Frustrated teen says he ‘hates' his younger sibling. I know he means it.
Hi Meghan: I have a tween with ADHD and depression/anxiety (taking medication and in therapy) who is extremely frustrating to their older brother. My older child has lots of friends, including very close ones. The younger child struggles with friendships and has been the victim of bullying at school. The school has been good at addressing these issues as they come up, and my younger child has a therapist. Still, I know they spend a lot of time walking around feeling unsafe.
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CBS News
34 minutes ago
- CBS News
Chevron Richmond refinery, Air District reach agreement on hazardous gas monitoring
The Bay Area Air District (BAAD) reached an agreement with Chevron on a new air pollution monitoring system at its Richmond refinery that will bring enhanced monitoring for hydrogen sulfide, a smelly and potentially dangerous gas previously not properly monitored according to the Air District's standards. Chevron is the first of the five oil refineries in the nine-county BAAD to reach an agreement with the Air District after all the refineries' fenceline monitoring programs were deemed insufficient and were "disapproved" in October 2023. The agreement announced by the Air District Tuesday will implement a new, more robust monitoring system for hydrogen sulfide, increased data sharing, and more community outreach from the company. Chevron also agreed to pay a penalty of $100,000 to the Air District and agreed to pay further penalties if it violates the settlement agreement, according to the Air District. Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is a colorless, hazardous gas that is heavier than air and is a biproduct of the refining process. It can smell like rotten eggs in low concentrations and is also referred to as sewer gas, swamp gas, stink damp, and sour damp, according to the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Health effects can occur even at low levels and include tearing eyes, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Exposure to sulfur dioxide can cause loss of consciousness or death, according to OSHA. The Air District previously required refineries in the Bay Area to monitor the gas with an "open line" monitoring system, which uses a beam of light to measure the presence of hydrogen sulfide over a large area. But in 2022 it told Chevron and others that their fenceline monitoring plans, which detect pollutants at the properties' edge, or fenceline, were deficient and needed to be remade. When the companies submitted their new plans the following year, they were each deemed out of regulatory compliance. Chevron's deficiencies, and necessary corrections, centered around the number of data points that would be created by the monitoring technology, which are supposed to hit a certain threshold both hourly and quarterly. Other issues revolved around how the data was formatted and transmitted to regulators and retained for public review. Under the settlement agreement, Chevron will install a network of four "point monitors" which will have a lower detection threshold for hydrogen sulfide. They detect the gas at certain points rather than over large areas and are said to be more accurate than the open line system currently being used. They are also more reliable in bad weather conditions, such as dense fog, that hampered the open line monitors, according to the BAAD. "This settlement goes beyond what's required, and it reflects the Air District's commitment to transparency, enforcement and public health," said the Air District's executive officer, Philip Fine. "It raises the bar for transparency and community access to air quality data, setting a positive example for the industry." The website maintained by Chevron to report air quality data to the public, will now maintain data for five years, rather than the current three months, and make the data downloadable. A spokesperson for Chevron said the agreement would essentially enhance the monitoring the company was already doing at the refinery. "We know data and transparency are important to our community and are proud to be the first refinery in the Bay Area to move forward with these improvements," the company said in a statement. Chevron will also hold a community meeting to discuss its monitoring program sometime before the end of the year, but it was not yet scheduled as of Wednesday.
