Even Darwin, Mr. “survival of the fittest,” realized that while competition is important in evolution, so are cooperation, sympathy, and fairness.
A new study has shown that, like humans, chimpanzees have an expectation of fairness and will protest when it is not met.
That part may not surprise you - we have a few resident dogs here in the SV offices and I assure you, giving one a treat in front of another does NOT go over well. What makes this study unique however is the fact that, in 95 trials, the chimps consistently rejected a more desirable treat if another chimp was given a lesser treat for the same action.
”Even those who benefited from inequality recognized that the situation was unfair and they refused to enjoy their own reward if it meant someone else had to suffer.”
Previously, it was thought that although animals clearly have feelings, only humans had an inherent sense of morality. This study suggests that chimpanzees appear to have a similar moral sense.
UPDATE: Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the bill into law Friday afternoon, also issuing an executive order that will require additional training for officers on how to implement the law without racial profiling.
President Obama has come out against Arizona’s new immigration bill, calling it “irresponsible” and saying that it “threatens to undermine basic notions of fairness.”
If signed into law, the bill would require immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and require police to interrogate people if they have any reason to believe that they might be in the country illegally.
The question here becomes whether that “reason” will end up being based primarily on race. Critics say it will and, while backers aren’t exactly denying it, they say it’s a risk they’re willing to take. They say that the government's failure to enforce federal immigration laws has made it necessary for states to take action. Critics argue that this bill goes against basic American values, fosters racial profiling and “unconstitutionally authorizes discrimination.”
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the very first Earth Day and by now, we all know the save-the-world basics: adjust the thermostat, recycle, pay bills online, carpool and keep those reusable grocery bags in the trunk. Here are 5 simple “next steps” that will help shrink your carbon footprint and make sure that the rainforests and coral reefs are still around for your grandkids to enjoy. Bonus points if you get a friend to do one with you.
1.) Go at least one day each week without meat. The meat industry produces nearly 20% of greenhouse gas emissions – more than emissions from transportation. Already went veggie? Congrats! You’re personally keeping 1.5 TONS of carbon dioxide each year out of our atmosphere, which beats trading your car for a hybrid by half a ton! If you’re a meat-lover, try skipping the beef just once each week by participating in Meatless Mondays.
2.) Buy vintage. In addition to ensuring that no one will show up to a party, prom or anywhere else in the same outfit as you, it’s an easy and fun way for any shopaholic to go green.
Clothing manufacturing uses huge amounts of water and releases toxic materials and dyes into the environment. Help cut back on manufacturing wastes without cutting back on shopping by checking out this quick guide to buying vintage clothing and accessories and finding a vintage shop near you.
3.) If/when you eat seafood, choose sustainable/fast-growing fish that are lower on the food chain like talapia. This will help alleviate the problems associated with overfishing. Food for thought: most tuna used for sushi is between 6 and 20 years old. Most talapia that you order is around one year old, which means the species can be replenished fairly easily. Learn more and take the pledge to save our oceans here.
4.) Unplug your toaster. Appliances use energy when they’re plugged in, even when you’re not using them. Unplug at least a few of the ones that you don’t use on a daily basis. This simple action can also lower your energy bill by around $10 each month, which makes it healthy for the planet and your wallet. While you’re at it, unplug the blender and that lamp in the corner that you never use too.
5.) Find a farmers market near you and choose locally grown, organic food. In addition to being healthier for you and great tasting, we can stop tons (seriously, tons) of greenhouse gasses from being released into the air. Thanks to chemical fertilizers, pesticides, trucks used for transport and machinery, industrially/conventionally grown foods are dependant on fossil fuels.
Make a goal to buy organic when purchasing at least some of your produce. Berries, peppers, and other thin-skinned fruits and veggies contain the highest amounts of toxic pesticides, which make them a great place to start. Find a farmer’s market near you at localharvest.org.
There’s a war being waged on thumbs - not just any thumbs, those dodgy ones that still text while driving. We’re all guilty of occasionally giving in to distractions while driving but, with car accidents being the leading cause of teen deaths in the US, putting down your phone while you’re in the driver’s seat is more important than ever.
The hilarious Joel McHale and Ken Jeong, stars of NBC’s Community, have a message for you on the subject:
Take their advice and order your FREE Thumb Socks today! They’re smart guys. McHale has a master’s degree from the University of Washington and Jeong is a Duke grad with an MD. Luckily, it doesn’t take a medical degree to realize that texting while driving just isn’t a good idea.
