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Some Delivery Drivers Do Not Receive a Basic Living Wage

Delivery drivers have been one of the cornerstones of the nation throughout the pandemic as they have been responsible for getting food to the vulnerable who could not leave their homes, as well as delivering takeout food and all items bought online to members of the public. With that in mind, it’s disappointing to hear that there are many delivery drivers currently working who are not earning a basic living wage. Workers are often considered “essential” until it’s time to fairly compensate them.

How Much Are Some Drivers Making?

There are drivers across the US who state they are struggling to pay rent as their wage sometimes comes to as little as $2 an hour once costs are taken away. This is likely due to the fact that a lot of these drivers are not actually hired directly by organizations but are instead taken on as subcontractors through different courier companies.

As such, the organizations they deliver for are under no obligation to pay what they owe other employees such as holiday pay, sick pay or maternity pay. The drivers also need to pay to hire their vehicle, which comes to around $200 a week.

Many drivers, upon returning their vehicle, actually found themselves in debt. It appears that there are many large organizations who lack transparency when it comes to confirming wages with their employees.

What Should Delivery Companies Do?

Overall, there needs to be more transparency in the way that delivery companies operate. An example of this transparency is Shiply. Shiply hires seasoned delivery drivers who have their own vehicles and are incredibly upfront about the money they will be paid for jobs.

The way the site works is it is essentially, for drivers, a site to browse potential jobs, including load board info. Drivers are directed towards a site that provides search functions they can use to browse work that suits their requirements. These requirements will be aspects such as the location of the job and the route to be taken.

Once a driver has decided on a job, they place their own quote as to how much they would like to be paid for it. This is different to some of the aforementioned sites who pay their drivers a fixed wage, which results in gross underpayment at times. Once the quote has been accepted, the driver will carry out the job and be paid accordingly. The wage is agreed between the driver and the organization that they are delivering for, so it is a quick transaction and one with no nasty surprises.

Conclusion

Given the huge part that delivery drivers have played in keeping the country going throughout the pandemic, it is not unreasonable to expect them to be paid a standard living wage as an absolute minimum. Unfortunately, due to the poor fixed rates paid by some organizations, plus the hidden fees of van rental, a lot of drivers are struggling to pay rent. More organizations should operate as Shiply do by giving drivers a clear and transparent wage before they embark on jobs.

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Ways You Can Make Rent and Get By When States End Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for just about everyone in one way or another. Whether it was the lack of social interaction or working for a company that was forced to shut its doors due to a lack of sales, it has been a struggle, to say the least. Luckily, while the response wasn’t perfect, the United States government stepped in to assist those who were hit the most during the pandemic with a couple of checks to help us along and extra support for those who have been without a job during this difficult time.

However, it appears that those benefits may be coming to an end. There has been talk of ending extended unemployment benefits in September, and if that is the case, many people who are still without a job may be looking for answers when it comes time to pay rent. Luckily, there are some tips and resources that you can follow that may provide the extra funds you need.

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Budgeting And Resources

When the latest stimulus law was put into place, it extended federal unemployment programs until Labor Day. Many Republican-led states are using this deadline to make a case to cease the federal programs this summer, and in recent remarks, President Biden has verbalized his approval of the expiration of these weekly checks. The problem is that there are still those who are legitimately out of work, and without the extra money, they may not have enough to pay rent at the end of the month.

If you live in one of these states that are ending the unemployment benefits on Labor Day or sooner, then you will want to be prepared by creating a budget. By getting a view of your whole financial picture, including what money you do have coming in and all of your expenses, you can see what needs to be done before the end of the programs. Getting rid of unnecessary expenses will be very important. Can you cut down on extra cable channels? Can you make coffee at home instead of going out? What monthly subscriptions do you have that you no longer need?

If your budget shows some wiggle room, then you may be okay when the benefits end. If not, then you can look at other options, and one of them is reaching out to organizations that can provide rent assistance. For instance, you could reach out to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and ask about their rental assistance programs. Other organizations like The Salvation Army can sometimes offer one-time assistance for rent and also supply food and clothes. Modest Needs is another program that can offer you a grant for unexpected expenses or monthly bills.

Freelance or Side Jobs

In addition to applying for financial assistance, you can also try earning some extra money by working a freelance or side job wherever you can. Right now, many restaurants are working with delivery drivers and there is also the opportunity to work with Uber or Lyft if you have a suitable vehicle. If you are limited on time, you could also work as a dog-walker in the mornings or you can make the extra money you need for rent by doing surveys online.

There are many freelance jobs that you can try that you can do on your own time that won’t have you relying on a company giving you the hours you require. Think about the skills that you bring to the table and search online for a freelance opportunity to match them. If you are an expert on a certain subject, you could tutor students online. If you have a flair for the written language, then you could be a freelance writer for any number of online companies and websites. If you like to cook, you could be a caterer on the side.

If you do decide to do freelance work, there are some considerations that you will need to keep in mind. For instance, you will need to keep track of your taxes and pay them at the end of the year. Plus, you will have to constantly reach out to clients to have consistent work. On top of all that, you will also want to ensure that you are paid correctly. You can get paid and keep orderly records by sending out personalized invoices. Send these as soon as the work is done and be sure to follow up if you aren’t paid promptly.

Sell Items You No Longer Use

Although you love your apartment and everything inside of it, there could come a time when you may have to sell some belongings to get the extra cash you need for rent. If you need quick money, certain items may sell faster, such as furniture, clothing, and sports equipment. You can bring your items to a pawn shop or sell them on websites like Amazon and eBay.

There are some items that you may have lying around that could be worth more than you realize. For instance, Disney VHS tapes are still in high demand and can fetch you a few extra bucks. Many retro video games are also selling for hundreds of dollars on auction websites, especially those for the GameCube and Nintendo 64. If you no longer wear it, you could also consider selling older jewelry. If your rental agreement allows it, you can even sell space in your home as an Airbnb.

While you can sell many of your belongings online, there is money to be made by throwing a garage or yard sale. For the most success at your sale, scheduling is key, as you need to pick a time when the most people may be out and about. Weekends are the best, but if you want to get the most foot traffic, join a community sale event in your neighborhood. Also, take the time to research everything you are selling to ensure that you give it a proper price so you are not shortchanged.

The recent arrival of COVID-19 vaccines is promising, but that doesn’t mean we are out of the woods quite yet. If you know that rent will be tough this month, consider the tips above to hold you over until the next opportunity.

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Why National Criminal Background Checks Should be Done for New Hires

One of the most significant commitments that a government entity or a business can make will come when they hire a new team member. If you hire a new employee, you will want to be assured that you are getting someone that is experienced and can contribute right away. At the same time, you will want to make sure that the addition of the new team member does not come with any safety or security risks. One way that you can ensure you are making a good hire is by completing a national criminal background check.

What is Included in a Criminal Background Check

A full national criminal background check can be a great form of diligence. These background checks will complete a national search and will provide some valuable information. This includes identifying whether the person was convicted of felonies in the past, if there were any misdemeanor criminal convictions or if there are any existing pending criminal cases.

