How to Help

I’ve gotten quite a few requests about what to do or how to help.  I would say the best three things are as follows:

1. Donate money – the best place would be to the American Red Cross who are sending donations to the Japanese Red Cross 

2. Write a letter – help the 3000 Letters for Japan campaign by writing a very simple and colorful letter to an affected child.  http://ajet.net/tag/3000-letters-for-japan/

3.  Write or call your local senators and representatives and encourage them to look into our nuclear safety standards and disaster preparedness plans.

Japan is so much more organized than the United States for earthquakes and tsunami disasters, and yet they were unprepared for the aftermath of this one.  Our earthquake building codes aren’t as stringent as Japan’s, the whole west coast sits atop various fault lines, and more fault lines are discovered every decade.  This disaster has hit close enough to home for me and I don't want something like this to happen again anywhere, let alone in my own country to my friends, my family, or my fellow citizens.  There is never a perfect time to address disaster preparedness and nuclear safety and there will always be excuses – it’s bad for business, we can’t afford it, etc. – but if not now, when?   

Peace,

Kim