Popcorn is a beloved snack worldwide, known for its satisfying crunch and versatility. But if you’re reaching for popcorn every day, you might be...

Some stories don’t begin with a single dramatic event, but Mark Mathew Braunstein’s does. On what was supposed to be a joyful celebration—his birthday in 1990—Mark’s leap from a footbridge into a river wasn’t just a dive, but a plunge into a new reality. A misjudged jump left him paralyzed from the waist down. He calls it his “Rebirthday.” And ever since, he’s been navigating life as a born-again pedestrian—one crutch, one challenge, one revelation at a time. A Moment Becomes a Lifetime Before that fateful dive, Mark was like many adventurous souls—active, curious, and perhaps driven by a touch of ego. That day, watching swimmers plunge into the river, he followed suit, partly to impress his...

On a frigid January day blanketed in snow, thirteen citizens stood hand-in-hand in Sherborn, Massachusetts, forming a human chain in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. It was Inauguration Day—January 20, 2025—and also the Martin Luther King Day of Service. The symbolism could not have been more powerful. In this moment of transition, as the nation held its collective breath, these individuals engaged in peaceful civil disobedience, forming what they called the “Peace Chain,” to sound an alarm about the state of democracy. Among them were Quaker activists Bill Holcombe and Lewis Randa, whose refusal to simply go quietly has led them to face charges of “disturbing the peace.” Rather than accept a quiet dismissal...

As sustainability becomes a guiding principle in how we live, more Americans are asking: can we also choose greener ways to say goodbye? Traditional funerals—whether casketed burials or cremations—have long been the norm, but their environmental costs are considerable. Now, alternative funeral options that honor both the departed and the planet are gaining traction across the U.S. The Environmental Toll of Traditional Funerals Each year, conventional burials introduce roughly 800,000 gallons of toxic embalming chemicals into the soil, while millions of hardwood caskets consume precious forests. Cremations, too, come with a heavy carbon price—emitting around 360,000 metric tons of CO2 plus harmful substances like mercury into the atmosphere. These stark realities have fueled growing curiosity and interest in...