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This Week’s Inspiring Horoscopes From Rob Brezsny’s ‘Free Will Astrology’

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Our partner Rob Brezsny provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week beginning September 10, 2021
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Between 37 and 41 BCE, Virgo-born Caligula served as third Emperor of Rome. To do so, he had to disprove the prophecy of a renowned astrologer, Thrasyllus of Mendes. Years earlier, Thrasyllus had predicted that Caligula, despite being well-connected, “had no more chance of becoming emperor than of riding a horse across the Bay of Baiae”—a distance of two miles. Once in power, Caligula arranged to have a series of pontoon boats arrayed across the bay, enabling him to ride his favorite horse Incitatus from one shore to the other across the Bay of Baiae. I foresee the possibility of a comparable turn of events for you, Virgo. Is there a curse you want to undo? A false prophecy you’d like to cancel? Someone’s low expectation you would love to debunk? The coming weeks will be a favorable time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
College student Amelia Hamrick studied the right panel of Hieronymus Bosch’s 15th-century painting The Garden of Earthly Delights. It depicts a hellish scene. Cities are on fire. Weird beasts devour sinful humans. There are demons and torture chambers. Hamrick did what no one in the history of art had ever done: She transcribed the musical score that the artist had written on a man’s naked hindquarters. Her work inspired a composer to create a recording entitled “500-Year-Old Butt Song from Hell.” In the coming weeks, I invite you to perform feats comparable to Hamrick: 1. Explore the past for useful, overlooked clues. 2. Find or create redemptive transformations out of stressful situations. 3. Have fun telling stories about your past misadventures.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Born on one of the Galapagos Islands, Diego is a giant tortoise who has lived for over 100 years. He’s a member of a species that had dwindled to a population of 15 by 1977. That’s when he and his tortoise colleague, whose name is E5, became part of a breeding program with 12 female tortoises. E5 was reserved in his behavior, but Diego was a showboat who vocalized loudly as he enjoyed public mating rituals. Together the two males saved their species—producing over 2,000 offspring in subsequent years. According to my astrological analysis, you could be as metaphorically fertile as Diego and E5 in the coming months—even if you prefer to adopt an approach more akin to E5’s.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“The meaning of my existence is that life has addressed a question to me,” wrote psychologist Carl Jung. “Or, conversely, I myself am a question that is addressed to the world, and I must communicate my answer, for otherwise, I am dependent upon the world’s answer.” These are superb meditations for you Sagittarians during the coming weeks. Between now and October 1, I invite you to keep a journal where you write about two subjects: 1. What is the main question that life asks you? 2. What is the main question that your life asks the world?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
North Korea’s Capricorn leader Kim Jong-un has an amazing résumé, if you believe the official state media that boasts he learned to drive at age three, was an accomplished sailor at nine, and became a skilled musician, artist, and scientist. Is it possible you have unexpressed powers like these, Capricorn? If so, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to identify them and start tapping into their potential. It’s time to develop your dormant talents.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Aquarian author Toni Morrison testified, “I think of beauty as an absolute necessity. I don’t think it’s a privilege or an indulgence. It’s almost like knowledge, which is to say, it’s what we were born for.” I urge you to adopt her perspective during the next four weeks, Aquarius. In my astrological opinion, a devoted quest for beauty will heal exactly what most needs to be healed in you. It will teach you everything you most need to know.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Poet and translator Anne Carson periodically joins with her husband Robert Currie to teach a workshop called “EgoCircus.” It’s an ironic title, because the subject they teach is the art of collaboration. To develop skills as a collaborator, of course, people must lay aside at least some of their egos’ needs and demands. In accordance with current astrological potentials, I encourage you to stage your own version of EgoCircus in the coming weeks. The time is ripe for you to hone your creative togetherness and synergistic intimacy.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“We need to become more unreasonable but in an intelligent way,” says Aries politician Jerry Brown. Yes! I agree! And that’s especially true for you right now, Aries. To Brown’s advice, I will add this message from Aries fashion designer Vivienne Westwood: “Intelligence is composed mostly of imagination, insight—things that have nothing to do with reason.” Here’s one further suggestion to help you take maximum advantage of cosmic rhythms, courtesy of Aries historian Arnold J. Toynbee: “The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
“I have become whole and complete, like a thundering cloudburst in summer,” wrote Taurus poet Miklós Radnóti. I love that metaphor for fullness: not an immaculate icon of shiny, sterile perfection, but rather a primal, vigorous force of nature in all of its rumbling glory. I hope you like this symbol as much as I do, and I hope you use it to fuel your creative spirit in the coming weeks. PS: Keep in mind that many indigenous people welcome rainstorms as a source of fertility and growth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“Pandiculation” is a word that refers to when you stretch and yawn at the same time. According to my understanding of the astrological omens, you will benefit from doing a lot of pandiculations in the coming days. I also recommend gazing lazily out the window and looking at the sky a lot. Keep your shoes off as much as possible, get a massage or three, and let yourself sleep more than you customarily do. Did you know that sighing deeply is good for your lungs’ health? Here’s your homework: Dream up all the things you can do to relax and renew yourself. It’s prime time to indulge in generous acts of self-healing.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
The ancient Roman author Pliny’s ten-volume Natural History, written in the first century, was a monumental encyclopedia of the natural world, unprecedented in its own time and for centuries afterward. It offered compilations of facts about astronomy, geography, zoology, botany, mineralogy, and many other subjects. There was one big problem with it, however. It contained a great deal of erroneous information. For example, Pliny described in detail many non-existent animals, including dragons, flying horses, and giant serpents that swallowed bulls and snatched birds out of the sky. My reason for telling you this is to inspire you to be extra discerning in the coming weeks. Be especially skeptical of authorities, experts, and other know-it-alls who are very confident despite being inaccurate or erroneous. It’s time for you to increase your trust in your own authority.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
“There are those fortunate hours when the world consents to be made into a poem,” writes Leo poet Mark Doty. That’s great for a poet. But what about for everyone else? My variation on Doty’s comment is this: There are fortunate hours when the world consents to be made into a holy revelation or a lyrical breakthrough or a marvelous feeling that changes our lives forever. I expect events like those to come your way at least twice in the immediate future.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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World’s Biggest Factory to Suck Carbon from the Sky and Store it For Millions of Years Turns on in Iceland

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Andy Corbley
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CARBFIX carbon capture and storage plant in Iceland

The “world’s largest” factory built solely for the purpose of drawing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it, has just come online in Iceland.

Carbfix

Built in the geothermal park in Hellisheidi, the company hopes this is merely a stepping stone necessary to scale up the model by a factor of 80, and thereby remove millions of tons of CO2 by the end of the decade.

As direct a climate solution as there could be, the Orca factory, just one of a number of climate change solutions offered by the Icelandic firm Carbfix, takes CO2 from the air before separating the carbon from the oxygen, mixing it with water and sending it deep underground into basalt rock formations where it mineralizes.

With 16 locations recycling CO2, Climeworks, the Swiss company which provided Orca with the CO2 intake fans, are extremely excited to have participated in a project that will permanently remove carbon, rather than just recycling it. They say the green technology can be reproduced easily, and to scale, anywhere there is renewable energy and storage available. Orca was built adjacent to a local geothermal power plant, so it runs fully on renewable energy.

RELATED: New Sustainable Roofing Material Can Naturally Keep Buildings Cool Without A/C

The company says it can pull 4,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year, the equivalent of taking 870 cars off the road. On its own, it’s a small impact for the $10-15 million it takes to build, but as companies are increasingly pressured to provide carbon offsets for their operations, the technology offers a huge appeal if costs come down and production is boosted.

For example, offsetting emissions by planting trees is great, but it takes 50 years for a tree to gather enough CO2 to actually sequester it. If the tree dies before that period, it’s as if the company did nothing.

CHECK OUT: Branson-backed Company Captures Mega Tons of Carbon Injected Into Concrete–and Amazon is Building Their HQ With It

A Canadian company, Carbon Engineering, which has received $25 million in funding from the government, is building a technology that directly captures CO2 from the air and stores it as compressed gas, or creates a near-carbon-neutral fuel.

They are currently building what they call the world’s largest direct air capture plant in the southwestern US that, when operational, will remove more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year, about the same as 40 million mature trees.

But for Carbfix, knowing the carbon is stored in the form of igneous or metamorphic rocks deep underground where it won’t emerge for hundreds of millions of years is the most verifiable way of demonstrating their commitment to addressing the climate crisis.

MORE: Researchers Pull Carbon Out of the Sky And Convert it to Instant Jet Fuel, Reshaping Aviation For Good

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Workers Discover Stash of 239 Rare Gold Coins Hidden in Walls of French Mansion—And They Get to Share Half

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Ivoire Auction House

Renovating an old home will always produce surprises—but sometimes the discovery is a treasure that could fund the entire project.

France 3 news – Facebook video screenshot

Three stonemasons working on a centuries-old estate purchased by a couple in 2012 in Plozevet, Brittany, found a hidden metal box embedded in a wall.

They were shocked to find it stuffed with rare gold coins, minted during the reigns of French Kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV.

63-year-old François Mion, who owns the 13th century mansion with his wife, decided to turn the barn into a living space. When he got the call from his foreman, he “thought it was a joke.”

Then, a few days later, above a beam, they discovered a bag containing another stash—which added to the grand total of 239 gold coins.

The cache is being put up for auction on September 29, says Ivoire Auction House, which estimates them to be worth well over a quarter million euros, or $300,000.

POPULAR: Locals Digging a Well Accidentally Discover a $140 Million Star Sapphire Weighing Half a Ton

Ivoire Auction House

The couple submitted the trove to the Regional Preventive Archeology Service for authenticating and analyzing. They determined that the last known inhabitants of the mansion dates back to the mid-18th century, owned probably by wealthy land owners, possibly traders involved in the transport of Bordeaux wines to England.

LOOK: Fisherman Thrilled to Find Rare Melo Pearl in His Seafood Lunch – Worth up to $350,000

French law states that the haul will be shared 50-50 between the owners of the property and those who discovered the coins—so the trio of stonemasons are likely lifting a glass to toast their luck.

WATCH a French television report below…

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“September 11, 2001, revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.” – Geraldine Brooks

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Quote of the Day: “September 11, 2001, revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.” – Geraldine Brooks

Photo: by Jesse Mills

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Bank That Lost 66 Workers on 9/11 has Paid for All Their Kids to Go to College

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We’re reposting this on the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The story—originally published in 2015—is featured in the GNN paperback book—a collection of our most inspiring stories from our first 20 years.

Aaron Lee

On Sept. 11, 2001, 66 men and women who worked for the investment banking firm Sandler O’Neill & Partners on the 104th floor in the World Trade Center lost their lives.

In the harrowing days following the terrorist attacks, the company made the decision to set up a foundation to pay college tuition for all the 76 children of their fallen colleagues.

I called the Sandler O’Neill Foundation the other day to talk about those children, and learned that 54 young men and women have had their college tuition paid so far, with 22 young men and women still eligible.

The 54 who are now attending or have attended college have gone to every sort of school imaginable — from Stanford to Notre Dame to community colleges and technical institutes.

Four students have attended Boston College, the alma mater of Welles Crowther, the 24-year-old Sandler O’Neill employee who saved as many as 12 people in the south tower before running back upstairs to save more people and never being seen again.

The youngest child eligible was born six weeks after September 11. When that child graduates from college, the Sandler O’Neill Foundation will cease to exist, except in memory; but what a resounding memory it will be.

POPULAR: Last Living 9/11 Rescue Dog Honored With Best Day Ever on 16th Birthday

Andy Armstrong was one of the founders of the foundation. Though he did not work for Sandler O’Neill, he was a friend of Sandler’s surviving partner, Jimmy Dunne. He and others of Dunne’s friends and colleagues – as well as banking competitors – helped set up and endow the foundation.

“We were up and running by the end of the first week,” Armstrong says. “We wanted the families of the lost to know that we would always remember, that the passing years would never sweep this under the rug. People donated many millions of dollars to set up the foundation. We have no salaries and no expenses except fees to stay extant.”

thank-you-liberty-card

“I know most of the children who went to college. You wouldn’t believe some of the letters they have written in appreciation. I think they particularly appreciate that we remember their mom or dad this way. Many of them hardly knew their moms and dads.”

RELATED: The Tiny Town That Hosted 10,000 Stranded Airline Passengers for Days After 9-11

I called Jimmy Dunne at Sandler O’Neill to ask him why he instantly did so very much the right thing, the extraordinary thing, when it would have been so easy and normal and understandable to just do enough.

“Because there was a moment in time to stand up,” Dunne says, bluntly. “Because we believed that what we did would echo for a hundred years in the families of our people, their kids and their grandkids. Because how we conducted ourselves in those first few hours and days would define who we really were and what we were about.”

“Because I knew that if we were not honorable, then we stood for nothing. I concluding immediately that we would not be intimidated, we would not go out of business, we will come back stronger than ever, and be an example of people who worked and lived with honor. And that meant taking care of our people and their children with respect and reverence. So we did that.”

“We figured what we did and how we did it was our way of fighting idiots like bin Laden. You want us to fall apart? Then we will survive and flourish. You want to destroy us? Then we will insist even more on acting with honor. That’s what the foundation was for, is for. We want our defiance and reverence to echo for a century, so that the grandchildren of our people will know we stood for something, and acted honorably when it really counted.”

READ MORE: Good News Stories About 9/11

Brian Doyle was the editor of Portland Magazine at the University of Portland – “the best spiritual magazine in America,” says Annie Dillard. He was the author of many books, before he passed away in 2017. (Featured photo of rainbow by Jason Kuffer, CC license)

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The New Orleans Levees Held – Passing Their First Major Test Since Hurricane Katrina

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Andy Corbley
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Infrogmation, CC license
Infrogmation, CC license

There are several “great walls” in the world, but in this very moment, none are greater than the “Great Wall of Louisiana,” the rebuilt-levees which just passed their first test as Hurricane Ida hit Eastern U.S. and parts of the Gulf Coast.

The 1.8 mile-long, $1.3 billion storm surge barrier along Lake Borgne is the largest civil-works construction project in the history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, built eight years after Katrina.

Storms and two hurricanes have pressed the levees and other defense systems, but Ida is the first one to rival Katrina in fury. As one of the most powerful storms to hit the state since the 1850s, according to National Geographic, it was the moment that hundreds of contingency planners, and millions of residents were waiting for. Would the levees hold?

“There is no catastrophic flooding in New Orleans,” reported Rene Poche, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers. “The system performed the way it was supposed to. That’s a big deal.”

Of course, saying “the levees” is to insinuate that defenses like the Great Wall are the only things that stand between Bourbon Street and obliteration, but the wall is only a glorious centerpiece in a network of systems designed to dampen storm surges and funnel rainwater out of the area.

For example, of the several that were build in the interlude between Katrina and Ida, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway West Closure Complex is the world’s largest pump drainage system. Built of 1,071 pilings measuring 225 feet-long and 26 feet-high, it would be capable of filling an Olympic swimming pool in an astonishing four seconds.

MORE: Inflatable Floodgates in Venice Named After Moses Save the City for a Second Time

Together, the wall and the pump are the first line of defense for preventing Lake Borgne, the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from inundating New Orleans, New Orleans East, the Ninth Ward, Gentilly, and St. Bernard Parish with flood waters.

CHECK OUT: Good Samaritans Rescue 60 Cows From Hurricane Ida Floodwaters

An additional 192 miles of levees and floodwalls, 3,530 acres of levee turf, and 244 land-based floodgates have been constructed with $14.5 billion of government money that has poured into Louisiana since Katrina.

Several other very impressive structures, like the Seabrook Floodgate Complex, featuring two 220-ton gates and a 600 foot-long wall, fortify the areas further afield from New Orleans, but the systems are now being supported by greener defenses.

The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a man-made channel which exposed the freshwater marshlands in the delta there to toxic levels of salinity, has been closed, bringing historical salinity levels back to over a million acres of coastal habitat.

RELATED: Realtor Updates Flood Maps on 14 Million Properties So US Homeowners Can Better Prepare For The Future

“This means that the basin will be able to support a variety of species, ranging from cypress trees to oysters, while work is done to restore the vital storm surge buffer that forested wetlands and marshes provide nearby communities, including the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish,” writes the non-profit Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

America doesn’t always have the best track record of learning from the mistakes of the past, but at least in Louisiana the lessons of Katrina were well-taken, and hopefully we’ll see many storms like Ida succeed only in the huffing and puffing stages, without ever blowing the levees down.

 

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Curious Whale Nudges Paddle Boarder in Argentina in Stunning Video (WATCH)

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Twitter screenshot @maxijonas

A drone photographer in Argentina captured the stunning moment when a curious whale got close to a woman paddle boarding, and gave her a playful nudge.

It’s currently whale watching season in the Patagonian seaside town of Puerto Madryn. According to the local mayor, already there have been 1,600 of these charismatic marine mammals spotted in the locality.

CHECK OUT: Friendly Humpback Whale Gives Woman the Experience of a Lifetime – WATCH

Photographer Maxi Jonas was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

He managed to capture this video of a southern right whale heading towards a paddle boarder, using its fin to gently push her board, then swimming directly beneath.

Talk about the experience of a lifetime.

(WATCH the viral video below.)

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“Only the gentle are ever really strong.” – James Dean

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Youssef Aboutaleb

Quote of the Day: “Only the gentle are ever really strong.” – James Dean

Photo: by Youssef Aboutaleb

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Thailand is Making COVID-19 Protective Gear From Upcycled Bottles

By
Judy Cole
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By Erik Mclean

We all know that recycling is good for the planet in the long run, but now, in a more immediate way, it’s also being used to save lives as plastic waste is being transformed into PPE for workers on the frontlines of the pandemic.

At Thai Taffeta, a textile factory near Bangkok, Thailand, a mountain of discarded plastic bottles has been broken down into filaments which are then woven into a water-resistant fabric used to make personal protective equipment (PPE) suits.

In addition to the PPE designated for hospitals, the safeguarding outfits are also being distributed to non-medical personnel at high risk for exposure to the virus.

MORE: Tens of Millions Now Have Power Thanks to Off-Grid Solar Systems –Many of Them Recycled

A good portion of the fabric—dyed in the sect’s iconic red-orange hue—has been sent to Thailand’s Buddhist temples, where monks are overseeing the cremation of coronavirus victims.

“There are times where it is very difficult to get hold of PPE suits, sometimes even if you have money, you can’t buy [them],” Abbot Phra Maha Pranom Dhammalangkaro of Samut Prakan province’s Chakdaeng temple explained to Reuters.

RELATED: Americans Want to Use Less Plastic and They Hoard Containers Rather Than Tossing, Poll Shows

It takes approximately 18 bottles to make each PPE suit. An estimated 18 million bottles have been collected and recycled thus far.

“We’re saving lives and the environment as well,” Thai Taffeta’s head of sales and marketing Arnuphap Chompuming told Reuters—which just goes to show that what’s good for the people is what’s good for the planet—and vice-versa.

WATCH the video about this story from Reuters below.)

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Malawi Inventor Lights Up His Whole Village Basically for Free–Starting With a Bicycle and a River

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Colrerd Nkosi
Colrerd Nkosi

“To invent,” Thomas Edison said, “you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Colrerd Nkosi had all the junk he needed—and the will to bring electricity to his small village in Malawi—and he not only accomplished his goal, but won an award from the Queen of England.

Using a repurposed corn-shelling machine motor and a fast-moving river, Nkosi created an electric turbine that’s now lighting up homes for him and his neighbors for free in the town of Mzimba.

Just like Edison, he did a lot of experimenting. In the beginning, he put a bicycle in the river and brainstormed about how the current moved the pedals, and how it might be turned into power. Then, he used an old refrigerator compressor that converted power for 6 homes. His neighbors were clamoring, so he continued to upgrade.

According to the self-taught inventor, his latest turbine has the potential to produce enough power to provide electricity to 1,000 homes and says another turbine can be installed downstream to expand the grid. (Watch the video below.)

The hydro power has the added benefit of lessening deforestation by negating the necessity for locals to cut down trees in order to obtain charcoal.

In a country where only 11% of the population has access to electricity, having a reliable and renewable source of energy has been a game-changer—especially in the schools.

MORE: Inspired by Marvel’s Mythical ‘Wakanda’, Ugandan Village is Built on Shea Butter and Solar Power

“In the past, we had to study by candlelight and whenever there was no money to buy candles, we could not study,” student Gift Mfune told AFP. “Now that we have access to electricity, many more of us will pass our exams.”

The driving force behind Nkosi’s DIY power initiative (known as the Kasangazi Hydro-Electrical Power Plant) is not profit. Indeed, the only charge for his service is a €1 per month maintenance fee.

Over 2,000 people have benefitted from his sustainable and locally generated electricity, and in 2018, Mr. Nkosi won a Point Of Light Award from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II for his dedication to innovation.

RELATED: Kenyan Woman’s Startup Recycles Plastic Waste into Bricks That Are 5x Stronger Than Concrete

In addition to bringing light to his neighbors literally, Nkosi’s dream is to bring enlightenment to them as well—through education.

Nkosi already gives hands-on lessons in the basics of carpentry and engineering to village children, and fervently hopes to expand his own skillset with more advanced studies.

“I wish I could find a sponsor to help me fulfill my plan of going back to school to further my knowledge and pass on what I’ve learned to others,” he said during his AFP interview.

(WATCH the video below…)

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Reforestation of English Midlands Turns 30 Years Old With 9 Million Trees Planted Across 200 Square Miles

By
Andy Corbley
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A rewilding revolution which took root 30 years ago in the English Midlands has branched out over 200 square miles, becoming one of the most successful efforts in Europe.

The National Forest now consists of nine million trees spread across three counties, and links the ancient woodlands of Needwood, and Charnwood.

Reforestation has exploded across Europe, the continent that’s lost more of its forests over the last 200 years than any other. Between 1990 and 2010, tree cover increased by 11 million hectares, or around 27 million acres, and just since 2015, €8.2 billion has been earmarked by governments for reforestation efforts.

The significance of the National Forest comes partly from where it’s taken shape. The English Midlands is one of the West’s famous mining regions, like the Ruhr Valley or the Appalachians.

The history of the towns in the counties of Derbyshire (D-Arbee-sher), Leicestershire (Less-ter-sher), and Staffordshire are entwined with an industry that gradually died off, leaving behind disused mining pits and quarries as stains on the landscape.

MORE: San Francisco Airport Protects Endangered Species Until it Boasts More of Them Than Any Place on Earth

Now such blemishes have been turned into green parks and nature reserves, and have been combined with the surrounding countryside, farmland, and existing woods to give England a wilder heart.

It’s also opened the Midlands up to many new forms of income for locals in historic towns like Burton-upon-Trent and “Coalville.” Every year the National Forest hosts the Timber Music Festival, a three-day celebration of nature, wilderness, and quiet reflection.

Many of the villages are connected by the National Forest Way, a three-day walking tour that traverses the forest and its mosaic of landscapes from east to west.

RELATED: A Fisherman’s Underwater Sculptures Have Stopped Illegal Trawling – Bringing Art and Biodiversity Back to Italian Bay

It’s also proving a success for England’s forest schools, a new form of intermittent schooling that teaches children about the woods, animals, the web of life, and more. Little Acorns Forest School moved into the National Forest in 2015, and is now teaching everyone from toddlers to high schoolers.

The success of the National Forest has been so strong that the English government’s Department for Food, Economic and Rural Affairs has pledged to plant 500 hectares of forest across Britain’s northeast, or the equivalent to 35 (English) football pitches. The project will include South Tyneside, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, and Sunderland.

CHECK OUT: Irish Metalhead Turns His Ancestral Estate into Model of Rewilding: It Naturally Grew Into Biodiverse Eden

But it’s not only the chief region of the UK that’s proud of their new National Forest. Wales recently embarked on a journey to link every existing woodland in their country with their own National Forest; a “Wales-wide” initiative to return rural lands to something like how it would have been in the past.

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Near-Complete Pterosaur Skeleton Obtained in Police Raid Reveals Stunning Details About the Species

By
Andy Corbley
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A series of smuggled paleontological finds recovered in a 2013 police raid in Santos Harbor, Brazil, contain the most complete crested pterosaur skeleton ever found.

