The Dose: The Best Low-Impact Meat
No vaccine "overwhelm" for babies, the Yellowstone Wolves, and the best low-impact meat
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The Serious Stuff
In this section, we share the most important pandemic and science updates.
🦠 COVID-19 August update. Omicron BA.5 is the most infectious sub variant yet, and has become the dominant strain in the US. More than 110,000 cases have been reported daily in the first week of August, though the actual number is likely to be much higher. Unfortunately, mortality is also climbing, with an average of more than 400 deaths daily compared to less than 300 back in June. These numbers are worrying as we prepare to send our kids back to school, and unfortunately only 6% of children under five have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Although Omicron BA.5 is known to be better at evading existing immunity, current vaccines are still very effective at preventing severe illness and death. We urge you to get vaccinated if you haven’t. Read more
✉️ Order your COVID-19 rapid tests. Every household in the US is eligible for a total of 16 free at-home rapid antigen test kits, no shipping fees or credit card details required. The US government will be suspending this program on Friday, September 2nd due to a curb in funds, but all households can still place their orders before then. These test kits are good to have should you become exposed to the infection or become symptomatic. Not to worry though, these tests will still be available for purchase at retailers and pharmacies, and are available at no-cost to those who are in need, nationwide. Read more
🧑🍼 No vaccine “overwhelm” for babies. Is there a need to space out your child’s vaccines? Some parents are concerned that receiving multiple vaccines at the same time will overwhelm their child’s immune system. However, there is no cause for concern. Any other “alternative” vaccination schedules are not scientifically-backed, and any delay in vaccination leaves children vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. Rest assured, the recommended vaccination schedule is designed to help with a child’s proper immune system development. Extensive research has also found that receiving multiple vaccines simultaneously carry no greater risk of adverse side effects. Read more
The Beautiful Stuff
In this section, we share pieces at the intersection of science and art that have us obsessed.
🌱 Healing for the climate-weary. Daunted by the immense scale of the climate emergency? #NotTooLate is here to tell us that it’s not all doom and gloom. Its intention is not to avoid the worst news, but to offer the good news, perspectives, connections to people and the paths forward that we, and those who care about our planet, can take. Having grown up in an era where one can feel powerless in the face of a supposedly insurmountable climate emergency, this page offers much-needed hope, and the resources we can immediately use to inform ourselves and act accordingly.
🌷 Listen to the Earth’s most exquisite. Looking for something to delight your ears? Be transported anywhere, from the Kolombangara in the tropical rainforests of Solomon Islands to the melting snow in a Slovenian forest in late winter. Earth.fm is on a mission to deliver a palette of pure soundscapes from natural ecosystems around us. The creators of this mystical non-profit are well-aware of the positive impact of natural sounds on our well-being, some of which are becoming increasingly scarce. They do an amazing work of highlighting charities from the places the sounds we listen to are from- and the hard work these organizations are putting into preserving our natural world. If you’re stressed, give this a try. We can attest that listening has brought almost an immediate serenity and calmness, perhaps a gift only nature can provide.
🐺 The Yellowstone Wolves. Nothing can better explain the interdependence and complexity behind ecosystems better than this. The reintroduction of wolves to yellowstone National Park in 1995 triggered a still-unfolding cascade among the animals and plants native to the area. The reintroduction of wolves and controlled local deer population, allowed plants to thrive once more and near. This led to a whole chain of events that scientists are still trying to understand. Dams built by the newly increased beaver populations are now able to provide shaded water for fish populations and restored plant life provide homes for songbirds.
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LOVE the information about how the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone in 1995 - has so markedly changed/improved the ecosystem. I remember when this occurred as I was working for a Tribe at the time and it was a conversation.
Did I miss the Low Impact Meat part of the email?