​ENERGY GIRL

​ENERGY HOUR

Tuesdays from 7pm-8pm                         

Turn off all energy-using lights, appliances, and heating/cooling systems!                

If you're wondering what to do without TV or a laptop charger here's some ideas!               
-Color, Arts and Crafts                      
-Puzzles: jigsaw, crosswords                       
-Board Games                       
-Clean
-Talk to your housemates!

ASTRO BOY

OCTOBER ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS

Oct. 1: Full Moon; Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation

Oct. 7: Draconids Meteor Shower

Oct. 13: Mars at Opposition

Oct. 16: New Moon

Oct. 21, 22: Orionids Meteor Shower

Oct. 29, 30: Southern Taurids Meteor Shower

Oct. 31: Full Moon, Blue Moon; Uranus at Opposition

FUN FACT!

“According to modern folklore, a Blue Moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. Usually months have only one full moon, but occasionally a second one sneaks in. Full moons are separated by 29 days, while most months are 30 or 31 days long; so it is possible to fit two full moons in a single month. This happens every two and a half years, on average.” However, it is very unlikely it will actually be blue.

https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/07jul_bluemoon.html

Clicked the Button Below to learn more about these events!

OUTER SPACE: It’s Not Ours to Pollute

By Abrar Hasanat

Space has always been a matter of great interest for the people of Earth. The thousands of billions of unexplored, unknown and unidentified places really makes you think about the entire existence of the human race itself. Hundreds of unanswered questions arise in human minds every single day. However, even though we don’t know even 1% about the total infinite and ever expanding space – we’re making gradual progress.(1) We’ve explored a significant amount of places outside the orbit of Earth, we’ve sent satellites and rockets to outer space. We’ve even built an entire space station there. 

And with all of the feats and discoveries in space exploration, human beings did what they do the best – they polluted outer space and the orbit of the earth. Yes you’ve heard it right! Just like every single aspect within the earth, we’ve polluted outer space in the name of modernization. Space junk, or space debris, is any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space. It can refer to big objects such as dead satellites that have failed or been left in orbit at the end of their mission. It can also refer to smaller things, like bits of debris or paint flecks that have fallen off of a rocket.(2) Moreover, various waste products from the scientists in the International Space Station (ISS) are also dumped into space. These in turn start polluting space.

One might ask, “Why can’t we see this junk when we look at the sky?” It’s because it enters and orbits around the low Earth Orbit (LEO) which is farther than what the human eye can see. Most “space junk” is moving very fast and can reach speeds of 18,000 miles per hour, almost seven times faster than a bullet.(3) Moreover, there are no international space laws to clean up debris in our LEO. LEO is now viewed as the World’s largest garbage dump, and it’s expensive to remove space debris from LEO because the amount of space junk is huge in quantity and the entire method is very complex.(3) For these reasons, most countries are quite reluctant to start cleaning up the massive junk disposals, and continue to allow them to just float around the LEO.

Now, exactly how much junk is floating around in the LEO? It’s impossible to know the exact amount. However, as many as 170 million fragments of metal and astro debris necklace Earth. That includes 20,000 pieces larger than a softball, and 500,000 about the size of a marble, according to NASA. Old satellites, like Tiangong-1, are the biggest and highest-profile lumps of rubbish, but most of it comes from rocket parts and even lost astronaut tools. 3,000 dead satellites in Earth's orbit, 34,000 pieces of space junk larger than 10 centimeters, 128 million pieces of space junk larger than 1 millimeter. The risk of collision is  one in 10,000 - thus it will require debris avoidance maneuvers. There have already been  25 debris avoidance maneuvers taken by the ISS since 1999.(4) It just shows the amount of junk that is actually revolving around our dear Earth.

