Posts made in June 2021

Body ache illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Best CBD Cream for Pain

Best CBD Cream for Pain: Top Brands In 2021

In the past years, CBD has been getting much recognition. For now, it’s what many of us call a natural remedy for various health issues. And so, to speak, scientists are trying to find out how CBD works. We can now call it a miracle as it found to help alleviate cancer symptoms, reduce stress sleep disorders, and pain.

There are dozens of pain alleviation agents in the market today. But CBD stands for supremacy. Further, with its growing recognition, brands are being formed and are in the frontline to manufacture CBD products infused in skincare products. They are applied to areas associated with pain. But the difficulty comes in when choosing the right brand. They are overwhelming, but we picked the top best for you.

CBD and CBD Creams in General

CBD is an ellipsis for cannabidiol, one of the many chemical compounds found in cannabis Sativa species such as marijuana or hemp. It’s the most abundant component in cannabis plants after THC. It has lots of healing effects, starting from counteracting seizures, acting as an analgesic to anti-anxiety. Still, it works against THC effects and is effective in helping individuals frequented by heart palpitations and paranoia.

On the other hand, CBD creams are CBD oils that are infused in skin care creams. They help reduce inflammation, work on the joints and generally reduce pain. Depending on the extraction method, CBD infused in creams can either be full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolates.

Top 5 CBD Creams for Pain

Criteria’s We Followed When We Listed The CBD Creams for Pain

The source of hemp

It’s important to know the source of CBD in your cream. Legally, all CBD products must be the source from hemp, but where the hemp is grown matters. Is it grown in the U.S? Is it supervised and grown organically? You will notice that the most trusted brands have their CBD sourced locally from the U.S grown hemp. As such, they have 0.3% THC or less.

Transparency

The best CBD creams for pain should not just tell you what they can do. You have to know how it’s processed, starting from the hemp plant, CBD extraction and third-party lab tests. We choose these products since the hemp source has been indicated on their web. Still, they prove that they use CO2 and ethanol extraction methods.

Thus, they contain no metals. And to boost your confidence, these brands have COAs posted on the product pages. So, you get to know what you are applying to your skin.

Potencies

When it comes to pain, you have to get the strongest elixir there is. We found that they have potencies of up2000mg CBD per container as we went through these products. Depending on your pain, you can choose the potency that you want, that’s starting from 300mg as a mild cream.  Sufficed to say, the best CBD cream for pain should be reliable in any circumstance and that what these products promise.

Customer reviews

Reviews are key to determining how effective the product works. You have to know that every CBD maker will claim his product to be ideal. So, to be sure, you have to see what users are saying on their websites.  The above creams have reviews that show positive customer satisfaction.

Return policies

If you buy a product but realize it doesn’t meet your expectations, you will always want to return it. We selected the above products since their brands have return policies that are valid within 30 days.  So, you can always return them if you are disappointed.

Client experience

Requesting or buying your CBD oil doesn’t need to be befuddling or convoluted. An online site that has a basic yet obliging browsing experience can help facilitate your buying experience. Tracking down the specific CBD oil that you need, with the data about it included, is an illustration of a great site. And so, to speak, the above CBD cream brands are no different.

5 Best CBD Creams for Pain

While CBD itself provides relief from many types of pain, finding a proper CBD product specially in a topical cream form can sometimes become very difficult as the market is growing bigger and bigger everyday. In order to make things easier we’ve listed here some of the best brands of cbd creams that will effectively reduce pain and give you proper results.

#1 Fab CBD – Best Overall

Fab CBD is a brand situated in Milwaukee, WI. Since its 2017 debut, it has been getting superb reviews on its CBD products. Although Fab CBD has no better business bureau rating, it has never been on the wrong side of the law. Still, it’s compliant with the FDA.

Fab CBD obtains its CBD from Colorado-grown hemp and uses CO2 for the extraction process. This implies that their CBD products are free from metals and solvents. Also, fab CBD has a current good manufacturing certification.

Further to get customers’ confidence, fab CBD sends its products for testing at the proverde labs, which are ISO compliant. You can get the COAs from their sites before purchasing their CBD products.

Fab CBD Topical Cream

When it comes to CBD creams for pain Fab CBD has full-spectrum products to offer. It provides more benefits, unlike other CBD creams for pain. Apart from being extracted by CO2, Fab CBD topical cream is extracted from Colorado-grown hemp. Third-party labs then test it to ensure it has no metals and zero THC. Also, this cream is all-natural, as no GMO components play a part in the manufacturing process.

