She’s 22, a doctoral student and debut author. Meet Altadena’s Kemi Ashing-Giwa.

• July 10, 2023

Science fiction, says 22-year-old author and student Kemi Ashing-Giwa, is what keeps her interested in science “when the going gets tough.” Ashing-Giwa, who grew up in Altadena here in Southern California, is in the early stages of a doctorate in earth and planetary sciences at Stanford University. She’s also debuting her first full-length speculative fiction novel, “The Splinter in the Sky,” out July 11 from Saga Press.

At the center of “Splinter” is tea specialist Enitan, whose sibling Xiang has been kidnapped from their small lunar province, which has been absorbed into a vast empire. When Enitan goes looking for Xiang, she is unexpectedly conscripted as a spy in the still-simmering conflict between the Empire and those it seeks to dominate. As she finds herself drawn into plots and counterplots, Enitan realizes how the Empire’s quest for dominance has fractured and absorbed traditions, language and art while dividing people into classes based on wealth and status.

Related: Sign up for our free newsletter about books, authors, reading and more

A space adventure at heart, “Splinter” also examines the aftermath of colonization, when the physical violence is over and the destruction of the culture of the conquered has begun. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q. When did you start writing and how did your ideas for “The Splinter in the Sky” come about?

I’ve been writing for as long as I remember. One of my earliest best friends and I would work on a little short story together whenever we had a sleepover, building up a series each time we met up. It was called “Mammoth Land” and everyone was a sentient pachyderm of some sort, and we were the queens of this world. 

Speculative fiction has always been an escape for me. When I am processing, or working through very complicated things – whether they’re my own emotions, or whether they’re things that are happening in the world around me – I like to examine those things through the lens of science fiction and fantasy. There’s a sense of safety; there’s a sense of distance. 

The reason I wrote “Splinter in the Sky” is because when I was at home over the pandemic, I really didn’t have any responsibilities besides my classes and research projects. And I do recognize that’s a huge, huge privilege to have during this horrible, global tragedy. I felt I needed to make sure that I had a good understanding of the things that were happening in the world. 

I would start my day by waking up and reading all the news articles in my inbox, and then I’d go to Zoom University, and then I would watch the news – and then I would do four hours of doomscrolling on Twitter, right before I went to bed. I needed a way to process all the things that I was learning and all the things that I was feeling. “The Splinter in the Sky” was a way for me to do that, that didn’t feel overwhelming.

Q. What inspired the world-building? Did you use any resources or background books? 

There are a couple of different things that coalesced into “Splinter in the Sky.” One was that I got really into tea over the pandemic. For the book, I wanted a character that had an interesting job that I hadn’t read about before – so why not have Enitan be a tea specialist and put this useless tea knowledge that I’m accumulating to some use?

I also got really into reading nonfiction about ancient empires. One of the books I was reading was “The Great Empires of the Ancient World,” by Thomas Harrison; there was also Dominic Lieven’s “In the Shadow of the Gods,” which is about emperors in world history. Those influenced the Vaalbaran Empire in the book. 

Q. You’re from Altadena and attended school in Pasadena, which is where sci-fi great Octavia Butler is from. Was she someone you read?

I’m a huge Octavia Butler fan! “Bloodchild” was one of the pieces that inspired me to write short sci-fi horror stories.

Q. Did you tap into any family history or personal experience while writing this? 

My family is a group of extremely multicultural immigrants. My mom is from Trinidad and Tobago, her mom was from another island in the Caribbean. Her father is from China. My father is from Nigeria. Nearly all these places have been colonized. My feelings about that, and also watching my parents navigate American society and just figure out how to survive were very much incorporated into the book. Rather than violence, I think the main threat that empire poses, at least to me, feels more cultural, more insidious, more political. That definitely went into how I wanted the story to play out.

The Vaalbaran Empire is definitely inspired by the British Empire, which has a long, long history of looting and pillaging and stealing stuff – and then telling the cultures that actually produced those works of art, “You can come to our museums.” I also got very interested in the Ottoman Empire when I was doing revisions. I really wanted to dig into what happens after annexation, what happens after the main colonizing event? What are the things that unfold after an empire has dominance? 

N.K. Jemisin’s “The Fifth Season” was the biggest influence on me. I know when I was writing “Splinter,” I was thinking, “Yeah, my goal is to write 5 percent as well as N.K. Jemisin does; if I can do that, then I will be happy for life.” I wish writers of color could kind of admit to rage in their fiction, you know? Most of the time, you typically stick to subtle and gentle and respectable. But “The Fifth Season” just encompasses so much unbridled rage in a way that I found so powerful. 

Q. How does what you’re studying influence your writing and vice versa?

I have my degree in evolutionary and organismic biology and an astrophysics minor. Those definitely got tied into the world of “Splinter.” I spent time thinking about what the planets are and were like – for example, Enitan lives on a lunar colony on a moon that orbits a gas giant at the edge of the solar system. Gondwana was an actual ancient supercontinent on Earth, and that appeared in the story as the main planet.  Many of the smaller details didn’t make it into the book, because I’m sure it would have been really boring to read about. 

Overall, writing has made me a much better communicator than I would have otherwise been in science. When I was a kid, I imagined being a scientist was about mixing chemicals in the lab and writing equations on the board. It is that – and I do love that – but a large part, one of the most important parts, is communicating not just to other researchers and professors, but also just people in general. 

Q. What do you hope readers will take from this book?

I had originally intended to write a very straightforward, simple, revenge fantasy. But while writing it, I realized that would make for a fun story, but not necessarily a true story, at the end of the day. So the story is less about revenge and more about family and, at the risk of sounding really trite, hope and the beauty of life despite its trials and tribulations. 

Kemi Ashing-Giwa with Tananarive Due 

When: 7 p.m., July 11

Where: Vroman’s 695 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena

Information: www.vromansbookstore.com/Kemi-Ashing-Giwa-with-Tananarive-Due-The-Splinter-in-the-Sky

Related links

‘Binti’ novelist Nnedi Okorafor reveals how new book reflects back on the pandemic
The Book Pages: ‘Translation State’ author Ann Leckie on Octavia Butler, AI & more
Octavia’s Bookshelf owner Nikki High on an incredible first week
Attorney and author Natashia Deón delves into LA’s troubled history with ‘The Perishing’
How ‘Murderbot Diaries’ author Martha Wells overcame a career in crisis to create the killer series

​ Orange County Register 

LA billionaire sells San Diego Union-Tribune to owner of Southern California News Group

• July 10, 2023

The majority owner of the Southern California News Group has bought the San Diego Union-Tribune from Los Angeles billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong for an undisclosed amount.

The U-T purchase by investor Alden Global Capital, announced Monday, July 10,  comes during turbulent times in the newspaper industry as audience and advertising are increasingly absorbed by search and social media companies. The U-T will be operated by Alden-controlled MediaNews Group, which also runs the 11 newspapers of the Southern California News Group.

“This valued acquisition enables MediaNews Group to advance its stewardship in California as the largest provider of news and information across the state as we continue our commitment to ensure newspapers remain viable well into the future,” said Sharon Ryan, executive vice president of California for MediaNews Group.

Alden’s purchase will grow the California reach of MediaNews Group which owns the Southern California News Group and more than a dozen newspapers in Northern California, including those with the Bay Area News Group.

A memo to the U-T staff announcing the deal said the Union-Tribune will need to “make some difficult staffing decisions as we assume management. Reductions will be necessary to offset the slowdown in revenues as economic headwinds continue to impact the media industry. We will seek efficiencies in business operations, distribution, and production while striving to support and prioritize the robust, local newsgathering needed to serve the communities that rely on the Union-Tribune for excellence in journalism.”

Cooperation between the U-T and SCNG newsrooms may be part of the future newsgathering operations, but sources close to the deal said it was too early for any specific announcements.

The memo highlights the financial stress created by Big Tech giants who’ve successfully lured readers and advertising away from newspapers – often by using  the newspaper industry’s own work.

“It’s no secret that our industry faces substantial revenue pressures brought on by big tech aggregators who redistribute our original content for their own profit, at the expense of our staff, diminishing our readership and causing declining advertising and circulation revenues,” the memo stated, “Despite impressive news reporting and a hardworking staff, the U-T has not been immune to these pressures.”

The U-T has San Diego roots that date to 1868. It was bought by Tribune Publishing in 2015 and then acquired along with the Los Angeles Times by Soon-Shiong three years later. The Times recently announced it was eliminating 74 positions in its newsroom, or roughly 13% of the staff.

A statement from the Los Angeles Times said the Soon-Shiong family “made a good faith effort to rebuild and support both news organizations. We hope that this change now will position both the L.A. Times and San Diego Union-Tribune to succeed. The ongoing work of transforming the L.A. Times into a self-sustaining institution will be our focus, as we believe that Los Angeles needs and deserves a strong, independent news organization.”

​ Orange County Register 

Madonna postpones Celebration Tour dates including four nights in Los Angeles

• July 10, 2023

Madonna has officially postponed the first leg of The Celebration Tour, which includes four dates at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles originally set for Sept. 27-28, 30 and Oct. 1.

Following her recent health scare due to a serious bacterial infection that led to several days in the ICU last month, manager Guy Oseary announced that the tour would be postponed until further notice.

On Monday, July 10, Madonna clarified for fans via Instagram that the tour would be rescheduled and would now kick off in October in Europe.

The “Material Girl” pop star shared that she’s thankful for all the prayers and positive energy fans have poured onto her the past weeks, noting she is now on the road to recovery.

“My focus now is my health and getting stronger and I can assure you, I’ll be back with you as soon as I can,” she wrote.

Live Nation is encouraging fans to hold on to their tickets as they will still be valid for the new dates once they’re announced. The tour, which will feature Madonna’s greatest hits, was supposed to launch this weekend at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC.

The 2024 dates on Jan. 7-8 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood and Jan. 11 at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert are still on as scheduled.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

At least 1 dead as relentless storms wallop Northeast

• July 10, 2023

By Kathy McCormack

Rescue teams raced into Vermont on Monday after heavy rain drenched parts of Northeast, washing out roads, forcing evacuations and halting some airline travel. One person was killed in New York as she was trying to leave her home.

Mike Cannon of Vermont Urban Search and Rescue said crews from North Carolina, Michigan and Connecticut were among those helping to get to towns that have been unreachable since torrents of rain belted the state overnight.

Cannon said the hardest hit area are along the mountainous areas of the Green Mountains in the state’s southern and central counties. The towns of Londonderry and Weston were inaccessible, and rescuers were heading there to do welfare checks. A state park in Plymouth was being evacuated, and water levels at several dams were being monitored.

The slow-moving storm reached New England in the morning after hitting parts of New York and Connecticut on Sunday.

See how storms are delaying,  West Coast airports: LAX, Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne flights delayed, canceled by severe East Coast weather

The National Weather Service in Burlington, Vermont, said a flood watch remains in effect for all of Vermont until Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, heavy rain poses a risk of significant flash flooding throughout parts of New England on Monday.

“Widespread, heavy rainfall capable of producing considerable to catastrophic flooding is beginning to unfold. Road washouts are ongoing, and are expected to increase in extent and severity over the course of the day,” the Weather Service said.

The slow-moving storm reached New England in the morning after hitting parts of New York and Connecticut on Sunday.

One of the worst hit places was New York’s Hudson Valley, where rescuers found the body of a woman in her 30s whose home was surrounded by water. The force of the flash flooding dislodged boulders, which rammed the woman’s house and damaged part of its wall, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus told The Associated Press. Two other people escaped.

“She was trying to get through (the flooding) with her dog,” Neuhaus said, “and she was overwhelmed by tidal-wave type waves.”

He said many roads and bridges were washed out. Officials believed everyone was accounted for, but they were trying to reach people to make sure they were OK.

Officials say the storm has already wrought tens of millions of dollars in damage. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said at a news conference Monday that the storm sent “cars swirling in our streets” and dumped a “historic” amount of rain.

“Nine inches of rain in this community,” Hochul said during a briefing on a muddy street in Highland Falls. “They’re calling this a ‘1,000 year event.’”

Hochul announced a state of emergency Sunday for Orange County. That included the town of Cornwall, near the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, where many roads were flooded and closed off.

The storm also interrupted air and rail travel. As of early Monday, there were hundreds of flight cancellations at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports and more than 200 canceled at Boston’s Logan Airport in the last 24 hours, according to the Flightaware website. Amtrak temporarily suspended service between Albany and New York. In Vermont, some 25 state roads were closed.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said swift-water rescue teams from outside the state were needed.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck response,” he said at a Monday press conference. “We have not seen rainfall like this since Irene, and in some places, it will surpass even that.”

Scott was referring to Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011, when the state got 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain in 24 hours. Irene killed six in the state, washed homes off their foundations and damaged or destroyed more than 200 bridges and 500 miles (805 kilometers) of highway.

Scott declared a state of emergency on Sunday. Some campers and people caught in their homes were rescued in central and southern Vermont, said Mark Bosma, spokesperson for the state emergency management office.

By the morning, some towns reported 2 1/2 to 4 inches (6.35 centimeters to 10.16 centimeters) of rain since midnight, and similar totals were expected during the day, said Robert Haynes, meteorologist with the Weather Service in Burlington.

“We still look like we’re on track for that potentially significant, locally catastrophic flooding,” Haynes said.

“This is one of those unique events that we don’t see very often around here,” meteorologist Marlon Verasamy in Burlington said of Monday’s storm.

He said the ground was already saturated and rivers were relatively high from recent heavy rains. Parts of southern Vermont had mudslides and road flooding from a storm Friday night into Saturday morning.

“It’s the same area being hit today,” he said.

Several communities in western Massachusetts have reported flooded and washed out roads, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said Monday.

The fire departments in Adams, North Adams and Clarksburg in the northwestern part of the state close to the New York and Vermont borders are also assisting homeowners with in pumping out basements, spokesperson Sara Porter said.

Related Articles

A portion of Route 57 in Tolland was also flooded, she said. In Williamsburg, firefighters were trying to rescue someone who had become trapped in their home by floodwaters, emergency manager Denise Banister said.

Flash flooding and washed out roads were reported in western Connecticut and along the state’s shoreline. In Norfolk on Monday morning, fire officials said several culverts along Route 272 had crumbled or moved and about 50 homes had been cut off by flood waters that destroyed the roads leading to those properties.

McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont contributed.

​ Orange County Register 

Study: Heat deaths soared with temps in Europe last year

• July 10, 2023

By Frank Jordans | Associated Press

BERLIN — Scientists say crushing temperatures that blanketed Europe last summer may have led to more than 61,000 heat-related deaths, highlighting the need for governments to address the health impacts of global warming.

In their study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers examined official mortality figures from 35 European countries and found a marked increase in deaths between late May and early September last year compared with the average recorded over a 30-year period.

The increase in heat-related deaths was higher among older people, women and in Mediterranean countries, they found. But the data also indicated that measures taken in France since a deadly heatwave two decades ago may have helped prevent deaths there last year.

“In the pattern of summer mean temperatures in Europe during the summer of 2022, we don’t see borders,” said co-author Joan Ballester of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. The highest temperatures were recorded across a swath of the southwestern Europe, from Spain to France and Italy.

“But when we look at the heat related mortality, we start to see borders,” Ballester told The Associated Press. While France had 73 heat-related deaths per million inhabitants last summer, Spain’s rate was 237 and Italy’s was 295, the study found.

“Possibly France drew lessons from the experience of 2003,” he said.

France’s warning system includes public announcements with advice on how to stay cool and encouraging people to drink water and avoid alcohol.

Not all of the heat-related deaths calculated across Europe last summer were linked to climate change. Some would have occurred even if summer temperatures had stayed in line with the long-term average. But there is no doubt that the intense heat in 2022 — which saw numerous European records tumble — led to higher mortality rates, as other studies on heat deaths have also shown.

The authors calculated that there were over 25,000 more heat-related deaths last summer than the average from 2015 to 2021.

Without appropriate prevention measures, “we would expect a heat-related mortality burden of 68,116 deaths on average every summer by the year 2030,” the authors said. They forecast that figure would rise to over 94,000 by 2040 and more than 120,000 by mid-century.

Governments in Spain and Germany recently announced new measures to address the effects of hot weather on their populations. In Switzerland, a group of seniors is citing the danger posed to older women by intense heat in a court case seeking to force the the government to take tougher climate action.

One difficulty for researchers is that heat-related deaths are often happening in people with pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, said Matthias an der Heiden of Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, who was not involved in the study. This means that heat is not the underlying cause of deaths and therefore not recorded in the cause of deaths statistics. This can cloak the significant impact that heat has on vulnerable people, with up to 30% more deaths in certain age groups during periods of hot weather.

“The problem is going to get more acute due to climate change and medical systems need to adjust to that,” he said.

An der Heiden also noted that the Nature study estimated almost double the number of heat deaths in Germany last year than his institute. While the discrepancy can be explained by the different threshold values for heat used, it indicates the need for a more detailed description of heat-related mortality that distinguishes between moderate and intensive heat, he said.

According to co-author Ballester, the impact of heat depends greatly on the overall health of the population, particularly with regard to heart and lung disease.

Other measures, already being implemented in countries such as France, include raising awareness about the dangers of high temperatures and identifying individuals who need special attention during heatwaves, he said.

“These are cheap, cost effective measures,” said Ballester.

He dismissed the suggestion that rising temperatures around the globe could, on balance, be beneficial due to fewer deaths during the winter months, noting the manifold risks posed to human civilization by rapid climatic change.

“In my opinion and the opinion of all the climate scientists, the less the climate is modified, the better,” said Ballester. “That’s why it’s so important that we start, as soon as possible, mitigating climate change and reducing vulnerability.”

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

​ Orange County Register 

She picks through Disneyland trash with one goal: Zero waste by 2030

• July 10, 2023

Disneyland Environmental Integration Manager Lotus Thai picks through trash at the Anaheim theme park all in the name of science and in search of an elusive goal: Reaching zero waste to area landfills by 2030.

