Project 7: Deadly Sins Defeated

Wrath. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. No, this isn't about Brad Pitt's Se7en (though we're pretty sure he supports this blog).

1. Wrath. "Anger." What if we provided a day of counseling for a child of war instead?

2. Greed. "an excessive desire to possess wealth, goods, or abstract things of value with the intention to keep it for one's self." What if instead we fed the hungry, providing 7 meals to American communities by purchasing a single item?

3. Sloth. "a wasting due to lack of use, concerning a person, place, thing, skill, or intangible ideal that would require maintenance, refinement, or support to continue to exist." What if, alternatively, we took care of the environment and our surroundings, and saved the earth by planting fruit trees?

4. Pride. "an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments." What if we supported a week of education to a student in Africa instead?

5. Lust. "an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire." Instead of tending to our personal fantasies, what if we focused on providing food, healthcare and shelter to an orphan for a day?

6. Envy. "occurs when a person lacks another's (perceived) superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it." What if we quashed this emotion by healing the sick, providing medicine for those with malaria?

7. Gluttony. "over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste." Instead of overconsuming here, what if we provided water for someone in need for one year?

This is Project 7's solution and we love it. They are not asking us to buy more stuff, they are asking us to buy smarter. We all drink coffee and chew gum, so why not buy the brand that lets us buy so they can give? Their site lets you choose those brands.

Did you know that more than 1 in 10 American households does not have enough to eat? Or that one acre of rainforest is lost every second? By purchasing any Project 7 Feed item you are supporting 7 meals for someone right here in our own backyard, and each Save the Earth product plants fruit trees back into the earth. Their product range varies, from fair trade coffee to mints and gum, t-shirts and water. The causes each counter one of the 7 deadly sins that our churches - or Morgan Freeman - taught us were bad and dangerous.

If you want to know where you can buy the products, Project 7 has megacompanies like Walmart and DELL on board (and smaller shops as well), and is in stores around the country. If you can't find it in stores, you can always shop online.

Project 7 also has a volunteer platform called 7 Days that encourages individuals to volunteer with one of the causes they support. You can start a chapter here.

We like the Project 7's direction, and we hope other companies will follow their lead. Perhaps down the road Project 7 could focus on employing some of the at-risk population they serve in their product development and supply chains. In the meantime, we can all be a little less selfish by buying ourselves things we want and need, while simultaneously doing something good for society. Who can argue with that?