Month: July 2023

Categories
Planet

How can seaweed make washing more eco-friendly?

The world of eco-friendly cleaning will never be the same, now that planet-friendly, water-soluble plastic.

Sorry, what?

You know those little tabs you put in your dishwasher or washing machine, full of goo and powder? Remember the Tide Pod thing? (admit it, I just unlocked a memory you wish hadn’t been unlocked).

Anyway – that goo and powder are contained in a thin, flexible plastic film that dissolves in water. Unfortunately, every time they’re used, they release microplastics, something that is harmful to the environment, humans, and animals.

So what’s happening now?

Notpla, an amazing brand that uses seaweed to create plastic alternatives, has teamed up with MACK, an eco-refill cleaning product company, and together they have created the first eco-friendly, plastic-free dishwasher tabs.

These tabs are better for the environment, and us, as they dissolve completely, leaving nothing behind!

To learn more about these new dishwasher tabs, you can visit the MACK website.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Climate Reframe.  Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.

Every Can Counts. This is a not-for-profit recycling programme, encouraging people to recycle more often, to protect our planet. Support them here.

Trees For Cities. They are working to plant more trees within large metropolitan areas, for the betterment of people and planet. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.

Categories
Wellbeing

Charity helps 80,000 babies with club foot

One of the most common birth defects in the world is clubfoot, an affliction that causes otherwise healthy babies to be born with a twisted foot that can even grow upside down. 

One organization, MiracleFeet, announced a big success in helping treat babies born with clubfoot. They announced a recent milestone having helped 80,000 children with clubfoot worldwide. 

“I’m extremely proud that MiracleFeet has reached 80,000 children with clubfoot care,” said Daphne Sorensen, CEO of MiracleFeet. “This number represents so much more though because when a child with clubfoot is treated, the benefits extend to the family, the community, the country, and on and on. Witnessing lives transformed every day is what keeps us going.”

Through collaborations with local healthcare providers and organizations in low and middle-income countries, MiracleFeet has established a network of clinics and trained medical staff and provided them the resources to deliver the best available treatment for clubfoot, the Ponseti method. 

The method is non-invasive and cost-effective, involving gently correcting the position of the feet with casts and maintaining the correction with foot braces worn temporarily at night.

“Witnessing lives transformed every day is what keeps us going,” Daphne said.

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Life You Can Save. They work to help end malaria around the world. Consider donating. 

TB A!ert. They are working towards a future without tuberculosis. Support them here. 

Doctors Without Borders. Medical workers supporting people through crises. Find out more. 

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Categories
Planet

‘The Hearts of Bwindi’ – a story of rangers doing incredible conservation work

Victory Visuals

It’s National Ranger Day, and lifestyle brand That Gorilla Brand is celebrating Rangers and the amazing work they do.

That’s great! But, why?

That Gorilla Brand is a lifestyle conservation brand, meaning they use the power of fashion and branding to make a difference in the world – something you know we love! The company donates a portion of its profits to The Gorilla Organization and is the largest single donor after the EU. 

Today, in recognition of National Ranger Day, That Gorilla Brand is releasing an incredible new documentary. The Hearts of Bwindi is a documentary about the Ugandan UNESCO World Heritage site, The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

 “At our core, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire positive change. As part of our mission to save the endangered mountain gorilla, on World Ranger Day, we are proud to have produced the documentary short, Hearts of Bwindi,” explains Leo Gripari, CEO, That Gorilla Brand.

“It celebrates the biodiversity in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the eye-opening dedication of the unsung heroes who fight to protect it and the communities that rely on its survival. These brave men and women dedicate their lives to protecting one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems, and the magnificent gorillas that live within it, and their stories deserve to be shared with the world.” 

Tell me more!

The film follows the Rangers of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – those brave people who enter the forest every day to protect wildlife, risking much in the process. The work they do is dangerous, exhausting, and awe-inspiring – and The Hearts of Bwindi demonstrates that.

