ResidentialBusiness

Step aside, alcohol! Trending in 2023 are invigorating, alcohol-free elixirs that are tantalizing palates everywhere. If you’re interested in learning how to start a drink company, mocktail business ideas should be at the top of your list. And these alcohol-free concoctions can also enhance an existing bar menu. Unsure where to begin? We’ve gathered 50 sensational mocktail ideas guaranteed to transform your bar menu and ensure your patrons stay refreshed, delighted, and coming back for more. Unleash the creative mixologist within and dive into our world of vibrant, unique beverages. The Exciting World of Non-Alcoholic Cocktails In the exciting universe of non-alcoholic cocktails, flavor, innovation, and creativity know no bounds. By examining this innovative facet of the beverage industry, bar owners can unearth the essence of mocktails, their vital role,e and the growing inclination toward alcohol-free choices sweeping the globe. What are Mocktails? Mocktails, the non-alcoholic counterparts to cocktails, are revolutionizing the beverage scene. Infused with a tantalizing array of fruits, herbs, spices and more tantalizing flavors, these enticing concoctions are brimming with taste, minus the hangover. More than just soda and a slice of lime, mocktails are a testament to the creativity and innovation in contemporary mixology. In today’s health-conscious world, having an array of mocktails on your bar menu not only appeals to teetotalers but also to those seeking flavorful, unique experiences without the inclusion of alcohol. Dry January and the Long-term Shift Towards Alcohol-Free Options The increasing popularity of mocktails is a clear trend in the beverage industry, fueled by various social and health-related factors. The “Dry January” initiative, which encourages individuals to refrain from alcohol for the entire first month of the year, has played a major role in this shift, along with a consistent demand for healthier, alcohol-free alternatives. As a result, the mocktail market has expanded, leading to a significant transformation in the overall beverage industry landscape. Here are some key points to understand about this trend: Health Consciousness: With increased awareness about health and wellness, more consumers are reducing their alcohol intake. Mocktails, which typically contain fewer calories and no alcohol, align well with these lifestyle choices. Creative Menus: The rise of mocktails has encouraged bartenders to be more creative in their mixology. Fruit purees, fresh herbs, spices, homemade syrups, and non-alcoholic spirits are being used to create complex and exciting flavor profiles. Inclusive Environment: Offering a variety of delicious and inventive mocktails ensures that those who prefer not to drink alcohol, for whatever reason, feel included. This inclusivity can enhance the social atmosphere of any gathering. Younger Generations: Millennials and Gen Z, known for their health-conscious habits, are significantly driving this trend. They appreciate the craft and creativity behind well-made mocktails and enjoy sharing their experiences on social media. Adaptable Businesses Thrive: Bars, restaurants, and other establishments that adapt to this trend can reap significant benefits. By embracing the mocktail movement, they position themselves as innovative and responsive to their customers’ evolving preferences. Premium Mocktails: As the demand for non-alcoholic drinks rises, so does the desire for premium offerings. Customers are willing to pay a premium for high-quality ingredients, inventive combinations, and visually appealing presentations. Positive Impact on Sales: Although they lack alcohol, mocktails often have similar price points to their alcoholic counterparts, given the complexity and quality of ingredients used. This means that establishments can maintain, or even increase, their profit margins while serving mocktails. In conclusion, the growing popularity of mocktails reflects broader societal shifts towards health consciousness, inclusivity, and premium experiences. For forward-thinking establishments, embracing this trend can lead to increased patronage, stronger profit margins, and a reputation for being responsive to consumer trends. Essential Ingredients for Refreshing Mocktails In crafting the perfect mocktail, every ingredient plays a vital part in harmonizing flavors and elevating the drinking experience. From citrus bursts to the effervescence of sparkling water, key mocktail ingredients help create tantalizing, non-alcoholic concoctions. The Role of Lemon Juice and Lime Juice in Mocktails Citrus elements like lemon and lime juice serve as the backbone of many mocktail recipes. Their zesty tang intensifies other flavors and brings a refreshing lightness that elevates the overall palate. More than just flavor enhancers, these citrus juices provide an added aesthetic appeal with their vibrant colors, making your mocktails visually enticing. Elevating Mocktails with Club Soda Club soda is the secret weapon of many a mixologist. Its mild flavor and carbonation add a fizzy twist that can instantly uplift any mocktail. It can create a sense of sophistication and complexity in your beverage while maintaining its refreshing, thirst-quenching qualities. Club soda’s versatility makes it an excellent choice for a wide range of mocktail recipes. The Sweet Touch of Orange Juice in Mocktails Orange juice lends a delightful sweetness and a dose of bright color to your mocktails. Its inherent sweetness can balance a drink’s sharper flavors, creating a harmonious blend. Moreover, its rich vitamin C content adds a healthy angle to your beverage, making it a sweet indulgence and a nutritious option. A Refreshing Drink: The Tangy Burst of Cranberry Juice Cranberry juice introduces a distinctive tanginess to mocktails that can elevate their flavor profile. Its tart yet sweet flavor can bring your drink a complex and robust character. Further, its deep red hue can make any mocktail visually arresting, adding a creative flair to your beverage presentation. Sparkling Water – The Ultimate Non-Alcoholic Drink Sparkling water is a non-negotiable ingredient when crafting a superior mocktail. Its bubbly character brings a delightful effervescence that adds texture to the drink. Plus, its subtle flavor makes it a perfect balancing element, complementing stronger ingredients and ensuring that no single flavor overwhelms the drink. This effervescent delight is indeed a key player in the world of mocktails. Traditional Mocktail Ideas Enjoy the delight of traditional cocktails without the alcohol buzz! From the tropical taste of a Piña Colada to the zesty allure of a Margarita, we’ve curated 15 non-alcoholic spins on these classics. Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with this easy-to-create, crowd-pleasing traditional mocktail recipe. MocktailDescriptionIngredientsGlassware Virgin MaryA flavorful and satisfying twist on the classic Bloody Mary, the Virgin Mary maintains all the zest without the alcohol.- 1 cup tomato juice - Juice of half a lemon - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce - 3 drops hot sauce - Salt and pepper to taste - Celery stalk for garnishHighball Glass Shirley TempleA delightful, fizzy drink that pleases both kids and adults, the Shirley Temple is an enduring classic.- 1/2 cup ginger ale - 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda - 2 tablespoons grenadine - Maraschino cherry for garnishCollins Glass Arnold PalmerAn iconic and refreshing mix of iced tea and lemonade, the Arnold Palmer is a perfect summer refresher.- 1/2 cup iced tea - 1/2 cup lemonade - Lemon wheel for garnishHighball Glass CinderellaThe Cinderella is a beautiful blend of various fruit juices and soda, offering a flavorful and effervescent mocktail experience.- 1/3 cup orange juice - 1/3 cup pineapple juice - 1/3 cup lemon juice - Dash of grenadine - Soda water to top - Orange slice and cherry for garnishCollins Glass Safe Sex on the BeachThis alcohol-free version of the iconic Sex on the Beach cocktail maintains the fruity flavors that made the original a hit.- 1/2 cup cranberry juice - 1/2 cup grapefruit juice - 2 tablespoons peach syrup - Peach slices and mint sprigs for garnishHighball Glass NojitoExperience the refreshing flavors of a classic Mojito, sans the rum, with the Nojito.- 10 fresh mint leaves - 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges - 2 tablespoons sugar - 1 cup ice cubes - 1/2 cup club sodaCollins Glass Virgin Piña ColadaEnjoy the tropical flavors of pineapple and coconut in this alcohol-free version of the iconic Piña Colada.- 1/2 cup pineapple juice - 1/4 cup coconut milk - 1/4 cup heavy cream - 1 cup crushed ice - Pineapple wedge for garnishHurricane Glass Virgin MargaritaThis mocktail version of the classic Margarita keeps the tangy citrus flavor intact, minus the tequila.- 1 cup lime juice - 1/3 cup orange juice - 2 tablespoons agave syrup - Salt and lime wheel for garnishMargarita Glass Virgin DaiquiriA Virgin Daiquiri provides all the tropical, fruity enjoyment of the traditional Daiquiri, minus the rum.- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice - 2 tablespoons sugar - 1 cup crushed ice - Lime wheel for garnishCoupe Glass Fruit PunchFruit Punch is a vibrant blend of various fruit juices, sure to be a crowd pleaser at any gathering.- 1 cup orange juice - 1 cup pineapple juice - 1 cup cranberry juice - 1/2 cup lemon juice - 2 cups ginger alePunch Bowl Virgin BelliniThe Virgin Bellini is a peachy delight, offering all the elegance of the classic Bellini but without the Prosecco.- 1/2 cup peach purée - 1 cup sparkling waterChampagne Flute Apple SpritzerRefreshing and fizzy, the Apple Spritzer is a light and easy-to-make mocktail.- 1 cup apple juice - 1 cup club soda - Apple slices for garnishHighball Glass Virgin MimosaThe Virgin Mimosa is a delightful morning refresher, perfect for brunches and breakfast meetings.- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice - 1/2 cup sparkling water - Orange slice for garnishChampagne Flute Virgin PalomaExperience the refreshing grapefruit kick of the classic Paloma cocktail sans the tequila with the Virgin Paloma.- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice - 1 tablespoon lime juice - 1 teaspoon sugar - 1/2 cup club soda - Salt and grapefruit slice for garnishHighball Glass Virgin Moscow MuleA Virgin Moscow Mule offers the spicy, refreshing flavor of the original, minus the vodka.- 1/2 cup ginger beer - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice - 1 tablespoon simple syrup - Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnishCopper Mug Virgin Mary A flavorful and satisfying twist on the classic Bloody Mary, the Virgin Mary maintains all the zest without the alcohol. Ingredients: 1 cup tomato juice Juice of half a lemon 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3 drops hot sauce Salt and pepper to taste Celery stalk for garnish Instructions: Mix all ingredients, serve over ice, garnish with a celery stalk. Shirley Temple A delightful, fizzy drink that pleases both kids and adults, the Shirley Temple is an enduring classic. Ingredients: 1/2 cup ginger ale 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda 2 tablespoons grenadine Maraschino cherry for garnish Instructions: Mix the sodas and grenadine, pour over ice, and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Arnold Palmer An iconic and refreshing mix of iced tea and lemonade, the Arnold Palmer is a perfect summer refresher. Ingredients: 1/2 cup iced tea 1/2 cup lemonade Lemon wheel for garnish Instructions: Mix iced tea and lemonade, serve over ice, and garnish with a lemon wheel. Cinderella The Cinderella is a beautiful blend of various fruit juices and soda, offering a flavorful and effervescent mocktail experience. Ingredients: 1/3 cup orange juice 1/3 cup pineapple juice 1/3 cup lemon juice Dash of grenadine Soda water to top Orange slice and cherry for garnish Instructions: Combine the juices and grenadine, top with soda water, serve over ice, and garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. Safe Sex on the Beach This alcohol-free version of the iconic Sex on the Beach cocktail maintains the fruity flavors that made the original a hit. Ingredients: 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup grapefruit juice 2 tablespoons peach syrup Peach slices and mint sprigs for garnish Instructions: Mix the juices and peach syrup, serve over ice, and garnish with peach slices and mint sprigs. Nojito Experience the refreshing flavors of a classic Mojito sans the rum, with the Mojito. Ingredients: 10 fresh mint leaves 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup ice cubes 1/2 cup club soda Instructions: In a glass, muddle the mint leaves and lime together. Next, add sugar, fill the glass with ice cubes, and pour in club soda. Stir thoroughly. Virgin Piña Colada Indulge in the tropical tastes of pineapple and coconut with this alcohol-free rendition of the classic Piña Colada. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/4 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 cup crushed ice Pineapple wedge for garnish Instructions: Blend pineapple juice, coconut milk, heavy cream, and crushed ice. Pour into a glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge. Virgin Margarita This mocktail version of the classic Margarita keeps the tangy citrus flavor intact, minus the tequila. Ingredients: 1 cup lime juice 1/3 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons agave syrup Salt and lime wheel for garnish Instructions: Mix the juices and agave syrup, serve over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, and garnish with a lime wheel. Virgin Daiquiri A Virgin Daiquiri provides all the tropical, fruity enjoyment of the traditional Daiquiri, minus the rum. Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup crushed ice Lime wheel for garnish Instructions: Blend lime juice, sugar, and crushed ice until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with a lime wheel. Fruit Punch Fruit Punch is a vibrant blend of various fruit juices, sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering. Ingredients: 1 cup orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 1 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 cups ginger ale Instructions: Combine all the juices and chill in the refrigerator. Just before serving, add ginger ale. Virgin Bellini The Virgin Bellini is a peachy delight, offering all the elegance of the classic Bellini but without the Prosecco. Ingredients: 1/2 cup peach purée 1 cup sparkling water Instructions: Pour peach purée into a glass, top with sparkling water, and stir gently. Apple Spritzer Refreshing and fizzy, the Apple Spritzer is a light and easy-to-make mocktail. Ingredients: 1 cup apple juice 1 cup club soda Apple slices for garnish Instructions: Mix apple juice and club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with apple slices. Virgin Mimosa The Virgin Mimosa is a delightful morning refresher, perfect for brunches and breakfast meetings. Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup sparkling water Orange slice for garnish Instructions: Fill a champagne flute with orange juice, then add sparkling water on top. Finally, garnish with a slice of orange. Virgin Paloma Experience the refreshing grapefruit kick of the classic Paloma cocktail sans the tequila with the Virgin Paloma. Ingredients: 1/2 cup grapefruit juice 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup club soda Salt and grapefruit slice for garnish Instructions: Mix the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar until dissolved, add club soda, serve over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, garnish with a grapefruit slice. Virgin Moscow Mule A Virgin Moscow Mule offers the spicy, refreshing flavor of the original, minus the vodka. Ingredients: 1/2 cup ginger beer 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon simple syrup Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish Instructions: Mix all ingredients, serve over ice in a copper mug, and garnish with a lime wheel and a sprig of mint. Ginger Beer Mocktail Ideas Introduce a zestful twist to your mocktail menu with the fiery kick of ginger beer! From the tropical delight of Pineapple Ginger Refresher to the holiday-spiced Cranberry Ginger Fizz, these ginger beer-based mocktails are both vibrant and versatile. MocktailDescriptionIngredientsGlassware Ginger and Lime Juice FizzA refreshing, fizzy treat, the Ginger and Lime Juice Fizz perfectly combines the heat of ginger beer with the tanginess of lime.- 1/2 cup ginger beer - Juice of 1 lime - Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnishHighball Glass Ginger Apple SpritzerFruity and fizzy, the Ginger Apple Spritzer blends the spiciness of ginger beer with the sweetness of apple juice.- 1/2 cup ginger beer - 1/2 cup apple juice - Apple slice for garnishCollins Glass Pear Ginger PunchThe Pear Ginger Punch is a flavorful combination of the mild sweetness of pear juice and the spicy kick of ginger beer.- 1/2 cup pear juice - 1/2 cup ginger beer - Pear slice for garnishHighball Glass Pineapple Ginger RefresherTropical and invigorating, the Pineapple Ginger Refresher offers the perfect blend of pineapple's sweetness and ginger's spice.- 1/2 cup pineapple juice - 1/2 cup ginger beer - Pineapple slice for garnishCollins Glass Spiced Cranberry Ginger FizzThe Spiced Cranberry Ginger Fizz is a delightful mix of the tartness of cranberry juice, the spiciness of ginger beer, and a hint of holiday spices.- 1/2 cup cranberry juice - 1/2 cup ginger beer - A pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg - Cranberries and cinnamon stick for garnishCollins Glass Ginger and Lime Juice Fizz A refreshing, fizzy treat, the Ginger and Lime Juice Fizz perfectly combines ginger beer’s heat with lime’s tanginess. Ingredients: 1/2 cup ginger beer Juice of 1 lime Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish Instructions: Mix ginger beer and lime juice, serve over ice, and garnish with a lime wheel and a sprig of mint. Ginger Apple Spritzer Fruity and fizzy, the Ginger Apple Spritzer blends the spiciness of ginger beer with the sweetness of apple juice. Ingredients: 1/2 cup ginger beer 1/2 cup apple juice Apple slice for garnish Instructions: Mix ginger beer and apple juice, serve over ice, and garnish with an apple slice. Pear Ginger Punch The Pear Ginger Punch is a flavorful combination of pear juice’s mild sweetness and ginger beer’s spicy kick. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pear juice 1/2 cup ginger beer Pear slice for garnish Instructions: Mix pear juice and ginger beer, serve over ice, and garnish with a pear slice. Pineapple Ginger Refresher Tropical and refreshing, the Pineapple Ginger Refresher provides an ideal combination of the sweetness of pineapple and the spiciness of ginger. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup ginger beer Pineapple slice for garnish Instructions: Mix pineapple juice and ginger beer, serve over ice, garnish with a pineapple slice. Spiced Cranberry Ginger Fizz The Spiced Cranberry Ginger Fizz is a delightful mix of the tartness of cranberry juice, the spiciness of ginger beer, and a hint of holiday spices. Ingredients: 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup ginger beer A pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg Cranberries and cinnamon stick for garnish Instructions: Mix cranberry juice, ginger beer, and spices, serve over ice, garnish with cranberries and a cinnamon stick. Fall Mocktail Ideas As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, your menu can embrace the flavors of fall with these charming mocktails. From the tangy burst of cranberries to the comforting warmth of cinnamon, these recipes capture the essence of autumn in every sip. MocktailDescriptionIngredientsGlassware Cranberry Spice with Club SodaThis sparkling mocktail perfectly blends the tartness of cranberries and the warmth of fall spices.- 1/2 cup cranberry juice - 1/2 cup club soda - A pinch of allspice - Cranberries for garnishCollins Glass Pumpkin Pie MocktailEnjoy the classic flavors of a pumpkin pie in a refreshing mocktail.- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée - 1/2 cup apple juice - 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice - Whipped cream for garnishHighball Glass Autumn Apple PunchThis punch combines the crisp flavors of apple and the warmth of cinnamon.- 1 cup apple cider - 1/2 cup ginger ale - 1 cinnamon stick - Apple slices for garnishPunch Glass Spiced Pear CobblerRelish the sweet and spicy flavors of autumn with the Spiced Pear Cobbler.- 1 cup pear juice - 1/4 teaspoon allspice - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg - Pear slice and cinnamon stick for garnishCobbler Glass Cinnamon Maple SpritzerExperience the unique blend of maple syrup's sweetness and cinnamon's warmth in this effervescent mocktail.- 1/2 cup club soda - 1 tablespoon maple syrup - A pinch of cinnamon - Cinnamon stick for garnishCollins Glass Cranberry Apple FizzThis fizzy mocktail offers a delightful mix of tangy cranberry and sweet apple flavors.- 1/2 cup cranberry juice - 1/2 cup apple juice - 1/2 cup ginger ale - Apple slice for garnishHighball Glass Pumpkin Spice LatteA fall favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Latte can be enjoyed alcohol-free and is perfect for the cooler weather.- 1 cup milk - 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée - 1 tablespoon sugar - 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice - 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee - Whipped cream for garnishCoffee Mug Spiced Apple CiderSpiced Apple Cider is a quintessential fall beverage, providing warmth and comfort in each sip.- 1 cup apple cider - 1 cinnamon stick - 2 cloves - 1 star aniseMulled Wine Glass Maple Cinnamon LemonadeThis tangy-sweet mocktail combines the classic lemonade with fall flavors of maple and cinnamon.- 1 cup lemonade - 1 tablespoon maple syrup - A pinch of cinnamon - Lemon slice for garnishHighball Glass Warm Vanilla Almond MilkThis warm, soothing drink is a great non-alcoholic option for chilly fall evenings.- 1 cup almond milk - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract - 1 tablespoon honey - A pinch of nutmegCoffee Mug Cranberry Spice with Club Soda This sparkling mocktail perfectly blends the tartness of cranberries and the warmth of fall spices. Ingredients: 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup club soda A pinch of allspice Cranberries for garnish Instructions: Mix cranberry juice and allspice, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with cranberries. Pumpkin Pie Mocktail Enjoy the classic flavors of a pumpkin pie in a refreshing mocktail. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pumpkin purée 1/2 cup apple juice 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice Whipped cream for garnish Instructions: Blend pumpkin purée, apple juice, and pumpkin spice until smooth. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream. Autumn Apple Punch This punch combines the crisp flavors of apple and the warmth of cinnamon. Ingredients: 1 cup apple cider 1/2 cup ginger ale 1 cinnamon stick Apple slices for garnish Instructions: Mix apple cider and ginger ale, serve over ice with a cinnamon stick, and garnish with apple slices. Spiced Pear Cobbler Relish the sweet and spicy flavors of autumn with the Spiced Pear Cobbler. Ingredients: 1 cup pear juice 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Pear slice and cinnamon stick for garnish Instructions: Mix pear juice, allspice, and nutmeg, serve over ice, and garnish with a pear slice and a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon Maple Spritzer Experience the unique blend of maple syrup’s sweetness and cinnamon’s warmth in this effervescent mocktail. Ingredients: 1/2 cup club soda 1 tablespoon maple syrup A pinch of cinnamon Cinnamon stick for garnish Instructions: Mix club soda, maple syrup, and cinnamon, serve over ice, and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Cranberry Apple Fizz This fizzy mocktail offers a delightful mix of tangy cranberry and sweet apple flavors. Ingredients: 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 cup ginger ale Apple slice for garnish Instructions: Mix cranberry juice and apple juice, top with ginger ale, serve over ice, and garnish with an apple slice. Pumpkin Spice Latte A fall favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Latte can be enjoyed alcohol-free and is perfect for the cooler weather. Ingredients: 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee Whipped cream for garnish Instructions: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, pumpkin purée, sugar, and spice together. Once heated, remove from the heat and stir in the coffee. Serve with a topping of whipped cream. Spiced Apple Cider Spiced Apple Cider is a quintessential fall beverage, providing warmth and comfort in each sip. Ingredients: 1 cup apple cider 1 cinnamon stick 2 cloves 1 star anise Instructions: Heat apple cider with spices until warm. Strain and serve in a mug. Maple Cinnamon Lemonade This tangy-sweet mocktail combines the classic lemonade with fall flavors of maple and cinnamon. Ingredients: 1 cup lemonade 1 tablespoon maple syrup A pinch of cinnamon Lemon slice for garnish Instructions: Mix lemonade, maple syrup, and cinnamon, serve over ice, and garnish with a lemon slice. Warm Vanilla Almond Milk This warm, soothing drink is a great non-alcoholic option for chilly fall evenings. Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon honey A pinch of nutmeg Instructions: Heat almond milk with honey and vanilla. Remove from heat, sprinkle with nutmeg, and serve in a mug. More Refreshing Mocktail Recipes These refreshing mocktails take your patrons on a flavor adventure beyond the traditional. From the cool, crisp Cucumber Lime Spritzer to the exotic Tropical Splash, these unique concoctions offer an invigorating twist that will elevate any occasion. MocktailDescriptionIngredientsGlassware Cucumber Lime SpritzerThis refreshing mocktail offers the cool crispness of cucumber combined with zesty lime.- 1/2 cucumber, sliced - Juice of 1 lime - 1/2 cup club soda -Cucumber slice for garnishHighball Glass Watermelon Mint CoolerQuench your thirst with the sweet and refreshing Watermelon Mint Cooler.- 1 cup watermelon juice - A handful of fresh mint leaves - 1/2 cup club soda - Watermelon slice for garnishCollins Glass Tropical SplashTake a flavor trip to the tropics with this fruity and refreshing mocktail.- 1/2 cup pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange juice - 1/2 cup coconut water - Pineapple slice for garnishHurricane Glass Strawberry Lemonade PunchThis punch combines the sweet strawberries and tangy lemons to create a refreshingly sweet and sour beverage.- 1 cup lemonade - 1/2 cup strawberry purée - Lemon wheel and strawberry for garnishPunch Glass Raspberry Rose FizzThis mocktail offers a delightful mix of sweet raspberries and floral rose water, topped with a fizzy finish.- 1/2 cup raspberry purée - 1 teaspoon rose water - 1/2 cup club soda - Raspberries for garnishChampagne Flute Peachy Iced TeaA summertime classic, the Peachy Iced Tea combines the fruity sweetness of peaches with the refreshing taste of iced tea.- 1 cup peach juice - 1 cup iced tea - Peach slice for garnishIced Tea Glass Blueberry Basil LemonadeA delightful blend of sweet blueberries, fragrant basil and tangy lemonade makes this mocktail a refreshing choice.- 1 cup lemonade - 1/2 cup blueberry purée - A handful of basil leaves - Blueberries for garnishHighball Glass Pineapple Ginger CoolerSpicy ginger and tropical pineapple combine for a zesty, refreshing mocktail.- 1 cup pineapple juice - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated - Pineapple slice for garnishCollins Glass Berry BlastA fruity mocktail bursting with the flavors of mixed berries.- 1 cup mixed berry juice - 1/2 cup club soda - Mixed berries for garnishHighball Glass Grapefruit Mint SpritzerThe tartness of grapefruit is beautifully complemented by the coolness of mint in this refreshing mocktail.- 1 cup grapefruit juice - A handful of fresh mint leaves - 1/2 cup club soda - Grapefruit slice for garnishCollins Glass Blackberry Lime FizzExperience the sweet and sour symphony of blackberries and lime in this effervescent mocktail.- 1/2 cup blackberry purée - Juice of 1 lime - 1/2 cup club soda - Blackberries for garnishHighball Glass Spiced Chai LatteEnjoy the comforting spices of chai in this warm and frothy non-alcoholic latte.- 1 cup milk, 1 chai tea bag - 1 tablespoon honey - A pinch of nutmegCoffee Mug Mango TangoThe tropical sweetness of mango makes this mocktail a refreshing and flavorful delight.- 1 cup mango juice - 1/2 cup club soda - Mango slice for garnishHurricane Glass Cherry Limeade PunchThis punch is a delightful mix of tart limeade and sweet cherry flavors.- 1 cup limeade - 1/2 cup cherry juice - Cherry for garnishPunch Glass Kiwi Strawberry SpritzerThis refreshing spritzer perfectly combines the tangy kiwi and sweet strawberry flavors.- 1/2 cup kiwi juice - 1/2 cup strawberry juice - 1/2 cup club soda - Kiwi slice and strawberry for garnishHighball Glass Citrus TwistExperience a burst of citrus flavors in this zesty and refreshing mocktail.- 1/4 cup orange juice - 1/4 cup grapefruit juice - 1/4 cup lemon juice - 1/4 cup lime juice - Orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime slices for garnishCollins Glass Pomegranate SpritzerThis mocktail combines the sweet and tangy taste of pomegranate with the effervescence of club soda for a refreshing drink.- 1 cup pomegranate juice - 1/2 cup club soda - Pomegranate seeds for garnishHighball Glass Raspberry LemonadeThis mocktail is a delightful blend of tart lemonade and sweet raspberry flavors.- 1 cup lemonade - 1/2 cup raspberry juice - Raspberries for garnishCollins Glass Honeydew Melon CoolerThis mocktail captures the light and refreshing taste of honeydew melon.- 1 cup honeydew melon juice - 1/2 cup club soda - Honeydew melon slice for garnishHighball Glass Hibiscus Iced TeaThis mocktail offers a refreshing and floral twist to your traditional iced tea.- 1 cup brewed hibiscus tea, cooled - 1 tablespoon honey - Lemon wheel for garnishIced Tea Glass Cucumber Lime Spritzer This refreshing mocktail offers the cool crispness of cucumber combined with zesty lime. Ingredients: 1/2 cucumber, sliced Juice of 1 lime 1/2 cup club soda Cucumber slice for garnish Instructions: Muddle cucumber and lime juice, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a cucumber slice. Watermelon Mint Cooler Quench your thirst with the sweet and refreshing Watermelon Mint Cooler. Ingredients: 1 cup watermelon juice A handful of fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup club soda Watermelon slice for garnish Instructions: Muddle watermelon juice and mint, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a watermelon slice. Tropical Splash Take a flavor trip to the tropics with this fruity and refreshing mocktail. Ingredients: 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup coconut water Pineapple slice for garnish Instructions: Mix all juices, serve over ice, garnish with a pineapple slice. Strawberry Lemonade Punch This punch combines sweet strawberries and tangy lemons to create a refreshingly sweet and sour beverage. Ingredients: 1 cup lemonade 1/2 cup strawberry purée Lemon wheel and strawberry for garnish Instructions: Mix lemonade and strawberry purée, serve over ice, garnish with a lemon wheel and a strawberry. Raspberry Rose Fizz This mocktail features a delightful combination of sweet raspberries and fragrant rose water, finished with a refreshing fizz. Ingredients: 1/2 cup raspberry purée 1 teaspoon rose water 1/2 cup club soda Raspberries for garnish Instructions: Combine raspberry purée and rose water, then add club soda. Serve the mixture over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries. I will provide the next 15 mocktail recipes in the following message due to the character limit. Peachy Iced Tea A summertime classic, the Peachy Iced Tea combines the fruity sweetness of peaches with the refreshing taste of iced tea. Ingredients: 1 cup peach juice 1 cup iced tea Peach slice for garnish Instructions: Mix peach juice and iced tea, serve over ice, garnish with a peach slice. Blueberry Basil Lemonade A delightful blend of sweet blueberries, fragrant basil, and tangy lemonade makes this mocktail a refreshing choice. Ingredients: 1 cup lemonade 1/2 cup blueberry purée A handful of basil leaves Blueberries for garnish Instructions: Muddle blueberry purée and basil, mix with lemonade, serve over ice, and garnish with blueberries. Pineapple Ginger Cooler Spicy ginger and tropical pineapple combine for a zesty, refreshing mocktail. Ingredients: 1 cup pineapple juice 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated Pineapple slice for garnish Instructions: Mix pineapple juice and ginger, serve over ice, garnish with a pineapple slice. Berry Blast A fruity mocktail bursting with the flavors of mixed berries. Ingredients: 1 cup mixed berry juice 1/2 cup club soda Mixed berries for garnish Instructions: Mix berry juice and club soda, serve over ice, garnish with mixed berries. Grapefruit Mint Spritzer The coolness of mint beautifully complements the tartness of grapefruit in this refreshing mocktail. Ingredients: 1 cup grapefruit juice A handful of fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup club soda Grapefruit slice for garnish Instructions: Muddle grapefruit juice and mint, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a grapefruit slice. Blackberry Lime Fizz Experience the sweet and sour symphony of blackberries and lime in this effervescent mocktail. Ingredients: 1/2 cup blackberry purée Juice of 1 lime 1/2 cup club soda Blackberries for garnish Instructions: Mix blackberry purée and lime juice, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with blackberries. Spiced Chai Latte Enjoy the comforting spices of chai in this warm and frothy non-alcoholic latte. Ingredients: 1 cup milk 1 chai tea bag 1 tablespoon honey A pinch of nutmeg Instructions: Heat milk with a chai tea bag and honey until warm. Remove the tea bag, sprinkle with nutmeg, and serve in a mug. Mango Tango The tropical sweetness of mango makes this mocktail a refreshing and flavorful delight. Ingredients: 1 cup mango juice 1/2 cup club soda Mango slice for garnish Instructions: Mix mango juice and club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a mango slice. Cherry Limeade Punch This punch is a delightful mix of tart limeade and sweet cherry flavors. Ingredients: 1 cup limeade 1/2 cup cherry juice Cherry for garnish Instructions: Mix limeade and cherry juice, serve over ice, and garnish with a cherry. Kiwi Strawberry Spritzer This refreshing spritzer perfectly combines the tangy kiwi and sweet strawberry flavors. Ingredients: 1/2 cup kiwi juice 1/2 cup strawberry juice 1/2 cup club soda Kiwi slice and strawberry for garnish Instructions: Mix kiwi and strawberry juice, top with club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a kiwi slice and a strawberry. Citrus Twist Experience a burst of citrus flavors in this zesty and refreshing mocktail. Ingredients: 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup grapefruit juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup lime juice Orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime slices for garnish Instructions: Mix all juices, serve over ice, garnish with a slice each of orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime. Pomegranate Spritzer This mocktail combines the sweet and tangy taste of pomegranate with the effervescence of club soda for a refreshing drink. Ingredients: 1 cup pomegranate juice 1/2 cup club soda Pomegranate seeds for garnish Instructions: Mix pomegranate juice and club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Raspberry Lemonade This mocktail is a delightful blend of tart lemonade and sweet raspberry flavors. Ingredients: 1 cup lemonade 1/2 cup raspberry juice Raspberries for garnish Instructions: Mix lemonade and raspberry juice, serve over ice, and garnish with raspberries. Honeydew Melon Cooler This mocktail captures the light and refreshing taste of honeydew melon. Ingredients: 1 cup honeydew melon juice 1/2 cup club soda Honeydew melon slice for garnish Instructions: Mix honeydew melon juice and club soda, serve over ice, and garnish with a honeydew melon slice. Hibiscus Iced Tea This mocktail offers a refreshing and floral twist to your traditional iced tea. Ingredients: 1 cup brewed hibiscus tea, cooled 1 tablespoon honey Lemon wheel for garnish Instructions: Mix hibiscus tea and honey, serve over ice, and garnish with a lemon wheel. Creating Imaginative Names for Your Mocktail Bar Menu As the popularity of mocktails rises, the names of these creative concoctions become a critical part of their appeal. An imaginative, intriguing name can reflect the nature of the drink and captivate your patrons, prompting them to try something new. The following strategies can help you craft the perfect mocktail names: Align with the Theme of the Bar The name of a mocktail can and should play into your establishment’s overall theme or ambiance. If your bar has a tropical theme, consider using words like “island,” “oasis,” or “tiki” in your drink names. Opt for more elegant and refined names if it’s a sophisticated lounge. Tying the names of your drinks to your bar’s identity can help build a cohesive brand image. Reflect the Ingredients Using the ingredients in the name of the mocktail can give customers a quick understanding of the drink’s flavor profile. If a drink features fresh strawberries and basil, a name like “Strawberry Basil Blast” immediately communicates the primary tastes. Keep it accurate, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Play Off the Color of the Drink The visual appeal of a mocktail is a major part of its charm. If a drink has a vibrant color, incorporating that into the name can make it more enticing. For instance, a ruby-red cranberry mocktail might be dubbed the “Crimson Cooler.” Draw from the Desired Customer Experience Consider the feeling or experience you want to evoke with your drink. A name like “Cool Cucumber Reviver” could be fitting if a mocktail is meant to refresh and rejuvenate. If it’s a comforting, warm drink, consider a name that conveys coziness. Use Alliteration and Rhyme Names that are catchy and easy to remember often resonate with customers and can help with bar marketing efforts. Techniques like alliteration, where the first consonant sounds in multiple words are the same (e.g., “Berry Burst”), and rhyming can make your mocktail names stand out and stick in the minds of your patrons. These linguistic tricks can also make the names more fun to say, which could encourage customers to order the drink. FAQs: Mocktail Ideas What is the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer? Ginger ale and ginger beer are both non-alcoholic drinks that contain ginger. The key distinction lies in their flavor and production methods. Ginger beer is typically brewed and fermented, resulting in a more robust and spicier taste. In contrast, ginger ale is a ginger-flavored carbonated soda that tends to be lighter and sweeter. How can I make my mocktail bar menu more appealing? Enhance your mocktail bar menu by offering a variety of unique, flavorful options that cater to different tastes. Use descriptive language to convey the flavors and ingredients, and consider using creative, catchy names. High-quality images of the drinks also can stimulate visual appeal. Of course, organizing the menu logically and highlighting any special or seasonal offerings can make it more user-friendly. Can mocktails be made ahead of time? Many mocktails can be made ahead of time, which can be especially useful for parties or large events. However, it’s best to add any fizzy ingredients like club soda or sparkling water just before serving to maintain the effervescence. Also, consider the freshness of ingredients like squeezed juices or muddled herbs when deciding how far in advance to prepare. Can I use apple cider vinegar in mocktails? Apple cider vinegar can add a tangy, slightly sweet flavor to mocktails, and it’s often used in a type of non-alcoholic drink called a “shrub.” Mixing apple cider vinegar with a sweetener and fruit or fruit juice creates a shrub syrup that can serve as a flavorful base for a variety of mocktails. What are some unique garnish ideas for a great mocktail? Adding garnishes to mocktails can enhance their visual appeal and add an extra flavor dimension. Consider using fresh fruits that match or complement the drink’s flavor profile, like a slice of lime on a tropical mocktail. Herbs like mint or basil can add a splash of color and aroma. Other unique ideas include edible flowers, colorful cocktail umbrellas, and even flavored salts or sugars rimming the glass. This article, "Sensational Mocktail Ideas to Freshen Up Your Bar Menu" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Picture this: You’re driving on a crowded highway, preparing to change lanes and pass a tractor-trailer. As you check your mirrors, a loud chime on your car’s infotainment screen rings out. It’s Google Maps, asking whether a stalled car is still on the shoulder, as other drivers have reported. A prompt appears—Yes or No—requiring a response within seconds. Your already taxed brain now has another decision to process, all while you’re moving at 60 miles per hour. Scenarios like this became possible last summer, when Google overhauled its popular navigation app. Since then, drivers using Google Maps frequently receive prompts to confirm an “incident,” such as a police vehicle or stalled car, that other users have flagged. These prompts are announced with a chime as well as text and a timer that consume the bottom chunk of the app display. If there is a way to turn off this incident verification feature, I haven’t found it. (A Google spokesperson did not respond when I asked.) These prompts can be annoying to drivers who find them intrusive. More troublingly, experts in UX and human factors worry that they will cause distraction that leads to crashes. “If the request happens on a stretch of road where there isn’t that much one going around you, it’s probably not a problem,” said Birsen Donmez, a professor of industrial engineering at the University of Toronto who researches distracted driving. “But if it pops up when you know your turn is coming up and you really need to focus, it could confuse you and divert your attention.” That’s an unsettling problem for the hundreds of millions of people who use Google Maps, as well as for everyone who shares the road with them. ‘This is an irrelevant piece of information’ Google has dominated navigation since launching Maps in February 2005. Though competitors have appeared—Apple, MapQuest, and TomTom GO among them—none has come close to matching Google’s user base. In 2013, Google solidified its lead by acquiring the Israeli startup Waze, whose crowdsourced traffic and incident reporting technology later shaped key features of Maps even though it remained a separate app. Today, Google Maps guides far more journeys than other wayfinding tools. According to a 2024 MarketWatch analysis, 70% of U.S. drivers used Google Maps, compared to just 25% for both Waze and Apple Maps. MapQuest, once ubiquitous, is no longer a market leader but still had 17 million regular users as of 2022. But for the first time in years, Google Maps now faces a credible threat. Fully recovered from an inauspicious 2012 launch, Apple Maps is now a vastly improved service that has garnered praise for design elements like object-based instructions (“Turn left after the next traffic light”) that can seem more intuitive than Google Maps’ directions (“In 500 feet, turn left”). Meanwhile, the iPhone—which features Apple Maps as its default—has been grabbing market share from Android. With competition with Apple Maps intensifying, Google unveiled major revisions to its mapping tool last summer. Google Maps had already invited users to submit information about observed traffic incidents, which the company would then share with other drivers. Now, with its new update, the company announced, “other drivers can confirm the incident with just a tap.” What that means in practice is that drivers frequently hear a chime as a question appears on their infotainment screen, such as “Stalled vehicle reported 51 minutes ago from Google Maps drivers. Is this still there?” A countdown progress bar pushes drivers to quickly tap a Yes or No button. “It makes you feel like you have to respond or get it off of your screen,” said Kate Moran, vice president for research and content at Nielsen Norman Group, a UX advisory practice. After a few seconds the prompt disappears, either because the driver answered the question or because the timer hit zero. Innocuous though it may seem, demanding “just a tap” can be dangerously distracting, University of Toronto’s Donmez said, because infotainment touchscreens inevitably require users to look away from the roadway ahead. She added that inexperienced or elderly drivers are more likely to struggle “to suppress irrelevant stimulus.” Donmez is particularly concerned by the urgency of Google Maps’ requests for confirmation. “Drivers typically modulate their distraction engagement based on what’s coming up on the road, and that’s why crashes don’t happen,” she said. For instance, many drivers instinctively wait until after completing a lane change before they select a new podcast or adjust the air conditioning. But Google Maps’s chime and countdown progress bar are designed to demand immediate attention, regardless of road conditions. Defenders of Google Maps’s new UX might note that Waze, the other navigation app owned by Alphabet, has long asked users to confirm past reports of traffic incidents. But that doesn’t mean Waze’s design is safe. In a 2019 paper, a team of Carnegie Mellon researchers noted that Waze is “dangerous to not only the driver but also to nearby drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.” When I asked how Google Maps evaluated the safety of its UX update before rolling it out, a corporate spokesperson replied in an email, “We take safety very seriously and regularly test our features for driver distraction.” According to a corporate blog post, Google Maps’s new UX has been distributed “globally.” The company does not appear to have offered users an option to turn off the verification prompts or limit them to specific types of incidents. One user asked on the Google Maps Community forum how to disable the “’still there?’ questions while driving,” but that query went unanswered. Notably, many of the incidents flagged by Google Maps are unrelated to traffic safety, such as vehicles on the shoulder that passing drivers often encounter without second thought. “Most of the time this is an irrelevant piece of information for safety,” Donmez said. Given their potential for annoyance as well as distraction, these prompts shouldn’t be inescapable, she said. “Some drivers may find the feature useful,” she said, “but they should have the ability to easily override it.” Moran agreed. “It’s not that the intention behind the feature is bad, but the way it’s been implemented is the problem,” she told me. “A good experience would be allowing people to say, ‘Don’t prompt me with these dialogues anymore.’ But even better would be to require people to opt in. Instead of turning it on by default, allow people who might be more excited about being in the Google community to say ‘yes, I’ll answer these questions and proactively provide data.’” Instead, all Google Maps users are now being peppered with verification requests, whether they like it or not. ‘It could just be a lack of foresight’ As to why Google Maps changed its UX to request user confirmations, Moran suggests the company probably wants to build a more current dataset of road conditions. “If you really want to know if something is still on the road, the fastest way to get that information is to ask the person driving by,” she said. But there is another possibility: The prompts’ unavoidable and aggressive design may be the brainchild of project managers instructed to increase user engagement by any means necessary. “People who make UX product decisions are often under lots of pressure to achieve short-sighted, short-term metrics,” Moran said. “It could just be a lack of foresight that this was going to be distracting or annoying.” (Google Maps did not respond to questions about its reasons for demanding that all users confirm road conditions). For now, at least, Google Maps users are stuck with its new UX. It is too soon to know whether the design will increase crashes, but the threat is real, particularly given the app’s huge user base. Road safety advocates have already expressed concern about distraction due to increasingly complex infotainment systems, as automakers strive to offer the flashiest designs (even though many car owners find touchscreens woefully inferior to the knobs and dials they replaced). In a 2022 study, researchers at Drexel University concluded that the comparatively simple infotainment systems of the early 2010s were already a statistically significant risk factor for crashes. Yet, infotainment systems remain unregulated in the U.S. In 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued voluntary guidance proposing maximum thresholds for the time drivers must look away from the road to accomplish an infotainment task, but within a few years automakers were routinely violating it. They have paid no penalty for doing so. With the Trump administration reflexively hostile to regulations, new federal safeguards pertaining to navigation tools or infotainment systems are unlikely. Still, Moran thinks that lawsuits involving crashes caused by distracted driving might force Google Maps to change course. “The first time I noticed this new feature, I thought ‘Wow, I’m surprised their legal team is okay with this,’” she said. Alternatively, the market’s invisible hand might render its own verdict about Google’s UX design: Its users can always switch to Apple. View the full article