Why Should an Employer Have a Criminal Background Check Done

Simple: prevention. It doesn’t mean that in the event of a criminal history that rehabilitation never took place — it simply means that public and private employers will be aware of prospectively pertinent information. A criminal background check can provide some very important and detailed information that would be useful. There are several reasons why you should have them done on your new team members:

Create a Safe Environment for Employees and Clients

One of the most important reasons that you should complete a background criminal check on new hires is so you can create a safe environment for your team members and all clients. A background check will help to identify if the candidate has faced serious charges in the past. Once you are aware of prior charges that the candidate has faced, you assess whether it is applicable to the position you’re hiring for, and make a determination about whether this poses a risk to everyone else in the workplace. This can ultimately help provide additional protection and help everyone else enjoy a peaceful and safe environment while they are at work.

Ensures Compliance

Another reason for having a criminal background check done on new employees is that it can ensure you remain in compliance with all regulations. Background checks can be quite sensitive when it comes to new hires. While it is important that you have the work done, there are protections in place for job applicants, which can vary based on the state. When you outsource the background check service, you can be assured that the searches are being done so in the right manner that will keep you in compliance with any state laws or regulations.

Background checks can also help you comply with industry regulations. Depending on the type of business you operate, there could be strict laws in place that require background and criminal searches to be done. Having these searches done professionally will ensure you are also complying with industry best practices and other regulations.

Maintain Good Reputation

A quality reputation can take years for a business to build. Unfortunately, it can also be lost quickly if you make a poor hiring decision. When you use a background check service, you will know that you have all the necessary information to hire someone that will treat their co-workers, leadership, and customers the right way. This can help you avoid challenging situations that would otherwise lead to reputational challenges.

Limit Liability Risk

All businesses today will face liability risk on a regular basis. A business and business owner could be held liable if one of their employees did something that caused harm or a loss to another person. The liability claim could be even more significant if the employee had a previous history of similar acts. When you have proper background checks done, it can ensure that you are made aware of any past convictions. Simply having this process in place can help to offset the overall liability risk.

A very important decision that many businesses will make will come when they hire a new team member. If you are going to hire a new employee, it will be important that you complete all diligence on them to ensure you are choosing the best candidate possible. A national criminal background check is an important part of this process that can ensure you are making a great hiring decision.

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How has the Pandemic Affected Mental Health?

The Covid-19 pandemic has ripped its way through the world over the past year and a half. That has led to governments enforcing lockdowns to stop the spread. This legislation has slowed the virus down but being locked inside has had some serious effects on people’s mental health. This article will explore some of the ways that the pandemic has affected mental health.

Emotional Fallout of Social Distancing

Social distancing measures have been employed across the world to stop people from spreading Covid-19. The rules of social distancing are relatively standard—you have to stand around six feet away from another person. However, the effects of social distancing on mental health differ depending on people’s circumstances. For some people, social distancing has meant that they haven’t had any physical contact for a long time. Humans are wired to touch from birth, so losing physical contact can increase feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, and more. Standing six feet apart from someone in a queue might not seem like a big issue, but it could be making people unhappy.

Loneliness

Lockdowns around the world have caused feelings of loneliness to increase. This shouldn’t come as a surprise when you think about it. Social interactions have decreased and physical human contact is almost non-existent for some people. Video calls have mitigated some of that damage but they can’t replace the social lives that people led before. Loneliness has been linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, suicide, and even heart disease.

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Financial Anxiety

Around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to job losses. Industries such as hospitality and live entertainment have been hit particularly hard, but there has been financial insecurity across the board. Some governments have attempted to provide compensation but some people have still suffered from financial anxiety. This can cause severe mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

Health Anxiety

It’s no surprise that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an increase in health anxiety. With people worried about catching the disease, more and more people are inclined to stay indoors and avoid mixing with others. Plus, with gyms and healthcare facilities closing, people have had reduced access to health resources. To combat this, some people have been taking supplements—from brands such as Neubria—and exercising in their own homes.

Grief Due to Loss

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths around the world. Each of those deaths has caused grief, which in turn has had a huge effect on people’s mental health—sometimes leading to problems such as depression.

Increase in Domestic Abuse

The increase in domestic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic has been called “a pandemic within a pandemic.” With couples being forced to stay inside, there has been a significant increase in domestic violence and emotional abuse across the globe. This can have serious effects on the victim’s mental health, as domestic abuse can cause an increase in depression and anxiety, as well as long-term mental health problems such as PTSD.

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Thinking Through the Thinkable: Issues the Pandemic has Made Clearer

For nearly every global citizen, the COVID-19 pandemic forever altered life as we know it. Yet despite all its downfalls, the pandemic has also served as an unlikely catalyst towards a brighter future. As we work towards building our so-called “new normal,” in fact, opportunities to improve modern life can be found in abundance.

In the wake of COVID-19, policymakers around the world were suddenly forced to contend with the harsh realities associated with our current societal systems, en masse. It’s abundantly clear that myriad social issues need to be addressed, to improve overall global health and quality of life. From thinkable to the unthinkable, some of our current societal systems that could use an overhaul include healthcare, income disparity, inclusion, and more.

While sweeping policy changes typically occur at the governmental level, average citizens from all walks of life are crucial to the conversation. Indeed, it is the ideas and experiences of everyday people that truly fuel lasting change, and that are a necessary aspect of the equation as we work to build a new world, post-COVID.

The Changing Face of the Healthcare Industry

Of course, healthcare is of vital significance in terms of the future of humanity. And unfortunately, countless individuals around the world have been left behind in terms of health coverage. Within the United States, the problem is especially striking: Public health coverage, including Medicaid and Medicare, has long been stigmatized, even as more than 34% of the national population relies on it in some form.

The stigma surrounding public health insurance primarily owes its existence to tired, outdated views surrounding poverty and underprivileged populations. According to research, it is the world’s poorest people who are most vulnerable to COVID. Further, the World Bank reports that COVID is expected to exacerbate the rate of extreme global poverty, especially in areas where income disparity is already extreme. In regards to healthcare, it is these underserved populations that have the greatest need for widespread change in the name of public health, and technology such as telemedicine may be part of the solution.

Once a fringe concept, telemedicine was given a chance to shine as cities, counties, and entire nations required social distancing and/or full lockdowns to quell the spread of COVID. More than a year after COVID first made headlines, remote healthcare has become commonplace, helping to reduce expenditures and even improve patient outcomes.

One of the most notable benefits of telemedicine is that it’s viable as a diagnostic and treatment platform in nearly every medical discipline. For example, vision care has become more streamlined thanks to telemedicine. Using any standards-based web browser, such as Google or Firefox, eye exams can be taken online that are just as accurate as a traditional, in-office exam. Further, patient monitoring can be easily set up and executed by healthcare providers ranging from optometrists to primary care providers and beyond.

Regarding Technology, Education, and Employment

Yet telemedicine is just the beginning as far as the applications of technology in our post-COVID world are concerned. Various aspects of daily life can now be conducted exclusively via remote channels. Today’s global citizens can work, shop for groceries, schedule doctor visits, and connect with friends all from the comfort of home.