Ingredients 

Fab topical CBD cream for pain is made with Vitamin E and cocoa butter. On the other hand, blood oranges compete for the perfect scent. Still, it contains hydrating constituents such as aloe vera, which work in combination with cocoa butter with coconut oil.

Strength

Full-spectrum CBD product with the potency of 600 mg per 56-g container

Verdict 

Fab offers the best quality CBD cream at a fair price. Still, the oil blends effortlessly due to Vitamin E and cocoa butter. Users are still praising its effect on managing and alleviating pain. Further, the best thing about fab CBD is that it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thus, should the product dissatisfy you, you can always return it if unopened. Isn’t that convenient?

Additionally, fab topical cream works for anyone. Be It that you are an athlete, golfer, or you have overworked fingers due to typing, this cream will take your pain away. As you go on purchasing, remember, fab CBD has received publication praises such as winning an award from D magazine and observer for best creams.

#2 Medterra – Best for Joint & Muscle Pain

Medterra is a CBD company in Irvine, California. It has been selling the best CBD creams for five years and has received good reviews for its services. That’s starting from their products to seller-customer relations.

Also, Medterra has an A+ rating on the better business bureau and has no FDA bad practices warnings. It’s, therefore, a genuine brand to trust.

To get customer confidence, it has its products tested by a ISO 17025 amenable lab. It then posts the lab COAs on products pages. Besides all these, they extract their hemp from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Industrial Hemp Pilot Program.

Medterra Relief + Recovery Cream

The pain relief cream from Medtrerra is accessible as an over-the-counter medication. It’s typically a get-way card from other pain relief agents. It contains menthol and arnica that bring about a cooling feel that penetrates the nerves. There are other ingredients such as jojoba and aloe vera, which soothe pain zones.

Medterra pain relief cream is also the best CBD cream for arthritis pain. In 20021, it has been ranked as the year’s product in the CBD personal care sector. Also, it helps relieves pain from joints and sore places. The menthol still performs its magic on stiff necks providing more cooling. Again, it’s free from artificial preservatives, metals, and plasticizers.

Ingredients

Medterra has a bunch of ingredients. It’s a complex blend that comprises menthol and arnica Montana as the active ingredients. On the other hand, the dormant components include aloe Vera juice, coconut oil, Mentha Piperita, sorbitan olivate, glycerine, and sunflower oil.

Strengths 

Medterra pain relief cream is available in strengths of 500mg and 1,000mg. Both bottles are 1.7fl oz and have 50ml of the relieving cream.

Verdict 

It’s evident that Medterrra offers a magical pain relief cream. It can’t be compared with other CBD creams from other brands. Additionally, Medterra is a transparent brand. Using their product means you know what you are consuming. There is also a thirty-day money-back guarantee.

#3 CBDistillery – Best Variety

CBDistillery started in 2016 in Colorado. Its founders were surged to create a brand to raise the bar for CBD products that were subjugating the market. They are one of the pioneers that started the historical #CBDmovement. Also, CBDistillery is a brand that have the highest social appearance on the current market. You can rely on their CBD products without hesitation.

CBDistillery Broad Spectrum CBD Cooling Cream

The CBDistillery certainly offers one of the best creams for pain combines broad-spectrum hemp and natural ingredients purported to reduce inflammation and joint pains. This brand is valued for its highly potent CBD products and CBD cream. They have 300mg CBD per jar to offer. It created with organic hemp extract sourced from Colorado-grown hemp. For relief, CBDistillery incorporates menthol in its cream. Thus, you should expect a cooling sensation that lasts for hours while you benefit from aloe Vera leaf juice.

Ingredients

CBD distillery cream for pain constitutes organic CBD, hemp seed oil and argan oil. The nice scents, on the other hand, is brought by Lonicera Japonica and Sunflower extracts.

Strength

The cream contains 300mg of broad-spectrum CBD in 1.7fl.oz. Container

Verdict

CBDistillery is a brand that believes in doing things the right way. Its product is tested by third-party labs that are ISO compliant. Again, this is a brand to settle for as it has various CBD products starting from warming and cooling pain creams, skincare products, salves and even gummies. But what makes them best is their excellent customer service that’s always ready to help you in any way.

