Peacekeeper Truth Serum Blog

Since its inception in 2006, Twitter has exploded from a simple microblog to a hotbed of political struggle. Users all over the world – politicians, celebrities, ordinary citizens – have taken advantage of the site’s to put forth their political views in concise bursts of 140 characters or less.

This past week incited a Twitter firestorm on two accounts:

- In response to complaints about the lack of racial diversity in HBO’s new sitcom Girls, writer Lesley Arfin tweeted: “What really bothered me most about Precious was that there was no representation of ME.”

This afternoon, Fox News analyst Monica Crowley reacted to the announcement of Sandra Fluke’s engagement with the following tweet: “To a man?” When attacked as a bigot, a homophobe, and a terrible person, she claimed it was a joke, tweeting “I love exposing the Left’s total lack of a sense of humor.”

Couple these inciting incidents with the growing use of Twitter to chronicle political movements in real time (Occupy Wall Street, the protest of Facebook’s all-male board of directors), and it’s clear that Twitter is a huge part of the growing movement to make social media political too.

Now, we at PeaceKeeper love our Twitter account (@PeaceKeeperCaus) and so should you, but if you’re a novice Tweeter looking to get your voice heard, here are a few advantages and disadvantages of using your Twitter as your political platform:

1. Connected. With hashtags, you can add your name to the conversation about any current political issue. This not only ensures that your voice will be heard and responded to; it also allows you to listen and respond to like-minded people!
Additionally, the ability to tweet (or re-tweet) at important figures in the conversation (a celebrity, the President) you have the chance to express your thoughts directly to the people who can make the biggest impact.

2. Concise. Tweeting is a quick and easy way to get your thoughts across, but with its 140-character limit, it forces you to get rid of the B.S. and say what you really mean.

3. Easy to Use. A tweet is basically a combination of a petition signature and a Facebook status! Like a petition signature, it lets you show your support to a larger audience than just your friends or family, and it receives attention from the most important people in the political movement. Like a Facebook status, it gives you the chance to express your own opinions alongside the opinions of like-minded people, thus allowing for a new voice to be heard in the conversation.

With all this in mind, here are a few things to think about when engaging in political Tweeting:
1. Remember that everything you post is going to be there forever. Lesley Arfin deleted her tweet and posted an apology, but not before it was screencapped and published on all the major news websites. Think very carefully about what you tweet, especially if it could be radical or offensive.

2. Stay on topic. It’s very hard to say everything you want in 140 characters or less (especially if you include a link), but try to state your opinion clearly and succinctly without straying from the main point. When everyone is using the same hashtag to talk about wildly different things, the conversation gets lost and it’s harder to effect change.

Do you use Twitter? Do you think it’s effective? How would you use it to get involved in political change? Leave a comment below!

With Love,
The PeaceKeeper Team

Here at PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, Earth Day (April 22) is kind of like our New Year’s: Everyone in the office makes an eco-friendly resolution, from volunteering at a local park to taking shorter showers. But with the Billion Acts Of Green campaign, we discovered a way to really make our resolutions count!

Billion Acts of Green is a campaign created by the Earth Day network, and it is currently the largest environmental service project on the planet. On the Billion Acts of Green website, users can pledge their own Act or choose from a list of Earth Day Favorites. Submissions on the site include eating more local food, picking up trash and recyclables, harvesting rainwater, and even cleaning up Malaysia’s waterfalls.

You can visit the official Billion Acts Of Green website at http://act.earthday.org/ . Three days before Earth Day, they’re at over 980 million pledges, so now’s your chance to pledge your Act of Green – and stick to it!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Image courtesy schoolofwisdom.com.)

Last week, following a massive protest march through Madrid, 400 protesters camped out in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol Square as part of the Democracia Real Ya (Real Democracy Now) grassroots movement. Despite numerous police attempts to chase the protesters away, thousands of people started migrating to the square out of solidarity. Now, over a week later, the protesters number 25,000 strong per day alone, 3,000 of which have been sleeping in the square every night.