This expansive connectivity has opened up numerous opportunities for job seekers, students, and corporations alike.

No longer do your educational or employment prospects hinge on your place of residence: Widespread digitization has effectively opened up the entire world, allowing companies and educational institutions to recruit from a global talent pool rather than a localized one. A similar shift is occurring in the realm of education and how we learn and gather information will continue to change into the future. The skills that we gained during lockdown, like greater autonomy and the ability to effectively communicate via online channels, may better prepare us for a future where anything is possible.

Being Prepared for Anything Post-COVID

Along with helping to bring healthcare and employment issues to light, the pandemic has also revealed how countless individuals are financially unprepared for an emergency, whether related to individual health or another issue altogether. In the event of an incapacitating incident, it’s crucial that your family’s assets are protected, and that your healthcare needs and wishes are properly addressed. Even healthy, vaccinated individuals should consider the benefits of creating a living will, and/or appointing a loved one to serve as a legal decision-maker who has your best interests and beliefs in mind.

By thinking through the thinkable, and mindfully working to improve the quality of life for every citizen on Earth, opportunities will continue to open up. Post-COVID, preparation and communication are key components towards improved public health, in the face of an uncertain future. Technology and the ability to conduct most aspects of business and daily life via remote channels will continue to keep relevant issues in the spotlight and help spark conversation and continued changes for the better.

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Getting Your Message Across in the Political Arena, On and Offline

During your political campaign, you want your message to reach as many potential constituents as possible. Depending on your finances and resources, you may be leaning towards spreading that message on or offline. However, there is indeed in utilizing both methods.

Online and offline campaigns both have their benefits and disadvantages. Here are some ways using both avenues can help you optimize your ability to spread your political message.

Online Campaigning Bypasses Potential Limitations

The problem with exclusively campaigning offline is your success may be limited if there aren’t many people that you can immediately reach. For instance, you may not have a large number of resources to throw large rallies or host fundraisers. You also may not have the manpower to speak to individuals and hand out pertinent information, which drastically reduces your public reach.

However, using social media and creating a website allows you to reach your targeted demographic and gives you the ability to view your campaign algorithms at the click of a button. Through quantitative message testing research, you can also better gauge the perfect campaigning approaches that appeal to your target audience. Message testing will help you determine the best methods for clearly conveying your message effectively. In such a competitive environment, it is imperative to make your message impactful.

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Message testing data also helps you prepare for the counterarguments of your opponent. This is beneficial in crafting talking points for future debates. Given the current social distancing restrictions, online campaigning may be in the best interest of your voters. Using social media helps you correspond with multiple people at a time via online conversations at a safe distance.

Offline Campaigning Builds an Intimate Relationship With Your Constituents.

Surely, campaigning online can be relatively limitless. However, people want to know you’re sincere and that they are more than just a vote to you. Once you’ve established a successful online presence, it’s smart to organize some public interactions with your voters.

For instance, volunteering is a great way to reach the public offline. Since some members of your target demographic may not be on social media, traditional signage and radio ads are also effective ways to help voters put a face to your name outside of the internet.

Naturally, you’ll prefer using one approach over the other. However, there is value in promoting your political message on and offline. Keep in mind, using both on and offline campaigning strategies will not overshadow a lack of proper research. In order to find the perfect balance, you should invest in political message testing to optimize your communication with the people you want to support you.

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The Expat Struggle: What You Need to Know Before Moving Abroad

For many of us, the idea of pulling up stakes and starting a whole new life in another country feels like a dream come true. It’s the kind of adventure people write books about. It’s the stuff of award-winning cinema.

But for many of us, it’s also reality. The glorious fact is that life as an expat isn’t only for trust fund babies and self-made billionaires with money to burn. The expat life is open to all, even ordinary folks with jobs and a budget.

For real people with real lives, though, moving abroad means taking into consideration some issues you might not have to worry about if you were simply moving to the next town or even a few states over. Doing your research so that you know what to expect and how to prepare, though, can help make the transition quite seamless. With knowledge and a bit of strategy, you can build a beautiful life abroad for yourself and your family.

Earning a Living

If you’re planning to move abroad, chances are the first order of business will be to determine how you’re going to support yourself and your household. Some jobs, of course, travel more easily than others. Nevertheless, it’s going to be important to research employment laws and regulations both in your home country and in your host country. For example, if you are a US citizen, chances are you will still be obligated to pay certain state and federal taxes on any income you earn while abroad.

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Understanding what obligations you owe and what rights you enjoy as a citizen living abroad, moreover, is essential to avoiding benefits fraud, a growing concern that can costs governments tens of millions of dollars every year. While all too often these fraudulent activities may be intentional, you certainly don’t want to be among the cadre of those claiming benefits reserved for residents of your home country while you’re working to build your life abroad.

In addition to understanding taxation and other regulations, it’s also crucial to consider the state of your career. If your job doesn’t travel well or you’re not prepared to take work with a domestic employer in your new homeland, perhaps because of the language barrier or work permit requirements, don’t despair! In today’s digital age, opportunities for remote employment and education are practically endless.

If you’ve always had a particular fondness for numbers, then why not pursue a degree or certification in accounting? This way, you can build a truly portable career with a large number of networking opportunities, local and otherwise, taking your always in-demand skillset with you wherever you may roam.

Home Ties

As exciting and inspiring as making a life abroad may be, that doesn’t, shouldn’t, and mustn’t mean you lose your connection with home or, especially, with the people you leave behind. And that means you should expect waves of homesickness at times.

You’ll inevitably miss the ones you love, but that doesn’t mean you have to be without them, particularly in this era of texting and video chats. Best of all, if you have kids, you can still expose them to the wonders of the great big world without depriving them of their connections to home, friends, and family.

All you have to do is get creative. For example, your kids can still share special occasions with friends and family even if they’re thousands of miles apart. With a bit of advanced planning, for instance, you can throw an unforgettable “virtual” birthday party for your little one, bringing friends and family together for cake and treats, games and movies, all in the virtual space.

In addition to planning for sharing those special moments and holding on to those beloved home ties, if you have children, you’re going to want to take special care to ease the transition. While it might not be feasible to take the kids to visit their new digs before moving day, you can still help the little ones get acquainted with the new neighborhood.

Pictures and videos of the new house, the community, and all the fun attractions they’ll get to enjoy in their new home town will be an ideal way to help them get excited about the move. Additionally, involving your little ones in the moving process will help them to feel empowered, reminding them that the big move is something done with and for them, not to them.

Age-permitting, your little one might help with packing and boxing up the household belongings. This is a great opportunity to share memories and create new ones, even as you look ahead to all that will come in the new homeland. As you and your little ones prepare to say goodbye to the old house, make it special. Consider burying a time capsule or taking a few mementos from the old house. Take the time to say goodbye to the house and the neighborhood so that your little one will have the comfort of closing one door before opening another.

