The Environmental Costs of War, Analog Hobbies and Volunteer Opportunities: What I'm Reading This Week

I’m still recovering from a really difficult start to the month. I’m prioritizing rest, nourishing food, reading physical books and moving at an intentionally slower pace.

It’s so easy to feel like we must constantly be performing to the best of our abilities. But as Olympic athletes have shown, sometimes stopping to recover is even more important than pushing through.

Speaking of, I was dismayed to discover that I couldn’t watch the Paralympic Winter Games because they were only available on cable or through Peacock, neither of which I have anymore. Paralympians show us, through their very being, what it means to persevere and defy the odds. I believe everyone can learn from these incredible athletes, who are just as deserving of the world’s spotlight.

I learned about (and immediately put myself on the wait list for) the memoir of one of the most accomplished U.S. Paralympians, Oksana Masters. She has won an incredible 24 medals (13 gold, seven silver and four bronze). Masters is a multi-sport athlete who has competed in eight Paralympics—both winter and summer games. If anyone can teach me about resilience, it’s Masters, who was born with several radiation-induced birth defects three years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you’re able to find quiet moments to catch your breath and appreciate your abundance no matter what else you may be facing.

Until next time, stay safe, be well and be kind!

The Environmental Costs of War

The pictures from Iran are devastating; war always is. The recent airstrikes on the oil storage depots near Tehran caught my attention. I don’t recall ever seeing anything like it before, either during peace or times of conflict.

One resident told The New York Times that the fire and smoke made the morning sky look like nighttime. Reporters describe black rain falling from the sky as airborne oil droplets mixed with precipitation. Iranians quickly started feeling sick, with some saying their eyes burned while others reported migraines, dizziness and coughing.

The long-term environmental impacts of this war are not yet known, though the release of hazardous materials and toxic substances (e.g., benzene, formaldehyde and other carcinogens) into the atmosphere is never a good thing.

And, of course, the environmental damage is not limited to Tehran, a city more populous than New York City. Plumes of smoke from the fires traveled to Afghanistan, China and Russia, according to the nonprofit Conflict and Environment Observatory.

Since then, other area oil and natural gas facilities have been targeted. So too have port infrastructure and oil/chemical tankers along the Strait of Hormuz, threatening marine biodiversity. There are also attacks on desalination plants also pose threats to marine life and the roughly 100 million people living in the Persian Gulf who rely on those desalination plants to provide safe drinking water.

Read more about the environmental concerns of the war in Iran here.

Analog Hobbies

Many treasured objects in my parents’ house were made by my mom, grandmas, great aunts and friends of the family: painted ceramic holiday decorations, crocheted blankets and cross stitched wall art, among others. Whether true hobbies or handmade out of necessity, these crafts are making a comeback, especially among millennials and Gen Z.

I am here for it.

In an age where practically everything can be mass produced, bought online and delivered to your doorstep in under 48 hours, something made imperfectly, slowly over time and with love is priceless. The fact that these arts and crafts take us away from our screens and can be made in communion with one another makes them an appealing antidote to today’s modern and lonely world.

Kaitlyn Huamani, writing for The Associated Press, speaks with some young crafters who are enjoying what are being dubbed as analog, vintage or grandma hobbies. Psychology professor Jaime Kurtz told Huamani that hobbies play an important role in our day-to-day lives.

“A lot of us have lost them, or we just don’t prioritize them enough, or we think we’re too busy,” Kurtz said, adding that these activities can help reduce anxiety and stress while also provide a sense of accomplishment. “But just finding little bits of time to carve out to do these kinds of things is a really wise use of time.”

What I find especially encouraging is that many of these young people don’t see their hobbies or activities as a fad or trend but more of an intentional lifestyle choice, one that embraces traditions, skills, hard work, attention to detail and time away from technology. I think that’s important because while our interests, availabilities, free time, storage space, budgets and other constraints can change—hobbies remain an avenue for us to express ourselves and be creative.

Read the full, joyful article here.

Volunteer Opportunities

Growing up, my church, primary school and university highly encouraged—and sometimes required—me to volunteer my time. Those hundreds of hours of volunteering came at a critical time in my own personal development. Volunteering helped me gain appreciation for my own blessings, provided perspective and taught me how to empathize with others.

I was so heartened to read James Pollard’s story for The Associated Press that explored how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are contributing to their communities. A recent survey by The Allstate Foundation and Gallup found that about 80% of 12- to 25-year-olds have engaged in some form of community service or volunteering, and a majority of respondents said they volunteered because of a motivation to help others or make a difference. 

For many, volunteering is done through an organization, but it can also mean supporting a classmate or neighbor in need, such as helping with homework, weeding a neighbor's flower beds or offering mutual aid. This coincides with a larger reconsideration of what it means to volunteer—and how organizations must adapt to meet willing helpers where they’re at. That sometimes can mean a regular ongoing commitment; other times, it means volunteering for a day in-person, spending an afternoon clearing old clothes from your closet or raising awareness online.

One form of volunteering isn’t better or worse than another, but the organizations seeking donations of time, talent and treasure need to be more flexible in a way they haven’t been asked to be before.

As I have mentioned, I’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch. When I received a notification from my alma mater about a spring volunteer week, I signed up for a shift with an organization whose cause resonated, filled out my PTO request and felt an immediate boost in my mood. Giving is so good for the soul.

Read the full uplifting story here.