Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2011

To put it mildly, Tohoku is a mite chilly in the wintertime. Many organizations are already at work making sure that disaster victims will have all the warm clothes they need as temperatures drop, and among them is one group with a very DIY twist. Knit for Japan, an effort started by German expat Bernd Kestler, is working to collect hand-knitted and crocheted items from around the world as “wooly hugs” for Tohoku. Beyond that, Kestler is concerned about the mental state of shelter residents, many of whom don’t have much to do during the day, so he’s also collecting knitting supplies like yarn and needles to send to interested shelters. With something as relaxing and easy-to-learn as knitting, even beginners can relieve some stress, increase their motivation and produce something useful. Talk about warm fuzzies.

See http://knitforjapan.wordpress.com for more information or to donate.

Calendar Causes

2012 is almost upon us and if you are one of the Luddites that still uses a paper calendar—what’s an office without a wall calendar?—it’s time to start shopping. Luckily for us, we can assuage our guilt over killing trees by buying a calendar in support of a good cause. There’s Cosplay for a Cause, which benefits the Japanese Red Cross Society and features enough international cosplay stars to make any otaku drool. For pure cuteness, you can’t beat PH-Japan’s calendar of children’s drawings to benefit mother/child health programs across Asia. And for pet lovers, there’s an offering from animal rescue organization ARK in wall and desk versions, featuring squee-worthy photos of shelter dogs and cats.

See www.cosplayforacause.com, www.ph-japan.org, and http://arkbark.net/ for more information.