Why we raise

Every year we see the same catalogs with the same candy or cookie dough from the same kids. Each year we shell out a few bucks because these kids are raising money for some nebulous concept that we are loosely informed about. We give because of the kids, not because of the product. We never really look to see what the cause is or why the money is raised. 

I have a few nieces and nephews ranging in ages from 2 to 16 and every year one of them is raising money for something. This year I asked my nephew what he was raising money for, and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. It never occurred to him that someone might ask questions. I told him that if he could tell me what he was raising money for and why it was important to him, I would buy from him. Of course, I planned to do it anyway. But I wanted him to learn a lesson about the why behind fundraising. 

He came back a few hours later with a much better informed answer about the what and why of hte fundraiser. It was for his JROTC trip to the Boeing Museum. The school doesn't provide money for trips like this and the opportunity to learn about aerospace science is lost in most schools. It was important to him because he wants to learn about flight and be like his step dad, the aircraft engineer. 

A few days later he asked me why I wanted to know about the fundraiser and my answer was simple. I told him that if he is going to get someone to care about his cause, he needs to know about it and care about it as well. It's disingenuous to ask someone else to support a cause you yourself don't support. He asked "what if I didn't care?" "Then why should I?" was my response. He laughed and I could tell he understood.

The lesson here is that you need to know why you raise. If you are ill informed about your raise and the cause behind it, no one is going to take you seriously or the organization you represent. How you raise money, as long as it's legal, isn't nearly as important as why it is important to you.  

Raise, call or fold?

It's that time of year again. Shortly after you arrive home from your work day you will most likely hear a knock on your door. Or perhaps you have children that age that will return home from school one day with some sort of catalog or a nondescript box of candy to sell. Yes, the pre-holiday season fundraiser push is about to go into full swing.

Whether it's candy, cookie dough or some other product, you can be assured someone will be selling it. The diversity of fundraising mechanisms have changed throughout the years and some organizations are exploring methods that are not centered around product sales.

Statistically, these models don't pay a lot of the principle raised to the beneficiary. the majority of the money goes to fulfillment of incentives and paying for product as well as the partner company. THis leaves roughly 10-15% for the organization. That amount of money is roughly the same margin as most restaurants that have to operate continually and in high volume to sustain themselves.

A newer model focused on reclamation and recycling of old technology has been making a push for the past few years and tends to pay a higher percentage to the organization. These models have no carry on inventory and are far less risky with a lower barrier for entry. They also operate with no minimums on amount raised to receive a significant payout. This sort of revenue sharing model is more progressive and many companies are trying this low risk alternative as an augment to existing platforms. Check out www.pandabit.com to learn more about how you can use this type of platform.

The Vicious (re)Cycle

Technology is a wonder to behold. Look around and you will see it everywhere. Few people think about where these marvels originate and even fewer think about what happens when they become obsolete or outmoded. Many end up in dump sites overseas waiting to be reclaimed and recycled. 

This sort of dumping is common worldwide. It's an economic mode for many nations to capitalize on the waste of others. Many recycle and reclaim the materials dumped on their shores. But what do these methods do to their ecosystem?

The majority of dump site nations have limited technology to recycle complex electronic components. Burning is the most common method to remove plastic and other dross to reclaim heavy metals with a high value to electronics companies. It seems simple enough. Many companies smelt off dross to claim valuable ore type materials. The issue is the overall impact of these processes. 

Burning plastic creates toxic fumes and residue that can kill in the right amounts. The impact to air and water supplies can be staggering. The lack of education of the local populace is problematic and the governments allowing this to continue is socially irresponsible. Do what you can to help slow this process at www.pandabit.com.

Reclamation Worldwide

There are many ways to prevent electronic waste but the vast majority of countries where this is an issue don't have the technology to dispose or reclaim the waste in a way that doesn't cause long term damaging effects to their environment. Looking at statistics, Guiyu province in China is the world's most polluted and dangerous area for electronic waste, yet the country continues to use it as a dump site. While this is the extreme of examples given, there are many more stories just like it.

Many poorer nations in the world allow larger more advanced countries to dump thier waste on their shores for profit. Where the dump sites able to handle the influx and toxicity of the waste in a responsible manner, this wouldn't be an issue. The reality here is that most don't have reclamation methods advanced enough not to destroy water and soil resources in the short and long term and end up damaging their own sources of drinking water and land for food production.

There are alternatives, however. Many nations have ways of safely reclaiming and recycling their waste. Much of what is dumped has value and can be reclaimed for use in similar industries. The transition will not happen overnight but knowledge of the alternatives and the impact of current state of things is imperative. Find out how you can make a change at www.pandabit.com.