#4 cbdMD – Best Value 

Situated in Charlotte, North Carolina, cbdMD has been in the CBD business for nearly six years after being discovered by Scott Hoffman. Today, it is a popular and a trusted brand for CBD products. It manufactures CBD oils, tinctures, gummies and has the best CBD creams for sleep.

cbdMD CBD Recover Cream

Full of CBD, MSM, and vitamin B6, the recovery inflammation cream addresses one issue, recovery. Each of its ingredients has a specific function. Also, it’s a multipurpose cream that flexibly absorbs upon application. For instance, if you are looking for the best cream for arthritis or inflammation, cbdMD has got you.

The CBD in the recovery inflammation cream is obtained from U.S. grown hemp. It, therefore, contains no THC. Still, it’s not genetically modified. Since third-party ISO-compliant labs check cbdMD products, you are assured safe consumption.

Ingredients 

The recovery inflammation cream contains Histamine Dihydrochloride, broad spectrum CBD, Shea butter and many more. Each ingredient serves a specific function. For instance, the additional arnica purpose is to stimulate the white cells. On the other hand, vitamin B6 counteracts inflammation ad arthritis while it repairs the associated damages. Finally, MSM increases the rate of absorption to ensure quick results.

Further, the recovery inflammation cream has emulsifying wax, histamine dihydrochloride, and stearic acid, which work against inflammations. Then, the pleasant scent is attributed to lavender flower oil, rosemary flower oil, and organic cypress.

Strength

The recover CBD cream from cbdMD has strength ranging from 300mg to 3000mg with broad spectrum CBD in use.

Verdict 

cbdMD has one of the good quality CBD creams for pain. But going to its transparency and legitimacy will be creating a monotonous rhythm. Sufficed to say, it’s a genuine brand with top-notch quality. Their CBD content in creams extracted from the American grown hemp. Thus, it contains no GMO or THC.

cbdMD also has a 30-day money-back policy on every purchase, and their customer service is an award-winning team. It’s there to answer all your questions and direct you whenever you are stuck.

#5 Joy Organics – Best Broad Spectrum 

Joy organics has been in the CBD business for three years. It’s a brand that offers third-party tested products from ISO adherent labs. Still, it has good customer reviews regarding its products and brand-customer relations.

They extract their CBD from American grown hemp and use CO2 for extraction. Further, joy organics bring full-spectrum CBD products to the table, which comes along with several benefits.

Joy Organics CBD Cream

Despite products from joy organics being full spectrum, their organic CBD salve offers pain alleviation effects without introducing THC in your body. The full-spectrum CBD in it works in conjunction with other natural ingredients to perpetuate desirable results. Also, it is ideal for cannabinoids sensitive people as it has no THC.

Should you have joint or muscle pain, it will help you heal and rejuvenate. You can also use it to improve your skin health as it’s effective in treating sunburns.

Ingredients 

Joy organic salve contains a super quality hemp extract. It works hand in hand with organic olive oil, organic glycerin, and sea salt. It further has acetyl alcohol but has no GMO or other additives. Therefore, it’s safe for you.

Strength

Joy organic CBD cream has only one strength of 250 mg CBD with Broad Spectrum CBD Type

Verdict 

Joy organic is a reputable brand that has its products tested by third-party labs compliant with ISO regulations. You can get the test results on their website. If that’s not enough for you to choose joy organics as your brand, you can check out their customer service.

Most reviews on joy organics have it that customers are fully satisfied. There is also part of their web with a complete guide on their products. Further, should you be dissatisfied with organic joy products, you will find their 30-day money-back guarantee helpful.

CBD Cream & Its Pain-Relieving Properties

In as much as we say the working of CBD cream is a miracle, let’s understand how it works. For instance, the exterior skin layer acts as a barrier. It’s responsible for no entry of chemicals or lipids. Conversely, CBD is insoluble in water, but it can dissolve in alcohol oils and fats produced by the body.

Despite cannabidiol being soluble in oils, it is poorly absorbed by the skin. It, therefore, passes through the pores and gets to the blood vessels in the skin. Thereon, it gets into the endocannabinoid system, which is the cell-response guiding system. It contains the human endogenous receptors for pain. As such, CBD slows their functioning, which causes relief. You just have to apply it to the affected zones and experience the magic.

