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Mount Hood

‌Show Mother Earth some love on April 22

Simple ways to enjoy Earth Day this year

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌

With Earth Day steadily approaching, it’s time to start making plans for April 22. If it’s staying at home or going out, there is more than one way to advocate for environmental concerns and to celebrate Earth Day. According to earthday.org, “(Earth Day) is marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.” To celebrate, consider these ways to enjoy Earth Day either solo or socially distancing: 

  • Donate unwanted clothes or items around the house to declutter, and to support local charities, organizations and people in need. 
  • Return cans and bottles to declutter, recycle and get a little extra cash. 
  • Get outdoors with gardening projects ⏤ which can attract native pollinators, support local ecosystems and provide fresh produce.
  • Walking, hiking and biking are rewarding activities that get the body moving while being in the great outdoors. 

  • Join a group or go solo to pick up litter at parks, beaches, dams, hiking trails or around the neighborhood.
  • Reduce, reuse, recycle materials around the house with art projects, such as some of the ones below. 
  • Create a bird feeder by taking a pinecone and covering it with peanut butter, and then sprinkling birdseed on the peanut butter. Once evenly coated, tie the pinecone up with string in a secure location. 
  • Try painting and decorating rocks, which can add flair to any yard or garden. Designs can be as simple as a sun or a ladybug, or they can be used as identifying markers for different plants.
  • Make a fairy garden out of everyday items found outside, like sticks, bark, stones, moss and flowers. 
  • Learn about other ways to be environmentally conscious, such as trying to go plastic-free, reducing waste and being energy efficient.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Get your green thumb ready for Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day with these events across Oregon

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Strap on some shoes, grab some water and spend time outside this Earth Day, on April 22. While it’s always a good idea to reduce, reuse and recycle year-round, Earth Day aims to bring awareness to environmental concerns worldwide. The day can be celebrated with environmental activism, like picking up litter or cleaning up parks, dams and beaches. If plans are still up in the air, consider checking out these local Earth Day themed events happening across Oregon:

  • “Earth Day Succulent”: hosted by Student Engagement. April 22, 12 to 2 p.m. Located at The Grove on the Western’s campus, Monmouth, OR. 
  • “Earth Day Block Release & Oregon Truffle Party”: hosted by Coeur de Terre Winery. April 24, 1 to 3 p.m. Located at the Coeur De Terre Winery, 21000 SW Eagle Point Rd., McMinnville, OR. 
  • “Earth Day Volunteer Crew”: hosted by the Hoyt Arboretum. April 22, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Located at the Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd., Portland, OR. 
  • “Earth Day Event”: hosted by Washington Square. April 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located at 9585 SW Washington Square Rd., Portland, OR. 
  • “Kindness Farm Earth Day Celebration”: hosted by Kindness Farms. April 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located at 7101 SE 127th Ave., Portland, OR. 
  • “Earth Day Spring Planting with SOLVE & Hillsboro Downtown Partnership”: April 22, 12 to 4 p.m. Located at 409 E. Main St., Hillsboro, OR. 
  • “MHCC Beaver Creek Earth Day Cleanup”: hosted by Mt. Hood Community College. April 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Located at 26000 SE Stark St., Gresham, OR. 
  • “Earth Day of Service”: hosted by the University of Oregon. April 24, 1 to 4 p.m. Located at 1585 E. 13th Ave., Eugene, OR. In-person and virtual options. 
  • “Earth Day Virtual Guided Hike”: hosted by the City of Keizer. April 22 through 30, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Located at the Keizer Rapids Park, 1900 Chemawa Rd. N., Keizer, OR. In-person, virtually guided. 
  • “Culture Club at Hilyard Community Center”: hosted by the Hilyard Community Center. April 24, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Located at 25080 Hilyard St., Eugene, OR. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

‌A springtime playlist with tons of genres

These thirty songs are rising in the music charts

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

The sun is setting later, the days are getting warmer and spring is officially in the air. There’s nothing better than throwing on some music while relaxing outside or listening to new tunes while multitasking. Music streaming platforms ⏤ like Spotify or Apple Music ⏤ make it easy to find new artists and songs that are perfect for studying or lounging around. Whatever the case may be, it’s better to have a solid playlist ready to help pass the time, and this one is jam packed with thirty songs to look into. Follow the Howl on Spotify at @thewesternhowl to find this and other playlists. 

