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Are Millenials Really Having Fewer Kids?

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the patron saint of millennial representation, put a voice to modern-day fears back in March when she suggested that some young Americans are concerned about having children because of the threat that climate change could post to future generations.

“Our planet is going to hit disaster if we don’t turn this ship around … there’s scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult,” Ocasio-Cortez said on Instagram Live. “And even if you don’t have kids, there are still children here in the world, and we have a moral obligation to leave a better world for them.”

Those thoughts were echoed again this week, this time by Prince Harry in an interview with the renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall. In the conversation for British Vogue, the Duke of Sussex said that he and Meghan would have “two maximum!” when discussing how many children the royal couple planned on having. The question came about when Harry and Goodall were talking about the environmental deterioration of the planet.

A trend

A poll by Business Insider found that nearly 30 percent of Americans agree that a couple should consider the negative and potentially life-threatening effects of climate change when deciding whether or not to have children. The same poll found that roughly 40 percent disagreed with environmental considerations when it comes to family planning, and the remainder of respondents had no opinion.

The study wasn’t perfect, it was conducted over SurveyMonkey Audience by the publication, suggesting that everyone who participated opted in of their own accord. However, it reveals some interesting trends in the thinking about climate change and living a happy life.

Perhaps not surprisingly, it revealed a correlation between age and consideration of the environment. Young people are much more likely to take climate change into account when deciding whether to have children or how many, and older Americans were less likely to agree.

Notably, almost half of respondents older than 60 said the environment should not be a factor in the decision to have kids. Of course, the over-60 population aren’t having any more kids, but are likely pressuring their own children for grandchildren.

It remains to be seen how this current trend in thinking about the population will affect us. A CDC report showed that the birth rate in the US fell to its lowest level in the last 32 years in 2018.

After Harry told Goodall his offspring would be a maximum of two, he said that he always thought the planet was “borrowed,” and that as evolved as humans are supposed to be, “we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Posted Her Skincare Routine

Regardless of your politics, it’s hard to dispute that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is having a moment right now. The Freshman Representative of New York’s 14th district has been in the headlines for months for everything from her views on environmental policies and health care reform to her clothes, old videos of her dancing and—now—her skincare routine.

Ocasio-Cortez revealed her secrets on Instagram stories today, saying the secrets to her glowing skin are double cleansing, toner, sunscreen and cutting back on her dairy intake.

One follower clapped back, saying they weren’t interested in skincare—they just wanted to know how Ocasio-Cortez wrote her speeches.

“That’s okay,” wrote Ocasio-Cortez in her response on Instagram, “we all have different interests.” She followed up by recommending studying great orators of history, like Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Dolores Huerta and Angela Davis, to improve public speaking.

This is typical of the Congresswoman’s use of Instagram. In the last month, she’s posted about loving a press-on nail and also given her followers a peek into how offices for members of Congress get picked.

She also uses Instagram Live to host discussions about public policy and answer questions. She does this while making dinner, usually something simple, like instant-pot mac’n’cheese, which further endears her to her fans.

“FDR may have had ‘fireside chats,’ but AOC has ‘cooking black bean soup on Instagram Live’ and guys, it is [flames],” wrote one viewer.

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