Impact Magazine 260th Issue on Sustainability

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Climategate: A Decade of Denial Game Over: Gaming’s Dark Futures Extinction Rebellion: Plight or Fight?

IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY EDITION

Front cover and current page illustration by Katherine Gomes Front cover photograph by Nina Shasha 2 IMPACT

A letter from the.....

EDITOR

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CHIEF

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Hello and welcome to the third issue of Impact for the 2019-20 academic year! Since our last print edition, we’ve been extremely busy bringing journalism closer to the University of Nottingham community and empowering the student voice. We had the pleasure of hosting The Media Conference 2019 in November, inviting an array of talented speakers to share their experiences with student journalists - thank you to everyone who attended and made the day such a success! Since then, we’ve closely followed the UCU strike action, General Election and developments of the Climate Emergency, all of which have shaped the creation of this issue.

As I outlined in the Freshers edition, my aim for this year is to ensure that Impact reflects the interests and values of the student body. We had an overwhelming response when I proposed this issue’s theme of the environment and sustainability: writers, editors and designers alike have been extremely enthusiastic in engaging with this important, pressing and demanding topic. Despite our lengthy coverage of the harrowing realities of the climate crisis, this issue seeks to equally highlight the positive action that already has been and can be taken by everyone to change the current path our world is heading down.

In Impact News, Aidan Hall investigates the Climate Emergency on a university-wide, national and global scale, whilst Gareth Holmes explores the Climategate scandal and its decade-long consequences. Alex Lovesay reports on Nottingham City Council’s green initiatives and Safa Shahid reflects on the environmental stances of the major parties in the recent general election.

As students, we all know how easy it is to overcommit and put too much pressure on ourselves so, in Impact Features, Saira Akhtar gives her top three pieces of advice for leading a more sustainable university life. Georgia Cavanagh explains ‘eco-anxiety’ and delves into the reasoning behind its emergence in an insightful article, whilst Nila Varman showcases some of the unsung environmental heroes of our time who are paving the way forward.

Do you think the accessibility of meat on campus should be restricted? Lois Freeman interviews Ann-Marie Bell, the team leader of Hendersans, and debates whether the University of Nottingham should stop selling meat. Matthew Bird zooms in on Jubilee Campus’ Carbon Neutral Laboratories, detailing the experimentation and innovation behind the project and why it is necessary. Whilst closely considering sustainability on campus, Impact Lifestyle also covers global initiatives; Katy Skillen investigating the worth of Fairtrade products and Anna Scott weighing up the pros and cons of Palm Oil. Lauren Winson kicks off Impact Entertainment with her poem ‘On Fire’ exploring the damaging effects of human consumption on our planet. Tahira Rowe looks at the devastation filming can wreak on natural habitats whilst Myron Winter-Brownhill reflects on gaming’s obsession with the end of the world and the bleak future it predicts.

From waste in sport to the new format of Euro 2020, Impact Sport discuss the environmental impact of sporting events and following your team abroad. Ben Ofungwu investigates the effect of a vegan diet on performance.

Now that we’ve said goodbye to a decade and have survived January exams and deadlines, I hope that you can take some time out to recuperate and reconnect with the world outside the university bubble and that this latest edition of Impact has raised awareness of the precarious position of our planet and given you some inspiration for both big and small ways you can make a difference.

Happy reading, have a wonderful second semester and we’ll catch up with you in the next issue.

Katie Moncur

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IMPACT

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“Business as usual = Death” “Influencers are being

“High street stores would rather

“We need

INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

PRODUCE CLOTHING QUICKLY INCREASINGLY AND CHEAPLY in order to inflate and to hold people RUTHLESS their profit margins than make in their hunt for clothing ethically” to account by asking new material” questions” “threatening the “A 450g pack of chicken

EXISTENCE

nuggets costs

£1.75 COMPARED TO £3

of many species”

“Our planet is in dire need of

for a 400g pack of ‘chicken free’ ones!”

“we should be even more INVESTED in the

REPAIR AND REVIVIFICATION”

“Garments are WORN ONCE and may never be seen again”

WELLBEING OF THE PLANET where sport resides”

“Misfortune is not the end, but an OPPORTUNITY to learn and go again”

“1.2 BILLION TONNES of carbon emissions resulted from the clothing industry”

“It’s not all or nothing, but it is

“Documents were leaked, and email conversations had been edited to

WITHIN EVERYBODY’S MAKE IT SEEM THAT BUDGET TO BE DOING CLIMATE CHANGE MORE”

WAS FALSE”

“There are plans to “Oxford Dictionary make all licensed DECLARED ‘CLIMATE vehicles in Nottingham EMERGENCY’ THE WORD OF THE YEAR,

RUN ON ELECTRICITY BY 2030”

following a hundred-fold increase in its usage over 12 months”

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS

NEWS

A Climate Change Emergency Climategate: A Decade of Denial The Government Stance on Climate Change WasteNotts with Serena Brown An Interview with Lee Taylor, Environment and Social Justice Officer 14 The US’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement 15 Nottingham’s Initiatives for a Greener City

6 8 10 11 12

L I F E ST Y L E 32 How to Reduce your Carbon Footprint on Campus 34 Should the University of Nottingham Stop Selling Meat?

36 The Pros and Cons of Palm Oil 37 Fairtrade: Is it really worth it?

38 The Phoenix Lab 39 Global Warming - The Staple of 2019 Youth 40 Slowing Down Fast Fashion 42 The Influencer Infestation: Time to put an end to Airbrushed Travel?

44 Is Eco-Friendly Travel Budget-Friendly?

SPORT 52 53 54 55 56

F E AT U R E S 16 The Vegan Stamp: for health or for wealth?

17 How to become a more Sustainable Student... without Breaking the Bank 18 3 Sustainable Student Life Habits to Avoid a Student Burn Out 19 Bad Banking 20 Maintaining Your Personal Environment 21 ‘It’ll be there for you’ - 24/7 Libraries 22 “I’ve got 99 problems but Climate Change ain’t one” 24 Eco-Anxiety: Are we all Doomed?

25 Extinction Rebellion: Plight or Fight?

26 Our Earthly Heroes

E N T E R TA I N M E N T 45 On Fire: A Poem About The Planet 46 Sustainability in Theatre 47 Hollywood’s ‘Eco-Warriors’: Are They Doing Enough?

48 Blockbusters and Busted Ecosystems 49 Gaming’s Dark Futures 50 Making Festivals Sustainable 51 Impact of Touring

Environmental Sportswashing in Football Waste in Sport The Cost of Following Your Team Abroad The Impact of Vegan Diets on Athletes Euro 2020 and The Environment

EXTRAS 57 The Bigger Picture 58 Reduce, Reuse, Re-Craine?

59 The Team

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IMPACT

A CLIMATE

On the 1st of May 2019 the UK’s House of Commons became the first legislature in the world to declare an ‘environment and climate emergency’.

Coined by Bristol councillor Carla Denyer back in 2018, the idea of a state authority officially declaring a climate emergency took only a year to accumulate the clout for Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn to propose an almost identical declaration in the House of Commons. The movement passed without vote.

Despite the supposedly unwavering support in Parliament, many have been quick to point out that Westminster’s declaration does not legally bind the government into doing anything. So perhaps one may ask, “Why has it taken Extinction Rebellion protests, the Greta Thunberg effect and the school climate strike movement to squeeze an empty statement from our political elites?” - a genuine concern.

However, many argue that we must consider that although this declaration is small, it is a movement in the right direction. It is likely that its most crucial impact will be its role as a blatant signpost to the incumbent government that

the will to make and accept climate change policy is present not only amongst the public but also within the House.

“1st of May 2019 the UK’s House of Commons became the first legislature in the world to declare an ‘environment and climate emergency’” Since the UK parliament’s declaration, it has become increasingly popular for both public and private institutions of all sizes to give similar announcements. Amongst those who are taking part in the ‘climate emergency’ vogue, are universities and/or their student unions.

After a damning report emerged in mid-July of 2019 showing that two-thirds of universities are likely to fail their 2020 targets for the reduction of carbon emissions, higher education institutions are becoming more and more conscious of their environmental impact.

In the same report, People and Planet, a student network campaigning for social and environmental justice, ranked 154 UK institutions on a ‘Green University League Table’.

Gloucester, Manchester Metropolitan and Nottingham Trent came in first, second and third, head and shoulders above those below.

EMERGENCY The ‘greenification’ seen in a small number of universities perhaps arrives as they realise the harsh irony of their institution. Universities are a place that prepare students for the future but as Jean Renouf, lecturer at Southern Cross University, points out, with the planet in crisis it is becoming increasingly likely that there may be “no future to prepare for”. However, as youthful enthusiasm towards environmental issues slowly turns into frustration and impatience, universities have begun to propel environmental issues to the top of their lists of concerns.

“As youthful enthusiasm towards environmental issues slowly turns into frustration and impatience, universities have begun to propel environmental issues to the top of their lists of concerns”

NEWS

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CHANGE

On the 13th of November 2019, President James Pheasey and Environment and Social Justice Officer Lee Taylor declared a Climate Emergency on behalf of the University of Nottingham Student Union. The policy pledges that the Union will “commit to having its processes rethought and, where appropriate, reconstructed in the context of a climate emergency to work towards developing and publishing a Sustainability Action Plan and annual sustainability reports.” Alongside this, the Union includes a commitment to work towards ensuring that all union matters, and operations become carbon neutral by no later than 2028. Nottingham joins a growing list of universities and Student Unions across the country from Bristol to Glasgow in making their stance clear: our planet is staring down the barrel of an environmental catastrophe, and we must act now.

Looking beyond the UK, in July 2019, the alliance for sustainability leadership in education and climate action organisation ‘Second Nature’, announced that they were declaring a Climate Emergency.

As of writing, these organisations represent 7,000 higher and further education institutions from 6 continents. With the expectation that over 10,000 higher and further education institutions will be on board by the start of 2020, this huge uptake from education institutions around the world not only reveals the magnitude of the climate problem, but also acts as an indicator of where a huge amount of the environmental enthusiasm and momentum is coming from. It is coming from those that hold the largest stake in this planet-sized gamble; young people.

More broadly, the concept of a ‘climate emergency’ has enjoyed such a rise in popularity that in November 2019, Oxford English Dictionary declared “climate emergency” the word of the year, following a hundred-fold increase in its usage over 12 months. The surge in the use of the phrase reflects a change in the language people are using to describe our planet’s current situation. With the sheer scale and severity of humaninflicted environmental damage beginning to rear its ugly head, people are changing the language they use to more precisely convey the desperate environmental situation.

In May 2019, The Guardian officially released a statement explaining that they were subtly changing the vocabulary they used to describe a number of environmental

phenomena in order to more accurately portray certain events.

Amongst the changes were the use of “climate emergency” or “climate crisis” in place of “climate change” and the use of the term “global heating” instead of “global warming”. Although Guardian editors said that these changes were in order to achieve greater scientific preciseness; they are emblematic of a greater trend in discourse surrounding the climate change issue. People are growing more fearful about the fate of our planet and our language is reflecting these increasing anxieties.

“Oxford Dictionary declared ‘climate emergency’ the word of the year, following a hundred-fold increase in its usage over 12 months”

Linguistic nuances aside, reality tells only one story. It is a sobering story of disdainful environmental degradation, callous corporate greed and perverse political myopia. However, this story is not finished. The conclusion is not yet written. It is now up to all characters in the story to help write the conclusion that is best for all. By declaring Climate Emergencies, universities as well as governments are playing a part in steering this story away from tragedy, and toward a happy ending.

Aidan Hall

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

“On the 13th of November 2019, President James Pheasey and Environment and Social Justice Officer Lee Taylor declared a Climate Emergency on behalf of the University of Nottingham Student Union”

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In December 2009, world leaders came together at Copenhagen to address the issues of climate change and collectively take the first steps on the long road to global environmental health. However, even before the first words were spoken, thousands of documents and emails had been hacked and released after heavy editing which undermined the whole process. This event was called Climategate.

Not only did Climategate undo previous work to raise the profile of the crisis but almost dashed the science of climate change upon the rocks of ignorance.

Recently, BBC Four aired the documentary ‘Climategate: The science of scandal’ showing the horrific damage doneby the manipulation of these private documents and how, even now, world leaders are still turning a blind eye to uncomfortable and devastating truths. If we were to look at the thinking on climate change a few years before Climategate we are able to see evidence that suggest global warming was an accepted fact, notably the film from Al Gore, ‘An inconvenient Truth’ which was a box office success and key to his acceptance of a Nobel peace prize. Science had linked global warming to the burning of fossil fuels, and it seemed all that had to be done was the world leaders to take these facts on board and come up with “Documents plan. This would all sadly were leaked, and aunravel however, as mining company director Steve email McIntyre questioned the conversations data, leading to had been edited miscommunication, and to make it seem accusation eventually a call for confidential information. that climate When denied this, McIntyre change was asked everyone on his blog to send a Freedom of false” Information Request to the University of East Anglia’s climate research unit.

Inevitably the system crashed but with this came what many felt was the end of the whole situation, yet just four months later in November 2009 many of the scientists involved saw much of their private correspondence had been uploaded onto the internet.

Even more insidious was the choice of the documents that were leaked and how the email conversations had been structured and edited to make it seem that climate change was false, a conspiracy by top climate change scientists to further their own agenda. The fallout was huge.

CLIM

AT

A DECA

DE O

“Fossil fuel companies used Climategate as a ‘get out of jail free card’ when asked about their carbon emissions” Immediately the media began to report on the great climate change scam, fraudulent science and claims that tackling issues such as carbon emissions and fossil fuels were pointless as it had no effect on the environment. It seemed that the past few years of climate change certainty was horribly unravelling into an almost definitive belief that climate change was neither man-made nor a concern. Professor Phil Jones, the head of the climate research department, became the focus of much of the media vitriol, and the manipulation of a three-word phrase “hide the decline”, a simple phrase referencing tree growth, was shouted as proof that the world was actually cooling.

NEWS

OF DENIAL

“NASA has stated that the science that proves global warming is unequivocal and there is a greater than 95% chance it is down to our actions rather than a natural occurrence” Scientists received death threats, their families were named in abusive emails and Professor Jones had to step aside under mounting pressure and declining mental health. Amidst all this, the world leaders met at the Copenhagen summit, seen in hindsight as a lot of political grandstanding, with blame being levied at countries reliant on fossil fuel production for sinking deals. All that was achieved was a non-legally binding agreement and it is was clear that the Climategate scandal had affected the summit as several world leaders mentioned the situation and the emails in their speeches.