So, does this debris or space pollution possess any risk to mankind? Well, like any other pollution – yes it does. In LEO, at a velocity of 18,000 mph, even a tiny particle can create huge havoc.(5) NASA had to replace the space shuttle orbiter’s windows because they were significantly damaged by something as small as paint particles.(5) Moreover, this space junk might come out of the orbit and into the pathway of the live space-crafts which might result in…..space accidents? Nasa scientist Donald Kessler said that  if there was too much space junk in orbit, it could result in a chain reaction where more and more objects collide and create new space junk in the process, to the point where Earth's orbit becomes unusable.(2)

Sure, at this particular moment it might seem like it’s quite harmless compared to the other existing pollutions. But let me remind you, some 600 years ago air pollution, water pollution, and sound pollution were also thought to be harmless. Fast forward to today – these might result in the total destruction of the planet. So sleeping on any sort of pollution is not a good idea. Space programs should remain careful so that the amount of pollution created by their projects remains at a bare minimum and should start thinking of cleansing the LEO. Because no matter what we think, just like the Earth - the space is not ours to pollute.

Works Cited:

1. Siegel, Ethan. “This Is How We Know There Are Two Trillion Galaxies In The Universe.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, October 18, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2018/10/18/this-is-how-we-know-there-are-two-trillion-galaxies-in-the-universe/. 

2. “What Is Space Junk and Why Is It a Problem?” Natural History Museum. Accessed October 1, 2020. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-space-junk-and-why-is-it-a-problem.html. 

3. Keeter, Bill. “Space Debris.” NASA. NASA, December 5, 2018. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/hq/library/find/bibliographies/space_debris. 

4. Webb, Amy. “We Need a Plan to Stop Polluting Space Before It's Too Late.” Wired. Conde Nast. Accessed October 1, 2020. https://www.wired.com/story/we-need-a-plan-to-stop-polluting-space-before-its-too-late/. 

5. “Danger: Orbital Debris.” Danger: Orbital Debris | The Aerospace Corporation, May 4, 2018. https://aerospace.org/article/danger-orbital-debris. 

PUMPKIN SEASON

By Megan Rivera

As we enter into fall we get familiar with cooler weather, the changing of leaves, and adorable fall decor. A staple during the fall season, without a doubt, is pumpkins. They can be found in pies, drinks, and sitting by our front door. Much like people, the pumpkin industry looks forward to the fall season each year, putting in much time and effort into their products. 

With most pumpkin products being sold between the months of October and January, farmers focus a great deal in preparation and management of their pumpkin farms. Seeds are planted across 65,900 acres, towards the end of May, with the end goal of a fall crop. The pumpkin industry, made up mostly in the states of Illinois, California, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, and New York; is ready to send out approximately 2 billion pumpkins by the time the seasons change.(1) Once sent out, these pumpkins have great diversity in how they are used.

Pumpkins originated in the Southern parts of North America and Northern parts of South America. They became popular with the fall season as individuals used them for carvings to ward off evil spirits.(2) Presently, pumpkin products are used in many different ways. The size of the product determines the route that it will be used for. Pumpkins range from being less than 1 pound, to being over 1,000 pounds. Miniatures, (those landing in the less than 1 pound range), are marketed and used for fall decorations. Similarly used, pumpkins that range from 10 to 25 pounds are the ones that normally meet the sharp end of our knife, becoming an illuminated jack-o-lantern. However, they can also be used for processing purposes, along with pumpkins in the 5-10 pound range. Processed pumpkins are used for pies, flavored food and beverages, and other items. The pumpkin flavor gaining popularity in recent years has increased its sales by over 80%, in less than 5 years.(2) While some of us may get caught up in the excitement of having a pumpkin spice latte, we should not lose sight of the different ways that we can enjoy this nutritious product. The levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium in pumpkin make it a great product to be appreciated. Not only can the pumpkin itself be cooked; the seeds, kernels, and even a pumpkin blossom can be cooked and enjoyed as well. When bringing a pumpkin into our home, there are a plethora of ways that we can use it!

