A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
Holiday shopping can be very stressful – crowds, noise, flashing lights. But it’s even worse for a child with autism. The over-stimulation is unbearable, and family outings during the holiday season can be a nightmare.
Children’s toy store Toys R Us has responded to these concerns by offering quiet hours so that children with autism can shop without all the commotion. Stores in the United Kingdom offer dimmed lights and no music or loudspeaker announcements at certain times so that families affected by autism can wander the toy store aisles with as little sensory stimulation as possible.
I think it’s a great idea — and I hope other Toys R Us stores across the globe follow suit.
Did you know that you can get better results from your exercise routine it you have a fitness buddy?
But you need to choose the right one!
Find out how (and see the benefits of a fitness buddy) here.
Our quest for superfoods – and celebrity endorsements – can wreak havoc on animals, insects and birds. A recent case in point – high-end honey.
Manuka honey from New Zealand is said to be capable of calming upset tummies, soothing sore throats, healing burns and making one’s skin glow. Gwyneth Paltrow, Dr. Oz and Kourtney Kardashian have all raved about it.
And so people want to buy it. That means the price has increased – dramatically. And that means there’s now increased competition amongst producers. The Guardian describes it as a “gold rush” that’s “rapidly spiraling out of control.”
There have been nearly 200 honey or hive thefts and, in some extreme cases, the hardworking bees that make the high-end honey possible have been murdered.
As one paper put it:- Gwyneth’s favorite honey has resulted in bee genocide.
Everyone is talking about the US Presidential Election. It will have an impact across the globe.
What will it mean for climate change? And what will it mean for jobs in the US and across the world?
Find out here in this short article.
If you sometimes think that climate change is just too big and you can’t do anything about it, take inspiration from these communities that are taking the initiative.
Greensburg, Kansas was flattened by a devastating tornado in 2007. About 95 percent of the town’s buildings were destroyed – but it rebuilt itself to run on 100 percent renewable energy. (It’s only the second U.S. city to do so after Burlington, Vermont).
Ashton Hayes, a small town in the British countryside, wanted to be carbon-neutral and took the unusual step of changing residents’ behaviour. The townspeople used clotheslines, took fewer flights, and improved the insulation in their homes, shrinking their total carbon footprint by 40 percent so far. About 200 towns, cities, and counties from around the globe have reached out to the Ashton Hayes community to learn how, exactly, they overcame people’s apathy and got them all working together.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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I loved the article on reduced noise for the autistic. Wish I could go shopping with them too. All the noise is hard on everyone. How did we get away from ambient music to blaring sounds from every direction. I think people are going nuts. Honey is honey. Killing the bees and stealing the honey is just crazy behavior.
Don’t get me thinking about Trump. I’ve been in stunned silence for the last 2 days. Terrified of what will happen next. Nothing good can come of this. There is no where to hide.
I agree with you Marlene – shopping is really so noisy now for everyone. I can’t even being to imagine how difficult it must be for anyone who is autistic. I too was horrified about people stealing honey – you’re right, it’s a crazy, crazy world today and I worry greatly about what will happen in the near future. Thanks for stopping by!