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Give the gift of sustainable luxury this Mother’s Day

<p dir="ltr">With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s time to celebrate the most important women in our lives with affordable luxury that doesn’t cost the earth. </p> <p dir="ltr">To spoil the mums in your life this year, discover the ideal gift to honour and celebrate your most treasured moments together with L’Occitane’s limited edition Mother’s Day collections. </p> <p dir="ltr">You can feel good about gifting these organic and sustainably sourced products to your loved ones, as L’Occitane have created these little luxuries while respecting and caring for everything the ground grows for us and beyond. </p> <p dir="ltr">By sourcing fair-trade and organic shea butter from women’s collectives in Burkina Faso and recently in Ghana, L’Occitane are dedicated to helping the local ecosystem and supporting the community. </p> <p dir="ltr">The L’Occitane group celebrates the official B Corp certification, demonstrating that as a business, they’re not just about beauty; they believe in Cultivating Change to create a fairer, more equitable and regenerative planet.</p> <p dir="ltr">This Mother’s Day, L’Occitane has something for everyone, with gift packs available for every budget, ranging from just $34 to the ultimate gift set priced at $280. </p> <p dir="ltr">From hand creams, body lotions and washes, to fragrances and luxury skin care, these limited edition gifting packs have exactly what you need to give the gift of indulgence this Mother’s Day. </p> <p dir="ltr">L’Occitane presents a superb range that embodies the essence of gratitude, showing appreciation through thoughtfully selected gifts that not only pamper, but also reflect a commitment to sustainable practices. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s more than a gift; it’s a gesture that acknowledges the importance of those who have shaped our lives.</p> <p dir="ltr">L’Occitane’s Mother’s Day collection is available now both <a href="https://au.loccitane.com/mothers-day.html">online</a> and in-store. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Supplied / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Sustainable tourism needs to be built with the help of locals

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alfonso-vargas-sanchez-1205745">Alfonso Vargas Sánchez</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidad-de-huelva-3977">Universidad de Huelva</a></em></p> <p>In the wake of the pandemic, tourism is experiencing a period of transition in which <a href="https://theconversation.com/el-futuro-del-turismo-inteligente-digital-y-sostenible-153965">two trends</a> which were already prevalent pre Covid-19 have gained momentum:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Sustainability, together with climate change, the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda.</p> </li> <li> <p>Digitalization, together with the new technological revolution.</p> </li> </ul> <p>If we focus on sustainability – whilst still emphasizing that technological ecosystems are essential for the development of tourism – we have to be aware that making sustainable that which has not been designed as such (a destination, a resort, a mode of transport, etc.) is not easy, fast or affordable. This is especially true since, rather than conforming to standards, labels or certifications, we must change our relationship with the environment in order to be sustainable, rather than just appearing to be so.</p> <h2>Sustainability must be economical, environmental and social</h2> <p>When a term is used so frequently, its meaning tends to become diluted. In fact, in this case, the term sustainable tourism is increasingly being replaced by regenerative tourism.</p> <p><a href="https://doughnuteconomics.org/">Not all aspects of sustainability</a> are addressed with equal emphasis. Economic sustainability is taken for granted and environmental sustainability is taken into immediate consideration, while social sustainability is put on the back burner (see, among many others, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/is-the-party-over-in-the-balearics-b9qw9j7qp">the case of Ibiza and the cost of housing</a>).</p> <p>If there is to be true social sustainability, which in turn drives economic and environmental sustainability, the governance of tourism has to evolve.</p> <p>Before the pandemic, and in the post-pandemic period, news related to the sustainability of tourism appeared in the media.</p> <p>Negative attitudes towards tourism are once again prevalent, although in reality these are not directed against tourism itself but against certain models of tourism development, the product of a certain governance where it is important to take a look at who makes decisions and how.</p> <p>More than a one-off phenomenon, the problem of mass tourism is being tackled with various types of measures, such as the following:</p> <ul> <li> <p>The use of fiscal measures(e.g. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_tax">ecotaxes</a>).</p> </li> <li> <p>Limiting the capacity of certain spaces (or even temporarily closing them).</p> </li> <li> <p>The use of the variable prices to regulate demand.</p> </li> <li> <p>The use of technological tools that assist in redirecting tourist flows, in an attempt to disperse the masses to other attractions that are not overcrowded (assuming that those affected wish to do so).</p> </li> <li> <p>The sanctioning of certain behaviour.</p> </li> <li> <p>Limiting accommodation options.</p> </li> </ul> <p>The case of <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/06/22/sardinia-popular-beaches-protected-with-towel-bans-pre-booked-tickets-and-entry-fees">the island of Sardinia and its beaches</a> is perhaps less well known than others, but very telling in this context.</p> <h2>Appreciating tourism</h2> <p>The positive attitude of the population towards the impact of tourism development in their area may change significantly if <a href="https://theconversation.com/saturacion-turistica-un-problema-global-creciente-100778">the negative impact is perceived as outweighing the positive effects of it</a>.</p> <p>This happens when the tolerance level of the local community is exceeded and tourism no longer contributes positively to their quality of life. The problem arises when those who live there permanently begin to feel that friction with tourists disturbs and damages their lives to excess.</p> <p>When no one asks them, listens to them, takes them into account and decisions are made that severely affect their lives, it is not surprising that citizens turn against tourism when, in reality, the problem is not tourism, but the management of it.</p> <p>It is only by involving these communities in decision-making that we will find the missing link in tourism governance.</p> <p>Today, we usually speak of co-governance rather than governance. In other words, public-private partnership: a two-way governance which, although necessary, is not sufficient because they alone are not the only stakeholders involved.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/como-superar-el-efecto-guggenheim-196421">A partnership with citizens</a>, in a broad sense, is essential to ensure their welfare and to avoid or reverse the trend of disconnection with tourism activities.</p> <p>The point is that tourism is required as an economic activity that affects the entire community, and the latter is something that seems to be missing or unwilling to be addressed. Tourism should not be created by political and business representatives without the local people, but with them. That’s the big difference.</p> <p>There is an added complexity, particularly in terms of legitimacy, in identifying the representatives of stakeholders in the territory and establishing effective participation mechanisms – not only with a voice, but also with a vote in certain decisions. However, this is the best way to support the tourism industry and to overcome mistrust and detachment.</p> <p>We must move towards inclusive and integrative governance, with <a href="https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284420841">a three-pronged approach</a>: public, private and community, whose study and application are virtually unknown fields.</p> <p>The question is not so much of what to do, but how to do it: a new model of shared leadership must include a redistribution of power within the system, which will require an extra effort to break down barriers and overcome resistance.</p> <h2>Co-governance and well-being</h2> <p>To avoid negative attitudes towards tourism, and promote harmonious relationships between locals and visitors as a path to sustainability, tourism must be able to forge a broad alliance with society.</p> <p>It is not about managing a destination, but a community with permanent residents and tourists, the latter being understood as temporary residents. The well-being of both must be at the core of the governance architecture.</p> <p>Although there is usually short-sightedness in political decisions – marked by electoral horizons – and in business decision-making – especially if they are geared towards speculation and immediate returns – the lack of support from the local population will end up generating a boomerang effect.</p> <p>Do we know the type of tourism development desired (or tolerated) by host communities? Are the voices of the local population heard and taken into account in the decision making processes, with a view to their well-being? Local communities have a much more decisive role to play in consolidating democracies. A tourism-oriented society must be geared towards tourism and committed to its development and co-creation.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211296/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alfonso-vargas-sanchez-1205745"><em>Alfonso Vargas Sánchez</em></a><em>, Catedrático de Universidad, área de Organización de Empresas, Dirección Estratégica, Turismo (empresas y destinos) - Jubilado, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidad-de-huelva-3977">Universidad de Huelva</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-tourism-needs-to-be-built-with-the-help-of-locals-211296">original article</a>.</em></p>

International Travel

Flex your sustainability skills this Plastic Free July

<p dir="ltr">It’s no secret that single-use plastics are often a huge part of our lives, with grocery items and household essentials often relying on plastic for their packaging. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, if you look a little further, you’ll find that there are sustainable options out there to help curb your plastic consumption. </p> <p dir="ltr">The annual global initiative of <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/">Plastic Free July</a> is once again taking place, with over 190 countries determined to be a part of the plastic pollution solution. </p> <p dir="ltr">Plastic Free July is a great opportunity to discover more sustainable options in day to life, while also helping to save valuable dollars during the ongoing cost of living crisis. </p> <p dir="ltr">In collaboration with this international movement, <a href="https://www.brita.com.au/">BRITA</a> have shared ten valuable tips to help reduce individual plastic waste contribution in everyday life. </p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Make the switch to a filtered water jug and reusable bottle instead of drinking single-use bottles of water at home or at the office.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Instead of plastic food wraps, choose alternatives such as beeswax wraps or reusable containers.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Try a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Skip the plastic straw or buy stainless steel straws to reduce dangerous plastic waste caused by used straws. Think of the turtles!</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Try out powdered laundry detergent that comes in a box instead of laundry liquid in plastic bottles.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Swap plastic bin liners for newspaper or certified compostable ones instead.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Avoiding pre-packaged foods by choosing bulk or loose food. Or, better yet, take in your own jars. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Use soap bars instead of liquid soap in plastic containers.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Use your own cutlery when ordering takeaway food, instead of relying on plastic ones.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Always consider the three R’s for a better planet – reduce, reuse, recycle!</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Home & Garden