The worst nightmare of leaders on the continent is a deal between Putin and the US president done over their headsView the full article

Let's debunk common WordPress SEO myths to help you drive better rankings and gain clarity on your SEO strategy. The post WordPress SEO Myths Busted: What You Really Need To Know appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

West Virginia has the lowest monthly mortgage payment of $1,838. View the full article

In a 2014 commencement address at her alma mater Dartmouth College, TV writer and producer Shonda Rhimes told students, “Whenever you see me somewhere succeeding in one area of my life, that almost certainly means I am failing in another area of my life. If I am killing it on a Scandal script for work, I am probably missing bath- and storytime at home.” Her comments are true reflections of what work-life balance is, says Janna Koretz, clinical psychologist and founder of Azimuth, a Boston-based provider of therapy services. “When people think about balance, they think about it feeling good and being the right amount of everything,” she says. “I think—especially moment to moment—that doesn’t exist. Instead, we should be thinking about how to successfully integrate [the] two things so that most of the time they’re possible.” To find the right blend, you need to examine your work life and determine where it’s negatively impacting your personal life. Koretz shares four common signs: Your identity is too tied to work To know if your work is infringing on your personal life, consider how you would respond if someone asked, “Tell me about yourself?” “Can you say things that aren’t about work?” asks Koretz. “A lot of times, [people] can’t come up with anything. They feel, ‘I don’t know who I am,’ especially if they’ve lost their job, and don’t have anything else.” If your job becomes your sole identity, it’s likely crowded out or replaced important things in your personal life. You feel guilty about other commitments Feeling guilty that you’re not doing enough in other realms is another sign that work is creeping into your personal life. For example, you may feel guilty that you have to pick up your kids because you have a lot of work waiting for you back at the office, says Koretz. “It’s not feeling guilty all the time, but guilty about the choices you’re making, whether they be personal or professional,” she says. You’re avoiding small tasks When people think about burnout, they usually think about being exhausted. While Koretz says that’s a big part of it, another aspect is avoidance. Avoidance and irritability go hand in hand during burnout, says Koretz. If you are avoiding small tasks at home, such as walking the dog, or at work, such as responding to emails, it could indicate that you don’t have enough emotional energy. “If there’s too much of this in your life, it’s getting in the way,” says Koretz. “Life becomes all about little irritants. They grate on you and become a chip on your shoulder.” You feel disconnected In addition to avoiding small tasks, you may start disconnecting from activities and interests you normally enjoy, which could be another sign that your emotional energy is drained. You may also feel emotionally disconnected from the people in your life. “A lot of people talk about living in a ‘roommate stage’ with their significant other,” says Koretz. “While people can go through ebbs and flows, it’s about not knowing what’s going on with your friends, not feeling like you have friends, or not feeling like you can call them with your worries because you haven’t spent a lot of time with them lately.” Spending time with friends and hobbies is about finding joy and having more baskets for your eggs, explains Koretz. “We are very tribal, social beings; it’s biological,” she says. “A World Health Organization study on older adults found that loneliness contributed significantly to cognitive decline and depression and death.” How to correct the problem If you recognize yourself, Koretz suggests asking yourself, “Why am I unhappy?” Go beyond the general reasons, such as feeling like you have too much work to do and dig a little further. Identify your core beliefs and values to make sure your job is still aligned with them. While your work doesn’t have to be meaningful 100% of the time, you shouldn’t feel like a cog in the wheel all the time, either. “A lot of people are doing work that isn’t meaningful to them and that contributes to overwhelm,” says Koretz. “What motivates people, what brings them joy, is finding meaning.” Once you understand what is meaningful to you, make a plan to design your life around it. Koretz says it doesn’t have to be executed right away, nor do you have to make giant strides. Identify small steps you can take and create a career map, figuring out what’s possible and when it makes sense. For example, you may decide to keep your high paying job until you pay off your student loans in five years. Knowing something isn’t forever can make it easier to bear, which Koretz likens to how doctors get through the burdensome schedule of the residency or fellowship stage. “Burnout can be due to feeling stuck,” says Koretz. “When you realize you can get out and you have tangible steps, you can become excited about where you’re heading, and that changes the dynamic so you can be better at integrating your personal and work life.” View the full article

