“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Confucius

Yesterday The Guardian launched a campaign to change the world.

More precisely, it launched a campaign for YOU to change he world.

Yeah, YOU.

I suppose the idea behind it is what reminded me of that Confucius quote. Sometimes it’s the small things in life that make the difference. Sometimes the only way we can ever instigate change and ensure things improve is by making these small efforts. By doing apparently insignificant things.

In these days when people feel increasingly distanced from political life, when the problems we face seem so insurmountable, when our leaders consistently fail to represent us, when democracy seems like a long forgotten ideal – perhaps all we can do is seek change through such small acts of kindness?

It would be nice to think so.

And it is in this spirit that The Guardian is proposing ten things you and I can do to take those first tentative steps to changing the world.

Here they are:

· Buy Fair Trade products whenever possible. If you pay just a little bit extra you will help a farmer to feed his family.

· Invite a VSO volunteer to speak in your workplace, school or community. Contact VSO’s Global Education Team.

· Speak out. If you read, watch or hear an article about HIV/Aids that doesn’t include voices of HIV-positive people themselves, contact the journalist, their newspaper or broadcaster to ask why not.

· Help more people gain access to safe water. Play the computer game and register your support at www.wateraid.org/EUaction.

· Vote for trade justice. You can register your opposition to free trade, which damages the poorest people, via your mobile phone. Text JUSTICE to 84118 (at your operator’s standard rate) Tell someone what you saw today – your friends, MP or local paper. Maternal death and disability cannot be ignored if people are talking about it.

· Sponsor a child through Plan UK to help provide children with clean water or equipment for schools and health clinics.

· Live on 65p for one day, then tell someone else how hard it is. Raising awareness is key to making poverty and hunger history.

· Join a campaign. All the organisations campaigning for change are part of the Make Poverty History Coalition. Wear the white band.

· Get on your bike! Help to reduce the pollution that creates global warming, which has the worst impact on poor countries

· Or think of a different pledge of your choice and write it down.

No grand political theories. No die-hard activism. Just a choice from 10 simple things that we can all do.

In fact, why chose one? Do two or three. Hell, do them all!

So what you waiting for? It’s time to change the world!