Why we should talk more about Europe’s rapidly growing forests
With laser-like focus on deforestation in the Amazon, we’ve forgotten to celebrate the growth of forests around us and the job they’re doing to sustain our natural world. The Amazon rainforest tends to make headlines whenever wildfires begin, as entire ecosystems and species are irreversibly destroyed. But more frequently, it’s human-led...
Current in Change
Final IPCC report warns ‘now or never’ to prevent climate disaster
Climate scientists have provided something of a final warning in the latest IPCC report. Efforts to make emissions peak by 2025 must materialise ‘now or never’ to avoid devastating climate impacts. Good afternoon… humanity is running out of time. The third and final section of the IPCC’s comprehensive review of climate...
Edible food packaging is the future of snack time
Using seaweed and algae, several food manufacturers are starting to cut back on single-use plastic waste by making their wrappers fully edible. Ever finish your snack and wish you had a little something more to munch on? What if we told you that soon, you’ll be able to eat the...
How will the Russian invasion of Ukraine affect Africa?
The ongoing war in Ukraine could have significant ramifications in Africa, from damaged educational opportunities to weakened economies as a result of disrupted trade. Russia and Ukraine have both played a critical role in Africa's development. Over the years, Russia has provided trade, aid, military training, and paramilitary security in countries...
Burger King to ban ‘forever chemicals’ from its packaging
The fast food consortium in charge of Burger King, Tim Hortons, and Popeyes has announced a global ban on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ from all restaurant packaging by 2025. Those of us who occasionally indulge in fast food ‘dining’ know what we’re getting into, right? Did you know though, that its not...
World’s first octopus farm branded ‘an environmental catastrophe’
A company called Nueva Pescacnova has just invested €65 million to build a gigantic octopus farm in the Spanish port of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. With all that’s happening in the human realm at the moment, it might be a little difficult to consider why the welfare of...
Online volunteers hunt for evidence of Russian war crimes
In Ukraine, civilian accounts of atrocities carried out by the Russian military continue to emerge. Online volunteers around the globe are now building dossiers of purported ‘war crimes’ for potential convictions once the gunfire ceases. While our present obsession with tech and social media certainly has its drawbacks, it is conducive to creating a stronger feeling of democracy. Wherever unlawful persecution or atrocities are taking place in plain sight, with platforms...
Part 2: Lawsuits worldwide put Big Oil in the hot seat
Activists look to legal action, taking the fossil fuel industry to court for environmental damage. Over the past two decades, more than 2,000 climate litigation cases have been filed against both governments and carbon-intensive industries. As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue and awareness grows amongst the public, it’s expected that this number will continue to rise, according to Verisk Maplecroft, a research firm specialising in global risk analytics. In...
Height’s days as a toxic dating trope may be over
The internet has begun to reject this oft-unacknowledged bias that’s rife on the likes of Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge – choosing instead to ring in a new era, one that celebrates ‘short kings.’ For as long as I’m able to remember, women have been the primary target of societal body critique. Permeating almost every aspect of my day-to-day life, I’ve frequently faced immense pressure from my peers, mainstream media, and even...
Starbucks to phase out its disposable cups entirely by 2025
For better or worse, Starbucks has transformed coffee culture forever. Its logo is instantly recognisable globally, but at the cost of becoming a ‘ubiquitous’ symbol of single-use waste. The enterprise is now aiming to phase out its disposable cups entirely by 2025. If you’re feeling a twinge of guilt for that pumpkin spiced latte phase you go through every Autumn, don’t beat yourself up. We’re all victims of mainstream coffee...
