, in Charlie Buckland's more extended piece for the BBC, he further explains that Rob "vaguely remembered Ronnie, someone he would occasionally see at Sunday School as a boy and who he was told to be kind to as he was a 'bit different.'"

He adds, "Ronnie was then almost 30 and had been without a home from the age of 15, living in and around Cardiff and moving from job to job — Rob would sometimes see him at a youth club he ran. To make him feel as welcome as possible, they asked their family to bring him a gift for Christmas, anything from a pair of socks to some 'smellies.'"

Dianne shares in the interview, "I can remember him now. He was sat at the Christmas table and he had these presents, and he cried because he'd never known that sort of feeling of love, you know. It was incredible, really, to watch."

bbc wales newschristmasfamilyhomelessloverob parsonsronnie lockwoodspectrumwalesparsons familydianne parsonskindness
Community
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A boy got stuck on the roof. His dad's words gave him courage in this truly heartwarming clip.

"There's nowhere you're gonna go I'm not gonna catch you."

Photo Credit: Tara Ludovici (Used with permission)

A 9-year-old boy gets stuck on the roof.

There are tiny snippets in time when a child seems to create a tight-knit bond of trust with a parent. Sometimes it happens in a flash—blink and you might miss it. But for 9-year-old Mason and his father, Dillon, one of those moments was luckily caught on video.

It doesn't really matter so much why Mason got stuck on the roof at an afternoon holiday party. It's what happened next that was so moving for his family and online viewers. In a recent, viral-growing clip, we see Mason crouched at the edge of the roof, full of fear. He exclaims "I'm scared!" to which people shout words of support. But through the noise, he hears the calm words of his dad. "Sit down, take a breath. There's nowhere you can go that I'm not gonna catch you."

Mason is still visibly frightened. Dad continues, "Listen, see this? There's nowhere you're gonna go I'm not gonna catch you." Mason hears this as they lock eyes. People continue to chant, "Trust your daddy" and "You got this." Dillon, with his arms outstretched, stays in control. "When you're ready. Stand up. And jump to me."

Finally, on the count of three, Mason stands and jumps without abandon into his father's arms (who catches him perfectly). The fear turns into relief, which morphs into an emotional smile. Mason's father reminds him he's okay and that he's "got" him.

Explained, in part, on his Aunt Tara's Instagram page, she writes: "This sweet boy (my nephew Mason) had to get his helicopter that landed on the roof and was terrified to get down. I was so impressed with how his daddy spoke to him calmly and reassured him that he wouldn’t let him fall. GOOD JOB DAD!!" She also notes, "What a powerful example of a FATHER. You can literally see the moment he gains courage after hearing what his daddy tells him. This is so heart-warming."

fatherhood, family, sons, courage, Christmas A son jumps into his dad's arms after conquering his fear. Photo Credit: Tara Ludovici, (Used with permission)

Already at nearly 90,000 likes in just a few days, there are over one thousand comments, many thrilled to see such a wholesome moment. A few questioned how he got up there in the first place. Tara answers in a comment, "We are at a Christmas party so he has all of his aunts/uncles and cousins there (that’s who’s talking in the background). It wasn’t his mom. He got a new helicopter for Christmas and it landed on the roof so his daddy lifted him up to grab it. We suggested he come down backwards, but I think he felt safer being able to see his dad."

Some on Instagram had notes on all the people chanting, and Tara responds to this as well "Yes, the volume escalated quickly and everyone thought they were being encouraging. BUT, he was locked in on dad’s voice and I don’t think he even heard everyone else. I thought dad and Mason did a wonderful job together and wanted to share it."

dads, fatherhood, son, comfort, courage, Christmas A dad proudly holds his son.Photo Credit: Tara Ludovici, (Used with permission)

Many of the commenters seem deeply impressed. "The way he kept eye contact with his dad. Everyone was trying to help, but dad? HE'S THE GUY FOR THE JOB!"

