12th January, 2023

STELLA skincare reveals the beginning of its collaboration with five global pioneers, known for their innovation and advocacy in the worlds of environmental and social activism and philanthropy.

The responsible beauty brand’s new initiative unites with eco-conscious activists and campaigners, offering a platform for them to amplify their voices and build a like-minded community.

Earlier this year, Stella McCartney, herself an environmental advocate, created a tightly-edited, ultra-effective, new conscious skincare line. Now she is thrilled to collaborate with these incredible activists, to highlight the vital work they are doing and the causes they support and fight for.

McCartney says, “Our brand is committed to driving change, and amplifying the important messages of these five incredible change-makers. I am thrilled to be collaborating with them, building together this bold community who believe in doing things differently”.

The pioneers include:

• Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

Dr Jane Goodall was the original trailblazer – inspiring people to preserve the natural world long before many others.

In 1960, at just 26 years old, she left England and travelled to Tanzania to study the fascinating world of wild chimpanzees. Her ground-breaking finding that chimpanzees make and use tools, forever changed our understanding of our relationship to the rest of the animal kingdom.   Today Jane continues like Stella, to be a leading activist in driving awareness of our environmental crisis.

Jane’s work builds on scientific innovations, growing a lifetime of advocacy including trailblazing efforts through the Jane Goodall Institute which has Institutes in 25 countries (including the UK) advancing community-led conservation, animal welfare, conservation science, and youth empowerment. www.janegoodall.org.uk

Jane is growing the next generation of compassionate changemakers through her free ‘Roots & Shoots’ environmental and humanitarian youth programme, now active in over 60 countries (including the UK) involving more than one million young people. www.rootsnshoots.org.uk

Stella is incredibly honoured to join forces with a true icon and an original pioneer, as part of Stella Voices.

• Xiye Bastida

At only 20-years Xiye Bastida has already received a UN Spirit Award, taken on leadership roles in the organisation of key climate strikes including ‘Fridays for Future’, and has also co-founded the Re-Earth Initiative, an international youth-led organisation that focuses on highlighting the intersectionality of the climate crisis. Bastida was born in Mexico and raised as part of the Otomi-Toltec indigenous community. 

Stella is thrilled to be sharing her platform with such a young and purpose-driven talent, having been inspired by the building momentum, spearheaded by the next generation in their commitment to protecting planet earth whilst highlighting inequalities.

• Poppy Okotcha

Ecological home grower, Poppy Okotcha is on a quest to help others reconnect more with the earth – an ethos shared deeply by Stella.

The fifth pioneer in our Stella Voices series, her work is rooted in the understanding that we are part of and not separate to Earth’s ecosystems. Her initiatives and passions focus as much on the well-being and improvement of the soil, as they do on our bodies and how we look after ourselves. Through her work, Poppy shares Stella’s vision of circularity and showcases the positives that mother earth is capable of.

• Tammy Gan

Tammy Gan, our fourth pioneer, describes herself as an ‘activist-in-progress, digital creator and communicator’.

Like Stella, Tammy believes that access to information about climate justice activism and theory should be easy to digest and accessible to all, and their collaboration through Stella Voices is an organic evolution of this shared agenda. Tammy spends her time creating digital and physical community and learning spaces to build towards a more just, regenerative and loving world within our current one.

• Christabel Reed

Christabel Reed’svision to empower people to take action and enable social transformation reflects Stella’s own approach to social sustainability. Both Christabel and Stella strive to create a positive impact for all, sharing the belief the health of people and the health of the planet are two sides of the same coin.

Our third Stella Voices pioneer, Christabel has founded two successful platforms – EcoResolution, which focuses on climate action, and Advaya – a transformative education platform that offers courses, events and storytelling across ecology, wellbeing, culture and spirituality. 

She is now developing a third not-for-profit organisation called Earthed, a nature skills platform for a global community learning from and for nature.

STELLA’s ambition is to foster a community of like-minded change-makers, to amplify their voices and inspire conversation and action around climate activism, environmental issues and animal rights.

This January, Mr Motivator has teamed up with British Glass on a mission to reduce the consumption of microplastics by encouraging the nation to choose glass.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles under 5mm, that occur from the breakdown of larger plastics in the environment.

