Just one more word, I tell myself.

Perfidy means:

1. original model
2. assumption
3. paycheck
4. treachery

I’m an English major, so I should know all these words. Sadly, some things got left behind in sixth grade Language Arts. I take a stab at it, and I correctly guess treachery. Then I quickly shut my computer before I see the next word. I need sleep, and I’ve already donated a couple hundred grains of rice tonight.

While I was, in fact, up past my “bedtime” for a glorified vocabulary lesson, I was doing more than just matching words with their definitions. I was on FreeRice.com, a website that donates ten grains of rice to the UN World Food Program for each correct answer. By increasing your vocabulary, you are also helping make a difference in the fight against world hunger.

FreeRice has been making its rounds for a while and is pretty well-known among college students. However, plenty of other lesser-known sites give everyone the opportunity to digitally provide charity. Read on for more ways to help the world without ever leaving your house.

Fun and Games

If you’re looking for something as addictive as FreeRice, but perhaps without the vocabulary lesson, you have other options. HelpThirst.com and FreePoverty.com both use water donations as a reward for completed levels in games.

HelpThirst’s game deals with number memorization, while FreePoverty teaches you geography. Learning doesn’t count as procrastination!

Click Click

Lazy? Have a particularly restless pointer finger? A number of sites allow you to click a button daily, and each click counts as a donation. Try Thehungersite.com, Hungerfighters.com, and Povertyfighters.com.

Each click provides a donation of food or, in the case of Poverty Fighters, raises money for loans. This is the simplest way to make a difference and takes very little time. Try bookmarking these websites and visiting them every morning while sipping your daily cup of Joe.

Search Engines

Google is quick and easy, but by trying out a different search engine, you can actually help donate to charity. SearchKindly.org donates all of its advertising money to charity, so every search you make raises money. Each search raises about 1/3 of a cent, which adds up quickly, and your search results come from Google.

Drink Some Tea and Plant a Tree

Celestial Seasonings just teamed up with Trees for the Future to plant trees around the world. One way to support this partnership is by purchasing boxes of Celestial Seasonings teas. The more boxes sold, the more trees planted.

If you don’t like tea, you can also help out by planting a virtual tree, which will translate into a real tree. By going to this website, filling out a short questionnaire, and “planting” a virtual tree, you can help support the growth of real forests around the world.

Shop Until You Drop

Believe it or not, by shopping for yourself, you can actually help other people. For every pair of shoes you purchase from TomsShoes.com, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. It’s a simple way to treat your feet and the feet of others at the same time.

The options are endless. The Internet makes it simple to donate to charities and do everything from work to end world hunger to help slow down pollution by increasing forests.

Next time you’re sitting at your computer wondering what to do, why not visit one of these sites? It’s amazing how much of a difference you can make with just a click of the mouse.