Activism, Meet Impact.

In September, we're learning about income inequality, wealth justice and wage gaps.

Read the first article in the series: https://novelhand.com/an-introduction-to-income-inequality-in-the-us/

Create impact at www.impactfull.novelhand.com

Poverty + Inequality: https://gsdrc.org/topic-guides/poverty-and-inequality/measuring-and-analysing-poverty-and-inequality/defining-poverty-extreme-poverty-and-inequality/

Income Inequality in Austin, Texas:

• NPR article: https://www.kut.org/health/2018-05-15/study-says-austin-has-the-lowest-levels-of-income-inequality-among-large-us-cities
• Racial Wealth Divide: https://www.austincf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RacialWealthDivide-Profile-Austin.pdf

The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (or BFFPPA, as it's affectionately known) could radically transform how we produce and manage plastic waste in the United States-- if it gets passed. But what all does this bill actually include? For the final episode of our Plastic Waste series, Emma F. breaks down the BFFPPA and how it could help solve our plastic waste problem.

Read the BFFPPA summary here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k4Zxx5tBTbBELtg18Bkv2SpA75ss5PPh/view

Support the BFFPPA and learn more about the Break Free From Plastic Pollution movement: https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/pollution-act/

Check out our current plastic labeling system, and why the "recycling" symbol doesn't always mean recyclable: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/g804/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321/

Catch up on the rest of the Plastic Waste series: https://novelhand.com/category/impactfull/

Continue learning and creating impact with Impactfull: https://www.impactfull.novelhand.com/

I just moved to Austin, and I'm taking you with me!

Alexa here. Over the next few months, I’ll share how I’m getting to know Austin and becoming a more engaged citizen. My experience is Austin-specific, but what I’m doing is critical for anyone moving to a new place. I’ll be exploring everything from electricity and composting to history and local government.

Read the first two articles of the series here: https://novelhand.com/alexa-in-atx/

Look for new articles each Friday, and follow Novel Hand on Instagram for more frequent updates: https://www.instagram.com/novel.hand/

Several Novel Handers share our experiences attempting to go plastic free. It's not as easy as you might think-- but it just might be worth it!

Grace shares about switching to more sustainable shampoo and cleaning products. Emma has experienced a plastic bag ban in her home state and has some tips for remembering your reusables at home and on campus. Alexa is making eco-friendly swaps in her new city by switching up her shaving routine.

What's the zero-waste movement, and are you doomed to fail in your zero-waste journey? Read Emma's article to learn more and find out your chances: https://novelhand.com/waste-not-want-not-exploring-zero-waste/

Learn EVEN MORE about how you can go plastic free from this month's impact buttons on Impactfull: www.impactfull.novelhand.com

Nonprofit Director Katherine sits down with Emma F., our Environment and Sustainability Editor, to talk about plastic pollution in the ocean and some of our favorite nonprofits working to keep our seas clean.  

• Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas initiative: https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/  
• The Ocean Cleanup: https://theoceancleanup.com/  
• Surfrider Foundation: https://www.surfrider.org/initiatives/plastic-pollution 

Impactfull: https://www.impactfull.novelhand.com/ 

Plastic is everywhere... and it's a problem.

Emma Fagan sits down with Jennifer Congdon of Beyond Plastics to chat about why plastic is a problem (hint: it never really breaks down) and how we can be part of the solution. They discuss extended producer responsibility, personal actions to reduce plastic waste, how plastics contribute to climate change, and the politics of plastic.

If you use plastic, you're going to want to listen to this episode.

Emma and Jennifer discuss the impact of plastic waste on the environment and human health, along with potential solutions to the plastic crisis. 

Learn more about plastic waste and take action at www.impactfull.novelhand.com 

Check out Beyond Plastics: www.beyondplastics.org

I’m Alexa, your occasional host and constant supporter in this journey to turn our activism into sustainable and equitable impact. If you care about people and the planet, you’re in the right place. Each month we cover a new topic, from chocolate to climate refugees to plastic. We’re talking to experts and activists about the world’s most pressing humanitarian issues to learn how we can be part of their solutions. 

With new episodes each Wednesday and the occasional mini episode, which we call Handfuls, you’re on your way to creating real impact in your daily life. Let’s get started! 

P.S.—you’re going to want to check out www.impactfull.novelhand.com for the full experience, including ways to make impact TODAY based on what you learn in this week’s episode.

Today on the podcast, Nonprofit Director Katherine and Refugees and Migration Editor Grace sit down to discuss our July Impactfull partner, Climate Refugees, and to wrap up an excellent month of learning and impact.

Using a people-driven approach, founder and Executive Director Amali Tower and the team at Climate Refugees work to uplift the voices of vulnerable climate refugees to increase awareness and bring about policy change at local, regional, and international levels.

Climate Refugees is our July Impactfull partner. Your Impactfull subscription supports Climate Refugees and their work to create policy change to help address climate-driven displacement.

Learn more here: https://www.climate-refugees.org/

Learn more and create impact at: https://www.impactfull.novelhand.com/

Natasha sits down with Kayly Ober, senior advocate and program manager of the Climate Displacement Program for Refugees International for the third episode of our Impactfull series on climate refugees. 

Kayly has over a decade of experience researching and analyzing issues related to climate and migration, including her work with the TransRe project, World Resources Institute, and the Asian Development Bank. Kayly’s PhD dissertation at the University of Bonn focuses on analyzing the climate-migration-adaptation nexus in rural Thailand.  

How important is it to have a cultural connection to the country you are researching? What kinds of vulnerabilities has COVID-19 exposed on internal migration? What can governments do to help alleviate this global problem? All of this and more are answered in today’s episode. 

Check out Kayly’s work discussed in this episode here: 

-https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports/2021/2/10/at-a-climate-change-crossroads-how-a-biden-harris-administration-can-support-and-protect-communities-displaced-by-climate-change 

-https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports/2020/10/5/complex-road-to-recoverynbspcovid-19-cyclone-amphan-monsoon-flooding-collide-in-bangladesh-and-india 

-http://www.transre.org/index.php/about/our-team/kayly-ober 

Check out the introductory article from our Impactfull series on climate refugees here: https://novelhand.com/climate-refugees-impactfull-intro/ 

Our article from last week focuses on some of the pressing challenges faced by climate refugees: https://novelhand.com/climate-refugees-impactfull-challenges/ 

Learn more and create impact at: https://www.impactfull.novelhand.com/

What does it mean to take an interdisciplinary approach to research and policy for an issue as complex as climate refugees and climate-driven migration?

For Prof. Jonathan Gilligan, it looks like drawing on expertise across fields - ranging from environmental science and law to psychology and political science - and developing a multifaceted view of the relationship between humans, the environment, and the decision to migrate. 

Today on the podcast, Grace sits down with Prof. Gilligan to talk about his interdisciplinary work and the types of solutions we should consider to mitigate climate change and respond to climate refugees and migrants.

Check out the introductory article from our Impactfull series on climate refugees here: https://novelhand.com/climate-refugees-impactfull-intro/

Our article from this week focuses on some of the pressing challenges faced by climate refugees: https://novelhand.com/climate-refugees-impactfull-challenges/

Learn more and create impact at: https://www.impactfull.novelhand.com/