Latest Stories from Jessica
Same-sex marriage referendum to take place in Switzerland
Citizens will be voting on whether to legalize same-sex marriage this Sunday. If approved, it will be a huge step forward for a nation which has straggled behind its European neighbours. In most eastern European countries, same-sex marriage remains illegal. However, on the western side of the continent, nations have been eager to change their legislation in line with increasingly positive global attitudes towards the LGBTQ community. Always the leading libertarian, The...
England’s new Covid travel rules are strangely selective
According to England’s updated travel policy, being considered ‘fully vaccinated’ and exempt from quarantine isn’t as simple as having been double jabbed. What was proposed as ‘a new simplified system’ that would make international travel ‘easier’ is now causing global outrage for being xenophobic. As the new travel rules were unveiled, a clear pattern emerged, where double-vaxxed travellers from countries in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East were listed...
Diving into the Pacific Ocean’s plastic nightmare
Somewhere floating in the Pacific is a collection of plastic so large, experts can only estimate its size - an incomprehensible mass of 1.6 million km2. Unless you’ve been ignoring the state of the planet, don’t have a Netflix account (or access to somebody else’s), and haven’t been graced by the eighth wonder of the world David Attenborough, it’s likely you’re already aware of the plastic problem plaguing our seas. Since...
Gabon is pioneering the carbon sequestration economy
At the edge of Congo Basin, the ‘lungs of Africa’ absorb a gigantic portion of the world’s greenhouse gases. The road to commodifying this natural process will be a focal point at COP26. On the West coast of Africa lies the second most forested country on Earth and one of the few places left that absorbs more carbon than it emits. Here, ninety percent of the land is covered by trees,...
Climate change puts millions at risk of trafficking and exploitation
As extreme weather patterns become the norm, millions will be forced to relocate from their homes into the unknown. What does this mean for the future of their security? Around the world, the effects of climate change have become impossible to ignore. This summer, even major cities like New York and London saw flooding of underground transport stations due to extended periods of rain and major storms. While metropolises have remained...
Smart city to replace Kuwait’s tyre wasteland
In a huge effort to tackle the country’s waste problem, 42 million discarded tyres will be recycled, making space for the creation of an eco-friendly residential city. When anything unnatural can easily be spotted from space, that’s when you know it’s become a real problem. This became the case when over the course of seventeen years, an area spanning 2 square kilometres became a primary dumping ground for old automobile tyres...
Outrage as 1,428 dolphins killed in Faroe Islands tradition
A ‘super pod’ of dolphins was slaughtered during this year’s tradition of Grindadrap on the Faroe Islands. It is the largest number of dolphins to be culled in the ritual to date. In a handful of regions around the world, whaling is still considered an acceptable practice. One of these places is the Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Here, the slaughter of whales and dolphins is part of...
Leaked report shows Instagram knows it damages mental health
An internal presentation outlining two years of research on the psychological effects of Instagram has been leaked. The reports conflict with company representative’s public narratives of the platform. By now, we’re all aware of the potentially negative consequences of social media use, whether that knowledge was obtained through our own personal afflictions, or endless news stories and academic reports on the subject. The only people who are totally unwilling to admit...
Why this year’s MET Gala was the most progressive yet
The return of the most experimental fashion event of the year gave us more than just outfits to talk about. Let’s face it, the world is changing at a rapid pace. So much so that even the biggest event in fashion is not exempt from displays of social and political activism. For those who were generally confused about this year’s Met Gala styles (it’s been perceived as one of the least...
Adidas’s ex-brand chief launches fully sustainable streetwear
The man behind adidas’ success is starting a new environmentally conscious clothing concept that hopes to rival streetwear juggernauts Yeezy and Supreme. You aren’t wrong in thinking that the luxury street style market is oversaturated, but when it comes to shopping sustainably for big name brands, you may be surprised to find that the options become incredibly limited. Looking to change that is Eric Liedtke, who has worked for adidas since...