Our cemeteries face a housing crisis too. 4 changes can make burial sustainable

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-falconer-1171812">Kate Falconer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-gould-999499">Hannah Gould</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Australia’s housing crisis is no secret. What many people don’t realise is that there’s another, less visible housing crisis. Australia’s urban cemeteries are <a href="https://theconversation.com/housing-the-dead-what-happens-when-a-city-runs-out-of-space-70121">running out of space</a> to house the dead.</p> <p>In Sydney, for example, a <a href="https://www.cemeteries.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/Statutory-Review-of-the-Cemeteries-Crematoria-Act.pdf">2020 report</a> found all of the city’s existing public cemeteries would be full by 2032. This will leave the communities they serve without a place to bury their dead.</p> <p>We know how to solve this crisis. A few key changes can make Australia’s cemeteries more sustainable and viable for generations to come.</p> <p>But these changes require political will to act. That’s because the solutions involve changes to the state-based laws that govern cemeteries. We can start with Victoria’s <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/cemeteries-and-crematoria/cemeteries-and-crematoria-regulations-2015">Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulations 2015</a>, which must be updated by 2025.</p> <h2>Make renewable grave tenure the default option</h2> <p>Most Australians <a href="https://theconversation.com/losing-the-plot-death-is-permanent-but-your-grave-isnt-33459">assume graves last forever</a>. This system of perpetual tenure is mandatory in Victoria and the ACT. It’s the (near-universal) default in New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.</p> <p>But this system makes our burial space a “single use” resource. Overseas, perpetual tenure is the exception rather than the rule. Almost all <a href="https://www.talkdeath.com/cemetery-overcrowding-leading-europe-recycle-burial-plots/">European</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/lack-of-burial-space-is-changing-age-old-funeral-practices-and-in-japan-tree-burials-are-gaining-in-popularity-161323">East Asian countries</a> have limited tenure for burial, or actively encourage cremation.</p> <p>Where grave renewal occurs in Australia, it happens a long time after burial, typically between 25 and 99 years. By this time, the physical remains of the grave’s previous occupant have significantly degraded. Any remnants are preserved in an ossuary or dug deeper into the soil.</p> <p>Cemeteries in South Australia and Western Australia already have renewable grave tenure. Families have an option to extend tenure, should they wish to do so.</p> <p>By making renewable tenure the default option across Australia, cemeteries will greatly increase future capacity. If all of Sydney’s public cemeteries adopted a 35-year renewable tenure system, for example, it has <a href="https://www.cemeteries.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/Statutory-Review-of-the-Cemeteries-Crematoria-Act.pdf">been estimated</a> the city’s burial needs over the next 99 years would require 38% less land.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zysuo1Pw-2w?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">One of Perth’s major cemeteries is redeveloping existing burial grounds in response to running out of space.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Create dedicated natural burial grounds</h2> <p>One simple, more environmentally friendly option is “<a href="https://www.gmct.com.au/services/natural-burials">natural burial</a>”. Natural burial eschews embalming, caskets made from hardwood or metal, and monumental headstones. Instead, the body is buried in biodegradable materials, such as wicker or cardboard.</p> <p>Green burial grounds are popular in the United Kingdom and Europe. They require less irrigation and maintenance. They also offer <a href="https://theecologist.org/2019/jan/14/case-natural-burial">a way to conserve natural woodlands</a> and so help foster biodiversity.</p> <p>Some Australian cemeteries offer <a href="https://smct.org.au/murrun-naroon-natural-burials">natural burial as an option</a> next to traditional grave plots. There are, however, few dedicated natural burial grounds. Legislating natural burial grounds as distinct entities will allow specific regulations that give priority to regular grave renewal and positive environmental impact.</p> <p>Natural burial grounds may also make “better neighbours” than traditional cemeteries if communities are going to be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-23/sydney-is-running-out-of-burial-space/101881570">asked to live alongside new cemeteries</a>. Overcoming resistance to new cemetery developments is essential to secure future burial capacity.</p> <h2>Legalise alternative disposal methods</h2> <p>We are all familiar with burial and cremation. But what about dissolving bodies in an alkaline solution – known as “<a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-water-cremation-become-the-new-american-way-of-death-180980479/">water cremation</a>” or “alkaline hydrolysis” – or transforming them into compost (“natural organic reduction”)?</p> <p>These options have <a href="https://theconversation.com/life-after-death-americans-are-embracing-new-ways-to-leave-their-remains-85657">robust environmental credentials</a>. They require less space than burial, as they produce portable remains in the form of ashes or soil. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64140571">Several US states</a> now permit these options.</p> <p>In most of Australia, these options exist in a legal grey area. In <a href="https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/03-80aa034%20authorised_0.pdf">Victoria</a>, authorisation must be sought from the Department of Health to dispose of a body other than by burial or cremation. Queensland has no comprehensive cemeteries legislation, and thus no guidance on the legality of these alternatives.</p> <p><a href="https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/pdf/asmade/sl-2011-568">New South Wales</a> legalised water cremation (but not natural organic reduction) in 2011. The state now has two such facilities.</p> <p>Other states and territories should follow NSW in explicitly legalising viable alternative disposal methods. This will ease pressure on cemeteries and provide greater choice to families.</p> <h2>Invest in cemeteries as multi-use green spaces</h2> <p>Current regulatory frameworks emphasise the cemetery as a space of sombre reflection and remembrance. <a href="https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/15-59sra003%20authorised.pdf">Victoria</a>, for example, prohibits a wide range of activities, including dancing, fishing and sport.</p> <p>However, as <a href="https://www.acf.org.au/natural_solutions_needed_for_our_overheating_cities">green space becomes scarce</a> in Australia’s major cities, public opinion and current practices are falling out of alignment with such regulations. In a <a href="https://theconversation.com/visions-of-future-cemeteries-5-models-and-how-australians-feel-about-them-149150">recent national survey</a>, two-thirds of respondents disagreed with the sentiment that cemeteries were solely spaces for memorialisation. They supported the use of cemeteries as public green space.</p> <p>Historic cemeteries, where new burials and visits are rare, offer even greater potential as multi-use public space. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866722001418">cities overseas</a>, jogging, walking the dog and picnics are common in these cemeteries.</p> <p>Australia is yet to feel the full effects of the impending crisis of cemetery space. While big changes are needed to avert this crisis, at least the path forward is clear.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205987/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-falconer-1171812">Kate Falconer</a>, Lecturer, T.C. Beirne School of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-gould-999499">Hannah Gould</a>, Research Fellow, Social And Political Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-cemeteries-face-a-housing-crisis-too-4-changes-can-make-burial-sustainable-205987">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

How zinc batteries could power the sustainable economy

<p>What might it take to get zinc batteries offsetting some of the demand on lithium-ion?</p> <p>According to a <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.26599/NRE.2022.9120039" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> in <em>Nano Research Energy,</em> a few avenues of research look set to make rechargeable zinc batteries efficient and long-lasting enough to be competitive.</p> <p>If you want to store electricity, lithium-ion batteries are <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/long-live-the-power-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">generally the most powerful</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/precious-metal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy dense option</a>.</p> <p>But lithium isn’t a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/lithium-ion-battery-supply-chain-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super-abundant metal</a>, and it’s very reactive: lithium-ion batteries need <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/battery-fire-lithium-ion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elaborate safety systems</a> to lower the risk of fires.</p> <p>As battery demand soars, to shore up the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy-crisis-escape-transition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transition to renewable energy</a>, researchers are looking for alternatives to lithium.</p> <p>“Zinc has a strong battery track record, having been used as anode material as early as 1799!” says co-author Dapeng Liu, a battery researcher with the Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology at Beihang University, China.</p> <p>“Zinc-based battery technology already accounts for one-third of the world battery market.”</p> <p>Zinc can be used in a range of different types of battery – including <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/new-charge-for-old-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zinc-air batteries</a>, which are currently available as small disposables, rechargeable <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/flow-battery-china/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flow batteries</a>, or rechargeable non-flow zinc-bromide batteries.</p> <p>Zinc-based batteries are typically cheaper than lithium-ion, and carry a much lower fire risk.</p> <p>But while their performance has much improved over the past decade, they’re still not good for commercial rechargeable batteries yet. They’re not very energy-dense, and they have shorter life cycles.</p> <p>According to the researchers, there are a few areas of chemistry that should be focused on to improve this.</p> <p>First, say the reviewers, the anodes and cathodes of zinc batteries need to be developed so that they don’t deplete as much over time. They think that changing the surface of the anodes (interface modification), and alloying the zinc with other materials and additives, will yield the best results.</p> <p>Next, better <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/next-big-thing-catalysts-can-change-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">catalysts</a> are needed to speed up zinc-air batteries’ reactions, making them more efficient.</p> <p>Finally, the researchers suggest that new electrolyte mixtures can improve battery performance.</p> <p>“Rechargeable zinc-based batteries have a long way to go before large-scale application in the mobile, power, and other electronic equipment markets,” conclude the researchers in their paper.</p> <p>A zinc-bromide battery factory opened in Australia in late September. Operated by <a href="https://gelion.com/gelion-launches-australian-battery-manufacturing-facility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gelion</a>, a renewable energy company that spun out from research at the University of Sydney, the facility is currently capable of making two megawatt hours of batteries per year.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=227531&title=How+zinc+batteries+could+power+the+sustainable+economy" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/zinc-batteries-improvements-needed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Ellen Phiddian. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

Building and construction emissions and energy use reaches record levels

<p>Despite improvements in energy efficiency, greenhouse pollution levels from the building and construction sector reached an all-time high in 2021.</p> <p>A new report on the building and construction sector by the United Nations Environment Programme released for COP27 found energy demand in buildings – for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment – increased by 4% from 2020 levels. As a result, the sector’s emissions increased 5% compared to 2020.</p> <p>While the increase partly reflects a re-bound in building and construction activities after the pandemic, energy and emissions levels were also above 2019 levels.</p> <p>This is significant because the sector accounts for around a third of total energy demand, the report says.</p> <p>The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the opening forum of COP27 that the future of the planet is in our hands. “…and the clock is ticking. We are in the fight of our lives. And we are losing. Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing. Global temperatures keep rising. And our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible.</p> <p>“We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator. “</p> <p>With the release of the report, UNEP executive director, Inger Andersen added: “If we do not rapidly cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, we will be in deeper trouble.”</p> <p>The UNEP report argues investments in energy efficiency must be sustained in the face of growing crises – such as the war in Ukraine and rising energy and living costs – to help with reducing energy demand, avoiding greenhouse gas pollution and reducing energy cost volatility.</p> <p>“The solution may lie in governments directing relief towards low and zero-carbon building investment activities through financial and non-financial incentives,” Andersen says.</p> <p>Also critical to reducing the sector’s emissions are including buildings in climate pledges under the Paris Agreement – known as Nationally Determined Contributions – and mandatory building energy codes.</p> <p>The report’s recommendations include: building coalitions of stakeholders in support of sustainable buildings, governments introducing mandatory building energy codes and government policies, increasing investment in energy efficiency and commitments from industry.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=222598&title=Building+and+construction+emissions+and+energy+use+reaches+record+levels" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/building-emissions-reach-record-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Petra Stock. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Real Estate

To make our wardrobes sustainable, we must cut how many new clothes we buy by 75%

<p>If things don’t change fast, the fashion industry <a href="https://www.stockholmresilience.org/download/18.66e0efc517643c2b8103605/1617805679501/Sustainable%20Textiles%20Synthesis%20Report.pdf">could</a> use a quarter of the world’s remaining global carbon budget to keep warming under 2℃ by 2050, and use 35% more land to produce fibres by 2030. </p> <p>While this seems incredible, it’s not. Over the past 15 years, clothing production <a href="https://archive.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore/fashion-and-the-circular-economy">has doubled</a> while the length of time we actually wear these clothes has fallen by nearly 40%. In the EU, falling prices have seen people buying <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/textiles-in-europes-circular-economy">more clothing</a> than ever before while spending less money in the process.</p> <p>This is not sustainable. Something has to give. In our <a href="https://eeb.org/library/wellbeing-wardrobe-a-wellbeing-economy-for-the-fashion-and-textile-sector-summary">recent report</a>, we propose the idea of a wellbeing wardrobe, a new way forward for fashion in which we favour human and environmental wellbeing over ever-growing consumption of throwaway fast-fashion. </p> <p>What would that look like? It would mean each of us cutting how many new clothes we buy by as much as <a href="https://katefletcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Earth-Logic-plan-FINAL.pdf">75%</a>, buying clothes designed to last, and recycling clothes at the end of their lifetime. </p> <p>For the sector, it would mean tackling low incomes for the people who make the clothes, as well as support measures for workers who could lose jobs during a transition to a more sustainable industry.</p> <h2>Sustainability efforts by industry are simply not enough</h2> <p>Fashion is accelerating. Fast fashion is being replaced by <a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/dec/21/how-shein-beat-amazon-at-its-own-game-and-reinvented-fast-fashion">ultra-fast fashion</a>, releasing unprecedented volumes of new clothes into the market. </p> <p>Since the start of the year, fast fashion giants H&M and Zara have launched <a href="https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/retail/why-shein-might-be-worth-100-billion-in-four-charts">around 11,000 new styles</a> combined. </p> <p>Over the same time, ultra-fast fashion brand Shein has released a staggering 314,877 styles. Shein is currently the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-05/shein-is-the-new-darling-of-china-s-fast-fashion-industry-but-at/100964524">most popular shopping app in Australia</a>. As you’d expect, this acceleration is producing a tremendous amount of waste.</p> <p>In response, the fashion industry has devised a raft of plans to tackle the issue. The problem is many sustainability initiatives still place economic opportunity and growth before environmental concerns. </p> <p>Efforts such as switching to more sustainable fibres and textiles and offering ethically-conscious options are commendable. Unfortunately, they do very little to actually confront the sector’s rapidly increasing consumption of resources and waste generation.</p> <p>On top of this, <a href="https://cleanclothes.org/news">labour rights abuses</a> of workers in the supply chain are rife. </p> <p>Over the past five years, the industry’s issues of child labour, discrimination and forced labour have worsened globally. Major garment manufacturing countries including Myanmar, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Vietnam are considered an <a href="https://www.maplecroft.com/insights/analysis/worldwide-decline-in-labour-rights-strikes-at-heart-of-global-supply-chains/">“extreme risk”</a> for modern slavery. </p> <p>Here’s what we can do to tackle the situation. </p> <h2>1. Limit resource use and consumption</h2> <p>We need to have serious conversations between industry, consumers and governments about limiting resource use in the fashion industry. As a society, we need to talk about how much clothing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629620304564?via%3Dihub">is enough</a> to live well. </p> <p>On an individual level, it means buying fewer new clothes, as well as reconsidering where we get our clothes from. Buying secondhand clothes or using rental services are ways of changing your wardrobe with lower impact. </p> <h2>2. Expand the slow fashion movement</h2> <p>The growing <a href="https://slowfashion.global/">slow fashion movement</a> focuses on the quality of garments over quantity, and favours classic styles over fleeting trends.</p> <p>We must give renewed attention to repairing and caring for clothes we already own to extend their lifespan, such as by reviving sewing, mending and other long-lost skills.</p> <h2>3. New systems of exchange</h2> <p>The wellbeing wardrobe would mean shifting away from existing fashion business models and embracing new systems of exchange, such as collaborative consumption models, co-operatives, not-for-profit social enterprises and <a href="https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification">B-corps</a>. </p> <p>What are these? Collaborative consumption models involve sharing or renting clothing, while social enterprises and B-corps are businesses with purposes beyond making a profit, such as ensuring living wages for workers and minimising or eliminating environmental impacts.</p> <p>There are also methods that don’t rely on money, such as swapping or borrowing clothes with friends and altering or redesigning clothes in repair cafes and sewing circles. </p> <h2>4. Diversity in clothing cultures</h2> <p>Finally, as consumers we must nurture a diversity of clothing cultures, including incorporating the knowledge of <a href="https://www.russh.com/creator-of-australian-indigenous-fashion-yatu-widders-hunt-on-telling-stories-and-the-future-of-fashion/">Indigenous fashion design</a>, which has respect for the environment at its core. </p> <p>Communities of exchange should be encouraged to recognise the cultural value of clothing, and to rebuild emotional connections with garments and support long-term use and care.</p> <h2>What now?</h2> <p>Shifting fashion from a perpetual growth model to a sustainable approach will not be easy. Moving to a post-growth fashion industry would require policymakers and the industry to bring in a wide range of reforms, and re-imagine roles and responsibilities in society. </p> <p>You might think this is too hard. But the status quo of constant growth cannot last. </p> <p>It’s better we act to shape the future of fashion and work towards a wardrobe good for people and planet – rather than let a tidal wave of wasted clothing soak up resources, energy and our very limited carbon budget.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-make-our-wardrobes-sustainable-we-must-cut-how-many-new-clothes-we-buy-by-75-179569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

<p>COVID-19 has resulted in the most severe disruption to the global tourism industry in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1758708">modern times</a>. And although many countries have now reopened to visitors from overseas, the economic impact is likely to be felt for many years. </p> <p>Prior to the pandemic, awareness had <a href="https://globalnews.booking.com/bookingcom-reveals-key-findings-from-its-2019-sustainable-travel-report/">been growing</a> regarding the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/18/environmental-damage-of-tourism-comes-under-mps-spotlight">environmental sustainability of tourism</a>. From over-consumption of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/20/national-parks-america-overcrowding-crisis-tourism-visitation-solutions">precious resources</a> to the destructive impact on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/22/the-world-needs-wildlife-tourism-but-that-wont-work-without-wildlife">natural habitats</a>, tourism can put enormous strains on <a href="https://theconversation.com/tourists-not-welcome-how-to-tackle-the-issue-of-overtourism-101766">destination communities</a>. </p> <p><a href="https://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/what-is-overtourism">Overtourism</a> has also been highlighted as an issue in many places. The Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Mount Everest, Majorca, Barcelona and Venice have all <a href="https://theconversation.com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029">felt the affects</a>. </p> <p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-airlines-feel-the-pressure-of-flight-shaming-and-the-greta-2/">Greta Thunberg’s</a> climate-change activism has added the term “flight shame” to our vocabulary. Her work has encouraged airlines to engage in tree planting or invest in wind farms to offset their carbon emissions, and travellers to think before they fly. </p> <p>As global restrictions begin to ease, now is a good time to think radically about the purpose of tourism and the way we all travel. This is a chance to <a href="https://unlearn.travel/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Unlearn-Bruce-Poon-Tip.pdf">reset everything</a>we know – and not simply return to business as usual.</p> <p>Obviously, one of the difficulties is that many of us are used to going wherever we want, whenever we want – which is not sustainable. But a few changes to our travel plans can play a key role in shaping the future of the travel industry. </p> <p>Below are five suggestions to help you travel in a more purposeful way.</p> <h2>1. Choose carefully</h2> <p>Carefully consider your desired destination and avoid places impacted by overtourism. Visiting during off-peak seasons will likely save you money and enhance your overall experience - and let you skip the queues.</p> <p>It’s also worth thinking about a different type of “holiday” or travel experience. You could volunteer for a <a href="https://sustainabletourism.net/case-studies/companies-and-organizations/ngos/">local NGO</a> or consider travel opportunities that support <a href="https://planeterra.org/what-we-do/our-projects/sisterhood-of-survivors/">marginalised groups</a>, for example.</p> <h2>2. Travel slowly</h2> <p>Travel like Greta to minimise your environmental impact. Travel less for longer, swapping the quantity of experiences for quality. Instead of taking three separate long weekends, why not take just one two-week holiday. </p> <p><a href="https://www.smartertravel.com/art-slow-travel/#:%7E:text=What%20Is%20Slow%20Travel%3F,and%20traditional%20food%20preparation%20methods.">Slow travel</a> is a mindset. Rather than pursuing Instagram-worthy photos and trying to squeeze as many attractions into your trip as possible, leave your phone at home and explore each destination at your own pace.</p> <p>Keeping sustainability in mind, it’s also worth considering opportunities that allow you to slowly experience a certain city, country or region while supporting local projects. Try a walking tour that supports previously <a href="https://sockmobevents.wordpress.com/author/sockmobevents/">marginalised locals</a> or rent a <a href="https://planeterra.org/what-we-do/our-projects/belize-bike-with-purpose/">bike with purpose</a> and help to fund educational programmes for local students.</p> <h2>3. Plan how you spend</h2> <p>Wherever you go, make sure you seek out local initiatives including local guides and local accommodation providers. This will make sure your money goes directly to people who will benefit from your support.</p> <p>Sites such as <a href="http://good-travel.org/">Good Travel</a> list businesses that prioritise environmental action and support local communities. You can also find out about locally made products sold at local businesses employing local people. This helps to ensure positive impacts remain in the community. </p> <p>And if you’re thinking of heading to Africa, <a href="http://www.fairtrade.travel/Home/">Fair trade tourism</a> is also a great resource to find out about businesses recognised for promoting responsible practices. Certified businesses range from eco-lodges, resorts, safaris, educational centres, township tours, golf clubs and cruises – so there are a lot of different options to choose from.</p> <h2>4. Eat like a local</h2> <p>Food accounts for over a quarter of global <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, so it lies at the heart of tackling climate change, reducing water stress, pollution and restoring land. </p> <p>There are many ways to minimise your food miles when you travel. For a start, avoid eating at restaurant chains and instead, try to eat like a local. Visit markets, local neighbourhoods or local vendors for your foodie needs.</p> <p>You could even check out a food tour or meal-sharing host. <a href="https://www.travelingspoon.com/">Traveling Spoon</a> has a whole host of online and in-person cooking classes with locals from around the world. Eating locally supports local jobs and can also teach you about new cuisines.</p> <h2>5. Immerse yourself</h2> <p>An immersive type of travel prioritises people over places and avoids overcrowded spaces. This allows you to make real connections and can also help you gain insights about local traditions, cultures and history. For example, you could go trekking with a <a href="https://www.adventurealternative.com/experiences/">local guide</a>, enrol in a language course or attend a local festival or event. </p> <p>Ultimately, the pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink and act radically and really consider the actual purpose of tourism. This is not only important from an environmental perspective, but travelling in a more purposeful way is more likely to help support local people in destination communities. And it also helps to contribute to a future where tourism is less harmful to people, places and the planet.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-make-your-holidays-more-sustainable-143379" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Travel Tips