What makes this such an extraordinary event? The demonstration had been organized via text messages, Facebook and Twitter–yet another illustration of the power of mankind to achieve great things, even with something so simple as a computer or a phone.

Democracia Real Ya, formed by “18 or 20 deadbeats with a budget of a thousand euros”, is fighting for the Spanish government to own up to its responsibility for the country’s economic crash and staggering unemployment rates. The movement’s motto, “We are not goods in the hands of politicians and bankers”, is a direct response to the inability of Spain’s government to rein in the economy from its steady downward slide–and the protest itself is putting even more pressure on the country’s upcoming elections.

Though Spain’s government has issued several ultimatums to the protesters to leave the square, a decisive showdown on Wednesday May 18th–in which the police, despite ordering the protesters to evacuate by midnight, ultimately did nothing–has left them powerless against the sheer numbers and conviction of their people. According to an interview with Madrid teacher Sam Robson, 70 percent of people polled on television were in favor of the camp, and firefighters have refused to take down protest banners that cover commercial advertisements.

We at PeaceKeeper definitely wish we were in Spain right now to see history in the making! All 25,000 (per day!!) are in our thoughts and we hope that Spain’s government receives the justice it deserves.

To learn more about the protest, you can check out this interview with Sam Robson (mentioned above) or this article from El Pais.

With Love,
The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Jessica Smith.  Picture courtesy Shawsblog.

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

We at PeaceKeeper are devoted to activism in our everyday lives! When you purchase PeaceKeeper, we donate all after-tax, non-distributable profits to fight urgent human rights issues.  Also, we believe that our products should contain “No Nasty Anything,” whether that’s artificial preservatives, harmful chemicals, or slave labor.

However, we know that it can be difficult to live an activist life, especially when you’re so busy with your career or your family.  Therefore, we have compiled “The Beginner’s Guide To Activism”, a list of helpful tips for those of you who want to start making positive change for people around the world.

1.  Ask yourself:  What do I care about the most?
This does not have to have a big answer.  You don’t necessarily have to care about the hole in the ozone layer.  But if you know, for example, that you hate the look of a pile of trash in a beautiful park, try to bring that idea into the world.  Why does that pile of trash in that beautiful park make you angry, and more importantly, how could you go about fixing it?

Which brings us to our next point…

2. Start Small.
Remember those guys on the street with their giant jugs full of money, calling out “One Penny!  Just One Penny To Help The Homeless!”?  That’s because even something as small as a penny can help the cause.  With activism, you don’t need to feed the entire homeless population of New York in a day; that’s impossible.  As long as you continue to do good out of a desire for change, you have made a powerful contribution, no matter how small.

3.  Make It A Habit.
Activism is like exercise; it takes time and dedication, and it eventually pays off big-time if you do it properly.  Like we said before, even if you’re doing something small, like picking up trash off the street and throwing it away, it does make a difference.  Just make sure you’re doing it on a regular basis.   Maybe you could decide to pick up 10 pieces of trash one day a week, and gradually increase that as you go on.  By the end of two months, you’ll have a very strong “activism muscle.”

4.  Get Your Friends To Join In.
Again, like exercise, sometimes it’s best to get a friend to join you.  Not only will the pleasant company make the time go by faster, but two can do twice the work of one in the same amount of time!  Perhaps you could plan a friendly competition to see who can do the most good in the least amount of time…just make sure it doesn’t get too out of hand!

We hope these guidelines are helpful to you in kickstarting your life as an activist!  Do you have any more tips?  Think there’s something we’ve forgotten?  Leave a comment below!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Jessica Smith. Picture courtesy DoGoodInBrooklyn.org.)

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

Our latest Kiss of Approval is a shout out to Skin Deep!

Created by the Environmental Working Group, this website aims to provide consumers with the most up-to-date information on safe cosmetic products. The ingredients of over 65,000 products are listed in their database, along with safety rankings between 1 (safest) and 10 (most hazardous).