Thai’s job in a nutshell is to get Disneyland visitors and employees to think about what they throw away and how they can recycle it.

“Trash isn’t a fun thing to talk about,” Thai said during an interview at Disneyland. “So how do you get people excited about trash?”

SEE ALSO: Disneyland resets Oogie Boogie Bash ticket launch after epic tech failure

Thai invited me to dig through Disneyland’s trash to see how visitors dispose of their leftover hamburgers, french fries, corn dogs, churros and Dole Whips in “Food Only” trash cans that have been rolled out in a few locations throughout the park.

Food waste studies like the one I conducted help Thai and the Disneyland Environmental Integration team figure out how to reduce food waste at three steps of the process: Upstream with vendors, midstream with employees and downstream with visitors.

Disneyland Environmental Integration Manager Lotus Thai, left, and Orange County Register theme park reporter Brady MacDonald try on the Disneyland trash can costumes. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)

Thai is passionate about reducing waste and promoting recycling at Disneyland. She even made hand-painted Disneyland trash can costumes out of upcycled cardboard boxes to add a little levity to her pitches about Project Zero — an employee competition that pits departments against each other in a waste reduction battle royale. Project Zero is part of Disney’s larger corporate-wide initiative to reduce waste and emissions, conserve water and design sustainable products and buildings.

Disneyland has long had two side-by-side trash bins in the parks. The “Trash” cans say “No Food or Recyclables” on the bin with pictographs indicating that plastic utensils, potato chip bags and kids’ juice boxes belong in the bin. The “Mixed Recycling” cans say “Cans, Glass, Plastic, Paper” under a smaller slot for refuse.

In a few locations, Disneyland has been testing out “Food Only” cans labeled “Fruit, Meats, Desserts” with images of a half-eaten hamburger, apple and turkey leg on the side of the bin.

Disneyland trash cans in Tomorrowland. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)

I put on a black apron and baby blue latex gloves for my food waste study that was set up next to a trash dumpster in a backstage area just behind Tomorrowland.

On a folding table in front of me was a teal green bag of food waste from a “Food Only” can near the Galactic Grill and five small trash bins labeled Food, Paper Cups, Paper Boats, Landfill and Mixed Recycling.

My job was simple: Sift through the trash and sort the leftover lunch from Galactic Grill diners into the five bins. Thai stood nearby to help guide me in my task. How hard could sorting trash be? Much harder than I expected as I was about to find out.

“This is science,” Thai said. “We are scientists.”

I was an English major in college — in part so I could avoid the science wing of campus. A mix of anticipation and nerves blended with the smell of salt and grease as I started my Disneyland waste study experiment. Surprisingly the one emotion I didn’t have was disgust as I stared into a sea of uneaten french fries and half-eaten hamburgers.

Orange County Register theme park reporter Brady MacDonald, left, and Disneyland Environmental Integration Manager Lotus Thai conduct a food waste study. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)

Step one was to place the teal green bag of food waste on a digital scale to get a starting weight. Thai took it easy on me with a quarter-full bag that weighed only 4.8 pounds.

Thai often tackles larger waste studies that require her to sort much fuller bags of Disneyland trash into 10 or 15 separate categories.

“It really depends on what I’m trying to learn,” Thai said.

The scientific hypothesis I was studying on this day: How many paper food boats and paper drink cups were being thrown in the “Food Only” bins near the Galactic Grill?

“It’s supposed to be food only in that can,” Thai said. “We need to be able to reduce the amount of trash going in the food can. So, how do we know if we’re doing things correctly or not?”

Thai’s first tip was to leave all the actual food waste in the Tomorrowland trash bag. No need to toss all those hamburger buns, beef patties, french fries, corn dogs, churros and ketchup into the little food waste can on the folding table – just pull out everything that was not food waste and sort it into the labeled cans arrayed before me.

Orange County Register theme park reporter Brady MacDonald conducts a food waste study at Disneyland. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)

Sorting the paper food boats and the paper drink cups was pretty self explanatory — with each going into their respective bins for our experiment.

Where those drink cups and food boats end up in the tortuously tangled world of recycling is a little more complicated. Wax coated paper cups and food boats can’t be recycled. Uncoated food boats can be recycled — as long as they have little to no food waste. But they belong in the landfill bin if they are covered in ketchup or coated in leftover mac n’ cheese.

Overall, I was still a little fuzzy on what was supposed to go in the mixed recycling bin versus the landfill bin — which is a larger issue for Disneyland, but not the scientific hypothesis I was testing. The question at hand was how much non-food was being tossed in the “Food Only” bins.