Brands are leaning on ‘recycled’ clothes to meet sustainability goals

<p>Today we make more clothing than ever before. And the driver for this is primarily economic, rather than human need. Over the past decade, the term “circular economy” has entered the fashion industry lexicon, wherein materials are made to be reused and recycled by design.</p> <p>Yet we haven’t seen the same level of recycling in fashion as we have in other spaces – such as with plastic recycling, for instance. And this is mainly because clothing-to-clothing recycling is much more difficult.</p> <p>The use of recycled polyester and cotton by brands such as H&M and Cotton On are key aspects of these companies’ sustainability initiatives – but the source of these recycled fibres usually isn’t clothing. Recycled polyester tends to <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/zwUxmcq5wIZqLA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come from plastic bottles</a>, and recycled cotton is usually made from manufacturing waste.</p> <p>The fact is most clothing is simply not designed to be recycled. Even when it is, the fashion industry lacks the kind of infrastructure needed to really embrace a circular economy model.</p> <p><strong>Why is recycling clothes difficult?</strong></p> <p>Recycling clothing isn’t like recycling paper, glass or metal. Clothes are endlessly variable and unpredictable. So they’re not ideal for recycling technologies, which require a steady and consistent source material.</p> <p>Even a seemingly simple garment may contain multiple materials, with fibre blends such as cotton/polyester and cotton/elastane being common.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Despite seeming simple, clothes are complex products containing many components and materials. This means recycling them is very difficult.</span> <span class="attribution">Shutterstock</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Different fibres have different capacities for recycling. Natural fibres such as wool or cotton can be recycled mechanically. In this process the fabric is shredded and re-spun into yarn, from which new fabric can be woven or knitted.</p> <p>However, the fibres become shorter through the shredding process, resulting in a lower quality yarn and cloth. Recycled cotton is often mixed with virgin cotton to ensure a better quality yarn.</p> <p>Most fabrics are also dyed with chemicals, which can have implications for recycling. If the original fabric is a mixture of many colours, the new yarn or fabric will likely need bleaching to be dyed a new colour.</p> <p>A complex garment such as a lined jacket easily contains more than five different materials, as well as trims including buttons and zippers. If the goal of recycling is to arrive at a material as close to the original as possible, all the garment’s components and fibres would first need to be separated.</p> <p>This requires labour and can be expensive. It’s often easier to shred the garment and turn it into a low-quality product, such as <a href="https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/shoddy.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shoddy</a> which is used for insulation.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Massive amounts of clothing scraps are stacked on top of each other, loosely sorted by colour." /></a><figcaption><span class="attribution">Even if a garment is designed to be recyclable, if the infrastructure needed is missing, it will likely still end up in landfill.</span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Industry progress and challenges</strong></p> <p>Companies such as <a href="https://www.blocktexx.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlockTexx</a> and <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evrnu</a> have developed processes to recycle fibres from blended fabrics, though such recycled fibres aren’t yet widely available.</p> <p>Through a proprietary technology, BlockTexx separates cellulose (present in both cotton and linen) and polyester from textile and clothing waste for new uses, including in new clothing. And Evrnu has developed <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/nucycl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a type of lyocell</a> made entirely from textile and clothing waste.</p> <p>Spain-based company <a href="https://recoverfiber.com/products/rcotton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recover</a> meticulously sorts through different kinds of cotton textile waste to produce high quality, mechanically recycled, cotton fibre.</p> <p>There’s also biological recycling. Fibre waste from the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/cotton-compost-turns-trash-to-treasured-fertiliser/12410248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rivcott cotton “gin”</a> (or cotton engine) is composted to become fertiliser for a new cotton crop. The same is possible with natural fibres from worn-out clothing, after potentially toxic dyes and chemicals have been eliminated.</p> <p>Synthetic fibres such as polyester and polyamide (nylon) can also be recycled mechanically and chemically. Chemical recycling through re-polymerisation (where the plastic fibre is melted) is an attractive option, since the quality of the original fibre can be maintained.</p> <p>In theory it’s possible to use polyester clothing as the source for this. But in practice the source is usually bottles. This is because clothing is usually “contaminated” with other materials such as buttons and zippers, and separating these is too labour intensive.</p> <p><strong>The plastic problem</strong></p> <p>Almost all recycled polyester in clothing today comes from recycled plastic bottles, rather than previous polyester clothing. This is significant when you consider polyester accounts for more than 60% of all fibre use.</p> <p>Given the rapid increase in the production of <a href="http://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FOSSIL-FASHION_Web-compressed.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">synthetic fibres</a>, and the as-yet-unknown impact of microplastics (which were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322297" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documented in human placentas</a> last year) – the question remains whether clothing should be made from biologically incompatible materials at all.</p> <p>Polyester clothes, regardless of fibre sources, contribute to microplastic pollution by shedding fibres when worn and laundered.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Plastic bottles are ready to be used for recycling" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Although plastic bottles can be recycled into clothing, that clothing is very difficult to further recycle.</span> <span class="attribution">Shutterstock</span></figcaption></figure> <p>A new generation of synthetic fibres from renewable sources (recyclable and also biodegradable) offers a path forward. For instance, the <a href="https://www.kintrafibers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kintra</a> fibre is made from corn.</p> <p><strong>Reduce and reuse before you recycle</strong></p> <p>There’s plenty of evidence that reducing the consumption of clothing by wearing items longer and buying second-hand is preferable to purchasing recycled fibre clothes.</p> <p>But even second-hand fashion isn’t without problems when you consider the scale and pace of clothing production today.</p> <p>Liz Ricketts of the US-based OR Foundation, a charity focused on sustainable fashion, <a href="https://atmos.earth/fashion-clothing-waste-letter-ghana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paints a gruesome picture</a> of the Kantamanto market in Ghana, where much of the world’s secondhand clothing ends up (including from Australia).</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">"You have to understand that this is recycling, this is not a landfill.”</p> <p>Thousands of tonnes of knock-off clothing from Europe and the U.S. are being piled up in a mass dump in Chile's Atacama desert <a href="https://t.co/ANHu7RiN5q">pic.twitter.com/ANHu7RiN5q</a></p> <p>— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) <a href="https://twitter.com/Quicktake/status/1470991517292630022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></p></blockquote> <p>One path forward is for companies to take responsibility for products at their end of life. US fashion brand Eileen Fisher is a pioneer on this front.</p> <p>The company has purchased garments back from customers since 2009. These are cleaned and sorted, and mostly resold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Renew</a> brand.</p> <p>Garments too damaged for resale are given to a dedicated design team, which redesigns them to be sold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/shop/resewn-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Resewn</a> collection. Off-cuts from this process are captured and turned into textiles for further use.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184406/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timo-rissanen-1339498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timo Rissanen</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brands-are-leaning-on-recycled-clothes-to-meet-sustainability-goals-how-are-they-made-and-why-is-recycling-them-further-so-hard-184406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

<div class="copy"> <p>Farming inside city boundaries is <a href="https://www.fao.org/urban-agriculture/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the rise</a> as countries become more urbanised and people seek to connect with the source of their food and improve their sustainability.</p> <p>But despite the productivity potential of home food gardens and the like, they are rarely analysed as serious farming systems. There’s little data, for example, on how much can be grown on an average suburban property.</p> <p>As climate change <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217148" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">threatens</a> global food supplies, however, building sustainable urban food systems will be crucial.</p> <p>Our research has examined how productive the average home vegetable garden really is, and how to get the most from your patch.</p> <h2>Lawn with a side of salad?</h2> <p>Urban agriculture refers to growing produce and raising livestock inside a city’s boundary. In Australian cities, it might involve a home vegetable patch, community garden, backyard beehives, an edible rooftop garden on an apartment block, indoor hydroponics, a communal orchard and more.</p> <p>Sometimes, especially in developing countries, urban farming can help address issues such as poverty, unemployment and food insecurity.</p> <p>More broadly, it can increase access to healthy, fresh produce and lead to more sustainable food production. It can also help us save money and improve our well-being.</p> <p>Societies have traditionally lent on urban farming during times of stress. So it’s no surprise the practice resurged during the COVID pandemic. In Australia, keeping edible gardens significantly helped people maintain mental health during lowdown, <a href="https://sustain.org.au/projects/pandemic-gardening-survey-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particularly</a> those on low incomes.</p> <p>But to what extent can we rely on our backyard gardens to meet all our fresh produce needs? Our research shows these three factors are key.</p> <h2>1. Give up some lawn</h2> <p>We <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">looked at</a> the potential for food production at about 40,000 residential properties in suburban Adelaide – mostly free-standing homes.</p> <p>We calculated the amount of land required for a household of 2.5 people to grow the recommended five servings of vegetables per person each day. Then, using high-resolution aerial imagery to get a birds eye view of properties, we identified those with enough lawn area to make that happen.</p> <p>Some 21m² of lawn is needed to produce the recommended vegetable intake. In a scenario where a garden is high-yielding, this would require converting 23% of lawn area on a typical block into a vegetable patch. Of the properties modelled, 93% had the room to a create 21m² garden from the total lawn space.</p> <p>In a medium-yield garden, 72% of lawn on a typical block would need converting to produce enough vegetables to feed a household – equating to 67m².</p> <p>We limited the research to in-ground veggie production and didn’t include fruit trees. So a property’s potential to grow food would be even higher if food gardens or fruit trees already exist, or other garden beds or paved areas could be converted.</p> <h2>2. Up your gardening game</h2> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230232" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> out of Adelaide, which surveyed about 30 home gardeners, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a> yields per square metre ranged from 0.24kg to 16.07kg per year. This suggests a high rate of variability in home garden productivity – notwithstanding the fact people grow different crops.</p> <p>Not all of us have green thumbs and in some cases, your veggie patch might not yield as much as you hoped.</p> <p>Perhaps you gave it too much or too little water. Maybe you didn’t have time to pull out weeds or harvest produce. Pests and fungus might have struck down your crop. You may have planted the wrong seeds at the wrong time or just have poor soil.</p> <p>Our research suggests low-yield gardens would need 1,407m² of converted lawn to meet the vegetable needs of a household. However, less than 0.5% of properties in the analysed Adelaide sites had so much land. So to reach self-sufficiency in urban agriculture environments, medium to high yields are preferred.</p> <p>Skilled gardeners with high yields will need much less land. Given the space constraints in cities, upskilling gardeners is important to maximising production.</p> <h2>3. Know what’s in your soil</h2> <p>Good soil <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130808" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is a key factor</a> in productive gardens. It needs a good structure (one that allows water and air to enter and drain easily, while retaining enough moisture) an ample supply of plant nutrients and a rich microbial community.</p> <p>In city areas, heavy metal contamination and pollution of soils can be a concern. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We examined</a> soils at 12 urban agricultural sites in Adelaide, and found in all cases that metal concentrations did not exceed health guidelines for residential areas – even at sites with an industrial history.</p> <p>But this might not always be the case. An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653518302467?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of residential and community gardens in Melbourne, for example, showed some soils were contaminated at levels which could pose a human health hazard. This highlights the importance of testing urban soils before planting.</p> <p>Proper management of inputs – particularly fertiliser – is also key. Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has found urban gardeners can choose from a variety of organic waste-based fertilisers such as spent coffee grounds, food scraps or lawn clippings. But this abundance can lead to imbalances.</p> <p>In Adelaide, for example, the widespread use of freely available horse manure led to excessive phosphorous levels in almost all of the 12 tested sites. This imbalance can depress plant growth and damage the broader environment.</p> <h2>Helping city gardens flourish</h2> <p>Urban agriculture has been <a href="https://www.fial.com.au/urban-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identified</a> as a A$4 billion economic growth opportunity for Australia. However, suburban blocks are trending towards smaller yards with less growing space.</p> <p>Given the many benefits of urban farming, it’s time to think more seriously about maximising efficiency and scale.</p> <p>Community gardens are well placed for knowledge-sharing. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809707115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> on 13 community gardens in Sydney revealed they were very high-yield – around twice as productive than the typical Australian commercial vegetable farm.</p> <p>Funding for more community gardens, and other education opportunities for urban gardeners, would be a valuable investment in improving public health and sustainability.</p> <p>This should be coupled with policy and planning decisions designed to increase the amount of urban farming space in our cities.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=194567&title=Fennel+looking+a+bit+feeble%3F+Growing+enough+veggies+to+feed+yourself+depends+on+these+3%26nbsp%3Bthings" width="1" height="1" /></em></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/global-food-crisis-garden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by The Conversation. </em></p> </div>