The Skin Deep initiative has recently been in the news because of Jessica Assaf, an NYU student who placed “Warning! Toxic Hazard” stickers on ‘Secret’ brand deodorants in her local drug stores. Skin Deep’s website states that Secret carries high risks of organ system toxicity and moderate risks of neurotoxicity (click HERE for the full report).

Skin Deep also has information on PeaceKeeper’s Lip Paint and Nail Polish, both of which have received low safety scores on the scale. For a more detailed list of our ingredients, you can check out our official Ingredients page.

Skin Deep is a great resource if you’re unsure about what’s going into your cosmetics (the cosmetics industry has notoriously little input from the FDA). For more information, you can check out their website at www.ewg.org/skindeep.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Jessica Smith.  Picture courtesy Skin Deep.

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

In 2009, the United Nations officially deemed April 22 “International Mother Earth Day,” a day to recognize and honor this amazing planet that created us.  Here are a few ways you can honor Mother Earth today (and every day!):

1.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!! (We at PeaceKeeper think this should be everyone’s environmental mantra…)

2.  Don’t eat any foods with ingredients that a third grader can’t pronounce. (This is healthy for the earth AND for you, too!)

3.  Don’t eat any foods that come prepackaged. (Exceptions:  Pret a Manger, which makes their preservative-free sandwiches every morning!)

4.  Don’t waste water. (Try turning off the shower between rinses, using only a trickle of water for your toothbrush, using a stainless steel water bottle instead of wasteful plastic ones…the list goes on and on!)

We’re just hitting the tip of the iceberg here!  What are some of your ideas for Earth Day?  How did you celebrate today?  Leave a comment below!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Jessica Smith.  Photo courtesy Saving Mother Earth.

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

On March 11, a massive earthquake hit the Tohoku area in northeastern Japan, triggering a massive tsunami that killed an estimated 28,000 people and made refugees out of another 300,000.  Several nuclear power plants in the northeast failed, releasing radiation into the atmosphere and causing Japan’s government to declare a state of emergency.

Almost exactly one month later, an earthquake has struck again.  Thankfully, this one measured only 7.4 magnitude (the previous one measured 9.0) and has not triggered a tsunami, but it has disrupted recent efforts to repair the cooling systems of the power plants at Fukushima and Onagawa, as well as efforts to find the remaining victims of the quake (of which only 13,000 have been found).  The costs of rebuilding are estimated at over 220 billion dollars, or 10 trillion yen.

PeaceKeeper has had the people of Japan—the volunteers working to repair the power plants, the families and friends of the victims, the 2,800 people still missing in Ishinomaki—in our hearts and minds this past month.   Here are a few easy ways to donate to the Japan relief effort:

–Texting the message REDCROSS to 90999 will instantly donate $10 to the American Red Cross.  During the process, you will be asked to specify your donation (to Japan and the Pacific, or to other Red Cross efforts).  Similarly, you can text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation to the Salvation Army.

–Alternatively, you can donate on the Red Cross Website here: http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000&s_subsrc=RCO_Donate_OnlineGiving

Or the Salvation Army website here:  http://www.donate.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf

The Google Crisis Response website also has a donation option, as well as other resources concerning the disaster:  http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Donating only takes a few minutes out of your day!  From the bottom of our hearts, we beg you: PLEASE DONATE TO JAPAN.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Picture courtesy The Guardian.)

This week’s Kiss Of Approval goes to ‘Harry Potter’ star Emma Watson and designer Alberta Ferretti for Pure Threads, their eco-fashion capsule collection that launched March 22.

The collection, inspired by Jane Birkin circa 1974, features five iconic summer pieces–a maxi skirt, a white dress, a white blouse, denim shorts, and an LBD– rendered in breezy 100% organic cotton. The results are chic, feminine, and guaranteed to keep you cool on a summer’s day (though, we admit, a bit expensive–the denim shorts are running for $350).
Watson, who has created several eco-friendly collections with People Tree, stated in an interview with Io Donna that her eco-fashion sense stems from a desire to “do something good by using [her] public image and reputation.” Likewise, Ferretti has expressed great pleasure at collaborating with Watson, praising her “freshness, spontaneity and simplicity”.

