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Our Health Matters
Which College Will Divest Next?
Signs and protestors proclaiming “Injustice is not an investment,” “Climate change is not a game,” and “We’re still here”... The heated adrenaline is almost palpable if you step onto college campuses today. The kids are asking for divestment. According to Fossil Free, universities have divested around $14 trillion to date. Divesting means that they will actively sell shares in companies that spark environmental or social concerns. In the words of 350.org, this implies “a fast and just transition to 100% renewable energy for all,” “no new fossil fuel projects anywhere,” and “not a penny more...
Humanity in times of coronavirus?
Today more than ever we live in uncertain times: countries closing their borders, empty schools and universities, overwhelmed hospitals, people locked in their homes for weeks and the global economy suffering a major blow. We have seen how people left supermarkets empty; buying food, masks, and disinfectants compulsively. We have seen acts of racism and discrimination against certain collectives fearing that they may be infected with coronavirus. We have seen politicians fighting and blaming each other, trying to take advantage of the situation instead of fighting for the common good. We have...
COVID-19 Fear and Stigma
Coronavirus are an extensive family of viruses, some of wich can cause various human diseases, ranging from common cold to SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced the official name: Coronavirus Disease 2019. Abbreviated COVID-19 "Co" corresponds to "Corona", "Vi" to virus, "D" to "Disease" and "19" year in which it was discovered. It is an infectious disease caused by the new strain of Coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans: Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is not Wuhan Virus, Asian Virus or Chinese Virus. It...
Covid-19 and the global economy
With rise to the COVID-19 cases in Africa that took place mainly in March 2020, specifically that of South Africa, which currently has the highest cases in Africa and not to forget where already, the economy is at its possible worst. What will the outcome be? How will we solve this? Surely this pandemic is affecting all nations of the world, but many were already worried that if it were to "arrive" in Africa it would be at its worst because African countries do not have the right healthcare facilities and infrastructure to tackle this. When the economy is already bad, what more to the future...
Is wind energy a viable alternative to fossil fuels?
‘Scotland’s on track to meet 100% renewable energy demand by 2020.’ This bold statement first hit the headlines in June 2019. In the first half of 2019 Scotland’s wind turbines generated enough clean, fossil-free electricity to power almost every household in Scotland—twice over! Since then, even more renewable energy projects have been proposed and constructed. Currently under construction is the Beatrice offshore wind farm which power around 450,000 homes. In addition to this Seagreen wind-farm which, when finished, will generate enough electricity to supply one million homes, 40% of all...
Young reporters have a message for you: stay home and fight fake news around coronavirus!
It's Time to Act for our Forests: celebrating biodiversity
Forests play a highly significant role on earth. For centuries, they are generating, preserving, and regulating many forms of life. Even for our daily activities, we are highly dependent upon forests and forest products. Whether it may be food, wood, medicine, paper, herbs, oil extracts or recreational activities, it has become an indistinguishable part of our life. It is a home for indigenous communities and several species of animals, plants, and insects. They are also important to combat challenges like, water scarcity, soil erosion and climate change. It is true that even after so many...
Is the coronavirus the end of globalization?
In the last few months the world has faced one of the most dangerous diseases it has ever known, COVID-19. It first showed up in November 2019 in Wuhan in China, then rapidly spread across the world. The tremendous spread of the coronavirus, over a short period and in many regions, caused some people to wonder about the future of globalization, and how globalization makes our health more vulnerable. Coronavirus has also revealed the vulnerability of economies under globalization, as domestic markets of all nations have begun to experience a Domino effect. The crisis also revealed the failing...
Can we live without water?
The answer is emphatically no. As a child they taught me that we must take care of the water, I should not waste it, that one day the sweet tributants would end but we made a good use of it. I listened about climate change, the inaccessibility of drinking water in some parts of the world and droughts. While I still could enjoy the water that fell from me tap every time I wanted from the rainy days, when I watched the gray clouds in the sky, asome as a rainbow prior to the storm perceiving the smell of the first drops that moistened the earth. Everything was a time bomb, now I can see that it...
A letter to humanity
How help reduce plastic in plastic cutlery
I choose to work on waste management and trash. So I made edible cutlery to help prevent more plastic from being produced. I followed 3 recipes. I made 3 spoons. The first one was out of cookie dough, the second one was made out of granola, and lastly, the third one was made out of dough. When cooking the cookie dough spoon in the oven it became a burnt brown color. it baked for about 25-30 minutes in the oven. When this was taken out and chilled I was ready to take it out of its mold. When this happened it immediately broke. I made another one and it broke as well. The second spoon I made was...
Can someone bring lunch for the throat in room 12?
The Mind-Body Connection: How Stress Affects Your Physical Health
For far too long, Western cultures have thought of the mind and body as separate entities. But anyone who’s spent even one day walking around in human skin, living a human life, knows that the mind and the body share an intimate connection. Want proof? Think about how your pulse races when you see someone you love. Remember how your stomach churns when you’re getting ready to deliver a speech. Consider the cottonmouth and sweaty palms before a big test. If your emotions don’t have an effect on your body, then you must be a cyborg. But if you’re a fully flesh and blood human like the rest of us...
A Well-Informed Adolescent Initiative
A Well-Informed Adolescent Initiative (AWA Initiative), formerly known as Adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights Initiative, held its 4th edition of A Well-Informed Adolescent Campaign from February to March 2020. This edition was special because it was an inclusive edition. We visited Government Secondary School for Special Needs Ibom Layout Calabar Cross River Nigeria. AWA Initiative is a youth focus organization that provides adequate comprehensive sexuality education and integrated sexual reproductive health services to young people. We achieve this through multi-sectorial programs that...
Vaping: A Youth Epidemic
Electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, vapes, JUULs—no matter what you call them, these devices are popping up everywhere, and their explosion in popularity has created a huge public health threat for teens and young adults. A modern update to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes deliver a heated liquid, often containing nicotine, in the form of a vapor that the user then inhales. With major companies like JUUL offering youth-friendly vapor flavors (such as fruit, candy, soda, pastry, and mint) and creating sleek, discrete devices that boast a trendy look, it’s not surprising that these...
Particulates in the atmosphere are increasing. What can we do about it?
Atmospheric particulate matter (APM), also referred to as particulate matter or particulates, is the sum of all particles, liquids and solids suspended in the air. To refer to the mixture of particulates and air, the term aerosol is used. An example of these particulates includes gaseous contaminants, smoke, smog, dust, pollen, mould spores, viruses and bacteria. PARTICULATES IN KENYA'S ATMOSPHERE A study performed by J. Karue, A.M. Kinyua and L. Njau in 1990-1991 in conjunction with University of Nairobi, the Centre for Nuclear Science Techniques, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the...
How to talk about mental health when the topic is considered a taboo
Living with an invisible illness: PCOS awareness
Puberty. For me, that was when things took a very wrong turn. Not that things had ever been right, but they became worse when puberty hit. At first, I didn't think that anything was wrong. After all, puberty affects different folks differently. And when I did notice that something was wrong, doctors waved me off because acne, weight gain, bodily hair and irregular periods (they do take a while to become regular) are classic signs of puberty. When I was around 16, I went to sleep one day and woke up the next with an almost bald patch at the back of my head. My hair was thinning, and my hairline...