In their short journey for the fall season, pumpkins are something that we can see and appreciate everywhere we go. As the leaves start changing, we are slowly starting to incorporate them into our daily routines. So, let us celebrate the pumpkin and its industry, bringing light to ways we can use them for decoration and consumption. Happy pumpkin season!

Works Cited

1. “Pumpkins” Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/pumpkins

2. “Commercial Production and Management of Pumpkins and Gourds” University of Georgia Extension, https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1180&title=Commercial%20Production%20and%20Management%20of%20Pumpkins%20and%20Gourds

CAMPING HINTS, TIPS AND TRICKS!

By Sam Townson

If you read September’s newsletter, you’ll have seen my piece all about my ‘Big Old Scotland Road Trip’! I hope that you felt inspired to get close to nature and live as basically as possible whether this be wild camping or on a campsite. I thought after sharing with you how amazing camping can be, it would be a good idea to give some hints, tips and tricks to help guide you whether this is your first or 1000th camping trip! After every night and day of camping I felt like I’d learned something new. So, without further ado let's jump straight into it!

#1: Write a List

Make sure you have got a list of all the things you think you’ll need from your spork (an amazing multi-cutlery gadget) to your tent; write it down and tick it off. It is amazing how easily you can forget things that you’d have thought were so obvious. Here’s an example of the list we wrote when we hit the road back in July and August. 

#2: Check your tent and other equipment before you travel

Not checking the tent was one of our biggest mistakes! We started to set up our tent for the first night only to find that the tent poles were broken, we had some missing tent pegs and we got wet because it wasn’t even waterproof. Make sure everything is functioning how it should before you go to save yourself a lot of stress!

#3: Take layers or invest in a good sleeping bag

It gets REALLY COLD at night; even in the summer! Make sure you’ve got lots of layers for the evenings and when you’re hitting the pillow for some sleep! Get yourself some thermals or just some jumpers and fluffy socks! Another option is to invest in a good sleeping bag if you plan on going camping often! I invested a few years back and it keeps me nice and cosy during the cold nights!

#4: Plenty of dry clothes needed 

If you get wet in the rain it can be hard to get dry again when you’re camping; and it makes you colder. So, my top tip for avoiding this is to take lots of spare clothes, especially socks! This way if some clothes get wet you can change into dry ones and find somewhere to dry the others. 

#5: Always pack when it stops raining

One thing we learnt was that on a rainy morning there is a definite temptation to eat your breakfast outside when it stops raining, but we found it is so much better to start packing the tent away as soon as it stops raining. You can never be sure if it will start raining again soon and make packing away so much harder. 

#6: Take some easy to cook meals

We took lots of tinned foods because a camping stove doesn’t really facilitate culinary genius! You’re also likely to be tired at the end of a busy day so some easy tasty food is a must. We took lots of pasta and rice. 

#7: Don’t take any food that needs refrigeration

Sounds silly and obvious but we thought we’d try to take hummus…don’t do it! Not much else to say here; just don’t do it unless you want a smelly car/tent or funny tasting food. 

#8: Take waterproofs

I don’t think this needs anymore information…nobody likes being cold and wet. 

#9: Insect repellent is your saviour 

Midges are your enemy! They’ll come for you! Insect repellent or midge nets are a great investment to keep the midges away!

#10: Pitch up on the flat

You don’t want to be sleeping on a hill and squashing your friend in the tent…we found this out the hard way too. We pitched up on the slightest incline thinking it would be fine...it wasn’t. I awoke in the middle of the night to the wall of the tent in my face and a snoring girlfriend in my ear. Avoid this and find somewhere flat. 

#11: Pack a few luxuries

Minimalism is great for camping but you need to have fun and be cosy too. A camping pillow is a great addition to any camp bed set up. Sweets and treats can cheer any cold, wet camper up and an interesting book or fun card game can bring joy to any night in a tent. 

*WILD CAMPING SPECIFIC*

#12: Plan Ahead 

If you want to wild camp make sure you do some research before you leave! Check for information online about the best locations to camp and where it is nice to camp. We turned up to some locations without having done enough research and couldn’t camp because there weren’t any suitable spots. 

#13: Take clean water

Make sure you’ve got plenty of clean drinking water for cooking, cleaning and staying hydrated. We found that between 3 of us we went through around 4 litres of water every 2 days. 

#14: Leave no trace

I know we all love the Earth so it is important that everyone cleans up after themselves! We all know that cleaning can be unpleasant sometimes but it is so important we preserve our beautiful, natural world for future generations! Take all your litter home and don’t damage the ground with any fires, etc. Failure to do so can leave nature deteriorated. Not only this but you’re representing the whole camping community and we don’t want people hating campers for ruining the natural world. 

#15: Nature is your Toilet

You’ve got to get used to nature poos or weeing if you want to wild camp for a long period. Weeing is easy…just don’t go in the same spot more than once. Pooing needs you to dig a hole about 15cm deep at least 60m from water sources. 

These are some of my top tips from my camping exploits this summer! I know I’ll constantly be learning from my camping experiences and I am always on the lookout for more hints, tips and tricks. Get in touch with any of your questions about or hints for camping!!

 BONUS! Here’s last month’s article on Sam’s Travel’s mentioned above in case you missed it!

BIG OLD SCOTTISH ROAD TRIP 

By Sam Townson

I recently hit the road with my girlfriend and our friend! We headed off to Scotland for a staycation of camping – both wild and at campsites – with a few hostels thrown in for good measure (comfy mattresses have a strong allure after sleeping on camping mats). For those of you that don’t know, the idea of wild camping is to go off the beaten track and go without the usual day-to-day comforts and conveniences, i.e. without a toilet or shower or kitchen or bed. I’ll spare you the details of what you have to do to go to the toilet when there isn’t one! Wild camping (and camping in general) is a great opportunity to get close to nature and live as basically as possible with just your tent, sleeping things, camping stove and food. Here in the UK it is only legal to wild camp in Scotland – hence it being our holiday destination of choice. 

So, we all squeezed into my little Ford Ka called Freddie with our things piled up around us and headed off. As we left I questioned whether we’d make it around the estimated 1500-mile trip; but I am here writing it so we obviously made it home alive and with only one minor mechanical scare! The trip has to be up there with one of the best holidays I have ever had!! This proves that staycations can be amazing and that by exploring what is close we can have some amazing experiences. 

I toyed with the idea of giving you a full day to day explanation of what we did but then I remembered how much we fit into this 18-day long trip and thought it best not to write a travel novel. Instead I thought I’d share my favourite bits; the highlights some might say. So, here you go…

Malham, The Lake District and Our Encounter with the Police: 

​We stopped off at Malham, an idyllic village in the Yorkshire Dales, on our way to the Lake District. Here we went for a circular walk to Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet’s Foss – three of my favourite geological features in the Yorkshire Dales! Some of you might recognise Malham Cove’s limestone pavement from a scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
​

The Lake District was meant to be our first wild camping spot but things didn’t go quite to plan! We arrived at our spot and scoped out a nice place to pitch the tent. We’d just started cooking our pasta when the police arrived and informed us that a bylaw had recently been put into action in the local area meaning the police could no longer turn a blind eye to wild campers. A frenzy ensued as we headed off to find a new spot to camp – we rushed around Coniston and visited every campsite in search of a space but were turned away by them all. In a last ditch effort I messaged a friend who lived on the edge of the Lake District and asked if we could camp in their garden…and thankfully they let us!! 

It was on this night in my friend’s garden that we discovered the tent we had brought was no longer waterproof as we arose the next morning to find our sleeping bags more than a little soggy. We had a choice to make; give up or buy another tent. And as you might have guessed we decided on the latter so off we went to the nearest outdoor shop to buy another tent. 

