activism
Grassroots campaigns have proven instrumental in bringing about political, social or environmental change; you've got to start somewhere-might as well start here.
A Waste of a World
Our world produces 3.5 million tons of plastic waste a day, and that doesn't include any other kind of waste. The average American produces around 6 pounds of trash a day. There is approximately 15 billion tons of trash in our oceans and only 14% of the oceans ecosystems are undamaged. These facts are scary and there are plenty of other facts about how we are killing our planet. As a young person, seeing how destroyed our planet is already and how so few are doing something about it makes me wonder if there is any hope for us to restore it.
Painful Integration Memories
In 1970 I was a 13 year old black teen heading to 8th grade. This was the first year of integration and I was apptehesive, The school bus picked me and the other children up and drove us across town. Previously I could walk to the elementary and junior high I had attended, but now I was forced to take the bus. This was new and exciting yet intimidating. I had no idea how this was going to turn out but soon reality kicked in.
Published 4 years ago in The SwampThe Australian Bushfires - Horror Stories about a Nation Wide Disaster
It has been upsetting to hear about the bushfires that have been happening around Australia. In Melbourne I feel removed from the bushfires that have been happening, yet I have heard even in my state of Victoria the bushfires have been causing serious damage. I also recently heard the frequently documented statistic that millions of animals were burned in the fires, and this has now been updated to be closer to one billion. The situation has become dire and catastrophic. It was declared a 'state of disaster' in Victoria and a 'state of emergency' in New South Wales. There were other alarming statistics which demonstrated how bad the fires have been.
An Open Letter to Sophia L Thomas
An Open Letter to Sophia L Thomas Whenever a new face steps into a healthcare leadership role, there is a hope that new life and positivity will fill the space another left behind. My wish for you was that you would put patient safety before an agenda to propagate misinformation about the role of physician’s advocacy in America's current healthcare crisis. However, I, unfortunately, was wrong.
Dr. Megan BabbPublished 4 years ago in The SwampOhio Senator, John Becker, You Owe the Women of This Country and My Physician Colleagues an Apology
The anti-abortion movement in Washington makes me cringe. This is mainly for two reasons. One, as a human, I am absolute in a woman's right to choose. Two, as a physician, my education allows me to recognize the unintended consequences of advocating against this, and it so happens, this topic falls in my lane. Yet those who are trying to dictate a woman's right to choose are not physicians and, more positively, rarely women. The issue of woman's health rights, within the political arena, is not for a matter of personal opinion. Rather a place for discussion aimed to find policies that place women in control of their reproductive health. Instead, your version of a woman's right to choose is nothing more than a curtain of lies concealing misogynistic behaviors aimed at creating policies that place women out of the control of their reproductive health. By law, you are no more in control of a woman's arm or the words that come out of her mouth (like mine today) then you are of her uterus. Yet, you use your political position to push agendas that aim to place subjective opinion above objective scientific evidence. This is an unsafe way to operate Senator. Bad business, indeed.
Dr. Megan BabbPublished 4 years ago in The SwampMan's Veiws on Equality
Start There are certain people who think that equality is just a myth made up by people who just want to make noise, trying to grasp at something that is too far off to be reached, and fooling people into thinking that this is achievable. I have seen so much in the short time I have been in this world, but what I have seen is enough to make me wonder where this world is headed and what will be left when we get there. Equality is not just a pipe dream that has been passed down from generation to generation, it is something that is desperately needed in order for the world to have a chance at surviving.
Brittney MckinneyPublished 4 years ago in The SwampYouth Global Forum: Discussing Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Inclusive Development, and A Well-being Economy
Article highlights: Indigenous knowledge systems have a more in-depth understanding of delicate ecosystems. The synergy between indigenous knowledge systems and modern technology are also drivers for inclusive development and sustainable economic growth. There is no universal answer to cure inequality. While governments play a vital role in shaping the economy and markets, they will not necessarily do so. In most countries, socioeconomic changes are driven by civil society groups, grassroots movements, and social activism. Investing in people, public social structures, education, and lifelong learning (more so for the ageing population) results in a healthier and more productive workforce which may result in skills that will still be usable in the near future. The closest possible option to close the gap of inequalities is to change our perspective on economic growth; shifting solely from GDP into a human-centered foundation. Case studies on countries that have shifted from the outdated GDP-centred economic model suggest that inclusive development and economic growth are not at odds with each other; they are not mutually exclusive and it's possible to achieve and sustain both.
Karina ThyraPublished 4 years ago in The SwampIt's a Climate Emergency, Shocking.
We're taught about climate change in schools, we've seen increasing intensity in natural disasters, extinction of some extraordinary species and the radical impact deforestation is having on nearly all areas of the globe. Obviously, these signs have been ignored by world leaders and a business as usual approach has prevailed.
Kelsey GoldsteinPublished 4 years ago in The SwampWhy Republicans Should Be Worried About Rising Sea Levels
Background Climate change is one of the core political issues that candidates need to campaign on if they have not been doing so already. There are many aspects of climate change, one of which is global warming, which is simply the warming of the earth. Climate change, on the other hand, is how global warming is changing the climate. Climate change occurs in various ways, including air pollution and rising sea levels, the latter of which this article will at least begin to focus on. The reason for this is because everyone – regardless of whether you are a human, a plant, or an animal – needs water to survive. Focus will be placed on some of the states where rising sea levels are far more than obvious.
A. Alexis KreiserPublished 4 years ago in The SwampYouth Time International Movement: The International NGO You Probably Didn't Know, But Should
The Youth Time International Movement recently held its 5th Annual Youth Global Forum where over 112 youths from over 42 different countries have participated in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The international nongovernment organization traces its roots from the first Rhodes Youth Forum where the president of Youth Time, Julia Kinash, was also present.
Karina ThyraPublished 4 years ago in The SwampEmpathy
The Key to an Ideal Society The city of Mumbai in India is the nation’s wealthiest part, with the highest number of millionaires and billionaires among all cities in the country. Mumbai is also home to Dharavi, one of the world’s largest slums. Spanning a little over two square kilometres, and home to some seven hundred thousand people, it stands as one of the most populated places in the world, with the people all living below the national poverty line. However, Dharavi’s population manages to prosper in its own way, with people building their own small businesses such as textile work, electric businesses, and food stands. The people of Dharavi are all well aware of the poor economic state their tightly knit community finds itself in, thus going to great lengths in helping one another, volunteering, and providing charitable help to their neighbours. Although when thinking of an ideal society we don’t picture Dharavi, one must keep in mind that ideal does not mean perfect. The key driving force behind an ideal society always has been, and always will be empathy. This essay will go into depth about the effect that empathy has on a community, Canada’s rapid decline in altruism and how we can all work together to fix the problem.
Alex BarbuPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp- Top Story - December 2019
The 5th Youth Global Forum: 3 Important Take-Aways
I’ve been invited recently to the fifth annual Youth Global Forum in Amsterdam as a journalist. [Last May, I wrote a piece that could sum up the Youth International Movement and Youth Global Forum which you can read here.]
Karina ThyraPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp