Last month, I read with huge disappointment that the Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy seemed to be all in on Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkin’s inhumane proposal (in this writer’s opinion) to put those who are dealing with substance abuse and homelessness into an empty detention facility. I call it inhumane because the plan was…
ANOTHER UNENVIABLE ANNUAL RECORD FOR GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
As the international community gathers for COP26 widely considered the most important climate conference since the 2015 gathering which resulted in the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is reporting that despite global hits in trade and travel by the COVID-19 pandemic, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new high…
Living the Pandemic Year in Harvard Square
Life being homeless on the streets of Harvard Square was tough, but I noticed last year a glimmer of hope. As cruel winter came upon us, the food supplies were still coming and also water. I remember the first snowfall we got in December was not too bad but the cold could whoop us any…
Today: Rally for rent control outside of State House hearing
The Massachusetts legislature will hold a hearing today, Tuesday, Jan. 14, on a bill aimed at restoring the ability of cities and towns in Massachusetts to implement rent control in their respective municipalities. At 1p.m. a number of activist organizations will rally outside of the State House in support of the bill. The bill is…
SCN Fall Gala
It’s time to buy tickets to the Spare Change News “Celebration of Empowerment” Fall Gala! Tickets are $45, and the event will include a cash bar and silent auction, and will support our mission of helping homeless people to recognize their power and take charge of their lives. Click here to purchase tickets.
In Brazil’s rainforests, the worst fires are likely still to come
The number of fires this year in the Amazon is the highest since 2010, reaching more than 90,000 active fires. Farmers and ranchers routinely use fires to clear the forest. But this year’s number reflects a worrisome uptick in the rate of deforestation, which had started to drop around 2005 before rebounding earlier this decade. Many people blame the Brazilian…
Needle Take Back Day launches in Boston
On Thursday, April 25, nearly 30 community health care organizations and centers across Boston banded together for the city’s inaugural Needle Take Back Day. The event, promoted by City Councilor At-Large, Annissa Essaibi-George, is part of her continuing objective to increase the number of safe sharp collection locations throughout Boston. Participants included the Mayor’s Office…
Many Women in Healthcare Earn Less than $15 an Hour
About three-quarters of the people working in healthcare jobs are women, and a new national study from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania finds a large share of them earn low wages and have few benefits. The researchers found 34 percent of female healthcare workers made less than $15 an hour in 2017,…
Thyroid Medication Among Most Prescribed in U.S.
January is Thyroid Awareness Month, and thyroid medication is among the most prescribed in the U.S. Levothyroxine, a common thyroid supplement, is currently the second most filled drug at American pharmacies, according to data from GoodRx. So, why is thyroid medication so popular? Dr. Elizabeth Pearce, president of the American Thyroid Association and a professor…