“Witnessing the extraordinary efforts of wildlife rangers in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in their feat to save the endangered species has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. The dedication and passion they bring to their mission is palpable, and it’s evident that they are the unsung heroes of conservation,” says Charli Doherty, Director, The Hearts of Bwindi.

You can watch the film as it premiers here, on the That Gorilla Brand YouTube page.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Four Paws UK. This charity is an animal welfare organisation, working globally to help animals in need. Learn more here.

Born Free. This is a wildlife conservation charity that’s passionate about wild animal welfare and Compassionate Conservation. Find out more here.

The Orangutan Project. This is a project run by two non-profits with one mission: to ensure the survival of all orangutan species in their natural habitat and promote the welfare of all orangutans. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

Categories
Equality

Indigenous people’s radio legalised in Guatemala in campaign win

Guatemala has taken measures to improve the rights of its indigenous population. This came as a result of campaigning from groups including Cultural Survival.

During a human rights review, the country received several recommendations on the improvement of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. One of the biggest recommendations as in the implementation of radio for indigenous people, which up this point was illegal. 

It also included changes such as bilingual and intercultural education, prevention from forced evictions from their territories, and implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent mechanisms.

In a positive step for human rights, Guatemala accepted all recommendations. 

During the process, Colombia urged the State of Guatemala to “consider the implementation and application of the Inter-American Court ruling ordering Guatemala to recognize Indigenous community radio stations as distinguished media and to adopt the necessary measures to establish a simple and free procedure for obtaining licenses, as well as reserving part of the radio spectrum for Indigenous community radio and ceasing the criminalization of Indigenous radio operators.” 

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Cultural Survival. An international organization working in collaboration with indigenous people to improve their rights. Find out more here.

Forest Peoples Programme. A human rights advocacy organization partnering with a network of indigenous people’s groups aroudn the world. Discover their work.

FSC Indigenous Foundation. This global organization was set up by and for indigenous people to pursue longterm solutions. Read more.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Partners of the Goals.

Categories
Wellbeing

The US platform for affordable mental health support

Everyone struggles with their mental health at one point or another. Not every case is severe, but everyone can relate to feeling a little sad or downtrodden at some point in their life. The problem is that mental health care, especially for younger people, can be incredibly difficult to find. 

Studies show that a lack of access to mental healthcare is the root cause of the mental health crisis in the US. 

“My experience establishing mental health clinics across the country, coupled with this study, shows that more needs to be done to give Americans much needed access to mental health services,” said Cohen Veterans Network President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anthony Hassan. “If we want to save lives, save families and save futures we must reimagine our behavioral health system and take concrete steps to improving consumers’ ability to find the care they need, when they need it, and on their terms.”

Some of the hardest hit people are students, who are generally younger, less well off and living through a formative and busy point in their life. When you face all these challenges it’s difficult to find mental healthcare – let alone afford it – and that’s something that Maggie Rose Macar, CEO of Zant, wanted to change. 

Zant, short for ‘cognizant’, is a mental health awareness platform that offers 25 different types of mental health aid at a reduced cost while making it even more affordable for students.

It all started when Maggie lost a friend to suicide at 19. She actively searched for support options but hit multiple roadblocks such as prices, availability and specialization of services. 

After searching and contacting over 50 providers, someone finally saw her for a one-off free consultation. But after that he charged $150/session. After much searching, she eventually found a provider that would see her for $10/session which inspired the journey she is on today with Zant. 

Many years ago, she launched Zant as a non-profit – then a beta version of its current iteration. Later, during the Covid pandemic, she recognized anew where Zant could meet a growing need. 

“We were working so hard to try to create awareness for mental health support, but during Covid I realized, ‘Wow, there are so many people who actually just need these opportunities for free and they just can’t get it and the care,’” Maggie tells Smiley News. 

The current service has been around since about September 2022. It has had over 3000 downloads and is supports almost 700 active users – all from organic growth and word of mouth. 

