Advocacy
Light of the Horizon
Nestled between rolling green hills and the edge of a crystal-blue lake lay the village of Liora—a place so quiet, many maps forgot it existed. Yet, for those who found it, Liora was unforgettable. No one rushed in Liora. Morning began not with alarms but with the sound of birdsong and the smell of warm bread baking. Children played barefoot in dewy fields, their laughter echoing through the valley. The sky always seemed a little bluer, and the air carried the scent of lavender and hope. It was in this village that Maren arrived one autumn morning, a traveler in search of something she couldn’t quite name. She had left the noise of the city behind—its honking cars, endless screens, and hurried footsteps—and followed a hand-drawn map given to her by an old woman on a train. “Go there,” the woman had whispered. “They still remember how to live.” Maren didn’t expect much. Perhaps a quaint stop, a few photo opportunities, maybe some fresh bread. But as she stepped off the small bus that only came twice a week, something shifted. The air seemed lighter here, the kind that made you breathe a little deeper without realizing it. An elderly man named Elias greeted her at the village square. He had a beard like soft wool and eyes that had seen decades of peace. “Welcome to Liora,” he said, his voice like river stones. “Here, we live by the rhythm of kindness.” Maren smiled politely, not yet understanding. But she stayed. Each day, she watched. A child, no more than five, helped her grandmother water plants in mismatched pots. A group of teenagers repaired a neighbor’s broken fence without being asked. There were no locks on doors, no loudspeakers, no stress. When someone was ill, food appeared on their porch. When someone grieved, the village walked silently with them to the lake, candles in hand. No one was rich in Liora—not in money. But in time, in community, in joy—they were wealthy beyond measure. It wasn’t long before Maren began to change. She found herself waking with the sun, baking bread with the village baker, singing songs in languages she didn’t know. She painted for the first time in years, her fingers smudged with color. Her shoulders, once heavy with unspoken worries, relaxed. One evening, she sat by the lake as the sun melted into the water. Next to her was Anya, a girl of about ten, drawing in the dirt with a stick. “Do you like it here?” Anya asked, not looking up. “I do,” Maren replied. “It’s… peaceful.” Anya grinned. “That’s because we choose peace. Every day.” Maren looked at her, surprised. “You choose it?” “Of course,” Anya said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Kindness doesn’t just happen. We plant it, like seeds.” That night, those words stayed with Maren. Months passed. The villagers began calling her one of their own. She had found what she didn’t know she was seeking—not just peace, but a way of being. A reminder that goodness wasn’t a rare miracle, but a choice made in every small act. When she finally left, she didn’t feel like she was leaving something behind—but carrying something forward. She knew the world outside Liora was louder, harder. But she also knew something else now: that goodness, once seen, can’t be unseen. That peace, once planted, can grow anywhere. Even in the busiest cities. Even in the darkest times. And so, Maren drew her own map—simple, hand-drawn, with a note on the bottom that read: “Go here. They still remember how to live.”
By Muhammad Saad 4 months ago in Earth
Friends of Monarch Butterflies
The other day, my friend Shay came over, and after our usual chit-chat, I took him for a short walk around the neighborhood. As soon as we stepped outside, I pointed to the house next door and said, “That’s Alyssa’s place. She doesn’t live here anymore, but she visits sometimes. She taught me a lot about milkweed and monarch butterflies.” It was a mix of truth, joy, and sadness—I haven’t seen Alyssa in a long time since she moved out of her mom’s house(the house next door), but she visits sometimes. Yes, it’s true: she really did teach me about milkweed and monarch butterflies. This piece is about that, and my further research, I suppose.
By Homayra Adiba4 months ago in Earth
How to Start a Plastic Recycling Business: Closing the Gap Between Consumer and Industrial Recycling
The Untapped Opportunity in Plastic Recycling Plastic recycling is often discussed in terms of household waste — bottles, containers, and packaging tossed into blue bins. Yet what most people don’t realize is that industrial plastic recycling is an entirely different ecosystem — one that’s cleaner, more efficient, and far more profitable.
