Latest Stories from Flo
Are sustainability documentaries really that radical?
Becky Hutner’s new documentary ‘Fashion Reimagined’ follows a designers efforts to create a purely sustainable clothing line. But are these kinds of projects more self-congratulatory than profound? Fashion designer Amy Powney has made a name for herself as the creative director of Mother of Pearl, a sustainable, London-based luxury brand. Powney has been vocal about her sustainability goals since taking the helm, and Mother of Pearl has made a name...
The shocking living conditions of the UK’s migrant farmers
The people who pick and ultimately provide your fruit and veg are being gravely exploited by their employers. But what can we do to change it? The UK has a tendency to pride itself on fair wages and progressive working conditions. But just like our self-proclaimed status as an economic power-house, these statements are increasingly becoming works of fiction. Nowhere are the UK’s exploitative working conditions more evident than in...
What legalisation of NARCAN says about America’s drug laws
Overdose antidote NARCAN has officially been legalised for sale without prescription. It’s a significant step for a country long suffering from an opioid epidemic. Toward the end of 2022, rumours began circling that the FDA was planning to legalise NARCAN, a drug found to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Naloxone – as its officially known – is a nasal spray that can almost instantly save the life of someone who...
Is powdered beer the answer to alcohol’s carbon footprint?
A German brewery has developed powdered beer, a revolutionary new beverage that may change the way we consume alcohol forever. Instant drinks like coffee and - dare I say it - custard, have been around for years now. And while these powdered alternatives have revolutionised our daily lives, an alcoholic version wasn’t something many saw coming. But a German brewery has just developed a powder beer, which creates an instant beverage...
Headteacher’s suicide sparks debate about Ofsted inspections
Ruth Perry took her own life after a report downgraded her school from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Inadequate’. Teachers and policy-makers are urging for a national boycott of Ofsted. Education unions have called for a boycott of Ofsted, and urged teachers to refuse inspectors access to their schools, after 53-year-old headteacher Ruth Perry took her own life. Perry was considered an educator ‘in her prime’, who worked at Caversham Primary School in Reading....
How gang violence is upending Haitian lives
The rise of gang activity has brought the country to a halt, as locals seek homegrown ways to regain agency. A deepening political crisis is currently gripping Haiti and the international community is paying little attention. Rising gang activity has kept Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, in rigid captivity. Few locals have access to food, water, or healthcare. As gang activity spreads to more rural areas, farming and food production are also...
New online tool allows teens to remove explicit images
‘Take it Down’ aims to give back agency to teens and victims of revenge porn. Young people are often vilified for sharing explicit images of themselves online. ‘Everything on the internet lasts forever’ is often the warning cry of older generations. The reality is that many teens are coerced into uploading explicit content – often under duress and by much older influences. Young people are also less likely to grasp the consequences...
Pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton refuses to compete alongside trans women
The American athlete has said she’ll boycott the World Surf League after it announced trans women would be allowed to compete. Pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton shared on Instagram that she would be boycotting surfing competitions by the World Surf League, due to changes in their policy that allow trans women to compete. In a video which now has over 150,000 likes, Hamilton referred to trans women surfers as ‘male-bodied individuals’, and stated...
Students turn to food banks during cost of living crisis
Universities across the country are supporting students by opening food banks, as the cost of living continues to disrupt the education of young people. Striking teachers have dominated the news cycle lately, as dire pay forces educators to join picket lines. The extent of their situation was highlighted by teachers’ use of food banks, as they struggled to feed themselves on such low incomes. Students and members of the wider community...
Opinion – Harry Styles’ win highlights complexities of privilege
After a career-pivoting and rather surprising ‘Album of the Year’ win sent fans into a frenzy for its ‘tone deaf’ claims of adversity. But is there a case for considering who Harry meant by ‘people like me’? Beyonce, Adele, Lizzo. Harry Styles was certainly up against some stiff competition for Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammys. But in a rather surprising twist, his album ‘Harry’s House’, a bubbly album...