Loch Trool and Amazing Views:

​After the chaotic first night our hopes for a successful wild camp had been dampened but we didn’t give up! We headed for the next planned stop of Loch Trool and boy were we rewarded!! As we rolled into the car park we were greeted with amazing views over the loch!! So we pitched up for the night and settled in. My girlfriend and I laid under the night sky playing cards – this was all I had dreamed of for a wild camping spot. 

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park:

​Here we stayed at a campsite in Drymen – a quaint little village just outside the national park. The national park has so much to offer and the two nights we spent there wasn’t enough but nonetheless we had an amazing experience. We visited the Falls of Falloch for a bone chilling wild swim in a waterfall plunge pool, the hill of Ben A’an for a steep hike to the top for amazing views and Loch Ard for a peaceful kayak out on the water. These are just a snapshot of the things we could have done and I will definitely be returning!

Ben Nevis and Steall Waterfall:

​The drive from Drymen to Fort William (the closest town to Ben Nevis) was one of the most beautiful and scenic I have ever been on! There were towering mountains lining the roads and so much more. It was raining when we arrived in Fort William so we took shelter in a local restaurant before we headed off in search of a camping spot which we found near Steall Waterfalls – one of my favourite waterfalls on the trip (and believe me we visited a lot). We managed to get right to the bottom of the waterfall after crossing a precarious looking rope bridge! The next day we had planned to climb Ben Nevis - the highest mountain in the UK - but the weather (and maybe our fitness but we don’t talk about that) prevented us from doing so. Instead we climbed part way up the North Face and this route did not disappoint!! We will definitely be going back to Ben Nevis to conquer the entire mountain!

Isle of Skye, Fairies and The Quiraing:

​The Isle of Skye was perhaps the stop we had most looked forward to on the trip and it is safe to say we were not let down. Our first night on the Isle of Skye was spent wild camping in an amazing location right by the sea!! But camping by the sea doesn’t come without some worries as we realised we weren’t quite sure whether the high tide would engulf our tent with water (again) so we decided we’d wake up in the night just before high tide to see if we were safe…luckily we were!! Next up was the Fairy Pools gaining their name from their beauty! Here we had another wild swim in the clear waters!! I was frozen through to my core and couldn’t stop shivering, but it was worth it!! The fairy theme continued as we hit the Fairy Glen – a sight to behold with strange lumped geological features all around! We finished off the Isle of Skye with the rocky faces of The Quirang – another amazing geological feature that cannot be missed!

The North Coast 500 and John O’Groats:

The next part of the trip was the North Coast 500 – known to the experts as NC500. The driving here was amazing and there were some marvelous spots such as beaches and bays! One of my favourite bits of driving was Applecross Pass and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to drive with scenery! This section also included a visit to the tourist destination of John O’Groats which is famous for being one of the Northern most inhabited places on the British Mainland. While we were so far North we thought it would be wrong to turn down the opportunity to visit the most Northeasterly point of the British Mainland, Duncansby Head, and it provided some awe-inspiring views along the coast. 
​

The Cairngorms and a Well-Earned Rest:

By now we were over two weeks into the trip and pretty exhausted so we didn’t manage to explore too much of the area but we did visit Loch an Eilein for a day of swimming, walking and lounging! It was a great way to end the last of our camping for the trip before we headed back to the city of Edinburgh! 