The 2017 fire that burned down much of Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa, California had a silver lining. The camp was originally designed in the early 1900s for people with sight, but it has become a beloved retreat for the blind and visually-impaired for the last 75 years. When more than a dozen of its buildings were destroyed in the fire, the chance arose to rebuild the camp for the unique needs of the people who have been using it for decades. “This really was never designed with the thought of access in mind,” says Helen Schneider, associate principal and project manager at Perkins & Will, the architecture firm that redesigned the camp. Working closely with the camp’s owner, the nonprofit Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the architects made accessibility a guiding principle in its design, from the process to the final product. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] The result is a modern wilderness retreat that integrates tactile and auditory clues throughout its site and buildings, making the camp experience more approachable for people with low- or no vision. The camp has been comprehensively reconsidered to accommodate its visually impaired visitors and staff, many of whom were consulted during the design process. The new design includes a camp-wide system of cane-detectable paths, hiking trails, and rooms designed to modulate background noises, and subtle details in interior furnishings. “This is an experience and a property that reflects that it was created by and for blind people. You can’t find that anywhere,” says Summer Dittmer, executive director of Lighthouse. The camp’s design was co-developed by Perkins & Will and an advisory board from Lighthouse, with blind and visually-impaired stakeholders offering feedback on early design proposals and insight into how the spaces in the camp would be used. During the early design stages, Perkins & Will created a large tabletop 3D model of the camp’s 311-acre site and 50-plus buildings and cabins. The model distinguished existing and proposed buildings by covering the new builds in rough sandpaper. Electrical tape and cords were used to mark the paths that weave up and down the camp’s 900 feet of elevation change. “People who have been coming to camp for 30, 40 years, this was the first time they really got to experience a true-to-scale map that described the topography and the relationships of the buildings, the topography, the streams, the lake,” says Schneider. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] Pathways were an important part of the overall planning of the project, according to Schneider. The architects integrated a system of pathways throughout the camp that have notable differences of materials at their edges, making them easier for individuals using canes to detect their edges. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] Perkins & Will also made special building plan drawings with raised ink to provide a tactical sense for the individual rooms and buildings they were proposing. This allowed visually-impaired stakeholders to offer pointed feedback on spatial layouts and the common challenges they face in conventional buildings, including disorienting furnishings, glaring light, and overwhelming acoustics. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] Schneider says that feedback was especially informative in the camp’s main cafeteria and gathering space. The architects lowered the height of the ceiling in the part of the room where people collect food or bring back empty plates, making it easier to hear others and avoid collisions compared to the louder seating area nearby. “The sound quality of being in the interstitial space of the building is a very different acoustic experience than being out in the open dining area,” Schneider says. Dome-shaped infrared heaters also double as diffused light sources there, providing light without the bothersome glare of direct light. Blind and visually-impaired camp users also informed some of the smaller details in the project, like the notches cut into the front reception desk, where people can prop up a cane, or the subtly recessed vertical stile in a bank of cubby holes that serves as a tactical wayfinding tool. “The places where the project shines are really in these moments where our stakeholders weighed in and said, you know, this is sometimes a pain point for me,” Schneider says. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] Given the site’s history of fire damage, fire resilience was another main focus of the design. Many of the camp’s new buildings feature fire-resistant exteriors of corrugated steel; others are clad in wood that’s an inch thicker than the code requires, adding additional fire resistance. A nearly 500,000-gallon water tank was built on site to store spring water in the summer, both for drinking and for emergency fire protection. Where possible, fire-prone building features like roof gutters, were removed completely. In one case, the design’s fire resilience and accessibility overlap. Perkins & Will designed a new dual-winged bathhouse for a swimming pool, and decided against using rain gutters that could be a trap for burning embers in the event of a fire. Instead, a gutter runs along the ground at the dripline of the roof to catch rainwater, and its metal grating serves as a cane-detectable surface and auditory clue. [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] A breezeway between the two wings of the bathhouse becomes another form of wayfinding, with a louder environment than the areas along the edges and beneath the overhangs of each wing. “So there’s an audible cue for people who are entering the pool area,” Schneider says. “You know where you’re headed, both because you have this edge of the building to shoreline against with your cane, but you also have the audible cue that’s created spatially by the overhang.” [Photo: Emily Hagopian/courtesy Perkins & Will] Having this navigability built into the site and buildings of the camp opens new doors for the organization’s mission of promoting equity and opportunity for blind and visually impaired people. “It’s a place for learning,” Dittmer says. “This is where many of them get their first taste of independence, as campers.” The camp also operates year-round as a retreat, hosting corporate events and weddings. Many staff on site, from the head chef to the janitorial staff to the counselors, are blind or visually impaired, making the camp a kind of job training center and real-world case study of the role visually impaired people can play in society. Dittmer says hosting corporate events at the camp is becoming another way to advance the mission. “It’s not just that they’re exposed to a camp that is for blind kids in the summer,” she says. “Seeing people who are blind and low vision working jobs and doing them well only encourages these big companies to open their minds and hire blind and low vision people.” The camp’s new design, Dittmer says, makes all these goals achievable, from giving blind kids a place for exploration to providing low vision people the tools to find successful careers. “If architecture could reflect possibilities and opportunities, this does it perfectly,” she says. View the full article

The top is a fine suede. The bottom is a stack of foam so tall you’ll instinctively pop an energy ball. You can wear it barefoot. You could run a marathon in it. I just . . . wish . . . it didn’t look like an orthopedic pair of Vans. This is the Ahnu Sequence 1.1. Suede, launching today for $240. While you may not have heard of Ahnu yet (the boutique brand launched quietly in 2024), you do know the company behind it. Deckers owns brands including Teva, Ugg, and Hoka, which has celebrated healthy growth across its acquired brand portfolio over the past few years—sales across Deckers were up 17% over the past year. [Photo: Ahnu] Unlike its sister brands, Ahnu is being homegrown at Deckers to serve as a vehicle into court shoes—think classic sneakers silhouettes like Converse All-Stars, Adidas Stan Smiths, or Nike Air Force Ones and Dunks. But instead of a vulcanized rubber or EVA midsole, Ahnu is equipped with the same high-tech foams and carbon plates found in advanced running shoes for maximized comfort. [Photo: Ahnu] “It very much looks like a classical sneaker, like something that’s more timeless, that’s easier to wear with any kind of garment,” says Jean-Luc Diard, one of the original cofounders of Hoka who leads innovation across Deckers today. “It packs in all the latest technologies without pushing it smash in your face. That’s the whole idea.” Diard, a former elite skier who made his way into outdoor equipment and footwear design, was leading development at Soloman until 2007, when he got the idea for building a maximal-but-lightweight trail-running shoe, which became the Hoka One. (Outside ran a fantastic profile on Diard a few years back.) [Photo: Ahnu] His latest vision is to sell a court shoe that’s sharp enough for a boardroom but performant enough to make a commute to work a breeze. The company has dubbed these “super sneakers,” and they’re designed to fill a hole in Deckers’s portfolio while establishing a new subcategory of shoe. “One thing we started to identify at the start was the fact that, as a group, we were not really involved in the sneaker business,” says Diard. “We had running shoes, we had casual shoes, we had sandals, but we didn’t have, let’s say, a significant effort being dedicated to the [traditional] sneaker.” The original prototype Hoka. [Photo: Hoka] The rise of the foam stack Since Adidas launched Ultraboosts a decade ago, thick foam stacks have been a kind of arm’s race, growing taller and taller like the blades on a Gillette razor. The modern era of performant foams—solidified when Nike Vaporfly shoes started breaking Olympic records, circa 2020—was just getting started when Deckers bought Hoka in 2012. Since then, Hoka’s rainbow-charred marshmallow midsoles have become comfort-first lifestyle shoes for many people. Their same elite technologies of advanced foams and carbon plates that lead marathoners to break records have a larger, second life for people who just want a softer day of walking for their knees. The aesthetic of shoes is shifting as a result. Midsoles have about doubled in height over the past decade, and what once seemed absurd is feeling more normal as the entire industry races toward what Diard calls “dynamic comfort.” Even the Jordan brand has launched a pillowy walking shoe. [Photo: Hoka] “There’s a gap in technology between running and casual shoes,” he says, and consumers who’ve stepped into the latest running technologies don’t have interest in returning. “[They say,] ‘No, that’s done now. Now, I’m moving to the next generation.’” Ahnu is essentially a running shoe, but its midsole foam has been tuned for a slightly lower impact of walking versus running, and its internal carbon plate is arced at a shallower angle than a racing shoe. With a rocker bottom, once you get used to your foot rolling forward with every step, I cannot deny that a pair of Ahnus become almost automatic to walk in. The grip of the TPU midsole is superb, even on wet surfaces (that brown you see on the bottom of the shoe isn’t rubber outsole, it’s just dye—allowing the entire midsole to be recycled as a single material). There are no stitches inside catching the top of your foot, either; and at just 200g apiece, they are a quarter the weight of a Converse All-Star. The shoes truly feel like a premium play on the lifestyle market. “On is more lifestyle than Hoka, and so you know, why wouldn’t that On customer possibly buy Ahnu a year from now?” Diard muses. But in my size 12, the Ahnu’s midsole proportions are just odd. An all-white Anhu colorway reads okay on my feet. With the suede top, I feel a bit like I’m wearing Mschf’s Super Baby crossed with a pair of Allbirds. Like, I’m Tom Hanks in Big. Diard takes the criticism in stride, fairly noting that, for traditionally feminine silhouettes, the taller stack reads a bit more typical. He says they’re still fine-tuning Ahnu’s design language before taking it to scale in what sounds like a surprisingly patient process for a brand that won’t target wide release until spring 2026. [Photo: Ahnu] “The worst mistake you can get is putting pressure too quickly, too early, and then having a product that you start to scale that is not completely right, that is not completely ready,” says Diard. “Sometimes, it’s just tiny things that make the difference between success and failure.” This patience is echoed by Deckers president and CEO Stefano Caroti, who sets a high bar for Ahnu, noting that the company doesn’t want to sustain smaller brands like Sanuk, which it sold off last year. “We want brands that can be at least half-a-billion dollars,” says Caroti. “Otherwise, it’s not really worth the effort, considering that we have two brands that are in excess of 2 billion with potential to be truly multibillion-dollar brands.” “Building a brand from scratch is not as easy as finding something that already works, and we have been good at amplifying brands, building brands that already had a DNA,” he continues. “We’ll see whether we . . . have the scalability and the know-how to do it. We’re fortunate to have the time.” [Photos: Ugg, Teva, Hoka] I will admit, though, having worn Anhus for a week now, my tastes have been slowly acclimating to their proportions, and perhaps my criticism will look archaic in a few years’ time. After all, we live in the age of the big midsole. And Deckers’s entire portfolio is embracing the thicker foam stack to fuel a genre-bending approach to otherwise traditional (and even tired?) shoe categories. “Across the brands in our group, you will see many, many evolutions in that direction,” says Diard. From the Teva Aventrail (an off-road running sandal) to the Hoka Speed Loafer (a sporty dress shoe that sold out a trial run in minutes) to the Ugg Tasman (an all-weather take on cozy). “I think these hybrids are going to create [new] segments for our business,” says Caroti. “What is important is that you stay true to your roots and stay true to the DNA of the brand. The minute you try to be somebody you’re not, something you’re not, the consumer smells it immediately.” View the full article