Other Benefits of Using CBD Cream

The prime benefits of CBD creams comprise the alleviation of pain and curing inflammation. They still accelerate the healing of wounds and soothe skin problems. Nevertheless, CBD cream still has antioxidant properties that work against radicals. It’s helpful in that it reduces aging and stress signs on the skin.

On the other hand, CBD creams minimize the production of excess oils. Hence, it’s effective on individuals with skins that produce extra oil.

Side Effects

CBD cream is well-tolerated across its users. But you are more likely to increase irritation due to additional ingredients. Still, they are less likely to get to your bloodstream and interact with your prescribed meds.

Dry Mouth

CBD creams can get into your system and endocannabinoids in human bodies. It then triggers the salivary glands receptors to stop working. Consequently, this causes a dry mouth due to less saliva content.

Diarrhea

Ingestion of CBD cream, perhaps by bad luck, will cause digestive problems. In this case, diarrhea is imminent.

Low Blood Pressure

A drop of blood pressure comes along with a feeling of lightheadedness. This can be aggravated on individuals who have diabetes as it lowers their blood pressure further.

Here are Some Facts You Should Consider Before Buying CBD Cream  

Before making any purchase decision make sure you’re aware of the following factors. cause they are very important which will also help you differentiate good creams from the bad ones.

Ingredients

This is the most critical fact to consider. As such, you should ensure that you purchase CBD creams after you have read all of its ingredients. Sufficed to say, you should never buy your CBD creams from a brand that doesn’t list ingredients on the product page.

Now, on the ingredients, you have to find out how they are going to benefit you. Still, check out if they have any potential to cause you harm. It will be best to consider CBD creams with all-natural ingredients, organic, and with zero GMO. Should you be in doubt, you will have to check customer reviews before purchasing.

Source of your CBD Plant

Getting to determine the source of your CBD is key to knowing its qualities. According to federal laws, all CBD products are extracted from hemp, so that should be your source. But the real question is where the hemp itself is grown. Most brands will claim to have extracted their CBD from American hemp, which is legal but could be a lie.

Ensure you get your CBD cream from a brand that’s transparent enough to tell you where they harvest their hemp. You can also search this from a credible source if you doubt information on the website.

Type of CBD

There are three types of CBD. Understanding the vocabulary used is imperative. For instance, full spectrum contains terpenes, vitamins, THC, and flavonoids. On the other hand, an isolate means it’s an extract of industrially grown hemp and only contains CBD. Lastly, the broad-spectrum is a full spectrum that lacks THC.

Read the COAs or lab reports

Third-party lab tests perfumed by ISO adherent labs are the only assertion for purity that you can get. They prove the quality and safety of the cream you are going to buy. Any brand that claims to be legit will have the lab reports or COAs on their websites.

They are not just a measure for credibility as they create transparency to seek customers’ confidence. As such, they must be up-to-date and entirely didactic. It will help you know if there are metals, additives, or any contaminants in the product you are going to buy.

If there is no COA on the brands’ website, you should follow up with their customer care. Finally, reviews will authenticate the COAs, so remember to always pass an eye through them.

Check your brand’s certification

Certification proves legitimacy and credibility. Any authentic brand will have certificates from good manufacturing practices. If not, you should check if it has a certificate from the U.S Hemp Growers Association Awards. Still, USDA organic labels certificate will suffice.

If the brand you are going to purchase from has some of these certificates, then be sure that you will get top-notch products.

Shipping and Return Policy

Return policies mean that the company is considerate of its consumers. It applies to shipping. As such, the brand must be willing to incur some losses so that you can get excellent services and shop from them. On the other hand, return policies help when you purchase the wrong products. It’s a money-back or product switch card.

FAQs

How do CBD creams alleviate pain?

By binding on to your endocannabinoid system, CBD gets to your nervous system. Here it inhibits the working of the TRPV1 receptor, which is responsible for pain and inflammation.

Who can benefit from CBD pain-killing property?

Individuals with Arthritis-connected pain- this is seconded by the 2016 studies where CBD was topically applied on swollen parts caused by arthritis.

Individuals under Nerve pain were also confirmed by a 2020 study where researchers noticed that CBD reduces pain caused by nerve damage.

How do I use CBD creams for pain?

CBD cream has instruction written on them. All you have to is store them away from high temperatures. And on usage, you should apply it on painful apart 3-4 times a day. Further, if you are a starter, you have to start by applying small volumes and slowly find your way up.

Will CBD Cream Cause Bad Odor? 

To answer the odor question, we have to look at the brand making your cream and the quality. While CBD creams do not have a foul odor, poor quality CBD cream will have the smell of weed. Still, these are the oils that contain THC. You should avoid these creams as they can be addictive. So, if you go for poor quality CBD creams from untrusted brands, they probably will smell.

Conclusion

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, CBD creams are efficacious in the bid to alleviate pain. But there is no doubt that you can fall into the hands of an unscrupulous brand. In this regard, I recommend you check out your brands’ credibility. Again, if you are stuck, consider checking the above mentioned.

Otherwise, if you are keen, you stand a chance to benefit from pain alleviation and regulation of body oil production. And should you be lucky enough, you will reduce aging signs by the antioxidants contained by CBD creams for pain.

Sum 41 Catching Fire Image given by Dayna Ghiraldi-Travers and Big Picture Media for use by 360 MAGAZINE.

Sum 41 x Catching Fire

Sum 41 has dropped a reimagined version of their previously released track “Catching Fire” featuring nothing,nowhere. Deryck Whibley wrote this ballad for his wife, Ari Whibley, after her suicide attempt and they are& talking about it for the first time ever in hopes to raise awareness during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Sum 41 fans from all over the world collectively submitted their stories of loss seen in the beautifully shot black and white video for “Catching Fire.” The vision behind the powerful video-turned-memorial is to shine light on suicide prevention and help tackle the stigma behind mental health head on. The video was directed by John Asher, who previously directed Sum 41’s music video for “Never There.”

On the new single, Whibley shares “Writing this song was cathartic for me in dealing with my emotions for the first time about almost losing my wife to suicide. When I first played it for her, it was the beginning of us having an open conversation about what she went through. In sharing her story, we are hoping to let others know they are not alone and that if you need help, there is no shame in saying so.”

Featured artist nothing,nowhere. continues, “As someone who has had to deal with mental illness throughout my life – it was a no brainer when Deryck approached me to get on this song. I think it’s important to let those close to you know that you love them and that you are there for them unconditionally. I’m a lifelong sum 41 fan and I’m honored to be a part of something like this.”

Fans can stream “Catching Fire” now and check out the music video here: smarturl.it/Sum41CFVideo

Armed with the most honest and intimate songs of his career, Whibley poured everything he had into Order In Decline. Producing, engineering, and mixing the album in his home studio, he painstakingly crafted and fine-tuned each song, highlighted by fast and full riffs, guitar solos from lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dave Brownsound, harmonious chords from guitarist Tom Thacker and the heavy, heart-thumping rhythm section of bassist/backing vocalist Cone McCaslin and drummer Frank Zummo. Looking back at the band’s storied 23+ year career, Order In Decline is undoubtedly Sum 41’s heaviest and most aggressive album to date, while also being their most dynamic and raw.

Order In Decline is available now at http://smarturl.it/OrderInDecline.

After over 15 million records sold worldwide, a Grammy Award nomination, 2 Juno Awards (7 nominations), Kerrang! Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards, Sum 41 is quite simply a rock band uncompromising and honest with no intention of slowing down.

For anyone that needs help, please contact https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or call 1-800-273-8255.

cruise illustration by Mina Tocalini for 360 Magazine

Iceland is Open For Business

Iceland is Open for business!

Iceland and Greenland specialist Iceland ProCruises announce these great reasons to book a trip to Iceland in 2021. These trips on-board the OCEAN DIAMOND are soft expedition cruises accompanied by an Icelandic expedition team, who speak English.

  1. Travelers will receive free airfare for booking the Iceland Circumnavigation 10 day cruise available from $4,299.Cruise dates: 11th Jul – 20th Jul 2021 and 29th Jul – 7th Aug 2021
  2. Iceland ProCruises invites solo travelers to book a cruise on certain dates in 2021 with no single supplement charge. This means no extra cost for a private cabin aboard the OCEAN DIAMOND on several dates on the Iceland Circumnavigation 10 day cruise available from $4,299 Cruise dates: 11th Jul – 20th Jul 2021, 29th Jul – 7th Aug 2021
  3. Family Special valid for 2 adults and maximum 2 children on any 2021 departures. Includes 2 bedrooms with 2 beds each, a bathroom with tub and shower and picture window which is perfect for families visiting this island country.
  4. While in Iceland, guests should plan some time to visit the currently erupting Volcano and Lava Field.  The Land of Ice and Fire is once again living up to its name with this new eruption. Photo credit

From Geldingadalur valley, just south of Fagradalsfjall volcano, gleaming lava can be found running in molten rivers and spurting in spectacular jets. There are various ways to visit the volcano – private guides, helicopter tours, etc. As part of Iceland ProTravel, Iceland ProCruises is happy to help with organizing tours to the volcano, the Blue Lagoon, and many points of interest in Iceland. They have access to exclusive tours, the best hotels and transportation available. Descriptions of pre and post tours can be found at this link: https://www.icelandprocruises.com/pages/excursions/pre-and-post-tours

Shore excursions add to the charm of Iceland ProCruises. Guests can experience waterfalls, volcanoes, glacier-choked lakes, horseback riding, trekking, sea kayaking, boat tours, museums and historic sites, whale watching, birding, bus tours, culinary tastings and more. The many options available allow each guest to choose their favorites at each port. No trip to Iceland is complete without these experiences.

Bookings may be made with a local travel agency or directly at +1 678 701 5830. More information at www.icelandprocruises.com,including rates and schedules for 2021.

Travel to Iceland from foreign countries is now allowed. Rules as of May 10, 2021 are:

People who present a vaccination certificate or a certificate of previous infection are allowed to enter the country. More information about the rules currently in effect by the Government of Iceland can be found here https://www.covid.is/categories/travel-to-and-within-iceland

 

SmartWorldOS screenshot provided by Steve Philp and City Zenith for use by 360 MAGAZINE.

Cityzenith x Digital Twin Consortium

Cityzenith is bringing its city de-carbonization expertise to the Digital Twin Consortium (DTC).

The DTC is a collaborative organization driving the Digital Twin industry forward through a membership drawn from innovators and companies across many sectors.

Its latest invitee Cityzenith has created a software platform, SmartWorldOS™, able to create virtual replicas of buildings, cities and infrastructure to track, manage and optimize carbon emissions to minimize environmental damage.

DTC executive director Dr. Richard Soley welcomed Cityzenith’s membership: “Its specialized knowledge and experience in clean cities will benefit our members greatly as we deploy Digital Twin enabling technologies in buildings, cities, and urban areas.”

Cityzenith CEO Michael Jansen believes DTC membership can take his company to new heights:

“The opportunity to network with fellow Digital Twin market leaders, ground-breaking industry innovators, and the biggest names within the data, technology and construction sectors is game-changing for Cityzenith. This membership will open many doors for us.”

The DTC’s global network not only advances Digital Twin innovation across many industries, but also coalesces sector, government, and academia to drive consistency in vocabulary, architecture, security, and interoperability of the technology.

Members benefit from collaboration with industry peers, participation in industry working groups, influencing requirements and future standards for Digital Twins, and recognition as a Digital Twin industry leader.

Founding members include Bentley, Microsoft, and Dell Technologies, as well as up-and-coming Digital Twin innovators. Cityzenith will chair a working group for DTC, working with other market leaders specifically to the industry’s best interests.

Jansen’s mission at Cityzenith is to use its SmartWorldOS™ software platform to decarbonize cities as part of its international ‘Clean Cities – Clean Future’ campaign in support of the UN-backed Race to Zero initiative.

“Despite only covering 3% of the Earth’s surface, cities contribute to 70% of global carbon emissions while consuming 78% of the world’s primary energy, of which we waste 67.5%,” said Jansen.

“Smart tech innovations such as SmartWorldOS™ can provide the essential interconnectivity required to reduce these percentages, it’s like Sim City but in real life, providing real data to solve real problems.”

“The platform’s ability to handle massive data streams harnessed to cutting-edge AI, has delivered custom climate resilience applications to greenfield cities, real estate developments, and infrastructure projects. We know the issues and have the capabilities to help solve them for those who design, build, and manage cities.”

To hear more from Cityzenith CEO Michael Jansen, please join an upcoming FREE investment webinar, ‘Join The Race to Zero – Investing in Technology For Sustainable Cities’ taking place virtually on Tuesday8th June at 08:00 CT and 13:00 CT. To learn more about using emerging tech to combat Climate Change, please sign up here.

Working From Home illustration done by Mina Tocalini of 360 MAGAZINE.

