These shoes are made from upcycled sex toys
Finding fresh ways to use old materials will be the challenge that defines our generation. We need to drastically reduce the constant production of virgin plastics and polymers, especially in fashion, which is why one sustainable clothing brand started turning sex toys into shoes. When it comes to upcycling in...
Current in Offbeat
How to be more sustainable this Valentine’s Day
The 14th of February, while a celebration of romance, brings a great deal of environmental concern. In efforts to tackle climate change, learn how you can make eco-friendly and sustainable choices this year. Valentine’s Day is, for the most part, synonymous with compassion and endearment. However, its focus on...
Has health guidance gone a tad too far?
In the last few days, Britain’s Food Standards Agency has compared being around cake in the office to passive smoking. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction has concluded that no amount of alcohol is safe. Yes, our wellbeing is important, but can’t we have fun anymore? Barely a...
Procrastination has been linked to poor mental and physical health
Avoiding certain responsibilities might feel rewarding in the moment, but it’s likely worse for our mental and physical well-being in the long run. A breadth of studies have shown that chronic procrastination isn’t just bad for our to-do lists, but also for our mental and physical health in the long...
New study finds drug testing sites make festivals safer
A survey analysed 250,000 festival attendees, examining the impacts of drug-checking provisions. It found that drug use did not go up, but instead festivals were safer overall. A new study by The Loop and Liverpool University suggests that drug testing facilities at festivals ensure a safer environment, with no...
Opinion – politicians should stop trying to be celebrities
Constant media coverage kickstarted the personalisation of politics, where leaders aren’t seen as representatives but more as ‘personalities’ that the public tries to know, relate to, and measure their own values against. Is this damaging? Yesterday, the wiser half of Britain collectively scoffed and eye-rolled after learning that its former...
This lamp is made from just three recycled orange peels
One of the key challenges humanity faces is finding ways to turn ‘waste’ into items that are both functional and attractive to use. A design studio in Italy is utilising the country’s most popular fruit to create eco-friendly homeware. On the third day, God said: ‘let there be light.’ Not sure when She created oranges, but I’d imagine those came sometime shortly after. Fast forward to today, and one company is...
PETA calls for a sex strike against meat-eating men
The German branch of the non-profit organisation is facing criticism for controversially trying to convince carnivorous males to switch to being vegan with a bedroom ban.
Of the many things we can do to reduce our carbon footprints, switching to a plant-based diet is pretty high up in terms of effectiveness.
This is because agriculture is a major contributor to the climate crisis. A large share of methane emissions are
Researchers create solar powered cyborg cockroaches
The idea of using cockroaches to help search and rescue missions has been in development for quite some time. Now, Japanese researchers have implemented solar cells into an electronic backpack which can be mounted onto real cockroaches. Some scientific research projects are so off-the-wall it’s hard to believe they’re actually real. Such is the case with RIKEN’s newly-developed solar cell cockroach backpack. Created by researchers in Japan, it mounts onto...
Opinion – We need to stop categorising unique traits as mental illness
According to popular online content, if you’re easily distracted, chatty, and energetic, you probably have ADHD. If you’re a little socially awkward and bothered by loud noises, perhaps you’re autistic. Why have we started demonising uniqueness to glamourise neurodivergence? And how is this damaging? It seems like every other week there is a new personality disorder trending in online spaces. And if it’s one you’ve heard of before, there’s suddenly...