In time, a full investigation was undertaken into both the hacking and the findings by the climate research department with the results showing that the scientific findings were correct, and the leaked documents had been misread and manipulated. The hacker was never caught. Yet the damage was done, fossil fuel companies used Climategate as a ‘get out of jail free card’ when asked about their carbon emissions, politicians and news networks placed doubt in the minds of the populace to further their agendas rather than offer truth and reassurance. It would not be until the Paris Agreement was signed in 2016 that many felt the crisis of climate change was being truly addressed, although it will be asked how much further along we would be if the media and governments had been quicker to accept science than ambition.

“For all the great work Greta Thunberg does… we face companies such as Exxon Mobil who still pour billions into anti-science think tanks and finance American politicians” Where does all of this leave us now that we are ten years on from Climategate? The answer is horrifyingly simple in an environmental crisis that people are still at best ignoring and at worst denying. NASA has stated that the science that proves global warming is unequivocal and there is a greater than 95% chance it is down to our actions rather than a natural occurrence.

However, certain American senators still call the crisis a hoax and even try to say we are in a period of global cooling as do prominent members of research facilities and anti-science think tanks, nearly all of whom are funded or receive donations from fossil fuel conglomerates. Even the United States President pulled out of the Paris Agreement with no solid reason just a dismissive wave of the hand and his brand of nationalist rhetoric. The sad truth is that for all the great work Greta Thunberg does or how passionately people from the Amazon speak, we face companies such as Exxon Mobil who, despite being responsible for the worst oil spill crisis in history, can still pour billions into anti-science think tanks and finance American politicians. Whilst people are willing to tear down the life’s work of some of the cleverest scientists in the world because personal gain is a greater motivator than saving our planet, we are in danger and we must act now to prevent further damage. The Amazon and African forests are ablaze, the lungs of the world are on fire and it is time that all of us, the media, every leader, all peoples, quench those flames and restore what we can or we shall leave our descendants nothing but ash and dust.

Gareth Holmes

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

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TEG A T E

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STANCE ON

CLIMATE CHANGE

Historically, it is no myth that climate change has not been at the forefront of the government’s agenda. It’s only recently that climate change has been a major topic of debate, as more and more people become aware of its impact.

Under Tony Blair’s Labour government, UK Carbon emissions increased by 2% from between the years 1997 and 2006. Some years later, David Cameron’s Conservative government took more action and met records for the reduction in emissions and increased the investment of clean energy. The UK has become an increasingly technical nation, and there has been a shift from manufacturing to providing technical services in the economy. As a result,

the UK has seen the closure of many factories. Under the previous Conservative government, coal is being forced off the grid and renewable energy investment has soared. In addition, under the last government, more households have been recycling.

The UK government has been heavily involved in the Paris Agreement, where many leading countries came together to discuss the climate change crisis. Famously, each country had promised to cap their emissions to 2%. Despite Trump’s later withdrawal of the USA from the Paris Agreement in 2017, the UK government has remained committed to meet this target, condemning his move.

leading the fight for climate action, wanted this to be brought forward to 2030, which would mean a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles. The Labour Party, according to ‘Friends of the Earth’, had been the strongest in their policies to tackle climate change. But with the Conservatives claiming a landslide victory, they will now be responsible in leading the fight to ‘save our planet’.

Now, climate change is a major issue that is taken as seriously as the NHS and the economy. This was clear during the recent general election in 2019 as all major parties addressed it. The Conservatives promised to cut carbon emissions completely by 2050, whilst Labour claimed it needs to be done by 2030. The Green Party,

Boris Johnson looks set to prioritise “getting Brexit done”. However, the returning Prime Minister will need to quickly address key green policy concerns.

For example, passing the Environmental Bill into law and confirming the government’s decision on banning fracking.

“The Conservatives promised to cut carbon emissions completely by 2050, whilst Labour claimed it needs to be done by 2030”

Safa Shahid

Page Design by Beth Dunnett

GOVERNMENT

Image courtesty of Wikipedia via Google Images

HE

Ellie Stainforth-Mallison

Graphic & Page Design by Holly Marr

NEWS 11

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IMPACT

An Interview Environment and Katie Moncur: What does your role as Environment and Social Justice Officer entail?

Lee Taylor: “My role is two-pronged, the first side of it is operational so I deal a lot with policies, with strategies to make the uni and the Union more sustainable. I work to empower the student voice. The other side of my role is the student-facing side, so I chair the ESJ Network and coordinate all of the sustainable initiatives for students. It’s a weird role but it’s fun.”

KM: The Union aims to become carbon neutral by 2028, how will this be achieved?

LT: “In terms of our carbon neutrality, operationally we don’t have control over where our energy comes from in this building, but we have control over how much we use. We can look to ensure our supply chains are fully sustainable, that we’re not bringing massive trucks onto campus all the time. That the food we’re providing is as sustainable as possible; our recycling as positive as possible. We can look to carbon offset all our travel as staff members. You make small but effective changes everywhere and then, once you’re as good as you possibly can be, [carbon offset] the rest.”

KM: How are you going to implement these changes and encourage student groups to become more sustainable?

LT: “The operational side is fairly easy. We have the new staff sustainability committee. We’ll be writing a sustainable strategic action plan as well for the Union. We’re going to bring in a carbon auditor to do a full audit of everything and see exactly where we are, so we’ll have a proper baseline to go off. In terms of student groups, there are going to be some difficult decisions, but I don’t think there should really be any push back on that. Everyone wants to be sustainable. I think it’s important when we do it, that we do it in such a way that it’s not just us as a Union saying, ‘no you can’t do this’. What we have to do is look at alternatives, help student groups make more sustainable choices and provide them with positive feedback when they do so.”

KM: This year Sustainability Week is being hosted by the ESJ Network for the first time.

What are the plans for that? How are you going to engage people and empower them to make change?

LT: “Plans for it are not 100% decided yet. We’re working to see whether we can collaborate with Nottingham Trent and make it bigger than just UoN but actually Nottingham Sustainability Week. The ESJ Network will lead key-noting events. The only one we’ve announced so far is the awards ceremony. We’re working on a few others including some incredible guest speakers that I won’t say on record. We’ll be looking to unveil some se cret projects I’m working on. Some of the things we’ve been talking about are a march for Women’s Rights on campus during the week. I can confirm that we’ve been given approval by the BBC to screen David Attenborough documentaries on the Portland screen so that will be amazing.

We’re looking to engage all of our partners too. So UoN Sport have a few ideas,Playerlayer are really keen to get involved.

NEWS

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with Lee Taylor, Social Justice Officer We’re really trying to make it bigger than us in the Portland building, bigger than the SU. My vision for it is to showcase how much opportunity there is but not in a way that’s necessarily overwhelming but in a way that’s inspiring.”

LT: “Many banks have heavy investments in the fossil fuel industry. A lot of them have significant investments in supply chains that end in modern slavery. It’s the poorest people in the world that feel the effects of the Climate Emergency first. You can think of the Climate Emergency as a match with rich people at one end and the poorest people at the other and it’s burning away at the poorest people already. A really scary fact: 71% of global emissions are caused by just 100 businesses and pretty much all of those are fossil fuel businesses. It is often our huge financial institutions that are investing in them.

Financial institutions hold so much money and with money comes power, yet they wield it in a way that is detrimental to everyone, detrimental to the poorest people right now. But the poorest people have no power, they have no voice. I see it as my job to empower students, but I see it as the students’ job to empower everyone. If it carries on the way it’s going, who knows if we’ll reach retirement age. For want of a better word, the planet’s f****d. We just need to do something as soon as we can.”

KM: What are your three main goals and what would you like to see come out of this year as ESJ Officer?

LT: “I see my goals as empowering students, developing the Union and holding the uni to account. I’ll feel successful if I know that student voice is loud on sustainability, social and environmental. If the Union has concrete plans and actual tangible changes, and if the uni is also following through with the changes that have been verbally made, then I’ll see it as a successful year. I’d also quite like to see the role become full-time for next year.”

Katie Moncur

image and illustration by Nina Shasha

KM: What do you mean by a ‘bad bank’?

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With the US outside of the agreement, the pact will now cover only about 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – previously, this was 97 percent

In contrast to Trump’s statements, this is not a move for America first; it is America isolated.

Such isolation of the US could have second-order effects as US firms may be at a competitive disadvantage in the future. Significantly, this would be the case if the European Union follows plans for a ‘carbon border tax’ penalising imports from countries not meeting environmental standards. Being outside the Paris Agreement could also make it harder for the US to secure a new trade pact with the EU. Notably, France opposes trade deals with those outside the agreement. Further, Trump’s decision gives a unique opportunity for a vacuum of leadership to be filled by the likes of China or even the EU. As, formal membership of the US or not, the Paris Agreement is recognised to be vital in efforts towards tackling climate change.

Mia Haffety

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

The US government however has said the agreement puts an “unfair economic burden” on Americans.

Notably, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the notification on Twitter, issuing a statement that the accord imposes intolerable burdens on the American economy.

This is despite the fact that rising seas, increased storm surge and tidal flooding threaten $1 trillion in public infrastructure and private property along US coastlines. In addition, since 2014, the US has experienced $400 billion in weather and climate disaster costs. President Trump has also long held that the accord cripples growth and intrudes on American sovereignty. “It is time to put Youngstown, Ohio; Detroit, Mich.; and Pittsburgh, Pa., along with many, many other locations within our great country, before Paris, France.” he said when announcing the US withdrawal.

drawal fr om

greem A s

Par i

T

h

(Donald Trump, 2017)

This decision of Trump’s administration is huge as, firstly, the US is the world’s second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind only China, and also the largest cumulative greenhouse gas emitter. Therefore, with the US outside of the agreement, the pact will now cover only about 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – previously, this was 97 percent. In addition, with the US now abdicating responsibility for curbing emissions, it will prove tougher to convince China, India, and other growing sources of greenhouse gases that they have to do more. Notably, under United Nations rules, China and India are not obligated to curb emissions. They agreed to do so as part of the Paris Agreement and in large part because the US was taking action.

“

Since 2016, the Paris Agreement has brought 197 states into a common cause to undertake efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

The central aim of the agreement is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. With this, is the aim of keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts for enhanced transparency of action.

It is time to put Youngstown, Ohio; Detroit, Mich.; and Pittsburgh, Pa., along with many, many other locations within our great country, before Paris, France

“

With President Donald Trump’s intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, this leaves America as the only country on Earth outside the agreement.

NEWS

In 2017, Nottingham City Council announced they would invest more money in their initiatives to reduce air pollution, clear up roads and support the environment.

This includes more electric buses, retrofitting old buses to run on biogas, expanding the tram network, switching the taxis and hiring private drivers for electric vehicles.

Nottingham City Transport (NCT) can be named as one of the best bus companies in the UK, having been the only one to win the UK Bus Operator of the Year five times.

Their dedication to reducing the environmental impact of their buses isn’t just hot air. This year, they have rolled out an additional 63 biogas double-decker buses, increasing their fleet to 120, the largest number of biogas double-deckers in the world.

“Nottingham City Transport can be named as one of the best bus companies in the UK having won the UK Bus Operator of the Year five times”

Some of these can be seen on the Pink 28 and Orange 36 lines.

Biogas is better than traditional petrol as it is a theoretically unlimited fuel supply, and in the case of NCT it is produced from farm food and farm waste. Since they use waste products instead of planting crops for producing biofuel, they use less land and fewer resources, which is better for the environment.

“There are plans to make all licensed vehicles in Nottingham run on electricity by 2030”

Nottingham’s dream of an electric fleet may have become a reality with their 58 electric buses – but, there is still room for improvement.

There are plans to make all licensed vehicles in Nottingham run on electricity by 2030. Notably, there is a focus on making taxis and private hire vehicles run on electricity. One way this has been facilitated, is by increasing the infrastructure needed for electric cars. There are now 100 charge points around Nottingham city centre, the largest being the 24 available at the Victoria centre.

Another public transport project is the proposed 6km extension of the tram network into Kimberley and Giltbrook. This would also mean an expansion of the park and ride at Phoenix Park, and the creation of a new one on Gin Close Way. These plans would further reduce congestion in the city centre as well as having a substantial environmental benefit as the tram network runs on electricity and therefore doesn’t pollute the atmosphere.

Nottingham is well on its way to becoming an ultra-low emission city, as they have invested millions of pounds into their public transport system. Making it not only better for the environment but more reliable too. This means fewer people will need to drive around Nottingham, freeing up the roads and reducing air pollution.

However, there is still more to do as there are hundreds of Nottingham buses which aren’t using biogas or electricity to fuel themselves. When these services aren’t running, there is an increased dependency on taxis and rideshares, both of which have a larger contribution to air pollution, compared to buses and trams, as a large proportion don’t run on electricity or cleaner fuels.

Alex Lovesey

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Nottingham’s Initiatives for a Greener City

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IMPACT

The Vegan stamp: For health or for wealth?

Nowadays, a vegan diet and lifestyle seems to have become more of a mainstream ‘trend’. Once upon a time it was the lifestyle of a minority that were stereotypically and negatively linked to radical animal activism, yet now it is associated more with its health benefits.

Since revelations about health and the environment have surfaced, people have been more likely to swap to a meat free diet, records in 2018 showing that 92% of plant-based meals consumed in the UK were eaten by non-vegans.

However, this sudden increase in vegan products makes me wonder whether it is for the right reasons: do supermarkets want to promote a healthier lifestyle and offer more options to a wider range of customers OR are these companies just capitalising on this current trend for their own gain?

“The ‘vegan stamp’ has increasingly appeared on supermarket products with 16% of food products launched in the UK in 2018 having a vegan or ‘no animal’ ingredients claim, doubling from just 8% in 2015”

Nowadays, as vegan and plant-based options have become more common, food companies have picked up on this trend and attempted to fuel it further by adding more product lines just to increase their profit. It is not hard to notice that vegan products are usually much more expensive than normal meat and dairy products, meaning that if people want to have a more plant-based diet and take part in this current trend, they must pay more. For example, in Sainsburys, a 450g pack of chicken nuggets costs £1.75 compared to £3 for a 400g pack of ‘chicken free’ ones! For younger people (and particularly students) a vegan diet is usually a lot less cost-effective, therefore it might discourage people from switching to this lifestyle.

“It is unfair that to support a lifestyle which has proven to be more beneficial to the environment and people’s health, we are having to spend more money” We are becoming increasingly worried about the effects of the meat industry on the environment and our own health. However, people have to pay an extra couple of pounds to partake, which in turn makes these companies more money, and adds an elitist quality to being ‘vegan’. It is unfair that to support a lifestyle which has proven to be more beneficial to the environment and people’s health, we are having to spend more money. I think that in future, instead of adding more ‘meat-free’ products, supermarkets and companies should work to create cheaper, healthier options that everybody can benefit from. We should all be able to help save the planet, regardless of our pay cheque.