  1. “Good Days” by SZA
  2. “Peaches” by Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar
  3. “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X
  4. “Levitating” by Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby 
  5. “Telepatía” by Kali Uchis 
  6. “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals 
  7. “For The Night” by PopSmoke, LilBaby, DaBaby
  8. “Dancing with the Devil” by Demi Lavato 
  9. “COUNT ON ME” by BROCKHAMPTON
  10. “So I Lie” by Miguel
  11. “Astronaut In The Ocean” by Masked Wolf
  12. “Zuccenberg” by Tommy Cash, $uicideboy$, Diplo
  13. “LazyBaby” by Dove Cameron
  14. “Violent” by carolesdaughter
  15. “Positions” by Ariana Grande
  16. “Link” by Tierra Whack 
  17. “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd
  18. “Show U Off” by Brent Faiyez
  19. “Thrilla” by Wesley Joseph 
  20. “Tick Tock” by Joji
  21. “Whipski” by $NOT ft. Lil Skies and Internet Money
  22. “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay, 6LACK
  23. “Shut Up My Mom’s Calling” by Hotel Ugly
  24. “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat ft. SZA
  25. “Blueberry Faygo” by Lil Mosey
  26. “Goosebumps (Remix)” by Travis Scott, HVME
  27. “Leave the Door Open” by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic
  28. “YKWIM?” by Yot Club
  29. “Track Star” by Mooski
  30. “Beautiful Mistakes” by Maroon 5 ft. Megan Thee Stallion

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Listen to these podcasts for a good laugh

Check out these comedy and slice-of-life podcasts

Rylie Horrall | Managing Editor

While many people find enjoyment in the uncertainty and suspense of a true crime podcast, I particularly enjoy listening to comedic or slice-of-life genres. They can provide a relaxing aura after a stressful day, or even a lighthearted ambiance for studying and working on assignments for classes. For those interested in expanding their list of chill and funny podcasts, try listening to the ones below:

  • “The Big Ones” (Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Earios) ⏤ Playing off of the title, this podcast answers morally challenging questions, spanning from relationship dilemmas to decisions made throughout history and more. Earios founders Maria Blasucci and Amanda Lund discuss their own answers to complicated ethical questions, and allow the listeners to do their own thinking on the topics.
  • “Can I Pet Your Dog?” (Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts) ⏤ As the title suggests, these weekly episodes cover dog-related topics that hosts Renee Colvert and Alexis Preston want the viewers to know. From discussions about their own dogs to dogs they saw on the street that week, this podcast provides some fun and lighthearted content for dog lovers.
  • “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness” (Stitcher, Spotify, Earwolf, Apple Podcasts) ⏤ Jonathan Van Ness is known from his TV shows “Queer Eye” and “Gay of Thrones,” but he takes on a different form of entertainment with this podcast. Episodes explore whatever he’s curious about that week, and includes various guest speakers relevant to the topics discussed.
  • “How Did This Get Made?” (Stitcher, Spotify, Earwolf) ⏤ This podcast centers around terrible movies that have been made; the hosts watch the movie submitted by listeners and then discuss the results with their “funniest friends.”
  • “Is We Dumb?” (Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts) ⏤ A recent addition to the comedy section of the world of podcasts, Dan Cummins and Joe Paisley explore the internet weekly for the dumbest and funniest content it has to offer. In their own words, it’s a chance to “laugh at the possible collapse of society.”
  • “Jenna & Julien Podcast” (Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, iTunes) ⏤ Created by YouTubers JennaMarbles and julien solomita in 2014, this podcast centers around random conversations the two feel like having for their episodes. Listeners can hear about their everyday mishaps, drunk discussions, fun games to play and more. 
  • “The Slice of Life” (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox) ⏤ This podcast is all about, as the title suggests, life in general with conversations about geek life, entertainment and fun stories. Episodes are hosted weekly by Minnesotans Michael and Isaac to provide some relief from daily life occurrences.
  • “Sorry We’re Stoned with Tish and Brandi Cyrus” (Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts) ⏤ Hosted by mother-daughter duo Tish and Brandi Cyrus, this slice-of-life podcast covers candid conversations between the two. From advice to current events to insight into their personal lives, episodes provide an unfiltered look at their busy lives.
  • “SuperMegaCast” (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Podbay) ⏤ Another YouTube-based podcast, listeners can hear about random encounters and events from the day-to-day lives of YouTubers Matt Watson and Ryan Magee. Episodes are released weekly and range in topics from what’s in the news to antics and interviews with their friends.


Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Catch these flicks coming out in April

Watch from home or hit the theaters for these new movies

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

There are always new movies hitting streaming services, and with select movie theaters opening back up, there are even more films to enjoy in April, while social distancing. Some films are re-releases of old school favorites, like Sky High, or popular series like Shadow and Bone. Whether people are going out or staying in, here are over twenty of the latest titles to hit the silver screen ⏤ and laptop screen ⏤ this month:

April 2

  • “Every Breath You Take” (AppleTV, Vudu, Amazon Prime)
  • “Roe v. Wade” (YouTube, GooglePlay, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)
  • “Assault on VA-33” (YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime)
  • “The Girl Who Believes in Miracles” (Select theaters)
  • “Sky High” (2005) (Disney+)
  • “The Unholy” (Select theaters)
  • “Just Say Yes” (Netflix)
  • “Madame Claude” (Netflix)
  • “Godzilla vs. Kong” (Select theaters) 

