Bob Crouch is headed into his 16th occupational therapy appointment at the American Lake branch of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Crouch’s thumb was amputated after a household accident, and he lost the use of his fingers during one of three surgeries. Mary Matthews-Brownell is helping him stretch and exercise his hand to […]

Fans of Halloween are being asked to remember about plastic usage by Sea Life Blackpool. The aquarium says the event produces huge quantities of ‘pointless plastic’, such as costumes, decorations and throwaway items and wants people to start re-using them similar to Christmas decorations. Matthew Titherington, general manager at SEA LIFE Blackpool said: “We’re encouraging […]

They’ve sacrificed so much for our country, yet so many veterans face challenges like unemployment and homelessness. To help combat that, the Greater Los Angeles Veteran’s Administration held an event, which for many, is the first step in turning their lives around. Heidi Marston is with the VA Greater Los Angeles and explains what “Stand […]

What started as a challenge from an Ohio CEO has turned into thousands of dollars for homeless veterans in Michigan. Maureen Tobin, district director for the Lincoln Park Exchange Club, said the club partnered with Veterans Matter, a Toledo-based organization that helps homeless veterans get housing, after a fortuitous meeting at Lincoln Park Days a […]

To me, the back-to-school months of September and October feel more like the new year than January. There’s a general sense of inspiration about fall that prompts people of all ages to do more for themselves and the people and environment around them. Speaking as the helm of a recycling company on a mission to […]

Halloween is just around the corner, but when it comes to decorating your home for the spooky holiday, it can be a challenge to keep things eco-friendly. Most store-bought decorations are made with non-recyclable plastic and covered in toxic paint or synthetic fabrics. But there is no need for frivolous spending and waste when it […]

For several years, the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club has raised money to buy and fill backpacks with necessities for the more than 6,500 homeless veterans in New Jersey through Operation Chillout. Each fall members of the FSP Rotary seek donations to purchase the backpacks and the items to fill them. The backpacks contain thermal underwear, hoodies, gloves, […]

A proud local veteran who was homeless in the final years of his life was laid to rest in a poignant military funeral. Army Private Walter Anthony Ledford died of liver cancer on September 29 in hospice care at Charles George VA Medical Center. Sadly, he didn’t have the luxury of loved ones by his […]

Air pollution—largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels—has been shown to cause heart and lung damage, asthma, and even increased rates of depression in kids. And, on a slightly more vain but nevertheless concerning note, it’s messing with our complexion. The pollution-skin connection. Chemicals in dirty air—organic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and […]

While everyone was distracted by Kanye West spouting inanities in the Oval Office, some actual work was done in the White House yesterday. Two senators showed up for the signing of a bill that garnered unanimous support in the Congress to clean up plastic pollution in the oceans. Our seas are, of course littered with […]