By Jonathan Riedel4 months ago in Earth
The Planetary Health Diet: How Eating for the Earth Can Save Both You and the Planet
I. The Fork in the Road Every bite we take shapes more than our health — it shapes our planet. From the farmlands that feed us to the forests cleared for livestock, the global food system is now one of the biggest drivers of climate change, biodiversity loss, and chronic disease.
By arsalan ahmad4 months ago in Earth
Remember to Visit our Tri-City Parks
I love the outdoors. People probably wouldn't say that about me because I stay home a lot and surf the web more than I go for long outdoor walks. It's because I live in Florida and in my opinion we only get 4 pleasurable months: November, December, January, February. That's about the only time of year where I can go outside without getting attacked by mosquitos or drowning in my own sweat or having an asthma attack or getting so burned by the sunrays that I look redder than a lobster. Last year I wasted my favorite four months and didn't get outside as much as I wanted to. Not this time. I'm very happy that October has arrived, and I can't wait to see what my walking legs can do this winter. First thing that comes to mind are the public parks. While I've been hiding out in my little backyard area when I want some nature time, I absolutely adore walking through big parks and preserves and seeing new plants and flowers and trees. I've gotten around to many of the parks in the Tampa Bay area so I'd like to share my memories with you and recommend the ones that I remember. The great thing about this list of park recommendations is that all of the parks mentioned below do not have an admission fee (although some of them have a parking fee) so if you have a tank of gas, you can go see these parks and enjoy all the beauty they have to offer.
By Shanon Angermeyer Norman4 months ago in Earth
Pluto's Historic First Orbit Around the Sun Since Discovery in 2178: What It Means for Astronomy. AI-Generated.
Pluto's Historic First Orbit Around the Sun Since Discovery in 2178: What It Means for Astronomy Imagine a tiny, frozen world drifting through the cold void of space. Pluto has traveled billions of miles since we first spotted it back in 1930. Now, on March 23, 2178, it wraps up its first full trip around the sun since that big discovery. This Pluto orbit milestone grabs our attention because it shows how vast our solar system really is.
By Story silver book 4 months ago in Earth
When the Sky Speaks: Inside NASA’s Space Alerts That Watch Over Earth
Every night, as we look up at the star-filled sky, it feels quiet timeless and calm. But beyond that peaceful view, space is far from still. It’s alive, filled with invisible storms, flying rocks, and radiant energy waves. At the heart of keeping humanity informed about these cosmic happenings is NASA’s Space Alerts an official system that notifies scientists, governments, and sometimes the public about what’s going on in our near-Earth neighborhood.
By Izhar Ullah4 months ago in Earth
The Unique States of Water: Exploring Earth's Only Substance in Liquid, Solid, and Gas Forms
The Unique States of Water: Exploring Earth's Only Substance in Liquid, Solid, and Gas Forms Imagine watching rain pour down on a warm day, only to see it freeze into snowflakes during a cold snap later that week. Or picture steam rising from your morning coffee, turning the air misty around you. These simple moments show water's amazing shifts right in your daily life.
By Story silver book 4 months ago in Earth
Dinosaurs Roamed Earth for 165 Million Years: Why Humans Have Only Scratched the Surface
Dinosaurs Roamed Earth for 165 Million Years: Why Humans Have Only Scratched the Surface Imagine a world where giant beasts with sharp teeth and long necks filled the land. These creatures, dinosaurs, walked Earth for 165 million years. That's a stretch of time so huge it dwarfs our own story. Humans? We've been around for just 300,000 years. That makes up only 0.2% of the dinosaur timeline.
By Story silver book 4 months ago in Earth
An Ode to Dr. Jane Goodall
As a kid, I wore out the Disney Tarzan VHS tape. I remember relating to Jane, a young woman eager to enter the jungle, and who was the only one of her party to truly love and understand animals. I had a juvenile crush on Tarzan, and I still sometimes listen to the soundtrack.
By Alisan Keesee4 months ago in Earth
