Protecting and Preserving the Earth Sustainable Brands
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NNEWSPRINT Protecting and Preserving the Earth Sustainable brands: Necessaire Patagoina Reformation Levi’s Toms Lush TrueBotanicals LoveBeautyandPlanet BVBI L’Occitane TheBodyShop Aveda WetBrush LeLabo LaMer Origins CommonGood Ecos Puracy Parachute WestElm OurPlace Stasher Purifyou BeesWrap WhiffBotanicals Sprout Sqwishful Dropps SmartSheep Thinx Publicgoods MERCY HIGH SCHOOL | 29300 W. 11 MILE ROAD, FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48336 | Volume 74 | Issue 06 2 | INDEX | 04.20.21 INDEX 03 ROBOTICS GETS MOODY 04 THERE IS NO PLANET B STAFF 05 MAKING A MERCYAIRE Editor-in-Chief:Clare Jones 06 MARCH THE 13TH: ONE Associate Editor-in-Chief: Megan Mallie YEAR LATER Design Editor:Rachael Salah 07 HOUSEPLANT HYSTERIA Copy Editor:Maddie Sullivan 08-09 PROTECTING AND Web Editor:Delilah Coe PRESERVING THE EARTH 10 MEET THE NEW EXECUTIVE Caitlyn Begosa:Reporter BOARD Grace O’Dea:Reporter 11 WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, Fatima Siddique: Reporter WATCH: THE WAR BETWEEN Adivsor : Hallie Smith MEDIA PLATFORM STREAMING 12 #FREEBRITNEY 13 FROM HOME TO WORLDWIDE: THE RISE IN KOREAN POP 14 LATIN IS NOT DEAD. 15 60 WALKS IN 60 DAYS Check out our website 16 GO SHORTY IT’S YOUR Newsprintnow.net for more EARTH DAY stories! Follow Newsprint and keep up with our daily posts! Twitter @mercynewsprint Instagram @mercynewsprint April Snapchat @ mercynewsprint Facebook @ mercynewsprint 3| LIFE | 04.20.21 Robotics gets moody STORY AND GRAPHICS: GRACE O’DEA ow could a robotics team possibly help “We used a system called CAD (computer aided smart devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbit people manage their anxiety? Simple: a design) in order to design an image for the ring,” fitness bands by using the same various sensors to Hmood ring. Not the average arcade prize said Baldwin. “So we have a semi-blueprint model track physical aspects of someone’s health. toy mood ring, though, but rather a “modern- of the basic structure of what the ring will look By sensing heart rate and temperature, the ring day mood ring” as senior robotics team member like.” can pick up on how anxious someone is feeling. Jill Grubb said she and her fellow robotics team The ring functions in a way similar to other “The ring itself has a bunch of different sensors,” members like to call it. With some robotics said Grubb, “and through those the ring can sense knowledge and creativity, Grubb and the robotics when someone is starting to get really anxious. team have worked to create a ring to help people Then the mood ring changes colors.” track their anxiety. The ring is also connected to an app on its “Our goal is to lower anxiety and make it more wearer’s phone so that ring users can see patterns manageable,” said Grubb. “We want to basically in their anxiety and learn more about how they help people who have anxiety deal with it and give feel throughout the day. LED lights inside the ring them coping mechanisms.” change color to show a shift in the ring wearer’s When asked to make a product that would help feelings of anxiety, while the app is designed to either physical or mental health and benefit people give more details on how the person is feeling and both in and out of robotics for a competition, how their mood has changed. the robotics team first responded by throwing The app would track anxiety and changes in different ideas around for what to make. Although mood, and also have the ability to send messages the concept of a mood ring is what ended up being to its user. used, this idea was first met with hesitation by “The ring would be connected to the app on team members. your phone and you would get a text notification “We were a little skeptical at first about if we saying, ‘hey you’re very anxious right now, why would be able to put the technology needed [to don’t you try taking a break’,” said Grubb. track anxiety] inside the ring,” said Grubb. Along with tracking anxiety patterns and alerting After doing some research and looking into its users when needed, the app is also planned to different smart devices that function similar to contain exercises to help ease anxiety. Features how the ring would, the robotics team came to such as meditation devices, calming games and agree on making the mood ring. other coping mechanisms would be included in the One of the main reasons the robotics team app so that even people who don’t own the mood supported the ring was that it would help Mercy ring can still utilize the app the ring is paired with. students’ mental health and wellness. “One of our concerns was if the app would be “It’s an anxiety ring,” said junior robotics useful to someone who didn’t own the ring,” said team member Casey Baldwin. “Mostly everyone Baldwin, “so basically we wanted to make [the experiences anxiety at one point or another, and app] somewhat functional for