The circular economy is now part of daily life – even if you don’t realise it
Although the term has been used in a variety of contexts, it has not been mainstreamed. The principles that underpin a circular economic system are slowly but surely being incorporated into our daily lives. When you’re deciding what to wear to a fancy event, these days it’s increasingly normal to borrow an outfit – not […]
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What went right this week: progress at COP26, plus more positive news
190 countries pledged to reduce coal investment The number one priority on any climate action plan is to eliminate coal. The first week of COP26 saw some positive progress with 190 countries agreeing to stop all investment in new coal plants. Among those signing up are heavy users such as Poland, Vietnam and South Africa, […]
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‘We want to reshape the scene’: bringing diversity to board riding
Marie Mayassi, who describes herself as being “born in Paris but originally from Congo”, pushes along the smooth, flat ground of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. When she took up skateboarding four years ago, she noticed straight away the scene’s lack of diversity. “Representation is all: you cannot be what you cannot see,” she said. […]
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Meet the educators using science to teach kindness
Science has shown that acts of kindness – such as helping someone in need, or giving to charity – improve our healthThese can help to build better relationships and even be a way to get along with your friends. contagious. These acts promote the production of ‘feel-good’ chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine in our […]
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People power at COP26: creative ways the public is responding
The lecturers launch a carnival Carnivals are an event of exuberance, which lead to reflection and renewal. University of the Arts London (UAL), has been founded in this spirit. Carnival of Crisis, a climate themed jamboree which runs parallel to COP26. Taking place at venues across London, in host city Glasgow, and online, the carnival’s […]
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The curious case of the ‘zombie’ plants that came back from the dead
Botanists restoring ancient wetlands in England have made an unlikely discovery – ‘zombie’ plants that come back from the dead They may sound like the murky, mist-wreathed setting for B-movie chills, but Norfolk’s ‘ghost ponds’ are enjoying a startling renaissance – and bringing centuries-old plantlife back from the dead. The Norfolk Ponds Project was born […]
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COP26: five reasons to be optimistic about the climate summit
The stakes at COP26 are high and there are many obstacles in the way of progress. There are good reasons to be optimistic about this summit There’s much at stake at COP26 next week. The “last best chance” to avert climate catastrophe, is how US climate envoy John Kerry described the event in Glasgow. The […]
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What went right this week: Paris’ ‘cycling city’ plan, plus more positive news
A poll showed that people support bold climate action Climate change was a fringe concern when the UN’s first climate summit, COP1, took place in Berlin in 1991. Most people want their elected officials, on the eve COP26 to show leadership in climate change. That’s according to BBC World Service opinion poll. The poll surveyed […]
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‘People who aren’t being nice need kindness most’: the woman who spreads altruism for a living
Jaime Thurston’s charity, 52 Lives, focuses on a family or individual to help in every week of the year. Here’s what she has learned about the ripple effect of kindness This is a story of a rug. It’s a story about a rug and chopped tomatoes. A story about a rug, chopped tomatoes and kindness […]
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Cargo bikes are rebooting urban travel – and coming to a city near you
Some of the fractious debate over the UK’s low-traffic neighbourhoods could soon be rendered irrelevant by a new breed of bike An article in The Times in 1894 warned of a calamity. If traffic congestion in England’s capital continued in line with current trends, it doomed, then “in 50 years, every street in London will […]
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