As I started sifting through the trash, I turned to Thai whenever I had questions or doubts about which bin the non-food items belonged in.

Mixed recycling confused me. Plastic Coke bottles and plastic specialty drink cups went in mixed recycling. But plastic utensils and paper straws did not. Why? Because they were too small to be recycled, according to Thai.

The parchment paper used to wrap food or line food boats? That sounded like mixed recycling to me. Nope, it belonged in the landfill bin. The foil potato chip bag? Certainly that goes in recycling. Wrong again. My head was already spinning.

“As you’re doing this, you’re also observing,” Thai said. “When I’m going through the trash I obviously care about the categories, but I also look at the human behavior side.”

SEE ALSO: Disneyland crews install ‘Big Hero 6’ towers on San Fransokyo bridge — See photos

The hamburger foil wrapper balled up with leftover burger and bun inside? That’s clearly food waste, but getting visitors to unwrap the ball and separate the food and foil into the correct cans has been one of the biggest challenges facing Disneyland’s Environmental Integration team.

“That’s where we say, ‘Hey, the foil might be causing a lot of trash to go to food,’” Thai said. “Because they’re not pouring out the food. They’re just bundling it all up and then throwing it all into whatever bin.”

I unwrapped the burger ball and was immediately faced with the next conundrum: Where does the foil wrapper go? I guessed mixed recycling because it was paper on one side and foil on the other. Paper and foil together sounded like “mixed” recycling to me — but I was wrong. The foil wrapper belonged in the landfill bin because the recycling facility can’t separate the two materials.

The “mixed” in mixed recycling means you can throw plastic bottles and aluminum cans into the same trash can – but you shouldn’t throw in items that mix together two recyclable materials.

Napkins totally confused me. They seemed simple enough. The brown color of the napkins made me think they were made from recycled paper. They must go in with the mixed recycling, right? Nope. Napkins are an “end of life” product and go in landfill, Thai said.

“Napkins are one of those things where it’s done,” Thai said. “We can not recycle it anymore.”

The paper straw seemed like a no brainer: Mixed recycling. Wah-wah. Incorrect answer. Paper straws are too small to be recycled. They’re landfill.

The paper wrapper from a paper straw? I chose landfill based on the napkin and straw scenarios. Wrong again. Paper goes in mixed recycling — as long as it’s not soiled with food. Then it goes to the landfill.

What about the little ketchup packets? They contained food on the inside and were wrapped in a plastic packet — two recyclable materials mixed together. That meant it belonged in landfill. Thai gave me two thumbs up. Finally, I got one right.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland delivers the Marvel musical you didn’t know you wanted or needed

Sorting through the trash was fun once I got the hang of it — kind of like figuring out a puzzle.

I squeezed the leftover ketchup out of one of those little paper portion cups into the food waste bag in front of me and tossed the soiled paper cup into the landfill bin. Now I was getting the hang of things.

Playing with other people’s chewed food was a little disgusting, but my pride as a scientist outweighed my nausea. I was doing scientific research — not just picking through trash. I was having fun.

I took a napkin from the food waste trash bag and wiped the excess ketchup off my latex gloves and tossed the soiled napkin into the landfill bin. I had this down now.

The point of all this dirty work? To come up with solutions that help Disneyland reduce waste.

One thing Disneyland’s trash sifting scientists have learned from all these waste studies is that they prefer bulk condiment stations with paper portion cups over condiment packets because that gets the park closer to zero waste. Ultimately, the goal is to make recycling less confusing and find products that are better for the environment.

“There’s obviously the environmental science and environmental sustainability aspect of this and of course statistics,” Thai said. “But there’s also the human behavior psychology component to our work as well.”

Soiled cash register receipt? I tossed it in the landfill bin. I was getting in the rhythm now.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland closing 3 popular rides during peak of summer

One of the things I realized during my Disneyland dumpster diving scientific research was just how much can’t be recycled. Thai and Disneyland’s Environmental Integration team hope to change that.

Disneyland sends the food scraps collected outside the Galactic Grill and other eateries to a recycling plant that heats, filters, cleans and ultimately reduces the leftovers to an oatmeal-like powder that smells like graham crackers without the cinnamon. The powder is sold to farmers who shake it on animal feed like nutritional yeast – and ultimately helps Disneyland reduce the amount of waste that gets sent to landfill and achieve its goal of achieving a formal zero waste certification.

“When we define zero waste, it’s actually 90% diversion,” Thai said. “What that means is 10% of the items can go to landfill and 90% of the items you find a way to either reuse the items or not have the waste created at all.”

