SOLON, Ohio -- As a trauma survivor who has battled self-esteem issues much of her life, Deborah Hallal Bradt has found that writing poetry has helped with her emotional health.

Now Bradt, of Solon, is sharing poems she has written over the past 40 years in an effort to help others who have struggled as she once did to know that they are not alone.

Her first book, Lay Me Down Among the Words: A Poetry Collection by a Trauma Survivor Whose Inner Voice Saved Her Life, was published in July.

The inner voice inside me kept saying, You can do this, Bradt said.

In my head there were two voices -- one telling me I was worthless and was never going to amount to anything, and the other voice was my connection to God and family and saying, Youre needed on this planet.

Because of the poems, I was able to take that positive voice and channel it into these words. When I would read these poems, I would feel my depression start to lift, because these poems are so close to my heart. Its about the authenticity.

Bradt said her poems are all about being real and authentic and loving yourself, even if you feel no one else does.

My poems are a way of processing my grief over things that have happened in my life, she said. I could read the poem and somehow feel a little more resilient, that I was loved and worthy and going to make it through.

Many of the poems were written in difficult moments. I felt that if I could share them, maybe I could inspire people to save their lives.

Bradt said the fact that the suicide rate is increasing -- and her belief that everybody deserves to have an amazing life -- also motivated her to publish the book.

If this book gives even one person a little bit of hope to love themselves in a new way, then it will have been worth it, she said.

The 97-page book also includes a few essays and some of her artwork, but its 85 percent poetry, Bradt said.

It was published by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House. Based in Bloomington, Ind., Balboa Press is a self-publishing company that specializes in self-help books with a positive message, according to its website.

The cover was designed by Andrew Sykaluk, a local graphic designer.

I worked on these poems a very long time, Bradt said. Im 48, and I have written poems (almost) every year of my life.

Because Im a writer and never published before, theyre from the last 40 years of my life, but most are from 1995 to the present.

Noting that her poems share a theme of resilience and unity and send out a message of hope, Bradt said it was important to her to have the book published in 2020.

I was hoping some readers would find it comforting in the midst of a pandemic, she said.

Nobody deserves to be bullied

A Cleveland native, Bradt grew up in Central Florida. Her parents divorced when she was 3. She is a rape survivor who has struggled with prejudice, bullying, depression, anorexia and chronic pain through much of her life.

Im Lebanese, and I was bullied very much and teased a lot when I was younger, she said. Nobody deserves to be bullied.

Bradt admitted that she was close to suicide a couple times.

In college, I had a terrible bout of anorexia and was very close to suicide; that was very difficult to get through, she said. I dont think I would have gotten through it if not for my faith and my writing.

They actually go together, and the writing seems to bring me closer to my source.

Bradt earned a bachelors degree in communications from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Her minor was writing, with a concentration in poetry.

In addition to writing poetry, Solon resident Deborah Hallal Bradt says painting helps her to process her emotions. One of her paintings is seen here in the background. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Hallal Bradt)

She said the title of her book was inspired by her final project in college, Lay Me Down Among the Words.

It was always my dream to make it into a book, she said. The first section of the book is almost entirely from that final project in college.

Every poem in the book is dedicated to someone or a group, Bradt said, including her son, Henry, 13. She said family is very important to her.

Bradt and her husband, Bill, an architect, moved to Solon from Cleveland Heights 7 years ago primarily so that Henry could attend Solon City Schools, she said. He is an eighth-grader at Solon Middle School.

Being a mother is the best job I have ever had, and I thank God every day for my precious son, Henry, she said. He is the most important person to me and closest to my heart.

Bradt, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about five years ago, said she has a special interest in those affected by chronic health conditions. But she added that her book was designed to reach a wide array of readers.

I tried my best to make (the book) a variety of poems that could touch peoples hearts and lives and spirits, she said. Families could read it together.

When you read something that touches your soul, it can change your life. I tried to put in there poems that could help shift peoples perceptions of themselves and see their world in a new way, because thats what the writing does for me.

One poem in the book, titled Can We Rise Up?, is dedicated to George Floyd, the Black man who was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. The incident triggered a series of protests against police brutality across the country.

Its the last poem in the book and probably one of the most important poems Ive ever written, said Bradt, a social activist. When I wrote it, I literally had tears running down my face.

Its about how we need to rise above all that gets in the way of loving each other and find a way back to connecting. Theres just no reason to have violence, hatred or racism.

Bradt, who said she has a passion for teaching and the healing arts, is a registered yoga teacher who specializes in therapeutic yoga. She taught yoga for about 18 years and hopes to resume doing that in 2021.

A member of Church of the Resurrection, a Catholic church in Solon, Bradt is already focused on her next book, a memoir and self-help book that will feature poetry, as well. She expects that book to be published in early 2021.

While Bradts first book was dedicated to her father, David W. Hallal, who died in 2004, she wants to dedicate the second book to her stepfather, Martin Michael Gaydan, who died in July.

Lay Me Down Among the Words is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Balboa Press. It retails for $11.99 for the soft-cover edition, $28.95 for the hardcover book and $3.99 for the e-book.

Bradt said some proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, the Happy Buddha Precious Temple and Tian Ran Temple in Cleveland.

For more information about Bradt, visit her website, flyfreehealing.com.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.

Follow this link:
Solon author hopes poetry book will inspire others to love themselves - cleveland.com

AVIJIT PATHAK

Sociologist

Is there nothing left in our politics except the recurrence of cinematic performances? In fact, the drama has already begun as the dominant political parties are thinking of their strategies to win the elections in West Bengal in 2021. To begin with, think of Amit Shah supposedly a master strategist who understands the psychology as well as the mathematics of the electoral politics. Possibly, in this media-saturated world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the real from the hyper real. Hence, because of the endless procession of media simulations depicting and disseminating his symbolic gestures as he visits Bengal, we are led to believe that Amit Shah is a great admirer of Rabindranath Tagore; nothing fascinates him more than the company of a baul mystic; and he cant imagine his existence without the ideals Swami Vivekananda preached. Or, for that matter, these days, Narendra Modi seems to be quite fond of quoting Sri Aurobindo, and he is eager to restore the lost glory of Bengal by invoking Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses heroism. In other words, the message is conveyed: none can say that the BJP is an alien organisation, and doesnt understand what Bengal loves: be it Rabindra Sangeet or Ramakrishna Paramahamsas Dakshineswar Kali temple. From hyper-masculine militant nationalists to tender/spiritually sensitive souls with Tagore and Vivekananda as intimate companions: this theatrical act of role playing, it seems, is seen to be a way of charming the Bengali audience. Yes, be prepared for the elections; the stage is ready!

The saffron outfit knows it has to shed its north Indian look and show intimacy with Bengali icons and symbols.

Why is it so? In order to find a meaningful answer to this question, it is important to see the dominant Bengali bhadralok (predominantly, forward caste Hindu) consciousness. Possibly, it would not be entirely wrong to say that this consciousness has not yet been able to free itself from the lost glory of the nineteenth and early twentieth century when Bengal through its renaissance figures from Raja Rammohun Roy to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, or from Bankim Chandra Chatterjee to Jagadish Chandra Bose witnessed remarkable innovations in the realm of culture, religion and politics. Even though in recent times particularly after the trauma of partition, the influx of the refugees, and the simultaneous economic problem and socio-cultural turmoil Bengal has decayed in almost every sphere, be it education or socio-economic development, the nostalgia remains. And this fixation or, the refusal to come to terms with the new reality in post-Independent India has three consequences.

First, we see some sort of regression: a tendency to stick to the mythical cultural pride with its exclusionary character. Hence, any keen observer of the bhadralok psyche would say that it is not uncommon to see the process of othering non-Bengalis with some sort of negative stereotypes say, the notion that the Marwaris or the Biharis are not the ones who can understand the films of Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen; or for that matter, the Gujaratis, it would be argued, know only business; and hence, they cant understand what it meant to be a Rabindranath Tagore or an Amartya Sen. Second, with the passage of time, the engagement with all these Bengali icons, it appears, has been degenerated into mere ritualism: just a process of reaffirmation of the Bengali bhadralok identity. No wonder, Rabindranath Tagore has been reduced into a ritualistic mantra of singing a couple of songs (otherwise, how does one explain the systematic decay of Santiniketan, and spirituality means nothing more than a weekly visit to the Ramakrishna Mission, and listening to the Bengali-speaking monks. And third, the political class has always appropriated and cleverly played with these iconic symbols. For instance, an average Bengali would feel immensely happy if it is said that Netaji was the real hero, and the likes of Gandhi and Nehru betrayed him. Likewise, even the leftists quote selectively from Tagore, and tend to give the impression that the poet was some sort of a Marxist. In fact, be it the centrists, rightists or leftists, there is hardly any political group that will not seek to establish its claim over Tagore, Vivekananda, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Subhas Chandra Bose.

With its triumphant agenda, the BJP too is not lagging behind. It knows that it has to overcome its north Indian look, show its intimacy with all these Bengali icons and symbols, and play the same game of appropriation. Hence, as it is thought, Vivekananda and Tagore ought to be recalled time and again to deprive Mamata Banerjee or, for that matter, bhadralok Marxists of their monopoly over the much-hyped Bengali culture. As this ugly politics of appropriation with its dramaturgical performance becomes the new normal, a severe damage is caused to our ethical and political sensibilities. Imagine Swami Vivekanandas celebrated speech at the Chicago Religious Congress the monks celebration of the Upanishadic message of oneness amid the plurality of paths and traditions; or his urge to transform practical Vedanta into some sort of radical religiosity to create a humane/egalitarian society. Does the BJP understand that the radical monk cannot be fitted into the discourse of militant Hindutva? Or think of Tagore his critique of narcissistic nationalism and the associated psychology of violence, and his poetic universalism as our true religiosity. Will Shah or Modi really contemplate, read the poets Geetanjali or the classic novel Gora, look at themselves, and rethink their politics? Or is it that it is just yet another act of role-playing?

However, the ultimate question is whether you and I can renew our critical faculty, and convey a message to these smart performers that we are not going to be hypnotised by this theatre of the absurd.

Continue reading here:
Theatre of the absurd - The Tribune India

Written by Prabhakar Singh

The year 2020 was historic for being the centenary of the adoption of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice (the PCIJ) in the Hague. The PCIJ complemented the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) that was established in the Hague in 1899. The PCA was established to facilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states after the made-in-India expanding Dumdum bullets made the 19th-century European wars untenable. That India has walked hand in hand with the two Hague courts for a century bears reminding.

The Savarkar legend of crossing the sea to escape the British rule was born at the Hague. In 1910, V D Savarkar, a British-Indian subject, escaped British capture to be later detained aboard a British commercial vessel harboured at Marseille, France en route to India. Savarkar was to be tried for abetment of murder. Savarkar swam ashore but was arrested by a brigadier of the French maritime and turned over to the British. The French government, however, disapproved of the manner in which Savarkar was returned to British custody. Paris demanded Savarkars restitution to France on the ground of Savarkars defective extradition. The two governments agreed to submit their dispute to a PCA tribunal. The tribunal concluded that the defective extradition did not result in any obligation on the British government to restore Savarkar to the French. In the same year, Sri Aurobindo, successfully left British India for Pondicherry from Chandernagore, a French enclave in Eastern India. Between two European empires, the PCA made international law an object of imperial convenience.

After World War II, the PCIJ at the Hague became the International Court of Justice (the ICJ). The ICJs role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges, elected for terms of office of nine years by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. The ICJ as a whole must represent the main forms of civilization and the principal legal systems of the world.

Article 51 of the Constitution of India promotes faith in international law and dispute resolution by arbitration. Sir Benegal Rau, advisor to Indias Constituent Assembly, was appointed as judge to the ICJ in 1952. In 1973, Nagendra Singh became the second ICJ judge from India. President judge Singh presided over the ICJs perhaps the most important case, the Nicaragua case, where the Court ruled against the United States. While the Nicaragua case became the toast of textbooks, the role of the African and Asian judges in creating the precedents that spoke law to power in the middle of the Cold War remains, like things Third World, less acknowledged.

India has strongly believed in the Hague courts for the resolution of disputes despite, as jurist Antony Anghie says, international law and its courts having been complicit in the project of colonisation. In 1958, Portugal sued India at the ICJ for not allowing Lisbon to cross Indian territory with arms to quell nationalist movements in Daman and Diu. The ICJ ruled that Portugal had only a right of civil, not military, passage subject to Indias consent. Taiwanese Judge Wellington Koo had supported the right the passage of Portuguese armed forces, armed police and arms and ammunition. That very year, Cambodia took Thailand to the ICJ to decide the ownership of the Preah Vihear Temple. The ICJ in June 1962 ruled in favour of Cambodia. K Krishna Rao, Indias legal advisor, immediately suggested going to the ICJ for the resolution of the India-China border dispute with the Preah Vihear precedent in mind. Within months, China retaliated on the Himalayas lest India legalises the dispute at the Hague. Most recently, India took the Kulbhushan Jadhav case to the ICJ. Needless to say, India has been a supporter of peaceful international dispute resolution at the Hague.

In November 2020, speaking at the third PCA-India Conference, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla highlighted how upholding of international law is key to Indias diplomacy. India sees both the courts in the Hague helping to promote international law and lawfare. Shringla said India supports the PCA and its mandate to resolve international disputes. The upholding of international law is central to our diplomacy and in fact our world view.

That cannot be said of China, however. Beijing is working overtime to develop a modern tributary system, a Chinese brand of imperialism, with the belt and road initiative to which India is not a party. Shringlas comments become important after Beijing has stood out in disregarding international law including rejecting a PCA award; the South China Sea award given under the UN Law of the Sea. Yet Chinese judges, as part of the ICJ and other international courts, continue to adjudge cases involving other countries.

The end of 2020 marks India investing, between the Savarkar and the Jadhav cases, a century of faith in international law and international dispute resolution.

The writer is Associate Professor & Executive Director, Centre for International Legal Studies, Jindal Global Law School

See the original post here:
India at the Hague, from Savarkar to Jadhav - The Indian Express

The mean travel speed on some Delhi stretches dipped from 46 kmph during the lockdown period to 29 kmph after it as the reopening of the economy led to a rebound in congestion, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said in a report on Monday.

The report is significant as the level of congestion on roads has a strong bearing on vehicular pollution.

"The rebound of congestion post-lockdown indicates Delhi is not prepared for transformational changes to cut down the volume of traffic," the CSE said.

It tracked this change with the help of data from the Google Mobility Report on different categories of visits classified as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

It also analysed traffic speed data from Google as a proxy to understand the level of congestion that has a strong bearing on vehicular pollution, which is significant in Delhi.

The selected 12 major roads included the MG Road, NH44, Sardar Patel Marg, Outer Ring Road, Dr KB Hegdewar Marg, Sri Aurobindo Marg, NH 9, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, GT Karnal Rd, Lal Bahadur Sha, Dwarka Marg and Najafgarh Marg.

The CSEs travel speed data analysis shows that the mean travel speed on the selected stretches increased from 24 kmph pre-lockdown to 46 kmph during lockdown a 90% increase when fewer vehicles came on the roads as only essential travels were allowed.

But the mean speed reduced again to 29 kmph post-lockdown, it shows.

During peak hours, the travel speed on the selected stretches increased from 23 kmph pre-lockdown to 44 kmph during lockdown. But this again reduced to 27 km per hour post-lockdown, it says.

The CSE said the rebound of congestion is happening when the public transport ridership in Delhi is still low due to the fear of contracting the virus and the scale of public transport options is still very inadequate to meet the demand.

"Public transport is expected to be further constrained by the social distancing norms. This is already encouraging people to shift to private modes of transport," it said.

"Delhi cannot meet its clean air targets if overall traffic and vehicle numbers are not controlled. Delhi Master Plan 2020-21 had set a target of 80% public transport ridership by 2020 that has been missed," the report reads.

The CSE said an eighty-seven percent drop was recorded in visits to transit stations for different purposes during hard lockdown as compared to the baseline levels or the pre-lockdown phase.

"Trips to grocery stores and pharmacies were reduced by more than 70%, but were still higher than all the other visits, as people were trying to restock and prepare for the lockdown.

"Workplace trips reduced by as much as 65% during the weekdays as work from home was widely practiced The change in traffic pattern has also shown up in the air quality data. In fact, the hourly change in nitrogen oxide levels that are more strongly correlated with the traffic nearly flattened during this period," the CSE said.

"Post-lockdown, the travel pattern was close to normal but did not fully regain the pre-lockdown level. Grocery trips and workplace trips recovered maximum by the end of November and were now only about 15% lower than the pre-lockdown phase," it said.

You have reached your limit for free articles this month.

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

Support Quality Journalism.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.

Follow this link:
Average speed on Delhi roads dropped after rollback of lockdown - The Hindu

To see what self-made entrpreneurs are really made of, all you have to do is take away their money.