Edinburgh – The Finale:

We ended the trip in a much needed hostel in the old town of Edinburgh! We spent our time in Edinburgh wandering around the city scoping out the usual touristy spots and heading up Arthur’s Seat to get a panoramic view of the city and its sprawling nature! This really showed the expansiveness of the city and made us realise how little of the city we’d really seen. We had some lovely food here with African Wraps, Ramen and Subway (ooops…not very adventurous but tasty nonetheless). We rounded off the trip with a night in the small bars and pubs, meeting up with someone my friends had befriended on a previous trip! It was a lovely way to mark the end of the trip, but it did make the drive back down to Leeds feel a whole lot longer as we were all so tired!!
​

Rounding Up:

There are some words of warning for a road trip like this! Fast travel and moving from place to place is intense, tiring and hard work as you pack and unpack your tent and car nearly every night. Camping in Scotland during the summer also comes with a large dose of midge bites which you’ve just got to bear if you want to experience the scenery – midges are your enemy. There is also a lot of driving involved and you’ve got to be willing to spend a lot of time sitting on your bum in the car – nearly 60 hours in total for us! We travelled a total of 2054-miles, but it was worth it!

​Finally, I’ve already said it once but I will say it again…the trip has to be up there with one of the best holidays I have ever had! I visited some of the places I have always wanted to and the trip had been an idea in my head for nearly a year and a half before I got to do it. It really felt like a dream come true – sorry for the cliché…I thought I’d managed to avoid it until I realised I had no other words.

TEENAGE MENTAL HEALTH :
​A COMMON YET OVERLOOKED ISSUE

By Abrar Hasanat

Mental health issues (predominantly self harm, depression, stress) are the third most common reason for deaths amongst adolescent boys while being second most amongst the girls.(2) An estimated 10–20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated.(3) Now this doesn’t mean that the parents or guardians are bad at parenting. It happens simply because they don’t know it exists, and those who do know ignore it because there is a culture of shame regarding mental health. In fact, mental health is such an untapped and stigmatized issue that parents would rather remain in the dark than discover a myriad of dreadful possibilities. As a result, this social stigma makes it harder for a child to reach out for help. They consider themselves as a sickness – lowering further deep down into the voids of low self esteem and depression. 

So, what are the main reasons behind these mental health issues? According to WHO, several risk factors determine such outcomes.(3) These include a desire for greater autonomy, pressure to conform with peers, exploration of sexual identity, and increased access to and use of technology. Media influence and gender norms can “exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future”.(3) Moreover, harsh parenting or bullying, living conditions, lack of quality opportunities and socioeconomic disparity plays a major role in creating mental illness amongst the teens. 

Now, most of the parents, guardians or custodians don’t know which symptoms to look for to see whether or not their child is suffering from these. Even though the adults want to help them – they just don’t understand when to do so. So the following are some of the most common symptoms which a child might show while suffering from mental difficulties: 

• Prolonged self-isolation and withdrawal from family and friends.

• Irritability, secretiveness and/or excessive tiredness

• Disinterest in activities previously enjoyed.

• Changes in sleep patterns and appetite.

• Declining grades or involvement in school.

• Mood instability that can range from sadness and apathy to aggression.

​There are several other symptoms which might show that a child is going through something. Everyone has different coping mechanisms so they might not even show any of these symptoms. So surely, the best way to know about these is having an open minded conversation with them. 

Now that the parents know their child is going through some sort of mental health issues – what do they do next? Most of the parents ignore it thinking that it’ll go away (yes, there’s a problem/ignorance in each and every step, hence the surprisingly large number of mental health cases). This ignoring of the problems leads the teens to carry their teenage depression well into their adult lives. A couple of simple yet effective steps can be taken in this regard :

• Make time to talk and listen to the affected person. Ask how he or she is feeling. Express your love and support.

• Encourage them to get regular exercise, spend time with supportive friends, eat healthy foods, and get enough sleep.

• Counseling can be done for advanced cases of depression.

• Play therapy for younger kids while behavioral therapies for the older ones should be taken.

• Almost every school and college has a counselor solely dedicated for this purpose – making appointments with them or taking their suggestions might prove to be of help.