those without the so we wanted to create something that not only ring.” benefits [the team] but also others.” With the cost of production and the need for Before a blueprint could be made for the ring, some profit, the ring is projected to cost about $75. The projectected front page of the app for the robotics the team had to spend quite some time doing It is yet to be produced and as of right now only team’s ring. Photo used with permission from the robitics background research. They looked into different exists as a presentation for the robotics team’s team. apps and products built for anxiety and competition, but the team hopes to spoke with a therapist about helpful make the “modern mood ring” a reality ways to approach anxiety. From there, as soon as possible. building a model of the mood ring began. The robotics team made this image of the ring using CAD. Photo used with permis- sion from the robotics team. 4 | EDITORIAL| 04.20.21 Clare’s Corner There is no planet B STORY AND GRAPHICS: CLARE JONES, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF hat is climate change? The most universal also utilized napkin dispensers to manage waste. studies showing how this man-made issue is resulting and the simplest explanation is the change in Also, to increase our green footprint, last year the in increased health risks, especially deteriorating the Wthe typical weather that occurs in a particular school has implemented a specific period during our human respiratory system. Some locations within the location. According to scientists and the majority of the advisor group for students to empty the recycling bins United States have such high levels of air pollution global population, the climate crisis is an existential throughout the school. including ground level ozone (a key component of threat that affects every region of the earth differently. If society does not take action now in protecting the smog) that over the past years hospitalizations and This issue requires as many individuals as possible to planet to prevent these natural disasters from happening emergency room visits related to asthma and lung make positive lifestyle changes to save the earth to more frequently, the majority of Millennials and Gen dysfunction have increased and caused premature avoid an environmental calamity. Z will be here to witness and suffer the potential deaths. Research suggests the fundamental cause of climate detrimental environmental effects. Here in Michigan, the Environmental Protection change is pollution. The negative environmental NASA has reported that since the 1880s, the average Agency (EPA) published a study analyzing how the effects of climate change damage not only the air, global surface temperature has risen roughly two Great Lakes’ water temperatures are increasing and water and land but also living habitats. For example, degrees annually. This rise in temperature caused by the water levels are decreasing as higher temperatures have the online campaign for #savetheturtles promotes the pollution being put into the atmosphere creates higher resulted in more evaporation. This has also affected the protection of sea turtles, an animal that has been on the sea levels, shrinking glaciers, droughts and increased state’s water supply and ability to use docks, piers and endangered species list since 2001. Due to the increase human health risk, to name a few. other shoreline ecosystems that the state relies heavily of marine debris, especially plastics, sea turtles have As the rates of pollution rise, the Center of Disease on to create business. ingested harmful chemicals that have caused their and Control (CDC) in December 2020 published If more preventative measures are not implemented, immune system to weaken and shortened their lifespan. we will continually see states like Texas go into havoc Furthermore, because of extreme weather that has when building infrastructure breaks because of extreme significantly impacted coastal regions, sea turtles’ weather. We will see California continue to experience habitats and reproduction have decreased. droughts and wildfires. We will see Florida One of the Sisters of Mercy’s critical concerns is continue to suffer from severe hurricanes. caring for the earth. The Sisters acknowledge Despite how illusory these events may the importance of maintaining sustainability sound, they are real and happening in and believe that all humans have the front of us every day. right to clean water. Nationally, they The world’s living environments have promised to reduce their usage are changing. And as it does, of greenhouse gas and to promote I hope collectively we more prominent solutions in recognize how the earth’s international, national, state and atmosphere is affecting local agreements on public policy ecosystems large and related to addressing climate small, how and where change, which they have stated we live, and creating as an “urgent moral crisis.” human health issues.