Are you looking for a way to make some extra money? Why not try selling your art? You can create beautiful art pieces from recycled materials, and there is a huge market for upcycled art. This article will share some inspired upcycled art projects that you can make and sell online. These projects are ideal for small business owners looking to launch a side gig or incorporate handmade items into their shop. Let your creativity flow, and begin crafting stunning upcycled art today! Why You Should Create Art Projects Using Recycled Materials The increasing urgency of environmental issues and the increasing waste generated by modern consumerist societies make it crucial for us to find innovative and sustainable ways to repurpose what we might consider “trash.” Creating art projects using recycled materials not only promotes sustainability but also fosters creativity and innovation. Materials like discarded paper, old cardboard, fabric remnants, and even that pile of seemingly useless junk mail can serve as a basis for intricate artwork. Not only do they breathe life into things that would have ended up in the landfill, but they also challenge artists to think outside the box. When considering plastics, such as bottles and containers, the potential for transformation is immense. Think about the multitudes of these items that are discarded daily! Instead of adding to the growing environmental problem, we can turn them into functional or decorative pieces. Here are 4 reasons why it’s a good idea to create art projects to make and sell using upcycled materials: It’s good for the environment: When you create designs using recycled objects, you are helping the earth by reducing the amount of trash that ends up in dumps. That’s especially helpful when it comes to some plastics that take 450 years to decompose! It’s very cost-effective: Besides saving the earth, you can save money by using recycled old objects instead of purchasing new ones that will likely go—you guessed it—in the dump when you are done with them. It’s unique and eye-catching: Upcycled creations are gorgeous and niche, making them easy to sell online or at craft fairs/markets. Just make sure that your items have tags with prices so people know how much your stuff costs. It’s fun: When you make something new from old things, you’ll be surprised at what you can do when creativity strikes. If you have kids, it teaches them to be environmentally conscious in an entertaining way. Great Ideas for Upcycled Art Projects Several successful small businesses and individual artists generate revenue for their creations while also raising awareness of consumerism culture and the looming pollution crisis. But, unfortunately, not many companies serve a practical purpose while letting you do something you enjoy; therefore, it should be a nice change of pace. At the end of the day, you can start your business, so start looking for where to sell handmade items locally. Ready to start your own art project business? Here are 25 recycling ideas to get you started. Design Tin Can Butterflies Reimagining the humble tin can is both ecologically beneficial and creatively rewarding. Picture this: A tin can, which was once holding your favorite beans, now transformed into a beautiful butterfly sculpture. If you possess some basic tool skills and a pinch of imagination, these cans can metamorphose into intricate butterfly jewelry pins, garden decorations, or even a central piece in a themed wall art. Their metallic shimmer can capture light, adding a touch of whimsy to any setting. Want some inspiration? Then, check out Art Now and Then’s blog page. Make Portraits with Bottle Caps Bottlecap art is popular for a few good reasons: it’s easy and fun, and the results are often jaw-dropping. They are quite common, too, and you can find them in landfills everywhere. You can create all sorts of things with them, even floor tile, but our personal favorite is pixel mosaic art. You’re probably familiar with the Marilyn Monroe portrait made from colorful beer bottle caps, but there are all sorts of designs you can create. You can look at taza.co’s page for ideas. Paint Using Old Crayons Crayons, often relegated to childhood memories, can find their way back into our adult lives in the most artistic manner. By melting them, artists can create a cascade of vibrant colors, evoking emotions and memories. Moreover, merging these melted wonders with old pages, especially from books or dictionaries, provides a juxtaposition of the old and new, creating masterpieces with profound narratives. Make Memory Quilts from Old T-shirts Turning old clothes into something new is a great way to reduce waste and provide sentimental pieces of art at the same time. Upcycled tees are good to use for memory quilting, and you can design a really gorgeous bedspread with just a few fabric scraps. You can create new memories for children and teenagers with sports-themed quilts as well. If you’re unsure about how to quilt, there are numerous online tutorials available to guide you through the process. Turn Upcycled Magazines into Collages It’s a shame, but 85 million tons of paper waste is sent to the trash dump every year. Old mags we throw away are a part of this waste, but they are also a great source of colorful, interesting paper to use in your art projects. Another excellent way to reuse this paper and keep it out of the dumpster is to cut out images or words to design collages. You can also make three-dimensional sculptures by cutting pages into thin strips and gluing them together. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even try crocheting with old magazine pages. Teach Kids How to Make Plastic Bottle Planters The omnipresence of plastic bottles is undeniable, and their environmental impact is profound. But imagine turning this narrative around and using these bottles as tools for education and creativity. By converting these bottles into planters, we not only repurpose them but also impart valuable lessons to children about sustainability, creativity, and the joys of gardening. Seeing a seed sprout in a planter, they crafted can instill pride and a sense of responsibility in young minds. In essence, using recycled materials in art projects is a testament to humanity’s ability to innovate and cherish our environment. It underscores the adage that beauty, indeed, can be found in the most unexpected places. Make DIY Sea Glass Lamps Utilizing sea glass in your DIY endeavors can add a hint of coastal charm and nostalgia. These ocean-tumbled treasures come in a myriad of colors and translucencies, making them perfect centerpieces when paired with light. The delicate hues of green, blue, amber, and clear shimmer when backlit, capturing the essence of the ocean. If you don’t have access to a beach or don’t find enough sea glass, don’t fret. There are other alternatives that can still provide that ethereal glow. Marbles, with their rounded shape and varied colors, can be an interesting substitute. They can reflect light in similar ways, infusing your project with a whimsical element. Small stones, especially those that are semi-translucent, can replicate the appearance of sea glass when incorporated into lamp designs. Their natural textures and uneven shapes contribute an earthy, rustic quality to your lamp. Design Hubcap Sculptures The art of repurposing often involves looking at mundane objects with a fresh perspective. Consider hubcaps. These metal discs, which are often discarded or left abandoned, can be transformed into striking pieces of art. With just a dash of creativity, they can morph into vibrant flowers, captivating animals, or abstract sculptures that can enhance any indoor or outdoor space. Spray painting them in bold, bright colors can turn them into statement pieces, ideal for livening up a garden or patio. Mounting these painted hubcaps on a fence or wall can instantly turn a drab space into a focal point. Make Wearables out of Rubbish One man’s trash is another man’s fashion statement. With a little ingenuity, items that once seemed destined for the landfill can become the highlight of your wardrobe. An old, discarded sheet can be transformed into a chic summer top or a skirt. A t-shirt that’s seen better days might find a second life as a trendy tote bag. Upcycled jewelry is also gaining traction, with materials as varied as old books, discarded toys, defunct computer parts, and even melted plastic straws serving as the foundation for necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more. Upcycle Old Vases with Hot Glue Vases are often overlooked in the realm of upcycling, but with some creativity, they can be given a fresh lease on life. Using hot glue, you can add intricate designs or textures to the exterior of a vase, making it look more high-end and unique. Moreover, once painted, these patterns can pop, making the vase look like an artisanal piece. Besides holding flowers, these embellished vases can serve as standalone decor items, candle holders, or even containers for creative centerpieces. The beauty of this project lies in its simplicity: all you need is an old vase, a hot glue gun, some paint, and a bit of imagination to breathe new life into an old piece. Repurpose Old Skate Boards Skateboarding fans are sure to love cool things like shelves, jewelry, guitar picks, and barbecue grills made out of old, broken skateboards. All you need is some paint and a little bit of creativity to turn these boards into something truly unique. If you are crafting rings from them, you might not need to use paint at all, as the stunning patterns on the boards are incredibly beautiful. Take a look at this for making skateboard rings here or this video that shows how to make guitar picks out of old skateboard material here. Read More: How to Start an Upcycling Business Design Recycled Haute Couture Recycled high fashion is big business, but they all had to start somewhere, right? If you are a fashionista with old clothes lying around, why not recycle them to make high-fashion garments? Fashion upcycling to make haute couture can be done with material lying around the house or from a local landfill. The material you can use includes old army blankets, parachutes, old pairs of jeans, and old band t-shirts. There is a niche for this type of style, so you can often find recycled fashion shows and exhibits that are good resources for peddling your wares. Recycle Old CDs The era of CDs has faded, replaced by digital streaming and downloads, but the charm and reflectiveness of these discs remain timeless. When the sun hits an old CD, it disperses a prism of colors – a phenomenon perfect for home decor. The iridescent shimmer of CDs can be used to create stunning sun catchers, placing them in your garden or by a window to catch light and create dancing rainbows. By breaking them into smaller shards, you can fashion mosaic-style ornaments or even unique wall mirrors. With the material’s flexibility, you can create striking patterns and designs. What makes recycling CDs so appealing? It’s not only an eco-friendly endeavor but also an economical one. With just a bit of creativity, what was once a medium for music can now resonate visually in your living space. Turn Your Old Car into a Masterpiece There’s something poignantly nostalgic about an old car, a silent witness to many journeys and memories. Instead of letting it rust away in a forgotten corner, turning it into a canvas for your artistic expression can breathe new life into it. With paint or chalkboard coatings, the car’s exterior can become a sprawling space for murals, designs, or even interactive art where visitors can leave messages or doodle. Perhaps turning it into a quirky garden feature by filling it with plants and flowers or retrofitting it into a unique seating area. The possibilities are as vast as the open road once was for that vehicle. And the best part? There’s no pressure of perfection; it’s all about creative expression and giving the old timer a new narrative. Craft with Discarded Light Bulbs Before you dispose of a burnt-out light bulb, consider its potential as an art piece. These bulbs, with their delicate glass encasings, offer a myriad of upcycling opportunities. For instance, they can be transformed into mini terrariums, holding tiny plants inside, suspended in the air by threads, or placed gracefully on a shelf. Alternatively, with a touch of paint, they can become ornamental designs for festivities, think of Christmas ornaments or Halloween decorations. For the more daring, filling them with colored water or other liquids can make a playful sun catcher. Repurpose Old Tires into Funky Furniture Tires may seem like they are just for cars, but did you know that they can also be used to make funky and stylish furniture? For example, you can paint them and turn them into a chair, table, lamp and even a sofa. The great advantage of this furniture is its durability; it is quite sturdy and designed to last for many years. If you prefer a more understated option, you can repurpose old tires to create garden tables, planters, and even holiday yard decorations. Even the tires themselves can be carved decoratively and painted. You can get donated old tires from the community or collect them from landfills. Put a Cork in It From USB drives to coasters, there are all sorts of things you can make with wine corks. You can also turn them into magnets and pins or even just use them to decorate some of your other projects (like the vases we mentioned earlier). You can dye them, paint them or just leave them as they are. Kids will have hours of fun with these DIY stamps (it’s knife intensive, so be sure to cut out the details for the younger kids before letting them use them). Make Soda Can Designs Soda cans are another fantastic item to upcycle, and there are all sorts of exciting projects you can make by reusing the aluminum in them. You can make animals, flowers, coasters, mirrors or even just some abstract designs. The best thing is that this type of art is pretty straightforward to do and doesn’t require a lot of supplies. Reimagine Broken Tiles Every now and then, home renovations or accidental mishaps can leave you with a pile of broken tiles. Rather than discarding them, these colorful ceramic pieces can be a goldmine for crafting enthusiasts. Mosaics are the first thing that springs to mind — a beautifully intricate tabletop or a vibrant pathway in the garden can be achieved by piecing together these shards. Even the smallest bits can be utilized to create detailed art frames or mirror edges, adding a rustic touch to your decor. Beyond the functional, broken tiles can also be transformed into jewelry pieces, such as pendants or brooches. The natural, earthy feel of the ceramic, combined with its glossy finish, can create a striking contrast. It’s a celebration of imperfection, where each crack or chip tells a story and adds to the character of your creations. Embellish with Discarded Copper Wiring Copper wiring has a distinctive color and texture, and it’s extremely versatile. It lends itself well to recycled art projects, and you can use it to make jewelry, wall hangings or even just sculpture pieces. For example, if you find some thick copper wiring, you can use it to create lovely hanging planters from light bulbs. Additionally, you can take regular wire and some paint to craft faux sea coral arrangements. Use Old Books to Make Chic Art Books may be great for your brain, but they can also be used to make some really chic-looking pieces. For example, you can turn them into book art sculptures or even just use pages from them as wallpaper. The good news is that you probably have lots of books lying around the house already, so you can toss a few in a pile for making some inexpensive artwork later. Make Holiday Wreaths Instead of using holly and pine fir, you can use things like maps, plastic bottles, and even old magazines and postcards to make holiday wreaths. To put a unique recycled spin on this familiar wall adornment, you can also use jeans or sweaters to make them. Doing so is a great way to give your home some festive flair, and you can use things like candy wrappers or gift-wrapping paper instead of traditional ribbons if you’d like. Another idea is to make heart-shaped wreaths with upcycled black roses all around with some recycled skeletons and bats sprinkled in that can work for either Valentine’s Day or Halloween (just switch red accents out for orange). For inspiration, look at the unique wreaths on JessMadeDesign here, or you could try your hand at making an upcycled Christmas wreath that is similar to this: Use Mixed Media Mixed media upcycling involves combining various materials to craft unique art pieces. This approach encourages artists to see potential in discarded items, from old book pages to forgotten lace or colorful flip-flops. Each material, whether it’s a delicate feather or a rugged scrap of fabric, brings its own texture and story to the artwork. By blending these diverse elements, mixed media not only transforms waste into wonder but also challenges and expands conventional artistic boundaries. This form of art celebrates the beauty of repurposing and the unexpected magic that arises from uniting different mediums Become an Artivist Artivists (Activist + Artist) like Banksy use their artwork to bring awareness to social and political issues. Artivist Alejandro Duran uses his artwork to bring awareness to the massive problems that pollution brings and to help save the earth. For his photo series, “Washed Up,” the artivist collected plastic rubbish that he collected along the shorelines of Sian Ka’an, a UNESCO World Heritage located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. You can watch Alejandro Duran discuss “Washed Up” on Ted Talk by clicking here. Tackle an Ambitious Upcycling Project After you’ve gotten used to making a few upcycled projects, you can start tackling more ambitious ones like park projects. For those, you can pitch projects where you make things like sculptures, benches and tables to city officials. Alternatively, you can promote this service through a gallery on your website. While this project is more complex than the ones we’ve previously discussed, it is certainly worthwhile if you have the time and energy to invest. This project, a partnership between Music For Everyone and Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, transformed pianos, once destined for trash, into beautiful art pieces. All proceeds from the art sales supported music programs throughout Lancaster County. Comparing Upcycled Art Project Ideas The table below provides a comparison of various upcycled art project ideas. Use this as a quick reference guide to gauge the level of difficulty, material requirements, and potential market appeal. Project IdeaPrimary MaterialsDifficulty Level (1-5, with 5 being most difficult)Potential Market Appeal (1-5, with 5 being most appealing) Design Tin Can ButterfliesTin cans34 Make Portraits with Bottle CapsBottle caps24 Paint Using Old CrayonsCrayons23 Make Memory Quilts from Old T-shirtsOld T-shirts45 Turn Upcycled Magazines into CollagesMagazines13 Make Plastic Bottle PlantersPlastic bottles23 Make DIY Sea Glass LampsSea glass or marbles34 Design Hubcap SculpturesHubcaps34 Make Wearables out of RubbishOld clothes, toys, etc.34 Upcycle Old Vases with Hot GlueOld vases, hot glue13 Repurpose Old Skate BoardsSkateboards44 Design Recycled Haute CoutureOld clothes55 Recycle Old CDsCDs13 Turn Your Old Car into a MasterpieceOld car, paint55 Repurpose Old Tires into FurnitureTires44 Put a Cork in ItWine corks12 Make Soda Can DesignsSoda cans23 DIY Light Bulb Terrarium/AquariumOld light bulbs23 Embellish with Copper WiringCopper wiring34 Use Old Books to Make Chic ArtOld books24 Make Holiday WreathsMaps, bottles, magazines24 Use Mixed MediaVarious recycled items45 How to Sell Art Projects that Use Upcycled Materials Once you’ve moved from dabbling in crafts to creating fine art, you can start selling your pieces and making money. There are many resources when it comes to where to sell art online. The best thing about selling upcycled creations is that it’s easier to find an audience for them, especially if they are eco-friendly and support a good cause. People love buying things made from repurposed items because they want to be part of this movement that is helping the earth. A good place to sell your recycled creations is at craft fairs, flea markets or on Etsy, which has a large following of people who are passionate about eco-friendly items. So, make sure to look into how to start a small business on Etsy as well as how to sell on Amazon Handmade. It’s also best if you have a website where potential clients can search and see examples of all the different types of work you’ve done in this medium and how much they cost, but you can also join a like-minded community such as the r/upcycling forum on Reddit. If you’re looking for more artistic inspiration and tips to help build your business as an artistic professional, check out the tutorials at CreativeLive. You’ll find everything from how to put together marketing plans that work wonders for your brand or photography workshops where they show you how to take better pictures in any situation. Have fun and let your imagination run wild as you create art projects that are truly unique and more beautiful than anything else out there! Image: Depositphotos This article, "Upcycled Art Projects to Make and Sell" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Are you looking for a way to make some extra money? Why not try selling your art? You can create beautiful art pieces from recycled materials, and there is a huge market for upcycled art. This article will share some inspired upcycled art projects that you can make and sell online. These projects are ideal for small business owners looking to launch a side gig or incorporate handmade items into their shop. Let your creativity flow, and begin crafting stunning upcycled art today! Why You Should Create Art Projects Using Recycled Materials The increasing urgency of environmental issues and the increasing waste generated by modern consumerist societies make it crucial for us to find innovative and sustainable ways to repurpose what we might consider “trash.” Creating art projects using recycled materials not only promotes sustainability but also fosters creativity and innovation. Materials like discarded paper, old cardboard, fabric remnants, and even that pile of seemingly useless junk mail can serve as a basis for intricate artwork. Not only do they breathe life into things that would have ended up in the landfill, but they also challenge artists to think outside the box. When considering plastics, such as bottles and containers, the potential for transformation is immense. Think about the multitudes of these items that are discarded daily! Instead of adding to the growing environmental problem, we can turn them into functional or decorative pieces. Here are 4 reasons why it’s a good idea to create art projects to make and sell using upcycled materials: It’s good for the environment: When you create designs using recycled objects, you