Shop
 Explore 

Jeffrey Tousey

I grew up in Florida but have resided in NYC for the last seven years. I am a recovering actor turned journalist, passionate about finding new ways to inform people about what's happening in the world. I watch far too much television, and my Instagram is basically just pictures of my pup, #grahmthedog.

FollowUnfollowFollowing

Family

Here's why 16 million U.S. kids can buy and smoke cigarettes legally.

What's stopping kids from lighting up in schools? In these states, nothing.

It's no secret that the tobacco industry has been marketing to children and teens since their inception.

It's a business built on getting consumers physically and chemically addicted to the product. The earlier the customer gets hooked, the better. Back in the day, tobacco companies shamelessly enticed children to start smoking with the help of weekend cartoons, doctors, and — of course — beautiful women. Take a look at some of these vintage cigarette ads.

1961

Keep ReadingShow less

Girls make up half our society. Not educating them seems like countries would really be setting themselves up for failure. The reality is much more shocking.

Just how serious is the education gap in developing countries?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is dedicated to providing girls all over the world equal access to education. In 2013, they published a global educational report that contains some startling facts about the state of female education around the world.

Keep ReadingShow less

At the end, the camera zooms out and you see what these kids painted. Incredible.

It's pretty amazing what happens when people from one of the toughest neighborhoods in New York put aside their differences and work together using art.

Brownsville is commonly referred to as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in New York.

Yes, it may have a past riddled with violence, crime, and addiction, but community leaders are garnering the support of local teens and young people — who have their own storied pasts — and giving them the opportunity to change the tide of their future.

Not all housing projects have to look the same.

This relatively small neighborhood has the highest concentration of housing projects in all of New York City. It's a pretty common stigma for people to immediately associate projects with ugly brown buildings and a generally ominous facade. But if you were to head down to Pitkin Avenue today, you'd see that veil of doom has been lifted.

Keep ReadingShow less

The "Celibacy Challenge" is so not what you would expect.

Almost everywhere you turn, there's a blood drive offering a free T-shirt and cookies. There seems to be an endless need for people to donate blood, and for good reason — donating blood saves thousands of lives every year. BUT before you think about reaching for one of those cookies, there are some rules in place to make sure YOU don't have dirty blood.

One of the FDA's most controversial rules has been around since 1977. It bans homosexual men — or, rather, ANY man who has had sex with another man — from giving blood for the rest of their lives. This came about at the onset of the AIDS crisis in America and the fear that HIV would make its way into the stockpile of blood used for transfusions. However, straight men and women can have sex with as many partners as they please and still be allowed to give blood. Stew on that for a second.

Keep ReadingShow less

Jeffrey Tousey

Two Italian designers are on a mission to re-invent how we remember our loved ones after they pass away.

Death is not something we like to think about. But we know that when we die, most of us will likely end up here ...

... or in an urn on a family member's mantle (next to creepy cat figurines).

But! What if! What if we could end up somewhere really beautiful like this?

Italian designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel have come up with an idea.

Capsula Mundi is a 100% biodegradable coffin.

For burial, the body is placed inside the capsule in the fetal position.

The egg is then planted in the soil, and a tree is planted on top of it.

Rather than being buried in a cemetery (which, let's be honest, are a little bit creepy and no one likes to visit) you become part of a "memory forest."

Death is a fact of life. Millions of people die every year. What if, instead of cutting down trees to make room for graveyards, we made graveyards into forests filled with millions of trees?

Unfortunately, this type of burial is not yet legal in the United States or Italy. But it's certainly worth giving it some thought.

These celebrities and world leaders are standing up for education! You can join them!

In anticipation of International Women's Day 2015, people all over the world are taking to Twitter to promote Stand #UpForSchool.

That's 65 million girls being denied this basic right.

It's time for all of us to Stand #UpForSchool. You can sign this petition and take it an extra step by sharing this post!

What's stopping kids from lighting up in schools? In these states, nothing.

It's no secret that the tobacco industry has been marketing to children and teens since their inception.

But can kids really buy e-cigarettes?

16 million children can legally buy e-cigarettes in the United States. Let me break that down for you.

Electronic cigarettes are a clear gateway to smoking conventional cigarettes.

While the market remains virtually unregulated, tobacco companies are back to their old advertising tricks.

Let's review...

Girls make up half our society. Not educating them seems like countries would really be setting themselves up for failure. The reality is much more shocking.

Just how serious is the education gap in developing countries?

Colombian politician Sergio Fajardo is one person who is working to help educate girls around the globe.

You could share this and then sleep a little better tonight, knowing you took a small step to help make education available to every girl in the world.

It's pretty amazing what happens when people from one of the toughest neighborhoods in New York put aside their differences and work together using art.

Brownsville is commonly referred to as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in New York.

Not all housing projects have to look the same.

Who is leading the charge to transform the neighborhood?

Basically, Groundswell has brought in professional artists to collaborate with young adults on probation, and together they have painted massive murals all over the neighborhood buildings.

It's about more than just painting a wall.

Through this program, these so-called "hardest to reach community members" have become leaders.

The "Celibacy Challenge" is so not what you would expect.

RELAX. The #celibacychallenge is not what it sounds like.

The challenge is simply to sign THIS petition asking the FDA to change its questionnaire so donors are screened "based on their exposure to risk and NOT their sexual orientation."