Zika Virus

The Zika Virus is a disease that is passed on by mosquito bites and has been around since the mid-1900s. Recently, there has been a large outbreak in South America (mainly Columbia and Brazil) that could be linked to babies born with microcephaly, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish between other infections such as dengue and there is no vaccination yet available. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lays out many ways in which you can help prevent the virus from spreading. The best way is to stop the mosquitos in their track by spraying EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET (after sunscreen if applicable),

wearing long sleeve t-shirts and long pants to cover exposed areas of skin (preferably of light colors),

using window/door screens or air conditioning to keep mosquitos outside the home, sleeping under mosquito bed nets if you are outside and unable to protect yourself, and even by treating clothes with permethrin (a cream insect repellent). If you have the virus and the symptoms don't require intense medical care, make sure you get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids so you don't get dehydrated, and take medicine such as Tylenol (not aspirin) to reduce your fever and pain.

There has been a lot of talk about the pesticide pyriproxyfen as the cause of microcephaly in newborns, not the Zika Virus. This insecticide was added to water in Brazil to prevent mosquito larvae from growing a few months before physicians began to notice an increase in microcephaly, according to this NPR article. Many people argue that because the insecticide was designed to disrupt insect development, it could possibly be disrupting human development as well, although WHO has scientific research to "prove" that that is not possible. However, until officials can absolutely prove what causes microcephaly, it is best for women to err on the side of caution and wait to have children.

Environmental Policy

Today I will be talking about environmental sustainability. Sustainability alone is the ability to continue to do an action endlessly. Environmental sustainability is the ability to continue to do these actions endlessly with little to no impact on the environment. Everything that we might possibly need to survive depends on our environment in some way. It is important to keep into consideration environmental sustainability to preserve resources so that present and future generations can meet all of their needs. Once the progressive Richard Nixon came into the Presidential office almost 50 years ago, he began to take several steps toward environmental sustainability, including the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in late 1969. NEPA requires the federal government to use all practical means necessary to keep the society and nature in productive balance. Shortly after this, President Nixon decided to establish the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the new policy by "protect[ing] human health and the environment." Part of the EPA's job is to look over the required environmental impact statements (EIS) of federal agencies. If an agency wanted to make a change in their business and it would possibly affect the environment, NEPA requires that they get their action approved by the EPA before they make their decision. You can read more about the EPA, their office locations, and research on their website.

So what environmental guidelines do agencies have to follow? Under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act, the EPA looks for impacts on air pollution, children's health, energy efficiency, fishery management, grazing, highway development, mining, and much more. Check out the entire list here.

What can businesses do to help the environment? They can start a recycling drive such as the one here on campus, so not all of their waste ends up in landfills.

Another action they can take, and even we can do it, is to plant trees or sponsor companies that plant trees. Not only will we need them for future development of our homes, but they give us the very thing we need to survive: oxygen. Earth day, yet another positive environmental outreach that came out during the Nixon Presidency, will be here before we know it!

Stress

Stress is a small word for a sometimes huge feeling produced by our body. When life makes demands or threats that we feel like we cannot overcome, we freak out and worry about them to a point that destroys our mental and physical health. Most of the time, the more demands life makes of us, the more stress we experience. Some people experience more stress than others as well as some people are better at dealing with it than others. I am one that does not deal with it well. I think what really makes a difference is the amount of demands life makes. I remember during my sophomore year in high school, I was super stressed out because of all of my extracurricular activities I was involved in and the guy sitting next to me in English noticed my distress. He began to ask me what was wrong and then started telling me all of the reasons he was stressed, almost like it was a competition. I think that is what society does; they challenge everything like it is a competition and makes you feel inferior, which doesn't help with your current stress problem. They try make themselves feel better and deal with their stress by comparing all of their tasks (no matter how minor) to other's tasks, even if they have never been in the other person's position. At least, that is what I have noticed. So how should we deal with it in an effective way? Elly Prior, author of 10 tips to relieve stress, says to "Take time off for 'earthing.'" Go take a walk in the park, or a trail like I did today, and do absolutely nothing (or if you need to move, explore your surroundings). It really clears your mind and lets you escape, which enables you to make better decisions later.

According to Elizabeth Scott, a stress management expert and author of Stress Relievers, another way to reduce stress is to "Get More Laughter In Your Life." I tend to think I'm funny looking already so this is no problem for me (on the left).

"The physical act of laughing releases tension and brings positive physiological changes." So if you haven't laughed today yet, there you go. Additionally, Ms. Scott talks about my favorite way to reduce stress: writing in my journal. I haven't recently because life is good, but last semester was a different story. It helped me figure out what things caused the stress and how to deal with them. Once I had multiple entries, I could go back through them and recognize my stress patterns, how I felt, and how I reacted. Don't knock it until you try it!