Community participation is key to living a healthy and holistic public life. Activities can be both formal and informal, such as volunteering, community gardening, voting in the polls, or participating in interest groups. What’s common among these community activities is that they are all done to benefit society and its group members. To build a [...]
Animal lovers will have various reasons why they love caring for animals. Whether it’s a pet at home or creatures they encounter on the job, humans learn more about animals by spending time with them. Studies have shown that human-animal interaction can decrease stress-related hormones and help lower blood pressure. According to the National Institutes [...]
Gardens serve as our introduction to the world of caring for the environment. Community gardens have the same purpose, except they are community-managed spaces different from a public park where somebody else maintains it. For community gardens, it is the responsibility of the residents to design, build and sustain the space for the use of [...]
Children get exposed to multisensory experiences, which should be encouraged for development. In the same way that one can develop a love for animals, there will also be people who will generate a fear of animals due to specific reasons. Zoophobia, or the fear of animals, can be developed for any type of animal. However, [...]
Learning through experience begins at a young age, especially before children perceive language. Kids need to be actively involved, whether seeing others in action, listening to natural sounds in their surroundings, or touching curious things they are starting to notice. When kids play a sport, they are using their bodies and minds together and begin [...]
During the summer, routines will change with children at home, especially if one or both parents are working from home. Parents must accommodate the children in their workday plans unless other family members or babysitters can look after them. Luckily, there are ways to work smarter and balance family life during the summer when children [...]
School’s out, and children are looking forward to their summer vacations. Depending on how eager they are, summertime can be fruitful or fleeting. For some kids, summer may be the only time they can pick up a new hobby, spend time traveling, or catch up on the latest video games. Because of social media, it’s [...]
Outbreaks can occur through the passing of diseases between animals and humans. According to a biologist, pandemics almost always begin with a zoonotic disease that involves the transmission of an animal microbe to a human. What does this mean for our relationship with animals? As humans encroach into wildlife territory through exploration, illegal trade, or [...]
Cities worldwide have pledged to plant more trees to “greenify” the city. There are campaigns led by public councils and private organizations that aim to promote tree canopies to mitigate the effects of climate change. However, many of these trees don’t survive or thrive in the city, making tree-planting a complicated endeavor, especially in urban [...]
As soon as a child can run, kick a ball or play games with other children, sports become an excellent way to help their growth and development. Scientific studies suggest the benefits of sports beyond physical activity. Still, parents who don’t have enough knowledge or experience in athletic events may be hard-pressed to prioritize it. [...]