April 6

  • “Dawn of the Beast” (Amazon Prime)
  • “The Enormity of Life” (AppleTV, GooglePlay, Vimeo, FandangoNOW)

April 7

  • “Dolly Parton: A Musicians Tribute” (Netflix)

April 8

  • “The Power” (YouTube, GooglePlay, AppleTV)

April 9 

  • “Voyagers” (Select theaters)
  • “Thunder Force” (Netflix)
  • “Held” (Theaters)
  • “Naked Singularity” (Select theaters)

April 10 

  • “The Nameless Days” (Select theaters)

April 16 

  • “Vanquish” (Select theaters)
  • “In the Earth” (Netflix, Disney+)
  • “Killer Among Us” (Select theaters)
  • “Monday” (Amazon Prime)

April 20

  • “Night of Sicario” (FandangoNOW)

April 22

  • “Stowaway” (Netflix)

April 23

  • “Shadow and Bone” (Netflix series) 
  • “Together Together” (Select theaters)
  • “Mortal Kombat” (HBO Max)
  • “Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train” (Select theaters) 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Review: “Birds of the Northwest”

Discover the joys of birdwatching with “Birds of the Northwest” 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Birdwatchers throughout the Pacific Northwest can rejoice: the visual identification guide “Birds of the Northwest” just made birdwatching so much easier. Award-winning photographer ⏤ and author of over 175 field guides and other literature ⏤ Stan Tekiela shows just how easy it can be to learn about native birds. Based on his best-selling bird field guides, this condensed copy manages to cover 130 species of birds found in Oregon, northern California, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. 

Readers can find key details about the birds and their behavior, such as which ones will eat from backyard feeders, how to tell the variation in a male and female bird and how to tell the difference between their counterparts. There is also an additional section on feeding birds, which are broken up into categories ⏤ Bluebirds, Chickadees & Nuthatches, Doves, Finches, Hummingbirds and Woodpeckers.

The guide is a very condensed pocket sized format, yet manages to go fairly in depth on the variation of identification marks for a bounty of birds. It has useful sections based on the main color of the feathers, going from mostly red, to yellow, green-blue, black and white, gray and fully black birds. Along the bottom of each page shows the average height of the birds in question and their silhouettes for quick comparison, and Tekiela gives brief descriptions of important characteristics for proper identification. 

He uses to-the-point phrases, like for the Pacific Stellar’s Jay, which is described as having blue streaks on its black head and a large crest. Normally, it’s around 11 inches tall and will eat from bird feeders. Learning to name and place birds is a timeless skill, and makes going outside that much more immersive. It takes patience and a handy guide, but in time, anyone can practice their birdwatching skills.  

Review: I would have to give this a 4.5/5 because the book is so handy and detailed, which makes it essential for beginner birdwatchers. Before buying this book, it was difficult to correctly identify each bird I saw since there were so many. After getting the guide, it’s become increasingly easier to find the right fowl. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

‌Give a big green thumbs up for gardening

These five YouTube channels make gardening easy-peasy 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

The saying that “April showers bring May flowers” is especially true in Oregon, with the sunny spring weather being pretty touch and go. In between the rainy days, gardening at home can be an explorative and rewarding hobby; anyone can cultivate their own garden, even if they have no green thumb or outdoor space. There are YouTube channels dedicated to all things indoor horticulture, and ones that teach the very basics of planting, harvesting and tending to a garden. Poking around on YouTube can help anyone feel prepared for the upcoming planting season, and these channels are some great go-to’s: 

  • AnOregonCottage

Brian and Jami share their experience running a country cottage in Oregon, with their videos focusing on enjoying a homemade life. They started the channel over ten years ago, and their videos include recipes, garden tours, plant maintenance and the transformation of their 100-year-old farmhouse. 

  • EpicGardening

Kevin Espiritu has a goal of teaching over 10 million people how to grow their green thumb and reconnect with nature, no matter where they live. He has specific plant guides for urban and organic gardening, tips for prepping plants, DIY projects on a budget and countless other tutorials on his channel. 

  • GardenAnswer

Laura has everything that an urban gardener could need, with her videos covering proper care for succulents, which fertilizer to use for specific plants, lighting options and how to get the most out of one’s garden. Along with tutorials, she shows the process of growing from seed, and how she made a fairy house out of homegrown materials. 

  • LearnToGrow

Misilla demonstrates the perfect tricks for indoor and outdoor gardening, sowing seeds, propagating and pruning ⏤ all while being beginner friendly. Many folks can gain inspiration from her outdoor space and setup, and since she’s located in the Pacific Northwest, her videos are great for learning about which plants work best for the area. 

  • TheRustedGarden

Gary Pilarchik provides an in-depth look at all the nuanced parts of growing a garden, such as which bugs can harm the plants, planning an outdoor space, preventing damage, repurposing supplies and advice for saving money on supplies.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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