“This year we haven’t focused a lot on putting money towards marketing,” Maggie says. “We’ve been putting our funds towards tech innovation and being able to focus on listening to our users, listening to our providers, focusing on our business model, and really crafting that business model, and we hope that next year is going to be a year of a lot of marketing growth.”

Looking toward the future, they are expecting to launch an exciting partnership that Maggie says is currently hush-hush. In the longterm, she wants to reach more people with the goal of providing low-cost mental health care to those that need it most while normalizing mental health care.

“Our biggest goal is really to redefine the way that young people see mental health support,” she says. “We want it to be a part of their weekly routine, something as normalized as self-care is becoming, and mental health is a part of self-care.”

“I really believe that in order for somebody to live their lives to the fullest and be genuinely happy in their lives, they need to take time for their mental health.”

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

American Civil Liberties Union. This is one of the largest civil liberty defense organizations in the US. Find out more and support them here. 

The Trevor Project. They focus on suicide prevention and mental health support for queer youth. Support them here.

Human Rights Campaign. This is one of the largest equality-focused organizations in the US. Find out more. 

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Categories
Wellbeing

Positive outlook helps this charity pair’s friendship bloom

Margaret and Joe, a Marie Curie beneficiary and helper.
Margaret and Joe, a Marie Curie beneficiary and helper.

Margaret Wyatt, 91, and Joe Xerri, 71, might never have met were it not for the charity, Marie Curie. Fortunately they were introduced and the most incredible friendship blossomed as a result.

That’s brilliant! How did they become such good friends?

After being diagnosed with bone cancer last year, Margaret – an upbeat character with a joie de vivre – was introduced to Marie Curie volunteer Joe. Despite him being 20 years her junior, the pair became the best of friends.

“It’s amazing because we’re like two mates. We agree on everything, it’s weird how we click. It’s a blessing I suppose,” said Joe, who was nominated for a Coronation Champion Award by the charity.

Marie Curie introduced them as part of their Helper Service in which volunteers support the charity’s beneficiaries. They allow carers to take a break and help in many different ways – from making a cup of tea to taking their charity partner to appointments.

What makes their friendship so special?

The Helper Service is aimed more at offering practical support and Margaret has many other good friends. The pair see it simply as a boon that their friendship formed and has gone from strength to strength.

Joe and Margaret particularly enjoy going on excursions together. They’ve visited many beauty spots around Wales, enjoying the wildlife and lakes of Comeston and the seaside resort and historic sites of Barry Island.

“I so look forward to it, because what’s the alternative, just sitting in the house?” said Margaret.

What also helps their friendship flourish is their openness and shared love for chatting to whoever they meet.

“We’ve met so many people,” said Margaret. “It doesn’t matter where we go, we always end up talking to people don’t we? Because Joe does like talking to people.”

“You’ve got to live your life, make the most of it, laugh about it,” Joe added. 

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Marie Curie. They provide specialist support for people diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Learn more here.

Cancer Research UK. This charity provides information for anyone affected by any kind of cancer. Support them here.

Maggie’s. Offers free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and the people important to them. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Categories
Wellbeing

Fighting cancer with a LEGO-like treatment

A new type of cancer treatment, dubbed ‘click chemistry’ is having great success.

Amazing! Tell me more.

This new weapon against cancer was previously only possible through protein engineering, which is an incredibly complicated process. 

Alternatively, ‘click chemistry’ – called that because the molecules click together like LEGO bricks – is a much simpler approach and will help target cancer much quicker.

What else should I know?

The research was a collaboration between University College London and Stanford University, and bodes well for treating cancer in the future.

Dr Peter Szijj from UCL Chemistry said: “Click chemistry is a quicker and more adaptable way to build these multifunctional anti-cancer agents than protein engineering. It’s relatively easy to attach click ‘handles’ to proteins so you can try lots of combinations quickly to test what might work best. Using protein engineering, you need a separate mechanism for each component.”

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Macmillan Cancer Support. They provide specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. Learn more here.

Cancer Research UK. This charity provides information for anyone affected by any kind of cancer. Support them here.

