Science
Sustaining Water
★by: Remielle Juco★
Although we have many large sources of water, experts say that freshwater has become more and more scarce as the years go by. Currently, we say that we may never run out of water, but in the future, if the climate, global warming, population growth, agriculture, etc. gets worse we may have huge issues with our water. So what can we do to sustain our water, and how much water do we humans use?
So to find out how much water the average human wastes daily, we started by asking our community some questions about water usage, and here are our responses. According to the survey, 30% of people say that they drink 5–10 cups of water a day, while 27% of people say that they drink 1–5 cups of water a day, which means we humans drink about 35 billion cups of water every day according to those statistics. As for showering, 45% of people take 10-30 minute showers, while 36% take 5-10 minute showers. However, most water is wasted when people leave the sink running for activities like washing dishes (45%) or washing their face (37%). Another way people waste water is through other activities like gardening (35%) or swimming (30%), although 54% of people say they don't waste water this way.
I also spoke with Dr. Lada Denisova, a science teacher here at Taylor Middle School, and she gave us some of her thoughts about it. The average person uses as little as 3-5 liters of water in rural areas and distant villages to about 40 liters in the cities. “In general, whenever we use running water, it is wasted water,” quoted Dr. Denisova. But thankfully, we also have organizations that also try to save water, since every country has something like a water department, which includes duties of water usage and creating, supporting, and planning for the future of sustainable water sources. A scientific institution also researches and protects water resources in the country. In addition to that, some non-profit organizations unite activists and simply caring people interested in the protection and conservation of water resources.
Even so, we should still try our best to sustain our water, so here are some recommendations. From the survey, many people recommended others take shorter showers, try not to leave water on, only use running water when necessary, and reuse water. Dr. Denisova also recommended some ways to save water: “Using faucets that dosing water on the touch instead of running non-stop water faucets. Using a ladle or watering can instead of a shower. Shower rooms have to be remodeled to keep the temperature higher. Japan has very impressive innovations in this field.”
So in conclusion, we should try our best to sustain our water to have enough freshwater in the future.
The Ways to Health and Happiness
★by: Nikki Yuan★
D id you know health and happiness go hand in hand? Most people who describe themselves as happy tend to have fewer health problems, lower risks of depression and tend to live longer lives. Local teacher at Taylor Middle School, Ms. Mauro describes a healthy lifestyle as “A balance between your hobbies and work.” You don’t have to go to the gym everyday or do marathons to stay healthy, simple things like drinking water and going on a walk every once in a while should suffice. A little really does go a long way.
★Staying Hydrated★
The National Academy of Medicine recommends teens to drink 6-7 cups of water a day and for adults 9-13 cups. According to the survey I made 34% of the students who took the survey drink 1-3 cups of water a day. Ways to drink more water are to opt to drinking water when you're eating out or even at home, or to flavor it with things like fruit or mint, you could even drink alternatives from time to time like fruit juice which is 85% water.
★A Good Night's Rest★
Another way to a healthy lifestyle is to sleep more, doctors recommend anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep for teens. The adult I interviewed, Ms. Mauro, a teacher said “I normally sleep 7-9 hours of sleep.” The effects of insufficient sleep vary from high chance of heart disease, kidney failure, depression, and more. If you're struggling to get sleep you could go to bed earlier and be consistent with it, it’s hard to break a sleep schedule so if you start sleeping earlier every night it’ll start to become a habit. You could also take a little melatonin before bed. Once you start sleeping you’ll feel more refreshed during the day and be more productive.
★Exercising★
Exercising regularly is another way to lead a healthy lifestyle. Going to the gym and working out everyday is great, but you don’t need to do it to be healthy. Whether you go on a walk every once in a while or play a sport after school, either one is great. You could even walk or run on the treadmill while watching TV at home! Exercising could be something as simple as doing a few laps around your house or backyard everyday, the possibilities are endless!
An image of the Taylor PE class playing hockey
Picture of two friends hanging out
★Hobbies★
Do things you enjoy, hobbies are important. When you're happy your brain releases chemicals called endorphins, which relieve stress and improves your mood greatly. Set time aside maybe once a week to do things you love or spend time with your friends and family, happiness leads to healthier behavior, it helps stave off high blood pressure and excess body fat, resulting in lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. From knitting to playing video games it's important to have a hobby to fall back on when you're stressed and need a break. Teenagers are encouraged to find hobbies and gain a sense of self-identity.
All in all, leading a healthy lifestyle is not as hard as you think! Simple things like drinking water, going on walks, sleeping more, etc. are enough. Do things that make you happy, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. It’s ok to feel burnt-out but leading a healthy lifestyle will most definitely help you bounce back from that feeling.
Health and Happiness
★by: Emma Borossa★
Health and happiness go hand in hand when it comes to living a fulfilling life. Taking care of our physical and mental well-being is crucial for finding joy and contentment. When we prioritize our health, we give ourselves the energy and vitality to pursue our passions, build meaningful relationships, and embrace life's adventures.
