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TEEN VOICES
2022 EDITORIAL CALENDAR
Minimalism
JANUARY HEALTH & WELLNESS FEBRUARY HEART-CENTERED LIVING MARCH FOOD & NUTRITION APRIL SUSTAINABLE LIVING MAY WOMEN’S WELLNESS JUNE MEN’S HEALTH JULY THE FOOD CONNECTION AUGUST SELF-EMPOWERMENT SEPTEMBER INSPIRED LIVING OCTOBER HEALTHY PLANET NOVEMBER MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING DECEMBER UPLIFTING HUMANITY
908-405-1515 An Alternative to the Expansion Mindset
by Jared Zornitzer
Life is all about growing, developing and taking means to better oneself. In America and many other countries, this starts with education— children progress through grade school, middle school, high school and even college. With a degree, graduates search for a well-paying job which will allow them to get married and start a family. Money plays an important role in all of this because it allows one to pay their bills and purchase anything which they or their family “need” to live a happy life. Are there alternate ways of living that don’t revolve around constant self-improvement and expansion?
This question was recently raised in my sustainability course at college. We studied how an expansion mindset has dominated the industrialized world for several centuries. The notion that people ought to enhance their personal comfort, relationships, and social class through the acquisition of material wealth and goods has the unfortunate side effect of environmental degradation. For example, factory emissions are largely due to the high demand for consumer goods.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is minimalism; the idea that one can achieve the same, if not a superior level of happiness by living with what they absolutely need and cutting out unnecessary items from their life. When I glance around my bedroom I see an abundance of clothes, school supplies and technology. Minimalism preaches lessening the burden of all these items. I could reduce my wardrobe to just enough outfits to last between laundry cycles and get rid of all technology other than my phone and computer to live a minimalist lifestyle. I am trying to achieve balance between these two opposing ways of life. To have the luxury of new clothes every so often and state of the art devices to aid in my schoolwork are certainly aspects of my life that I enjoy and would find very difficult to erase. However, I am also a passionate advocate for the environment and try to be conscious about how my actions might better or will worsen our planet. If this means extending the lifetime of my clothes and devices, I am willing to do so to reduce the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing their replacements.
Additionally, certain doctrines of minimalism are appealing to me such as being content with what one has instead of seeking more. In turn, one can focus on the relationships that truly matter such as family and friends. Indeed, minimalism is a viable lifestyle to a certain extent. There is much to be learned by incorporating even hints of it into one’s life.
Jared Zornitzer is a full-time college student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY studying engineering. An advocate of balancing work and school with exercise and healthy living, he loves hiking, biking, running, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and learning in his classes.
Amazing news from around the world
Newspaper for the World Garden
In 2016, a “Green Newspaper” was published by a company in Japan that wanted readers to be able to grow herbs with it. The special edition shared environmental news and was printed with plant-based ink on 100% biodegradable paper. Seeds were embedded in the paper that would grow into butterfly and pollinator attracting flowers or edible herbs. Using the Green Newspaper as a tool, the publisher also hosted environmental educational events in schools throughout Japan. Plus, demonstrations were held on how to plant the paper along with lessons on sustainability and recycling. The initiative reached 4.6 million people and generated over $700,000 for the publisher. Its significance carries further in that it reimagines how newspapers can be transformative for both the environment and publishing. Source: OneEarth.org
Ono Yoshinaka
Solar Without Sun
In 2020, Carvey Ehren Maigue, a 27-yearold Filipino student at the Mapua University Manila, won the James Dyson Award for Global Sustainability, beating over 1,800 applicants. Drawing inspiration from the Northern Lights, Maigue imagined a method to suspend rotting fruits and vegetables mixed in a resin so that when hit by sunlight, the particles would absorb and emit light at the edges. From there, the light could be captured and converted to electricity. He calls this technology AuREUS which stands for Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration. Because AuREUS can harvest UV light regardless of weather, it opens the door for walls and windows to become new energy sources. Research is ongoing to get the right luminescent particles to allow sourcing of the dyes from fruits and vegetables to 100 percent rather than being supplemented by chemicals. Source: JamesDysonAward.org
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