Seized along with 3,000 other fossils destined for the illegal fossil trade, the skeleton opens a new world of understanding about these incredibly charismatic flying animals.

Belonging to the species Tupandactylus navigans, the animal had an enormous head crest that would put a cassowary to shame, and was preserved in limestone from the Early Cretaceous period, around 140 to 100 million years ago.

Having been sawed into six pieces to make it easier to hide, the limestone block containing the skeleton needed to be carefully reassembled, but eight years after being found, Victor Beccari and his colleagues at the University of São Paolo presented in a study a full description of the flying reptile which may actually have been more like a peacock than an eagle.

The head crest was extraordinary, and was preserved along with the skull and the soft hollow bones that normally make pterosaurs a poor candidate for fossilization. Typical of tapejarids, the animal’s group, T. navigans sported a head crest half the size of its body, had a long neck and long legs, but short wings.

In a similar way to when the theory that T-rex was mostly a scavenger irritated an awful lot of schoolchildren in the late ’90s, the scientist from Brazil has a new theory on how the mighty pterosaur spent its days.

MORE: Astonishing Peek Into Travels of Mammoth 17,000 Years Ago: A Diary Written in Their Tusks

“Pterosaurs were already mind-blowing before, but this new specimen, with its huge, awkward crest and long neck, is mind-boggling because—sort of like [flashy] peacock tails—they would have made him an attractive mate, but an easy target for predators and a poor flyer,” Beccari told New Scientist.

“Like the peacock, it probably spent its time eating fruit off the ground or using its long neck to grab food from higher bushes.”

Scans of the nasal cavity showed the animal had adaptations for powered flight, suggesting the animal would only have used its wings in certain circumstances—to escape predators for instance.

RELATED: Researchers Identify a ‘Fearsome Dragon’ With 23-ft Wingspan That Soared Over Australian Outback

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An Epic Adventure Few have Heard of: ‘The Great Loop’ Circles the Eastern US on Waterways Never Far from Shore

By
Andy Corbley
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Most tours across America tend to involve a long series of flights, or a road trip of 16-hour driving days plotting a course between as many national parks as possible in a camper van. The Great Loop, traversed by only 200 Americans per year, however, is another excellent way to see the country.

A 6,000-mile journey circumnavigating the entire eastern United States and Canada, the journey ditches the car or the plane for the boat!

It turns out that in 1898, three 18 year olds discovered that it was possible to, without ever going out to sea, travel from the Great Lakes region, out to the Thousand Islands past Montreal, before snaking down a myriad of canals, sounds, and waterways across the Mid-Atlantic, using Florida as a gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, where turning north, one can pass up the rivers of Central North America to return again to the starting line.

It was in the time of the Founding Fathers that the Great Loop was envisioned. George Washington had an eye on connecting territories more easily across the vast and newly minted country.

Many of the surveys he commissioned led to the creation of canals and artificial waterways that make the Loop possible.

MORE: This Road Trip Map Helps You Visit the 47 Iconic National Parks in the Shortest Time

However it wasn’t until Ken Ransom, a sailor who grew up faring the waves in Lake Michigan, that America’s great nautical maze was mapped. Departing in a sailboat built by himself and his two friends, he went the whole way, despite multiple challenges.

Like Ransom, sailors on the Great Loop today will tell you the challenges are part of the fun. Whereas most long nautical pleasure journeys typically take place in the ocean, the myriad of habitats one must navigate to finish the Great Loop make it a lot more special, and safer, while also presenting different challenges.

Beautiful landscapes roll past you on the shores either side of your journey, such as the old city of Montreal, the Great Dismal Swamp, the Florida Keys, Virginia’s Ablemarle Sound, or the mountain-studded shores of Lake Champlain.

Boat US explains that the Great Loop takes anywhere from six months to one year to complete, but nevertheless offers sections called “Mini Loops” wherein a U.S. sailing enthusiast or perhaps a visiting British canal-boat lover can enjoy a several-day slice.

CHECK OUT: 3 Women Found Out the Same Guy Was Cheating on Them. They Dumped Him and Took Epic Road Trip Together

The Triangle Loop traverses Canada and the U.S. using the Hudson River as the start and finish, while passing the Eire Canal, Lake Champlain, Montreal, Lake Ontario, and the scenic Thousand Islands.

Another Mini Loop is the Florida Loop, which passes Lake Okeechobee and the Atlantic Coast before arriving at the Florida Keys, up the Gulf to Pine Island, Fort Meyers, and Caloosahatchee Canal.

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Science-Backed Tips for Maximizing Play Time With Kids

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Good News Network
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Years of cognitive development research have uncovered a wealth of knowledge about what children need to grow, thrive, and learn—but it’s also important to translate those insights into real-world applications.

A new paper led by Penn State graduate Brenna Hassinger-Das, now an assistant professor of psychology at Pace University-NYC, and Jennifer Zosh, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Brandywine, explores the science-backed core pillars of learning and examples of play spaces that incorporate them.

“We know kids in Western countries spend only 20% of their time at school, so where are they for the other 80%?” Hassinger-Das said. “They’re at home, or in the grocery store, or the park. How can we transform those everyday spaces to encourage playful learning and promote conversations between caregivers and children? We wanted to maximize these spaces and turn them into places that are fun but also support the kind of learning you do in school.”

According to the researchers, previous studies have found six core characteristics or “pillars” of learning that can maximize any experience a child has, whether it’s playing in the park, going to the grocery store, or using a smartphone app. These pillars suggest that experiences should be active rather than passive, engaging, meaningful, socially interactive, iterative rather than repetitive, and joyful.

“We wanted to leverage insights from research to help support children, families and communities,” Zosh said. “For this specific initiative, we wanted to see how we could take those pillars and apply them to communities in playful ways that support children’s learning.”

The paper looked at several examples of spaces that incorporated the pillars into their designs.

One example was Urban Thinkscape, an installation that turned a bus stop into a playful learning space that fosters play and conversations. One of the features incorporated was an element called Stories, which includes several icons placed on the ground with different pictures that can be used to tell stories. According to the researchers, as children go from icon to icon and create a story, they build narrative skills, which are a key part of literacy.

