The Jade Times

By May “Mosaic” Advincula, Editor-in-chief

First inspired by anti-Vietnam “teach-ins” that were held on U.S. college campuses, Earth Day offers to bring awareness and appreciation for the natural environment. The first Earth Day was celebrated in the U.S. on April 22, 1970 and initiated by efforts by Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, who, according to History.com, was “determined to wake up the federal government to the fact that the earth was at risk.”

At the time, environmental issues were not a part of the U.S. political agenda. In addition, activists were more concentrated on traditional green agendas such as conservation and the protection of wilderness and animals rather than urban concerns such as industrial pollution that was increasingly becoming more common with the advent of increased mobilization due to car production. Nelson envisioned Earth Day as a large scale operation that would force the issue onto the national agenda.

Through grassroots efforts organized by Nelson and national coordinator Dennis Hayes, groups of Americans rallied together to bring the once underlying green issues to the public spotlight. It was reported that 80percent of issues presented at rallies across the nation addressed urban affairs. Nelson stated, “Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”

Since then, Earth Day awareness has continued to grow. In 1990, Earth Day celebrations went international and currently Earth Day activities have been organized with the help of non-profit organization Earth Day Network (EDN). This year, EDN’s theme for Earth Day is “A Billion Acts of Green.”

Individuals who visit the Billion Acts of Green site (act.earthday.org/) have the opportunity to take action through online pledges and petitions. Activities can range from pledging to grow your own garden to organizing an Earth Day event in your community.

Oftentimes we do not have a second thought of how our everyday actions affect the environment in the long term. However, there are ways that you can modify your everyday routine that can help to take care of the environment.

Recycle. Instead of throwing away your plastic, make an effort to recycle them. If you don’t have a recycle pickup in your neighborhood, look up your local recycling centers. Sites like www.recyclingcenters.org/ can come in handy when trying to find a place to.

Instead of paper or plastic use reusable bags: To reduce waste and the possibility of your paper or plastic piling up in a landfill, utilize reusable bags.

Avoid long showers. You’d be surprised at how much water you consume each day. Find out your water footprint with this calculator.

Use alternative modes of transportation. Consider walking, riding a bike, or taking the train instead of driving. Though there is some regulation for car emissions, the fact is that there is still concern over the global warming effect attributed to growing levels of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Click here to calculate your carbon footprint.

Buy local produce or grow your own. Much of the food that we buy travels hundreds of miles to get to our shelves  and uses modes of transportation (i.e. trucks) which use gas that emits carbon dioxide into the air. Instead, consider shopping at your local farmer’s market or grow your own vegetables at home.

You may not think your individual efforts can help to save the environment, but with increase awareness, we can all work together to spread the word and preserve the world for future generations.

Sources:

http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2011

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_dayhttp://www.history.com/topics/earth-day

Photo credit:

http://sustainablelafayette.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/earthday2011hor1.png

By Stephenie “Remedi” Lai, Staff Writer

Knock, knock. Who’s there? National Humor Month!

Okay, so that joke wasn’t that great. Nonetheless, April is National Humor Month.

Originally created in 1976, National Humor Month was dreamt up by Larry Wilde, the director of The Carmel Institute of Humor to raise awareness of the health benefits of laughter. Wilde believed April would be the best fit because people seem to be the most stressed around tax season. In addition, April begins with All Fool’s Day, a day giving people free reign in pulling pranks and playing jokes.

Laughter is contagious. Once someone starts laughing, you can’t help but join in whether or not you know why you’re laughing. Giggling as a group helps people bond and strengthens relationships. A chuckle every so often can boost your immune system, decrease pain and reduce stress.

A really good laugh can benefit you physically, mentally and socially. Laughter relaxes your muscles for up to 45 minutes afterwards. It can also increase the release of endorphins, while decreasing stress hormones. The higher number of infection-fighting antibodies also improves your disease resistance. Laughter can improve the function of blood vessels and increase blood flow, providing extra protection for your heart.

Mentally, laughing puts you in a good mood. It puts a smile on your face and brings joy into your life. Although it may seem counterproductive, a little bit of humor can amp up your energy and cause you to accomplish more. Laughing about something can help you take a step back from a situation and take a lighter perspective on it, also decreasing your stress by making you feel less overwhelmed.

Don’t try this alone! Laughing with a group of people is more beneficial than laughing by yourself. Sharing your jokes can strengthen relationships by effectively resolving issues and disagreements. Humor can make you a more spontaneous person, urging you to get away from your problems. It can settle arguments by making you less defensive and let go of any inhibitions. Your real emotions are also more likely to surface during these times when laughter makes you most vulnerable.

So get the most out of National Humor Month. Your body will thank you later. Make sure to smile throughout the day. A beautiful smile is the beginning of a cheerful laugh, and is also contagious. When you find laughter, follow it. Bringing yourself into lighthearted, humorous situations is the easiest way to find something funny to laugh about. It also helps to surround yourself with funny people. That way, humor is never too far. With the expenses of healthcare these days, nothing beats a free remedy.

Sources:
http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm
http://www.larrywilde.com/month.htm

Photo credit:

http://www.sxc.hu/pic/m/a/at/atsoram/1158074_paper_emotions_-_laughter.jpg

Every now and again, I go through my mail hoping to find a letter, a card or a package among the bills and special offers.

But very seldom do I ever receive anything of personable value, except for the occasional car insurance offers that try to imitate the intimacy of a handwritten note.