Isabella Raikes

Image courtesty of peacefuldumpling.com, adv-bio.com, wordanimalfoundation

In the past few years, veganism has seen a surge in popularity, especially amongst young people. When I first heard the term ‘vegan’, I saw it as a lifestyle for those who were advocates for animal rights and opposed to the use and consumption of animal products. However, today it has grown into much more. The ‘vegan stamp’ has increasingly appeared on supermarket products with 16% of food products launched in the UK in 2018 having a vegan or ‘no animal’ ingredients claim, doubling from just 8% in 2015. These products take the form not only of food, but makeup and clothes too, all claiming to offer a ‘better’ lifestyle.

“Food companies have picked up on this trend and attempted to fuel it further by adding more product lines just to increase their profit”

Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

With veganism on the rise, features writer Isabelle offers some insight into whether all is as innocent as it seems.

FEATURES

How to become a more Sustainable Student …

Without Breaking the Bank

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“Garments should not be forgotten due to trend progression”

We all want to feel we are playing our part in saving the planet. Alice Brooker suggests some ways in which, as students, we can be more sustainable.

When it comes to being sustainable and eco-friendly, it’s near impossible to achieve perfection. For our negative impact on the environment to be minimised, we need to be able to afford to do so.

WWF have reported that average wildlife populations have declined in size by 60 percent in just over 40 years; carbon emissions climbed by 2% in 2018 and David Attenborough has warned that humans have made a “tragic, desperate mess” of the planet.

“Reusable bottles, chucking a jumper on While money should have no correlation with how environmentally rather than friendly we can be, it tends to. Nevertheless, there are ways around the boosting the costs of reducing our environmental impact – even as students. heating and reviewing Clothing Beauty Fashion today is fast, cheap and disposable - it is no longer our shopping For student-priced beauty considered to be timeless. Garments are worn once and may habits and products, Wearth London sells never be seen again. Fast fashion must be destroyed by diets are all sustainable skincare products prioritising the sustainability behind the making of clothes. for under £10. Bramley, Weleda affordable Buying clothes with regards to protecting the environment and Lush are among other changes” must become fashionable. You can check the sustainability To shop sustainably it feels like our options are slim as students. Sustainable online store Reformation has its prices starting at about £50 and Gather&See at a much pricier £100 - to name a couple. Students are not their target market. When Pretty Little Thing offer us tops from £4, and the excuse of ‘what harm will it really do?’ becomes our mantra, refusing is difficult.

What can we do if we cannot afford first-hand clothes with the sustainable price-tag? Consider the likes of eBay and Depop. Consider the array of charity stores in town. Dig out your mum’s outfits from the seventies. Borrow from your friends (and if they aren’t letting you borrow, find new friends).

Garments should not just be forgotten “Dig out due to trend progression. Furthermore, if your mum’s we commit to spending less on fast outfits from fashion, it may lead to saving up for a the seventies. timeless, quality item from a sustainable Borrow from site.

your friends, and if they aren’t letting you borrow, find new friends”

sustainable beauty options. Say no to the Uber Eats this week and splash out on Lush’s fragrant £8 shampoo bar instead!

Diet

Despite some telling us vegetarianism is a case of ‘all or nothing’, it’s not. Everybody is capable of taking at least a day per week to commit to meat-free meals. Think about reducing human-induced greenhouse gas emissions or the estimated 12 billion animals’ lives lost each year due to food wastage.

Adjusting your diet doesn’t have to involve a complete scrappage of meat, but any adjustment in this direction is more considerate towards the planet, your health and animals.

“It’s not all or nothing, but it is within everybody’s budget to be doing more”

With regards to students becoming more sustainable, the list is endless: reusable bottles, chucking a jumper on rather than boosting the heating and reviewing our shopping habits and diets - all affordable changes. Granted, first-hand sustainable fashion needs to somehow become affordable, and petrol for a journey in our car is sometimes cheaper than a train ticket. It’s not all or nothing, but it is within everybody’s budget to be doing more.

Alice

Brooker

Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

rating of stores at https://goodonyou.eco.

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IMPACT

3 Sustainable Student Life Habits to Avoid a Student Burn Out Student life can be tough. Features writer Sai offers 3 crucial bits of advice on how to sustain a student lifestyle.

Often, we hear about people (mostly working adults) being “burnt out” by life’s ever-changing demands.

Unfortunately, university is no different and at times, with the pressure of attaining perfect grades and the never-ending commitments to friends, societies, sports and living away from home, it can get overwhelming and pure exhausting.

By adding any long-term academic commitments like a dissertation, these feelings can amplify. Doing the same thing a ridiculous number of times with little progress can fry your brain, and it can seem like you’ve hit a brick wall. Here are three things to consider if you’re feeling this way…

1 – It is okay to say “no” to commitments

2 – Sleep!

It is great to be part of societies and feel really involved, but this can occasionally make it seem like there’s no time to relax.

So what if you skip out on a training session for your sports club or decide not to go out because you are not “in the mood”? As long as it doesn’t become a habit (unless you realise you do not enjoy it – in that case, it’s best you do not return), no one will judge and I am sure when you do return people will be there to welcome you with open arms.

“A chat with someone about what is going through your mind might help to bring things into perspective”

We sometimes forget that sleep is a way for your physical body to recover from the day’s events and when we’re stressed and over-thinking about incomplete coursework, it makes it much harder to have a restful sleep. Adopting a good sleep routine is not about going to bed at the same time every single day, (we are allowed to go out!), but it is about listening to your body and not always fighting tiredness with caffeinated drinks. Drinking too much coffee or power napping isn’t always effective, and your eyes can hit a new level of puffiness, as well as your productivity reaching an all-time low. It is better to have a solid number of hours for your body to de-stress; you will wake up feeling a whole lot more refreshed and might look at the same project in a different light.

“With the pressure of attaining perfect grades and the never-ending commitments to friends, societies, sports and living away from home, it can get overwhelming and pure exhausting”

It is easy to feel like you are alone; that all the responsibility is on your shoulders.

However, a chat with someone about what is going through your mind might help to bring things into perspective. The cliché “a problem shared is a problem halved” does come to mind. Degrees are not easy and talking about your problems may help you.

It is a bit like the Eureka! moment.

Remember- your brain is subconsciously working through the problem, so stressing constantly may not be beneficial. Chat to a tutor, a lecturer, other students - it really can help.

Saira Akhtar

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

3 – Support is All Around

FEATURES

19

Bad Banking We all try our best to help the environment, but Bea O’Kelly examines parts of the banking industry that do not do the same.

On the 5th December 2018, Greenpeace made their mark on Barclays branch at Piccadilly Circus, as they branded them ‘THE DIRTY BANK’. 6,000 of Barclays customers threatened to switch banks if they continued to invest in pipelines for oil from tar sands, which is the dirtiest fuel on the planet - worse than any other fossil fuel and especially worse than renewable energy sources.

So which green banks can you swap to?

Greenpeace claimed that if the tar sands were fully exploited, it would take up 15% of the world’s carbon budget if governments are to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. It was an absolutely unacceptable investment on behalf of Barclays, but the question is, has anything changed?

“It is the one greatest challenge we are facing, have ever faced, and the biggest we are ever likely to face”

“We recognise that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. Our approach balances the need to accelerate the transition away from the most carbon intensive fossil fuel sources, with ongoing financial support for clients operating responsibly.”

However, Barclays has secured deals for three of the four top fracking companies active in America’s most prolific oil basin since that statement. HSBC is no better, as it increased its total fossil fuel investment in the years after the Paris Agreement to more than £18 billion.

Overall, neither bank is environmentally cautious, something simply unacceptable in today’s climate.

Barclays spokesperson was wrong, it isn’t ‘one of the greatest challenges’ facing today’s world, it is the one greatest challenge we are facing, have ever faced, and the biggest we are ever likely to face.

Barclays and HSBC are not treating this with the urgency it deserves, but some banks are.

Ecology Building Society is dedicated to improving the environment as it promotes sustainable housing and communities. Money invested in them is used to fund mortgage lending on energy efficient housing, ecological renovation and low impact lifestyles.

Swapping banks can be a hassle. However, it is the only action that will impact these big banks who continue to turn a blind eye to the destruction of our planet - destruction that they continue to fund.

It’s time for change.

Bea O’Kelly

Illustration by Annabel D’Monte & Katherine Gomes

I’m afraid to say, if change has occurred, it’s for the worse. Customers, shareholders and governments have demanded change, but the Rainforest Action Network calculated that 33 of the biggest banks have funded £1.5 trillion into fossil fuels in the last three years. Barclays leads Europe, spending roughly 65 billion in fossil fuel expansion, despite Barclays spokesperson claiming in January 2019:

Triodos Bank is one of Europe’s leading ethical banks and aims to enable money to work for positive social, environmental and cultural change.

It has established partnerships with The Soil Association and Friends of the Earth.

Page Design by Annabel D’Monte

‘‘Destruction that they continue to fund’’

Co-operative Bank was the first UK high street bank to introduce a customer led ethical policy.

Their website clearly states: “In 2017, we marked the 25th anniversary of our Ethical Policy. We have worked together to tackle the things that matter to you. From climate change to human rights.”

IMPACT

Maintaining your Environments can be large or small.

Features writer Francesca offers some advice on how to create a positive personal environment.

When you think of the environment, you probably think of the o-zone, climate change, wildlife, animals and all things ‘planet earth’. But the environment exists in our immediate space, be that at home, in your workplace or even in Hallward during a late-night study session. And, just as we should take care of the wider environment, it’s important to do the same for our immediate surroundings in order to take care of ourselves. What’s around you can affect your mood, health (both physical and mental), behaviour and general wellbeing, so it’s important to keep your personal environment feeling calm, safe and healthy. Here are some tips and tricks from my own experiences and preferences, to help you feel peaceful wherever you are.

LIGHT Getting natural light is a must for your personal environment. Studies have shown a link between sunlight and wellbeing, so keep your curtains open during the day and sit somewhere sunny if you’re out in public. Darker evenings and shorter days in the winter months can cause SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), so once the sun’s gone down, turn on a bright light and illuminate your room.

The luminosity from any light will keep you feeling positive, and also separate your time being awake and productive, from the time you choose to settle down in the evening when lower light will make you feel cosy and ready for a good night’s sleep.

SOUND Noise pollution can cause headaches, irritability and be a big distraction. If you have noisy neighbours or live on a busy road, plug some headphones in or play some music aloud and focus on those sounds. Similarly, listening to instrumental music when you study will also help focus your mind and create a safe personal space for you. Spotify has playlists based on mood which can help pick you up (like ‘Mood Booster’ and ‘Confidence Boost’) and motivate you (see ‘Monday Motivation’ and ‘Walk Like a Badass’).

CLOTHES Whether you’re studying in the library or lounging at home, what you wear can impact your personal environment. My first tip is to wear whatever you feel most comfortable in, be that trackies, jeans, a dressing gown, whatever (although pyjamas in the library may not be the best decision!) Another thing to consider is that sometimes dressing up and wearing something a bit more special might make you feel more confident, and therefore more productive and ‘put together’. Of course, it is personal preference, but it’s good to bear in mind how much what you wear can affect how you feel – remember that the way you look is for yourself as much as, if not more than, for others.

PLANTS Reducing indoor pollution and improving your air quality with plants will help not only your personal environment, but the wider world. Having cacti, flowers, bonsai, or even just some watercress growing in your kitchen will give you something to care for as well as yourself and brighten up even the dullest corners of any room.

TIDY The expression ‘tidy room, tidy mind’ is certainly something to consider. I find that when my room’s a mess, my notes are disordered and my washing hasn’t been done, everything piles up on top of me and so does my stress. Keeping your room or your library space neat and organised while you study will help focus your mind and allow you to relax better when you’re taking some time for yourself because, like your space, your mind won’t be so cluttered.

Francesca Hadland

Illustration and page design by Beth Dunnett

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21

‘It’ll be there for you’- 24/7 Libraries For some, 24-hour libraries are a gift from God, whilst others find them environmentally and emotionally draining. Joe Lloyd and Anna Stacey fight for and against these never-ending places to study.

24-hour libraries give students resources, space and silence to achieve what they need. Perhaps most crucially, the greatest strength of 24-hour libraries is their flexibility. For students who hold part time jobs in the early evening – or indeed during the daytime- these libraries are an excellent way to achieve the requisite hours of study. Furthermore, if a student has lost time away from their studies due to a bereavement or illness, a twenty-four-hour library can be a convenient way to catch up with missed studies.

Critics of 24-hour libraries could point to the negative effects of such practices on mental health, seemingly ignorant to the fact that students could put in equally crazy hours in private, and with less success.

Joe Lloyd “But with lectures, seminars and workshops filling the daylight hours, when are students supposed to sleep?”

“24-hour libraries give students resources, space and silence to achieve what they need”

Many people say that it’s a personal preference and that they work better during the night. But with lectures, seminars and workshops filling the daylight hours, when are students supposed to sleep? According to the NHS, a lack of sleep causes more than just being grumpy, but can make you prone to serious health issues, such as high blood pressure, and can take a toll on your mental health.

Of course, just because the university provides this library service doesn’t mean you need to use it.

However, as reported in ‘The Guardian’, Bridget O’Connell, the Head of Information at the mental health charity Mind, said that 24/7 libraries, “could result in students feeling that they should be spending every spare moment studying” and that is not “a sustainable approach”.

However, some people think that 24/7 libraries could have the opposite effect. Having discussed this issue with a first-year student, he explained that knowing the libraries are open all the time can lead to procrastination, as you can always go later to do work, whereas when they are only open for restricted hours it forces you to go and do your work earlier.

Moreover, as we are thinking about sustainability, we should consider how environmentally friendly it is to keep the lighting and heating on 24/7 in such large buildings such as the Hallward and George Green Library. The University of Nottingham’s energy consumption increased by 3.4% in 2017/18 according to the Annual Energy Report 2017/18, so maybe reducing the hours the library is open would help combat these increases in power usage.

Anna Stacey

Images and page design by Nina Shasha

These libraries are of greatest convenience to students battling tight deadlines. It is easy to see that some days in a student’s week are busier than others. Suppose a student’s Thursday is considerably busier than their Wednesday and their essay is due on Friday, and they haven’t made the progress they’d aimed to by Wednesday afternoon, the logical alternative therefore, is for them to study Thursday night. This would most preferably happen in the library, with convenient resources, silent study zones and a focused, quiet environment.

