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Unplug, screen, family time, Impakter
Society, Start-up, Tech

Time to Unplug with Screen

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Technology is ubiquitous. Who can escape it? We are drawn to technology in all its forms – phones, cars, TV, eyewear, etcetera. It is this pervasiveness of technology that makes it hard for us to disconnect so we can connect – to actually talk and interact with people and be truly present in the moment and not be glued to the screen.

This becomes more challenging for someone who has a family. Parents have to compete with the phone, TV, or a video game for their kids’ attention and time. Perhaps it is the other way around.

Tali Orad, CEO and Founder of Screen, talks about this device and how it helps families develop healthy screen habits to see how limiting screen time can increase overall happiness and productivity.

Tali Orad, Screen

In The Photo: Tali Orad, Founder, and CEO of Screen. Photo Credit: Tali Orad

I’ve read that you have 3 kids and you felt like a bad cop for constantly reminding them to put down their screens. When did you realize that you needed to come up with a solution for this recurring problem?

Tali Orad: As a parent, I know how to pick my battles. Technology consumption was a constant battle in my family, but I should not fight it when there are so many parental control tools available to help me, right?! I was trying them all, however, none answered my family’s needs.

I was looking for a mobile first, multi-platform solution that would manage ALL of my kids’ devices regardless whether I was home or Wi-Fi was available. Plus, I needed something that would also manage the TV, PlayStation, and Chromecast we have at home. None of the solutions on the market answered my needs so I decided to create one.

screen box, get screen parent app

In The Photo: Screen Box with getScreen Parent App. Photo Credit: getScreen.com

Prior to Screen’s commercial launch, did you try it out on your kids? What was their feedback?

T.O: We’ve been working with the Screen solution since day one, long before it was available to other parents. I did not just install Screen on my kids’ devices, we sat together as a family and discussed our technology schedule.

“When is homework time?” That means PC should be ON while the TV and phones OFF.

“When is our dinner time?” All devices MUST BE OFF including mine.

“When is electronic time?” We follow AAP [American Academy of Pediatrics] guidelines of no more than 2 hours a day.

After deciding on those rules, I put them into the system. It was actually my kids’ idea that we sign an agreement.

The first few days were fine, but then my kids tried to uninstall it. Nowadays kids are very smart. If they try really hard, they will find a way to uninstall the Screen app or to unplug the Screen Box. My kids, or any kid for that matter, usually start thinking how they can “beat the system” when Screen is limiting their use and affecting their daily routine. That’s when we decided at Screen that we could not always fight it, and we should tell that to the parents.

Screen solution includes several anti-tampering mechanisms that will inform the parents when their kids are trying to outsmart the system.

In my family today, we have less friction around electronic usage. I respect their time, and they respect the rules. My kids know that I can see what they are doing on their screens.When it’s time for homework, they focus on their homework. When it’s play time, I respect their privacy but still keep an eye and make sure they are safe.

In The Photo:  Screen rules. Photo Credit: getScreen.com

According to a study conducted by Mayo Clinic, some of the problems with screen time are obesity, loss of social skills, and less time for play. How does Screen help parents deal with these problems and the way their children use screen time?

T.O: Too much screen time affects our children’s health (obesity is one), sleep, academic performance, social skills, self-esteem and more. Mostly because they are in front of an electronic device too much versus playing with friends, exercising, running around, doing arts and crafts or just being kids. With Screen, parents can block the device so kids will have no choice but to find something else to do.

We all know this advice is great in theory but hard in practice, so how do we make it happen?!

First, is by deciding together on the Screen time rules and make a commitment by signing the Screen Agreement. When kids take part in the decision, it is easy for them to follow and make the change.

Second, our board of advisors that includes parenting experts, psychotherapists, educators, and pediatricians all agree that we need to help our kids. By that I mean help kids think of alternatives to their screen time. For example, suggest alternatives for electronic gaming like playing Legos, riding a bike, jumping rope, and more. We should think together with our kids about their tech alternatives and add it to Screen’s agreement.

Remember that our kids were born to a life of technology. Don’t fight it – balance it.

___________

When a child’s device is blocked, he or she will see those alternatives. It doesn’t mean they will go shoot hoops now, but it will spark their thinking to go out and do something else.

Lastly, lead by example. Screen addiction exists with parents as well as with kids. Parents can install it on their device and block their usage when it’s family time or time for family dinner. Set an example.

I Unplug To, Screen

In The Photo:  Team Screen takes the challenge and unplugs for a weekend (Gonen Bronshtein/CTO, Yaniv Dayan/HW OPS, Tali Orad, and some Screen friends). Photo Credit: getScreen.com

Related article:  “THE VISIONARY OF HABIT-FORMING TECHNOLOGY“

What makes Screen so relevant in this day and age? What behaviors of parents and kids are you trying to change or develop?

T.O: Electronic devices are all around us. They are accessible and fun. However, every day we are learning more and more challenges that parents and kids are facing due to too much screen time — sleep problems, brain and language development, academic performances, social development, and posture among others. These can be pretty scary!

While no one wants to be in a situation where they need to consider electronic rehabilitation, we at Screen provide parents and kids with the tools to manage and balance technology usage in their day to day life. Screen prevents screen addiction by teaching our kids time management and how to be a responsible tech user.

The Screen solution allows parents to set rules and boundaries and help them ensure that these are enforced. Set rules on specific times or just enable AAP’s recommendation of two hours a day. Kids will get a warning on their screens before time is up so they can get ready to close and transition to a screen-free activity. Screen helps parents and kids manage and balance their time on screens, so they won’t become screen addicts.

For a full mindmap containing additional related articles and photos, visit #limitscreen

The quality of the content that kids are exposed to is just as important as the amount of time they spend on screen. Will content filtering/screening be part of Screen in the near future?

T.O: Content filtering is o agreement signatures, screen n Screen’s road map. Screen capacities that exist now enable parents to see what the kids are doing on their devices — if they are using a vault app on their phone or playing Minecraft versus doing homework.

We at Screen believe that conversation between parents and kids is the key. We can block content, but they will find a way to get to that information. We prefer knowing about it rather than blocking and not knowing at all. Again, communication is the key.

Knowing they accessed apps or information that is not appropriate can bring parents and kids to discuss them. By conversing, we can ease their curiosities and answer the questions they may have.

What advice can you give to parents and would-be parents about monitoring screen times?

T.O: Remember that our kids were born to a life of technology. Don’t fight it – balance it. Embrace their need to use and communicate through their devices. Keep the communication with them open, and make sure to balance screen time and real life time. Screen helped my family do just that. I hope it will do the same to yours.

In The Photo:  Screen family agreement. Photo Credit: getScreen.com

Recommended reading:“GRAVITY SKETCH APP AIMS TO “LOWER THE BARRIERS TO 3D LITERACY“

 Feature Photo Credit: getScreen.com
EDITOR’S NOTE:  The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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About the Author /

Born and raised in the Philippines. Obtained her degrees in Bachelor of Arts, Major in Humanities and Master of Arts in Communication, Major in Integrated Marketing Communication from University of Asia and the Pacific. Pursued her MBA degree at Hult International Business School in San Francisco. Loves to travel, eat, cook, bake, and read (mostly fiction). An accidental marketer.

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The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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