Lifestyle

How many newly-minted “plant moms” have you met lately?Since COVID-19 took hold of the UK, most industries crashed… except gardening, greenhouses, and horticulture. Online plant store Patch said its sales increased by 500% during lockdown. Overall, potted plant sales are up by 70%, and show no sign of stopping.So what’s all the fuss?Having a few plants around can increase your energy and attentiveness, lower blood pressure, and even clean your air. With winter well on its way (as well as possible holiday lockdowns), we’re keen for as many mood-boosting tips we can get.The government has even launched a trailblazing scheme aimed to tackle mental health crises in communities hardest hit by coronavirus through “green prescribing” - supporting cycling and walking groups, green gy...

Why You Should Start A Business Mid-Pandemic COVID-19 has caused countless businesses closures across all industries, but looking at the unemployment rate alone, you might think coronavirus never happened.  It’s not all doom and gloom - new businesses pop up every day, and many existing businesses are thriving despite the pandemic. With millions of workers on furlough, many are wondering: is starting a business the next step for me?  NPN caught up with the founder and CEO of a tech start-up that launched during COVID-19 to see what he had to say. Here are a few good reasons to start a business in the middle of a global pandemic:  Creative disruption In the midst of uncertainty, creativity is necessary to survive. Innovation grows from desperation, and ...

Illustration by: Yohannes Balcha Goodbye 2020, Hello 2013! “2020 has been such a mess. I wish the year was over already.” What if we told you this was possible - that you don’t have to wait until December to ring in the New Year? In Ethiopia, people celebrate New Years Day on 11th September. Known in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia as Enkutatash, this holiday marks 1 Meskerem, the first day in the Ethiopian calendar. Goodbye, 2020 - hello, 2013! The How, What, Why to Ethiopian New Year  How is it calculated?  The most common calendar is the Gregorian calendar -  named after Pope Gregory XIII who introduced it in October 1582. However, Ethiopia follows a solar calendar, based in Coptic tradition and fixed to the Julian calendar in 25 BC ...

Is it possible to find a silver lining to COVID-19? August is nearly over - and if it hasn’t dawned on you that we are now closer to Christmas than the beginning of the year, let that reality sink in. As we question where the first eight months of the year went and how a virus we hadn’t heard of in January has changed the entire world, it can be hard to find a silver lining. An article posted in the British Journal of General Practice by Sophie Ingham, a Post CCT Fellow at Haxby Group Practice in York, highlighted that in the wake of this pandemic we must take the time to see the positives where we can find them. Top ten positive effects seemed a bit ambitious, we’ll settle for top three (for now). An uptake in physical well-being Ingham recalls an early-lockdown experience: ...

How to Be Less Racist Ideas worth spreading: this is TED's motto, and the reason it offers free talks on everything from media literacy and lifestyle to physics and history. We've hand-picked these TedTalks for you, and they're all to do with race, privilege, and how we can change our minds and perspectives to build a more equitable world. We hope these brief perspectives from scholars, historians, activists, artists, scientists, and psychologists expand your perspective as they have ours. Art & Beauty The symbols of systemic racism — and how to take away their power by Paul Rucker “The stealth aspect of racism is part of its power. When you're discriminated against, you can't always prove you're being discriminated against. Racism has the power to hide, and when it hides, it's ke...

10 Powerful Reads On The Black British Experience So, you want to dismantle systemic racism? Hold up a second. This is a long fight. It will not be won by sharing an Angela Davis quote on your Instagram story and then going back to life as usual. Racism – deeply-rooted, institutionalized, systemic racism – cannot be undone by simply shouting about it. Racism is not just our system, our government, our economy, but something ingrained in our thoughts and worldviews. Unpicking these thoughts requires education – and reading is a great way to educate ourselves. "Racism is not just our system, our government, our economy, but something ingrained in our thoughts and worldviews" Why? Reading is a form of listening. We can only untangle racism at large when we star...