Maggie’s. Offers free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and the people important to them. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Categories
Wellbeing

Fancy-dress makes a comeback for grown ups

English Heritage now have adult fancy dress for parents and guardians to join in with children - contact English Heritage PREss Office for full press release. Picture by Jim Holden

English Heritage is encouraging grown-ups to dress up.

Fun! But why?

It’s all about the power of imagination! Research has shown that our imagination actually grows richer as we get older.

Let’s be honest, getting dressed up is fun – especially when you’re visiting a castle or historical building and getting to relive that princesses and pirates vibe of your childhood. 

That’s why English Heritage are so keen to get adults dressing up, as they think it will help them get even more out of their visit – and of course, bring a few smiles to their faces!

Would you dress up? Let us know on Twitter!

Image credit: English Heritage.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

English Heritage. This charity cares for over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places – from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles. Learn more here.

National Trust. This is Europe’s biggest conservation charity, looking after nature, beauty and history for everyone to enjoy. Find out more.

Historic Houses. This charity helps to support and protect historic houses in the United Kingdom, working to keep Britain’s heritage alive for future generations. Support them.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Partnerships for the Goals.

Categories
Equality

Little Mix singer wins honorary doctorate for racial equality work

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Little Mix singer.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Little Mix singer.

Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock has been awarded an honorary doctorate of the arts from Buckinghamshire New University, in recognition of her work tackling racism.

Cool! What has she done?

Leigh-Anne rose to fame after winning X Factor with Little Mix in 2011. But she’s also exploited her celebrity status to promote racial equality through a charity she co-founded, The Black Fund. 

The fund provides racial equality charities with grants of up to £5,000 and supports young people with their careers. They also lead on campaigns and partnerships to build momentum for the racial equality movement.

Leigh-Anne established the charity alongside her sister and personal manager Sairah Pinnock, footballer Andre Gray, and her mentor Jay Blades MBE.

The singer has spoken out about her own experiences of racism growing up and as a celebrity. She felt “invisible” as a young Black woman due to the way she was treated compared to her bandmates.

Her work was also recognised when she won the Equality Award at the 2020 Ethnicity Awards.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Windrush Foundation. This is a registered charity that designs and delivers heritage projects, programmes and initiatives which highlight African and Caribbean peoples’ contributions to the UK. Learn more here.

Race Equality Foundation. A national charity tackling racial equality in public services. Find out more here.

SARI. Stand Against Racism and Inequality is a charity that provides free and confidential support for anyone who is a victim of hate crime across Avon and Somerset. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Reduced Inequalities.

Categories
Planet

An innovative idea to generate clean energy while conserving water

The challenge of optimizing urban space has become more urgent in times of climate crisis. But researchers may have found an innovative solution involving city waterways.

Studies in India show that installing solar panels over waterways could boost clean energy and conserve water. The first U.S. pilot project is getting underway in California.

The research shows that suspending solar arrays over canals can generate electricity in land-constrained areas but also might reduce water evaporation in drought-prone regions.

More than 125 climate advocacy groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior calling on the agency to deploy solar over its 8,000 miles of canals and aqueducts. 

“Focusing the deployment of solar energy on water-conveyance canals — an already built environment — and already within the Bureau of Reclamation’s control, could allow the department to meet the requirements of the Energy Act of 2020 mandate to deploy 25 gigawatts of onshore renewable energy on public lands without destroying a single additional acre of habitat,” the letter said.

As the climate crisis worsens, this may serve as one option for producing clean energy while conserving water. 

“We’re trying to elevate this as a good solution that you should be doing,” Brett Hartl, the government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said. ​“You don’t have to pave over thousands of acres of land…at the expense of lost habitat.”

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Climate Group. An international organization aimed at driving climate action as quickly as possible. Find out more and support them here.

Climate Action Network.  Climate Action Network brings together nearly 2,000 civic organizations to tackle the climate crisis around the world. Find out more.

Climate Alliance. Thousands of organizations make up this European, urban climate action network. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Clean Energy.