On season two of the Discoveryreality show Undercover Billionaire, real estate investorand motivational speaker Grant Cardone bet$1 million that he could build a million-dollar company in 90 days, with only $100and a pickup truck. If that sounds nutty, it's worth noting that Cardone isn't the first entrepreneur to take such a gamble, as California businessman Glenn Stearns, who founded the private mortgage lender, Stearns Holdings,made the exact same bet on season one of the show, which chronicled thelaunch of Stearns's Pennsylvania restaurant, Underdog BBQ.

For season two, which premieres January 6 at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery, Cardone was dropped into a cityhe'd never so much as visited--Pueblo, Colorado--and challenged to starta newbusiness without the use of his name,business connections or financial resources. Before his deployment, Cardonedidn'teven knowwhere in the U.S. he'd be spending the next threemonths. "I had no way to plan," Cardone says. "Different cities offer different opportunities." Of course, the onset of the pandemic added an extra and unforeseeable challenge.

Now, on the other side of this immersive experiment,Cardone took a moment with Inc. to share whathe learned about starting over as an entrepreneur. Here is an edited version of our conversation.

The American Dream is very hard--way harder than I've been writing about in books and talking about from seminar stages. This was the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life. It was no food, no water and no shelter--just $100 and an old truck. I learned that there's so much to be grateful for that we take for granted every day, like bad employees. When you're out there by yourself you're saying, "Man I sure would like to have a couple of bad employees right now." Anything is better than nothing.

The biggest takeaway for me is, ifyou want to build a million-dollar business, you do not need money, but you do need people.I solve all my problems on this show throughother people. You can take away my money, my name, and my credit cards, but you can't take away what I know and the ability to go communicate with people. And that's where most people are failing--on communication to others.

Sixty-four percent of all businesses in America lose money or break even. Two-thirds of those have no employees. The no employee thing is the dumbest game you can play. You cannot do everything yourself. Do not stay small in 2021.You have to expand.This year,I would try to growmy business as much as possible and get rid of anything that has the business overly encumbered. Give up profits in your company to other people, if there is a profit. Just do whatever you need to do to add people, whether it's employees, 1099s or collaborating partners. Partnerships don't cost money.Collaboration doesn't cost money. What costs money is staying a one-man or one-woman show.

More of the middle class are going to become renters in 2021 and over the next decade. Real assets will prove to be extremely valuable. I wouldn't lock into anything long-term right now unless it provides income and is indestructible. Retail and hotels have to fall. You cannot be dependent upon a retail business, which we've all known for years. You've got to adapt to the reality of the situation. Everything in the hospitality space is suspect. Office buildings are probably going to be fine, because I don't think people are going to work from home forever.

We'll be talking about that and the importance of scaling, and that scaling is not a choice. You have to scale. If you think one person can get it done, hire 10. If it's going to take 10, then you need more revenue. So if you've got 10 customers, get 100. We're going to be showing people how to scale their businessesand how to do that by calling customers (which is old school),knocking on doors, which is very old school,and using digital and social media, which is very new school. Put those three together. People shouldn't be disregarding the old games of knocking on doors and using telephones. Add that to the digital approach and you'll be unstoppable in 2021.

Read the original here:

Grant Cardone's 'Undercover Billionaire' Challenge: Build the American Dream With $100 and a Truck - Inc.

The Earth is warming up. You might not notice in your day-to-day life, but the increasingly devastating storms, massive wildfires, and catastrophic die-off of the oceans tropical reefs are undeniable. We know that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels are a huge burden on the planet and climate, but farming has also been cited as a contributor to such emissions.

Organic farming, both in plants and animals, has grown in popularity in recent years for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, if you were hoping that organic livestock was somehow better for the planet than conventional practices are, a new study crushes that dream soundly.

Today's Top Deal Best-selling respirators are on sale for just $2.12 each thanks to this Amazon coupon List Price:$49.99 Price:$42.49 You Save:$7.50 (15%) Available from Amazon, BGR may receive a commission Buy Now Available from Amazon BGR may receive a commission

The research, which was published in Nature Communications, focused on the greenhouse gas emissions produced during livestock farming. There are many sources of emissions when it comes to livestock farming, including the production of the food that the animals eat, methane gas from the animals themselves, and gas produced during the decomposition of their waste.

The study reveals that while emissions from organic livestock are initially lower thanks to the fact that fertilizer isnt used in the production of the feed, the fact that the animals are typically smaller (and less meaty) means that farms ultimately have to raise more of them in order to maintain their business. This increase in animals offsets the initial benefits of organic livestock, and the emissions totals are essentially the same.

