There is a major principle in Judaism called Tikun Olam - literally translated as "fixing the world." We believe that acts of kindness towards others, helping those in need and working towards the greater good are all forms of Tikun Olam. It is a long held belief that we should leave the world a better place for our children than the way we found it.
Synagogue youth groups or Bar/ Bat Mitzvah kids often do "Tikun Olam" projects - volunteering or raising money for one group or another. I wish that more kids would stick with their volunteer efforts after their 'project' is concluded, but that's a rant for another posting.

I think, taking the idea of Tikun Olam literally, we should all be working on ways to help the environment. I found this recent story interesting. The mayor of San Francisco is issuing a ban on city departments from buying bottled water - even for water coolers. The idea is that city water is just as good, and it's a savings for both the environment and for taxpayers who would be footing the bill.

That got me thinking. As much as we shrug off doing things like this personally because it's just a drop in the proverbial bucket, it's not just about the amount of a difference we are making in quantitative terms at that very moment. When we do something - a good deed towards others, or taking a step to help heal the world - we are putting a drop in the bucket, but more often than not we are also starting a ripple effect, setting the example and encouraging others to do the same.

And drop by drop by drop, we really all do make a difference - even if we can't see it right away. What are you doing to help the world today?