Home Hints & Tips

Commuters rejoice! Auckland’s first electric ferries to set sail in 2024

<p dir="ltr">Two electric ferries are expected to be in the waters of Auckland by 2024 after the New Zealand government announced it would contribute $27 million in funding for the project.</p> <p dir="ltr">Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods made the announcement outside Auckland’s downtown ferry terminal, confirming that the funds would come from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/128452777/government-commits-27m-for-electric-ferries-in-auckland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The funds will also cover the majority of the project’s costs and will account for approximately 75 percent of the cost to build the two ferries.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This project will be a major boost to the rapidly developing maritime clean technology sector in New Zealand and will further upskill the maritime transport sector in New Zealand,” Ms Woods said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a boost for our climate goals and our economy, which is especially vital as we continue our economic recovery from COVID-19.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With the city’s current, ageing fleet of ferries accounting for nearly seven percent of public transport journeys and about 20 percent of public transport emissions, Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the new ferries were “another important step” in working towards a low emissions future.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As a harbour city, getting around by ferry is the norm for many thousands of Auckalnders,” Mr Shaw said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Today’s announcement means that instead of fossil fuels powering many of those journeys, people will be getting around in ways that help create a climate-friendly, prosperous future for New Zealand.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The ferries, developed by Auckland-based <a href="https://evmaritime.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EV Maritime</a>, will also contribute to Auckland City Council’s commitment to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, which requires transport emissions to be slashed by 64 percent.</p> <p dir="ltr">They have been developed with a range capable of covering several routes in Auckland’s inner and mid-harbour with a design similar to the electric ferry running in Wellington.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Woods announced the government would also be supporting 15 big businesses to move away from using fossil fuels in their production processes, providing $13 million in funding that will be matched by $32.66 million from private industry.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In partnering with the private sector through the third round of the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) Fund we’re helping clean up production processes, and helping business stay ahead of the curve.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes just months after the first electric passenger ferry in the Southern Hemisphere <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington-top-stories/127908781/electric-ferry-makes-maiden-passenger-voyage-across-wellington-harbour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made its maiden journey</a> across Wellington’s harbour.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Ika Rere (“flying fish”) in Wellington can carry a maximum of 135 passengers - compared to the 99-person limit of its diesel predecessors - while its Auckland counterparts will seat up to 200 people.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-996c629c-7fff-77cd-49bf-fe52f45e6d96"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: EV Maritime (Facebook)</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Fashion Revolution Week is over, but the fight continues

<p dir="ltr">We’re becoming more conscious of where our clothes come from and how workers are compensated for their labour, and people such as Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro - the founders of <a href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fashion Revolution</a> - have been major players in increasing awareness.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e57fe6ef-7fff-ae09-140f-53a453222c3f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The pair of former fashion designers created Fashion Revolution - and the accompanying hashtag #WhoMadeMyClothes - back in 2014, almost a year after the devastating Rana Plaza Collapse in Bangladesh resulted in the deaths of 1100 people and injuries of another 2500.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccur8RlouOX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccur8RlouOX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Orsola de Castro (@orsoladecastro)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Since then, Somers and Castro have marked the anniversary of the disaster each year with their annual Fashion Revolution Week. This year’s theme, Money Fashion Power, shone a light on how power and wealth are disproportionately held by a few in the mainstream fashion industry who rely on the exploitation of people and natural resources for profit.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As we enter our 9th year, we will go back to our core, exposing the profound inequities and social and environmental abuses in the fashion supply chains,” de Castro said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From the uneven distribution of profits, to overproduced, easily discarded fashion, to the imbalances of power that negate inclusion. On the other hand, inspiring new designers, thinkers and professionals all over the world are challenging the system with solutions and alternative models.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3e13cea4-7fff-cad9-72f6-969d3226fe98">“Fashion Revolution Week is all of this, scrutinising and celebrating fashion, globally, locally, wherever you are.”</span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcArcNfMIBi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcArcNfMIBi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Fashion Revolution (@fash_rev)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though the week of events have come to an end for 2022, there are still some things we can do to advocate for a fairer industry - and it can be as easy as opening your wardrobe.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>1. Write to a policymaker or brand</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Taking action doesn’t need to always be on a global scale, and writing to your local policymaker can be an effective way to make a difference in your area even after Fashion Revolution Week ends.</p> <p dir="ltr">Using Fashion Revolution’s handy <a href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">template</a>, you can find the contact details of your local Australian Senator or Member <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Guidelines_for_Contacting_Senators_and_Members">here</a>, while New Zealand MPs can be found <a href="https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/have-your-say/contact-an-mp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Or, you can ask your favourite brands who makes the clothes they sell via social media, using the hashtags #WhoMadeMyFabric and #WhatsInMyClothes, or using Fashion Revolution’s <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BTY3vX5ZdIelRIg4SqJvIEJFj_wA6Ey1/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">email template</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Take a look at your wardrobe</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3942f94-7fff-f65e-1103-d33e05eda690"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Considering the clothes already in our wardrobes is another way we can make a difference. Caring for our clothes, repairing them when they tear or lose a button, or repurposing unrepairable clothes are some simple ways we can make them last.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcK-SNwg6hC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcK-SNwg6hC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Fashion Revolution (@fash_rev)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">When we do need to add something to our wardrobes, opting for secondhand clothing and consulting the <a href="https://issuu.com/fashionrevolution/docs/fashiontransparencyindex_2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fashion Transparency Index</a> before buying new clothing can help us make more informed choices and support companies making positive changes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Arm yourself with knowledge</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f0491db-7fff-14a0-8f6c-d399997d61ac"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Another way to take action is to educate yourself on the issues facing the fashion industry, and Fashion Revolution has plenty to choose from.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1l9p8KxLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1l9p8KxLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Fashion Revolution (@fash_rev)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Their series of ‘pay what you can’ <a href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/fashion-revolution-fanzine-library/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fanzines</a> cover everything from the industry’s relationship with the environment to the opaque nature of supply chains, and you can see what garment workers experience first-hand through the <a href="https://workerdiaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garment Worker Diaries</a> website.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b1d51ae-7fff-2c29-66c3-a1755b19282c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @fash_rev (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Review: A sustainable bra worth the splurge

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finding a bra that meets our lists of wants and needs - comfort, support, colour and more - is almost always a chore and can come with a high price tag.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And as a regular bra-wearer, having to replace my old, trusty pieces with something new is a task I put off until I absolutely have to.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite my reluctance to wear anything except my trusty (and well-worn) T-shirt bras, I decided to try Bendon’s </span><a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/brands/bendon/conscious-simplicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conscious Simplicity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Contour Bra ($59.95), which is the brand’s first range of recycled lingerie.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Their bras are made with recycled foam for the cups, 73 percent recycled nylon fibres for the straps, and 93 percent recycled yarn for the back fabric.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="../media/7846487/22-7619zphr_bf.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/03dee18eac494960b3c59fc21fee5a48" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The contour bra (pictured) can be paired with a matching boyleg brief, both made from recycled materials. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The range - available in contour, underwire, and maternity bras - can be paired with boyleg briefs which all feature botanical-inspired lace made with 50 percent recycled nylon fibres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After taking it for a test drive - from quick trips to the shops to full 9am-5pm work days - here are some of my thoughts.</span></p> <p>Barely there… save the straps</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Initially, I was concerned I’d picked the wrong size despite checking my measurements, but upon trying it on I found it was a perfect fit. Plus, it felt as if the bra was barely there but still supportive.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, I noticed the edging of the straps would dig in each time I put it on, though it becomes less noticeable during longer wears.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m pleased to report that the bra barely showed under some of my more notoriously thin white shirts, which even my beige favourites could sometimes be spotted through, but would still be visible through cotton t-shirts.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="../media/7846486/bra-review1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/764f93f2f35a4280bc37b04f6a96a7ef" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The contour bra is hard to spot in even my tightest of turtlenecks or white business shirts. The size pictured is an AU/NZ 16C.</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On top of that, an initial play around with the straps meant I wasn’t constantly adjusting them during the day (a common problem among my former-favourites).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the band did start to make its presence known by the end of some of my longer days, when I would first put it on at 6am and only take it off at around 9-10pm.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this, the Conscious Simplicity Contour Bra has become my new favourite and I am on the cusp of adding more to my wardrobe (though an expansion of colour options would be nice).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In summary, here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re thinking of giving it a try.</span></p> <p><strong>Pros</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Comfortable and feels supportive even during longer wears</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eco-conscious</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hardy, quality materials that are still comfortable</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Concealed under most whites (despite its colour)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wider range of cup sizes, with a maximum size of 22J</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slightly uncomfortable edging on the straps that can dig in</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limited colour options (only pink at the moment)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cost ($59.95 RRP)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limited underbust/band sizing, with a maximum size of 22 (102cm)</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bendon Conscious Simplicity range is available from the Bendon website </span><a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/brands/bendon/conscious-simplicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span>EDITOR'S UPDATE (12/4/22):</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span>The Conscious Simplicity range is now available in black, with a Dark Rhubarb colour to be released in November 2022 with a maximum size of 20E.</span></p>

Money & Banking

Peer pressure driving sustainable diets

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <div> <div class="copy"> <p>People find it notoriously difficult to change eating habits to improve their own health, let alone the planet’s.</p> <p>Now European researchers who explored factors that might motivate shifts to more sustainable diets are suggesting that social norms and self-efficacy are the most important.</p> <p>The work by Sibel Eker and Michael Obersteiner, from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria, and Gerhard Reese, from Germany’s University of Koblenz-Landau, supports evidence that peer group values are more powerful than scientific facts in shaping people’s beliefs and actions about climate change.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Their findings are presented in a paper in the journal Nature Sustainability.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The study was motivated by increasing calls for people to adopt plant-based diets as part of radical shifts needed to address the destructive impact of current farming practices on the environment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A key target is red meat, which vastly exceeds other food sources in terms of its land use, irrigation and greenhouse gas emissions, and is unsustainable in the face of population growth and climate change.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red meat also has been associated with chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On this front alone, calculations suggest that if, on average, the world adopted a flexitarian diet (one portion of red meat per week), it could potentially prevent more than 10 million deaths each year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eker wondered if such “ambitious scenarios” were attainable.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I was observing my social network and society,” she says, “like more and more people being meat-reducers, new vegetarian restaurants in urban areas, and it </span>made me curious<span style="font-family: inherit;"> about where these dynamics could lead.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although many people are reducing their meat intake in several countries, widespread resistance means that global levels needed to translate into environmental gains are still beyond reach. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">To explore how pervasive behavioural changes in meat consumption might be achieved, Eker and colleagues used an integrated assessment model to simulate population dynamics.</span></p> <p>Based on prominent psychological theories on environmental action, combined with models from management science, it includes income, social norms, climate risk perception, health risk perception, self-efficacy and response efficacy (belief that one’s actions can make a difference), as well as age, gender and education level.</p> <p>They simulated the model 10,000 times to find the optimal outcome.</p> <p>“This was an exploratory modelling study,” explains Eker, “meaning that we used the model as a platform to experiment with different scenarios to find the most important drivers of diet shifts.”</p> <p>Although she expected concern about health risks to be more important, Eker was not surprised that social norms – unwritten rules of behaviour considered acceptable in a group or society – were a leading motivator of diet change, because they create a strong, positive feedback loop, she says.</p> <p>Put differently, “As there are more vegetarians around, visibility of the phenomenon increases, therefore adoption increases”.</p> <p>The other key driver was self-efficacy, particularly in females, referring to perceived control over one’s behaviour and ability to change.</p> <p>Results showed that this model would yield the most rapid behaviour changes for people aged 15 to 44 years, even when their adoption of vegetarian diets is low.</p> <p>But even if 40% of the population became vegetarian, the model predicted that the environmental benefits may not be fully realised if everyone else continues their current meat consumption, suggesting that change requires a population-wide shift in eating patterns.</p> <p>The researchers conclude that their findings demonstrate the importance of factoring human behaviour into climate change mitigation efforts and suggest that future research also account for variations in cultural attitudes and world views.</p> <p>“We can use models to explore the social and behavioural aspects of climate change and sustainability problems in the same way as we explore the economic and environmental dimensions of our world,” says Eker.</p> <p>This could provide a better understanding of how to motivate the lifestyle changes that are essential to address the predicaments facing the planet.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p26085-o1" class="wpcf7"> <p style="display: none !important;"> </p> <p></p> </div> </div>  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=26085&title=Peer+pressure+driving+sustainable+diets" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/nutrition/peer-pressure-could-nudge-people-towards-sustainable-diets/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/natalie-parletta">Natalie Parletta</a>. </p> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