A lot of teachers and students are living healthy and happy lives. I surveyed what they are doing to make their lives happy and what they are doing to stay healthy. The important thing is to do what brings joy to your life and be with the people who make you happy. I asked, “Who are the people who you love to be around?”. Almost everyone said their friends and their family are the ones who make them the happiest. The next question I asked was, “Do you eat healthy?” Everyone needs to focus on what they are eating and whether it’s healthy because healthy food doesn’t just make you happy, it brings happiness into your life. I was happy seeing the answers because most people said yes, and only a small percentage said no. My next question was, “How much sleep do you get?” Everyone needs to sleep because that is a key to health. Sleep reduces stress and anxiety, and it gives you happy hormones. More than half of the people said they sleep eight or more than 8 hours a day, but sadly, others said they sleep less than seven or even less than 4 hours a day. I was shocked about the results because insufficient sleep causes problems with memory, concentration, creativity, and problem-solving, which are essential to school and work success.
Health and happiness are essential not only for the students but also for teachers. I interviewed Mr. Rodinsky and talked about his health and happiness. I was glad that he was healthy and he lived a delighted life. My first question was, “Do you feel happy as a math teacher?” he said, “Very; I love working with kids, especially when they get the math.” After that, I asked, “What do you do to stay healthy?”. He said, “ I try to eat healthy food, and I have a personal trainer.” He seems like a really healthy person, and it is nice to hear that he tries everything to be like that. Then I asked him, “What makes you happy?” He said, “Definitely my family and my wife.” When you are with the person you love to be around or do something that makes you happy is the key to being the happiest. After that, I asked him, “What are some of your healthy habits?” He said, “Getting enough sleep, exercising, and not eating sugar is important in my life, and that is what makes me stay healthy.” The last question that I asked was,” What is something you do to make the students happy and healthy?” He said he tries to teach life lessons, like not overusing credit cards, getting enough sleep or eating healthy. It is a nice gesture from him that he focuses a lot on his students, which makes him an excellent teacher.
Health and happiness are deeply interconnected, forging a symbiotic relationship that fuels overall well-being. Prioritizing one's physical health through exercise, nutrition, and rest can lead to an enhanced state of happiness. Conversely, a positive outlook and emotional contentment can motivate healthier lifestyle choices. The pursuit of both health and happiness is not just beneficial but essential for a fulfilling life. Recognizing and nurturing this connection can lead to a more balanced, joyful existence.
Land and Nature
An interview with Ms. Mauro
★by: Gabriela Vazquez Vela Berlanga★
Land and nature are very interesting topics, land refers to the earth’s surface and all the natural resources found in it, like mountains forest and rivers and nature on the other hand encompasses all living organisms, plants animals and even the weather, its amazing how nature works !!
Ms.Mauro is a person who appreciates nature and cares about the future because she is a teacher and cares about the future of her students, when I asked her what are some things that you do take care of the environment she said “not use a lot of water, try to turn the lights off, recycle .” as you can see she does actions that help the environment.
When I asked her how she feels when she hears about global warming “she said that it makes her feel worried “ she likes nature and she doesn't like when people do things to damage it, when I asked her if people who litter be fined she said yes .and she said that if she has never volunteered for cleanups but I definitely would because she cares about her community and nature.
In conclusion, Ms. Mauro is a person that really cares about nature and land and she thinks that it is very important to share the message to take care of the earth to other people so we can have a good future. Nature is amazing, but provides us with breathtaking landscapes, diverse ecosystems and a home for a lot of species. and this article is a reminder of how we have to protect nature for generations to enjoy.
Surveys are a great way to gather information Most of the people's responses were positive, on all of the questions more than 50 % said yes which is a good thing because it means that most people do good things for the environment.
The Anime Interview
★by: Wesley Phan★
Japan culture is a strange one, their 7-11 is so much better than the US and they're really into anime like they would die just to make an anime famous even though they overwork themselves to the verge of losing their mind. So we should respect them and how hard they work just to make an animation every week like how Mappa Studios makes 3 different anime ep every week. So to know how much people in the school like anime and that didn’t go well.
Anime is the thing that we all love and admire but for some people it is just a kids show or it's just straight up weird. As there is some people that like anime Anime is enjoyable to watch, when you “watch anime your able to enjoy peak animation, and learn life lessons, as well as learning more about the japanese culture and language (unless you watch english dub like a weirdo)”as a actuale anime fan should say this in like “cuz that's what they are interested in it idk i hate anime go away this is a pretty dumb topic in my opinion brody”as for some people they think where creeps and it’s not just brain dead topic to keep us happy. Its art, emotions and hard work are put into it and some people don’t appreciate it. Even all ages can watch one piece like 4 kids to Overflow.
Mrs Fiske is a teacher who knows and loves anime. She started watching anime when her son introduced her to anime. Soon after she watched it she was changed because of the art and color that she liked. Her favorite anime is Cowboy Bebop. She likes the anime for its action and the gun-slinging. The character Faye Valentine for her cold act and character development in the story just fits in perfectly with the story.
The anime cutler is always in anime which is very educational to learn respect and watch what they do as she said “ I went to Japan and it was really interesting” because people would work hard to make people happy for no tip. So to respect the anime culture, a good beginner anime to watch is Shiro Bako, an anime about 5 girls trying to become the top animators of all time. Again the culture and the art style should be different from others like Jojo and One Piece.
The anime culture does not always need respect but takes into consideration how they make and work to do what they love to watch. You don’t have to like it but don’t call it lame and useless it can be weird, creepy, or gay it's not like it's just an animation it is peek art. You don’t have to watch it and we are not forcing you to watch it but should at least try to understand and try it.