The Rise of Stair Climbing as a Competitive Sport

Photo Credit: Ana Takahuwa

Orlando White is a resident of Palo Alto, California. He earned his master of public administration from the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and now serves as the associate dean of residential education at Stanford University, where he leads residential training efforts for undergraduate students. Although Orlando White struggled to find a fitness community that suited his interests, he now actively participates in competitive stair climbing.

Stair climbing, also called tower running, has become more popular as a sport in recent times. The goal is simple, race up the stairs of tall buildings as fast as possible. Stair climbing has drawn a committed group of athletes who relish the sport's challenge and unique physical demands.

Stair climbing differs from traditional sports because it does not require costly equipment or training facilities. Participants can locate a tall building with a staircase and begin climbing. Races usually hold in famous skyscrapers worldwide, such as the Empire State Building in New York City, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Taipei 101 in Taiwan. These events may range from a few hundred to thousands of participants, with athletes ranging from amateur enthusiasts to professional competitors.

Stair climbing requires a combination of strength, speed, and endurance. Climbing up numerous flights of stairs places significant strain on the legs, lungs, and heart. Athletes must maintain a consistent pace throughout the race, conserving energy while pushing themselves to their physical limits.

The sport has also drawn the attention of researchers, who have examined the physiological effects of stair climbing on the body. Studies have demonstrated that stair climbing can enhance cardiovascular health, reduce blood pressure, and increase muscle strength and endurance.

Whether the aim is to establish a personal best time or simply complete the race, stair climbing presents a unique and fulfilling challenge. With its rising popularity, stair climbing has become a regular fixture in competitive athletics.

Photo Credit: Ana Takahuwa

A Look at Pet Ownership Statistics in the United States

 

Orlando White and his beloved cat Garfield on Garfield's birthday. 

In the United States, nearly 87-million households feature at least one pet; this equates to two out of every three homes. According to the American Pet Products Association, pet ownership in the United States has been on a sharp rise in recent years, increasing from 56 percent of US households in 1988. The nation’s continued interest in companion animals can also be seen in the success of the pet insurance industry, which doubled in size between 2018 and 2021.

Pet ownership statistics can be influenced by a number of factors. For example, 53 percent of American households include at least one dog, which equates to nearly three out of four pet households. However, when looking at homes with annual incomes of $100,000 or more, which make up the bulk of pet households, dog ownership falls slightly to 63 percent. Cat ownership, meanwhile, falls from 50 percent to 40 percent when looking at this specific economic bracket.

One potential reason for this shift is the availability of more diverse pet options for households with higher annual incomes. For instance, there are approximately 1.6 million horse-owning households in the United States. The average horse owner has an annual income of $211,738, more than double the national average US income in 2021. Furthermore, the average horse-owning household has not one but six horses, despite each individual animal costing up to $325 per month in expenses, compared to $43 per month for a medium-sized dog.

Pet ownership statistics also vary between homeowners and renters. Unsurprisingly, renters are less likely than property owners to own pets. What is more interesting is the fact that 94 percent of homeowners have at least one pet, indicating that companion animals are virtually ubiquitous among American families who have the opportunity to own their home. Dogs are especially popular, with just under three out of five homeowners having one or more canine companions in the house. The Labrador retriever has long ranked as the nation’s most popular dog breed.

The importance of pets in American culture can be further appreciated by examining pet trends between 2016 and 2020. Due to various economic hardships, including the COVID pandemic, American households could not afford to have as many pets as in previous years. Single-dog households increased from 60 to 65 percent among dog owners, and single-cat homes grew from 53 to 56 percent. But as the overall number of pets decreased, the total number of households with at least one pet continued to climb, underscoring America’s close bond with companion animals.

Pet ownership statistics in America can also change based on gender, age, and ethnicity. The familiar adage “dog is man’s best friend” is true in America, with an estimated 71 percent of American men between the ages of 18 and 44 owning one or more canines, compared to 60 percent of women. Men also own more cats, at 37 to 33 percent, including 46 percent of millennial men. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are the most active pet owners in general, with 75 percent of Americans aged 30 to 39 owning a dog.