Levels of microplastics are increasing globally in natural sources due to a myriad of factors, including large scale manufacturing pollution and the mishandling of waste, and most microplastic pollution comes from textiles, tyres and city dust, which account for over 80% of all microplastic in the environment. 

Levels of microplastics, and the chemicals they leach have been identified in the human body in the past year. In parallel, the number of microplastics recorded in water and food sources are also increasingly being recorded.

To raise awareness and motivate the nation to change its behaviour, British Glass has partnered with Mr Motivator to highlight ways to reduce household exposure to microplastics. Tips include:

• Rethink how you drink – although they are called “paper cups”, they have liners which release microplastic particles when exposed to hot liquids*
• Air dry clothes – a single tumble dryer could be responsible for releasing 120 MILLION microplastic fibres into the air each year*
• Keep it clean – almost 40% of dust particles in your home are microplastics, so regular dusting and vacuuming reduces household levels*
• Stop putting plastic containers in the microwave – plastic containers leach chemicals when they’re heated*
• Swap out plastic for glass – glass packaging cannot break down into the food and drink it contains*

Choosing products packaged in glass can offer a tangible household solution to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals caused by microplastics. 

Professor Jeannette Rotchell, Environmental Toxicologist, University of Hull, said: “Whilst research is still ongoing regarding the specific heath impacts of microplastics, we do know that such contaminants and the chemicals they leach have been detected in our bodies, probably due to exposure via our food and drink. The compound of glass as a material means it is impossible for such leaching to take place between product and packaging, so those looking to reduce their exposure to microplastic can take action today by choosing glass where possible.”

Mr Motivator, added: “It’s 2023 and it’s time to look after yourself and look after the world. This is a workout with a difference and I’m excited to be part of a campaign to reduce microplastic consumption in households across the UK.”

Dave Dalton, CEO of British Glass, added: “At a consumer level, preferencing glass offers a solution for people looking to reduce their day-to-day exposure to microplastics and their future impact. We await the results of scientific studies on the health implications of microplastics, but for now, we can raise awareness of leaching and promote the benefits of glass to prevent microplastic intake levels rising.”

Fact checks 

*Air drying clothes – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/12/tumble-dryers-leading-source-microfibre-air-pollution-hong-kong-plastics

*Hoover – https://www.perchenergy.com/blog/lifestyle/reduce-microplastic-pollution-consumption 

*Bottled water – https://cleanwater.org/2020/07/29/bottled-water-human-health-consequences-drinking-plastic#:~:text=Recent%20studies%20show%20bottled%20water,all%20showed%20traces%20of%20microplastics. 

*https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135419308565 

*Microwave – https://www.perchenergy.com/blog/lifestyle/reduce-microplastic-pollution-consumption 

*https://www.inverse.com/science/microplastics-in-our-food 

*Takeaway mugs – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389420321087   

*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36089043/ 

Taylor Pass Honey Co, work sustainably with nature to capture the raw essence and flavours of the remote wilderness of New Zealand. Our beekeepers take special care of the environment and ensure that their bees are some of the healthiest in the world. Each jar of our Mānuka honey produced is tested and will receive a Certified Unique Manuka Factor (UMF™). Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association, (UMFHA) works with beekeepers, processors and exporters to measure and validate New Zealand’s precious Mānuka honey, creating a system that Mānuka honey lovers around the world can trust.

For thousands of years, honey has been used to treat wounds with evidence of its use by ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Mānuka Honey has been extensively researched and is known to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and antibacterial properties. It can help reduce inflammation and encourage tissue regeneration, relieving the itching and discomfort of eczema and other skin complaints such as acne. The honey works to hydrate the skin to keep it soft and moist so that it doesn’t dry out.

Mānuka Honey is one of the most unique products found anywhere in the world. If you have allergic reactions to pollen or other bee products, don’t use honey on your skin without first doing a test on a small area of skin.

Mānuka UMF 5+ Honey and Cinnamon Hydrating face mask

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Mānuka UMF 5+ Honey
A pinch of cinnamon

Method:

Steam your skin and pat it dry. Apply a thin layer of honey blended with a pinch of cinnamon.
Leave on for 20 minutes and gently wipe off. Rinse with cold water to close pores.

