Latest Stories from Jessica
Londonβs historic blue plaques still neglect Black icons
Despite a five year effort to diversify Londonβs famous blue plaques, minority communities remain vastly underrepresented, but why? Dotted around the city of London are over 900 bright blue plaques, inscribed with names belonging to outstanding historical figures who have lived, worked, or temporarily lodged in buildings across the capital. The scheme began in 1866 under the Society of Arts and is continued today under the English Heritage organisation, which grants...
How Gen Z is pushing beauty to be more diverse and accepting
Leaning into a natural skin aesthetic while still leaving room for makeup experimentation, Gen Z is changing the way we approach beauty products. We already know that Gen Z is the driving force of pushing boundaries, both in terms of social change and creating new trends. This is especially evident in the beauty industry, which has had to adapt itself to earn the respect and trust of younger consumers. A core ethos...
Chemical βcocktailsβ found in fruits and vegetables
Approved pesticides are used in the agriculture industry to keep insects and other animals at bay during growing stages. But are these pesticides truly safe when combined? A fully vegan or vegetarian diet has been promoted as the most healthy and sustainable way to obtain optimal nutrition while being kinder to the planet. While this is true - removing meat and dairy products from your diet can reduce an individual carbon...
Can artificial clouds save the Great Barrier Reef?
In 2018, a study reported that half of the worldβs largest coral reef system had died. Research teams in Australia are testing ways to alter clouds in hopes to salvage what remains. Australiaβs $300 million Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program is investigating and developing new technologies that will prolong the life of the Great Barrier Reef. One of its newer methods involves a repurposed ferry, a gigantic mist machine, and...
Vogue Italia criticised for βhypocriticalβ magazine cover
Everything is not what it seems in this monthβs Vogue Italia magazine cover. Not pictured behind the featured blue ocean abyss lies the source of over 100 years of environmental destruction. As summer comes to a close and autumn arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, it brings with it a sense of change. Itβs understandable, then, that for Vogue Italiaβs September issue, a shoot location near water β signifying rebirth, clarity,...
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. Update: Swiss voters weighed in. The law was passed to legalise civil marriage and the right to adopt children for same-sex couples by a nearly two-thirds majority.Β In most eastern European countries, same-sex marriage remains illegal. However, on the western side...
Englandβs new Covid travel rules are strangely selective
According to Englandβs updated travel policy, being considered βfully vaccinatedβ and exempt from quarantine isnβt as simple as having been double jabbed. What was proposed as βa new simplified systemβ that would make international travel βeasierβ 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...
Gabon is pioneering the carbon sequestration economy
At the edge of Congo Basin, the βlungs of Africaβ absorb a gigantic portion of the worldβs 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 Kuwaitβs tyre wasteland
In a huge effort to tackle the countryβs 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, thatβs when you know itβs 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...
