So we went to the trouble of writing a series on voluntourism, but what does implementing these lessons look like in practical volunteer work? Today on the podcast, Grace speaks with special guest Rose Capin about her roles at Vanderbilt Alternative Spring Break and Repair the World to learn how concerns about voluntourism factor into these service-based organizations.  If you would like to continue the conversation with Rose, you can reach out to her at rose.capin@gmail.com  This month’s Impactfull series on voluntourism: https://novelhand.com/impactfull-site/voluntourism/  R ..read more

We've all seen a photo on Instagram of a white woman holding an orphan-- and most of us have pretty strong opinions about it. But there's a more difficult question here: how should we interact with humanitarian issues around the world? This March, Novel Hand is exploring our intentions to do good, white saviorism, and how we interact with human suffering through voluntourism. This month's Impactfull series on voluntourism: https://novelhand.com/impactfull-site/voluntourism/ Novel Hand: https://www.novelhand.com ..read more

Erika talks with Alexa (her older sister!) about some of the articles she has written over the past 11 months as a contributor to Novel Hand focusing on technology and social impact.  One of Erika's first articles was about applications of virtual reality for social impact. In today's episode, Alexa and Erika discuss how virtual reality could be used to build empathy in our increasingly digital world.  Next, they discussed potential uses of hacktivism and how this form of activism utilizes collective action to create change. Erika also talks a bit about big tech and our role as consu ..read more

Last week, I started reading about the health benefits of matcha, and decided that I needed to try it.  So like every other zombie consumer out there, my fingers typed ‘amazon.com’ into the search bar without my brain even realizing it, I instantly had dozens of matcha options that could be at my door in a matter of hours.  However, I was quickly sidetracked from my matcha research by a little green symbol in the search results next to the words, “Climate Pledge Friendly.” Amazon launched its Climate Pledge Friendly program to inform consumers of sustainable products in 2020, and ad ..read more

Your morning coffee might be hurting the environment. When we talk about coffee and sustainability, we often focus on the farming practices of coffee growers. But just as important is the waste that's produced at the point of consumption. Single-use plastic and other trash created from your morning caffeine kick adds up. That's where EcoRate comes in. This app allows you to rate coffee shops based on their sustainability. Today on the podcast, I'm speaking with Alex Morgan, the founder of EcoRate. We discuss why waste is an issue at the consumption point of coffee, how EcoRate creates its c ..read more

There were so many PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from chemical dumps that the fish developed a genetic mutation that made them immune to the chemical compounds, according to National Geographic. Now, the Duwamish River is flourishing. Today on Handful, Sydney discusses community conservation as an approach to preserving local land and biodiversity. Learn more at https://novelhand.com/community-conservation ..read more

At the end of last month, a Chicago-based nonprofit filed suit against Hershey's and the Rainforest Alliance. Corporate Accountability Lab alleges that Hershey's and it's sustainability certification are violating consumer protection laws by misleading consumers about labor practices in cocoa supply chains. External reports and investigations by CAL show that child labor occurs on farms that supply cocoa to Hershey's. In today's episode, Alexa gives a brief overview of the social and environmental problems in the chocolate industry. Next, she explains this novel litigation and why you should ..read more

We're learning about AVOCADOS this month: where they come from, how they affect the environment, and why it matters. On today's episode, Natasha talks with Mattie Gottbrath of the Global Citizenship Program at Washington University about food, cultural appropriation, and white saviorism. They discuss the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation, how to engage with different cultures, and solidarity and charity. Learn more about avocados on Impactfull: www.impactfull.novelhand.com Read more at novelhand.com ..read more

Where does the US immigration system stand, and how can it be improved? [Part One] | Read more here: https://novelhand.com/united-states-immigration-mpp ..read more

What is the role of true crime in our society? Will the Bachelor franchise ever get it right? Is AOC actually a capitalist? On Activism, Meet, we're breaking down all of these issues and more. We're exploring the intersection of activism and pop culture to ask hard questions about our society and the role of social justice in media and culture. In today's inaugural episode, Alexa explores the ethics of the true crime genre and what Gabby Petito's disappearance says about our consumption of tragedy. Next, she tells a story about her interaction with a progressive member of Bachelor nation and ..read more