![Trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that washed up in Hawaii. By Justin Dolske from Cupertino, USA (Beach trash) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://hiehelpcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Great-Pacific-Garbage-Patch-1200x600.jpg)
Each day, Americans use approximately 500 million drinking straws, enough to fill 46,400 school buses every year! According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, an plastic straw takes 200 years to decompose on average. They either end up in landfills or make their way to the ocean, contaminating fresh drinking water, choking marine life, and […]
Standing Wheelchairs: Why Won’t Insurance Agencies Cover Them?
Too much time spent sitting can put people at risk for a wide array of health conditions (1, 2). For many, the solution is simple: sit less, and stand and move around more. Of course, it is more complicated for people who use wheelchairs: even those who use manual wheelchairs and do substantial aerobic exercise […]
New Coffee Shop in Livonia, MI Helps Workers with Disabilities
Mi Work Matters is a nonprofit dedicated to improving job opportunities in Michigan, where the rate of employment for people with developmental disabilities is below 20%. Their mission statement notes that, “At Mi Work Matters, we believe the hopes, dreams and talents of every person matter” (1). In order to help bridge the employment gap […]
Michigan House of Representatives to Vote on Adult Changing Table Implementation
The Michigan House of Representatives just introduced a bill that would require establishments to have adult-sized changing tables in their restrooms. This follows a campaign called Changing Spaces, that brought awareness to the need for adult-sized changing tables for adults with disabilities, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy (CP), developmental disabilities, and others (1). […]
New Accessible Playground in Edmonds, Washington Honors Boy with Cerebral Palsy
Mumtak Zimbalist, a mother in Washington, is working with the city of Edmonds, Edmonds Rotary, and other parents to build a new playground that will be accessible to children with disabilities. Zimbalist used to take her son, Mika, to a local park, but was frustrated by the lack of playground equipment he could use. Mika […]