The researchers looked at different kinds of livestock for their study and found that organic beef breaks even with conventional beef, but organic chicken farming actually produces more emissions than conventional practices. Pork, on the other hand, results in fewer emissions when raised organically, which is interesting.

Now, theres a bit asterisk here that has to be addressed. Organic farming, whether its animals or plants, does have benefits in terms of the animals and the land. When organic practices are paired with livestock being allowed to graze at their leisure (chicken tractors are awesome, you should Google it), the animals might not end up as big and meaty, but theyre at least allowed to live and behave like the animals they are, rather than serving as garbage bags to dump food and drugs into until theyre ready to be killed and eaten.

Unfortunately, the data shows that this doesnt help the planet any more than conventional farming does. The good news is that if we can get a handle on our fossil fuel usage, farming wouldnt necessarily have to change much at all. In fact, based on the latest estimates from the EPA, agriculture as a whole accounts for just shy of 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, compared to the nearly 30% that comes from vehicles and 22% from industrial processes.

Mike Wehner has reported on technology and video games for the past decade, covering breaking news and trends in VR, wearables, smartphones, and future tech. Most recently, Mike served as Tech Editor at The Daily Dot, and has been featured in USA Today, Time.com, and countless other web and print outlets. His love of reporting is second only to his gaming addiction.

Read more from the original source:

Organic meats may be better for the animals, but not the planet - BGR

Pinole Blue, an organic blue corn company in Wichita, Kansas, is working to support Indigenous communities in Chihuahua, Mexico while promoting traditional Mexican and Indigenous foods.

The company sells pinole, a mixture of ground maize and cacao beans, that is known for its nutrition properties, such as high levels of carbohydrates, protein, and antioxidants. They also sell tortillas made from blue corn, which contains higher amounts of antioxidants and fiber than white corn.

Growing up, Eddie Sandoval, founder of Pinole Blue, regularly visited Chihuahua and often ate pinole. But he noticed that a few stores sell it in his area today. Hoping to introduce more people to the mixture, Sandoval launched the business in 2017 from his garage.

Were trying to make healthy, organic food for everyone, Sandoval tells Food Tank.

In addition to selling pinole and tortillas, Pinole Blue also strives to support the Rarmuri, an Indigenous community in the Sierra Madre Occidental. Some members of the community are known for their ability to run long distances.

The Rarmuri rely on the environment to practice a traditional lifestyle, such as making their own clothes and raising their own food. But droughts caused by deforestation and climate change could threaten their livelihood. Other factors, like mineral extraction and local drug traffickers, also present a danger to the community.

My family is from Chihuahua, so my entire life Ive seen how the community has struggled, says Sandoval. I wanted to find a way to give back.

Pinole Blue is donating a portion of its earnings to the Rarmuri community. The company also partners with the county commissioner in Chihuahua to conduct food drives and provide clothing and other basic necessities to the Rarmuri. In October, the company provided food to 92 families. Additionally, Pinole Blue sponsors Mara Lorena Ramrez, a 24-year-old long-distance runner from the community.

Pinole Blue is also working with businesses to support other Indigenous communities in the United States. During the early months of the pandemic, Pinole Blue donated food to displaced workers and partnered with a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona to distribute food and other materials to the Navajo Nation.

It was pretty cool to see two cultures use similar products and eat similar foods, says Sandoval.

Sandoval tells Food Tank that Pinole Blue was also hit hard during the early months of the pandemic. But, they created an account on the social media platform TikTok. Within months, Sandoval says they were able to engage more customers and improve their online sales.

During the pandemic, people want comfort food, says Sandoval. The Latinx and the Hispanic community saw our products and remembered having it as a kid.

As Pinole Blue continues promoting the products online, Sandoval hopes that he can connect more people with what he calls heritage superfoods.

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Sunira Moses

Content like thisarticleis only possible because of Food Tank members. Please join today and get exclusive member benefits atFoodTank.com/Join.

Follow this link:

Pinole Blue Is Working to Honor Mexican Heritage through Food and Community Service - Food Tank

SMI latest released the research study on the Global Organic Food Market which offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. Organic Food Market research report shows the latest market insights, current situation analysis with upcoming trends, and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors of the Organic Food Market. The study covers the emerging players data, including competitive landscape, sales, revenue, and global market share of top manufacturers.