Related Articles

Disneyland’s Environmental Integration team launched the Project Zero initiative in 2021 with a competition that pits four departments against each other to see which team can reduce the most waste. The novel project earned Disneyland a 2022 SEAL Business Sustainability Award.

Four teams have been competing for the Project Zero crown: Disneyland’s candy production team, the resort’s central bakery, the Team Disney Anaheim headquarters and the Luigi administration building behind Cars Land. Their success has ranged from 60% waste reduction to more than 90%. The hard part has been staying at or above 90% consistently over an extended period of time.

When my waste study was done, we weighed the food waste left in the bag and compared it to the weight in the paper cup, paper boat, mixed recycling and landfill bins. The actual food waste weighed 4.2 pounds. Doing the math, that meant 87.5% of the items Disneyland visitors had thrown in the Galactic Grill “Food Only” can was actually food waste. That’s pretty close to Disneyland’s goal of 90% waste reduction — or Zero Waste in recycling parlance.

To document our study, we created a pie chart of the waste that went into the five bins. Most importantly, Thai had Clorox wipes handy to clean up after my waste study was complete.

​ Orange County Register 

How to get a credit card with no credit history

• July 10, 2023

Janna Herron | Bankrate (TNS)

These days, having good credit is less of a suggestion and more of a mandate. Let’s face it, when you have good credit, you have more opportunities. You can lease a nicer apartment and put a downpayment on a new car. Having good credit also comes in handy when you need to apply for a loan.

So, what do you do when you have no credit history whatsoever? Do you qualify for any type of credit card? Younger people, students, immigrants and anyone afraid of the notion of debt are left wondering how they can get a credit card with no credit history.

Luckily, there are ways you can get a credit card with no credit. It is possible, and while it might take some work, the benefits go well beyond getting approved. In fact, some credit cards are designed with this type of individual in mind. However, some require collateral as a result.

The idea of putting down a deposit in order to get a credit card shouldn’t cause you to run for the hills. Getting a credit card with no credit history is more than possible. Let’s take a look at how.

Can you get a credit card if you have no credit?

Getting your first credit card may be one of the most important steps toward building a strong credit history. But if you don’t have enough of an established credit history to generate a credit score, can you get approved for a credit card? The short answer is yes, but you are limited in the types of credit cards you can get approved for.

Building credit can seem next to impossible if you are contemplating opening your first line of credit. This is because most credit card issuers look for consumers who have an established credit history in order to grasp their creditworthiness. A credit score tells lenders whether or not you are responsible.

However, having no credit history is different from having a bad credit score. A bad credit score tells lenders you’ve misused credit in the past. Perhaps you missed multiple payments in a row and now you have found yourself with a mountain of credit card debt. Consumers who do not have a credit history simply don’t have enough data to calculate a credit score.

Your credit score heavily influences the types of credit cards you are eligible for, but with this in mind, you do have options. There are credit cards geared toward consumers who have low credit scores or no credit history at all, such as the following:

— Student credit cards: A student credit card is an excellent way to build credit while taking the right steps towards learning solid financial habits. Student credit cards are designed for students who haven’t had a credit card before. They often come with noteworthy perks, such as student-centric rewards and no annual fees.

— Secured credit cards: Secured credit cards give you access to a small line of credit in exchange for a one-time security deposit. Your credit limit is usually equal to your security deposit.

Features to look out for in your first credit card

Your options may be limited when browsing for your first credit card, but building credit with your first line of credit isn’t a race you need to win. It is important to use your first credit card as an opportunity to adopt healthy financial habits so you can eventually graduate to a credit card that may have more perks and rewards.

As you compare the pros and cons, here are a few features to keep an eye on.

Annual fees

There are plenty of student credit cards and secured credit cards without annual fees, so keep this in mind while browsing through your options. The last thing you want is your first credit card to come with a steep annual fee. For example, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card does not have an annual fee, but the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card comes with a $35 annual fee. While that may not be a lot to pay once a year, know that you have options.

Foreign transaction fees

Much like annual fees, you want to keep an eye out for any cards that come with foreign transaction fees. A top choice to keep in mind if you are a student looking for a starter credit card is the Discover it® Student Cash Back, given the lack of foreign transaction fees. If you are planning on studying abroad or taking a trip across the pond for spring break, you won’t have to worry about any additional charges while using your credit card internationally.

High interest rates

Credit cards for individuals with no credit (or poor credit) typically come with much higher interest rates. This may be unavoidable, however, if you manage to pay your bill in full and on time each month, you won’t have to pay interest. If you’re willing to forgo rewards, the Secured Chime® Credit Builder Visa® doesn’t charge interest whatsoever, and it also doesn’t charge late payment fees or have over-the-limit penalties.

