The Plaid Zebra
The Plaid Zebra
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The Plaid Zebra is an alternative news and entertainment website for the curious and inquiring focusing on the independent lifestyle. Broadening the horizons of possible lifestyle choices.

The forgotten Muslim heroine of WWII

BY: SYDNEY KEEFE   The world wars that dominated the last century have brought out many heroes in our soldiers and citizens. Those who fought on the front lines and the citizens who helped support them. The Second World War…

Men’s mental health is facing a silent crisis

BY: NADIA ZAIDI  Featured Illustration by Xulin Wang Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day was on June 13, 2017, and it served as a reminder that men, too, can suffer from anxiety, depression and a range of mental illnesses. The constructs…

French photographer captures what our lives would look like if we weren’t able to dispose of the trash we produce (photos)

BY: BROOKLYN PINHEIRO After its one-time use a disposable water bottle may sit in your recycling bin for a week until it’s swept away never to be thought of by you again. So much trash passes through our hands we’re…

The world’s fastest camera provides the most epic slo-mo experience ever captured

Humans are a visual species. From our earliest days, we’ve expressed a fixated obsession with capturing that which cannot ever truly be pinned down. Our earliest ancestors covered cave walls with frozen depictions of the hunt. Renaissance painters labored for…

China’s biodiversity efforts involve public participation and employment

China is a land of contrasts. It’s an ancient land, steeped in tradition – but at the same time it’s one of the most densely populated and technologically advanced nations on Earth. It’s a land where smog regularly chokes the…

How to build your own eco-friendly house

BY: HANNAH THOMAS  You’ve searched and searched but you just can’t find it; you want it to have a structure that will withstand the burden of time, but won’t be costly. Well, if you can’t find it, then build it.…

How to successfully start freelancing when you have no experience

The idea to start freelancing is an enticing one. Freelance work gives the creator a sense of autonomy which incorporates location independence, a flexible schedule, a flexible workload and a flexible income. It allows the creator to only answer to themselves when…

Men with lipstick: a brief history of men’s makeup

BY: NADIA ZAIDI  For a long time makeup has been predominately advertised, sold to and used by women. Recently the beauty industry has begun to normalize makeup on men. Some of the biggest YouTube influencers are male makeup artists and lovers…

Modern psychedelic science is reviving lost research and finding new cures

The future is bright; its colours, sights and sounds more vibrant and steeped in a better understanding of our consciousness and it’s brought to you by the wonders of psychedelic science. It is a field of study with a storied…

Vloggers are making thousands of dollars by eating excessive amounts of food online (video)

BY: NADIA ZAIDI People all over the Internet are posting videos of themselves eating big, sometimes lavish, meals. Sometimes they don’t say a word; other times, they engage in table talk, as though you are actually sitting beside them. These…

Why more major cities need to encourage cycling

BY: RHIANN MOORE  Although any automobile driver will tell you that cyclists are nightmares on wheels, they are actually doing a lot for the world around them. After all, with desperate needs to reduce air pollution and promote a healthy…

How to stay motivated and productive as a digital nomad

Life as a digital nomad, or traveling freelancer if you will, is easy to write off as being completely problem-free and awesome. This lifestyle allows people to be location independent, work as much or as little as they please, and…

Sperm whales are starving because their stomachs are full of plastic

BY: SYDNEY KEEFE  Sperm whales are one of the oceans most majestic and largest creatures. They can grow to be up to 59ft and weigh up to 45 tons. They have the largest brain of any animal known to live…

India’s first solar powered train has left the station

BY BROOKLYN PINHEIRO Decorated in green and orange balloons and chains of flowers, India’s first solar powered train hit the rails on July 14th leaving from Sfdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi. The train is one of six using sun…

Spend a night in an owl-shaped cabin in France’s wine country – for free

In France there is a project called the Suburban Shelters ( Les Refuges Periurbans). The architects have combined the beauty of art with the serenity of nature by creating fascinating structures shaped like owls that live in the banks of…

Why I wish people would stop asking me what I do for a living

BY: NADIA ZAIDI  When people ask me what I do for a living I often find it a difficult question, and not because I don’t have a job — because I don’t think of what I do as work, per…

Afghanistan’s first female street artist risks her life to empower women (photos)

Afghanistan-based feminist graffiti artist risks her life to show her perspective of hope for the world she lives in. Her name is Shamsia Hassani, and she is the first female 3-D street artist and female graffiti Artist in Afghanistan. Her…

Are green energy technologies a realistic option for most people?

BY: OLLIE WHITE Once considered a concept practiced mostly by businesses, industries and wealthy individuals, today green energy technologies are getting more and more popular among ordinary households and families, both in urban and rural areas. And while there is…

Your guide to growing herbs indoors

With summer finally here many people already have thriving gardens. But if you are a late bloomer, or a procrastinator like me, then you might have some last minute arrangements to make. Not everyone can have a green thumb, some…

11 easy tips to fly through the airport as quickly as possible

Trudging through the airport can feel like the biggest hurdle between you and your destination. Checking-in, dropping off your bags, and getting yourself through security while under a time crunch can be daunting, exhausting, and just plain old no-fun. However, there…