Austin Metz
Editor In Chief
Her professional life started out in the movie industry working with the likes of Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Harrison Ford but to author Libuse Binder, something was missing.
Binder had always been interested in writing and while she sat beside her father on his death bed, she was pressed by him to continue to write.
Although she felt that she could make a difference by producing movies, something about writing books continued to tug at her and eventually she wrote the book “Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties.”
In the book, Binder talks about how the younger generation, especially those in their twenties, can make a difference in the world.
“We need to find more creative and innovative ways to use our resources,” Binder said. “Students in particular have a lot of power because they are the one’s the faculty and administration listen to when it comes to change.”
One of the first steps to making a difference Binder explained has to do with each person getting out of their comfort zone.
“It doesn’t have to be far away,” Binder said. “It could be right here in Grand Rapids but it’s important to get excited and get involved. We need to live, give and thrive through volunteering.”
Binder was quick to point out that there are many ways for a person to make a difference in the world and Scott Harrison was one example she shared.
“Scott Harrison was an up and coming New York party planner who finally had enough,” Binder said. “He quit the industry and at the age of 28, he founded a company that has served over 1 million people in need by providing them with safe drinking water.”
“Everyone can find a unique way to impact the world,” Binder said. “We are all armed with creativeness and ingenuity and we need to use that.”
GRCC English Professor Maryann Lesert introduced Binder and described her book as one that “shows the doom and gloom but also includes what you can do to change it.”
Binder’s book touches on topics ranging from going green to voting for political figures at every level and also on the amount of food and water the United States wastes.
“We waste about 1/3 of the food we produce,” Binder said. “This wasted food goes to landfills and creates methane gas that goes into our atmosphere.”
In the presentation Binder gave, she delivered statistics that truly show the problem with bottled water.
According to Binder’s presentation, the United States uses 29 billion bottles of water a year and it takes about 17 million barrels of crude oil to produce those bottles. To put that in perspective, that is enough fuel to run 100,000 cars for one year.
GRCC student Melissa Hall was in attendance and found the speech very helpful.
“Libuse Binder provided me with ways to help by taking small steps first,” Hall said. “Those small steps though can turn into much larger steps.”
In closing, Binder wanted to make sure that each person looked at themselves first when making a change.
“It’s important to continue to assess yourself and to continue to make changes,” Binder said. “We need to be the ambassadors to the change that needs to happen.” For more information about Binder and her cause, visit www.tenways.org, weeklyway.blogspot.com, or visit her on Twitter at tenwaysLB.
Enjoyed your essay entitled “Author Speech”. So true, we can each do so much: a litte kindness given, a few minutes listening and encouraging, talking and thinking positive, giving someone a little smile. etc. Many people are lonely, sad, depressed or disheartened. We do affect everyone around us each day – in a negative or positive way – no in-between. Thanks for the info. on Libuse Binder. Wonder how she got that unusual first name? That in itself was one to overcome. Conrad