Rising fuel costs and economic uncertainty are motivating a growing number of people to buy more fuel efficient cars. This is welcome news for automakers that chose to design more fuel efficiently and environmentally friendly vehicles whereas more traditional automakers that chose to continue building cars that weren’t eco-friendly or fuel efficient could be in trouble.This is good news for automakers that deiced to build better cars, not so much for those that are still heavy on the gas mileage. However, this can mean good news for you and the planet. Donating an older car that lacks fuel efficiency and has a growing list of mechanical problems is a smart idea for a number of reasons.
First, you’re donating an older car that is no longer running, feasible or needed. By donating the car, it can be used to create new materials instead of decaying and continuing to negatively impact the environment. Donated cars that are still running and can be resold it can go to someone in need of transportation that may not be able to afford a newer model car and not go to waste in a junk yard. Green charities that have vehicle donation programs are the perfect place to take your unwanted vehicle. The donated car will be properly recycled and the proceeds will go towards helping the charity continue its mission of improving the quality of the planet and maintaining its resources
The trend towards more fuel efficient cars can also be seen in the decline and in some cases death of more outdated cars. The hummer for instance is a prime example. The large gas guzzler has been discontinued as of this year. A fate brought on by a weak economy, high fuel costs and the rise of the green movement. Help keep the green car donation movement going, by donating your old car. The proceeds from donated cars will go towards charities that are also trying to improve the state of our world and the remnants will be used to produce cleaner resources.
Imagine losing both your parents. Being married for 11yrs, trying every way but not having kids. Imagine that for the last 8-10 yrs you’ve been suffering with various aches and pains which eventually were revealed to be because of a cancerous growth in the uterus. Also there’s another small tumor in your liver. You are facing a major surgery and possibility that the tumor in your liver is also cancerous. On the evening before your major surgery, what would you be doing?
Lying hopeless in the hospital? Blaming fate and God for all the bad things happening to you? Feeling dejected and depressed? Angry? Hurt?
Read on…
Location: Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital, Vaishali – bed number 322. I am with my one month old daughter who has been admitted for pertussis / pneumonia. It’s a twin-sharing room so another family joins us on bed number 321 the night before our discharge.
The patient is a middle aged woman, I’ll call her “Prerna”. As we start exchanging our stories, she tells me, “I lost my mom when I was very young. My dad expired a few days ago. I don’t have any kids. We’ve been married for 11 yrs. Tried all sorts of medicines etc to help conceive, but no luck. However I am lucky to have my husband. He is a god-sent man. Men (specially in India) treat women very badly when they cannot bear a child. Even when the problem is with the man’s health, the woman will always be blamed and punished for not being able to have kids. But my husband loves me no matter what. He treats me with respect and kindness. After all whatever is happening to me is Allah’s wish. I am sure he does have something good for me, too.”
I was moved to tears. Here was a woman who had all the reasons to spread hatred and ill-will, sorrow and dejection but she chooses to do otherwise. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, indulging in sorrow, she counts her blessings. She recognized the kindness in her husband, was thankful for him and asked blessings for him. She continued to pray and chant her routine prayers even when nurses came over to administer IV injections or fluids. Whole night she went through blood transfusion which was quite an ordeal, but she bore it with a very brave heart. Morning she was sitting in her bed and praying as per her ritual again. She had not let adversity disturb her faith in God for the last several years. I was stumped by her courage.
“Prerna”, meaning inspiration – what else can you name her?
p.s. The doctors operated on our dear Prerna didi successfully yesterday and also did tests on the growth in the liver. It was found to be non-cancerous. 
Do send your prayers and wishes for her speedy recovery!
It was during my early second pregnancy that Harvinder introduced me to BabyCenter.com newsletters. Over the last eight months and even now when I have little Siya in my arms, I’ve turned to it for information, tips, advice and more.
I found it one stop shop for parents. Some of the highlights I find useful are:
- Weekly newsletter during PGcy kept me up-to-date on “what’s-happening-with-my-baby”, advice about what best to eat / avoid when, what possible symptoms to watch for, what exercises / activities to take up etc.
- Medical conditions, their symptoms, possible causes and things you can do to reduce / avoid them – This second PGcy was a really rough ride for me. Low b.p., excruciating lower back pain, infections – you name it, I had it. At least knowing more about what was happening to me, why and how I could ease some of the pain helped a lot.
- Forums / community – For each article they have comments from community members. women share their experiences, give tips and advice and overall boost each other’s spirit.
They also have offers from diapers.com etc but I did not use these, so no comments there.
So if you are a trying-to-be parent, would-be parent or having kids & toddlers go take a look at this great site. It’s worth spending some time on!