The Pandemic x Freelance and Remote Workers

A side-gig in retirement can help pad a nest egg, keep a retiree engaged, and provide wanted structure to days post full-time employment. But rather than settle for part-time work for somebody else, in greater numbers, boomers are using their skills and expertise to earn a side income freelancing online from home, according to a new report from the editors of International Living.

Source: InternationalLiving.com

The “freelance economy” is booming today, and that’s a benefit for expats eager to gain a remote income they could take with them abroad, according to a new report from International Living.

“As we come out of the pandemic, many doors have closed,” says Winton Churchill, founder of Barefoot Consultants, author of the book The “New” Retirement: The Rise of the Gig Economy and How You Can Profit From It, and a contributor to International Living. That poses real challenges to folks who found themselves forced to take an early retirement or laid off a few years shy of a planned retirement, says Churchill.

“But in this sea of bad news, there is the proverbial silver lining,” says Churchill. “The big winner in the post-pandemic world is the freelancer and the remote worker.

“Much has changed for the good, and those who realize it quickly will have an advantage.”

If you’re a baby boomer with some work and life skills, “you’ve never had more options,” Churchill argues.

“Many more companies and organizations are hiring freelancers and remote workers now than they ever had in the past because they are confident that they can successfully have people working remotely” he says.

“Going forward we see a much-increased appetite for freelancers, especially those with deep knowledge, well-honed skills, and lots of experience rebuilding after a big economic shift.

“At the same time, we are seeing millions of job openings go unfilled. Looks like a great opportunity for those age 50+ who learn how to thrive in the world of freelancing and remote work.”

More than 400,000 seniors are now doing gig work through online platforms, according to a recent study by the JPMorgan Chase Institute. Moreover, a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows the sharpest rise in “alternative work arrangements” was among workers aged 55 to 75.

In the International Living report, Pandemic Boosts Freelancing For Baby Boomers, Winton Churchill identifies three ways the pandemic has changed the freelance climate and three trends for the immediate future.

  1. Resistance Gone

“For the better part of 20 years that I’ve been on freelance networks, there has always been resistance among hiring managers in companies, non-profits, and governments,” Churchill says.

“They felt as if the freelancer, especially if working remotely, would be much less productive than the employee sharing the same office building as the manager.

“But this was demolished during the lockdown as managers discovered freelancers and remote workers were even more productive when working from home and proved capable of keeping their organizations rolling along.”

  1. Employees Working From Home Are Productive

According to workplace benefits consulting firm Mercer, 94% of 800 employers surveyed indicated that productivity was the same as or higher than it was before the pandemic.

“It is amazing how removing a long commute, removing the distraction of irrelevant meetings and office gossip, bad lunches grabbed on the run, and all the other distractions of office life that your remote worker can be even more productive,” Churchill says.

  1. Cool New Tools

“One of the great things that happened during the pandemic is a number of tools came online for people working remotely,” he says in the report. “Some of them were already out there in the marketplace but they’ve been terrifically enhanced for freelancers and remote workers because of the pandemic and lockdowns and people working from home.”

The four tools Churchill mention in his report are Zoom, Slack, Trello, and Asana.

Trends in Freelancing that Benefit Boomers

His trends for the immediate future:

  1. Employers Will Seek More Freelancers in Their Staffing Plans

“Organizations everywhere want more flexibility in their staffing plans. In the past a company may have had 20 employees. Now they will have 12 to 15 core employees and six to eight freelancers that come in during seasonal peaks or to handle very specialized projects.

“This will give organizations better flexibility in controlling their staffing cost while being better able to afford more specialized talent when needed.”

Baby boomers, Churchill argues, are ideal for this sort of employment because they bring expertise, work experience, and professionalism to the table.

  1. Hiring Trends Favor People That Have More Experience

“The ability to build an organization up after a trauma like the pandemic must rely on people who have experience coming back from economic upsets.

“Baby Boomers (and really anyone over age 50+) have faced these kinds of economic upsets many times in their career and met the demands of rebuilding after any economic crisis,” Churchill says.

“Employers are looking for wisdom beyond what we would call ‘book learning’ experience but practical experience seasoned over those decades.”

  1. No More Late Nights (or Long Days) at the Office

“Organizations are taking a long, hard look at what we call ‘the office,’ Churchill says. “They are rethinking how much they really need it, or at least if they need that much of it.

“Some companies have already informed employees they can work from home for the foreseeable future.”

This increased flexibility can be a benefit to people who are eager to earn part-time in retirement, make their own schedules, and have control over where they live and when they work.