Mānuka UMF 5+ Honey and Coconut Hair mask

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Mānuka UMF 5+ Honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Method:

Mix honey with coconut oil. Warm the mixture gently in your hands before applying to dry hair, concentrating on the scalp. Wrap hair in a towel and leave for approximately 15-20 minutes before rinsing out and washing with your normal shampoo.

Lavender Honey Scrub

Ingredients:

75g cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Taylor Pass Mānuka UMF5+ honey
5 tablespoons coconut oil
10 drops of lavender oil

Method:

Simply mix all ingredients together. Apply to clean wet skin, then rinse.

Taste a World of Good

A spoonful of sweet Mānuka honey, has vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that can give you a natural winter boost. Taylor Pass Honey Co Mānuka UMF 5+ Honey recently gained 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards 2022, the only New Zealand honey to win this accolade. Mānuka honey is delicious and can be eaten straight from the jar, drizzled on toast or used in a drink to soothe a tickly sore throat. Honey should not be consumed by infants under one year.

Taylor Pass Honey is available in over 300 independent health retailers throughout the UK in 250g and 500g jars and online with a suggested retail price range of between £9.99 to £29.99. Taylor Pass Honey products are Non-GMO verified, Unique Mānuka Factor ™ rated, Oritain verified, FernMark licensed, Apiculture New Zealand affiliated, and B Corp certified.

• Global study reveals that UK students’ lives are being more heavily impacted than those in the USA, Australia, Ireland, Spain and Germany
• UK students are amongst the least satisfied with the level of Government support
• Two thirds in the UK say they would have reconsidered going to university had the impacts been felt whilst applying to university
• However, 60% of UK students say the cost of living crisis will encourage them to be more environmentally conscious

United Kingdom, 16, December 2022: Whilst the cost of living continues to rise, global research released today reveals that those studying in Britain are amongst the worst impacted.

Over half (53%) of students’ lives in the UK are being impacted by the crisis, according to the research – putting students here on par with Australia (53%), but in a worse position than those in Ireland (49%), Germany (43%), the USA (42%) and Spain (41%).

The study also showed the extent to which those in the UK feel let down by the Government. Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK-based students say the government should be doing more to support them through the cost of living crisis. Whilst this figure was worse in Ireland (75%), those in Spain (68%), Germany (59%), Australia (49%) and the USA (35%) all showed less dissatisfaction with their respective Government’s support.

The research was commissioned by leading global student housing brand Yugo. The study analysed the views of 6,000 students around the world, including over 1,000 in the UK, where 62% said they would have reconsidered going to university if the biggest impacts of the crisis had been felt whilst they were applying – this figure was higher than in any other market researched.

Three quarters (76%) in the UK are also worried about the impact it will have on their future career prospects, compared with 80% in Spain, 79% in Ireland, 71% in Australia, 65% in Germany and 64% in the USA.

Here in the UK 80% admitted to actively cutting their spending as a result – broadly in line with how other students around the world are responding.

Despite the challenges students are facing, the study also revealed a positive. Almost two-thirds (60%) of UK students stated that the cost of living crisis will encourage them to be more environmentally conscious.

This was, however, amongst the lowest figure globally, with 85% of students in the USA and Australia agreeing that it would push them into more environmentally conscious behaviours, 64% in Ireland, 61% in Spain and 46% in Germany.

A third (33%) of UK students are opting for cheaper, and more sustainable, methods of transport such as the bus, cycling and walking.

However, the research also showed that students in the UK are compromising on several key areas of their lives, including their studies. Over half admitted to buying fewer new clothes (56%) and spending less on eating out (59%), with some students resorting to reducing spending on essential educational items such as books (26%) as ways to cut costs.

Richard Brenner, Operations Director, Europe at Yugo, said: “The rising cost of living is being felt across the country and students are certainly not immune. Supporting our students’ holistic needs is at the top of our priority list and having identified very clear stresses and strains for students, we must act.

We have a number of processes in place to best support our students who are struggling financially, including offering flexible payment plans to suit their needs. Our students also make up 26% of our workforce, providing them with meaningful and sustainable employment.