Note: This content doesnt contain all the Information of the Report please fill the form (via link) and get all interesting information just one click in PDF with the latest update with chart and Table of Content

Get Sample Copy of this Research Report-https://www.stratagemmarketinsights.com/sample/16137

Note- This report sample includes:

The research study offers a substantial knowledge platform for entrants and investors as well as veteran companies, manufacturers functioning in the global Organic Food market. The report includes CAGR, market shares, sales, gross margin, value, volume, and other vital market figures that give an exact picture of the growth of the global Organic Food market.We have also focused on SWOT, PESTLE, and Porters Five Forces analyses of the global Organic Food market.

The major market players that are operating in the Organic Food market are Danone, Hain Celestial Group Inc, EDEKA Handelsgesellschaft Nord Mobs, General Mills Inc, SFM, LLC, United Natural Foods Inc, Natures Path Foods, Inc.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every aspect of life worldwide. The report considers the impact of COVID-19 on market growth. The study provides full coverage of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Organic Food market and its key segments. Furthermore, it covers the present and future impact of the pandemic and offers a post-COVID-19 scenario to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamic changes in trends and market scenarios.

Competitive Landscape:

The degree of competition among leading global companies has been elaborated by examining various leading key players operating across the global regions An expert team of research analysts sheds light on various attributes such as global market competition, market share, latest industry developments, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers or acquisitions by leading companies in the Organic Food Market.

Get Discount Link- https://www.stratagemmarketinsights.com/discount/16137

Significant Features that are under Offering and Key Highlights of this Report:

Detailed overview of Organic Food Market Changing market dynamics of the industry In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application, etc Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape of Organic Food Market Strategies of key players and product offerings Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth.

Geographically Regions Analysis:

The report provides an extensive analysis of the key geographical regions of the industry. The regional analysis covers North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. The report offers insightful information like production and consumption ratio, demand and supply, import and export ratio, and demand trends in each region.

Key questions answered in the report:

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Drop Your Query Here @ https://www.stratagemmarketinsights.com/quiry/16137

About Stratagem Market Insights:

Stratagem Market Insights is a management consulting organization providing market intelligence and consulting services worldwide. The firm has been providing quantified B2B research and currently offers services to over 350+ customers worldwide.

Contact Us:

Mr. Shah Stratagem Market Insights Tel: US +1 415 871 0703 / JAPAN +81-50-5539-1737 Email:[emailprotected]

Visit Our Blog:Shubham

Go here to read the rest:

Organic Food Worldwide Comprehensive Review of Organic Food Market Trends And Its Development by 2027 - Factory Gate

Organic meat, usually highlighted as friendlier to the environment, actually has a climate cost as high as conventionally farmed meat. According to a new study, which estimated the greenhouse gas emissions (GEI) resulting from different foods in Germany, the only eco-friendly meat is no meat at all.

A team of German researchers wanted to explore the invisible environmental costs of food production, from land use and fertilizers to methane emissions and transportation. They focused on meat products, dairy, and plant-based food and compared organic and conventional production in each case.

The results are striking. Compared to conventional farming, organic methods improve the emissions profile of dairy and plant-based products, reducing their impact on the planet, because organic farming bans the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizers, which brings down the emissions costs of this production method.

But meat was the big exception.

Conventional and organic methods of meat accounted for similar high emissions costs, the study showed. For the researchers, this might be because organic livestock needs more land to satisfy the welfare standard and because of its lower productivity, making it less efficient than conventional methods.

Emissions from conventional livestock come from their manure and, for cows and sheep, by burping methane. The grain can also lead to emissions if its linked to deforestation. While organic cows dont eat imported fodder and are grass-fed, they grow more slowly and release more emissions before slaughter.

We expected organic farming to score better for animal-based products but, for greenhouse gas emissions, it actually doesnt make much difference, Maximilian Pieper, lead researcher, told The Guardian. But in certain other aspects, organic is certainly better than conventional farming.

But that was only one part of the study. Pieper wanted to make the environmental cost more tangible for consumers, to put a clear environmental price tag on different meat products.

According to the teams calculations, conventionally-produced meat would have to be 150% more expensive than now to account for the environmental impact. By comparison, organically-produced and plant-based foods would have to cost just 6% more. In other words, organic meat is priced to reflect its environmental impact, while conventional meat is cheap because no one is paying for the environmental damage it causes.