are helping the earth by reducing the amount of trash that ends up in dumps. That’s especially helpful when it comes to some plastics that take 450 years to decompose! It’s very cost-effective: Besides saving the earth, you can save money by using recycled old objects instead of purchasing new ones that will likely go—you guessed it—in the dump when you are done with them. It’s unique and eye-catching: Upcycled creations are gorgeous and niche, making them easy to sell online or at craft fairs/markets. Just make sure that your items have tags with prices so people know how much your stuff costs. It’s fun: When you make something new from old things, you’ll be surprised at what you can do when creativity strikes. If you have kids, it teaches them to be environmentally conscious in an entertaining way. Great Ideas for Upcycled Art Projects Several successful small businesses and individual artists generate revenue for their creations while also raising awareness of consumerism culture and the looming pollution crisis. But, unfortunately, not many companies serve a practical purpose while letting you do something you enjoy; therefore, it should be a nice change of pace. At the end of the day, you can start your business, so start looking for where to sell handmade items locally. Ready to start your own art project business? Here are 25 recycling ideas to get you started. Design Tin Can Butterflies Reimagining the humble tin can is both ecologically beneficial and creatively rewarding. Picture this: A tin can, which was once holding your favorite beans, now transformed into a beautiful butterfly sculpture. If you possess some basic tool skills and a pinch of imagination, these cans can metamorphose into intricate butterfly jewelry pins, garden decorations, or even a central piece in a themed wall art. Their metallic shimmer can capture light, adding a touch of whimsy to any setting. Want some inspiration? Then, check out Art Now and Then’s blog page. Make Portraits with Bottle Caps Bottlecap art is popular for a few good reasons: it’s easy and fun, and the results are often jaw-dropping. They are quite common, too, and you can find them in landfills everywhere. You can create all sorts of things with them, even floor tile, but our personal favorite is pixel mosaic art. You’re probably familiar with the Marilyn Monroe portrait made from colorful beer bottle caps, but there are all sorts of designs you can create. You can look at taza.co’s page for ideas. Paint Using Old Crayons Crayons, often relegated to childhood memories, can find their way back into our adult lives in the most artistic manner. By melting them, artists can create a cascade of vibrant colors, evoking emotions and memories. Moreover, merging these melted wonders with old pages, especially from books or dictionaries, provides a juxtaposition of the old and new, creating masterpieces with profound narratives. Make Memory Quilts from Old T-shirts Turning old clothes into something new is a great way to reduce waste and provide sentimental pieces of art at the same time. Upcycled tees are good to use for memory quilting, and you can design a really gorgeous bedspread with just a few fabric scraps. You can create new memories for children and teenagers with sports-themed quilts as well. If you’re unsure about how to quilt, there are numerous online tutorials available to guide you through the process. Turn Upcycled Magazines into Collages It’s a shame, but 85 million tons of paper waste is sent to the trash dump every year. Old mags we throw away are a part of this waste, but they are also a great source of colorful, interesting paper to use in your art projects. Another excellent way to reuse this paper and keep it out of the dumpster is to cut out images or words to design collages. You can also make three-dimensional sculptures by cutting pages into thin strips and gluing them together. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even try crocheting with old magazine pages. Teach Kids How to Make Plastic Bottle Planters The omnipresence of plastic bottles is undeniable, and their environmental impact is profound. But imagine turning this narrative around and using these bottles as tools for education and creativity. By converting these bottles into planters, we not only repurpose them but also impart valuable lessons to children about sustainability, creativity, and the joys of gardening. Seeing a seed sprout in a planter, they crafted can instill pride and a sense of responsibility in young minds. In essence, using recycled materials in art projects is a testament to humanity’s ability to innovate and cherish our environment. It underscores the adage that beauty, indeed, can be found in the most unexpected places. Make DIY Sea Glass Lamps Utilizing sea glass in your DIY endeavors can add a hint of coastal charm and nostalgia. These ocean-tumbled treasures come in a myriad of colors and translucencies, making them perfect centerpieces when paired with light. The delicate hues of green, blue, amber, and clear shimmer when backlit, capturing the essence of the ocean. If you don’t have access to a beach or don’t find enough sea glass, don’t fret. There are other alternatives that can still provide that ethereal glow. Marbles, with their rounded shape and varied colors, can be an interesting substitute. They can reflect light in similar ways, infusing your project with a whimsical element. Small stones, especially those that are semi-translucent, can replicate the appearance of sea glass when incorporated into lamp designs. Their natural textures and uneven shapes contribute an earthy, rustic quality to your lamp. Design Hubcap Sculptures The art of repurposing often involves looking at mundane objects with a fresh perspective. Consider hubcaps. These metal discs, which are often discarded or left abandoned, can be transformed into striking pieces of art. With just a dash of creativity, they can morph into vibrant flowers, captivating animals, or abstract sculptures that can enhance any indoor or outdoor space. Spray painting them in bold, bright colors can turn them into statement pieces, ideal for livening up a garden or patio. Mounting these painted hubcaps on a fence or wall can instantly turn a drab space into a focal point. Make Wearables out of Rubbish One man’s trash is another man’s fashion statement. With a little ingenuity, items that once seemed destined for the landfill can become the highlight of your wardrobe. An old, discarded sheet can be transformed into a chic summer top or a skirt. A t-shirt that’s seen better days might find a second life as a trendy tote bag. Upcycled jewelry is also gaining traction, with materials as varied as old books, discarded toys, defunct computer parts, and even melted plastic straws serving as the foundation for necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more. Upcycle Old Vases with Hot Glue Vases are often overlooked in the realm of upcycling, but with some creativity, they can be given a fresh lease on life. Using hot glue, you can add intricate designs or textures to the exterior of a vase, making it look more high-end and unique. Moreover, once painted, these patterns can pop, making the vase look like an artisanal piece. Besides holding flowers, these embellished vases can serve as standalone decor items, candle holders, or even containers for creative centerpieces. The beauty of this project lies in its simplicity: all you need is an old vase, a hot glue gun, some paint, and a bit of imagination to breathe new life into an old piece. Repurpose Old Skate Boards Skateboarding fans are sure to love cool things like shelves, jewelry, guitar picks, and barbecue grills made out of old, broken skateboards. All you need is some paint and a little bit of creativity to turn these boards into something truly unique. If you are crafting rings from them, you might not need to use paint at all, as the stunning patterns on the boards are incredibly beautiful. Take a look at this for making skateboard rings here or this video that shows how to make guitar picks out of old skateboard material here. Read More: How to Start an Upcycling Business Design Recycled Haute Couture Recycled high fashion is big business, but they all had to start somewhere, right? If you are a fashionista with old clothes lying around, why not recycle them to make high-fashion garments? Fashion upcycling to make haute couture can be done with material lying around the house or from a local landfill. The material you can use includes old army blankets, parachutes, old pairs of jeans, and old band t-shirts. There is a niche for this type of style, so you can often find recycled fashion shows and exhibits that are good resources for peddling your wares. Recycle Old CDs The era of CDs has faded, replaced by digital streaming and downloads, but the charm and reflectiveness of these discs remain timeless. When the sun hits an old CD, it disperses a prism of colors – a phenomenon perfect for home decor. The iridescent shimmer of CDs can be used to create stunning sun catchers, placing them in your garden or by a window to catch light and create dancing rainbows. By breaking them into smaller shards, you can fashion mosaic-style ornaments or even unique wall mirrors. With the material’s flexibility, you can create striking patterns and designs. What makes recycling CDs so appealing? It’s not only an eco-friendly endeavor but also an economical one. With just a bit of creativity, what was once a medium for music can now resonate visually in your living space. Turn Your Old Car into a Masterpiece There’s something poignantly nostalgic about an old car, a silent witness to many journeys and memories. Instead of letting it rust away in a forgotten corner, turning it into a canvas for your artistic expression can breathe new life into it. With paint or chalkboard coatings, the car’s exterior can become a sprawling space for murals, designs, or even interactive art where visitors can leave messages or doodle. Perhaps turning it into a quirky garden feature by filling it with plants and flowers or retrofitting it into a unique seating area. The possibilities are as vast as the open road once was for that vehicle. And the best part? There’s no pressure of perfection; it’s all about creative expression and giving the old timer a new narrative. Craft with Discarded Light Bulbs Before you dispose of a burnt-out light bulb, consider its potential as an art piece. These bulbs, with their delicate glass encasings, offer a myriad of upcycling opportunities. For instance, they can be transformed into mini terrariums, holding tiny plants inside, suspended in the air by threads, or placed gracefully on a shelf. Alternatively, with a touch of paint, they can become ornamental designs for festivities, think of Christmas ornaments or Halloween decorations. For the more daring, filling them with colored water or other liquids can make a playful sun catcher. Repurpose Old Tires into Funky Furniture Tires may seem like they are just for cars, but did you know that they can also be used to make funky and stylish furniture? For example, you can paint them and turn them into a chair, table, lamp and even a sofa. The great advantage of this furniture is its durability; it is quite sturdy and designed to last for many years. If you prefer a more understated option, you can repurpose old tires to create garden tables, planters, and even holiday yard decorations. Even the tires themselves can be carved decoratively and painted. You can get donated old tires from the community or collect them from landfills. Put a Cork in It From USB drives to coasters, there are all sorts of things you can make with wine corks. You can also turn them into magnets and pins or even just use them to decorate some of your other projects (like the vases we mentioned earlier). You can dye them, paint them or just leave them as they are. Kids will have hours of fun with these DIY stamps (it’s knife intensive, so be sure to cut out the details for the younger kids before letting them use them). Make Soda Can Designs Soda cans are another fantastic item to upcycle, and there are all sorts of exciting projects you can make by reusing the aluminum in them. You can make animals, flowers, coasters, mirrors or even just some abstract designs. The best thing is that this type of art is pretty straightforward to do and doesn’t require a lot of supplies. Reimagine Broken Tiles Every now and then, home renovations or accidental mishaps can leave you with a pile of broken tiles. Rather than discarding them, these colorful ceramic pieces can be a goldmine for crafting enthusiasts. Mosaics are the first thing that springs to mind — a beautifully intricate tabletop or a vibrant pathway in the garden can be achieved by piecing together these shards. Even the smallest bits can be utilized to create detailed art frames or mirror edges, adding a rustic touch to your decor. Beyond the functional, broken tiles can also be transformed into jewelry pieces, such as pendants or brooches. The natural, earthy feel of the ceramic, combined with its glossy finish, can create a striking contrast. It’s a celebration of imperfection, where each crack or chip tells a story and adds to the character of your creations. Embellish with Discarded Copper Wiring Copper wiring has a distinctive color and texture, and it’s extremely versatile. It lends itself well to recycled art projects, and you can use it to make jewelry, wall hangings or even just sculpture pieces. For example, if you find some thick copper wiring, you can use it to create lovely hanging planters from light bulbs. Additionally, you can take regular wire and some paint to craft faux sea coral arrangements. Use Old Books to Make Chic Art Books may be great for your brain, but they can also be used to make some really chic-looking pieces. For example, you can turn them into book art sculptures or even just use pages from them as wallpaper. The good news is that you probably have lots of books lying around the house already, so you can toss a few in a pile for making some inexpensive artwork later. Make Holiday Wreaths Instead of using holly and pine fir, you can use things like maps, plastic bottles, and even old magazines and postcards to make holiday wreaths. To put a unique recycled spin on this familiar wall adornment, you can also use jeans or sweaters to make them. Doing so is a great way to give your home some festive flair, and you can use things like candy wrappers or gift-wrapping paper instead of traditional ribbons if you’d like. Another idea is to make heart-shaped wreaths with upcycled black roses all around with some recycled skeletons and bats sprinkled in that can work for either Valentine’s Day or Halloween (just switch red accents out for orange). For inspiration, look at the unique wreaths on JessMadeDesign here, or you could try your hand at making an upcycled Christmas wreath that is similar to this: Use Mixed Media Mixed media upcycling involves combining various materials to craft unique art pieces. This approach encourages artists to see potential in discarded items, from old book pages to forgotten lace or colorful flip-flops. Each material, whether it’s a delicate feather or a rugged scrap of fabric, brings its own texture and story to the artwork. By blending these diverse elements, mixed media not only transforms waste into wonder but also challenges and expands conventional artistic boundaries. This form of art celebrates the beauty of repurposing and the unexpected magic that arises from uniting different mediums Become an Artivist Artivists (Activist + Artist) like Banksy use their artwork to bring awareness to social and political issues. Artivist Alejandro Duran uses his artwork to bring awareness to the massive problems that pollution brings and to help save the earth. For his photo series, “Washed Up,” the artivist collected plastic rubbish that he collected along the shorelines of Sian Ka’an, a UNESCO World Heritage located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. You can watch Alejandro Duran discuss “Washed Up” on Ted Talk by clicking here. Tackle an Ambitious Upcycling Project After you’ve gotten used to making a few upcycled projects, you can start tackling more ambitious ones like park projects. For those, you can pitch projects where you make things like sculptures, benches and tables to city officials. Alternatively, you can promote this service through a gallery on your website. While this project is more complex than the ones we’ve previously discussed, it is certainly worthwhile if you have the time and energy to invest. This project, a partnership between Music For Everyone and Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, transformed pianos, once destined for trash, into beautiful art pieces. All proceeds from the art sales supported music programs throughout Lancaster County. Comparing Upcycled Art Project Ideas The table below provides a comparison of various upcycled art project ideas. Use this as a quick reference guide to gauge the level of difficulty, material requirements, and potential market appeal. Project IdeaPrimary MaterialsDifficulty Level (1-5, with 5 being most difficult)Potential Market Appeal (1-5, with 5 being most appealing) Design Tin Can ButterfliesTin cans34 Make Portraits with Bottle CapsBottle caps24 Paint Using Old CrayonsCrayons23 Make Memory Quilts from Old T-shirtsOld T-shirts45 Turn Upcycled Magazines into CollagesMagazines13 Make Plastic Bottle PlantersPlastic bottles23 Make DIY Sea Glass LampsSea glass or marbles34 Design Hubcap SculpturesHubcaps34 Make Wearables out of RubbishOld clothes, toys, etc.34 Upcycle Old Vases with Hot GlueOld vases, hot glue13 Repurpose Old Skate BoardsSkateboards44 Design Recycled Haute CoutureOld clothes55 Recycle Old CDsCDs13 Turn Your Old Car into a MasterpieceOld car, paint55 Repurpose Old Tires into FurnitureTires44 Put a Cork in ItWine corks12 Make Soda Can DesignsSoda cans23 DIY Light Bulb Terrarium/AquariumOld light bulbs23 Embellish with Copper WiringCopper wiring34 Use Old Books to Make Chic ArtOld books24 Make Holiday WreathsMaps, bottles, magazines24 Use Mixed MediaVarious recycled items45 How to Sell Art Projects that Use Upcycled Materials Once you’ve moved from dabbling in crafts to creating fine art, you can start selling your pieces and making money. There are many resources when it comes to where to sell art online. The best thing about selling upcycled creations is that it’s easier to find an audience for them, especially if they are eco-friendly and support a good cause. People love buying things made from repurposed items because they want to be part of this movement that is helping the earth. A good place to sell your recycled creations is at craft fairs, flea markets or on Etsy, which has a large following of people who are passionate about eco-friendly items. So, make sure to look into how to start a small business on Etsy as well as how to sell on Amazon Handmade. It’s also best if you have a website where potential clients can search and see examples of all the different types of work you’ve done in this medium and how much they cost, but you can also join a like-minded community such as the r/upcycling forum on Reddit. If you’re looking for more artistic inspiration and tips to help build your business as an artistic professional, check out the tutorials at CreativeLive. You’ll find everything from how to put together marketing plans that work wonders for your brand or photography workshops where they show you how to take better pictures in any situation. Have fun and let your imagination run wild as you create art projects that are truly unique and more beautiful than anything else out there! Image: Depositphotos This article, "Upcycled Art Projects to Make and Sell" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As President Donald Trump’s administration takes a sledgehammer to government agencies, Senate Democrats are opening their inboxes to whistleblowers. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced a portal for people to send in their complaints. The cleanly designed website shows just a few boxes to enter details including name, organization, and contact information; there’s a submit button at the bottom of the page, and a short description at the top: “Whistleblowers are a vital part of Congressional oversight to hold the administration accountable. If you would like to submit a whistleblower complaint, you can submit it here.” It’s frictionless design applied to government oversight. The portal lets users lodge complaints about issues including retaliation, wasteful spending, fraud, and criminal activity, and Schumer said those who submit complaints will receive the legal protections afforded to whistleblowers. According to the Department of Justice, it is “unlawful for any personnel action to be taken against you because of your whistleblowing,” and other federal agencies have similar language about whistleblower protections. [Screenshot: Senate Democrats] “Senate Democrats have a responsibility to fight back on behalf of American families as Republicans look the other way in obedience to Donald Trump,” Schumer said in a letter Monday to his Senate colleagues. “We are committed to working with these brave whistleblowers across America to fight back against the Trump administration’s cruel and illegal actions.” The website is a first step by the party out of power seeking to exercise oversight, and an alternate route for whistleblowers to air their complaints as Trump nominees take over federal agencies. Since Trump’s taken office and tapped Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to lead a rebranded government agency to cut government spending without transparency, Democrats have criticized these efforts as overreach. “I think this is the most serious constitutional crisis the country has faced, certainly since Watergate,” Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told ABC News’s This Week on Sunday. “The president is attempting to seize control of power, and for corrupt purposes. The president wants to be able decide how and where money is spent so that he can reward his political friends. He can punish his political enemies. That is the evisceration of democracy.” The judicial branch has exercised its checks and balances over the executive branch, with judges blocking Musk’s team from accessing Treasury Department records, staying a deferred resignation offer to federal workers, and ordering an unfreezing of federal spending, among other rulings. In the minority in both chambers of Congress, though, there are limits to how Democrats can now respond. A viral moment in which Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat, asked fellow lawmakers “what do we need?” only to be met with a jumble of indecipherable answers seemed to sum up the opposition party’s flat-footed response. With their new whistleblowers site, though, Senate Democrats have landed on something coherent. What do we need? Your information about corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety. When do we need it? Now. View the full article