It’s our duty to ensure students have a happy, healthy, and successful time at university, and no one should have to compromise on their educational experience.”

Many UK students are anticipating long-lasting effects of the cost of living crisis, with 59% stating that they expect it to only get worse over the next 12-18 months.

UK students also worry that the cost of living crisis will increase the wealth divide (46%), reduce opportunities across the country (42%) and polarise society and increase political division (35%).

• Green energy experts at Uswitch.com reveal the top trending vegan recipes and cuisines according to TikTok 
• Uswitch research reveals that a vegan diet could cut the UK’s total emissions by 31 million tons of CO2 (7%), so the TikTok analysis discovered the top meals inspiring a meat-free diet
• Asian cuisines come out on top; vegan Thai recipes are the most viewed, followed by Korean and then Indian
• Looking at specific dishes, vegan pasta recipes are the most watched on the platform, followed by vegan sushi and vegan pizza 
• The research discovered that #VeganRecipes has over 3.4 billion views on TikTok.

A vegan diet could cut the UK’s total emissions by 31 million tons of CO2 (7%), according to new research from the green energy experts at Uswitch.com, the comparison site. As veganism could have a huge impact on the environment, the researchers were curious to discover the plant-based recipes people wanted to try out the most. 

With over 3.4 billion views for #Veganrecipes on TikTok, the video-sharing app is bursting with sensational meat-free recipes for people to try at home. 

By analysing TikTok hashtag data for hundreds of vegan recipes and cuisines the study found that it is vegan Thai dishes whetting our appetites the most, as #veganthai has 36 million views on the video platform. Thanks to most Thai dishes being made up of vegetables, the majority of the most iconic dishes can be made without any animal products. Tofu is also a great alternative to include in some of the most iconic Thai dishes, such as Thai Green Curry, Pad Thai, or Drunken Noodles. 

Asia dominates the top 10 trending vegan cuisines on TikTok, as plant-based Korean meals are the second-most watched recipes (4.9 million views), followed by vegan Indian recipes in third (3.9 million views). Plant-based Chinese TikTok tutorials are sixth on the top trending list, Malaysian dishes are eighth and Vietnamese meals are ninth. That’s six Asian cuisines in the top 10 trending cuisines inspiring our diet changes in 2022 and beyond. 

Also in the top 10 is Italian food (in fourth position), with 3.1 million views of the hashtag ‘#veganItalian’. Italian food is another great cuisine that can be delicious and plant-based; from a simple Penne Al’Arrabiata to a vegan Pizza Margherita, the possibilities are endless.

Vegan Mexican meals are the fifth most popular on TikTok, Caribbean food is seventh, and Turkish cuisine rounds off the top 10 trending list. 

Table: TikTok’s top trending vegan cuisines

Rank	Cuisine	Hashtag	TikTok Hashtag Views
1	Thai	#veganthai	36,000,000
2	Korean	#vegankorean	4,900,000
3	Indian	#veganindian	3,900,000
4	Italian	#veganitalian	3,100,000
5	Mexican	#veganmexican	2,300,000
6	Chinese	#veganchinese	1,400,000
7	Caribbean	#vegancarribbean	411,000
8	Malaysian	#veganmalaysian	393,900
9	Vietnamese	#veganvietnamese	367,100
10	Turkish	#veganturkish	298,500
11	Portuguese	#veganportuguese	255,000
12	Ethiopian	#veganethiopian	83,100
13	Japanese	#veganjapanese	53,000
14	French	#veganfrench	15,100
15	German	#vegangerman	7,233

Source: Uswitch.com

The researchers also looked at specific dishes that foodies are engaging with on TikTok the most and found vegan pasta recipes taking the top spot with 48.2 million hashtag views. Amongst the most popular recipe on the video platform is the viral vegan Baked Feta Pasta dish and the Bella Hadid-endorsed Vodka Rigatoni, both easy dishes perfect for winter evenings. 

Second on the list is sushi with 47.1 million hashtags, followed by pizza and then tacos, ranking in third and fourth place respectively. Another Italian recipe featured in the top five trending vegan dishes is ravioli, with the deliciously filled pasta amassing a staggering 13.4 million hashtag views. Other Italian dishes featured in the top 20 include vegan pesto, tiramisu, risotto, gnocchi and gelato.