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IMPACT

I’VE GOT 99 PROBLEMS BUT CLIMATE CHANGE AIN’T ONE

The impact climate change will have on our everyday lives is immense. Zoya Gulshin sheds light on the ways in which we will be affected if we don’t act now.

What comes into your head when you think of climate change? Global warming?

Rising sea levels? Paper straws?

I certainly hope the thought ‘it’s not my problem’ isn’t one that pops up. If everyone shared this mentality, the outcome would be catastrophic. Climate change is your problem, whether you like it or not. It’s easy to brush off the topic and fool yourself into thinking that climate change is a concern for anyone but yourself. An issue for anyone, ranging from the government to big corporations and maybe even future generations, to solve. Adopting this kind of mindset may be easier; one less stress for us in a world that appears to constantly fuel our anxieties.

“Climate change is your problem, whether you like it or not”

In this world I’ve got 99 problems, but climate change is not one.

Well it should be. Here’s a very small list detailing how climate change will affect you directly.

As students, we live on a very tight budget. We thank God for blessing us with the likes of Aldi and Lidl, and marvel at the wide range of budget-friendly options they have to offer. There is no better feeling than picking up an inexpensive loaf of bread and having money left over to treat yourself to something else. Well, hold onto that feeling as you may not be experiencing it for much longer. The United Nations reports that climate change is affecting food security severely. Increases in the incidence and intensity of heatwaves and droughts will have knock-on effects on the growth and production of staple crops. As production decreases, retailers will

have no choice but to increase the price of these products. For you, what was once a staple part of your diet may just turn into a luxury item you can very rarely afford.

Coffee. One necessity for nearly everyone. It’s an accommodating potion, helping us work through the night to meet our deadlines.

A quick pick-me-up in the middle of a long day. Soon, you may have to find a replacement. Most coffee comes from the Arabica coffee tree which flourishes in the cool temperatures of mountain slopes. As temperatures increase, farmers are forced to travel further to find cool air for these trees to grow. If we continue at the rate we’re going, eventually cool air will be a sensation of the past.

One article estimates that by 2050, we have a high risk of losing nearly half of the land that is suitable for the growth of coffee beans due to the drastic changes in the climate. It seems we may have to find a new drink to replace the iconic pumpkin spice latte.

Are you prone to a pint of beer or two on a Friday evening? It’s a classic drink many have alongside a fabulous Sunday roast. If it’s something you enjoy and drink regularly, you should know that production of the key ingredients in beer are threatened by the effects of climate change. The consequences of climate change range from drought to heavy rainfall. Both can damage hops and barley crops which would, thus, cause a decline in beer production. An article from the scientific journal Nature Plants suggests that as beer manufacturing decreases, prices will inevitably increase. It’ll be like Freddos all over again but, instead, beer fear. One day, you’ll sit and reminisce over just how much of a bargain a pint used to be.

“Statistically, you have a 1/1000 chance of being a victim to the lethal effects of air pollution” “What was once a staple part of your diet may just turn into a luxury item you can very rarely afford”

The WWF says, “no matter what we’re passionate about, something we care about will be affected by climate change.”

Whether you’re a coffeedependent species or you enjoy your affordable food finds, climate change will undoubtedly affect you.

You may think it’s not your problem because, after all, one person’s actions won’t change anything, right? Wrong. I once read a story about a couple who tactically decided to vote in a constituency outside of their own. This area had last voted for a Tory MP. These two individuals voted for an MP who ended up winning. By two votes. Your input and contribution always count or something. If you’re not willing to do it for yourself, do it for the generations ahead: your future kids and grandkids. You wouldn’t want them living in a world where safe drinking water is written on their wish-list for Christmas, would you?

“We’re the first generation to know we’re destroying the world, but we could be the last to do anything about it.” – WWF.

Zoya Gulshin

Image courtesty of needpix and pngimg.com via Google Images

One thing every single one of us needs, regardless of our lifestyle, is water. We all drink and use water in our daily lives. Well, did you know that climate change will have an effect on drinking water? This alone should be enough to convince you that global warming is actually your problem. Around the world, lakes and rivers, which provide groundwater wells for over 3 billion people are drying up due to the scorching heat. Yes, you can survive without beer and coffee, but water is a necessity for the body. There is no substitute. A scarce supply of safe drinking water may sound dystopian, but this could very much become our reality.

The World Health Organisation reports that, annually, over seven million people die worldwide due to air pollution. The increased burning of fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gasses being trapped in the atmosphere. This causes temperatures to soar. Aside from drying up lakes and damaging agriculture, intense heat can lead to fatal heat stroke. If food and drink insecurity have not yet made you think, the detrimental health effects of global warming should. Statistically, you have a 1/1000 chance of being a victim to the lethal effects of air pollution. It may not sound like a lot, but if we consider that the University of Nottingham has around 34,000 students, that’s 34 individuals affected.

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Page design by Beth Dunnett

9

“A scarce supply of safe drinking water may sound dystopian, but this could very much become our reality”

FEATURES

IMPACT

24

Eco-Anxiety: Are we all Doomed?

‘Eco-anxiety’ may not be a phrase that we all recognise, but it’s likely we’ve all felt it.

Georgia Cavanagh examines this anxiety and how it can be used for good.

When I bring up the phrase ‘eco-anxiety’, the majority of people have no idea what I’m talking about. I was only introduced to the concept a few months ago, while researching my dissertation on the history of environmental activism. Investigating it has now become a key part of my work.

“Describing the term as ‘a chronic fear of environmental doom’”

Recent trends of ‘youth’ activism attest to our generation’s unique global consciousness. With communication platforms linking the world and reporting becoming a task not only for journalists but for anyone online, stories of crises are more and more common. Under these circumstances, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the world’s problems. Subsequently, eco-anxiety can be linked both to this easy access to information and to our generation’s concern for global issues, especially as they become increasingly severe.

The 2017 report ‘Mental Health and Our Changing Climate’, a collaboration between the American Psychological Association, Climate for Health and ecoAmerica, references ‘eco-anxiety’ multiple times as a direct outcome of widening awareness of environmental degradation. Describing the term as ‘a chronic fear of environmental doom’, the report argues that ‘delayed destruction’ of the environment can be just as detrimental to mental health as acute events, such as hurricanes or flooding. Related problems include ‘fear, anger, feelings of powerlessness, or exhaustion’, especially when considering climate change’s potentially fatal impact on the future of our species. The report demonstrates that many people of all ages, though predominantly young people, suffer immense guilt and frustration over their inability to feel like they are making a tangible difference in preventing climate change.

The acuteness of this eco-anxiety is aggravated by its foundations in proven scientific research, such that it cannot be disregarded as an irrational fear. Indeed, with every emotive call from trusted organisations such as the United Nations, which has urged ‘urgent and unprecedented changes’ to reverse the effects of carbon emissions, anxieties are compounded.

“The activism stemming from this panic for our planet’s future may well be what stops these fears from becoming a reality”

Accordingly, in a BBC documentary on the condition, Sam Johnston concurs that ‘Eco-anxiety is the right response to the scale of the challenge’. In the face of all the negativity surrounding the state of the planet, he remains optimistic, viewing the current political climate as one in which ‘individuals have more power than at any time in history’, where ideas can quickly go from ‘marginal to mainstream’.

Indeed, in light of all this bad news for mental health, there is a positive side to the phenomenon of eco-anxiety. The activism stemming from this panic for our planet’s future may well be what stops these fears from becoming a reality. As Greta Thunberg forcefully declared in 2018: ‘Adults keep saying, we owe it to the young people to give them hope. But I don’t want your hope, I don’t want you to be hopeful, I want you to panic’.

Georgia Cavanagh

Illustration & Page Design by Nina Shasha

Nevertheless, experts assert that eco-anxiety is not a mental illness, with Sarah Niblock of the UK Council for Psychotherapy arguing ‘it’s a perfectly normal and healthy reaction’.

FEATURES

25

Extinction Rebellion: Plight or Fight?

Extinction Rebellion have attracted extensive media coverage with their recent climate change protests. Olivia Stock considers whether these disruptive demonstrations may lead to more people turning against the movement than sympathising with it.

“This highlights what many argue is the problem with mass environmental movements: they are too white, too middle class, and lacking in empathy for the least affluent in society” But despite its steadfast aims and relentless political tenacity, the movement has been criticised in recent months for its polarisation of climate change issues and alienation of certain groups from the climate discussion.

November’s protest at Canning Town saw angry commuters drag two Extinction Rebellion protesters off the roof of an underground train in a working class, historically poor district of east London during morning rush hour. Their protest, which disrupted thousands of peoples’ journeys to work, was swiftly criticized as misjudged and out of touch by members of the public and the press. This highlights what many argue is the problem with mass environmental movements: they are too white, too middle class, and

lacking in empathy for the least affluent in society. “Business as usual = Death,” read the banner held by the protesters; their towering over a platform packed with furious commuters ironically emblematic of the movements lofty ideals and raging out-of-touchness from the needs and commitments of London’s working class.

Affairs like these have led to accusations against the movement as a hobby for the bourgeois elite; a class with time on their hands and the luxury to disengage from wider discussions surrounding labour and wages. A “white middle-class ghetto”, one NGO chief called the wider environmental movement, finding the green profession which includes the work of organisations like XR to be the second least diverse of all UK sectors. In order to avoid such pitfalls, the movement must balance the need for change with the public’s need to earn.

Whilst deeply efficacious at making people acknowledge green

issues, disruptive protests also make people contemplate how late they now are for work. “We recognise that this action unnecessarily targets ordinary commuters and disrupts London transport – which is an eco-friendly way to travel,” Extinction Rebellion posted on Facebook following the protest. “Although we are pushing for disruption and civil disobedience, we are still learning how to do this in a way that does not result in violence, and that does not discriminate against hard-working individuals.”

“Failing to do so risks their logo, an hourglass within a circle and a symbol of time running out for our planet, becoming quickly symbolic of the movement’s declining political reverence” Thus, whilst there is no doubt that Extinction Rebellion has helped put climate change on the UK’s political agenda, forcing parliament to declare a Climate Emergency in the aftermath of recent rallies, the movement must make ongoing commitments to inclusivity and political transparency to ensure victory of not only the battle but the war. Failing to do so risks their logo, an hourglass within a circle and a symbol of time running out for our planet, becoming quickly symbolic of the movement’s declining political reverence. After all, climate change does not discriminate and, thus, neither should the movements that fight it.

Olivia Stock

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Since being launched in May 2018 by a group of experienced climate activists, Extinction Rebellion has evolved into a lumbering behemoth of a climate change movement.

In the past year, with help from the BBC’s Attenborough documentary and widespread school climate strikes, the organisation has tenaciously propelled the climate emergency into the top five most important issues facing the UK today.

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OUR

EART

Much like Bonnie Tyler, our Earth really needs a hero.

Luckily, Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg are on hand to be just that. But what about the unsung heroes who are doing their bit to save our planet?

Our planet is in dire need of repair and revivification upon entering its tipping point of climate emergencies. We watch clips of the burning Amazon rainforest and countless wildlife documentaries on TV. We do this whilst sympathising with every poached animal, melting glacier, or whale whose post-mortem reveals the plastic from our oceans. We sympathise, but it doesn’t benefit our environment. We can only repost Leonardo DiCaprio’s Instagram posts so many times, and yet many of us do so, with no conscious intention of making a change.

From David Attenborough’s “Attenborough effect” that inspired young and old minds alike, to the explosive surge in eco-awareness projected by Greta Thunberg’s “Greta effect” (which led to a youth strike in 150 countries), the concept of climate change has been no stranger to us. However, amongst the 7.7 billion people in the world, only a few thousand take the extra step to protect our environment: our environment’s heroes.

Sir David Attenborough, a man who initially began his career by making wildlife documentaries because of his enjoyment in perceiving the natural world, dedicates his work to bringing life and nature into our homes. Over the years, his iconic voice has become the soundtrack to a plethora of inquisitive wildlife documentaries which tackle

environmental issues such as climate change, and global warming.

“Since Jack Dawson became fish food in 1997, DiCaprio launched his environmental organisation” Frankly, as a huge admirer, I’d listen to him reading his shopping lists.

But instead of delineating a harsh perception to viewers that critique our mistakes in regard to protecting the environment, he uses a subtler approach by showcasing the natural beauty and excitement of nature and wildlife in its purest form. Moreover, the stories he shares, are shaped by the harsh realities of climate change which make us yearn to protect our environment. His approaches although subtle, are effective, and introduce humanity to elusive habitats and urge viewers to become more sustainable in their daily life.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has become the epitome of a fixture advocate for events and projects highlighting global challenges. Since Jack Dawson became fish food in 1997, DiCaprio launched his

environmental organisation, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, and has funded over 200 projects to 132 organisations in 50 countries! Furthermore, he uses his platform to flood our social media feeds with informative posts about various projects and environmental activism.

Contrary to popular beliefs, many find making eco-friendly choices expensive. In comes, Ecosia! You don’t need to leave your chair to help reforestation! Christian Kroll has increasingly started to dominate the internet with his non-for-profit search engine Ecosia!

You use it just as you’d use Google, and Ecosia will donate 80% of its profits to plant trees (60 million since June 2019!).

“In comes, Ecosia! You don’t need to leave your chair to help reforestation!”

Some environmental heroes, although hidden in nature, have a pivotal impact when it comes to maintaining our ecosystem. You hear about Greta Thunberg all the time on the news, but what about Vicki Buck, who helped discover the tech needed to harvest wild algae from sewage to extract fuel for vehicles?

FEATURES

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HEROES

THLY

Boyan Slat is developing a V-shape barrier to trap plastic in the ocean.

Malaika Vaz, a twenty-one-year-old conservationist has been investigating manta ray trades in Southeast Asia, whilst sharing stories of human-animal conflict and coexistence. Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai’s Green Belt Movement continues to help the conservation and replenishment of environments and improve livelihoods of communities in Africa, long after her passing in 2011. This movement was first launched when Kenyan women had to face the aftermath of depleted food resources. GBM taught them to farm and store rainwater.

Indigenous people are the essence of an “unsung hero” of conservation, environmentalism and sustainability. Populating less than 5% of the world, they protect 80% of the ecosystem. Their old forms of conservation are often increasingly effective, although underrated, and resilient to climate change. They also help preserve the ecosystems, restore the forests’ natural resources, and defend the Earth’s biodiversity in which they live. Moreover, they adapt locally to fit their respective environments to preserve natural resources.

