Fear and Love

Hey everybody. More scary stuff happening in the past day or so, the biggest thing being another explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant that may be the breaching of a containment chamber. Hopefully not as dangerous as some news sources are making it out to be. Anyway, it's still a long way from here, and the winds are still blowing it away from us, so we are safe here in Fukuoka.

And that volcano to the south of us? That thing's been erupting for three months. It's a danger to the people who've resisted evacuating, but beyond its immediate area, it's no more than an annoyance involving sweeping away ash.

The outpouring of well-wishes and aid from around the world has been really wonderful. I do want to mention something about donating smart, though. I think that, if you live outside Japan, that donations of money to big international organizations is best. Groups such as the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and Habitat for Humanity will be able to use that money in the most efficient way, which becomes especially important when the immediate crisis is over. (Oh please let it be over soon!) Japan is a wealthy nation, and although these groups are doing incredible things right now, the donations may exceed what is really needed for this disaster. The big organizations will be able to repurpose that money for other disasters around the world--there's always another disaster, after all. Or they'll use it for non-disasters, like local blood drives or providing wounded soldiers with artificial limbs or building homes or whatever--all very important things. That flexibility is a big plus.

Also, giving goods like food and blankets and used clothes...well, it isn't really efficient. Groups like the Red Cross have emergency supplies already nearby (in Kuala Lumpur, in the Red Cross's case). With money, they can buy more from nearby nations (wholesale and in bulk) and fly it in cheaply. WAY more efficient--and thus way more people get the help they need, and sooner as well.

One last reason to give to the big groups is reliability: you know it's not some scam artist. True, some of these groups have had scandals in the past (like the Red Cross), but in general they've dealt with those things well and have become more efficient as a result. The Better Business Bureau lists charities that they accredit as reliable. Check it out before you donate.