The Takeaway

The expat life is not for the faint of heart. But if you know what to expect and plan ahead, making a life abroad can be one of the greatest adventures you and your family will ever have.

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How To Get Ahead in Your Political Pursuit

Politics plays a crucial role in society. Its importance makes people like you want to get involved. The problem is, being a successful politician takes skill and resources. Since it can be difficult to make it in the political field, the process might be intimidating, especially for newcomers.

If you’re hoping to get into politics, you have to go in prepared. As a new politician, you’ll need to be especially savvy to make an impact on the people you wish to represent. Here’s a list of political strategies that you can benefit from, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned politician.

Thoroughly Research Your Supporters for Your Campaign Strategy

Many politicians lose their constituents because they fail to meet or even care about their needs. As a politician, it’s your job to serve the people who have the power to vote for you. Therefore, you must do adequate research to find what their values are.

One of the most effective ways to do so is with political polling. Political polling methods extract your voters’ data, demands, and patterns. For instance, if you hire a democratic polling company to help survey your voters, you’ll have an easier time crafting your campaign. Understanding what people want will help you connect with them more effectively. No matter what political party you belong to, political polling can help you better understand what voters want.

Engage Your Community

Now that you’ve formed your political strategy, it’s time to come face-to-face with the public. This is what’s commonly referenced as the “shaking hands and kissing babies” phase. Community involvement like volunteering gives you a public resume that voters will consider when they go to the polls.

Community outreach can swing votes in either direction. A recent study from the Black Census Project confirmed that over 30,000 African American voters felt ignored during the 2020 campaign. To get the necessary votes, you cannot allow anyone to feel neglected.

Run an Honest Campaign

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While politics can be difficult for some voters to fully understand, one of the best ways to win people over is to run an honest and sincere campaign. Even if you don’t win on your first go-round, your pure intentions will leave a lasting impression and win over more people during your next campaign.

Politics will always play a role in how society runs. As the world evolves, so should its political strategy. By using these techniques, you can create a large political impact and make the difference you strive for.

______________ Author: Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

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The Environmental Upside of Covid-19 and How to Make it Last

The temperatures recorded in 2020 showed an increase of 1.2 degree Celsius, compared to the era between 1850 and 1900. The World Meteorological Organisation warns that the figure is likely to escalate. According to the estimations, we will observe the difference of 1.5 degree Celsius within the next five years.

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WMO also says that with the trend from before Covid, average temperatures could rise between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius until 2100. The dreadful results would include retreating of glaciers and rising sea levels, affecting the lives of nearly 400 million people.

The climate challenge and cars

The automotive industry and transport played a big part in the overall pollution being at its forefront for quite some time. Until the early 2000s, a global race towards bigger, more powerful engines dominated the sector’s panorama. Fuel consumption was not a big concern to anyone except the widely ignored environmentalists. CO2 and NO2 emissions were on a constant rise.

When a couple of years later a bigger part of the world realised the need to pull a brake on combustion engines and choose renewable energy, it has become almost too late before the right industry changes and legislative measures were taken.

The struggle towards making a change

Before 2020 we were basically in a vicious circle of destroying the planet. The greenhouse effect, thinning ozone layer and decreasing sweet water reservoirs are only a few signs we’ve chosen to overlook. Economic liberalism taught us to reap the Earth’s resources like there was no tomorrow. And then scientists proved that there actually might be no tomorrow.

The Paris Agreement of 2016 was supposed to be a beacon of hope for reversing the climate changes. However, after initial success, Trump’s administration withdrew its participation. Also, many countries expressed their disappointment when it turned out that the agreement was easier on China, one of the biggest pollutants in the world. Fortunately, after Trump lost the elections, President Joe Biden’s administration decided to rejoin in February 2021.

The environmental implications of the automotive industry after Covid-19

When the pandemic came, there was fear of dying, and hardships of lockdown. But when we grounded our planes, stopped using trains or buses, and locked away cars in garages, something unexpected happened. Covid-19 showed us that the reduction of pollution was within our reach.

Source: 2020 in Review: How COVID-19 Affected the Automotive World by Oponeo

The goals and solutions

Yes, the pandemic made more people choose the ‘good old’ combustion engines over the green ones when thinking of a new car. This trend, however, will reverse when the situation is stable. The automotive industry has already taken steps towards green and sustainable change. Covid might slow this progress, albeit only for a while.

Research shows that global emissions will decrease until 2024. Scientists suggest different figures, between 4% and 5.5%, which is an enormous reduction. That, in turn, could be a magnificent stepping stone towards slowing down global warming. We must keep the rising temperature at the level of 1,5 degree Celsius.

The automotive sector’s contribution plays an important part here.

We should also conduct extensive R+D towards new eco-friendly transport technologies. Some of those ideas sound ridiculous, like UPC’s no left-turns policy. But it is, in fact, a brilliant idea. Moving away from trying to find the shortest route reduces fuel consumption, time in traffic and the chances of an accident. We need more of such genius innovations!

The switch from combustion to electric powertrains means cutting down on CO2 and NO2 emissions. We need more than just zero-emissions cars. Trucks, trains and ships must also go green. But most of all, we have to open our minds to new ideas and say farewell to the ‘old ways’.

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Ways to Ensure the Demand for Healthcare Jobs is Met

At some point in our lives, all of us are dependent upon the healthcare system to some degree or another. Whether it is at our birth, during health scares, routine check-ups, or end-of-life medical needs — the healthcare system will end up playing a role. This is especially true in this day and age as a greater percentage of our population is reaching its senior years than ever before and we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given this, the need to ensure that the demand for healthcare jobs is met is more pertinent than at most other times in our past. Many things make the idea of a healthcare job ideal to prospective employees such as a varied work schedule, lucrative salaries, and the opportunity to live anywhere. Likewise, the demand for healthcare workers lends itself to substantial job security during difficult times.

To adequately meet the growing demands, higher numbers of young recruits must be encouraged to study a healthcare field and eventually accept a position. Marketing for this and creating the desire for these careers can be challenging. Some of the most promising ways to do so include developing a diverse workplace community, capitalizing on new technologies, and advocating for updated policies.

COVID Demand

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light many of the latent concerns and weaknesses that have been allowed to develop both in the healthcare industry and the U.S. and global economies in general. Healthcare professionals dealt with personal protective equipment and supply shortages where there shouldn’t have been. Political movements that swept the globe in 2020 also had healthcare workers caught up in protecting people’s rights to protest while battling increasing caseloads that came from these large gatherings.

To say that COVID-19 has been a challenge for many healthcare workers is a gross understatement. Hundreds of thousands have been pushed to their absolute limits working to ensure the health and safety of their fellow citizens. These heroic efforts have been recognized and greatly appreciated by most people and these professionals can be considered a real inspiration for upcoming students going into the field.

Beyond simply the incredible ability to impact the lives of patients and the honor of helping others for a living, demands for healthcare professionals as a result of the pandemic have led to quickly increasing salaries for those who can fill in where needed. This is happening at a time when much of the economy is shrinking as a result of the virus and the growth isn’t likely to stop any time soon. All of which is likely to push some new, young talent into healthcare.