Unfortunately, the indigenous are in as much danger as our environment is.

“Indigenous people are the essence of an “unsung hero” of conservation, environmentalism and sustainability”

Poaching poses an increasing threat to wildlife. Animals such as rhinos and cassowaries play a significant role in balancing the ecosystem. The significant decrease of rhino platoon in the wild accelerates every day due to poaching. A solution proposed by Dave Stirling and Johnny Roberts, who founded Operation Save The Rhino, is rhino dehorning which makes horns invaluable to poachers. Although sad, it is a reality we must face to ensure the survival of the species.

“So do your research, buy a reusable shopping bag, and go and save Earth. If not now, when?”

Our planet continues to hurt, but there is hope instilled by the progress made by these remarkable people. Yet, this still makes only a small dent without us to support them. It is easy to relate to environmentalists and even easier to make eco-friendly choices to help pre-existing foundations/ environmentalists who aim to restore balance on Earth. So do your research, buy a reusable shopping bag, and go and save Earth. If not now, when?

Nila Varman

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha PhangLee

Or Kazutoshi Sakurai and Takeshi Kobayashi who founded AP bank that finances projects designed to resolve environmental issues.

Saltwater Brewery created edible six pack rings for humans and animals which are 100% biodegradable. Furthermore, Ilena Zanella protects scalloped hammerhead sharks from illegal fishing, and after 9 years of research and convincing, has created Costa Rica’s first shark sanctuary.

Myint Zaw, a Burmese activist, instigated a national movement to successfully stop the reconstruction of the Myitsone Dam on one of the vital rivers that flow through Myanmar (Irrawaddy River). As the government sat on his media privileges, Myint had restricted access of social media, email and journalist activity, yet, still held art exhibitions and managed to save what could have been 12,000 to 18,000 displaced indigenous people who live on the banks of the river and form the ecosystem.

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Impact tries Vintage at Wild Clothing & Braderie

Images by Cesca Wormald & Nina Shasha

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IMPACT

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT ON CAMPUS

“Our y universit % had a 3.4 gy in ener increase e tion in th p m u s n o c ar. demic ye a c a 8 1 / 17 t equates a h t , ll a r Ove 9,000 to over 4 f CO2” tonnes o

As students, we’re considered more ‘woke’ than our seniors, recognised as revolutionary voices for prevalent environmental matters. But belonging to a privileged generation where heating is instantaneous and electricity is more readily available than ever, are we too naive when it comes to our personal carbon footprints?

The University of Nottingham has their own 2020 carbon reduction target of 40% in their management plan. It only takes a glance at our campus to realise our progression as an institution. There have been countless advances towards a more sustainable campus, from the installation of renewable energy sources such as solar panels and biomass boilers, to campaigns such as WasteNott and Student Switch-Off. We also have various sustainable buildings which demonstrate how valuable innovative designs are in reducing our carbon footprint as an organisation.

Collectively however, university contributions to climate change cannot be ignored. The Carbon Trust states that the annual energy cost of the higher education sector in the UK is around £400 million, resulting in an estimated 3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. According to their most recent energy report, our university had a 3.4% increase in energy consumption in the 17/18 academic year. Overall, that equates to over 49,000 tonnes of CO2! Despite this, energy consumption per student remained below the Russell Group average, way behind Cardiff, Sheffield and Cambridge. However, average student energy costs stand at £398 a year.

So, if you’re looking for ways to make a personal difference, here are a few... top tips

“If everyone st could have ju ee meal one meat-fr uld save a week, it co nt the equivale oduced emissions pr n from 10 billio smartphone charges”

Burning fossil fuels is the most significant contributor to global warming. Nottingham City Transport currently have 120 biogas buses running across the city; however, the World Health Organisation (WHO) still classes Nottingham as unsatisfactory for its hazardous air pollution levels. Instead of taking the bus to campus, wake up earlier and make the journey on foot. Not only is it a great way to start your day and burn some calories, but it’ll be beneficial for the environment too!

Cycling can also beat the buses during rush hour and work out cheaper than an annual bus pass. Ucycle offers a low-cost bike hire scheme to encourage commuters to make the journey to uni on two wheels. Failing that, if getting to that 9AM is still unrealistic, trams are electric and offer a student discount too.

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Recent years have brought to light what a massive contender food consumption is to our carbon footprint. We’ve all been alerted to the benefits of veganism, but just how much difference can we make single-handedly? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one third of our personal carbon footprint comes from what we eat, while an estimated 25% of greenhouse gases arise from animal agriculture. But it’s not necessary to go vegan to make a difference! If everyone could have just one meat-free meal a week, it could save the equivalent emissions produced from 10 billion smartphone charges, whilst also having a significant impact on our health. Hendersans, located in Portland building, is your one stop shop for meat alternatives. So next time you’re peckish on campus, rather than reaching for that BLT meal deal, head to Hendersans for a healthier and more environmentally friendly substitute. Mooch also offers 20% off all vegetarian and vegan food as part of their meat-free Monday deal!

Modern technology is a blessing we all take for granted. However, it doesn’t go without its negative effects; household appliances are responsible for a quarter of greenhouse emissions. Think economically and avoid using the washing machine for that single pair of jeans; combine your washes with housemates to make a full load! If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, why not purchase a washing-line to dry your clothes as a more cost-effective and energy efficient option to the (not so humble) tumble drier, the most notorious appliance for energy consumption. Alternatively, radiator airers are a student’s best friend and aren’t weather dependent! To reduce gas and electricity bills, encourage your landlord to invest in a smart meter. The devices are a government incentive that attempts to minimise energy consumption nationwide whilst helping tenants save money. The programme aims for smart meter installation to be standard by 2020.

The environmental damage of fast-fashion brands like Boohoo is often overlooked. In 2015 alone, 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions resulted from the clothing industry. The cheap material polyester also sheds thousands of microfibres per wash, which find their way into our water and food chain. Companies profit too highly to show any concern for the detrimental impact they cause. Not only is the quality poor, but clothes are produced in sweatshops in developing countries where workers’ rights are continuously violated. Charity shops are a great place to find clothes with a price-tag that doesn’t cost you or the earth! Vintage is also making a comeback; pop-up shops in the SU offer clothes at a fraction of the price of most high street brands. If second-hand clothes really aren’t your thing, donate your own to reduce the amount that ends up in landfills. Or, if you’re short of cash, Depop is an excellent way to recycle your wardrobe and make some money in the process!

Lilith Hudson

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

“Instead of tak ing the bus to ca mpus, wake up ear lier and mak e the journey on foot. Not only is it a g reat way to start your day an d burn some calories, but it’ll be beneficial fo r the environment too”

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IMPACT

Should the University of Nottingham Stop Selling Meat?

Banning the sale of meat-products on campus is a hugely contentious issue.

However, Lois has done some research and summarised some of the key benefits of going meat-free.

“Banning the sale of

meat on campus could On the 7th November 2019, The University of Nottingham’s Student be a vital move towards Union officially declared a climate emergency. This statement indicates a commitment to hold the burgeoning climate crisis at the forefront of university a more sustainable decisions, alongside a pledge towards carbon neutrality by 2028. future”

To meet these requirements, drastic change is needed. Banning the sale of meat on campus could be a vital move towards a more sustainable future. Whilst a plastic cup levy, food waste bins and crisp packet recycling points are all commendable steps, there is a danger that, as time is running out, more drastic measures may be necessary.

As the UK government’s advisory Committee on Climate Change has reported, the health of our environment is declining at a disturbingly rapid rate. Average UK temperatures have risen by 0.8°C over the last 40 years, soil fertility is at an all-time low and we are facing the threat of mass extinction as a result of future warming, flooding and natural disasters which will destroy homes and ecosystems. But is the agricultural industry to blame?

“Three of the largest agricultural corporations, JBS, Cargill and Tyson, are estimated to have emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France”

Intensive farming and food production are undoubtedly affecting our environment. Researchers estimate that 86% of all food-related greenhouse gas emissions come specifically from the agricultural industry, yet meat and dairy only make up 18% of our average calorie intake. This discrepancy reveals just how illogical our current food system is! A typical response to such figures is that these animal products come from factory farms and the sustainable solution would be to eat locally sourced meat.

It is true that the meat industry’s top dogs are causing the most damage. Three of the largest agricultural corporations, JBS, Cargill and Tyson, are estimated to have emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France; these figures rival some of the biggest oil companies. However, it would simply not be sustainable for everyone to eat only local, grass-fed, organic or free-range meat.

After all, there is a reason why factory farms were invented: they require fewer natural resources and ultimately increase profit, whilst driving down costs for both companies and consumers. Also, 95% of the meat we buy comes from factory farms, fuelling the majority of budget-conscious, meat-eating students who fill their plates with cheap supermarket meat. As the number of livestock mega-farms, recorded at 800 in 2017, only continues to grow, the switch to so-called sustainable meat is not a realistic solution.

The reality is, as noted by WWF, we are currently using three planets’ worth of resources, and switching to non-factory-farmed meat would only drive this number up. Besides, upon closer inspection, labels such as ‘organic’ and ‘free-range’ often camouflage a less-than-friendly reality. For example, the RSPCA’s specifications for free-range poultry require ‘no more than 13 birds a square metre’, a minimum age of just two months at slaughter, and access to the open air for only half this very short lifetime. However, is there another option?

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“A meat-free campus would be more inclusive: no religion insists on meat-consumption” Plant-based meat alternatives are at an all-time high. Companies such as ‘Beyond Meat’ and ‘Vivera’ have taken the meat-industry by storm by offering plant-based alternatives that are just as tasty and without environmental and ethical baggage. Whether such alternatives are better for the environment or our health has been held up to frequent scrutiny. Despite the common nutritional anxieties surrounding a plant-based diet, such alternatives can easily provide all nine essential amino acids required for excellent human health.

Furthermore, a plant-based diet has been proven by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals, to be appropriate for all stages of life, and recent documentaries such as The Game-Changers have shown that gym-goers can easily get their proteinfix straight from the plant source. Moreover, a meat-free campus would be more inclusive: no religion insists on meat-consumption!

Lois Freeman

Images & Page Design by Nina Shasha

With regards to the planet, plant-based alternatives use “As an educational, progressive considerably less energy, water and land, whilst also emitting institution, our actions should be fewer harmful gases into our atmosphere. Although many believe that the consumption of soy-products, such as tofu, subject to change in alignment is causing comparable harm to our environment, the reality with social and environmental is that we feed over 90% of the soy crops grown to the livestock values. Perhaps it’s time for meat we eat!

to face its final judgement” I spoke to Ann-Marie Bell, the team-leader at Hendersans, the vegetarian restaurant on B floor of the Portland Building, to find out more about the potential of a meat-free university. Bell only had to point to the amazing array of meals and snacks they offer to demonstrate how a meat-free diet can be delicious, healthy and affordable. The restaurant is providing for the demands of students, says Bell, as they predominantly serve vegans, a student and social community which is growing indefinitely.

Bell herself has seen how the restaurant can alter outlooks on food by showing meat-loving students that any meal can be easily made vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, and be just as tasty. Hendersans is set to thrive as it welcomes more and more students to enjoy its planet, purse and foodie-friendly offerings.

The potential backlash in response to banning meat on campus is undeniable. Students across the country love tucking into bacon sandwiches and burgers to fuel studies or cure hangovers, and I’m sure our students are no exception. To stop selling meat would surely have a ripple effect on the lifestyle and routines of our university community.

However, are we doing the planet a disservice by continuing to serve meaty dishes simply because of choice, tradition, or convenience? As an educational, progressive institution, our actions should be subject to change in alignment with social and environmental values. Perhaps it’s time for meat to face its final judgement.

The switch has already been made by the likes of the University of Cambridge and Goldsmiths who, in banning the worst offender, red meat, say they are simply recognising their power and accountability in the current climate crisis. Encouragingly, Cambridge has already reported a 33% reduction in carbon emissions per kilogram of food served!

Illustrations by Natasha Phang-Lee

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IMPACT

The Pros and Cons of Palm Oil Anna has looked into the ecological and social benefits and detriments of one of the sneakiest, but most useful products out there: palm oil.

Although palm oil trees originated in Africa, these days Indonesia and Malaysia provide 85% of the global supply. It’s an ingredient found in loads of supermarket products, from pizza and chocolate to shampoo, soap and make-up.

There are many reasons why palm oil is a highly ubiquitous product: it doesn’t oxidise so it can increase the shelf-life of products, it has a semi-solid consistency at room temperature (meaning that spreads, like Nutella, can retain their texture), and in African and Asian countries, it is a popular choice for cooking oil.

“ Palm oil plantations have dramatically increased the employment opportunities in what are still developing countries ” Due to high demand, the palm oil industry is helping to fuel the economies of these countries. Palm oil plantations have dramatically increased the employment opportunities in what are still developing countries, which, in turn, has decreased poverty and improved infrastructure and local services for workers and their communities.

Palm oil also has a very high yield; this means that it takes up a lot less land in order to produce a lot more oil, making it very efficient in comparison to other vegetable crops.

Although palm oil is an invaluable ingredient for a variety of popular products, it does come with an environmental price. Vast areas of biodiverse rainforest in South-East Asian countries, such as Borneo, have been cut down. The extent of the habitat destruction is currently threatening the existence of many species; the Pygmy Elephant and Sumatran Tiger to name just two.

This deforestation is also contributing to climate change, as millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases are being expelled into the atmosphere which would have been absorbed by the felled trees. On a social level, corporations are stealing land from indigenous populations without any compensation, unsurprisingly causing conflicts.

“ The extent of the habitat destruction is currently threatening the existence of many species; the Pygmy Elephant and Sumatran Tiger to name just two ” However, this story is not all doom and gloom. With climate change being a prevailing global issue and increasing numbers of the world population taking steps to make their lifestyles more eco-friendly, vast improvements have been made in the sourcing and production of palm oil.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was created in 2004 to promote the use and growth of sustainable palm oil through global standards. The organisation currently has over 4,000 members spanning over 92 countries. On a national level, 75% of total palm oil imports to the UK came from sustainable sources in 2016.

On an individual level, there are things you can do to reduce your consumption of palm oil. Avoiding palm oil completely is very unrealistic, but you can however avoid as many products containing palm as possible, and instead buy palm oil free products, or items that contain sustainable palm oil. Some popular alternatives include Meridian peanut butter, Dove and Lush beauty products, and household items sold by Ecover and Ecoleaf.

Don’t worry, you can still indulge in Nutella once in a while, but perhaps reduce your consumption, or think about buying a palm oil free alternative.