MORE: China Bans Written Exams for 6- and 7-Year-Olds to Reform Hyper-Competitive Pressure in Schools

Even though the paper—recently published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences—focused on public spaces that incorporated these elements, the researchers said anyone can use the pillars to enhance children’s play spaces and experiences, including parents at home.

Pillar One: Active

Stay “active” as you play and interact with your child, for example, by incorporating literary and STEM elements into your speech and interactions.

Zosh said this could mean counting the apples out loud as you put them in your basket at the grocery store or asking your child what letter each block starts with as you build a tower. She also said asking lots of questions — such as “What would happen if we mixed these blue and yellow paints together?” or “What might happen if we stack the red square block on top of the yellow triangle block?” — can be helpful, as well.

Pillar Two: Engaged

“Try to limit distractions as much as possible, including background television and your own smartphone use,” Hassinger-Das said. “These types of distractions are sometimes unavoidable, but they do have the potential to take away from these high-quality times with your child. Focusing and staying engaged during play can help you make the most of these interactions.”

Pillar Three: Meaningful

Try building on topics the child is already interested in during play. If they like dinosaurs, you could suggest a make-believe scenario where you dig for dinosaur fossils at the playground. Or, you can integrate information about dinosaurs like counting how many bones they have and what they ate.

RELATED: 4-yo Learns Piano in Lockdown, Wins Elite Competition But Can’t Play Carnegie Hall as She’s Too Young for Vaccination

“If you are reading a book set in a different state, get out a globe or a map app and explore where the state is and how the weather there is different from where you live,” Zosh said. “Helping children build connections helps them weave together a rich world of understanding.”

Pillar Four: Socially interactive

The researchers advised letting your child lead in play time while you offer support along the way. For example, let your child decide what to build with blocks while asking questions like, “What would happen if you placed that block in a different direction?” or “How many more blocks do you think it would take to build a tower as tall as you?”

Pillar Five: Iterative

Children are naturally scientific thinkers — they like to experiment, see what happens, and try again and again until something works. The researchers advised giving your children opportunities to guess what will happen, conduct “experiments,” make up new words to favorite songs, and make mistakes. Every mistake leads to learning.

Pillar Six: Joyful

Finally, making playtime joyful can be done in many ways, including incorporating elements of surprise.

“Playing with shadows and asking which one is bigger or how you can make your shadow grow or shrink is one way to foster surprise and joy,” Hassinger-Das said. “Similarly, think about what helps your child connect with whatever brings them joy, from construction with a cardboard box to playing vet with their stuffed animals.”

Source: Penn State

EDUCATE Parents With This Fascinating Research…

How Meditation Can Help You Make Fewer Mistakes

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Good News Network
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If you are forgetful or make mistakes when in a hurry, a new study from Michigan State University—the largest of its kind to-date—found that meditation could help you to become less error prone.

The research tested how open monitoring meditation—or, meditation that focuses awareness on feelings, thoughts or sensations as they unfold in one’s mind and body—altered brain activity in a way that suggests increased error recognition.

“People’s interest in meditation and mindfulness is outpacing what science can prove in terms of effects and benefits,” said Jeff Lin, MSU psychology doctoral candidate and study co-author. “But it’s amazing to me that we were able to see how one session of a guided meditation can produce changes to brain activity in non-meditators.”

The findings suggest that different forms of meditation can have different neurocognitive effects and Lin explained that there is little research about how open monitoring meditation impacts error recognition.

“Some forms of meditation have you focus on a single object, commonly your breath, but open monitoring meditation is a bit different,” Lin said. “It has you tune inward and pay attention to everything going on in your mind and body. The goal is to sit quietly and pay close attention to where the mind travels without getting too caught up in the scenery.”

Lin and his MSU co-authors—William Eckerle, Ling Peng and Jason Moser—recruited more than 200 participants to test how open monitoring meditation affected how people detect and respond to errors.

CHECK OUT: How Meditation Can Help You Make Fewer Mistakes, According to Largest Study of Its Kind

The participants, who had never meditated before, were taken through a 20-minute open monitoring meditation exercise while the researchers measured brain activity through electroencephalography, or EEG. Then, they completed a computerized distraction test.

“The EEG can measure brain activity at the millisecond level, so we got precise measures of neural activity right after mistakes compared to correct responses,” Lin said. “A certain neural signal occurs about half a second after an error called the error positivity, which is linked to conscious error recognition. We found that the strength of this signal is increased in the meditators relative to controls.”

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While the meditators didn’t have immediate improvements to actual task performance, the researchers’ findings offer a promising window into the potential of sustained meditation.

“These findings are a strong demonstration of what just 20 minutes of meditation can do to enhance the brain’s ability to detect and pay attention to mistakes,” Moser said. “It makes us feel more confident in what mindfulness meditation might really be capable of for performance and daily functioning right there in the moment.”

While meditation and mindfulness have gained mainstream interest in recent years, Lin is among a relatively small group of researchers that take a neuroscientific approach to assessing their psychological and performance effects.

MORE: These Schools Are Offering Yoga and Mindfulness Class as an Alternative to After-School Detention

Looking ahead, Lin said that the next phase of research—which has been published in Brain Sciences—will be to include a broader group of participants, test different forms of meditation and determine whether changes in brain activity can translate to behavioral changes with more long-term practice.

READ: One in Three Americans Now Consider Meditation to Be Essential for the Perfect Morning, Says Poll

“It’s great to see the public’s enthusiasm for mindfulness, but there’s still plenty of work from a scientific perspective to be done to understand the benefits it can have, and equally importantly, how it actually works,” Lin said. “It’s time we start looking at it through a more rigorous lens.”

Source: Michigan State University

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“Happiness is always there. You just have to choose to see it. There’s no point dwelling in the dark and ignoring the light of the stars.” – Carrie Hope Fletcher

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Good News Network
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By Klemen Vrankar

Quote of the Day: “Happiness is always there. You just have to choose to see it. There’s no point dwelling in the dark and ignoring the light of the stars.” – Carrie Hope Fletcher

Photo: by Klemen Vrankar

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Tiny Home Village in Albuquerque Helps Homeless Transition With Social Services and Opportunities

By
Andy Corbley
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Albuquerque THV- tiny home village-website-Ann Hermes
Albuquerque THV/My Home Village, Ann Hermes

In battling against the American homeless epidemic, it pays to think outside the box. The Tiny Home Village in Albuquerque isn’t just a place for someone to sleep out of the weather, it’s an occupational therapy project that helps the homeless reconnect with values and responsibility.