Entrepreneur
37 minutes ago
- Entrepreneur
Your 'Culture' is a Lie Until You Fund Mental Health
Mental health should be treated as a core component of your company's infrastructure, not an afterthought or perk. Neglecting it leads to diminished productivity, burnout and high employee turnover. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. When we think about business infrastructure, we typically envision things like servers, supply chains, office furniture and even our workforce — the tangible things that, in our minds, are essential to keep a company running effectively. But there's another, often overlooked, part of the business infrastructure: mental health. Ignoring the mental health of yourself and your employees comes at a high cost, including burnout, high turnover, low morale and in extreme cases, teams or even entire companies falling apart. The numbers speak for themselves. Depression and anxiety cost the global economy over $1 trillion in lost productivity. More than 55% of workers in North America show signs of burnout. Mental health concerns are particularly prevalent in younger employees. Sixty-one percent of Generation Z respondents said they would strongly consider leaving their current job if they found one that took mental health seriously. But it's not just the younger generations that value workplace well-being: 92% of all employees reported that working for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being is important. Mental health should not be treated as a luxury. If you care about sustainable growth and strong leadership, it has to be part of the plan from day one, not as a perk, but as something built into how your company operates. The old model is broken, and everyone knows it Let's be honest. Traditional approaches to mental health are largely performative and ineffective. You've likely seen or done it: a mindfulness app no one uses, a #selfcare Slack channel full of quotes or a quiet mention of an Employee Assistance Program. Maybe even a designated "Mental Health Day" filled with lofty promises. But once the day passes, it's back to business as usual. Nothing meaningfully changes. These quick fixes might look good on the surface, but they don't solve the root of the problem. Mental health is not just about managing stress. It's about addressing boundary breakdowns, organizational culture and unhealthy work habits — challenges an app won't fix. Reacting after the fact doesn't work and certainly doesn't scale. No founder waits for their website to crash before buying reliable hosting. So why wait for burnout before checking in with your people? Mental health must be part of the foundation, not a last-minute add-on. Related: How Following These 5 Practices Saved My Mental Health Rethinking the foundation of well-being at work How do we move beyond performative solutions? Start by listening. One tech startup I worked with enhanced its mental-health-related benefits — not on a consultant's advice, but because they engaged their team directly. They offered monthly therapy sessions and an on-demand mental health platform. It didn't solve everything, but it showed they cared. More importantly, they asked: What's draining our team? That question led to big shifts: fewer back-to-back Zoom/Teams calls, mental health check-ins in performance reviews and an end to glorifying 12-hour workdays. Instead, they celebrated focus and prioritization. None of this happened by accident. It took intention. Leaders had to recognize mental health not as a perk but as part of the company's operating system. That means budgeting for it, maintaining it and staying committed to continual improvement. Culture isn't what you say — It's what you fund In my work with entrepreneurs and social impact leaders, I've seen one truth again and again: real culture change starts with investment. 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In my first organization, I wore burnout like a badge of honor. I worked nonstop, ignored the signs and paid the price with my family and my own mental health. And when leaders burn out, the team usually follows. Now, I treat rest and reflection like maintenance, not a reward. I do it for myself and to show others it's okay to do the same. Related: 5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health as an Entrepreneur Mental health as a long-term strategy Building a business means creating an ecosystem. Your team is a vital part of that. If your people aren't doing well, neither is your company. Businesses that invest in mental health see stronger ideas, smarter decisions and better retention. So ask yourself: What would you do differently if mental health were as critical as cybersecurity or logistics? What systems would you build? What investments would you make? What culture would you lead? Your future doesn't just depend on funding rounds; it depends on whether you and your people are well enough to build what comes next.
News24
44 minutes ago
- News24
Clicks over kids? Urgent action needed as social media fuels global mental health risks
The KidsRights report highlights the alarming impact of unregulated social media expansion, linking it to rising mental health issues and suicide rates among those aged 10-19. The NGO emphasises the need for comprehensive regulations, child rights assessments for platforms, and better education and mental health resources while discouraging blanket bans like Australia's under-16 social media ban. The report stresses that raising awareness, as seen with Netflix's 'Adolescence,' is not enough. Concrete steps must be taken to safeguard the wellbeing of the world's 2.2 billion children. The 'unchecked expansion' of social media platforms is driving an unprecedented global mental health crisis in kids and teens, a children's NGO said Wednesday, calling for urgent, coordinated action worldwide. The KidsRights report said one in seven children and adolescents aged between 10 and 19 suffered mental health issues, with the global suicide rate at six per 100 000 for those aged 15-19. Even these high rates represent 'the tip of the iceberg' as suicide is widely under-reported due to stigma, according to the Amsterdam-based group. 'This year's report is a wake-up call that we cannot ignore any longer,' said Marc Dullaert, KidsRights chairman. He added: The mental health... crisis among our children has reached a tipping point, exacerbated by the unchecked expansion of social media platforms that prioritise engagement over child safety. The report said what it termed 'problematic' social media use was on the rise, with a direct link between heavy internet use and suicide attempts. However, blanket bans are not the answer, the group warned. Australia passed a law to ban social media use for under-16s. 'Such blanket bans may infringe on children's civil and political rights,' including access to information, said the report. The group urged 'comprehensive child rights impact assessments' at a global level for social media platforms, better education for kids, and improved training for mental health professionals. The report seized on the popularity of Netflix sensation 'Adolescence,' which highlighted some of the toxic content kids view online. The mini-series 'demonstrated global awareness of these issues, but awareness alone is insufficient,' said Dullaert. 'We need concrete action to ensure that the digital revolution serves to enhance, not endanger, the wellbeing of the world's 2.2 billion children,' he said. 'The time for half-measures is over.'