Anna Scott

Images courtesy of peakpx & Flikr

We’ve all heard of palm oil and you’re probably aware that its production has devastating effects on the environment. For example, the creation of palm oil plantations threatens many endangered species, such as the orangutan. Yet many of us aren’t fully educated on just how detrimental it is, not only environmentally, but also socially.

“

By paying a little more, you are helping to fight social injustice which targets vulnerable farmers

Fairtrade is one of those sustainability buzzwords that we hear everywhere, and you probably associate it with bananas and coffee. But what does it even mean?

Well, if a product has the Fairtrade logo on it this means that the people making that product are paid fair prices, working in decent conditions and producing food in a sustainable way that is kind to the planet and helps local communities. This is incredibly important when considering that most of this produce is sourced from poorly developed countries where farmers, particularly women, are often taken advantage of by big, profit-focused companies.

By paying a little more, you are helping to fight social injustice which targets vulnerable farmers. Fairtrade is empowering these people: by receiving a fair price, farmers can make their own decisions to improve their lives and fulfil their potential.

But what exactly is Fairtrade doing? Well, Fairtrade sets social, economic and environmental standards for companies, farmers and workers in a bid to build a more sustainable future. Fairtrade ensures that farmers

“

As students on a very limited budget, is Fairtrade really worth it? In short, yes!

So next time you are doing your shopping, keep an eye out: there are over 4,500 Fairtrade products! Whether you’re getting a bottle of wine before you hit up Crisis, or a tub of Ben and Jerrys Ice-cream for a cosy night in, that small ethical choice will make a massive difference to thousands of lives.

are always paid a benchmark price, so that they are less vulnerable to volatile market prices.

Importantly, this means that those working with Fairtrade can rely on a stable income, afford a higher standard of living and also invest in buying and growing more crops to develop their businesses. All these benefits mean that farmers have more money to spend on nutritious food. In this way, Fairtrade is helping to reduce food insecurity and poverty.

Not only this, but Fairtrade produce is actually way better for the environment! Fairtrade’s standards for environmental protection include energy reduction, soil and water quality, pest management, biodiversity protection and prohibition of harmful chemicals. Fairtrade farmers are taught about environmentally friendly farming, benefitting both their health as well as the earth; for example, many have switched to using fewer pesticides. By supporting Fairtrade, you are helping tackle climate change and promoting long-term environmental sustainability.

But as students on a very limited budget, is Fairtrade really worth it? In short, yes!

Fairtrade is actually changing people’s lives. In areas where farmers are working with Fairtrade, communities are forming co-operative groups to negotiate higher prices for their products. This move has led to investments into scholarship programmes, schools for children, better housing, improved sanitation and medical facilities, protection for the environment and infrastructure programmes. But most importantly, Fairtrade is giving people a voice and purpose, so that they feel respected and valued in their work.

Katy Skillen

Logo courtesy of Fairtrade Foundation

Is it worth it?

“

Wandering down the aisles of the Sainsbury’s in Lenton, your eyes may just be drawn to the price tag of your groceries and little else... but have you ever looked out for the Fairtrade symbol?

Fairtrade:

“

As budget-watching students, it’s likely that the majority of us know little more about Fairtrade produce than the fact that it’s expensive. However, is it worth a few extra pennies? Katy investigates.

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Illustration &Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

FOOD

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IMPACT

The Phoenix Lab A wave of timber and glass swells out of an old brownfield site. Four horns poke free from the crest, reaching out into the wind. A canopy of photovoltaics capture energy from sunlight. It is, of course, the Carbon Neutral Laboratories on Jubilee Campus’ Innovation Park. Officially opened in early 2017, the CNL cost £27 million funded primarily by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the High Education Funding Council for England. Additional funds were provided by the Wolfson Foundation and the University of Nottingham.

“Every millimetre of the CNL is an experiment in radical change”

And all this is done in buildings primarily constructed using steel and concrete—amongst the most energy intensive materials out there. With the Climate Emergency rapidly approaching a tipping point, we cannot continue to do science in this way.

A radical change is needed.

Every millimetre of the CNL is an experiment in radical change. The primary building material used is from around 100 sustainably managed alpine spruce trees.

The north-face is coated with wildflowers and grasses, allowing the biodiversity of the area to flourish. The only interruptions to the striking undulation are four horns, which gives the building the appearance of a rack of ribs from some angles. These aren’t there for aesthetics. They capture and direct wind to naturally ventilate the laboratory spaces and fume cupboards.

The power consumption for the labs in the CNL are 55% lower than the average modern chemistry lab and haveheating requirements 75% lower (Chemistry World, March 2017). In part, this is due to technology used in both the construction and operation of the building.

The energy requirements are met by a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power unit and an expansive array of photovoltaics. These are translucent, to allow natural light to flood into a communal space known as the Winter Garden. This space is used as a social and outreach space to showcase sustainable science.

“Misfortune is not the end, but an opportunity to learn and go again”

Of course, any discussion of the CNL can’t avoid the ironic elephant in the room: that the incomplete timber frame burnt down in 2014. The university still aims for the building to be carbon-neutral within 25 years. It certainly doesn’t shy away from the fire, either.

Fragments of the destroyed building are housed as art in display boxes, a series of graphite sketches depict a phoenix rising from the ashes. Misfortune is not the end, but an opportunity to learn and go again.

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Traditionally, chemistry is an energy and resource intensive discipline: fume cupboards continuously refresh vast volumes of air, water keeps experiments cool, solvent waste is destroyed by incineration, entire labs are maintained at a precise temperature with air conditioning and heating systems.

Sustainable science is about more than the building it is done in. It is about a change in attitudes and working styles. I am lucky enough to work in the building. The vast lab spaces are designed with collaboration at their core and shared by multiple research groups. Science is not a thing done by lone scientists in dingy basement labs. The CNL changes that perception.

Science is something to be shared, open and rooted in sustainability.

Matthew Bird

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SCIENCE

Global Warming –

the Staple of 2019 Youth In our energy-hungry world, global warming and climate change are issues growing more and more urgent everyday. They require change above investing in a trendy reusable Starbucks cup. Truthfully, to see a real impact, governmental change is essential – however, this is not happening.

“Greta Thumburg, a 16-year-old child, is evoking more change than governmental corporations are”

Where it scarcely is happening, it is still not addressed with anywhere near the urgency it deserves, and needs. With a recent rise in veganism and a huge drop in single use plastic, efforts have been somewhat evident from the public to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming and waste production. Yet, this effort is not reciprocated on a larger scale. Greta Thumburg, a 16-year-old child, is evoking more change than governmental corporations are.

Although former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn proposed a ‘green revolution’ if elected, it can be hard to trust any promises made by political leaders as of late. However, at least Corbyn is addressing the issue.

Boris Johnson did not even bother turning up to the climate change discussion held in the run up to the general election of the 12th December. Take of that what you wish.

Nina Slater

Page Design by Nina Shasha

Despite ignorance, the government can play a huge part in introducing policies that encourage cleaner energy like solar and wind. Due to this lack of larger scale change, it’s up to us, the public, to do what we can to reduce the impact of global warming and climate change. The world’s bane of toxic emissions is the meat and dairy industry – the United Nations released a statement saying that ‘livestock farming accounts for around 14.5 percent of our global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the global transport sector’ (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (2006)).

image courtesy of Pexels.com via Google Images

On a positive note, Greta is just a microcosm for the recent explosion of youths campaigning and demanding for governmental change in order to prevent irreversible climate change damage. There have been hundreds of thousands of pickets globally urging more urgency on the issue. To say the effect of global warming on the environment is detrimental is an understatement. Current Sky News data suggests that we need to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in developed countries by at least 80% by 2050 in order to have a chance of staying below an average temperature rise of over 2ºC .If the world temperature rises by two degrees, mountain glaciers and rivers will start to disappear and mountainous regions will see more landslides, as the permafrost that held them together melts away. By 2100, sea levels could rise by a metre, displacing 10% of the world’s population.

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IMPACT

SLOWING DOWN FAST FASHION Ella talks us through the environmental consequences of looking the part for a small cost, and the alternative ways we can style ourselves.

Wrap reports that in 2018, £140 million worth of clothing went straight to landfill. For every 30kg of clothing disposed of, only 4.5kg of it is recycled, according to leading clothing brand “Alarm bells are ringing Hawthorn. In essence, and the climate crisis is this means that more finally beginning to be than 30% of our taken seriously” unwanted clothing is wasted. Alarm bells are ringing and the climate crisis is finally beginning to be taken seriously, this is an area of fashion that needs to be and can be dramatically improved.

Fast fashion is defined as cheap, trendy clothing that moves quickly from catwalk to your wardrobe at an affordable price. The word worth focusing on here is ‘fast’. Companies such as Pretty Little Thing, Missguided or even high street stores such as Topshop would rather produce clothing quickly and cheaply in order to inflate their profit margins than make clothing ethically. It is a well-known fact that these stores are affordable despite (for the most part) being very high “High street stores would quality, but have you rather produce clothing quickly and cheaply in order ever stopped to ask to inflate their profit margins yourself why? than make clothing ethically”

The fashion industry used to run on four seasons a year: fall, winter, spring and summer. Respected fashion designers would spend many months and sometimes years planning ahead for each season to predict where trends would go and create what customers desire.

Before this point, following high fashion trends simply wasn’t accessible to the masses and was set-aside for those who belonged to high society (the upper and middle classes). This was until the Industrial Revolution and mass production came into play. Over the course of the 20th century, the fashion industry was speeding up and the costs were decreasing. Fast forward to 2019 and the fashion industry is at optimal speed bringing everyone and anyone fashionable, catwalk-worthy looks at an extremely low price.

‘The fast fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined’, according to Business Insider. In total up to 85% of textiles go into landfills each year whilst washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year – the equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles. If something isn’t done about this extremely detrimental industry, the damage to the environment will only worsen.

However, the “Encouraging consumers to invest rise of a very in pieces that are long wearing or different and versatile and promoting buying progressive clothing from second hand, charity fashion industry or vintage clothing stores” is coming into light – sustainable, slow fashion. War is being waged on single use plastic, meat and dairy and the fashion industry is now under pressure to follow suit and provide an ethical alternative to contribute to saving the planet.

By definition, sustainable “The fashion industry is now fashion is a movement and process fostering under pressure to follow change to fashion suit and provide an ethical alternative to contribute to products which includes manufacturing clothes saving the planet” via upcycling clothes or other unrecyclable materials, encouraging consumers to invest in pieces that are long wearing or versatile and promoting buying clothing from second hand, charity or vintage clothing stores.

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STYLE For example, a forerunner and proud spokesperson for the slow fashion industry is social media influencer and entrepreneur Grace Beverley. Grace is the founder of fitness accessory and guide company ‘B_ND’ and sustainable activewear brand ‘TALA’. Prior to founding her companies, Grace was a loud and proud vegan advocate. She made countless videos and posts speaking out about the benefits that going plant-based would have on the environment.

As the years progressed, her vegan lifestyle transformed her attitudes towards ethical fashion and eventually prompted her to start her own sustainable yet affordable activewear brand. In an interview with Euronews, Grace said ‘a lot of our stuff is made from up-cycled materials’ and her most recent collection is ‘made out of plastic bottles’. These materials would otherwise be going straight to landfill, so the fact TALA repurposes these otherwise wasted products is a massive step in the right direction.

Whilst both of the aforementioned brands are amazing in terms of offering affordable, sustainable and fashionable alternatives to the fast fashion industry they are by no means an exhaustive list of brands that promote ethical fashion, so it is important to conduct your own research in order to find brands that suit your style.

Here are some other ideas to support the sustainable fashion movement: 1. Charity, Vintage and second-hand clothing stores (such as Depop or Shpock) are your new best friend: Not only can stores such as these be extremely affordable (hallelujah to my bank account) but they also increase the life of clothing before they end up in landfill.

2. Send unwanted clothing items to clothes banks or charity shops: There are bins dotted around everywhere that accept clothes and give them straight to people who need them, such as the homeless. By doing this you’re not only helping the environment, but people in need too.

3. Try not to invest in low quality clothing from fast fashion brands: The idea here is that if you are to purchase from a brand that supports fast fashion, then it is worth your while buying something that will last you a long time and is timeless.

4. Wash smart!

Use the lowest temperature setting on your washing machine, check that your pods/cleaning detergent is good for the environment and if the packaging can be recycled, and then finally air-dry! Not only does this stop your clothes from shrinking but it uses less energy – win, win.

5. Stop being ignorant: Remember the phrase ignorance is bliss? Try telling that to your children in about 25 years time when our environment is completely wrecked. Get educated and know that this is just as much your problem as it is everybody else’s.

Ella Houghton

Illustrations & Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

Another very popular sustainable alternative is Everlane. Their tagline on their website states that they work with the ‘best, ethical factories around the world. Source only the finest materials… we call it Radical Transparency’. Their focus is on creating products that are designed to last. They place less focus on following high fashion trends, but instead create timeless products that can be worn today or in ten years time.

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IMPACT

The Influence

time to put an end to

Cairo, Egypt. A long-haired girl glides forwards, her arm outstretched behind her, as if beckoning a friend. In the background, a pyramid towers majestically over ancient ivory ruins, framed by candy-floss clouds of salmon and grey. No one else can be seen for miles. A few metres behind the camera, a dozen tourists chatter as they wait in line for their identical shot, clutching their cameras in anticipation.

Travel photos are now “ about looking in rather

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than looking out

In a world where ‘instagrammability’ has become a destination’s number one selling point, influencers have become the biggest advocates for discovering new places. They promote what, for many of us, is the possibility of adventure, curiosity, spontaneity and meaningful experiences which challenge who we are and how we view the world.

But what are they really promoting? In their quest for fame, travel influencers have inverted the very essence of travel. While photography was once a means of capturing spontaneous moments of exploration, travel photos are now about looking in rather than looking out. Rather than focusing on the scenery, influencers encourage us to focus on the camera, building our egos rather than our personal experiences. In their quests for self-promotion, the world’s most striking landscapes have been reduced to mere backdrops for our selfies, at the expense of adventure and real cultural immersion.

“ Some of us just want to

“

see the sights without a selfie stick blocking the view

TRAVEL

43

er Infestation:

o airbrushed travel?

As followers, we are seeing a very small and unauthentic portion of a destination, subject to hours of editing and filters, which all contribute to today’s FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) culture. Looking at their airbrushed lives, we feel less worthy, wondering why we do not share the same experiences. Or, when we finally visit the place, we will leave disappointed, having been exposed to the unedited reality. The problem with these posts is that many of us do not realise what they actually are – advertisements, employing all the regular techniques used to idealise a product.