Utilizing New Tech

Another means that the healthcare industry can use to attract young professionals is the adoption of new technologies that is taking place in the healthcare world. It truly is an exciting time to be able to get involved in how healthcare systems are utilizing technology. From drones carrying medical equipment into emergency zones to artificial intelligence and robotics in healthcare, things are changing rapidly.

Perhaps as a result of the pandemic, existing technologies such as telehealth have exploded. Now, it seems that more and more patients are willing and excited to take advantage of skipping a trip to the doctor’s office for an online check-in with their doctors. Likewise, many more are capitalizing on wearable technologies that can track and send information to healthcare professionals — creating a situation where patients feel more involved with their health than ever before.

A laundry list of other high-end healthcare technologies that many young professionals are interested in using to help their patients exists. Many newly minted healthcare workers will admit, it is their goal to help modernize the healthcare system by making high-tech treatments more available to the average patient. Such technologies include things like:

Continuing to expand telehealth services.

Revamping medical information systems to simplify and make it easier for patients to. understand their medical information.

Using advanced robotics in surgery.

Capitalizing on big data to identify healthcare trends and risks.

Introducing nanomedicine-based technologies.

Incorporating digital assistants.

Utilizing artificial intelligence and augmented reality services.

Adding 3D printing to the mix.

Reaching Out

Marketing is an essential part of the healthcare industry, whether it is reaching out to potential patients or recruiting new students in healthcare fields. Good marketing involves strategies that garner attention and create a desire. One of the best ways to do this is to develop a strong set of goals and policies and work to implement them effectively.

Image Source: Pixabay

For instance, many young professionals are attracted to diverse workplaces that encourage the exchange of ideas that can be brought from a variety of different backgrounds and experiences. Promoting these goals may not only increase the quality and quantity of professionals interested in working at your establishment but could also increase the number of positive outcomes resulting from patient treatment. For example, some studies indicate that Black patients have better health outcomes when treated by Black doctors.

Developing strong, equitable workplace policies that strive to create a diverse community and put patient care first will undoubtedly attract some of the best young talent. Additionally, reaching out to them about the benefits of their degrees and the high demand for their specific skill sets is also critical. The profound need for skilled workers in the healthcare industry isn’t going away any time soon — reaching out to them, broadcasting new technologies, and inspiring them with the stories of healthcare heroes is a good place to start.

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Natech Disasters Are on the Rise In 2021

Natural disasters hit a record high in 2020. Wildfires swept the western U.S. with devastating force and decimated millions of acres of land, a record-breaking number of hurricanes and cyclones tore up the east coast, and the world hit a new high temperature. Climate anxiety—much like the climate temperature itself—is at an all-time high.

These natural disasters in the U.S. alone have cost at least $1 billion in damages, this number purely describing initial damages. Natural disasters often have domino-like effects that echo for months and years afterward. One type of disaster the world will undoubtedly see more of this year and in the years to come that damages homes, businesses, and personal health: Natech disasters.

What Are Natech Disasters?

Natech (natural-hazard-triggered technological) disasters are technological accidents triggered by a natural disaster. Think of these types of disasters as the second—and often more devastating—phase of a natural disaster. When a flood, fire, earthquake, lightning storm, or tsunami hits, they often have second, third and fourth-order consequences that continue to harm the environment and public health.

Image: Jim Gade – Unsplash

These tech disasters aren’t focused on small issues like blown-down telephone poles that can easily be fixed without long-term ramifications. These disasters center on damages to buildings and areas that store hazardous chemicals, fossil fuels, and other dangerous and toxic materials that could harm the public if released. When natural disasters hit those types of storage sites (think pipelines, mines, waste dump sites) toxic materials and byproducts release into the surrounding environment.

And when those toxic materials disseminate, they contaminate nearby water supplies, surrounding soil, and air, and become life-threatening to anyone in the area.

Natech Disasters Pose Long-Term Health Threats

When Natech disasters strike, the resulting contamination, pollution and contamination can take a heavy toll on local communities. It’s often a price they pay for years.

Environmental resources like local rivers and city drinking supplies are frequently contaminated after a disaster. While it’s usually easy to see when potable drinking water has been contaminated without testing—black specks in a home’s water supply mean there’s water heater corrosion and a noticeable smell in water indicates a water filter needs to be replaced—but natech contaminations aren’t easily detectable. And those contaminations may not be noticed until large groups of people start to become sick.

Last August, a lightning storm sparked a massive wildfire along California’s Santa Cruz mountain range. The wildfire was eventually contained, but local officials warned residents that their drinking supply had been contaminated. Benzene, a toxic carcinogenic that was most likely released into the water from melted plastic pipes, had made its way into the water supply.

Unfortunately, other natech disasters aren’t caught until people start to become sick. When Hurricane Harvey hit the eastern and gulf coast in 2017, natech disasters popped up everywhere and exposed countless people to toxic chemicals. The eastern coast holds around half of the U.S.’s oil and gas refineries—and was essentially a natetch time bomb waiting to explode. The hurricane hit the refineries hard and released millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into the surrounding air. Those exposed to those toxic chemicals were in danger of serious harm to their respiratory system. After the hurricane, reports of chemical burns and other respiratory injuries started rolling in after being exposed to those poisonous and toxic fumes from the hit chemical plants and refineries.

Toxic chemicals can linger in the air, soil, and water long after the storm moves on, causing lingering health problems to those in the exposed area. And with the rise in natural disasters over the years in no small part due to climate change, these disasters will most likely become more common (and more devastating). While increased security measures are happening, it may not be enough should the world keep breaking that natural disaster high records.

__________ Author: Natasha Ramirez is an avid writer, reader, and dog-lover. Her work has carried her from the bustle of New York at Inc. Magazine to the Santa Fe deserts at Outside Magazine. Natasha currently works as a copywriter, guest blogger, and freelance journalist. Natasha’s blog is natasharamirez.com and you can follow her on Twitter.

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Workers’ Rights in the Current Administration

Still in the throes of a pandemic, workers’ rights in the United States have been in a questionable position. Resolutions to safeguard workers is dependent on President Biden’s cabinet, continued COVID-19 stimulus efforts, and legal protections for the unionization of all kinds of workers.

Labor rights during the pandemic can mean the difference between protecting workers or putting them at risk for corporate interests. Currently, worker protections vary, and the stakes for workers’ rights entail greater safety concerns than ever before. In this uncertain landscape, we explore what this new administration may mean for workers.

Labor Rights During the Pandemic

The advent of the coronavirus pandemic meant massive shifts in labor policies and working hours. Millions were laid off. Millions lost paychecks, work, and hours, while millions more faced life-threatening health hazards in dealing with daily exposure to a deadly virus.

The federal response was to pass the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Act, which increased unemployment benefits for a time and offered one-time payouts to American families under an income threshold.

Now, workers both employed and otherwise face an uphill battle. Limited worker protections in right-to-work states have incentivized the gig economy, in which workers operate for an unspecified amount of time to complete a task, often for unfair wages. These workers have little to no protections, no employer-offered health insurance, and increasingly risky work environments.