Just under two-thirds of white American households include pets, compared to 61.4-percent of Hispanic households and 36.9-percent of African American households.

Social Justice Issues in America and around the World

 The term social justice refers to an equitable and fair division or allocation of resources, opportunities, and civil liberties in society. Social justice depends in large part on the social, political, and economic institutions that collectively promote fairness, equity, human rights, participation, and access to basic facilities like education and health.

Issues of social justice trace their roots to oppressive and discriminatory systems that are often deeply intertwined. A society is just when everyone is protected, supported, and respected. To achieve social justice, many issues inevitably linger and must be addressed.

For example, social justice and healthcare are intrinsically interwoven. In the US, despite the Affordable Care Act of 2010, gaps persist in coverage, particularly in areas like the allocation of resources to mental health care. The COVID-19 pandemic proved how vital access to healthcare can be, as many members of disadvantaged communities struggled to access tests, treatment, and professional mental health help.

The challenge of refugees only seems to grow bigger by the year. For example, in 2023, data from the UN Refugee Agency indicates over 2 million refugees will need resettling, a 36 percent increase from the number recorded in 2022. In particular, women and children are vulnerable to trafficking and violence.

Both smugglers and some poorly trained police are also among the perpetrators of violence against refugees. Going forward, the safety and resettlement of refugees must be addressed as urgent social justice issues by both governments and international groups, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other UN bodies.

Returning to the US, although many laws prevent racial discrimination, social justice challenges regarding racism persist. Racism is systemic and not always overt when it comes to, for example, workplace or policing hiring. However, it can also come out in the open as violent physical and even lethal attacks on people of color and minoritized populations. These are acts that hurt, ostracize, and demean certain groups of people. Social movements since the murder of George Floyd are a step in the right direction, as they highlight many of these social injustices.

Still related to social justice is the scarcity of mental health resources and how that intersects with gun violence in the US all linked to homicides, suicides, and mass shootings. Gun related homicides in the US rank the highest among developed nations. The impact of such acts goes far beyond those killed. Those who have lost loved ones, become injured, or witnessed gun violence often suffer long-term mental and physical effects.

While the Constitution protects the right to own arms in the US, many laws are increasingly being proposed or enacted to curb gun-related violence. Among these is banning specific weapons from civilian ownership and conducting more thorough background checks for those seeking to own guns.

Human rights are a social justice issue. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, (questioning), intersex, asexual, and agender (LGBTQIA) rights is a long standing issue not just in the US, but globally. LGBTQIA people and communities, despite some social progress, face continuing discrimination. Often, LGBTQIA people are unable to access the same healthcare, educational, and political opportunities. Even where current laws protect them, bullying, harassment, and physical attacks are still too common.

Finally, the effects of climate change have assumed a social justice dimension. Although climate change might seem like a scientific issue for scientists to address, the ravages of global warming and pollution place significant strain on scarce resources that could have otherwise gone to uplift the welfare of communities. Social justice aims to drive and inspire meaningful action by all stakeholders including governments, businesses, and individuals.

Orlando T. White's Farewell to UNLV

MAR. 20, 2020

Orlando T. White, assistant director of residential education, has accepted a position at Stanford University as the associate dean of residential education. He first starting working at UNLV in 2012 as a residential life coordinator and has served in his current role since 2014. He has accomplished a remarkable amount of work in eight years at UNLV, including growth in historically underrepresented groups in the resident assistant program. He was recognized as Advisor of the Year from our regional affiliates in 2016 and 2018.

We are asking students, staff, faculty, and alumni to join us in thanking him for his dedication and efforts at UNLV, along with congratulating him on his new opportunity, by signing our digital yearbook by Friday, March 27th. This is taking the place of an in-person farewell celebration originally scheduled for March 31st. Orlando's last day at UNLV will be April 3rd.

Originally published by University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV News on unlv.edu - March 20, 2020

Photo Credit: Angelyn Tabalba