The ongoing operatic rivalry between the billionaire and OpenAI chief Sam Altman remains a major subtextView the full article

Conversion rate optimization means increasing the percentage of users who convert (buy, sign up, etc). View the full article

Funny, poignant, catchy — trending sounds are the backbone of TikTok virality and can often make or break a video’s success. According to TikTok research, “sound is the anti-scroll on TikTok”. With their data, it’s not hard to see why. Eighty-eight percent of TikTok users said that “sound is essential to the TikTok experience,” while 73% admitted they would "stop and look" at ads on TikTok with audio. Both of these stats are significantly higher than other platforms, TikTok said (though they didn’t offer a comparison). Of course, it’s not always easy to find TikTok audio at the peak of its popularity — and no one wants to add a phased-out sound to a video clip that’s taken them ages to film. Learn how to source trending TikTok songs and sounds for your social media posts while they’re still popular. Plus, we'll surface some examples of TikTok sounds with staying power: a selection of the best tracks in 2025. Whether you're a content creator, social media manager, or business owner, we'll help you stay ahead of the audio trends on TikTok. ⚡Schedule your TikTok videos and reach a new audience with Buffer: Plan, create, and schedule content to get more exposure and engagement with Buffer's TikTok scheduling and analytics tools.10 ways to find new trending sounds on TikTokYes, you could spend hours scrolling through the platform to try to find the best audio for your next TikTok (honestly, I wouldn’t complain). But if you’re a busy content creator, business owner, or social media manager, you probably just don’t have time for it. Luckily, there are a few little shortcuts you can take to make this process easier so you can get back to the most important part of content creation on TikTok — filming and editing your short-form videos and still-photo posts. Let's take a look at how to find trending TikTok sounds. A note for businesses: Not all music is cleared for business use on TikTok, even if it's being used in another post. Original sounds are OK to reuse, but for tracks that might have copyrights on them, look for the "Approved for business use" tag on TikTok. Read TikTok's official statement on the commercial use of music. 1. Browse TikTok’s Creative CenterIf you haven't checked out TikTok’s Creative Center yet, the link is worth a bookmark. It's effectively a guide to the biggest trends on the platform within a timeframe of your choice, including creators, hashtags, and — you guessed it — songs trending on TikTok. Another great feature? You can choose specific regions to pinpoint exactly what is resonating there. 2. Use TikTok’s search functionYou may have heard about TikTok SEO or that TikTok is the new Google. According to The New York Times, it’s Gen Z’s search engine of choice. It's not hard to see why. The platform has a pretty great search function — and it’s probably one of the simplest ways to discover trending sounds. Here’s how to do it: Tap the magnifying glass icon on the top right of the app to open the search tool in the TikTok app.In the search bar, type a phrase like “viral sound.”Tap the "Sounds" tab and scroll through, paying special attention to the ones labeled "popular."When you find a sound you like, tap on the "Use this sound" button on the bottom right to add the sound to the editor.Record or add your clips, and you’re ready to post!3. Check out what TikTok recommends for youOne cool sound discovery feature in TikTok makes it a breeze to find suitable audio for your content. When you're creating a post in the app, you'll get recommended music once you add your content. Here's how to find it: Tap the "+" button on the bottom middle of your screen.Add your content.Tap the "Add music" button at the top.Voile! Curated music based on your content.For me, you can see once I added a video of my new, glittery manicure, I received fitting suggestions from TikTok, like "All Sparkles, Like Magic!" and "My nails will be done." 4. TikTok's music chartsTikTok partnered with Billboard to curate the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States that week. It's surprisingly well hidden on the platform. Access it from any sound's page by clicking the "Music Charts" button in the top right of your screen: There, you'll see a list of the top 50 trending TikTok songs. 5. Explore TikTok’s playlistsTikTok has curated a sound library of sorts based on genre, category, and what’s performing well in your area. It's just takes a few more steps from our last tip to find them: After tapping the "Add music" button in the editor, click the magnifying glass on the right.Instead of searching, tap "Discover more sounds."There, you’ll find sounds recommended for you, plus a host of playlists created by TikTok.💡Pro tip: If you come across a video with a sound you like, you can save it for later by tapping the sound/artist name at the bottom of the screen and then "Add to favorites." When you want to find that sound again, follow the instructions in the bulleted list above and tap the "Favorites" tab.6. Follow accounts devoted to viral soundsYou’ll notice that when you search for viral sounds on TikTok, some profiles will pop up, too. There are tons of creators who highlight trending TikTok audio. One account we've found helpful is @brettwolkey. Brett covers music exclusively (no audio clips), but his videos are a great source of inspiration. He has fun compilations like "Country songs that hit way too hard," which can help you find something with a specific vibe. And he has roundups of viral TikTok songs like this one: 7. Check out TokchartTokchart is entirely devoted to tracking trending TikTok audio. Check it out to find the hottest trending songs of the last 24 hours. 8. Try CapCut templatesThe CapCut app is a great way to identify emerging trends. This powerful video editing software is often a source of trending sounds and templates. To find Capcut templates: Search for posts tagged #capcut or just "capcut template."Find a recent post you like and tap the "CapCut - Try this template" button.Tap the "Use template in CapCut" button.You’ll be taken to Capcut or prompted to download the app if you haven’t already.In CapCut, add your clips to the template and make whatever tweaks you need to.Download the clip to share on TikTok (or use Buffer to repurpose it for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, too).9. Find trending audio on InstagramSounds trending on Instagram are often great for TikTok, too. Check out our full guide to find trending audio on Instagram. But the easiest way to find trending audio is by creating an Instagram Reel. After you've added your content, tap the music icon and look for the "Trending" tab. There, you'll find Instagram's top 50 trending tracks, complete with their chart positions and popularity trajectory. 10. Check out SpotifyThere's a plethora of Spotify playlists that curate trending songs on TikTok. Just search "TikTok" to find them. You could also go straight to the source: TikTok has its own Spotify profile, where you’ll find a few playlists featuring the top TikTok songs. Bonus tip: Know how the sound is being usedFinding the TikTok sound or audio is half the battle. It’s important to know how they’re being used to tap into the trend. To make sure you’re not missing out on important context, use TikTok’s search function to find the audio. Hit the magnifying glass on the top right of the screen, type in the name of the song, tap the "Sounds" tab at the top of the screen, then tap on the sound to see how other users have used it in their videos. Top trending TikTok sounds in 2025Using several of the methods above, here's a list of TikTok songs and sounds that, as Brett Wolkey would say, hit hard. Here’s a list, plus examples of how creators and businesses have used them well. Remember: You can save any sound to your favorites collection to use later. 1. Gas PedalThis is the perfect example of a TikTok song that's being used in a particular way. This bassy beat by Sage the Gemini is currently topping the charts and has a specific dance TikTokers are performing to it. Of course, if you know the trend, you can put your own spin on it like @austinpepito did by taking the lyrics a little more literally in his dance: 2. Life is beautifulLooking for something uplifting? This track could have the positive vibes you're looking for. It's great for day-in-the-life or get-ready-with-me videos. In this post, @olivia_chukwu styles her hair: 3. Love You SoThis punky love song from 2005 is used by a whopping 3.7 million posts on TikTok. The uplifting tune is perfect for celebratory moments or fun behind-the-scene shots like Crumbl does in this short team skit: 4. MemoriesIf you're in a somber or reverent mood, an ambient instrumental track like this can be a suitable backdrop to your next video. This trending TikTok audio provides a majestic tone to a video of lions and elephants: 5. "But look at you. Look at how far you've come."This audio is all about perseverance. It's a quote from a therapist character in the Netflix Series Never Have I Ever. People are using this audio to celebrate how far they've come. It's often used in carousels, as this medical student has done in this video, or in transformation clips like @theloseitlog has done below: 6. Who are you?People are using this trending TikTok song by Saga Faye to show their aesthetic transformation over time, often using TikTok Carousels and starting with a photo of them as a kid. Here's another creative example: 7. Little HotI'm obsessed with this trending audio for in-process videos. This fun 80s-style beat is a great way to spice up a speech-free clip. The song's fast pace works well for videos with fast cuts, like @thefoodever did here with a baking video: 8. Send My Love (To Your New Lover)This Adele hit, and a dance to go with it, has been making the rounds. Some use it as a celebratory dance of something ending, often a breakup. Others are just doing the dance for fun, like this cute family video: 9. Paper PlanesAs a Millennial, I'll never get tired of M.I.A.'s 2008 hit Paper Planes, which was featured in the movie Slumdog Millionaire. And it looks like TikTok isn't tired of it either. This fun beat is a flexible pick, whether you want to show a day-in-the-life moment, in-process video, or just dance to it! Here, @mathcustomfootwear uses it as background music to customize a pair of sneakers: 10. "She's an icon"This trending TikTok sound is surprisingly versatile. The Wendy Williams quote, "She's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment." is being used in videos to celebrate powerful women or show off a new look: 11. DtMFThis bittersweet song by Bad Bunny has become a popular track for users to share memories or post videos of loved ones and pets who have passed away. It's also a great tune for setting the mood for something low-key like a night drive, as @gryffin.the.corgi does here: 12. Chill VibesIf you're looking for some chill low-fi, this trending sound has your back. For a slow tune, it's got an uplifting vibe. And it's super flexible. I've seen it used for makeup tutorials, cake decorating, and a car tour. Notion uses it to give followers a glimpse into their New York office: Happy posting!There you have it. Ten solid ways to find top trending sounds for your next TikTok — plus a few great tracks to try for yourself. The key to success with TikTok audio is to understand how thye're being used and putting your own creative spin on them. Whether you're creating content for your business or personal brand, staying on top of TikTok's audio trends can help you reach new audiences and keep your content fresh. Start with one or two of the methods we discussed to find trending sounds — and don't forget to save your favorites for later. If you've created a TikTok post with trending audio from this list, we'd love to see it. Tag @bufferapp on TikTok so we can find you! View the full article

The acting leader is a co-author of the conservative playbook in which a former Fannie Mae and HUD director calls for abolishing the regulator. View the full article

The Mortgage Collaborative, Lereta welcome new CEOs, Planet Financial adds retail sales, title execs, Southern Bancorp names new head of production plus more industry moves. View the full article

You’ve signed up to attend a conference or industry event, and when the day finally arrives, you probably experience some regret. Thoughts run through your head, such as “Why do I have to go?” “I have too much work to do.” “I won’t know anyone.” “I can make connections online.” Sound familiar? Entering a room full of strangers or, worse yet, people in your field that you admire can make you feel like you’re a kid again, walking into your first day of kindergarten. It’s intimidating, but worth it because nothing replaces live connections, says Rebecca Grinnals, cofounder of the luxury wedding and event business conference Engage! Summits. “You can’t put a price on the value of connecting with people meaningfully in person—we certainly saw that over the last five years,” she says. “It’s a cliché, but your net worth is your network. In-person networking is more vital than it’s ever been in this age of AI and social media.” While online connections are important and a good first step, they’re also limiting, says Kathryn Arce, Engage! Summits cofounder. “You can miss out on the benefit of being connected to people, finding your group, and being inspired,” she says. “Everyone needs to be a part of something a little bit bigger. In-person events get you away from your office and computer. They’re like fresh air for your soul.” Your success will depend on attitude and planning. Here are five networking tips that will help put your nerves aside and open the door for meaningful connections with others: 1. Set An Intention Before the day arrives, decide what you want to get out of the event. In other words, don’t come without a plan, says Grinnals. Some conferences will provide you with a list of attendees. Other times, there will be a Facebook page set up for the conference and you may be able to see the names of people in the group. If the event hasn’t provided access to attendees, you can still review the speakers, workshop facilitators, and organizers. Then, identify three to five people you would like to meet and have a good conversation with over the course of the event. 2. Find a Warm Connection Once you have a list of people you hope to meet, research them on LinkedIn, social media, and news sites to see if you have anything in common that could serve as a way to connect. Maybe you both attended the same school. Or perhaps you share a friend or colleague. If you don’t find a commonality, you can still use what you learn as a conversation starter. For example, if they’re from Philadelphia, you can ask how they felt about the Super Bowl. “It helps to be more personal and genuine before you go into any type of business conversation,” says Arce. 3. Be Genuine There’s a fine line between introducing yourself and promoting yourself and leading with an elevator pitch can be off-putting, says Grinnals. “People often go to networking events with their chest puffed out, like a peacock,” she says. “They want to tell everybody, ‘I’m a big deal in my market,’ or ‘You should know me.’ That’s the wrong way to go about it. Nobody wants to feel sold to.” Instead, be authentic and vulnerable. “It’s better to come in and say, ‘How’s business been? I’ve had a couple of challenges this year and don’t know if you’ve experienced it as well,’” says Grinnals. “That immediately takes people a little off their guard and allows for a much more meaningful conversation and connection.” You can also ask for advice. “Instead of being another person trying to pitch their business, it’s refreshing and unexpected when someone says, ‘I’m a big fan of your work. This is something I’m struggling with and wondered if you’ve got any advice?’” adds Grinnals. “Everyone loves to be asked for advice. They don’t love to be asked for their business right off the bat.” Offering help can also be a powerful way to connect. “Sometimes people feel like, ‘I’ve made an investment, and so I am just here to receive,’” says Grinnals. “An easy icebreaker is, ‘Is there anything I can help you with? Is there anybody I could introduce you to?’ The more you help other people achieve their goals, the more you’re going to feel good and have your goals achieved as well.” 4. Be Open It’s common to go into a conference focusing on what your return on investment needs to be, but this opens the door to leaving disappointed. Have a plan and a target list of connections but stay open to the organic meetings that can happen, too. “People too often focus on the power players or the movers and shakers in an industry, hoping they will crack open a new opportunity or change you and your business forever, but that’s not always true,” says Grinnals. “More often than not, it is the people that you least expect that you may be sitting next to on a shuttle ride or being seated next to in a session that actually turn out to be the most valuable people.” Strike up conversations without expectation of what anyone can do for you, says Arce. “There needs to be a nice balance of being open and letting things happen in the moment,” she says. 5. Follow Up It’s easy to leave a conference and move on with your life. However, intentional and thoughtful follow-up is the key to building your network. After the event, carve out time to reach out to interesting connections but be mindful of not spamming people. “Take careful notes each day about who you met,” says Grinnals. If you want to connect with the speaker, for example, you could send a follow up email specifically calling out something they said that was meaningful to you. If it’s someone you spoke with, recall a part of the conversation you remembered. Be specific, personal, and thoughtful, as opposed to just saying, ‘It was great meeting you.’” Don’t expect to go to one event and walk away with a lot of connections, answers, or business. That’s not the purpose, says Grinnals. “The purpose is to start conversations with people and make initial connections,” she says. “Like anything in life, consistency is key. Plant the seeds and water them. Networking is a long game.” View the full article