Right-to-work laws empower the gig economy further while limiting the power of the workers themselves. States in which right-to-work laws are active find negatives for workers, including:

Lower wages

Fewer worker benefits

Weaker, harder-to-form unions

This creates a larger pool of desperate and laid-off workers looking for gig positions with companies like Uber, DoorDash, or even Amazon, where working as a contractor means a paycheck but with few guarantees. Without benefits like insurance during a global health crisis, labor rights are in an uncomfortable place for millions of Americans.

What’s at Stake

The tempestuous nature of 2020 and its election season emphasized the precarious position of labor rights. Surrounded by messaging of how part-time, poorly paid positions are risky to one’s health, laborers are frequently reminded of their limited ability to demand more.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration and the NLRB were aligned in their attempts to delegitimize democratic processes. Republican leadership invested $20 million in to fight lawsuits aimed at reforming voting and union election processes. In one instance, the Trump-appointed board pushed through regulation without the proper public notice and comment process, resulting in the invalidation of streamlined union elections.

President Biden has taken the opportunity to breathe new life into the NLRB. In January, he appointed veteran NLRB attorney Peter Sung Ohr to serve as Acting General Counsel of the NLRB. As he appoints more pro-labor board members, the expectation is that the NLRB will undo much of what was done under the Trump administration, such as allowing a number of high-profile organizations to bar the unionization of their workers.

At the same time, existing unions face their own internal problems. As the nation collectively takes stock of institutional racism, exclusionary patterns have emerged in unions themselves. Of Illinois’ 62 trade unions, 15 have less than 20% people of color representing while another 13 only have 20-30%.

These numbers indicate a locking-out of people of color in the process of fighting for labor rights. This leaves unions in an even weaker position, despite the change coming in the federal administration.

Biden has expressed a desire to assist workers in their struggles to obtain decent compensation and treatment, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden selected a strong workers’ rights figure, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to be Secretary of Labor, demonstrating a commitment to reinstate some protections that were relaxed under the Trump administration, such as a 2020 decision that lessened the burden on businesses reporting outbreaks.

Source: Pexels – Andrea Piacquadio

Protecting Yourself in the Workplace

With health and safety at stake in the modern workforce, it is up to the individual nearly as much as it is the organization to follow safety procedures. Protecting yourself from occupational hazards like working around illness comes down to following smart practices. These include:

Get a quality night’s sleep

Wear PPE like a facemask when interacting with others

Maintain a good work-life balance

During the fight to ensure better environments for workers now and in the future, one must keep themselves healthy and safe. The new administration will undoubtedly prove to reshape the protections workers have in the workplace and when working from home. In the meantime, individuals can vote, support their unions, and at the very least, help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following CDC guidelines.

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How Solar Energy Is Becoming More Accessible

Studies show that in the last decade, solar use has increased at an average annual growth rate of 49% and continues to rise. Under President Biden’s new administration that has already had press conferences in which climate change has been a central point, more discussion on non-coal forms of energy can be expected.

How can citizens get involved in halting damage to the environment and slowing climate change? It begins with asking questions: Do you currently use solar panels or any solar energy powered products? Are you interested in using solar in the future? What questions do you have about how to start using solar energy?

As solar products become more accessible to consumers, the opportunities to use solar energy in new areas continue to expand.

Keep reading to learn more about how solar energy is becoming more accessible:

Continued Impact of Climate Change

As concern grows for the impact of climate change on the environment, more people are turning to ways they can improve the situation. Solar energy is seen as a way to harness the natural energy that the sun gives off daily and uses technology to convert it into a useable form of energy to power a variety of things.

There is a movement behind championing the adoption of renewables as we move forward and relying less on fossil fuels to power homes, cars, and other areas that consume energy daily. Some areas offer incentives for consumers that invest in solar for their homes or businesses in order to increase the use of solar within the community.

Solar-Powered Products

The solar industry is growing from solar panels to solar-powered products. Now you can purchase products that use solar energy and help you complete specific tasks.

Solar panel, photovoltaic, alternative electricity source Image: Shutterstock

There is a solar powered generator that can help give you power during an outage or run certain areas for an outdoor event that require power to operate. This is an example of just one of the many products that are using solar power to replace being run by fuel.

Uses for Solar Energy Are Growing

As the demand for solar energy and the consumer use for solar grows, so is the technology.

There are hybrid devices being created that gather the sun and store it as thermal energy. The ability to do this can have a massive impact because it can lead to the wide-scale adoption of solar power. The ability to store the energy from the solar panels means that it can be used even on a cloudy day or at night.

This would allow cooler climates or areas that receive less sunlight to still capitalize on the benefits of solar energy in their homes. Right now, these areas are slower to adopt the practice given that they don’t receive sun year-round or have limited spans of time in which the weather is favorable to solar.

Get Started Today

Now that you have read more about how solar energy is becoming more accessible, you can start using solar energy to benefit your daily tasks.

As more solar-friendly products become available, you can save money and help the environment as well. Check out our website for more informational articles like this one.

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Skills We Should Be Teaching Our Kids During Lockdown

This past year has been challenging, to say the least. For those of us with children, there have been additional struggles due to the necessity of school closures or balancing childcare while working from home. The costs associated with this have already disproportionately affected the financially strained middle classes. Needless to say, these issues have been met with very little government support or guidance.

In the absence of the financial advantages of the wealthy, we must use our creativity and intelligence — academic and emotional — to create positives from this difficult time. As such, many of us are recognizing that it may be more appropriate for our kids to spend this time away from the classroom engaging with more practical life lessons.

This raises the question of what types of skills are best to teach our children at this time. What lessons represent both practical value and are achievable without specialist instruction or equipment? Let’s delve into what can help our children grow through this pandemic toward becoming capable, proactive citizens.

Home Care

One of the advantages of kids being at home is the opportunity to use the operation of the home itself as a learning tool. While school can do an excellent job of providing some personal and social education, many kids still go into the real world without a practical knowledge of how to keep a home in order. Sure, they’ll learn a lot from trial and error when they get their own places. But now is a great time to teach them some abilities that will stand them in good stead.

Image Source: Julia Cameron at Pexels

Alongside their normal chores, show them that when something in the home goes wrong there isn’t necessarily a need to call out a professional. Teach your kids the early warning signs of potential damage to the property. Introduce them to the sounds that could indicate a leak in the water pipes or whistling in the windows that could suggest worn weather stripping. Give them the freedom to get hands-on in the repairs, but give them the guidance they need to stay safe while doing so. Among the most important skills that you can teach your kids from home during this time is self-sufficiency. This doesn’t just mean the physical repairs, it also about the economics of running a home. Give them some insight into the costs of your home, and how you build a budget accordingly. Introduce them to accounting software and apps you use to keep everything in order. Show them that the costs of running a home might seem overwhelming, but these economic strategies help to make it manageable. This not only improves their practical math skills but also gives them insight into the not so obvious expenses— taxes, utilities, savings — that help to keep home life sustainable.