Older people can struggle with sustainable living

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Improving the sustainability of Australia’s housing stock is<span> </span>crucial<span> </span>to meeting national emissions reduction goals. But for older adults, such changes can bring both benefits and challenges.</p> <p>My<span> </span>recent research<span> </span>examined the literature on environmental sustainability measures at residences for older adults. These included private homes, retirement villages and nursing homes.</p> <p>I found that while sustainability measures can bring multiple benefits to older people, they also bring challenges. For example, people living in sustainable dwellings may use less energy and water which leads to lower bills. But older people may suffer cognitive decline and struggle to use sustainable technology devices.</p> <p>The full effects of environmentally sustainable features must be better understood if we’re to provide seniors with high-quality residential environments.</p> <h2>Sustainability and ageing: a complex mix</h2> <p>Forecasts suggest that by 2056,<span> </span>22% of Australians<span> </span>– or 8.7 million people – will be aged 65 or older. High-quality residential environments are important to maintaining the welfare of these people as they age.</p> <p>Environmental sustainability is playing an ever greater role in residential development across the board, including retirement villages. And<span> </span>previous research<span> </span>suggests most retirement village residents want to lead more sustainable lifestyles.</p> <p>As climate change worsens, the dwellings of older adults should allow them to adapt to these changing conditions. The reduced ability of elderly people to regulate their body temperature means global warming is a profound threat to this group.</p> <p>Improving the sustainability of a residential environment may include:</p> <ul> <li>reducing waste</li> <li>using low carbon or recycled building materials</li> <li>solar passive design</li> <li>efficient heating and cooling</li> <li>using renewable energy such as rooftop solar.</li> </ul> <p>Some residential projects<span> </span>for the elderly already include environmental sustainability. A<span> </span>case study<span> </span>of a not-for-profit retirement village in South Australia revealed practices such as innovative floor plans, thermally efficient building materials, good window orientation and a water harvesting system.</p> <p>And my previous research<span> </span>found<span> </span>a range of sustainability features at eight private and not-for-profit retirement villages in Queensland.</p> <p>However, while many retirement village developers prioritise “social sustainability” features such as care provision and social interaction, environmental sustainability is<span> </span>largely ignored.</p> <h2>On the plus side</h2> <p>The benefits of environmentally sustainable features in in older adults’ residential environment include:</p> <p><strong>- reduced resource consumption:</strong><span> </span>sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use, which lowers living costs. This is especially important for older adults who often have reduced financial capacity after retirement. Older people also use energy<span> </span>more intensively<span> </span>than other groups because they have fewer household members, greater heating requirements and spend more time at home.</p> <p><strong>- reduced health risks:</strong><span> </span>environmentally sustainable measures can lead to healthier indoor environments. For example, good ventilation and high-quality air conditioning often lead to improved indoor air quality and more comfortable ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- alleviated environmental challenges:</strong><span> </span>many older people want their homes to be more environmentally friendly. Doing their bit to alleviate global problems such as greenhouse gas emissions can provide them with peace of mind.</p> <h2>The potential downsides</h2> <p>The challenges of environmentally sustainable home features for older adults include:</p> <p><strong>- financial pressure:</strong><span> </span>the income of many older adults is substantially reduced after retirement. This<span> </span>can conflict<span> </span>with the high initial investment of developing an sustainable housing and the cost of replacing existing systems with sustainable ones.</p> <p><strong>- reducing energy consumption:</strong><span> </span>in some cases, sustainability measures can involve tolerating slightly higher or cooler temperatures. For example, moving from a gas-heating system to a more sustainable type may<span> </span>delay<span> </span>the arrival of heat in a room and leave older people uncomfortable for a short time. This may conflict with older people’s<span> </span>increased sensitivity<span> </span>to ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- confusion and complexity:</strong><span> </span>Older adults can have<span> </span>reduced cognitive capabilities<span> </span>affecting memory and information processing speed. As a result they may struggle to use sustainable technologies such as smart thermostats. Research has<span> </span>suggested<span> </span>ways of overcoming this, such as better recognising the diversity of older adults to achieve a better “person-technology fit”.</p> <h2>Next steps</h2> <p>Older adults have unique needs which their homes<span> </span>must satisfy, even when sustainability features are being adopted.</p> <p>Ageing should be seen as a dynamic process with physical, psychological and social dimensions. And the complex interrelationships of ageing, environmental sustainability and the residential environment also need to be recognised.</p> <p>Best practices and lessons learned in creating sustainable living environments for older adults should be<span> </span>shared.</p> <p>Finally, developers making sustainability decisions should consult other stakeholders. These include contractors, occupational therapists, researchers and most importantly, older adults themselves.</p> <p>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/confusion-financial-pressure-discomfort-older-people-can-struggle-with-sustainable-living-despite-its-obvious-benefits-174535">The Conversation.</a></p>

Retirement Life

Confusion, financial pressure, discomfort: older people can struggle with sustainable living, despite its obvious benefits

<p>Improving the sustainability of Australia’s housing stock is <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=building+sector+australia+emissions+the+conversation&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">crucial</a> to meeting national emissions reduction goals. But for older adults, such changes can bring both benefits and challenges.</p> <p>My <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">recent research</a> examined the literature on environmental sustainability measures at residences for older adults. These included private homes, retirement villages and nursing homes.</p> <p>I found that while sustainability measures can bring multiple benefits to older people, they also bring challenges. For example, people living in sustainable dwellings may use less energy and water which leads to lower bills. But older people may suffer cognitive decline and struggle to use sustainable technology devices.</p> <p>The full effects of environmentally sustainable features must be better understood if we’re to provide seniors with high-quality residential environments.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441440/original/file-20220119-15-60lcsc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Older man walks down corridor" /> <span class="caption">Sustainability measures can bring benefits and challenges to older people.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>Sustainability and ageing: a complex mix</h2> <p>Forecasts suggest that by 2056, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/population-groups/older-people/overview">22% of Australians</a> – or 8.7 million people – will be aged 65 or older. High-quality residential environments are important to maintaining the welfare of these people as they age.</p> <p>Environmental sustainability is playing an ever greater role in residential development across the board, including retirement villages. And <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2014/919054/">previous research</a> suggests most retirement village residents want to lead more sustainable lifestyles.</p> <p>As climate change worsens, the dwellings of older adults should allow them to adapt to these changing conditions. The reduced ability of elderly people to regulate their body temperature means global warming is a profound threat to this group.</p> <p>Improving the sustainability of a residential environment may include:</p> <ul> <li>reducing waste</li> <li>using low carbon or recycled building materials</li> <li>solar passive design</li> <li>efficient heating and cooling</li> <li>using renewable energy such as rooftop solar.</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/case-studies/building/stockland-takes-sustainability-retirement-living/">Some residential projects</a> for the elderly already include environmental sustainability. A <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/F-08-2011-0060/full/html">case study</a> of a not-for-profit retirement village in South Australia revealed practices such as innovative floor plans, thermally efficient building materials, good window orientation and a water harvesting system.</p> <p>And my previous research <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652619341605">found</a> a range of sustainability features at eight private and not-for-profit retirement villages in Queensland.</p> <p>However, while many retirement village developers prioritise “social sustainability” features such as care provision and social interaction, environmental sustainability is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652617313963">largely ignored</a>.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441450/original/file-20220119-25-1qtv5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="elderly woman holds hands of carer" /> <span class="caption">Forecasts suggest that by 2056, 22% of Australians will be aged 65 or older.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>On the plus side</h2> <p>The benefits of environmentally sustainable features in in older adults’ residential environment include:</p> <p><strong>- reduced resource consumption:</strong> sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use, which lowers living costs. This is especially important for older adults who often have reduced financial capacity after retirement. Older people also use energy <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421597000402">more intensively</a> than other groups because they have fewer household members, greater heating requirements and spend more time at home.</p> <p><strong>- reduced health risks:</strong> environmentally sustainable measures can lead to healthier indoor environments. For example, good ventilation and high-quality air conditioning often lead to improved indoor air quality and more comfortable ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- alleviated environmental challenges:</strong> many older people want their homes to be more environmentally friendly. Doing their bit to alleviate global problems such as greenhouse gas emissions can provide them with peace of mind.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441438/original/file-20220119-15-124namg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="elderly person's hands on heater" /> <span class="caption">Sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use,</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>The potential downsides</h2> <p>The challenges of environmentally sustainable home features for older adults include:</p> <p><strong>- financial pressure:</strong> the income of many older adults is substantially reduced after retirement. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421511005222">can conflict</a> with the high initial investment of developing an sustainable housing and the cost of replacing existing systems with sustainable ones.</p> <p><strong>- reducing energy consumption:</strong> in some cases, sustainability measures can involve tolerating slightly higher or cooler temperatures. For example, moving from a gas-heating system to a more sustainable type may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421515001172">delay</a> the arrival of heat in a room and leave older people uncomfortable for a short time. This may conflict with older people’s <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v84y2015icp250-256.html">increased sensitivity</a> to ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- confusion and complexity:</strong> Older adults can have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/92/1/135/332828">reduced cognitive capabilities</a> affecting memory and information processing speed. As a result they may struggle to use sustainable technologies such as smart thermostats. Research has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421514006259">suggested</a> ways of overcoming this, such as better recognising the diversity of older adults to achieve a better “person-technology fit”.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441437/original/file-20220119-25-fkfanl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Four older women shelter from the sun under umbrella" /> <span class="caption">Older people may have increased sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Paul Miller/AAP</span></span></p> <h2>Next steps</h2> <p>Older adults have unique needs which their homes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">must satisfy</a>, even when sustainability features are being adopted.</p> <p>Ageing should be seen as a dynamic process with physical, psychological and social dimensions. And the complex interrelationships of ageing, environmental sustainability and the residential environment also need to be recognised.</p> <p>Best practices and lessons learned in creating sustainable living environments for older adults should be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652618325241">shared</a>.</p> <p>Finally, developers making sustainability decisions should consult other stakeholders. These include contractors, occupational therapists, researchers and most importantly, older adults themselves.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174535/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/xin-hu-685656">Xin Hu</a>, Lecturer, School of Architecture and Built Environment, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/confusion-financial-pressure-discomfort-older-people-can-struggle-with-sustainable-living-despite-its-obvious-benefits-174535">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Retirement Income

