Top 10 American Cities with the Cleanest Water

I am constantly thinking about what city to live in after I graduate college. One factor that I think is important, although often over-looked, is clean water. I look forward to the day when I can smash the Brita that I have to continually fill-up and buy new filters for. Here is Forbes’ list of cities with the cleanest water in the U.S.:

10. Tulsa, Okla.
Reason: Low levels of bacteria and lead

9. Pittsburgh, Pa.
Reason: Low level of bacteria

8. Tampa, Fla.
Reason: Low haloacetic acid and lead levels

7. Las Vegas, Nev.
Reason: Low level of turbidity

6. Boise City, Idaho
Reason: One of the lowest levels of lead

5. Birmingham, Ala.
Reason: Low amounts of bacteria and lead

4. Miami, Fla.
Reason: Low levels of bacteria, lead, turbidity, and haloacetic acid

3. Sioux Falls, S.D.
Reason: One of the lowest levels of turbidity and haloacetic acid Click to continue reading…

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“Alternative” Energy Sources

I believe alternative energy is a must for our future, and if we don’t get on this wagon we are going to be left behind. We should be proactive and not leave it up to politicians or the corporate empire to decide when is the right time to switch energy sources. By the time their interests coincide with the general human population, it will be too late.

The informative video below is an episode from “Big Ideas for a Small World.” It covers some of what is happening on the front of alternative energy development. The benefits of solar, wind, and methane are discussed as well as the problems with coal.

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How to have fun at a college in a small town

Where’s the party at? Are there even enough places open on the weekend here in Rando-ville for me to enjoy my college experience? Am I doomed to four years alone on my couch? I’m from a big city, so how will I stay sane in this town? All of these are valid questions—no, really! Many US college students have committed to spending some of the best years of their lives in some of the country’s tiniest towns and cities. College is meant to be enjoyed, and that can be done from even the tiniest of salt-of-the-earth places.

Life is good, it will all work out!

Perspective is everything. Seriously, everything. If you say you will hate your school, your life, your roommate…you will. Start by changing your perspective in little ways. Change how you perceive your worst enemy, yourself, an aspect of the world around you that just gets under your skin, whatever. Then learn how to love the place where you attend school. This may require bigger changes in your thought processes, but work up to it.  The time for us to learn HOW to change and grow is now and it can start as soon as you commit, or recommit. Feeling inspired yet?

Join SOMETHING

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Heller v. District of Columbia, and what it means for you

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case of Heller v. District of Columbia, in which a security guard named Dick Anthony Heller is suing DC’s government over its ban on handguns, which has stood since 1976, on the grounds that the law violates his Second Amendment rights. A full text of the oral arguments is available here for those of you who enjoy reading such things. This is the first time the Supreme Court has heard a meaningful case on the Second Amendment since 1939. The main issue is whether the Second Amendment (“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”) applies only to government-run militias like the National Guard, or whether it is meant to bestow upon individuals the right and responsibility to defend the nation in case of invasion or tyranny. Right now, it’s looking as though at least five members of the Court (Roberts, Thomas, Scalia, Alito, and Kennedy) agree with the latter interpretation. My thoughts after the jump. Click to continue reading…

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5 Scholarship Websites Every College Applicant Should Be Aware Of

What is the most vital part of the process of applying for college? Some applicants would say it is passing all exams or making sure that your high-school transcript looks good. Others may state that the most important part is preparing all the needed documents and selecting the institution. 

Each of these answers is true. However, there is one more thing that you might be missing out. Let’s discuss scholarships.

With tuition costs going up by leaps and bounds, an awarded scholarship can become a lucky ticket for many high-school graduates. College scholarships and grants can give you a good kick-start into adult life and help cope with a variety of financial issues.

Unfortunately, many young people are ignoring this opportunity, thinking that obtaining a scholarship is extremely hard or even impossible for them. 

This judgment is not always true. Of course, it may be hard to find the right opportunity and prepare all the documents. Presenting a top-notch essay isn’t easy as well unless you turn to a professional write my essay online service. However, all it takes is a bit of dedication and work. 

Besides, if you know exactly where to search for such opportunities, it is already halfway to success! In this article, we have prepared a list of top five scholarship websites that will help you get the financial help you need. Let’s dive in!

College Applicant’s Toolkit: Best Scholarship Sites to Keep at Hand

Despite a common belief, finding scholarships can be easy as A, B, C! Just a few decades ago, this process used to be much more complicated and time-consuming. Times have changed, and now, students can do the same quickly and easily.

The easiest way to discover available opportunities is to use specialized websites that have a database of various grants and scholarships. As a rule, applicants can search through a base with the help of multiple filters such as gender, country of origin, academic level, special interests, etc. 

How to pick the right website? It could be hard if you’d have to do it on your own, but we’ve got you covered! Below, we have collected some of the best sites to help you fund your education.

1. Fastweb

Even if you haven’t heard of it yet, trust us, Fastweb is one of those must-have tools for all college applicants! This resource features a convenient tool for finding funding.

Also, here, you can discover tons of internships and jobs. Finally, at Fastweb, students can research different colleges and find up to date information about each institution with ease. Therefore, if you still haven’t used this platform, be sure to give it a try!

2. FinAid

Our next top pick is a widely known online resource for university applicants. Here you can find comprehensive information about different types of funding, including grants, financial aid, scholarships, and more.

One of the most significant benefits of FinAid is that it makes finding opportunities simple and helps you determine which ones are the right options!

3. CollegeBoard

For those of you who have never heard of it before, the College Board is one of the oldest educational organizations in the world. Thus, it is fair to say that the resources offered by this community are reliable and helpful.

The same applies to their extensive database of funding opportunities called CollegeBoard, where students from all across the globe can discover a variety of options.

4. Chegg Scholarships

This platform’s database contains over 25,000 options, so the chances that everyone will find something suitable are pretty high! The reason why we like this platform a lot is that Chegg Scholarships features an extremely intuitive and convenient searching tool. At the same time, it provides quite accurate matches based on the details you type in.

5. Peterson’s

The last but not least handy option on this list is Peterson’s. It is a smart online platform created to help young people find funding for their education quickly and easily. 

The searching tool used at this service has pretty high filtering capabilities, allowing you to find a perfect match based on your needs!

Final Words

If you are starting off to university, be prepared to face a handful of various challenges daily. In most cases, life in a campus becomes a transition point from a teenager into an adult. 

Clearly, this transition can’t pass unnoticed. You can’t avoid some hardships in the studying process. However, one thing you can do right now is to make sure that financial issues won’t be among those issues you may face!

Although obtaining high-quality education is much more available today, it is still expensive. And the cost keeps growing with each year. Applying for grants and scholarships, you can ease the financial burden and get more of your campus years.

Hopefully, this article will help future students find just the right opportunities for them. Using any of the websites mentioned above, you can save plenty of time and discover the most exciting scholarships available out there. 

Now, all that’s left to do is to believe in yourself and do your best to get the funding you need!

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