American dishes appear three times in the top 20; vegan cheesecake ranks as the sixth most-watched vegan recipe with 11.5 million hashtag views by those who want a plant-based sweet treat. Followed by mac and cheese in seventh place with 10.3 million views, and vegan hotdogs, which are 13th on the top trending list.

Besides Italian and American dishes, the other cuisines featured in the top trending list include Mexican as vegan tacos are the fourth most-watched recipe on TikTok and nachos are 14th with an impressive 2.6 million views. 

Dumplings are the only Chinese recipe in the top 20 and ramen is the only Japanese dish on the list; meanwhile, two Turkish recipes feature, as vegan kebabs round off the top 10, and lahmacun (Turkish flatbread) completes the top 20.

Table: TikTok’s top trending vegan recipes

Rank	Meals	Cuisine	Hashtag	Tik Tok Views
1	Vegan Pasta	Italian	#veganpasta	48,200,000
2	Vegan Sushi	Japanese	#vegansushi	47,100,000
3	Vegan Pizza	Italian	#veganpizza	37,500,000
4	Vegan Tacos	Mexican	#vegantacos	20,200,000
5	Vegan Ravioli	Italian	#veganravioli	13,400,000
6	Vegan Cheesecake	American	#vegancheesecake	11,500,000
7	Vegan Mac and Cheese	American	#veganmacandcheese	10,300,000
8	Vegan Dumplings	Chinese	#vegandumplings	7,300,000
9	Vegan Ramen	Japanese	#veganramen	7,000,000
10	Vegan Kebab	Turkish	#vegankebab	6,800,000
11	Vegan Kimchi	Korean	#vegankimchi	5,100,000
12	Vegan Pesto	Italian	#veganpesto	3,800,000
13	Vegan Hotdog	American	#veganhotdog	2,900,000
14	Vegan Nachos	Mexican	#vegannachos	2,600,000
15	Vegan Tiramisu	Italian	#vegantiramisu	2,500,000
16	Vegan Risotto	Italian	#veganrisotto	2,000,000
17	Vegan Empanadas	Portuguese	#veganempanadas	2,000,000
18	Vegan Gnocchi	Italian	#vegangnocchi	1,200,000
19	Vegan Gelato	Italian	#vegangelato	1,100,000
20	Vegan Lahmacun	Turkish	#veganlahmacun	1,100,000

Source: Uswitch.com

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, commented: “The food we eat can have a huge impact on the environment, so it’s important to be aware of the effects of our diet.

“Our food industry contributes 91 million tonnes of CO2 to our overall emissions, which is 20% of the UK’s total. 

“By trying a vegan diet, which many do in ‘Veganuary’, we could cut this number by over a third, reducing emissions by 31 million tonnes. 

“Switching to a vegetarian diet can also have an impact, as our research predicts a 15% decrease in total diet-related emissions if everybody in the UK cut out meat.”

If this has 1) made you hungry and 2) made you curious about how you can reduce the carbon emissions of your diet, check out Uswitch’s Net Zero Tool. 

@fitgreenmind

You’ll love it…pinky promise! 😉🤞 #veganfood #vegansushi #veganrecipes #fyp #foryou #vegantiktok

♬ Originalton – Maya Leinenbach

@seemagetsbaked

So easy and incredibly delcious. Add this to your repertoire xx #vegan #veganuary #vodkarigatoni #veganpasta #tomatopasta

♬ original sound – Seema Pankhania

@dr.vegan

#pizza #veganpizza #veganpizzarecipe #veganpizzaexpress #veganpizzas #pizzavegana #veggiepizza #pizzavegetariana #pizzaveggie #vegpizza #pizzarecipe #pizzarecipes #veganpizzas #veganrecipevideos #vegan #pizzavegan #vegpie #veganitalia #veganitalian #italianvegan #veganitalianfood #veganitaly

♬ That’s Amore – Dean Martin

@tatytable

These #vegan #birria #tacos are an alternative version of the authentic #recipe 🌮 #homemade full recipe on my IG 🙌🏽