Click on the image below to enlarge!

A portion of Pure Threads’ profits will be donated to People Tree, a UK-based company that works with Fair Trade principles and environmentally sound construction methods to create amazing fashion. Emma Watson has a long-standing connection with People Tree; you can see her collections for them here.

We at PeaceKeeper are thrilled that eco-fashion is gaining such a strong following among the stars–and we wish our summer outfits were as simple and chic as Pure Threads! We’re content to simply sigh in admiration at these gorgeous clothes, though if you have the cash the whole collection is available on albertaferretti.com.

In the meantime, we’re adding that lovely white blouse to our wardrobe wishlists–it looks great with pants and skirts, and it’s three-quarter sleeves keep it breezy during the day and covered during the night!

Which is your favorite Pure Threads piece? Do you love the collection as much as we do, or not-so-hot (pun intended)? Leave a comment below!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer: Jessica Smith.  Quotes courtesy iheartwatson.net.  Pictures courtesy Fashionista.com.

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

Thinkplanet: ” It’s not just a store, it’s an idea whose time has come.“

For our latest Kiss of Approval, we’re honoring Thinkplanet!  This up-and-coming eco-boutique is also a hard-hitting charitable foundation that pledges 50% of their profits to local community causes.

In the corporation’s own words:

“Thinkplanet Corporation is a for profit retail store which is also a 50/50 company. That means we donate 50% of our after tax profits from products sold both on the web and in the brick and mortar stores to THINKPLANET FOUNDATION (501c3) which in turn disperses the money to local community needy causes in the area of ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, and CHARITY.

In addition, THINKPLANET FOUNDATION reports all dispersals to promote transparency. That means when THINKPLANET gives money we track exactly how it was spent. We ask our charities to participate in this transparency. With transparency comes trust, with trust comes personal involvement and promotes further giving.”

The company’s first brick-and-mortar store (carrying PeaceKeeper products!) celebrated its Grand Opening on March 12.  Located at 232 3rd Street, McMinnville, Oregon, it is the first in a planned franchise of stores that will be committed to helping local charities and causes all over the country.

If you’re not currently located on the West Coast, you can check out their website or follow them on Twitter and Facebook for more information about donating and the cool products they carry (like this “anti-water bottle” or this USB-rechargeable battery).

Now That’s Beautiful!

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Jessica Smith.  Pictures and mission statement courtesy Thinkplanet.com.

For more information on PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)

On behalf of all of us at PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, we wish you a HAPPY 100th INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

First observed in 1911, March 8 has become a day to celebrate the achievements of women all over the world.  If you’re wondering how to best celebrate it, PeaceKeeper has a few ideas:

1.  See what’s happening in your neighborhood. Hundreds of events are happening in the United States alone:  check out this listing of International Women’s Day events for local shindigs.

2.  Celebrate the women in your life.  Tell your best friend that she lights up your days.  Tell your lover how lucky you are.  Invite your mother over for dinner–heck, why not invite the whole neighborhood?  A dear PeaceKeeper friend once passed out red roses to all her dearest girl friends; it was such a simple yet heartfelt gesture.  Let the women in your life know how much they mean to you!

3.  Be an activist. There are so many great causes that need your help!  You can sign a petition to Congress to overturn the recent bill banning Planned Parenthood from getting government funding, donate to urgent human rights issues through the PeaceKeeper Triskeles Fund, or even volunteer at your local shelter.  Remember–doing good makes you feel good!

However you plan to celebrate this day, we hope it is full of joy!  For more information, you can visit the International Women’s Day website at www.internationalwomensday.com.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Jessica Smith. IWD logo courtesy InternationalWomensDay.com.

For more information about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com.)