Set up to cultivate a strong community, the power of routine, and a sense of pride in oneself and surroundings, the Tiny Home Village (THV) hopes that its residents will be better prepared for when they finally get off the street.

The County of Bernalillo, New Mexico, secured a 30-year lease on a property owned by the Albuquerque Indian Center to build a walled and gated community of about 30 tiny houses that had doors which lock and climate control to give residents a strong enough sense of security and permanence that they could begin to really turn their life around.

Albuquerque looked at a similar project in Oregon—the Opportunity Village Eugene, which was established back in 2013, as a model for how to encourage self-governance among the villagers, allowing them to decide among themselves how the village is to be run day by day.

Rendering/Bernco.gov

The two look very similar. Inside the compound there are 30 houses painted different colors, though all featuring the same layout: a desk, two chairs, bed, closet, and stoop.

At the center of the THV there is the “Village House” where residents can cook, do laundry, watch television, socialize, use the internet, and access a library.

“We’re trying to give the villagers some tools that would stand them in really good stead once they do move out,” Ilse Biel, the resource manager for the Albuquerque THV, told Christian Science Monitor.

Biel would add that already, the theory is working, and the community is taking ownership of daily chores as well as holding each other accountable.

MORE: Stylish Tiny Homes Are Now Being 3D-Printed In 24 Hours And Shipped to Your Site

“They’re house-proud; really getting upset about seeing a counter not wiped, a cigarette butt somewhere.”

The THV is a welcome replacement for the previous homeless enclave—Tent City, which sprang up near a railroad in downtown and which became so big that the people there began to chalk addresses of their tents on the street.

Rendering/Bernco.gov

THV is not meant to be a place of refuge, and the doors aren’t open to just anyone.

Perspective residents must sign up for a $30 a month utilities fee, as well test clean of any hard drugs. They must be sober for at least 10 days prior to the date of entry, and must be willing and able to participate in village life, which will require them to do chores like de-weeding in the communal vegetable garden, cleaning bathrooms, and more.

RELATED: After Debuting World’s Largest 3D-Printed Building, Startup is Set to Bring Affordable Housing to US

Perhaps for these reasons, THV is not yet full. But the managers are hopeful, believing such a community must be more than a just a roof over someone’s head and instead somewhere a person can make friends, and gain the physical, spiritual, financial, and occupational strength to ensure that by the time they rejoin society they are there to stay.

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Firefighters Finally Reach Deaf Dog Trapped in Storm Drain After 10 Hours of Trying

By
Judy Cole
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SWNS
SWNS

If you judge a city’s heart by how much they’re willing to go the extra mile even for its non-human citizens, Arlington in Texas recently proved that things really are bigger in the Lone Star State.

When Zoey, a 15-year-old deaf Lab mix wandered away from her home, practically the whole community turned out to help find her.

“I had put on NextDoor app, we’re missing our dog… and people were like, ‘Here’s my number. Call me and I will come help you find [her],’” dog mom Andrea Tankersley told WFAA.

“The difficult part is she’s deaf,” dog dad Brennan Tankersley added. “So we’re calling out to her, calling out to her, of course knowing it’s not any good but you can’t help it.”

Searchers reported hearing dog sounds but were unable to figure out where they were coming from. Two days later, city water crews homing in on her echoing barks located Zoey trapped in a muddy storm drain under a city street.

A water department camera was set up to monitor Zoey’s condition in the tunnel as a herculean rescue effort coordinated by Arlington’s fire department, police, paramedics, and city workers was quickly mounted to free the trapped canine.

Using jackhammers, pneumatic saws, and heavy equipment, crews worked tirelessly in extreme heat conditions to break up the pavement and dig down to the concrete drain pipe below. Throughout the excavation, neighbors supplied workers with food and beverages to keep them going.

MORE: Police Dog Trained to Find Weapons Aces Special Assignment of Finding Lost Wedding Ring on a Sandy Beach

Nearly 10 hours later, a section of the top of the culvert was lifted away to reveal the watery channel. Once they had access, rescuers still had to come up with a way to get Zoey safely out of the confined tunnel space.

SWNS

When one firefighter posed the idea of rolling her out on a skateboard, a kindergartener named Hunter volunteered his board for the cause.

(The skateboard, autographed by the fire and police personnel who helped out in the rescue is set to be presented back to the little boy with a big thank you from everyone involved.)

At 11 hours and counting, rescuers finally pulled Zoey from the concrete pipe to cheers and applause from an elated crowd of onlookers. The pooped pooch was passed, bucket-brigade style, up to the street where waiting emergency workers assessed her and then reunited her with the Tankersleys and their kids.

RELATED: Dog Missing for Weeks Wanders Into Walmart and Finds Owner Working at the Register

Amazingly, although she was scuffed up and understandably distressed, Zoey suffered no major ill effects from her ordeal, and after getting an all-clear from the vet is happy to be back home.

“It has been amazing,” Police officer Kristi Weil who was on the scene told WFAA.

“Everyone has been so helpful. There have been cheers of joy and tears when Zoey was rescued… I love seeing the community turn out and cheer a successful end to this—and for a family to have their beloved pet returned to them at the end of the day.”

CHECK OUT: Never Give Up! Terrier Lost For 290 Days After Vacation is Found Thanks to Social Media

We’re glad this doggone, dog-found deep-in-the-heart-of-Texas tale had a happy ending too.

(WATCH the video of the mission in action below.)

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100-Year-old Grandma Sets Guinness World Record as a Powerlifter, and Continues Winning Trophies (WATCH)

By
Judy Cole
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Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records

Reaching the age of 100 in good health and good spirits is an accomplishment in its own right, but training to take home your next weightlifting trophy truly takes the (birthday) cake.