♬ Cancion Del Mariachi (Desperado) [Antonio Banderas Guitar] – LucasGitanoFamily

@gabydimova

Just making some ravioli🤍 Full recipe for these vegan ravioli is now on my IG page @ veggieworldrecipes ✨ #ravioli #pastatiktok #veganravioli

♬ When Magic Happens – Cinthya Garcia

@fitgreenmind

A cheesecake but vegan 🎂😜 #vegan #vegancake #veganbaking #veganrecipes #fyp #veganfood

♬ Originalton – Maya Leinenbach

@harleighfairgriev

Vegan / Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese (I used gluten free macaroni) 🧀 #fyp #macandcheese #vegan #glutenfree #veganmacandcheese #glutenfreemacandcheese #makingmyboyfriendlunch #makingmyboyfriendfood #family #dayinthelife #firsttimemom

♬ original sound – Harleigh Fairgrieve

@tiffycooks

Dumplings 🥟 is 10000% the best thing on earth. #dumplings #vegetarian #easyrecipe

♬ Sunny Day – Ted Fresco

@bakinghermann

Tahini & Miso Ramen. Hear me out. 🍜#veganuary #ramen #noodles

♬ original sound – Julius Fiedler

@thenottychef

Ep:3 #veganuary kebabs #learnontiktok #familyrecipe #veganuary2022 #hello2022

♬ Italian Dinner Party – Italian Restaurant Music of Italy

What does it really mean when a brand says that the fabric they’re using is biodegradable? Is it going to fall apart in the wash? Or worse, is it greenwashing and marketing hype?

Byron Bay based fashion and lifestyle brand, and one of the trailblazers on the path to integrate sustainability into Australian fashion, Spell (they began transitioning their fabrications and looking deeper into their supply chain back in 2015 when sustainability was only in the vernacular of bamboo wearing Yogis!) decided to really put their claims to the test. Over a four month period, they put six fabrications from their Summer collection into their office compost worm farm (which by the way, is super beautiful, check it out here) to see what happened.

It turns out, the claims are correct, and all of the swatches broke down in the compost, with the exception of their swimwear fabrication (a synthetic fabric made from recycled polyamide and elastane, that gives new life to pre- and post-consumer nylon waste like carpet and

abandoned fishing nets).What does this mean for your clothes? It doesn’t mean they are going to fall apart or that the fabrics are not hearty, but what it does mean is that in the right conditions (like in a compost where microorganisms are flourishing and the ratios of nitrogen and carbon are in balance) the fibres will break down and return to the land, rather than slowly decaying in less than ideal settings.

Spell’s Sustainability Specialist, Angie Menghini said that whilst they primarily use plant based and certified fibres that are known to be biodegradable, it was really great for the Spell team to see these biodegradability claims in action.

“We always ensure the facts we share have documented evidence and have our annual Impact Report fully audited by an external auditor each year to verify all of our claims. Unfortunately there is little to no regulation at the moment on what brands can claim, which can make it hard for consumers to know what to believe!” Angie said. “Terms like ‘natural’ and ‘biodegradable’ have become such buzzwords as brands try to communicate their sustainability efforts and materials used, so for our team, this was an amazingly involved experiment to see first-hand that these fibres break down.”

According to a report by the Australian Fashion Council, Australians are currently sending 260,000 tonnes of their wardrobes to the landfill each year. That’s equal to about 10kg of clothing per person every year.

Check out Spell’s 15 week experiment:

We chose six of our fabrications from our Summer 2022 collection to be a part of our fibre composting experiment:

• 100% linen

• 45% LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM viscose 55% viscose

• 100% LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM viscose

• 50% organic cotton 50% LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM viscose

• 100% organic cotton poplin

• 85% recycled polyamide 15% elastane

After cutting each swatch to the same size, we secured a waterproof label to the fabric with a cable loop before tethering them to the side of the compost and burying them into the humus.

We use our office compost to dispose of our HQ team’s food scraps each day and balance the nitrogen with carbon by adding shredded paper from printed documents that are no longer needed. One to two times a week, we stir the compost in order to mix and aerate. There is also an abundant worm population that helps to break down the food, aerate the soil and keep unwanted bacteria populations in check. At the end of each week, we dug up our fabric swatches, snapped photos and noted the changes.