The crisis of a career in culture: why sustaining a livelihood in the arts is so hard

<p>In the arts in Australia, <a href="https://cultureunbound.ep.liu.se/article/view/2199">precarious employment</a>, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1360780419895291">unpaid work</a> and <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41064887?seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents">short-lived careers</a> are the norm.</p> <p>Many artists and arts workers have “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0950017004045551">portfolio careers</a>”, piecing together a mixture of jobs while competing for limited funding and career opportunities in the arts.</p> <p>COVID-19 shone a glaring spotlight on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09548963.2020.1770577">this precarity</a>, exposing the <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/313299">lack of permanent jobs</a> in the sector. Some 81% of artists work as <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/making-art-work/">freelancers or on a self-employed basis</a>, without access to sick leave or other entitlements many Australians take for granted.</p> <p>But the unsustainability of creative careers was already well known to <a href="https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article/is-it-too-hard-to-have-a-career-in-the-arts">artists</a>, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1035304613500601">academics</a> and <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/do_you_really_expect_to_get_pa-54325a3748d81.pdf">governments</a>.</p> <h2>Career sustainability</h2> <p>In 2019, I set out to understand what “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304422X21000644?dgcid=author">sustainability</a>” means to Australia’s arts and culture sector. I analysed 564 annual reports published between 2010 and 2018 and over 2,700 submissions in the 2014 and 2015 <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/Arts_Funding">Senate Inquiry</a> into arts funding. I also interviewed 33 artists and arts managers representing all parts of the performing arts sector.</p> <p>One interviewee defined a “sustainable career” as, "one in which you’re employed in your practice to the extent that you can live. For a lot of artists that’s just about a roof over their head and feeding themselves. […] I think we should be able to have mortgages and raise kids […] I look at some of the singers that I work with and that’s really hard for them to do."</p> <p>Even artists who are successful in multiple facets of their career – including some of our most celebrated theatre directors – can feel like these careers are not sustainable.</p> <p>One contributor to the Senate Inquiry observed, "Artists can have successful exhibitions, be collected by national and international institutions, and still not make a sustainable living."</p> <p>Interestingly, I observed significant differences in how different arts companies wrote about sustainability in their annual reports. Career sustainability was mentioned more often by theatre companies than other art forms. Opera and circus tied in second place. While comparable data is not available for Australia, findings from the UK suggest a <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/freelancers-make-theatre-work-interview-coronavirus-shutdown-a4476396.html">high percentage of freelancers working in theatre</a>might explain this difference.</p> <h2>Inherent demands</h2> <p>Working in the performing arts involves both physical demands and mental strain. Artists described to me how they have to maintain “the body of an elite athlete” and how the “obsessive requirement to be excellent all the time” leads to “consistent performance-related anxiety.”</p> <p>The inevitable long hours and extensive travel also make this a family-unfriendly career. Artists explained the expectation they work outside of ordinary business hours, the need to “travel where the work is” and feeling like they needed to leave the arts if they wanted to raise a family.</p> <p>These pressures arise from both the limited opportunities and <a href="https://theconversation.com/cut-throat-competition-corporate-speak-and-dark-ironies-two-new-five-year-arts-plans-122943">intense competition</a> within the arts and culture sector, which make many people feel they have to accept any opportunity – and work under any conditions – <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/career-advice/why-we-are-burning-out-in-the-arts-249582-2350136/">in order not to be left behind</a>.</p> <p>In my research, I found all of these issues became compounded when measures of diversity were considered.</p> <p>Gender inequity presents one barrier to career sustainability. Interviewees also told me First Nations artists, deaf and disabled artists, regional and remote artists, and artists from lower socio-economic backgrounds face even greater challenges. <a href="https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Towards-Equity-Report.pdf">Recent research by the Australia Council for the Arts</a> reveals the same is true for culturally and linguistically diverse artists.</p> <h2>Financial constraints</h2> <p>In the interviews taken as part of my research, I repeatedly found financial constraints underpin three problems causing career unsustainability in the arts.</p> <p><strong>1. Low incomes:</strong></p> <p>"being brutal about it […] I have as good a freelance load as anyone probably going around Australia […] and my wife needs to be working full-time for us to be financially sustainable."</p> <p><strong>2. Unpaid work:</strong></p> <p>"you really only get paid if you’re performing and if you’re lucky enough, you might get paid for the rehearsals beforehand."</p> <p><strong>3. Excessive workloads:</strong></p> <p>"the level of burnout in this industry is pretty shocking […] we’re all overworked and constantly tired."</p> <p>The obvious solution is more abundant and ongoing <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-problem-with-arts-funding-in-australia-goes-right-back-to-its-inception-138834">public</a> and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/the-donor-dilemma-philanthropy-and-the-arts-20191204-p53gnt.html">philanthropic</a>support. As one interviewee explained, "Increased government funding for the arts is […] the first and most important step in the career sustainability of artists because it flows through everything else."</p> <p>But other creative solutions are also needed to make artistic careers more sustainable. These include: increasing <a href="http://diversityarts.org.au/app/uploads/Shifting-the-Balance-DARTS-small.pdf">diversity within arts sector leadership</a>; teaching student artists to develop an “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1474022212465725">adaptive entrepreneurial identity</a>”; and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0730888413505229">fostering community and collective support</a> among artists and arts managers.</p> <h2>Moving towards ‘decent work’ for all</h2> <p>The <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal8">United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8</a> calls for “full and productive employment and decent work for all.”</p> <p>In 2019, the <a href="https://www.ilo.org/sector/Resources/publications/WCMS_661953/lang--en/index.htm">International Labour Organization</a> began exploring what “decent work” means for arts and culture. Australian politicians, policymakers, and sector leaders need to do the same.</p> <p>These three steps will help.</p> <p><strong>1. Recognise <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/news/labor-articulates-its-guiding-arts-principles-2513356/">artists are workers</a>.</strong></p> <p>This would mean <a href="https://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/artists-as-workers-final2.pdf">paying serious attention to the conditions of contemporary artistic labour</a>, which would pave the way to addressing both precarity and structural inequalities within the arts and culture sector.</p> <p><strong>2. Accept <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244016649580">decent work is a human right</a>.</strong></p> <p>This would mean acknowledging artists and arts managers (like all people) are entitled to gain a living from their work, then developing policies to prioritise <a href="https://www.ilo.org/newyork/speeches-and-statements/WCMS_229015/lang--en/index.htm">the creation of good jobs</a> within the arts and culture sector.</p> <p><strong>3. Implement <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-work/lang--en/index.htm">decent work</a> for artists.</strong></p> <p>For artists, this means rejecting any expectation creatives might “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jul/09/creative-careers-is-it-ever-worth-working-for-exposure">work for exposure</a>.” For arts companies, it means <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/news/artkeeper-program-puts-artists-on-payroll-2515622/">putting artists on payroll</a>, embedding <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Creativity_in_Crisis-_Rebooting_Australias_Arts___Entertainment_Sector_-_FINAL_-_26_July.pdf">fair pay and conditions</a> within all arts organisations, and supporting <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/opinions-analysis/why-the-arts-sector-must-commit-to-real-cultural-change-257376-2362321/">cultural change across the sector</a>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/the-crisis-of-a-career-in-culture-why-sustaining-a-livelihood-in-the-arts-is-so-hard-171732" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> and was written by Katherine Power.</em></p>