How to get a card with no credit history

The first step in getting a credit card with no credit history is to ensure the options you’re interested in applying for are built for people with no credit history. For example, Bankrate has a list of the best credit cards for no credit history that are geared toward those with no credit score.

You can also check to see if you can prequalify for a credit card with no hard credit check. Tools like Bankrate’s CardMatch can help you find a card and offer information on your chances of approval. Overall, this can help ensure your credit card application isn’t denied by applying for a card for you have a high chance of qualifying for.

After applying for and being approved for a credit card, be sure to monitor your credit reports for errors. You can do so once a week for free through AnnualCreditReport.com.

How to use your first credit card to build credit

It isn’t outside the box to wonder if your credit score starts at zero. But the truth is, there is no such thing as a “starting credit score.” When you are new to credit, you build your credit score simply based on the way you chose to use it. When you open your first credit card, you will begin to build your credit score.

The key to building a strong credit score is to pay your bills on time and in full every single time. But there are several steps you can take to boost it even further in order to qualify for better credit cards down the line.

Become an authorized user

When you’re an authorized user, you are added to the credit card account of an existing cardholder — typically one belonging to a family member or friend. The primary cardholder simply adds you as an authorized user, and you get your own credit card with your name on it. The primary cardholder is responsible for making all the payments, which makes them liable. The account and payment history will be reported to the credit bureaus, populating your newly-created credit reports.

Use your card wisely

This should be a no-brainer, but the best way to improve your credit score is by adopting healthy habits from the very beginning. When you pay your bills on time, you boost your credit score. If you’re 30 days past due on a payment, it will be reported to the credit bureaus and your credit score will take a hit.

Limit credit inquiries

A hard inquiry shows up on your credit report each time you apply for a credit card. When you apply for a credit card, the lender will perform a hard credit inquiry, dinging your credit score a few points temporarily. With this in mind, don’t go on a credit spree and apply for every single credit card available on the market. Do your research to determine which credit card is best for you and apply for one at a time as a best practice.

Keep an eye on your credit utilization ratio

Your credit utilization ratio measures how much of your available credit you are using. This amount is expressed as a percentage, and it makes up 30 percent of your credit score. The lower this number, the better it is for your credit score. Once you get started with your first credit card, check out Bankrate’s credit utilization calculator to determine what your ratio is.

The bottom line

A high credit score will make your life easier in the long run, especially when you want to apply for a loan or a better credit card, but keep in mind this comes with patience and solid financial habits. If you can commit to a long-term strategy when it comes to making on-time payments and keeping your credit utilization ratio within a healthy range, you will be on track to graduate from your secured credit card to an unsecured credit card in no time.

©2023 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

When to start regular breast cancer screenings

• July 10, 2023

DeeDee Stiepan | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News Network

Early detection and regular breast cancer screenings are key to reducing death from breast cancer. Mammograms remain the best tool available and have been shown to reduce deaths from breast cancer. That’s why Mayo Clinic recommends women start screening mammograms yearly at age 40. While that recommendation has been firm for the past 10 years, other institutions have shifted the recommended screening age over the years.

The latest to consider a change is the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which is proposing changing its guidelines to recommend all women begin screening mammography at age 40, a decade earlier than previous guidelines.

Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, with Mayo Clinic’s Breast Diagnostic Clinic and Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, is pleased to see the shift.

“Mayo Clinic has always taken the stance to screen beginning age 40, every year. And I think other organizations are doing that. And these (recommendations) are now coming closer together. The importance of initiating mammography at age 40 is nice to see this happening,” says Dr. Pruthi.

“We’re trying to detect cancer early. Over 250,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and 40,000 women die from breast cancer every year. So our goal is to detect cancer early and improve the prognosis so we reduce deaths from breast cancer.”

Women at a high risk of breast cancer, such as those who have a family history or those who have a genetic mutation that might increase their risk of developing breast cancer, may need earlier and/or more frequent screening.

Dr. Pruthi encourages patients to talk with their healthcare team to identify risk factors and preferences that might change how often someone should be screened.

Dr. Pruthi also stresses the importance of breast self-awareness. She encourages women to become familiar with their breasts and if there are changes in-between regular screening mammograms, to bring this to the attention of their primary care provider.

“We have to remember that screening mammogram is for early detection in an asymptomatic individual. A diagnostic mammogram and or breast ultrasound may need to be ordered to evaluate a new breast concern. This is important because a very dense mammogram is another factor that can mask breast cancers,” says Dr. Pruthi.

___

©2023 Mayo Clinic News Network. Visit newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register