Hi everyone! I just wanted to share this great opportunity which I just discovered.
Swagbucks has a new section in their prize area under gift cards where you can donate your swagbucks for Haiti relief.
If you haven't heard of swagbucks, it is a search and reward site where members win currency called swagbucks randomly by using the swagbucks search engine. You can use these swagbucks to then redeem prizes on their site and right now those swagbucks can be used to help Haiti during this crisis.
If you're not a member yet you can start earning and donating now by signing up here:
This is absolutely wonderful because there are many who want to help but can't afford to for one reason or another, but if you have a computer and access to the internet then I'm telling you right now that you can do something. Swagbucks has made it possible for us to donate to Haiti for free!
As soon as you sign on to swagbucks you get 3 free swagbucks automatically. If you'd like to earn more it's really simple. All you need to do is search just like you would on Google and you will randomly receive swagbucks! When you feel you've earned enough you can donate to Haiti by clicking prizes --> gift cards --> haiti earthquake relief fund donation --> click snag it!
That's it! You've donated you're swagbucks to help people who really need it.
What's the catch?
There is none! This is simple and easy. For doing something you would normally do anyway (searching the web) you'll be able to make a difference and help those suffering from this disaster. Please take this chance to do something for Haiti. You can make a difference. Sign up by clicking the banner below.
Donate even more through Youtube! Easy as a single click.
Have more time and would like another way to donate for free? Please watch this youtube video. Yes, that's all you have to do. Simple. No catch. Mr. Safety is being awfully generous. Huge thankyou to him and to you for watching this video. Everything you do makes a difference.
On Tuesday January 12, 2010 a deadly earthquake hit Haiti. It was centered in Carrefour, an area just to the west of the nation's capital Port au Prince where millions of Haitians reside.
The earthquake was measured to be a 7.0, and aftershocks have continued to ravage the nation. Some of these aftershocks have been up to 5.9 in magnitude and therefore fairly sizeable earthquakes in and of themselves. They continue to occur even today. So this was not just a single event which occured on Tuesday, but rather Tuesday was only the beginning of a series of earthquakes hitting the nation.
What does 7.0 magnitude earthquake mean?
The 7.0 magnitude is based on the Richter magnitude scale developed by Charles Richter in 1935. Since this scale is logarithmic in nature, each whole number increase actually means that the earthquake shakes ten times stronger and releases about 31 times more energy. 1
How strong is a 7.0 earthquake?
Relatively speaking it is a really strong quake. A 2.0 or less is usually not felt by people, 4.5 or greater is strong enough to be sensed by seismographs around the world, and 8.0 or greater is referred to as a Great earthquake and they occur about once a year.
How seriously does this affect Haiti?
Well, I can't say for certain without being there, the extent to which this affects the nation, but it is certainly devastating. Images from media such as CNN news, facebook, and youtube give just a glimpse of what's happening in Port au Prince right now not to mention the surrounding cities.
Some important issues to keep in mind are:
The earthquake was 6 miles deep. This is very close to the surface of the earth therefore the effects are much more severe than if it were 100 or 200 miles deep where there would be some cushioning of the effects and less damage.
This was a series of earthquakes. As I mentioned earlier fairly strong earthquakes some in the 5.0-5.9 range followed the first 7.0 earthquake. Although they are called aftershocks because they came after the strongest quake they are still fairly strong in their own right. Leading to more shaking of already crumbling buildings. Speaking of buildings . . .
Most buildings in Haiti are made of concrete without rebar. Rebar is the steel used to re-inforce the concrete and provide extra structure/stabilization. Without this, the homes are susceptible to an increased level of damage.
These are only a few of the things to keep in mind that comes into play in terms of the effects of the earthquake, but thanks be to God many nations around the world are coming to Haiti's aid. They are sending people, food, materials, and money to help in the face of this disaster. This is really beautiful in that it shows people of all races coming together to help one another in this hard time and we really need this international love, especially during this tragedy.
Some of the countries helping out include: The United States, Britain, Iceland, Spain, France, Switzerland, Israel, China, Japan, Australia and more. 2
How can I keep updated on what's going on?
The best place I've found has been CNN news, they are really giving updates promptly and keeping everyone informed. If you don't have access to a tv with their channel, you can visit their website for this event here.
In addition facebook has a group on the subject which you can easily find by searching groups for haiti earthquake. It already has thousands of members.
What can I do to help?
Pray. Pray. Pray. I know that God can perform miracles. This is all in His hands and He does everything for a reason. So I'm putting my trust in Him. Prayers can move mountains.
Also if you would like to contribute monetarily you can donate with a simple text.
Click here for details on that. And here for an article describing how everyone's small contributions are coming together to make a big impact and info on other places taking donations. As always please be very careful with your information. Hate to say this, but there may be scammers out there so make sure that you're donating to a valid organization that will really provide help for those in Haiti right now. CNN should be really reliable which is why I provide links to them and they can provide links to solid organizations but please use proper judgment.
Rebuilding after the tragedy an Eco-friendly way?
I know that it will take days or even weeks to months before thinking about rebuilding, but I did have one thought and where better to share it than on my blog? Just an extra something to chew on and think about before you go.
One of the problems with this earthquake as I mentioned was the structure of the houses being unable to withstand the shaking due to lack of rebar in the concrete. Well one thought I had was why not go back to using cob/adobe to build the homes there?
Cob is a mixture of mud and straw which when dried forms very beautiful environmentally-friendly homes. Not to mention that they're inexpensive.
The reason I mention it is because I saw a video where the model of a structure made out of cob was able to withstand some fairly strong seismic testing. You can check out the videos below.
1. Go to 4:35 minutes to see when they start the testing.
2. This second video has more details on the same structure. At about 3:18 you hear them say that the earthquake test magnitude is at7.2 and the structure looks almost completely fine! That's at a level greater than what just hit Haiti. It's only when the level is increased that the walls start to crumble BUT the structure remains standing meaning that people within the building still would have been safe enough to escape to an area of safety.
Building with earth is a less expensive solution and seems to be able to withstand earthquakes as well. What do you think? Could cob be a possible approach to rebuilding in Haiti?
If you'd like to learn more about cob and how nations around the world have been building with earth for centuries you can watch the rest of this cob documentary by clicking here.
Finally, I just want to remind everyone to pray for Haiti, for those who have gone to help, those who are missing, those struggling who have yet to receive aid, and those who have lost or have not heard from loved ones. God bless Haiti and God bless you.
1. For more on Richter magnitude scale please click here 2. To find out more on how different countries are helping, click here
I'm a Christian with a taste for nourishing food and an interest in pretty much all things natural, God, South Korea, Japan, languages, crafts and a whole lot more.