Road Safety

The world isn’t completely cut off to you and your children. There are still opportunities for you to safely explore what the outside world has to offer as well as teach them more about the tools they can use to discover the world. For older preteens and teenagers, diving into the finer points of owning a vehicle can be a fascinating and practical experience.

Vehicle maintenance can double up as a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) lesson and provide practical skills. Let kids get their hands dirty as you show them that there are aspects of a car the owner can take care of themselves to ensure performance and safety — not to mention save money. Talk them through the theory behind the features of the car — the internal combustion engine, the brakes, even how tire wear can affect adherence to the road. Then work together to change spark plugs, replace brake pads, and top up fluids. This approach helps to give them context about why they’re taking these actions.

If your child has reached an appropriate age, this can also be the perfect time to begin teaching them how to drive. When the roads are quiet due to most people being busy at work, this presents opportunities to help them build their confidence and knowledge behind the wheel. Discuss the common habits that can result in distracted driving and why they can be dangerous. Help them to understand that cell phone use, eating or drinking, and fixing your appearance have no place while in control of a vehicle. This will help them to become skilled and responsible drivers.

Health and Wellness

This year has highlighted just how important it is to understand our healthcare. Not only does health education improve our own wellness, it also puts us in a better position to make decisions when challenges such as this pandemic come along. Alongside the specifics of hygiene and sanitation both inside and out of the home that are common in our current crisis, there are other practical lessons to learn.

The fundamentals of first aid are valuable parts of a practical education. There will likely be times in your kid’s life that they will either be subject to or in the vicinity of accidents, and they mustn’t have just the skills but the confidence to respond. If you are unable to teach them how to dress wounds or perform CPR, there are organizations — such as the Red Cross that provide online and in-person training and support materials.

Beyond emergency scenarios, this can also be a great time to give your kids an awareness of their general health and wellness. Teach them about exercise routines, and how to plan and cook nutritionally balanced meals. Don’t ignore the importance of good mental health habits, either. Teach them how to include meditation and mindfulness as a part of their everyday routine. Show them how to responsibly recognize, assess, and handle the negative stimuli present in the media, and our society in general.

Conclusion

Academic classes are far from the only valuable form of education. During lockdown, parents have the opportunity to pass on practical skills to their kids that they may not have the chance to gain in school. Not only can these lessons fit around parents’ already busy schedules, but they can help their children develop into better-rounded, capable people.

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4 Things Our Communities Can Do to Provide Legal Aid to Low-Income and Disabled People

There are currently 61 million disabled individuals in the United States, and this population is often denied healthcare and necessary coverage. In recent years, the Trump administration rolled back many protections for disabled individuals, including ADA protections, and made it harder for people to file for disability and social security income. While there is still that must be done to turn around years of oppression that the disabled experience, some things are turning around now that President-Elect Biden plans to reform social security and supplemental income. However, caring for the disabled population, which is often comprised of low-income households and individuals, does not end only with healthcare and income.

Image source: Unsplash

When many people who are low-income or disabled have legal issues pertaining to such issues as housing, personal injuries, family law, and other areas, they often have few options for gaining legal representation due to the costs associated with hiring an attorney. Communities, cities, and states, have a moral obligation to ensure that legal aid is not a privilege given only to those with means to afford it. However, legal aid services within a community can change all that. As to how your community can provide these services to those in need, here are four ways you should consider very closely.

Partner with Non-Profits

To get the word out about legal aid services and make sure those who need them most are helped, partner with non-profit organizations that serve various populations. For example, working with local senior citizens organizations is often a good starting point, since many of these individuals are living on fixed incomes or suffer various physical disabilities.

Pro Bono Attorneys

In almost all communities, various lawyers are always willing to volunteer their services to help those who cannot afford a traditional visit to an attorney. This can be especially helpful for those residents who may have suffered accidents and injuries and are in need of compensation for medical bills and other damages. By involving a no win no fee injury lawyer in your efforts, these clients can get the legal advice they need.

Veterans Groups

Many veterans who have served in the military often return home with a variety of physical and mental disabilities, such as PTSD and many other issues. Unfortunately, they also often have difficulty obtaining employment, resulting in many of them falling into poverty. To help these men and women with legal issues involving housing, insurance issues, and more, you should contact local veterans’ associations and other similar organizations. In doing so, you can coordinate their services with those offered by legal aid societies.

Domestic Violence Shelters

In cases of domestic violence, which most often involve women, legal aid will be an immediate necessity. Since the majority of these victims have little if any income and are often mothers trying to raise children, leaving their abuser presents numerous legal challenges. In working with local domestic violence shelters, you can assemble a team of attorneys who are willing to provide low-cost legal services to victims in such areas as child custody, child support, divorce, and even personal injury lawsuits if they were seriously injured by their abuser.

Though it will take significant work on your part to bring about these opportunities for legal counsel, doing so will result in many deserving people getting the help they need.

______________ Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

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The Systems and Legislation We Need to Protect Children

As COVID continues to spread around the world, the topic of public health is of paramount importance. But it would be a mistake to view the novel coronavirus pandemic solely in regards to physical health: the virus is also linked (directly and indirectly) to poor mental health, including anxiety and depression.

Children have been especially hard hit in terms of mental health, post-COVID, as they may be more likely to experience abuse, neglect, and/or household dysfunction in the wake of shelter-in-place orders and social distancing mandates. In fact, according to UNICEF, “the COVID-19 crisis has only exacerbated violence, exploitation, and abuse as children are cut off from key support services.” The bulk of those vulnerable children are also dealing with the stressors of isolation, poverty, and fewer educational opportunities.

While the issue of protecting children is a global one, localized legislation may provide the key towards reducing the frequency of childhood abuse, neglect, and other forms of trauma. And make no mistake — the effects of childhood trauma can last into adulthood. Research indicates that adults who live through so-called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are at a high risk of developing both mental and physical illnesses.

Understanding the Varied Effects of Childhood Trauma

Indeed, the long-term effects of childhood trauma are well known in the medical community. But while physical abuse often results in visible scars, it is the emotional wounds that are the most difficult to overcome. Traumatic events can even adversely affect the brain’s development, resulting in an impaired ability to process emotions, a reduction of motor functions, and other cognitive issues.

What’s more, children who are mistreated or neglected may, unfortunately, perpetuate the cycle of abuse, becoming abusers themselves. Childhood trauma, especially when untreated, may result in problematic behaviors including depression, low self-esteem, aggression, and hostility. However, negative coping mechanisms stemming from childhood trauma may be mitigated by intervention from social workers and child welfare advocates.

Image Source: Charlein Gracia at Unsplash

When assessing children for potential ACEs, those professionals look for evidence of certain acts and behaviors, which can vary from state to state. Federal guidelines define child abuse and neglect as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” States are obligated to use federal guidelines as the minimum standards for assessing possible ACEs.

Yet it’s crucial to keep in mind that professionals cannot intervene if potential child abuse or neglect goes unreported.