The final check at the end of week 15–all that remained was a couple tiny scraps of linen and organic cotton poplin! Visibly, the recycled polyamide blend still had not changed much, but the fabric quality, stretch and rebound has deteriorated (think of your very old bikini from the back of the drawer you pull out and stretch to put on but they crackle and don’t bounce back).

Shop Spell! https://usa.spell.co/

At the Miss England pageant event held in Birmingham on the 17th and 18th of October 2022, Theron Mahoney was the star.

He was recognised for his effort for setting up his own crowdfunding page and raising £100 to help get commonwealth countries out of poverty by helping them plant 200 trees to provide food for their families and oxygen for the planet.  

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/plant-a-tree-with-me-for-50p-1

Instagram: @theronmahoneyofficial clearing 6 bags of rubbish at his school bus stop using a litter-pick.

He received two ECO awards, one from a company called ‘We do Ethical’ and the other from ‘WASUP’  – World Against Single Use Plastic. Presenting him the WASUP Trophy and a book called ‘The Story of Three Plastic Bottles’ for primary schools Prof Gatrad the founder of WASUP said, ‘we should all be inspired by Theron who is showing us all the way to help save our planet. If this world had many more like him, we will avert an Armageddon by the end of the century.’  Receiving a WASUP Trophy from Prof Gatrad Theron said, “My wish is that all wildlife continues.”

As WASUP also has a climate change agenda Prof Gatrad has offered to mentor Theron as he becomes the youngest WASUP Ambassador. Joining in the mentoring will be Jennifer Carless, an 18 year old who is the Chief International WASUP Ambassador and also the Miss England WASUP Queen who is also both Miss East and North Yorkshire.

Theron with a trophy presented by Professor Gatrad founder of WASUP.

Professor Gatrad and Jennifer Carless showing Theron the WASUP Sign.

Theron with an Eco Hamper and a trophy presented by Kelly Levell founder of We do Ethical.

Unfolded launches Zero Waste Kidswear Collection to Fund Kids Education 

This is Unfolded – the clothing brand making fashion sustainable, affordable and impactful has launched its first Kidswear range. Unfolded Kids allows you to dress a child and educate another from just £10!

Unfolded is on a mission to remove the waste from fashion, why? 

Well 30% of new clothes made every year are never sold, this year alone that’s estimated to be over 24 billion items destined to head straight to landfill! Combined, the production of these will generate 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. 

That’s right, 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from clothes that are never sold…   

Unfolded makes clothes without this waste and uses the money saved to create positive impact in the world. 

The Unfolded Kidswear range has been designed in collaboration with over 500 parents – testing and finessing everything from styles to colour, to fit and fabric. Our unique ‘production post order’ process and direct to factory model means there is no overstock created. Not only is it sustainable but the unisex range is fun, funky and durable and has already proved a big hit with our child testers and models (all This is Unfolded customers’ children).

The financial savings created with the no waste model are used to offer affordable prices for sustainable and ethically made clothing and to fund children living around our factories in India, to learn to read and write. 

The limited edition Kidswear range for 3-10 year olds consists of fun and durable PJs, tops, dresses, dungarees and tracksuit sets ranges in price from £10 to £25, with each item funding from one to two months education via our partner charity Pratham.

The collection is designed to be the perfect Christmas present for the child in your life and for children in India as well. 

This is Unfolded customers have already supported 3,500 children to read and write through purchases from their womenswear collections. For background, 74% of people in India can currently read and write – every purchase helps change this future.

Cally Russell, co-founder and CEO said; “The idea for a Kidswear range came from some of our existing Unfolded customers who have been educating us on just how wasteful childrens clothing can be. It felt like a perfect fit to introduce a Kidswear range helping educate future generations of UK children in making sustainable fashion choices while at the same time creating long term impact amongst children in India by supporting them to  learn to read and write.”

In just over 16 months over 10,000 customers in the UK have joined Unfolded, with a super high repeat purchase rate and a return rate of just 10% of the industry standard. 