Texting makes you four times as likely to cause a crash. Even those of us with speedy thumbs who excel at multitasking are not invincible – yours truly learned this the hard way. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Powered by Do Something and Sprint, thumbwars.org is leading the fight against this dangerous habit that 75% of teens admit to having. While you’re there, you can upload pics of yourself rocking thumb socks (or order them) and check out more like this:
Soon, you’ll also be able to design your own bumper sticker for the cause and submit it for a chance to have it printed and sent all over the country! Until then, it’s all about the thumb socks!
“Slip them in your friends’ lockers, pass them out at school and keep them in your glove compartment so you’re always ready to practice safe driving.”
What helps you refrain from texting while driving?
Earth Day’s just two days away and, if you haven’t already, it’s time to do away with using plastic water bottles!
More than 2 million plastic bottles are used every 5 minutes in the US alone. Sure you can recycle them but as few as 10% actually make it to a recycling bin. Check out the image below; it’s an “island” of mostly plastic trash, twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Plus, it’s not just the bottles themselves that cause problems – 17 million barrels of oil are used each year producing bottled water.
Luckily, there are a slew of options to help you stay hydrated and carry your H2O in style. Here are a few of our faves:
Kuromi Whisper bottle from SIGG
Green Parsley, Tree, & Poppy bottles from EarthLust
charity: water bottle by Thermos - proceeds fund sustainable water projects
Not impressed? Design your own. SIGG allows you to upload photos and add text to make it one-of-a-kind. File that in your head under “potential gift ideas.”
To make giving up plastic even easier on you, we’re giving away 10 SocialVibe aluminum water bottles. Leave a comment, letting us know why you are scaling down your plastic use. We’ll choose 10 people to receive one of these eco-fabulous bottles from SV! Make sure you comment by 11:59pm (Pacific) tomorrow, April 21st.
How much does your family spend on food each week? If you’re anything like the average household here in the US, it’s probably around $200-$300. Living in Germany? It’s more like $500.
A few years ago, husband and wife team Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio traveled the world, taking pictures of families with an average week’s worth of food. Below are just a few of the families they visited, along with their grocery bill for one week.
Japan - $317.25
Egypt - $68.53
United States - $341.98
The Republic of Chad (Africa) - $1.23
Germany - $500.07
It’s interesting to note that, while the families in the poorest areas of the world eat far less and continually struggle to keep food on their tables, families in the wealthiest countries often eat far less nutritious foods. Although fruits and vegetables are readily available, we frequently opt for processed or genetically modified foods.
Believe it or not, it’s possible to be overweight and malnourished at the same time. Our advice? If you’re lucky enough to live in a place where food is plentiful, make healthy choices. If you have internet access, chances are you also have access to fruits and veggies - take advantage of it!
Speaking of having access to the internet...
You can earn free donations to provide nutritious food to those who are less fortunate by supporting The World Food Programme on SocialVibe.
Already well on your way to going green? It’s time to step it up and go blue!
In honor of Earth Day this Thursday, April 22, TakePart and Participant Media are giving you the chance to win an Oceans poster featuring original artwork created/designed by Shepard Fairey (the artist behind the famed Obama “Hope” poster) and his design/creative agency/studio/firm Studio Number One. Disneynature’s OCEANS will be in theaters Earth Day, April 22, 2010.
We’ll randomly select 10 people each day this week (Monday through Friday) to receive one of the posters. Not on Twitter yet? Sign up - it’s free!
“SaveMyOceans is a hub of oceans information and activism designed to inform, inspire, and compel change. Whether you live next to the beach, on a lake or a river or thousands of miles from a body of water, things you do every day impact our oceans. Here you can learn about the threats to our oceans, what you can do to protect them, and how to enlist your friends and family.”
Aside from having a chance to win one of these gorgeous posters, you’ll be taking part in an important movement to help preserve our oceans for future generations.
President Obama has asked the Department of Health and Human Services to stop hospitals from denying visitation rights to same-sex couples stating: "There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. ... Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides."
He went on to say that any hospital that wishes to continue to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding must allow patients to decide who can visit them and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and variety of other personal traits.
After her partner of 17 years suffered an aneurysm, Janice Langbehn was confined to a waiting room while her partner died. She told CNN yesterday that being by her loved one’s side in her last moments “wasn't a gay right, it was a human right."
"In the absence of gay people being able to legally marry in most jurisdictions, this is a step to rectify a gross inequity," said David Smith, an executive at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group. "Because without gay marriage, much more inequities exist. It should be applauded."