Protections for Young, Vulnerable Populations

A major hurdle to the reporting of abuse and neglect during a pandemic is the fact that more children are at home full-time. Remote schooling doesn’t allow teachers and social workers true face-to-face interactions with students, making it much easier for signs of ACEs to go overlooked. Educators are responsible for about 20% of the reports of abuse and neglect made to U.S. child protective service agencies, meaning that thousands of children may be left behind in the wake of widespread remote learning.

On the parental side, the lack of resources and personalized healthcare can increase the possibility of problematic behavior on the home front. Discipline is a necessary component of parenting, but some individuals may not make a distinction between discipline and abuse, from a legal standpoint. For example, quick acts of physical discipline, such as a spanking, are generally not considered indicative of abuse, but physical discipline using a foreign object (such as a belt) may be considered an abusive form of punishment.

As previously mentioned, social isolation can exacerbate the issue, especially when parents are overwhelmed, underemployed, and isolated by a global pandemic. And when parents themselves have experienced past abuse or trauma, they may not immediately identify their own behavior as problematic. Protecting children also means giving caretakers the help they need, whether that involves education, mental health services, or another form of intervention.

The Vital Role of Social Work in Child Welfare

For many families adjusting to life wherein social distancing is the norm, the future may seem uncertain. And as our hospitals continue to reach patient capacity, it’s more important than ever to protect young people from traumatic experiences. As remote learning and shelter-in-place orders have left noticeable gaps in the potential reporting of abuse and neglect, other professionals must step in to intervene.

The nation’s social workers must thus remain vigilant, and work to identify signs of childhood trauma among patients, even while socially distant. For many underserved populations, social workers may be their only resource in terms of seeking help for mental illness, or to share their stories of trauma or abuse. Social workers also help families fulfill basic needs or refer abuse victims to the appropriate counseling services, where they may be able to learn ways to cope with, and ultimately heal from, traumatic events.

Key Takeaways

Even as COVID-19 continues to dominate the headlines, we as a society cannot afford to ignore the effects of childhood trauma. And since mental and physical health are undeniably connected, protecting children from abuse and neglect may just equate to a healthier planet overall. Lawmakers, social workers, and parents alike should consider how social distancing is leaving children vulnerable, and take steps to mitigate the damage on a large scale.

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Preventive Health Habits During a Pandemic

Western life has never been more toxic than it is currently, two decades into the 21st century. Everything from a growing dependence on fast food to increasingly unclean air and water to the vitriolic hate surrounding every single political interaction has left Americans in an unhealthy stupor.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out by simply being alive right now, you’re definitely not alone. Many Americans are burned out on COVID and politics, after months of social restrictions and waiting for nearly the entirety of November for Trump to give up his bid to negate the results of the presidential election. Everyone is tired, and it’s times like these when it’s worth slowing down in an attempt to restore some tranquility.

With that in mind, here are a few simple habits that are worth indulging in on a daily basis. They aren’t just helpful for restoring peace and calm in the here and now, either. If used on a regular basis, these can continue to give you a healthy and prosperous life for years and even decades to come.

Photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels

Prioritize Healthy Eating, Sleeping, and Exercise

If you want to both live a long life and feel good while you do so, it’s important that you care for your physical body by:

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes things like fruits, veggies, and lean meats and minimizes things like bad fats and added sugars.

Staying active and exercising regularly — 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity is recommended each week.

Get a good amount of sleep each and every night — roughly 7 to 9 hours per night is appropriate for an adult.

Avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive drinking.

Creating habits that naturally care for your body is the first step in living a long and healthy life. All of this is amplified by the fact that the country is going into its second winter living with COVID-19. Some researchers have found a connection between the use of melatonin and a reduced rate of positive COVID test results. Even if you are taking all the precautions against COVID, using melatonin can help you sleep. It’s a win-win.

Consider Your Spaces

Often physical space and health safety are intimately connected. Poor structures can lead to mold issues. Pests can create unsanitary living conditions. Lead paint and asbestos are commonly found in older homes.

If your home is a hotbed for unhealthy living, you’re going to want to establish good cleaning habits such as:

Creating a cleaning schedule that you can stick to.

Using healthy, environmentally-friendly cleaning products that will improve your living space without harming your body.

Planning home improvement projects and hiring professionals to slowly fix structural issues and remove things like asbestos, paint, pests, and mold from your home over time.

If you can get in the habit of maintaining a clean living space, it can ensure that your body isn’t suffering unnecessarily from its environment over the years ahead.

At the same time, if you are considering getting out of the house to go to a bar or restaurant that might be open during COVID, be careful about the choice you make. While you might think those neat, little pods on the sidewalks are going to be safer, think again. Condensation builds up inside those things, and there’s more to that condensation than accumulated air droplets.

Create Mental Health Habits

The modern world is stressful, and it can be hard to weather the barrage of concerns and criticisms lobbed around on a daily basis. If you want to take steps to preventatively preserve your mental health, establish habits like:

Creating a morning routine to help you calmly start each day with structure.

Finding anxiety and stress reduction techniques, such as deep breathing and reading muscle relaxation scripts.

Meditating and praying on a daily basis.

Keeping an eye out for cognitive distortions that can warp your thinking.

Limiting your intake of negative media such as misinformation or ensuring that the news you’re reading is ethical and thoroughly researched. Constantly watching election results contributed to stress among Americans and the results haven’t really alleviated much of it.

By guarding your mental health in the here and now, you put yourself in an ideal position to stay emotionally and mentally sharp far into the future.

Don’t Be Afraid to Get Professional Help

There are many habitual personal activities that can help with preventative care. However, another important habit is the ability to identify and be willing to get professional help when it’s needed.

Sometimes this should be done in a preventative manner, such as regularly checking your oral, respiratory, and visual health. At other times, it might involve being willing to set up a recurring schedule to visit an occupational therapist who can regularly help you independently from larger healthcare organizations. This can be necessary at all ages and for many reasons, such as struggling to recover from a previous injury or a hip replacement.

This also brings up the important topic of getting into the habit of maintaining good health insurance. Regularly check that your policy doesn’t relapse and you stay up to date regarding what is covered and what isn’t.

Look for Sustainable Activities

Finally, it’s also important to proactively look for ways to establish sustainable activities that are good for your long-term health.

Sometimes these are obvious, such as gardening for physical health or attending social events for mental health. At other times they’re more subtle, like walking or biking to work instead of driving. It can even be as minimal as staying put in lockdown but ensuring you have some greenspace to look at for your mental health.

All of this doesn’t just help create less pollution. If you live in an increasingly dangerous area to travel, such as Boston where deaths from accidents remained on the rise in spite of a coronavirus-related reduction in traffic, driving less can literally make you physically safer as well.

Turning Good Behaviors Into Preventive Habits

Life can be stressful for many different reasons. However, if you try to adopt healthy habits now, it can allow you to proactively prevent issues in the future.

Caring for your physical, mental, and emotional health through habitually healthy behaviors enables you to stay in the best condition possible without having to schedule in unique activities or take as many reactive steps to maintain your health in the future.

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