The research is based on the polluter pays principle, which suggests that those whose actions cause harm to the environment should bear the responsibility of paying for it. This would be represented perfectly in the choice to eat a meatier diet over one with more plant-based foods but only if the price of meat actually reflected the true environmental cost.

A very cheap piece of meat is actually hiding the true impact on the planet and providing no incentive to make better food (and environment) choices. But if the polluter pays principle is applied, the higher cost of meat would encourage a shift away from more environmentally-harmful diets based on meat towards greener ones richer in plants.

Of course, it isnt that simple. Increases in the price of vegetables and fruits would make healthier food unaffordable for many. And essential food, which for many people includes beef and dairy for nutritional purposes, shouldnt become unaffordable. To prevent this, the researchers suggested using government subsidies and social compensation measures as alternatives to an extra environmental tax.

If changes are applied sensitively, there would also be trickle-down benefits, the researchers argue. Meat consumption would be reduced by driving more sustainable choices with the cost. This would free up land from livestock that could be returned to nature, which would help for the recovery of ecosystems around the world.

Marco Springmann from the University of Oxford, not part of the study, told The Guardian. The policy implications are clear: applying an emissions price across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, would provide a consistent and much-needed incentive to change towards healthier and more sustainable diets that are predominantly plant-based.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Read more:

Organic meat has the same impact on the worlds climate as normal meat - ZME Science

Now that the Christmas holiday is firmly in the past, all eyes are on the next big event: New Year's Day. Sure, New Year's Eve celebrations may look a little different this year (complete with social distancing, at-home gatherings with loved ones and comfortable loungewear and sweats), but that doesn't mean the arrival of 2021 comes without eager anticipation.

Every January, the new year spurs inspiration for new beginnings, featuring activities focusing on self-care and, of course, self-improvement. This year, you may not be able to make use of new gym memberships or cash in on in-person classes. However, thanks to the virtually infinite number of subscriptions and online classes, you can better yourself from the comfort of your home (or more specifically, your couch).

If you haven't already started your countdown to Jan. 1, 2021, we're here to tell you: It's coming faster than you might expect. So why not get a head start on your personal development while you can? Whether you plan to spend this year learning new skills or are looking for a fun platform to get your fitness goals in check, there's an online option for you, no doubt.

Below, see all the ET Styleapproved subscriptions and online classes you can take to make 2021 your best year yet.

MasterClasss expansive list of offerings is the perfect way to give someone a head start on anything theyve wanted to learn. Students of all levels can learn from world-renowned industry experts in fields ranging from arts and entertainment to science and tech.

Udemy offers a near-endless number of classes in a variety of areas, with a top-notch instructor to go with each. From graphic design and Excel to Photoshop and coding, you'll find what you're looking for here. And once you start a class, you'll have unlimited access to your course for a lifetime.

For those who prefer an intense at-home workout, enjoy a subscription to AARMY, which offers daily cycling and bootcamp sessions to stream from your living room.

Alo Yoga's online class platform, Alo Moves, offers a number of classes beyond yoga and meditation. For $20 a month, you'll have unlimited access to courses like pilates, flexibility training, barre, HIIT and more. If there are specific skills you want to build (like inversions or arm balances) in the new year, you can specifically focus on those.

Not able to use your gym membership or hire a personal trainer right now? The Mirror -- now owned by Lululemon -- is a full-length, interactive mirror that streams all kinds of live and on-demand workouts (barre, yoga, boot camp) taught by world-class fitness instructors. Everything displays right on the LCD screen and it tracks your progress through a heart rate monitor and smart app (or Apple Watch). The price is steep (and doesnt include the monthly $39 subscription), but you can also do a risk-free 30-day trial.

'Tis the season to give the gift of relaxation. SKY TING Yoga lets you stream yoga classes, guided meditation sessions and workshops from anywhere, anytime.

Nothing says thoughtfulness quite like the gift of curated vitamin packs dedicated to your specific needs.

The Beauty Chef knows that good skin starts from within. The brand creates probiotic food-based supplements to boost your health and the overall appearance of your skin.

Those hoping to give their home -- whether it be in the kitchen or elsewhere -- a sustainable upgrade will love a subscription to Thrive Market to get in on the best organic foods, wellness productsand sustainable household items.

See the article here:

The Best Subscriptions and Online Classes to Better Yourself in 2021 - KTVB.com