Another adds, "I absolutely love how his entire nervous system was telling him 'no' but that lock-in diverted focus from fear to only what the dad said. Epic. Love watching people build littler people."

But it's when the dad says, "There's nowhere you're gonna go, I'm not gonna catch you," that seems to resonate most with people, Aunt Tara included. She answers a commenter who mentions it, "It was that part for me!"

fatherhood, dad, son, courage, bravery, Christmas Dad gives son a hug. Photo Credit: Tara Ludovici, (Used with permission)

Family

In 1879 a scientist buried bottles filled with seeds. Every 20 years, one is dug up and studied.

This incredibly long-running experiment will come to an end around 2100.

Lovelihood/Flickr

One of the world's longest running experiments will run another nearly 80 years.

142 years ago, botanist James Beal had a unique idea for how we could learn more about seeds.

Beal wanted to know just how long seeds of different kinds would remain viable in soil. Now, that might not sound like the most exciting research topic of all time, but understanding seed longevity actually plays a crucial role in agriculture, our food supply, and the preservation of biodiversity.

in 1879, Beal decided to bury 20 bottles filled with seeds in the ground. The bottles were open to allow soil and some moisture to reach the seeds, but positioned in such a way that they would not fill with water. That would allow just enough moisture for the seeds to theoretically survive without sprouting.

According to Popular Science, each bottle held 50 seeds form 21 different plant species, all mixed into sand. That's over 1,000 seeds per bottle. Beal's plan was to dig up a new bottle every five years and test to see if the seeds could still be successfully planted.

After running the experiment himself for several years, it was time for Beal to retire. The work was handed off in 1910 to a fellow professor, and in a few years the timeline was shifted: A new bottle would be dug up every 10 years instead of 5. Shortly after, it was extended to 20 years.

The Beal Seed Experiment is still ongoing, with the final bottle scheduled to be dug up sometime around the year 2100. The project has been handed off multiple times and, at 142 years old, is now one of the longest running active experiments of all time.

The Beal Seed Experiment is currently in the capable hands of a team of scientists at Michigan State University.

The research team most recently dug up a new bottle in 2021, a year delayed after the COVID-19 pandemic. The scientists ventured out in the dead of night so as not to expose the dug up seeds to any sunlight that may alter the experiment.

Once they've collected the seeds, they plant them in fresh soil and see if they will sprout. Unsurprisingly, the most resilient of seeds typically belong to weeds. Others are more fragile.

When seeds don't sprout, the scientists don't give up. After all, they need something to do for the next 20 years. They try a variety of groundbreaking techniques to try to revive the seeds and bring them back to life, including simulating winter with a shock of extreme cold, simulating exposure to fire smoke, and other experimental treatments they're ready to test.

If seeds can not be revived, they are studied heavily. The scientists need to know what factors contribute to seeds that are better able to survive long periods of time dormant in the soil.

After all, the Beal Botanical Garden writes, "We may yet see that ungerminated seeds remaining from this latest germination experiment are in fact viable, and simply haven’t been exposed to the right conditions."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Why does this unique experiment still matter, nearly 150 years later?

An article published in the Portland Press states, "Understanding the molecular basis of seed longevity provides important new genetic targets for the production of crops with enhanced resilience to changing climates."

In other words, our food supply could, in the future, be dependent on our ability to bioengineer seeds and crops that can survive as temperatures rise and weather conditions change.

The findings from Beal's study are also critical for maintaining healthy seed banks, which protect against catastrophic crop failures and global food crises. Knowing what factors allow a seed to be more resilient, how to make it last longer, and how to "bring it back to life" could be a matter of life or death.

What an exciting line of work and an incredible honor to be a part of the team that gets to unearth the next bottle sometime around the year 2040. There are only a few left in the ground, making the collection most likely a once-in-a-lifetime scientific opportunity.

Sustainability
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