This is Unfolded is rated 4.9 on Trustpilot. Shop now!  https://thisisunfolded.com/

As recent events in Hawaii have shown volcanic eruptions remain a clear and present danger to life on earth.  If eruptions can be predicted early enough it can save many lives.

Leading product design company Wideblue has worked with the University of Glasgow on building a gravimeter device which can detect minute changes in local gravity caused by magma flow which provides early warning of a potential eruption.

Several of the devices have now been deployed in the field on Mount Etna in Sicily, to start collecting valuable data which can be used in conjunction with other early warning systems. The device, called Wee-G, measures the flow of lava (shifting of mass) at the summit of the volcano.  It uses the same MEMS technology (Micro-electromechanical)  found in mobile phones (as accelerometers) to produce an ultra-sensitive gravimeter which can measure tiny changes in local gravity.  The silicon springs used in the device are ten times thinner than a human hair which makes the accelerometer very sensitive to any changes in gravity.

Barry Warden, managing director, Wideblue said: “We have been working closely with the Institute for Gravitational Research at the University of Glasgow on the product design and development of the Wee-G.  Our role was to develop a self-levelling mechanism to allow remote levelling adjustment of the device as well as create a watertight enclosure to protect the electronics and MEMs from moisture.  We also created an insulation system to prevent the MEMS being subject to temperature fluctuations from the external harsh environment.”

He added: “A key consideration in designing the device was cost.  Commercial gravimeters are very expensive.  The comparative low cost of the Wee-G means that several can be deployed out in the field simultaneously creating what is known as a gravity imager.  This will provide much richer data sets for scientists and volcano experts to study and hopefully help them predict potential eruptions with more accuracy.”

For further information about the Wee-G project please visit: http://www.newton-g.eu

For further information about Wideblue please visit

www.wide-blue.com

One year on from the start of their partnership, leading smart charging company Ohme and Motability Operations continue to see the number of drivers choosing an EV increase.

The EV proportion of the Motability fleet has more than tripled in the past year as increasing amounts of those customers turn towards those greater freedoms that EV driving can bring. Motability Operations is the largest fleet operator in the UK and its Scheme serves more than 650,000 customers.

Over the past twelve months, increasing numbers of drivers on the Motability Scheme have decided to make the switch to an electric vehicle. Ohme has been enabling those drivers to save money when charging by enabling Scheme customers to take advantage of off-peak electricity tariffs to help reduce their everyday running costs.

“At Ohme, putting our customers at the heart of everything we do and building strong relationships are two of our core values, so we feel privileged to be helping the Motability Scheme customers with their move towards electric vehicles,” said David Watson, Ohme CEO. “Compared to traditional cars, electric vehicles can enable all drivers to enjoy greater mobility, freedom and independence as well as saving money with reduced running costs. Ohme is very happy to be part of enabling that journey alongside Motability Operations.”

“We are endeavouring to make the transition to electric as smooth as possible for our customers, so we have to find practical and affordable ways for them to charge their vehicles,” said Andy Newbold at Motability Operations. “We have been delighted to work with Ohme during this first year of our partnership and have been impressed by their excellent level of customer service throughout. As more of our customers make the switch to electric vehicles, we’re looking forward to continuing the strong relationship between Motability Operations and Ohme.”

“Through its work with Motability Operations, Ohme has used the past year to continually refine and improve its working practices among the customer service team and throughout the business to meet the specific accessibility requirements of all our customers,” said Russ Morgan, Ohme’s Customer Experience Director. “In addition to our work with Motability Operations, Ohme has an ongoing relationship with the disability charity Leonard Cheshire to enable us to better understand the needs of all our customers and make the transition to electric motoring as easy as possible for everyone. The result has been consistently high customer service results as seen with our Trustpilot rating of 4.7.”

Ohme’s Home Pro smart charger can connect with the national grid in real time and automatically adjust its charging for drivers to take advantage of all the times of low price charging with smart off-peak tariffs. Ohme also offers drivers the option to charge their car when renewable energy generation on the National Grid is at its highest, further lowering their CO2 impact.

Ohme is the official charger provider for the Volkswagen Group in the UK and has been named as the Best Electric Charging Point Provider by Business Motoring.