The full report can be found, here: Pandemic Boosts Freelancing For Baby Boomers.

For information on his upcoming Online Portable Income Masterclass with Winton Churchill, see here.

Members of the media have permission to republish the article linked above once credit is given to Internationalliving.com

Kaelen Felix Illustrates a COVID-19 Article for 360 MAGAZINE

Alex de Waal x New Pandemics, Old Politics

We know how a pandemic is supposed to end: we make sacrifices in our daily lives to support a ‘war’ on the pathogen, until medical science deploys a magic bullet to vanquish the invisible enemy. This is a comforting story, but it hasn’t ever happened yet.

New Pandemics, Old Politics explores how the modern world adopted a martial script to deal with epidemic disease threats, and how this has failed—repeatedly.  Europe first declared ‘war’ on cholera in the 19th century. It didn’t defeat the disease but it served purposes of state and empire. In 1918, influenza emerged from a real war and swept the world unchecked by either policy or medicine. The biggest pandemic of the century defied the script and was scrubbed from history. Forty years ago, AIDS challenged the confidence of medical science. AIDS is still with us, but we have learned to live with it—chiefly because of community activism and emancipatory politics.

Today, public health experts and political leaders who failed to listen to them agree on one thing: that we must ‘fight’ Covid-19. There’s a consensus that we must target individual pathogens and suppress them—and not address the reasons why our societies are so vulnerable.  Arguing that this consensus is mistaken, Alex de Waal makes the case for a new democratic public health for the Anthropocene.

Alex de Waal is Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation, a Research Professor at The Fletcher School at Tuft’s University, and a professorial fellow at the London School of Economics. Over more than 30 years of research, publication, and advocacy, he has pioneered new ways of thinking about famine and humanitarianism, armed conflict and peacemaking, and epidemic disease.

By Mina Tocalini for 360 MAGAZINE

Vintage Colors – Outfit Your Website in Modern Retro

The phrase ‘modern retro’ might sound like an oxymoron but it’s just an easy way of describing something that has crept its way back into fashion, even if it died in ignominy many decades ago. It’s the kind of trend that causes coffee shops to blend pop art with vintage furnishings or hospital green appliances with white subway tiles. It’s a collision, in other words, often of two or more disparate design decades.

While it’s easy to expect this kind of trend to crop up in interior design circles, websites began experimenting with modern retro around the same time that millennials started to forget about the days they spent living in the 80s and 90s; that is, about five years ago. The difficulty inherent in this style of work is melding classic colors and imagery without compromising the usability of the website.

70s, 80s, and 90s

But what did these decades look like? The 90s were bright, chaotic, and kitschy, encapsulated by the ‘jazz’ cup design created by Gina Ekiss. The previous decade, the 80s, was more about neons, burnished metals, and pinks and blues. Lastly, the 70s liked its oranges and browns and large repeating patterns. Oddly enough, our experiments with decade-spanning trends seemed to end around the turn of the millennium.

However, one of the design fascinations that never seems to go away involves space, futurism, and technology. For instance, the website of AI-based energy company Nesh has domed habitats flanking its namesake smart assistant, while Genesis Casino features astronauts, planets, and satellites. The latter is one of the more technology-forward sites too; it’s a paysafecard online casino and accepts Apple Pay. This shows the broad adoption of this style.

Contributors to website awards site Awwwards point to the Soviet Design page as a good example of 90s stylings. One of the best places to look for website inspiration with 80s leanings, though, is not a website at all. Artistic movements like vaporwave and future funk have the Blade Runner decade pinned down to its most basic elements. Large and loud typefaces are the key to creating a site with a convincing 70s vibe.

Simplicity

An important point to remember is that the further back in time you plan to go, the less complicated your design needs to be. Marketing materials made in the 70s, for instance, are unlikely to have been in a digital format, which restricts their complexity to whatever a printing press could handle at the time. The reverse, an overabundance of options, is perhaps why the 90s were so chaotic.

Ironically, one of the few design schemes to hit the mainstream in the 2010s was simple almost to a fault. Flat design, which was arguably pioneered by Microsoft in its Windows 8 operating system, stripped the outlines and details away and replaced them with ‘flat’ colors. This style often makes use of long shadows and has been central to the design philosophy of Google and Apple too.

Modern retro allows companies to leverage nostalgia and a love for all things vintage to capture customers’ collective hearts.