At the age of 98 years and 94 days, great-great-grandmother Edith Murway-Traina already had a Guinness World Record (GWR) as the “oldest female competitive powerlifter” under her belt—and she successfully deadlifted 150 pounds to do it. Traina’s storied win will be featured in the Guinness World Records 2022 edition.

As a former dance instructor and performer, physical fitness was always a way of life for the Bronx-born Florida transplant, but considering she took up weightlifting a scant nine years ago, the progress Traina’s made is truly impressive—especially since discovering her newfound avocation was pretty much a happy accident.

Traina was tagging along with pal Carmen Gutworth who’d cajoled her into accompanying her to the gym to try out some new exercises.

“She didn’t want to go by herself,” Murway-Traina told the New York Post. “She dragged me kicking and screaming all the way, so that’s more or less how I got there.

“I saw all these other ladies lifting weights, and it looked interesting. I picked up a couple of weights and had to prove to myself that I could accomplish this.”

Guinness World Records

While Gutworth disputes her friend’s version of the events: “You can’t drag Edith anywhere,” she jokingly told GWR. “Edith kept going because she always keeps going. She will not quit, and anything that’s hard… that makes her more determined. If it’s easy, she might get bored, but if it’s hard, she’s going to do it. Nobody’s going to tell her, ‘Oh, that’s too hard for me.’”

Once she got started, Traina turned out to be a natural. Soon enough, she was on the team, competing in senior events, and bringing home accolades and awards.

MORE: Seniors Play Dress Up With Nature to Personify the Magic Around Us– LOOK

“When you pull a bar up and you lift it, there’s a certain power that you experience that is only yours. It belongs to you,” she told the Post.

Traina admits that harking back to her days as an entertainer, a great deal of her motivation has to do with how much she enjoys being in the limelight and the positive feedback she’s received. She says that every time she’d compete, she’d get applause, and every time she’d get applause, she’d get a little bit happier.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Traina’s doctors sent her to the sidelines but she returned to the gym as soon as she got the green light. She’s now back in training with coach Bill Beekley, working hard to make up for lost time and get back in shape for an upcoming November competition at which she hopes to bring home yet another winner’s cup to add to her collection.

Traina also appreciates that her current notoriety largely has to do with her advanced age, but as long as she can be a positive role model who blows the “sweet little old lady stereotype” out of the water, she’s good with that.

RELATED: 94-Year-old Grandmother Wears Dream Wedding Dress, 70 Years After Being Denied Entry to Bridal Shop

“I think in my nineties, I became more aware of the need for people to be recognized for who they are, or what they are, or how they are and it’s the most beautiful thing in the world,” she told GWR. “I think I survive on that, mostly, myself.”

That, some well-deserved applause, and her next trophy, of course.

(CHECK OUT Edith in action in the impressive video below.)

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8 in 10 Americans Have Taken Steps to Improve Their Health Since the Pandemic Started, Poll Says

By
Good News Network
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couple runs on beach with toddler keeping up on a bike
Geri Weis-Corbley

Eight in 10 Americans believe their health is a “work in progress,” and many have been taking steps to improve their lifestyle.

According to a new survey of 13,000 people in 24 countries—including 2,000 in the U.S.—this feeling isn’t unique to Americans.

82 percent of people globally felt the same (compared to 84% of Americans), and 89% of all respondents are currently taking steps to improve their health.

Of those, 81% said the pandemic helped kickstart them into doing so—and these steps are having a clear impact on respondents’ health.

Globally, 56% of respondents can now run or exercise longer without feeling winded, while 48% have gone down a size or a belt notch.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Herbalife Nutrition and the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the survey found the average respondent is currently working to break three unhealthy habits. Results delved into the specific small steps that respondents are taking to do so.

Respondents revealed they started their journey to be healthier by exercising more, cooking/eating more nutritious foods, or downloading a fitness app.

Purchasing less junk food, beginning to take walks during their lunch break, and taking vitamins or supplements were other “first steps” respondents took—or plan to take to support their health.

The survey delved further into vitamins and supplements and found them to be a priority for many respondents across the globe.

When asked about how their health goals have changed during the pandemic, half said they’re more focused on eating healthier, including supplementing their diet with vitamins and minerals.

RELATED: Breathing With This Device for 5 Minutes May Lower Blood Pressure as Much as Exercise or Drugs: Study

And of those who currently take vitamins or supplements, results revealed the average respondent spends about $286 every year. Americans were slightly above that, at an average of $304 per year.

“Be it exercising, healthy cooking or including more vitamins and supplements to your routine, for many, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to improve health habits overall,” said Dr. Kent Bradley, chief health and nutrition officer at Herbalife Nutrition. “Consistency is key when one commits to a healthy lifestyle.”

CHECK OUT: Metabolism Does Not Slow Down in Mid-Life as is Commonly Believed, Says Study

But while many respondents plan to incorporate more vitamins and supplements into their diet, only 69% said they feel knowledgeable about the health benefits those can offer.

Thirty percent of respondents said they are most likely to get information about vitamins and supplements from internet searches, media, and social media, followed by consulting with their doctor (27%).

MORE: Is Your Goal to Walk 10,000 Steps? Science Shows We Need A Lot Fewer

Regardless of where they currently get information, 77% would like to know more about the nutritional benefits of different vitamins and supplements to support their health.

“Being well informed about the proper use, as well as benefits of nutritional supplements, is critical as supplements can enhance every wellness journey,” said Brian Wommack, senior vice president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

WHAT ARE THE “FIRST STEPS” RESPONDENTS ARE TAKING TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH?

Start exercising more
Start cooking/eating healthier foods
Download a fitness app
Stop purchasing as much junk food
Start taking walks during their lunch break
Begin taking vitamins/supplements
Start taking the stairs instead of elevators
Reevaluate their diet
Start a more regular sleep schedule
Download an app to help track what they eat

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE RESPONDENTS SEEN IN THEIR HEALTH OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR?

Can run or exercise longer without feeling winded                   32%
Have more energy throughout the day                                   27%
Have fewer cravings for sugar/sweets                                    29%
Gone down a size/a notch on my belt                                     29%
Feel stronger/more in shape                                                  21%
More likely to choose to participate in healthy activities           16%
Become more flexible                                                           17%
Aches and pains went away                                                  23%
Can lift more and for longer                                                  20%

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