If large corporations recognize the value and power of receiving cards and letter writing among consumers, why have ordinary citizens neglected this lost art?

Who does not long for a letter of news from distant friends and family, for an invitation uniquely designed for a specific celebration or just a simple “Hello” from abroad? As simple as they seem, these small gestures tickle hearts and can make any day better, more so than the typical Facebook poke and emoticons embedded in text messages.

While the mail tradition has declined in popularity due to the convenience of e-mail, e-cards and the increasingly fast but less personal social media, the appreciation for card and letter writing, particularly handwritten ones, has been forgotten. For this reason National Card and Letter Writing Month, starting April 1 and ending on Mother’s day, developed to celebrate mail and the connections between people and history that it has facilitated.

To commemorate the dying art of card and letter writing, find those stamps and dusty stationary that have been stored away and brighten someone’s day with a spontaneous greeting that can be kept for a lifetime.

Card and letter writing month encourages revisiting the emotional connection evoked by cards and letters that have been kept through the years. Despite the diminishing time-space continuum, technological innovations have not been able to affect people in the capacity that carefully handwritten letters and cards has and still does today.

Photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/people/jonno23/

Tending the garden becomes a breeze when you have it all prepared.

Supplies-

Order plants online, check out your local garden store or ask a neighbor. See if you have a plant nursery nearby. The selection may be much better. When looking for plants to add to your garden, find out watering requirements and how much maintenance they need.  Some great things to plant in the spring are shrubs, trees, perennials such as the daylily and hosta, and flowers that will bloom come summer. It is also a good time to sow the seeds of cool-season flowers such as poppies and sweet peas, or vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, according to www.marthastewart.com.

Make sure the soil is ready to be worked on. When to start depends on where you live. You can begin if there is no danger of frost. Clear out your garden area by removing debris and weeds. Rake up old, fallen leaves and mow the lawn. Check your soil with a soil test (kits can be store-bought) to make sure it’s OK for plants to grow in. If the soil is ready to be used, spread compost/manure and soil amendments over it. (www.marthastewart.com recommends a compost layer of 4 inches).

Another option for your garden is to purchase or create raised beds. Although the level of difficulty in building one is low, it might take a few hours. To get an idea on how to start, check out this video.

Raised beds will organize your garden and give it an aesthetic touch. For example, if you’re looking to create a raised bed for an assortment of herbs and veggies, adding dividers will allow you to keep the plants contained yet separated in one box. This video from The Home Depot talks about gardening raised beds.

If your area is known to have wild rabbits, moles and other uninvited garden-lovers, you can help protect your garden by fencing it up. Rabbit fences can keep rabbits and other pests out.  If you make raised beds, chicken wire (or similar) on the bottom should keep moles from digging through.

Maintain your garden-

Prune shrubs and bushes in your garden. If there are any dead or damaged branches, remove them. Deadhead old flowers to allow your plants to flower more. Preparing a garden is only half the journey. Regular maintenance helps ensure your efforts won’t go to waste. Obvious to-dos (easier said than done) include mowing the lawn, keeping your garden free from debris and other unwanted intruders, and giving all your plants the right amount of water and sunlight. When your plants start to bloom, you’ll know your patience is paying off. Happy gardening!

Photo credit:

Photo source:

http://www.stressfree.com/cmsimages/stressmodel.jpg

Underage drinking continues to be the most common substance abuse that communities face, with about 11 million underage drinkers in America today.  This is why the month of April is dubbed Alcohol Awareness Month. It is an annual public awareness campaign working to have communities focus on alcoholism and alcohol related issues.

According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, adolescents used alcohol more often than any other abusive substances combined. Rates of alcohol usage in the national survey were 3.4% among children ages 12 and 13, 13.1% among  14 and 15 years of age and 26.2% among 16 and 17-year-olds. More than one million adolescents needed treatment for alcohol use but the majority did not receive it.

Alcohol Awareness Month is not only about being aware of the numerous alcohol abuse and alcohol-related issues within communities but also encourages people to make healthy lifestyle choices. Here are some questions from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that can help you determine if you or a loved one has an alcohol issue.

Sources:

Photo credit:

http://lifesaverdrivingschool.com/alcohol.html

Last month a powerful earthquake off the coast of Japan triggered a deadly tsunami that left northern areas of the country devastated.

Though damages were estimated between $122 billion and $235 billion by the World Bank, the Japanese government estimated that the cost of the earthquake and tsunami would reach $309 billion which would make it the most expensive natural disaster ever recorded.

In conjunction with members of the National APIA Panhellenic Association (NAPA), Delta Phi Lambda sisters across the nation heeded the call for relief assistance and hosted various fundraising efforts to show their love and support for those affected by the tragedy.

Sisters at the Georgia Institute of Technology encouraged over 150 guests at their annual “Night of Diversity” event to make donations to the Red Cross Japan Earthquak Relief site while sisters at the University of Georgia showed their support by selling “Hope for Japan” wristbands to students on campus.

In addition sisters at Grand Valley State University donated proceeds from their lollipop fundraiser to International Medical Corps.

Relief from the disaster is still far from over as the country continues to rebuild. Individuals who are interested in donating to this relief cause as well as other relief initiatives around the world can do so at the American Red Cross website.

Donate here.

Photo credit: 

http://www.angeloplessas.com/blog/uploaded_images/Japanese_flag-712397.jpg