• Simply tell them that everything’s going to be alright and you’re there for them no matter what happens (believe me, it does wonders for most people)
  

Pretty basic things, right? Everyone already knew it, right? These simple and basic steps can actually help them a lot. Yet, most of the parents or guardians even fail to acknowledge their child’s mental issues for social norms. Due to the lack of resources regarding mental health and a negative approach towards it from the parents and society, this issue has turned out to be a particularly challenging one. However it is high time these sorts of actions and misconceptions are rectified. Mental illness, depression, anxiety disorders and  stress during the teenage years isn't a myth or a way for teenagers to get attention – these are actually real conditions and are way more common than most people think. 

So, instead of ignoring it – we should acknowledge it to make the future of the child brighter. From educating the parents or guardians and creating social awareness programs to normalizing the fact that almost everyone at some point of their lives face such situations – everything will play a role. Everyone should keep these in mind for a collective better and brighter future. 
                                   

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed talk about this illness that

affects not only the individuals but also their families” 
–   Glenn Close

​

Works Cited:
​1. Watson, Stephanie. “Mental Health Issues Overlooked in College Transition.” WebMD. WebMD, January 25, 2018. https://www.webmd.com/special-reports/prep-teens-college/20180125/parents-teens-survey.
2. “Adolescent Mental Health Statistics.” UNICEF DATA, July 27, 2020. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/mental-health/.
3. “Adolescent Mental Health.” World Health Organization. World Health Organization. Accessed August 31, 2020. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.

Other Sources:
1. “Why Parents Are Silent About Mental Illness.” Child Mind Institute, March 5, 2019. https://childmind.org/article/why-parents-are-silent-about-mental-illness/.
2. Claire McCarthy, MD. “Parents Don't Always Realize That Their Teen Is Suicidal.” Harvard Health Blog, February 13, 2019. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/parents-dont-always-realize-that-their-teen-is-suicidal-2019021315901.
3. Nelson, Randi. “Teen Mental Health Issues Being Ignored Globally.” Teen Mental Health Hospital, May 16, 2020. https://www.viewpointcenter.com/blog/teen-mental-health-issues-ignored-globally/.

 WE ARE ALL EARTHIANS

Earthians Care has a strong nonpartisan stance; however, matters of equality and racial discrimination are not a matter of party alignment, but humanity, which is deeply rooted in our mission. Earthians Care.--not just about animals, environmentalism, and earth, but about every human that was born into this world. While we are not the ones to educate you on the current events and the long history of systemic racial discrimination, we have provided external links so that you can educate yourself in hopes that we can come together and make meaningful and long lasting change. 

We want to remind you that education is not threatening, it is enlightening. Find facts, ask yourself the hard questions, and then look for more facts. Do not get defensive, instead go forward with empathy. Remember that behind the statistics are lives.

To our young readers, we suggest that you go through information with a trusted adult that will support you both emotionally and academically. 
​
These are only a few of the sources, please feel free to reach out to us with further sources that we can add to the list.

LINKS
https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
https://guidetoallyship.com/
https://blacklivesmatter.com/resources/
https://www.thecut.com/2020/05/george-floyd-protests-how-to-help-where-to-donate.html
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1PHxRzlBbB99Kc0pKJKy55rcRi3dC2Xxokw4bK_9sNT4/mobilebasic 
https://www.ted.com/playlists/250/talks_to_help_you_understand_r
https://www.ted.com/talks?topics%5B%5D=race
https://blog.ed.ted.com/2016/07/25/10-ted-classroom-resources-about-race-in-america/

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Crisis Text Line
​Dive in Well
Sista Afya
Therapy for Black Girls
Healhaus
Inclusive Therapists
Ethel's Club
The Nap Ministry

BOOKS
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
​Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum
We are Not yet Equal by Carol Anderson
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

SHOWS
13th (Netflix)
American Son (Netflix)
Dear White People (Netflix)
If Beale St Could Talk (Hulu)
King in the Wilderness (HBO)
See You Yesterday (Netflix)
The Hate You Give (Cinemax)
When They See Us (Netflix)