“ Influencers are being

increasingly ruthless in their hunt for new material

Maria Lennard

Images courtesy of Altphotos

This is not to say that we should immediately unfollow all travel influencers or burn our cameras. Let’s face it, we have all been guilty of idealising our Instagram feeds.

Instead, it is about retaining the authenticity of travelling, refusing to let it turn into a brand and embracing the ‘imperfect’ destinations we might stumble across. So, next time you want to climb that mountain, or visit that monastery, don’t ‘do it for the gram’, do it for the adventure.

Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

“

Finally, travel influencers are spoiling it for the locals and for those of us who travel to really experience a destination. Some of us just want to see the sights without a selfie stick blocking the view, or to swim in a waterfall which is not occupied for a photoshoot.

Influencers are being increasingly ruthless in their hunt for new material, with Auschwitz banning selfies after a series of disrespectful photos were taken by British tourists.

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IMPACT

Is Eco-Friendly Travel Budget-Friendly?

Perhaps surprisingly to many people, sun cream is a big contributor towards the destruction of our oceans. Suncream washes off swimmers, with between 6000 and 14,000 tonnes of it entering the coral reefs each year. Researchers have linked the chemicals to the decay, with the main culprit being oxybenzone, a UV filtering ingredient destroying the DNA of coral and interrupting its reproduction. Check the packaging of your sun cream: there are options which will protect you from the sun effectively without damaging the oceans. UV Natural is a brand that meets the ideal formula, and it includes antioxidants, providing two benefits in just one bottle of cream.

“

Try not to tacitly support practices that exploit animals that are kept in captivity and used for entertainment

Sun cream washes off swimmers, with Anbetween 6000 and other 14,000 tonnes of it easy entering the coral reefs way each year in which you could maintain an eco-friendly approach to travelling is through your water usage. In many places, tap water is not healthy to drink, however, we also should not be relying on single-use plastic bottles from supermarkets.

A water-filter is a good solution, sustainable and ensuring clean water. Another option is

water-purification tablets, but a filter may prove to be more economically effective in the long-term. Making the most of locally produced food and drinks is another way of contributing. By seeking out traditional dishes which make use of local ingredients you can eat fresh, healthy food and subsequently support the local culture.

Finally, be kind to the animals! Try not to tacitly support practices that exploit animals that are kept in captivity and used for entertainment. Save money by avoiding dolphin shows or elephant riding experiences and leave them to their lives. Focus on exploring the towns, immersing yourself in the culture, eating the local delicacies and appreciating the beauty of being in a totally unfamiliar place.

Melina Williams

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Moreover, packing lighter – in order to reduce the weight of the plane, thus saving fuel – can have an impact. Having said that, flying, even in an improved state, is not the most environmentally friendly

By seeking out traditional dishes which make use of local ingredients you can eat fresh, healthy food and subsequently support the local culture

“

“

Next comes the transportation. In 2013, the World Bank found that flying first class can increase an individual’s carbon footprint by five times as much as travelling in economy. Save yourself some money and stick to the smaller leg space and questionable budget in-flight meals.

“

“

“

“

Quite obviously, the first step may be to book your vacation through an ethical travel company.

Companies such as Responsible Travel and Exodus support local communities and promote environmental awareness.

Additionally, don’t worry about being Flying, even in restricted on holiday an improved state, is not the destinations, as these most organisations environmentally cater for all of friendly mode the places you can of transport think of.

mode of transport. Where it is possible, travellers could try to go for a train journey rather than a plane.

“

Eco-friendly travelling refers to responsible practices when it comes to travel, which collectively seek to benefit the environment and wellbeing of locals. It is often assumed to be expensive – one of the main reasons why people do not get involved – however, in reality, it does not need to injure your wallet. Now is a great time to start contributing as the travel industry is already working to reduce its carbon footprint.

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ARTS

ON FIRE: A Poem About The Planet After seeing images of the fires in the Amazon, Impact’s Arts Editor turns her pen to exploring the damage we are causing to the environment in her poem ‘On Fire’.

The lungs of the world are on fire But life goes on And we don’t mind

we need our meat as species after species gets crossed off an extinction bingo, carving up corpses with plastic cutlery, carving up forests to crackle in flames but life goes on and we don’t mind we don’t feel the flames forget this climate crisis is causing each heatwave, these temperatures unprecedented and unseasonal but it’s unreasonable to complain when the sun’s shining, let’s lie on a lounger and roast our skin instead, only grumbling when infrastructure buckles trains get cancelled

we do our bit put out the recycling out of sight, out of mind, the pummelled plastic not reused or reduced but constantly consumed then shipped off to other nations turn their shores to wastelands turn the seas to polymer plastic but life goes on and we don’t mind we’ll go shopping instead for tonnes of cotton in the shape of a sweatshop t-shirt (sweated in once then never worn again) so go buy another, if you spend enough you might just fill up the plastic rattle of an empty heart as the world goes round and life goes on children and teens take to the streets in school uniform but grownups who’ve grown up in a society that wants it all shake their heads, knowing best, ignoring any evidence of catastrophe, belittling a teenager sailing the Atlantic

to tell the powers that be in their ageing, male glory to stop snoring, wake up smell the smoke

of a world

that is dying

in our hands.

Lauren Winson

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

because our world was not built for this but life goes on and we don’t mind

46

IMPACT

SUSTAINABILITY IN THEATRE

Daisy discusses the theatre industry’s need to implement sustainable approaches and explores enviromentally friendly stages from across the globe and here in Nottingham.

or a rather progressive form of art that has historically presented some of the most ground-breaking ideas, the mainstream theatre industry is surprisingly sedate in its attempts to be more sustainable. Whether it’s sourcing costumes from unethical retailers or causing emissions with the transportation of touring productions, theatre is making a contribution to global warming that can no longer be overlooked. Although creating theatre on a budget may not always make sustainability easy, Nottingham-based theatre company Chronic Insanity tells Impact how going green has been beneficial to their work.

“The mainstream theatre industry is surprisingly sedate in its attempts to be more sustainable” The conversation about creating more sustainable theatre has snowballed in recent years. With designer Tanja Beer boasting credits at the Sydney Opera House and branching out to some of the most significant venues across the globe, her work is sending ripples through the theatre world. Despite designing for highly acclaimed productions, Beer continues to abide by her principles of

‘ecoscenography’ and advocates the innovation of new ways to make her occupation sustainable.

Beer’s blog describes ‘The Living Stage’ as a “living, breathing, edible stage” that travels around the globe and is constructed entirely of plants and biodegradable material.

Whilst technological pioneers make advances that centralise the theatre sector in discussions about environmentalism, the invention of ‘The Living Stage’ breaks sustainable theatre (quite literally) down to its roots and creates productions that are not only carbon neutral but that actively nurture the environment. This is a prime example of how making theatre more environmentally friendly can act as a creative supplement rather than a hinderance.

But sustainable theatre is not only an unfamiliar practice that happens miles from home; Nottingham’s independent theatre company Chronic Insanity was founded by Nat Henderson and Joe Strickland in April 2019.

Whilst hoping to complete twelve shows in twelve months, Chronic Insanity’s fundamental objective is to ‘challenge every aspect of the theatre making process’.

By rethinking theatre spaces in order to reduce carbon footprint, Henderson and Strickland believe

that making their practice more sustainable has become ‘the catalyst for more inventive and exciting work’.

Admitting that their recent launch and smaller scale shows make sustainability more manageable, Strickland points out that ‘one of the biggest uses of energy in a theatre production is the travel of its audience’. For this reason, Chronic Insanity concentrate their promotion in local communities and use 360 video technology to broadcast their work further afield.

By scouring second-hand shops for props and costumes, as well as making their shows completely paper-free, Henderson and Strickland exemplify changes that could be easily implemented and are even economical for larger scale companies.

French author Andre Maurois professed that ‘Art is an effort to create, beside the real world, a more humane world’.

Illustration & Page Design by Kajal Bains

F

“Perhaps it is time for theatre-makers to blaze the path towards greater change throughout the creative industries” Daisy Forster

FILM

47

Hollywood’s ‘Eco-Warriors’: Are they doing enough?

Annabel delves into the eco-friendly actions of Hollywood’s elite.

Images courtesy of needpix.com and SVG.com

Annabel D’Monte

D’Monte

Although not going to the lengths of establishing a foundation in her name, actress Shailene Woodley has also contributed to climate awareness within Hollywood.

But while protests such as the climate strike made As well as frequently sharing environmentally conscious noise in the UK, the battle would arguably be best fought by those in positions of power and influence; posts on social media, she is known for having participated in physical action such as her involvement those with large support bases. Through this, the existence of Hollywood ‘eco-warriors’ has developed in the protest over the North Dakota pipeline. Protestors were concerned over how the transportation of oil would and more and more of us have subsequently been affect the water in the local area, as well as Native encouraged to act.

American habitats. Although she was arrested, its broadcast on social media to over 40,000 followers Numerous celebrities have vocalised their desire successfully brought this environmental issue to the for change amid climate fears and have shown a passion for climate activism in recent years. Among attention of the masses. these is Leonardo DiCaprio, who in 1998 established While physical activism such as this makes the biggest the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) to splash, recently many actors have been using their ultimately, ‘ensure the long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants’. The foundation, speeches as a vehicle of influence on a different as well as campaigning to end the current planetary audience. In September, Jason Mamoa used his speech at the United Nations to highlight what he called a ‘climate crisis, has also “[Leonardo DiCaprio] is emergency’ to high profile members of the world’s funded over 200 arguably one of the most governments. Similarly, smaller acts of support for the projects in 50 influential individuals in cause have increased through environmental countries with consciousness on the red carpet for example, with actors programs not only Hollywood promoting such as Emma Watson and Olivia Wilde promoting ethical specialising in environmental issues” fashion from more sustainable materials. climate change, but marine life and landscapes too. Although he has come under fire for However, for many actors, is the occasional post in the donor-advised nature of the foundation (they do support of Greta Thunberg or promoting sustainable not have to disclose exactly how the money is spent) fashion at awards ceremonies really making a big enough impact, especially when considering that the carbon it is evident that through activism on such a global footprint they produce in their daily lives can be rather scale, he is arguably one of the most influential large? That’s right, we see your private jet. individuals in Hollywood promoting environmental issues. Or at least the most widely publicised.

Page Design by Annabel

With the world currently in a climate crisis, it’s not surprising to see people raising awareness for the issue in any way they can.

‘‘Numerous celebrities have vocalised their desire for change amid climate fears and have shown passion for climate activism in recent years’’

Tahira takes a look at Hollywood blockbusters that have damaged the planet.

When you watch a film, how often do you consider its production? Part of the joy of cinema is the momentary suspension of disbelief. To forget about the circus behind the lens and enjoy the clipped, cropped and edited result. Yet does our willing suspension of disbelief leave us blind to the path of environmental destruction left in its wake?

This summer I found myself on a party boat circling the Thai island of Kho Pi Pi. The final destination of the trip was Maya Bay, the infamous setting of Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 film The Beach, which we could only look at from afar – the beach is now closed to tourists indefinitely.

“

Back in 2000, the filmmakers decided to strip away native vegetation, replace it with a nonindigenous species of coconut tree and flatten the entire beach

“

I can distinctly remember the tour guide’s fury as she spat: ‘We hate Leonardo DiCaprio in Thailand. He’s banned from this country’. Her Western tour guests chuckled nervously as she continued – ‘He’s f****d up the whole beach’.

Back in 2000, the filmmakers decided to strip away native vegetation, replace it with a non-indigenous species of coconut tree and flatten the entire beach.

After they left, the beach began to erode and environmentalists launched a lawsuit against Fox and the Thai agriculture ministry for the

damage to the beach. To make matters worse, the popularity of the film inspired thousands of tourists to flock there daily, further damaging the beach. The BBC reports, around 80% of the coral around Maya Bay has now been destroyed. The survival of Maya Bay’s precious ecosystem is still uncertain today; all that life flattened and polluted for just one hour and fifty-nine minutes of screen time.

“

The worrying trend appears Let us to be that big, money-fuelled not take this Hollywood blockbusters are not planet for held accountable for grantenvironmental crimes, simply ed’ is because money talks the plea DiCaprio ended his Oscars acceptance speech with.

Nearly two decades later, he is now one of Hollywood’s most prominent climate change activists.

His campaigning over the years has been ignored by some in the film industry. Controversy surrounds the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road over claims that the film crew endangered rare Namibian species of reptiles and cacti. In 2011, the filming of The Expendables 2 damaged a natural monument home to over forty endangered species; and in 2017, the filmmakers behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales were accused of dumping toxic liquid into a creek in Queensland. The worrying trend appears to be that big, money-fuelled Hollywood blockbusters are not held accountable for environmental crimes, simply because money talks.

While efforts have been made by some studios (20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures) to follow eco-friendly practises, there is still a long way to go before the film industry as a whole can be considered truly sustainable.

Climate change is real, it is happening right now – it’s high time Hollywood joined the fight for our planet.

Tahira Rowe

“

Blockbusters and Busted Ecosystems

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

IMPACT

48

GAMING

Gaming’s Dark Futures

Myron explores how our games flirt with the end of the world, and what it says about how we view our relationship with nature, the environment, and its future.

49

“Both feeding off 20th century anxieties around nuclear war”

Apocalypses to the left, dystopias to the right; game developers love to ask what if? What if the Cold War heated up? What if the world was overtaken by hordes of robots? What if humans turned our lush, green planet into one huge metropolis? Not the cheeriest subject, but gaming has certainly seen some interesting takes on the End of Times over the years.

Perhaps gaming’s premier post-apocalyptic series is Fallout. Running since 1997, it’s had a rocky few years recently, but its grimy, retro-futurist aesthetic has become iconic. The series takes place centuries after nuclear war has reduced our civilisation to a wasteland populated by hideously mutated creatures and pockets of human survivors. Soundtracked by classic 40s and 50s jazz and haunted by the jaunty ghost of US capitalism (Hi, Vault-Tech), the games feel frozen in time by catastrophe.

Fallout’s satire stays light-hearted, its worlds serving as sprawling playgrounds for the player. The Metro games don’t have time for such frivolity. Until the most recent entry, Metro: Exodus, these games were set in the underground metro systems of Moscow. Based on the novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, humanity hides underground in militant factions, fending off mutant threats with scarce resources.

Metro 2033 paints a bleak picture of the future - a horrific world devoid of Fallout’s humour. The franchises are two sides of the same coin: both feeding off 20th century anxieties around nuclear war. They each portray a mother nature crippled and contorted by short-sighted human politics, leaving the dregs of humanity to keep fighting amongst themselves.

