New report shows plastic companies knew recycling would be useless
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental and public health issues of our time. A new investigation shows that the companies producing it knew all along that recycling programs would be pointless. For the last 50 years, we have been advised to recycle plastic waste whenever possible, yet a...
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Activists urge UEFA to break up with airline sponsorships
As airline sponsorships become more intrinsically linked to European football, activists are urging clubs and governing bodies to break away from this ecologically damaging association. There’s rarely a quiet day at UEFA HQ, and Valentine’s Day brought forth a fresh batch of criticism to the association’s door. The Union of European...
What the Sephora cookie tells us about the productivity-pay gap
After the beauty retailer reached $10 billion in revenue this month, employees were gifted a ‘stale’ biscuit as thanks. Sephora – one of the leading beauty retailers in the world – made headlines last week after it amassed a staggering $10 billion in revenue. But the attention wasn’t for reasons...
Is Wall Street about to scupper the psychedelics industry?
Money is pouring into the burgeoning psychedelics industry and an influx of startups are racing to patent key ingredients found in ‘magic mushrooms.’ Wall Street is moving in to monopolise the sector. It’s becoming increasingly clear that mushrooms are good for more than just ayahuasca trips on university graduates’ gap...
German startup makes biodegradable tampons from seaweed
Plastic period products are the fifth most common source of waste washing up on beaches across Europe. Seeking to tackle this is Vyld, by utilising one of the planet’s greatest untapped resources. Although disposable tampons and pads are extremely commonplace, 80 per cent of women don’t realise that the majority...
Natural History Museum relaunches Generation Hope: Act for the Planet
Between 7-10 February, the NHM will be hosting a series of free events curated in partnership with scientists and young people from around the world to drive positive change for a global future. On a mission to ‘create advocates that are informed, confident, and motivated to make wise decisions, get...
Is burning trash really the lesser evil of waste management?
A significant number of trash incinerators are operating across the US. Proponents of this type of waste management proclaim it environmentally preferable to landfill, but how much of a lesser evil is it – if at all? A proverbial ‘steaming pile of garbage’ has no redeemable qualities, but there is a notable upside to be gleaned from real-life trash incineration. For well over a century now, parts of the US have...
Starbucks hit with lawsuit over false ‘ethical’ claims
Starbucks becomes the latest global corporation to be legally challenged for making unsubstantiated and completely false claims about its ‘ethically sourced’ products. The global coffee giant Starbucks is under fire from a U.S. consumer group, which alleges that the company's claims of ethically sourced coffee are deceptive and untrue. The National Consumers League filed legal action in court in Washington DC. It cited several media reports which detail human rights and...
Opinion – AFCON’s fossil fuel affiliation will further damage Africa
As the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in the Ivory Coast, yet another tournament will ultimately serve to fill the pockets of those already destroying the continent. While the self-confessed obsessed (like myself) will happily take all the football we can get, at times there is a bigger picture to consider beyond sporting merit. Though I’ve no personal connection to the Africa Cup of Nations - the biennial tournament...
Camera manufacturer Canon donates equipment to coral reef lab
Leveraging the mission to save coral reef species, Canon has donated high-end image capturing equipment to London-based Coral Spawning Lab. Though virtually all life on Earth is under threat from climate change, the most fragile ecosystems by far are coral reefs. Hoping to ensure their future survival, laboratories around the world are growing and breeding a diverse range of heat-resistant corals inside environmentally controlled tanks. In these labs, scientists closely monitor and...