Art

Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

<p><span>Many Australians will have just jetted back from a well-deserved summer holiday over the Christmas and New Year period. Plenty of us tend to board a plane without thinking about what it’s doing to the environment, but perhaps we should.</span></p> <p>In global terms, Australians fly a lot. In the past year, the aviation industry transported <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/domestic.aspx">more than 59 million passengers</a> on domestic flights, and <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/international.aspx#summary">39 million</a> on international flights. Sydney to Melbourne is the world’s <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/worlds-busiest-airline-flight-routes-melbournesydney-now-worlds-second-busiest-h0e7ha">second-busiest air route</a>, with 54,519 flights a year.</p> <p>Our ability to fly cheaply and reliably connects our regional centres to our cities, our large cities to each other, and our cities to the world. Air travel is also important for regional and international development. Many parts of the world rely on air travel for income from <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-be-a-sustainable-tourist-without-giving-up-flying-33099">tourism</a> for economic development.</p> <h2>The environmental impact of air travel</h2> <p>Unfortunately, air travel is one of the more environmentally damaging activities we can undertake. Globally, the aviation industry is responsible for roughly <a href="http://www.atag.org/facts-figures.html">2%</a> of carbon dioxide emissions, but that is rising <a href="https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Documents/ICAO%20Environmental%20Report%202016.pdf">quickly</a> as more people fly more often.</p> <p><strong>Using fossil fuels</strong></p> <p>Aircraft burn finite fossil fuels, emit greenhouse gases and leave <a href="https://phys.org/news/2011-03-airplane-contrails-worse-co2-emissions.html">contrails</a> (water vapour) in the atmosphere at high altitude, making them particularly harmful to the climate. While the emissions per passenger per kilometre can be comparable to driving, we generally fly a lot further than we’re willing to drive – particularly with international flights.</p> <p>Air travel worldwide is <a href="http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2017-02-02-01.aspx">growing</a> at more than 6% a year, <a href="http://www.iata.org/about/Documents/iata-annual-review-2016.pdf">outpacing</a> the reduction in per-passenger carbon emissions gained from efficiency measures.</p> <p><strong>Building airports and infrastructure</strong></p> <p>Not all the environmental impact of air travel comes from the flying, as airports themselves have high carbon footprints. All the surrounding infrastructure – terminals, runways, ground transportation, maintenance facilities and shopping centres – uses significant amounts of land, water, energy and other resources.</p> <p>There are <a href="http://www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org/about/what-is-it.html">moves</a> towards making airports greener through an international carbon accreditation scheme, but resource use is still significant. Helsinki Airport <a href="https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2017/helsinki-airport-now-carbon-neutral">claims</a> to have gone carbon-neutral, something all airports should be aiming for.</p> <h2>What can you do?</h2> <p>While truly sustainable air travel isn’t currently possible, there are ways to fly that are less harmful than others. Here are some ideas to make your travel plans more sustainable.</p> <p><strong>Choose airlines that pack their flights</strong></p> <p>Many flights on commercial airlines are nowhere near full, and empty seats on a plane means wasted fuel and unnecessary carbon emissions.</p> <p>Some airlines are better than others at ensuring their planes carry the most people they can, so <a href="https://www.tourism-review.com/travel-tourism-magazine-top-10-greenest-airlines-in-the-world-article2659">choose</a> an airline that does its best to ensure capacity seating.</p> <p>Less legroom and no spare seats may mean less comfort in a squished flight, but this means that more people are benefiting from the fuel being used and there are less emissions per passenger.</p> <p><strong>The question of offsets</strong></p> <p>Carbon offsets – where we pay to have the carbon dioxide emissions from flying sequestered in another form, usually through tree planting – are one of the more controversial measures we can take to reduce the impact from flying.</p> <p>Some researchers <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/the-inconvenient-truth-of-carbon-offsets-1.10373">argue</a> that offsets can actually do more harm than good, by giving us the impression that the air travel industry can be environmentally justified in its current form.</p> <p>By all means buy offsets from a <a href="http://www.co2offsetresearch.org/consumer/Standards.html">certified organisation</a> that minimises our impact, but we should be under no illusion that carbon offsets make air travel sustainable.</p> <p><strong>Flight levies to make air travel more equitable</strong></p> <p>We can support campaigns and initiatives to make air travel more sustainable and equitable.</p> <p>In the UK, 93% of people fly less than once a year domestically, and 54% of people <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/457752/nts2014-01.pdf">took</a> no international flights. This means a relatively small part of the population is flying much more than the rest, and having a correspondingly larger environmental impact.</p> <p>The campaign <a href="http://afreeride.org/">A Free Ride</a> is proposing a flight levy that rises as a person takes more and more flights in a year. This will put pressure to fly less on people and organisations who fly frequently.</p> <p><strong>Type of aircraft and alternative fuels</strong></p> <p>Airlines offering flights on newer models of aircraft will generally be less harmful than those with older models. Search for flights on a <a href="https://matrix.itasoftware.com/">website</a> that allows you to check what type of aircraft you will be flying on, and that estimate CO<sub>2</sub> emissions for the flight.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/peak-oil-is-alive-and-well-and-costing-the-earth-17542">Peak oil</a> and fossil fuel depletion are another concern for the sustainability of air travel. While nearly all commercial planes still use kerosene-based fuels, some are <a href="https://aviationbenefits.org/newswire/2017/11/from-farm-to-flight-qantas-to-operate-worlds-first-us-australia-biofuel-flight/">experimenting</a> with biofuels.</p> <p>While we should applaud airlines that look for alternatives to fossil fuel, biofuels are also controversial. They tend to originate from sources that require industrial agriculture to produce, can compete with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-biomass-iied/rising-biomass-demand-could-drive-land-grabs-report-idUSTRE77T3L220110830">food</a> crops, and cause deforestation.</p> <p><strong>Virtual travel</strong></p> <p>A more novel way to reduce air travel emissions is to skip the flight completely and travel to your destination in <a href="https://vr.google.com/earth/">virtual reality</a>. VR is increasingly becoming recognised for its potential to give users immersive experiences of <a href="http://realities.io/">real world locations</a>.</p> <p>This obviously won’t help if you plan to go hiking or visiting family and friends, but if you just want to see the sights of a particular place then VR is clearly a more sustainable option than flying.</p> <p>If you’re travelling to attend a conference or meeting, consider attending remotely by video conference or even via a <a href="https://worklifeecologies.org/adventures-in-telepresence-conferencing">telepresence robot</a>. In either case, you won’t have to battle jet lag.</p> <h2>Keep your carbon budget under control</h2> <p>We probably won’t stop travelling by air tomorrow or any time soon. But those of us in the developed world who fly a lot are using far more than our <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/aviation-consume-quarter-carbon-budget">carbon budget</a>allows.</p> <p>So think about how necessary your air travel is, whether there are more local alternatives to far-flung destinations, or whether you can use digital technologies instead of hopping on a plane.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-is-it-possible-to-fly-sustainably-88636" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

This new pasta is whacky but sustainable

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The way we make our pasta is being challenged, with researchers developing a style inspired by flat-packed furniture.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed a flat kind of pasta that becomes a more conventional shape as it cooks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This approach could make pasta production more sustainable, with potential savings on packaging, transportation and energy costs, while tasting like the food we all know and love.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By taking advantage of the expanding and softening that occurs when pasta is boiled, the scientists were able to create flat pasta that turns into rigatoni-like tubes, fusilli-like spirals, and long noodles.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ye Tao, one of the researchers involved in the project, tested the flat-pack pasta on a hiking trip and found it didn’t break en route and could be cooked on a portable stove while camping.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The morphed pasta mimicked the mouthfeel, taste and appearance of traditional pasta,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since traditional pasta can be difficult to package and take up a lot of space, the researchers hope their pasta can become a more sustainable option.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We were inspired by flat-packed furniture and how it saved space, made storage easier and reduced the carbon footprint associated with transportation,” said Lining Yao, director of the Morphing Matter Lab at CMU’s School of Computer Science.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We decided to look at how the morphing matter technology we were developing in the lab could create flat-packed pasta that offered similar sustainability outcomes.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers also applied their pasta-making technique, published in the journal </span><a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/19/eabf4098"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Science Advances</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, to swelling silicon sheets and believe it could be useful in the world of robotics and biomedicine.</span></p>

Food & Wine

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

<p>COVID-19 has resulted in the most severe disruption to the global tourism industry in modern times. And although many countries have now reopened to visitors from overseas, the economic impact is likely to be felt for many years.</p> <p>Prior to the pandemic, awareness had been growing regarding the environmental sustainability of tourism. From over-consumption of precious resources to the destructive impact on natural habitats, tourism can put enormous strains on destination communities.</p> <p>Over-tourism has also been highlighted as an issue in many places. The Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Mount Everest, Majorca, Barcelona and Venice have all felt the affects.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg’s climate-change activism has added the term “flight shame” to our vocabulary. Her work has encouraged airlines to engage in tree planting or invest in wind farms to offset their carbon emissions, and travellers to think before they fly.</p> <p>As global restrictions begin to ease, now is a good time to think radically about the purpose of tourism and the way we all travel. This is a chance to reset everything we know – and not simply return to business as usual.</p> <p>Obviously, one of the difficulties is that many of us are used to going wherever we want, whenever we want – which is not sustainable. But a few changes to our travel plans can play a key role in shaping the future of the travel industry.</p> <p>Below are five suggestions to help you travel in a more purposeful way.</p> <p> </p> <ol> <li><strong> Choose carefully</strong></li> </ol> <p>Carefully consider your desired destination and avoid places impacted by over-tourism. Visiting during off-peak seasons will likely save you money and enhance your overall experience - and let you skip the queues.</p> <p>It’s also worth thinking about a different type of “holiday” or travel experience. You could volunteer for a local NGO or consider travel opportunities that support marginalised groups, for example.</p> <p> </p> <ol start="2"> <li><strong> Travel slowly</strong></li> </ol> <p>Travel like Greta to minimise your environmental impact. Travel less for longer, swapping the quantity of experiences for quality. Instead of taking three separate long weekends, why not take just one two-week holiday.</p> <p>Slow travel is a mindset. Rather than pursuing Instagram-worthy photos and trying to squeeze as many attractions into your trip as possible, leave your phone at home and explore each destination at your own pace.</p> <p>Keeping sustainability in mind, it’s also worth considering opportunities that allow you to slowly experience a certain city, country or region while supporting local projects. Try a walking tour that supports previously marginalised locals or rent a bike with purpose and help to fund educational programmes for local students.</p> <p> </p> <ol start="3"> <li><strong> Plan how you spend</strong></li> </ol> <p>Wherever you go, make sure you seek out local initiatives including local guides and local accommodation providers. This will make sure your money goes directly to people who will benefit from your support.</p> <p>Sites such as Good Travel list businesses that prioritise environmental action and support local communities. You can also find out about locally made products sold at local businesses employing local people. This helps to ensure positive impacts remain in the community.</p> <p>And if you’re thinking of heading to Africa, Fair trade tourism is also a great resource to find out about businesses recognised for promoting responsible practices. Certified businesses range from eco-lodges, resorts, safaris, educational centres, township tours, golf clubs and cruises – so there are a lot of different options to choose from.</p> <p> </p> <ol start="4"> <li><strong> Eat like a local</strong></li> </ol> <p>Food accounts for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, so it lies at the heart of tackling climate change, reducing water stress, pollution and restoring land.</p> <p>There are many ways to minimise your food miles when you travel. For a start, avoid eating at restaurant chains and instead, try to eat like a local. Visit markets, local neighbourhoods or local vendors for your foodie needs.</p> <p>You could even check out a food tour or meal-sharing host. Traveling Spoon has a whole host of online and in-person cooking classes with locals from around the world. Eating locally supports local jobs and can also teach you about new cuisines.</p> <p> </p> <ol start="5"> <li><strong> Immerse yourself</strong></li> </ol> <p>An immersive type of travel prioritises people over places and avoids overcrowded spaces. This allows you to make real connections and can also help you gain insights about local traditions, cultures and history. For example, you could go trekking with a local guide, enrol in a language course or attend a local festival or event.</p> <p>Ultimately, the pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink and act radically and really consider the actual purpose of tourism. This is not only important from an environmental perspective, but travelling in a more purposeful way is more likely to help support local people in destination communities. And it also helps to contribute to a future where tourism is less harmful to people, places and the planet.</p> <p><em>Written by Misha Ketchell</em><em>. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-make-your-holidays-more-sustainable-143379">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

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Give the gift of sustainable luxury this Mother’s Day

Sustainable tourism needs to be built with the help of locals

Flex your sustainability skills this Plastic Free July

Our cemeteries face a housing crisis too. 4 changes can make burial sustainable

How zinc batteries could power the sustainable economy

Building and construction emissions and energy use reaches record levels

To make our wardrobes sustainable, we must cut how many new clothes we buy by 75%

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

Brands are leaning on ‘recycled’ clothes to meet sustainability goals

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

Commuters rejoice! Auckland’s first electric ferries to set sail in 2024

Fashion Revolution Week is over, but the fight continues

Review: A sustainable bra worth the splurge

Peer pressure driving sustainable diets

Older people can struggle with sustainable living

Confusion, financial pressure, discomfort: older people can struggle with sustainable living, despite its obvious benefits

The crisis of a career in culture: why sustaining a livelihood in the arts is so hard

Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

This new pasta is whacky but sustainable

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Give the gift of sustainable luxury this Mother’s Day

Sustainable tourism needs to be built with the help of locals

Flex your sustainability skills this Plastic Free July

Our cemeteries face a housing crisis too. 4 changes can make burial sustainable

How zinc batteries could power the sustainable economy

Building and construction emissions and energy use reaches record levels

To make our wardrobes sustainable, we must cut how many new clothes we buy by 75%

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

Brands are leaning on ‘recycled’ clothes to meet sustainability goals

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

Commuters rejoice! Auckland’s first electric ferries to set sail in 2024

Fashion Revolution Week is over, but the fight continues

Review: A sustainable bra worth the splurge

Peer pressure driving sustainable diets

Older people can struggle with sustainable living

Confusion, financial pressure, discomfort: older people can struggle with sustainable living, despite its obvious benefits

The crisis of a career in culture: why sustaining a livelihood in the arts is so hard

Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

This new pasta is whacky but sustainable

Five ways to make your holidays more sustainable

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