There are certain social media rules we can all agree on: Ghosting a conversation is impolite, and replying “k” to a text is the equivalent of a backhand slap (violent, wrong, and rude). But what about the rest of the rules? When can we really remind someone of our old Venmo request? What happens when someone tries to flirt with you on LinkedIn? Fortunately, terminally online writers Delia Cai and Steffi Cao are here to answer all your digital quandaries, big or small. For Fast Company’s final installment of our advice column, Posting Playbook, Steffi Cao and Delia Cai tackle your biggest questions about online careerism and Venmo etiquette. I feel like I should be posting more on social media to further my career as an artist. Am I going to fall behind if I don’t? Steffi: I see it as a kind of add-on situation: Posting on social media can be a great tool to promote your work and get different eyeballs on your art, but it’s not crucial to your development as an artist. What matters the most is honing your skill and actually making stuff, after all—once you start caring more about your Instagram posts than your product, then it’s time to sit back and reevaluate your life. But it’s silly to say that you can totally eschew social media to further any public-facing career now. Everyone, regardless of their industry, has some kind of pressure to advertise their lives, and romanticize their high-powered careers through the bells and whistles of mirror selfies, party photos, a medley of vague, brooding slice-of-life shots featuring glasses of white wine and overlays of books. But you can’t believe everything you see on social media. That’s always the rule. This includes the smoke-and-mirrors of glamorous industry parties where everyone seems to be dressed well and rubbing shoulders with the right circles of people, who seem to be getting further in their artistic endeavors because they’re drinking champagne with the right people. Connections are deeply important to any creative industry, this is always true, but it’s not worth it to stress about if you’re falling behind because you saw someone post their Getty Images from last night’s downtown indie soiree. That way lies madness. I say, put aside time to post on the platform that feels least annoying to you, then you’re free to ignore it for the rest of the week. Nothing about it should be super high-investment, since this is free content, but just throw a bone out there to say, who want me? Then you can spend the rest of your precious time actually making something that feels good to you. This shouldn’t be your number-one priority anyway, and it really shouldn’t take up the most valuable real estate in your brain. Delia: Not necessarily. Social media is certainly useful both as a de facto business card and a method of updating people about your work. But the real secret to using it to advance one’s career, I think, is that it humanizes you to prospective clients, collaborators, etc. and essentially helps people feel like they already “know” you. And of course, everyone prefers working with people they know. That’s a bit of a cynical read on the state of parasocialism, but perhaps it might be helpful for you to consider the strategy of your posting in that way, outside of simply having to “post more.” Still, if the idea of tending to your social media as an artist just totally deadens your heart, there’s no rule that says you post, or be left behind. I do think that if you choose to opt out of posting, I would still take the time to set up your page with a few highlights and basic info (like how to get in touch or where to see your work), and then you can leave it be. Otherwise, you’re likely will miss out on opportunities any time someone decides to look you up on social media first. If you’re worried about falling behind—or at least, being less top-of-mind than your more post-happy peers—you may have to commit a little more energy into IRL networking and promoting your work. Whether it’s giving yourself a goal of going on a couple of coffee meetings per month or looking into other forms of online self-promotion (newsletters, a traditional website), go with the method that feels most in alignment with you. What’s the correct Venmo request/reminder/payment etiquette? Delia: As a personal rule, I try to never put the lender (the person who is owed the money on Venmo) in a position where they have to raise the topic with me first. If a friend offers to cover drinks at the bar, I’ll make a point of asking them to Venmo request me, though I think it’s classier to simply take a look at the bill at the end of the night and proactively send the money through immediately. On the other end, of course, it’s trickier. I tend to always use emojis in the description of a Venmo request to soften the feeling of like, itemizing my relationships, and I will never use the actual Venmo “remind” button, because that seems passive-aggressive. If more than a week goes by and the request hasn’t been paid, I’ll shoot a text to that person and feign a bit of relatable urgency: “Hi! So sorry, but do you mind Venmoing me for last week’s movie? Have to pay my landlord today!” That subtly shifts the issue to be a matter of payment timing, and not my (real) annoyance about not getting paid back. If that text gets ignored (or “lost in the shuffle”), I might bring it up with this person the next time I see them in person, but otherwise, I might cut my losses and begin reevaluating the friendship itself. Because then it’s just rude! Steffi: For everyone’s peace of mind, it’s incredibly important to have a common understanding with your loved ones about how you prefer to Venmo each other. A lack of communication around money has been the impetus for many ends of friendships, relationships, marriages and more—so when you’re out with your friends, it’s always important to ask if you’d prefer to split the bill evenly or put it on one card and Venmo request. Also, like Delia said, be proactive about paying people back when they cover for you. As for those bigger days out where multiple cards are getting put down on the table (long nights out, weeklong trips, bachelorette parties), I think it’s very important to set an expectation with people before the bill gets paid about how these Venmo requests are about to work. It doesn’t need to be a long conversation, but it’s important to get on the same page about it. Whether it’s one card operating as a tab that charges everyone back or splitting evenly each time, as long as you’re all comfortable with it ahead of time, that’s all that matters. To be honest, my best friends and I Venmo request each other line-by-line, even if we’ve all effectively paid the same amount, because we all do not play about our budget spreadsheets. Perhaps it might be considered overkill, but I’ve never worried about covering for them as a result, because we’ve had a quiet agreement on how we respect each other’s money for a decade. I’ve never used the “remind” button as a result. Frankly, I think people need to be more annoyingly candid about money. Look around us! Eggs are ten dollars, tariffs are sending prices to the moon, the cost of living is outpacing income by a mile. Get real and stop putting your card down for people you don’t know just because you’re worried about being impolite. Venmo request everyone immediately if they haven’t already paid you back. It all boils down to the time-worn adage—treat people how you would want to be treated. Wouldn’t that also apply to your own hard-earned money? View the full article

When he was 17 years old, Arne Hillerns moved from his small village in Northern Germany to spend a year in Wausau, Wisconsin. For a brief period of time, he felt like the foreign exchange high school student that he was: “People look at you [and think,] ‘Who’s that kid?‘“ he recalls. Just a year prior, Hillerns had discovered skateboarding, and the skate scene in Wisconsin was buzzing. Within three days or so, he had found a community of skateboarders. “Skating made me so much more open in my personality and gave me confidence,” he says. “It was a very easy entry to this new world for me.” Fast-forward 25 years, and Hillerns’s passion for skateboarding has spread across almost every continent. Hillerns is now the founder of an NGO called Make Life Skate Life, which works to make skating accessible to underserved youth all over the world. Over the past decade, his team has designed and built more than a dozen skateparks in countries including Laos, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Brazil, and Morocco. [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] Earlier this month, they completed the first-ever skate park in Baghdad, Iraq. Five years in the making—the longest it’s ever taken them to build one—Baghdad Skatepark features a variety of ramps and obstacles tailored to people of all skill levels. One ramp was even designed to look like a magic carpet (which locals are yet to paint) as a nod to the 2019 Disney movie, Aladdin, which is set in a city based on Baghdad. (Even Disney’s 1992 animated Aladdin was initially to take place in Baghdad, but for the First Gulf War, which broke out in 1991.) [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] “We like to have local elements that represent the culture or the country,” Hillerns tells me. In Taghazout, a coastal city in the south of Morocco, they incorporated a quintessentially Moroccan arched door. In Inukjuak, an Inuit community in Northern Quebec, they built a structure resembling an igloo. Hillerns founded Make Life Skate Life in 2013, but the seeds for the NGO were sown a year prior. By then, Hillerns had returned to Germany, where he’d spent five years “looking up how to mix concrete” and ultimately transforming a post-industrial site in Hanover into what became one of Europe’s biggest DIY skateparks. In 2012, he set off for India in an attempt to share his learnings—and try to replicate the community he had built. “Not everyone has the possibility of skating in front of their house,” he says. “For me, it comes down to having a space to skate.” Bangalore [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] After crisscrossing the country looking for skateboarders, Hillerns and the two friends he was traveling with finally came across a group in Bangalore who had found a patch of land but didn’t know how to turn it into a skatepark. With Hillerns’s help—and funding from Levi’s Skateboarding—India’s first free skatepark was born. (Due to legal issues in the residential area where it was built, the skatepark shuttered a year after it opened, but Holystoked, the local group, has since constructed more than 20 skateparks in the country.) After that first build in Bangalore, Hillerns founded Make Life Skate Life, and projects grew organically in places like La Paz, Bolivia, where the team built the city’s first skatepark and Amman, Jordan. Hillerns says there is no set formula for the way each skatepark evolves, but the action plan is usually the same: find a skating community, find funds, find land. [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] An eager community is the easiest to find. (Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, for example, has a thriving skate scene and it is where Hillerns hopes to go next.) Funds often come from a combination of crowdfunding, corporate sponsorships, and help from local embassies. In the case of Baghdad, the park was financed with the help of the German and French Embassies, as well as a local NGO that did a round of fundraising a few years ago. But the original idea for the park never materialized because they couldn’t find land. Which brings us to the land problem. [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] A typical skatepark is only as big as two-to-four tennis courts, but that much land isn’t always easy to find, especially in parts of the city that are easy to access. Some years ago, the team struggled to find such spot in Laos, but ended up making an arrangement with a private individual who agreed to let them build a skatepark on his own land and open it to the public. They also tried building a skatepark in Kathmandu, Nepal, but the project fell through because, again, they couldn’t find land. In Baghdad, the team’s search could’ve been met with the same fate, but Hillerns says they refused to give up. In 2018, Make Life Skate Life built Iraq’s first skatepark in Sulaymaniyah, 165 miles north of Baghdad. Suli Skatepark was such a success that kids living in Baghdad spent six hours on a bus just to go skate there. This motivated Hillerns and the team them to keep looking. [Photo: courtesy Make Life Skate Life] Hillerns blames expensive land and corruption for delaying the process. Eventually, the team managed to secure a patch of land on the Ministry of Youth and Sports complex near Al-Shaab International Stadium. The city required security guards on site to ensure that nobody “misinterpreted” the skatepark for something else; but it is well-located, and in a city where so-called third places are virtually nonexistent. It’s a place that Iraqi kids can make their own. Now, Baghdad’s first skatepark has made international headlines, and Hillerns is hopeful it will help change the way Baghdad is portrayed in the media. He dreams of a world where, much like foodies travel to eat, and cyclists travel to bike, skaters would travel to skate. “You wouldn’t think of Baghdad as a tourist destination, but it’s very easy to get into the country and it’s a city like every other city,” he says. A skating pilgrimage to Baghdad would’ve been unthinkable even a month ago. Now, it’s a distinct possibility. View the full article

A recent report by the Government Accountability office found that 3.8 million college students—23% of the total student population—experienced food insecurity, forcing them to skip meals because they couldn’t afford to eat. While past administrations have made strides in addressing student hunger, the current political landscape presents new challenges that demand urgent action at the institutional and state levels. I know this firsthand. When I started college, I quickly realized that tuition was just one part of the financial burden. I worked multiple jobs—sometimes 30+ hours a week—while juggling classes and struggling to afford food. I often skipped meals or relied on cheap, unhealthy options just to get by. I met countless other students in the same situation, many unaware that food assistance programs existed or unsure how to apply. Through my research job studying food insecurity, I saw how colleges and financial aid offices were failing to connect students to the support they needed. That experience drove me to co-found the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) in 2019; the student-led movement focuses on ensuring all students have the support they need to stay in school. The urgency of this issue has only grown with reports that the Trump administration is drafting an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education and weaken provisions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under the 2025 Farm Bill. These proposed changes threaten the progress made in recent years and could exacerbate existing disparities. Now, more than ever, we must strengthen social support mechanisms and ensure that colleges and states take proactive steps to protect students from food insecurity. A Critical Moment for Student Food Assistance The threat to SNAP and student benefits is not hypothetical; it’s already unfolding. The House Ways and Means Committee has proposed harmful policies that would restrict access to food assistance, including limiting broad-based categorical eligibility, expanding work requirements, and capping SNAP benefits based on household size. These reflect changes that Trump’s administration supported during his first term. While the federal government has authority over the SNAP eligibility requirements in general, the rules currently provide several flexibilities that states can leverage to allow more people to qualify. These measures would disproportionately harm students, many of whom already face significant barriers to accessing SNAP due to complex eligibility rules and inconsistent state policies. One of the most alarming changes for students is the threat to Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility. BBCE allows states to expand SNAP eligibility up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, preventing abrupt loss of benefits due to small income increases. Currently, 19 states have leveraged this full flexibility, while nine states have increased the income limit to 130% of federal poverty. Without BBCE, students and low-income families face a hunger cliff, where exceeding 130% of the federal poverty level—just $25,820 annually for a family of three in 2024—would immediately disqualify them from food assistance. BBCE also allows states to remove SNAP asset limits, enabling families to build savings and cover unexpected expenses without jeopardizing their benefits. Currently, 36 states use this flexibility. This is especially important for students, who often face financial instability due to irregular income, limited access to emergency funds, and unexpected costs like medical bills or car repairs. Without BBCE, students who save money for tuition or emergencies could risk losing their SNAP eligibility, making it harder for them to stay enrolled and succeed in college. Rolling back BBCE, as mentioned in the Ways and Means Committee proposal, would push more students into food insecurity, undermining college retention and completion rates. Scaling Solutions That Work Despite federal uncertainty, there are clear steps that colleges and state governments can take to ensure students have access to food assistance. One of the most effective strategies is improving outreach and application assistance. Many students who qualify for SNAP never apply because they don’t know they’re eligible or struggle with the cumbersome application process. Recent guidance from the Department of Education clarified that institutions can notify students of their potential eligibility without violating FERPA regulations, yet many colleges remain hesitant to act. Institutions must take advantage of this guidance and implement proactive outreach strategies, similar to the CalFresh Outreach Project. Through the Foundation for California Community Colleges, this project has helped more than 5,500 students apply for food assistance. These efforts can serve as a model for other states looking to reduce administrative burdens and ensure students receive the support they need to stay in school. While institutional and state-level interventions are crucial, student-led initiatives have also proven to be highly effective in addressing food insecurity. At the Student Basic Needs Coalition, we run a peer navigator program that empowers students to support their peers in accessing SNAP and other essential resources, which has unlocked $1.6 million in food assistance across 9 active partner institutions. Peer navigators—students who have experienced food insecurity themselves—help their classmates navigate complex applications, understand eligibility requirements, and connect with campus and community resources. While the training takes place virtually, these students partner with their campus food pantries to provide in-person outreach and application assistance to their peers. Research shows that students are more likely to seek assistance when information comes from their peers rather than administrators, making this model particularly effective. Investing in student leadership not only helps connect more students to benefits but also builds long-term capacity for advocacy and policy change. Technology presents another opportunity to improve benefit access at scale. AI-driven tools are being developed to proactively identify eligible students and simplify the application process, reducing the administrative burdens that often deter students from applying. Complete College America has launched an AI Council that brings together higher education leaders and technology experts to explore ways AI can enhance student success, including basic needs support. Additionally, SBNC is developing an AI-driven tool with support from the GitLab Foundation to streamline SNAP enrollment, ensuring that students are connected to benefits before they reach a financial crisis. Still, these moves are largely happening at the grassroots level. Policymakers and university leaders must embrace these innovations to create a more efficient and equitable support system for students. Moving Forward in the Face of Uncertainty With potential cuts to SNAP and the Department of Education looming, colleges and states cannot afford to wait for federal solutions. The reality is that the current financial aid and social support systems were never designed with low-income students in mind. To create an equitable higher education system, we must acknowledge that tuition is only part of the financial burden students face. Ensuring that every student has access to food is not just about alleviating hunger; it is about enabling students to stay in school, complete their degrees, and break cycles of poverty. Institutions must take action by expanding SNAP outreach, establishing peer support programs, and leveraging technology to connect students with critical resources. States should invest in data-sharing agreements and policy changes that simplify SNAP access for students, ensuring that eligibility pathways are clear and accessible regardless of shifting federal priorities. These efforts are essential to making sure students do not have to choose between staying in school and putting food on the table. Now is the time to act. Colleges and policymakers must prioritize solutions that help students access the nutrition they need to succeed. View the full article

A survey of senior bank officers at community banks by fintech firm IntraFi found bankers nearly evenly divided on the idea of merging federal bank regulators, while an overwhelming 93% support maintaining agency independence. View the full article

A marketing calendar helps you plan and execute marketing activities consistently. Learn how to build one. View the full article

Big Four firm will also ‘sunset’ its diversity goals as part of shift after Trump’s electionView the full article

Quality Score is a tool that helps you measure the quality and relevance of your Google ad campaigns. View the full article

Trading bloc promises ‘firm and proportionate countermeasures’View the full article