May 11, 2020
Poems to Inspire Positivity Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic by Priti
Poet Priti inspires us to stay positive during the coronavirus pandemic through her poetry.
Tag: writing
May 10, 2020
Weekly Newsletter #72: Happy Mother’s Day
Pull out your notepad and pen or whip out your smartphone and get dialing, it’s time to show the one who brought you into this world a little love.
After all, she did let you live in her uterus for nine months. A letter or a phone call is the least you can do for her.
May 9, 2020
Bug’s Philosophy: Attitudes Towards the Media
While reading a research paper on attitudes towards climate change in California during the 2012 to 2016 drought period, I can’t help but find myself struck by how the perception of the media is so conflicting across various communities – and how I, a patron of many different communities, find myself in the unspoken valley that lies at the foot of their rivaling precipices.
May 8, 2020
Better App Co-Founder John Halker on Emotional Wellness and Psych Education
How much do you value your physical health? Alright. Now, how much do you value your mental health? Take a moment to truly reflect on that – perhaps you prioritize one over the other.
And it’s not your fault. For decades, “mental health” simply wasn’t a facet of our vocabulary.
“When I was a kid, nobody ever mentioned mental health,” said psychotherapist and ‘Better App’ co-founder John Halker. “It was just not on the agenda.”
Attitudes towards mental health have shifted in recent years, with a 2019 American Psychological Association survey reporting 87 percent of American adults said: “a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of.”
However, mental health is more than just a buzz word – it’s intertwined with your overall health. An emotional wound demands your attention, just as a physical wound does.
Recently, we spoke to Halker via video call for a very insightful discussion about the “Better App” and “Better Stop Suicide App,” groundbreaking mental health apps designed to guide you in fostering a proactive approach to your emotional wellbeing.
May 3, 2020
Nature by Priti
Poet Priti encourages environmental awareness through her poem, “Nature.”
April 30, 2020
The Science Behind Blue Flowers
Blue is all around us, from the oceans to their reflection in the sky, but it’s very rare that you’ll see blue anywhere else in nature – unless you’re flipping through a Dr. Seuss book.
Wildflowers sporting a bluish-hue, which includes purple and violet flowers, only account for about 15 to 20 percent of all flower colors, says a 2018 Breeding Science journal review.
“Many ornamental plants with a high production volume, such as rose and chrysanthemum, lack the key genes for producing the blue delphinidin pigment or do not have an intracellular environment suitable for developing blue color,” the review explains.
While recent advancements in genetic engineering have allowed scientists to synthesize blue roses, chrysanthemums, orchids, and dahlias, the process isn’t as simple as “editing a few genes” (granted, gene editing isn’t such a simple process, either).
April 27, 2020
How COVID-19 is Going to Impact the Education System by Peter
Peter of Joyful Source discusses the long-term impacts the coronavirus pandemic will have on the education system.
April 26, 2020
Litter is Not a Suitable Home for Ants, Study Says
The world is your oyster, not your dumpster – although it’s often mistreated as such.
The non-profit organization Keep America Beautiful reports the United States spends approximately $11.5 billion to clean up litter annually. However, crumbled up plastics and abandoned glass bottles still find their way into the natural world, invading forests, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
Recently, researchers investigated the impact of discarded bottles and containers on ants, questioning whether these discarded byproducts of human activity are a “deadly trap or sweet home.”
April 26, 2020
Weekly Newsletter #70: Every Day is Earth Day
Earlier this week, individuals around the globe came together virtually to pay homage to our planet in celebration of Earth Day.
While this worldwide celebration is an effective way to raise awareness and encourage more environmentally-friendly lifestyle choices, we’d like to remind you that these choices must live on throughout the year in order to make a positive impact.
The power to save the planet is in mankind’s hands – don’t let it slip through our fingers.
April 25, 2020
Elephants Connection to the Land by Global Sanctuary for Elephants
Experts at the Global Sanctuary for Elephants shed light on the beautiful, innate connection elephants have to mother nature.