Latest Stories from Jessica
Honduras sanctuary protects women fighting for gender equality
La Siguata, which translates to ‘the woman’ in Uto-Aztecan Nahuatl language, is a safe haven for those campaigning for equality in one of the most dangerous places on Earth. No matter where you are in the world, committing to a life of activism requires going against the grain, challenging the status quo, and taking action that has potential to frustrate local communities and policy makers. But in certain parts of Central...
Clean energy is now cheaper than all other alternatives
Last year, world leaders pledged to phase out fossil fuels at COP26. Improving green energy policies will not only save the planet – it will save future governments a lot of cash, too. Currently, burning fossil fuels accounts for 79 percent of the world’s energy production. But as the majority of the world knows by now, using these limited natural resources comes at an incredible cost to the planet. Fossil fuels...
Four noteworthy global achievements of 2021
As the countdown to the new year begins, we’re taking a look back at some of the most notable achievements throughout the last twelve months. It’d be an understatement to say that 2021 has provided us with nonstop chaos and unpredictable world events. On top of juggling new variants of the not-so-novel-anymore coronavirus, we’ve witnessed one of the most crucial decision-making periods for the wellbeing of our planet at COP26. In some...
Climate change will soon affect Champagne supply
Changes in weather patterns are momentarily improving the quality and taste of the world's favourite party drink, but the future of Champagne grapes is not looking so bright. At the stroke of midnight, millions of people around the world will be popping a bottle of golden bubbly – more specifically, Champagne. It is the drink of choice during many celebratory moments such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings. But this fizzy delight’s...
Plastic beaded fishing nets could prevent dolphin bycatch
Threading tiny plastic beads onto fishing nets has potential to prevent thousands of small whales, dolphins, and porpoises from drowning each year. It’s rare to hear that adding plastic to our oceans could actually solve environmental issues, but when 300,000 cetaceans die after getting stuck in fishing nets each year, ocean scientists have become desperate for a solution. Brainstorming began with acknowledging the echolocation that dolphins and other small whales use...
Five positive news stories to boost your mood
In the wake of another ‘unprecedented’ period of the global pandemic, the team at Thred is striving to bring you some positive news. Like most people, we’re a little exhausted from looking at articles about government slip ups, rising COVID infection rates, and other generally upsetting news events. This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of year, after all, so we’ve decided to bring you five bite sized snippets...
You decide – is McDonald’s ‘net zero’ restaurant greenwashing?
The world’s largest fast-food chain has opened its first ‘net zero’ branch in Shropshire, England. But when a majority of the products contain meat, is this just another case of greenwashing? It’s no secret that McDonald’s isn’t the best thing to put into our bodies, but is there any possibility the golden arches could improve its impact on planet? In recent weeks, it has certainly attempted to do so. The UK’s...
Rare deep-sea fish mysteriously washes ashore once again
Last week, a surfer spotted a strange black blob on rocks near the shorelines of San Diego. What he later discovered was fascinating, if not frightening. You’ll probably recognise this creature from one of Pixar’s most aesthetically captivating animated films, Finding Nemo. Or maybe you’ve reeled one out of the digital ocean yourself while playing a few hours of Animal Crossing. But it’s likely you’ve never spotted this fish in real...
Sexual harassment is already plaguing the metaverse
In only its early days of beta testing, a woman reported being groped in a metaverse called 'Horizon Worlds'. Immersive VR on the platform makes such experiences all too real, generating calls for stronger safety features. Recently, the term ‘metaverse’ has become unavoidable, whether you’ve got a keen eye for keeping up with the latest tech and gaming trends or not. The metaverse is a rapidly growing, virtual reality world where...
Gen-Z mocks news misinformation with conspiracy theory satire
Promoting a far-fetched theory that birds are government spies, young people are poking fun at conspiracy theory groups to cope with living in an age of endless misinformation. A movement called Birds Aren’t Real is picking up serious traction with Generation Z, particularly in the United States. Its members claim that birds do not exist and are instead drone replicas designed by the government to spy on national citizens. Massive billboards...
