Most people suffer from what is known as “Just-me-ism”. What is that? Well, say you leave the tap running while you brush your teeth, leave a light on when you go out or you drop a piece of litter (垃圾) and can’t be bothered to pick it up. You know that all those things are wrong. But so what? “What difference can it possibly make?” you say to yourself. There are millions of people in the world and I’m just me. How can it matter if I leave one little tap running, one little light on or leave a little piece of litter on the road? “And anyway, no one will know,” Of course, it wouldn’t matter if there were just a few people in the world. But just think of all the millions of people saying to themselves: “It doesn’t matter. It’s just me. And, anyway, no one knows.” Millions of gallons of water would be wasted; millions of lights would be left on; millions of pieces of litter would be dropped. And all of this would be very harmful.

To inspire young people to take action for the environment, animals and their community, Roots & Shoots was established. This institute was set up in the early 1990s by Dr. Jane Goodall, a scientist who’s the world’s best-known expert on wild chimpanzees (黑猩猩). In addition to her research, she has been whole-heartedly committed to environmental protection, the whole purpose of Roots & Shoots is to educate young people, from preschoolers to university students, so they can help to build a future that is secure and live together in peace with nature. The organization is called Roots & Shoots because roots (根) move slowly under the ground to make a firm (坚实的) foundation, and shoots seem small and weak, but they can break open brick walls to reach the light. The roots and shoots are you, your friends and young people all around the world. Hundreds and thousands of roots and shoots can solve the problems, change the world and make it a better place to live in.

Do you think you help to make the world a better place when you make a sad person smile, when you make a dog wag (摇摆) its tail, and when you water a thirsty plant? One cheered-up person, one happy dog, one flowering plant, and you. That’s what Roots & Shoots is all about: the value and importance of each individual — human, animal or plant. Dr. Jane Goodall believes that the most important thing is that: “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference. You get to choose: Do you want to use your life to make the world a better place for people, animals and the environment? Do you want to make Roots & Shoots rooted in everyone’s heart? Do you want to be a part of a community for a shared future? You cannot be absent.”

Kim Stemple found herself in a Boston hospital being treated for one of several diseases she had been identified with. The normally high-spirited Stemple was naturally getting very depressed. And then a friend who had just finished a half marathon gave her a medal and hoped it would give a positive message. Before she got too sick to exercise, Stemple had been a marathon runner, an experience she’d always miss.

After Stemple hung the medal above her hospital bed, other patients said they wanted medals too. That got Stemple thinking, “A medal can act as a kind of pick-me-up.” And so was born her charity, We Finish Together, which gathers medals from strangers in different fields — runners, dancers, swimmers, and even spelling bee winners — and donates them to sorts of people in need. Receivers have included hospital patients and residents of homeless shelters. Part of the process involves the donor writing a personalized note. “This gives them a connection to someone,” says Stemple.

Can a simple medal really make a difference? “Yes,” says Joan Musarra. “I opened my package containing a new medal and a note of positive, warm thoughts. I was amazed,” she wrote to Stemple. “At that moment, I was sitting on my couch breathing through an oxygen cannula(插管). It seemed that someone was holding my hand.”

“I had the privilege of meeting Kim when in Washington D. C. for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. We chatted about life, sharing stories and of course we talked about her organization,” says Keri, a runner. “Kim talks little about herself and doesn’t want the organization or stories to be about her, but rather, about all the wonderful people involved.”