But what if that climate degraded more gradually? The cyberpunk subgenre, spawning in part from science fiction novels of the ‘80s, runs with this idea. The Deus Ex series, started in 2000, then rebooted in 2011, portrays a dystopia grappling with transhumanism.

Many of us already carry an AI in our pocket, so cyberpunk’s bleak vision of a humanity so utterly disconnected from nature that it relates more to its own technology than the natural world it was once an intimate part of, hits ever closer to home. The whole planet is paved over.

Amongst the newest and fastest-developing art forms, the humble video-game is the perfect platform for exploring the future’s potential. Players can immerse themselves in these gloomy worlds unlike in any other medium, while learning thing along the way. Sure, word on the street is we’re already living in a dystopia, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun in another one.

“The humble videogame is the perfect platform for exploring the future’s potential”

Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

2018’s Detroit: Become Human comes at it from the opposite direction, toying with the development of androids’ sentience, searching for the divide between human and machine in a world where they are essentially a commodified slave-class.

Myron Winter-Brownhill

Images courtesy of gameboss.eu and fastcompany.com

Deus Ex: Human Revolution sees physical augmentations become widely available in mega-cities across the world, where corporations cripple the working class with the costs of drugs needed alongside them (thanks, big pharma). In Deus Ex, our connection with nature has become so frayed we’re actively rejecting our biological bodies.

50

Making Festivals Sustainable Music festivals are notorious for their pollution and plastic waste. Termeh explores the ways we can change that and build a more sustainable, fun-filled future.

Music festivals are a great way to gather the community around and to celebrate the success and rise of certain artists. However, one of the biggest questions for me has always been the aftermath of a festival. What happens to all the plastic waste? How much plastic is actually produced?

UK festivals like Reading and Leeds, Wireless and Glastonbury have been trying to tackle the issue of plastic waste since 2008 by installing on-site recycling bins, but this is still a serious problem due to the huge amount of plastic produced every year, such as plastic drink bottles, plastic straws, glitter, plastic food trays and toiletry bottles.

“Apart from festival organisers introducing new ways to become eco-friendly, people can also make small but rather important contributions”

Luckily, awareness of the horrid impact of plastic on the environment has grown a lot over the last few years, which leads us to these festivals pledging to go plastic free by 2021. In Norway, many festival organisers have changed beverage cups from plastic to PLA, a decomposable material made from plants. There are also new recyclable cardboard tents that have also been serving as a great sustainable camping option, since each year tens of thousands of tents end up in landfill.

Another great contribution to festival environmentalism is the youth volunteers that are helping pick up debris and waste from the area to be recycled. These volunteers contribute to festival sustainability, as they can also raise awareness of these efforts through social media and gather more members.

Apart from festival organisers introducing new ways to become eco-friendly, people can also make small but rather important contributions. It’s estimated that over one million bottles of water are consumed over the duration of festivals. However, this can easily be reduced, as many festivals have taps located throughout the grounds. So, get yourself a reusable bottle and help reduce waste even more. Truthfully, being sustainable can even begin before the festival, as you can plan your trip in the greenest way possible. If you’re driving alone or getting a lift from your parents, why not ask other friends to join? There are also other travel options like booking festival buses.

A few days ago, I encountered a video showing the creation of edible utensils made from corn and potato, which got me wondering: why not make disposable utensils in festivals an actual thing?

Finally, always remember to recycle! Yes, we all know people will clean up after the festival is over, but why not start by recycling your waste during the festival itself?

“Luckily, awareness of the horrid impact of plastic on the environment has grown a lot over the last few years”

Termeh Mousavian

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

IMPACT

Illustration & Page Design by Holly Marr

MUSIC 51

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IMPACT

Environmental Sportswashing in Football Massively wealthy individuals or corporations taking over beloved football clubs is nothing new. Juventus have been owned for years by the family behind Fiat, Blackburn’s success in the 1990s was fueled by Jack Walker, and, most notoriously of all, you have Roman Abramovich’s takeover of Chelsea in 2003. The difference between these and the takeovers this past decade or so by entities such as Abu Dhabi United Group at Manchester City, is that the dual purpose at play is more complicated.

“Associating their wealth with football and other sports helps people to forget that the money that is footingthese bills is primarily coming from the sale of oil and driving climate change”

The old model of a relatively local wealthy benefactor coming in and changing a side’s fortunes for emotional reasons was to a degree finished by the time of the Chelsea takeover. Then it became a situation where the mega wealthy could bask in the reflected glory from long-suffering clubs. Both of these had the secondary purpose of individual or familial reputation benefit.

However, now you have the situation whereby certain clubs are being taken over effectively by nations as an extension of their PR enterprises. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City being the most notorious of these.

These cases create a situation where not only are you able to create associations in the global public’s heads with your country and the aesthetically pleasing styles of football these teams play, you are able to acquire a set of fans who will defend you from criticism simply based on their allegiances.

Whilst the intent may be more with regards to creating positive associations and acquiring defenders in terms

of human rights issues, such as Qatar’s PSG acquisition distracting from human rights abuses in building their stadiums for the next world cup, this also serves them from an environmental front. Associating their wealth with football and other sports helps people to forget that the money that is footing these bills is primarily coming from the sale of oil and driving climate change.

The effectiveness of this has then seen it spread beyond football and beyond investment arms of nations.

Saudi Arabia has distracted from many similar issues both social and oil-based through pushing investment in putting on combat sports events as well as horse racing, with constant rumours of a football takeover somewhere.

Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have funded an America’s Cup team, taken over cycling’s

“Using football teams and other sporting enterprises to distract from how you have made your money is a trick as old as the sport itself”

Team Sky and OGC Nice in France’s Ligue 1, and, most notably, were behind Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-2 hour marathon. This all has the fortuitous coincidence of people knowing this fairly nondescript sounding company for these sporting achievements instead of the closure of their plant in Middlesbrough due to air pollution issues as well as their pursuit of fracking.

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Impact looks at the use of team ownership to mask where the money comes from.

Using football teams and other sporting enterprises to distract from how you have made your money is a trick as old as the sport itself. The difference here is that it is not just about this distraction, but about the future of our planet on a fundamental level.

Callum McPhail

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SPORT

WASTE IN This article takes a look at just how detrimental some aspects of sports can be on the environment as well as ways leading organisations could seek to negate these effects

inseparable in design from the ones the year before. Although it’s seemingly easy for clubs to exploit their fans for a few extra millions, perhaps it’s worth holding off production of jerseys every year as they have an adverse effect on the environment.

The main fabric used in producing jerseys is polyester which poses many benefits for the consumer (one of which being its non-wrinkle quality) but not for our planet. Polyester is one of the worst fabrics for production environment-wise as it’s made from petroleum, which means it’s particularly hard to degrade and, with the ease in which fans churn over old kits for new ones every year, it is no surprise this particular concern is now being raised more frequently. Owing to the evermore capitalistic world we live in, perhaps hoping for clubs to cut down on a major source of revenue in exchange for a cleaner environment may seem a far cry but it is one worth making.

“In the Premier League for instance, it It’s not all doom and gloom though, many is reported that each sports teams are now starting to take game generates about more proactive actions in limiting waste 750,000 plastic bottles whether it is through enforcing stricter and seven tonnes of regulations on wastage within the arenas waste” or ensuring kit producers use more biodegradable fabrics to make jerseys.

These are admirable steps but none is more important than raising as much awareness as possible amongst fans and the general public as I hope this article has just done.

Ben Ofungwu

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

On a day when we go to a sports stadium to watch our favourite teams or players perform, not many of us think about waste (unless your shiny new striker is failing to deliver), but should we? As the number of fans who flock to stadiums grows, so does the level of waste, from the plethora of plastic cups and beer cans to the ubiquitous flags that remain after the game. How big a worry is this, you may wonder? Well, quite significant when we check the stats. In the Premier League for instance, it is reported that each game generates about 750,000 plastic bottles and seven tonnes of waste. When we factor in the 380 games that take place in each Premier League season, the numbers start to look absurd. It appears the FA are aware of this and are now looking to combat this crisis but what should they be looking to do? One way could be implementing what the NFL did a few years ago in the 2015 Super Bowl and make it a communal effort to clear all the garbage that remains after the game, even getting the little ones involved by recycling some of the used flags for art and crafts in school. As invested as we are in our sports teams, we should be even more invested in the wellbeing of the planet where sport resides.

“As invested as we are in our sports One source of waste that is within the control teams, we should be of sports teams is sports jerseys. The biggest even more invested sports organisations such as Los Angeles Lakers, Barcelona and the New York Yankees in the wellbeing of typically roll out new jerseys for their fans the planet where every year, and often, the newer kits are sport resides”

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IMPACT

The Cost Of Following Your Team Abroad The environmental costs of away trips for fans in Europe and beyond...

With these continental football ties,

This then becomes a question of flying or not going to the match at all

their team through the tournament. The issue with these then becomes more about the numbers traveling a long distance to get to the country in the first place, like with any iteration of the Olympics in recent memory, where there will be significant amounts of travel from all over.

Whilst there are ways of offsetting or taking less impactful transport, the trend towards decentralising tournaments or “spreading the game” to areas further away from heartlands is creating situations where there is no good answer for environmentally conscious fans.

Graphic & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

“

These alternative options are more possible when it is an international tournament rather than a continental cup competition. For these, it will generally be a case of return flights, with maybe one set of flights to another venue, and local public transport. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, for example, whilst you have the major impact of flying there, you can more or less get to all the events using local transport.

Even for tournaments that are more spread out, such as the recent Women’s football World Cup in France, once in the country, it was possible for fans to get trains from Paris to Lyon or Marseille in order to follow

“

The issue with these then becomes more about the numbers traveling a long distance to get to the country in the first place

“

If you were a Liverpool fan wanting to go to your side’s away ties in this year’s Champions League group stages, your plane journeys would have emitted 548kg of CO2 according to Guardian calculations, and that is excluding your travel to and from London as well as to and from some of the destinations.

This is just for three relatively close matches in Salzburg, Naples and Genk and not for the travel further afield such as last year’s Europa League final in Baku or the buildup over 4 knockout rounds. When you have the sort of numbers traveling in support of the bigger sides in Europe, who will also probably be progressing for a couple of rounds, this will add up to create a serious environmental impact.

the obvious alternative is, to a degree, off the table. Train journeys beyond London would simply take too long to be feasible, many needing an additional day or two off work in most cases. With some supporters getting flights immediately after the match, the extra time it takes to travel by train across the continent removes it as an option. For most this then becomes a question of flying or not going to the match at all. Whilst there are some options for offsetting your journeys commercially, this is forcing supporters to seek out a way to mitigate their impact.

Callum McPhail

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55

SPORT

The Impact of Vegan Diets on Athletes This article explores the influence veganism and plant-based diets are having on the sports world, from extending players’ careers to boosting overall fitness levels

Many athletes have credited their faster recovery times to a change in their diet. No matter what level you play at, being able to recover as quickly as possible is a great attribute. This couldn’t be truer for athletes in the NBA where the gruelling schedules see some teams having to play on consecutive days.

It’s for this reason that stars such as Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Damian Lillard have sought to find a way to cope with the demands of the league by turning to vegan diets. With all three being vital to their respective teams’ success, each have gone up a level in their career since adopting plant-based diets. Lillard in particular highlighted how crucial a change in diet has been for him, claiming he has felt a lot better as he hoped to feel lighter this season and go easy on his joints.

The threat of heart disease is one that looms large over the general public and it does not spare athletes either. Plant-based diets cut out the major culprits of heart disease such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Aside from preventing potential diseases,

“Vegan diets are a great way of treating conditions that one may already be grappling with” For example, when tennis star Venus Williams was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition in 2011 (one that could’ve led to a premature end to her career), she turned to veganism to improve her overall health.

It is this change that has seen her remain competitive in the following years since the diagnosis even as she approaches 40 and one which she claims, ‘changed her whole life’. Of course, it did not take long for her 23 times grand slam winning sister, Serena Williams, to once again follow her older sister’s footsteps by embracing this diet change, and she too is now reaping the rewards.

Tom Brady, who is often regarded as the best quarterback in NFL history, is another who has benefited from switching to a more plant-based diet as he is now in his 20th season playing, at the age of 42.

Although not being fully vegan, reports claim that his diet is 80 percent plant-based and it is through this that Brady is able to keep going strong in his forties, being the oldest player to ever win MVP. Other notable athletes such as Novak Djokovic, JaVale McGee, Chris Paul and Wilson Chandler have all turned to vegan diets to keep their game up as they coast through their thirties.

There is no doubt that veganism is growing rapidly in the sporting world and, with it providing great results as well as research intensifying on how exactly it’s helping us, it appears it may be more than just a fad.

Ben Ofungwu

“Veganism certainly has a strong correlation with athletes who keep performing to a high level even as they age”

Graphic & Page Design by Kajal Bains

Veganism and sport is a combination that many would perhaps not have seen coming a couple decades ago but now in 2020, they are proving to be a very popular duo. With many high profile athletes now turning to vegan diets, it’s worth examining just how advantageous it may be.

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IMPACT

Euro 2020

Impact considers the effects of changing the format for Euro 2020 from an environmental perspective.

Whilst much of the fuss over the new-look, decentralised Euro 2020 is about the impact on the tournament as a spectacle and a sporting contest, you also have plenty of knock on effects in terms of the environmental impact.

Matches will be taking place in 12 stadia from Dublin to Baku, with some only being used for group stage matches, and the semi-finals and final taking place at Wembley. The tournament being spread out has potentially changed things for better and for worse, while the retention of 2016’s expansion will have a distinct but reduced impact in all probability.

- The tournament being spread out may lead to spectators traveling to the stadium nearest them to attend games instead of having tourists from all over Europe travel to a single country which may be more on the margins geographically. This is further boosted by the draw for the group stages allocating teams that had already qualified for the groups with matches hosted in their countries. Ensuring that host nations will be playing at home should create a low impact situation environmentally.

- Expanding the tournament created a situation where it was more likely to have clusters of teams where fans may not have to travel too far in order to follow their progress.

Scotland have not gone to a major tournament since 1998, and now, with how the draw has worked out, could be playing their group stage matches in London with minimal environmental impact.

“Ensuring that host nations will be playing at home should create a low impact situation environmentally”

“A Swiss fan who wants to watch all three group stage matches would have to go from Baku to Rome and back again”

Drawbacks - Having the tournament so spread out means that fans who want to follow the entiretyof their team’s run may have to rack up some serious air miles. You could potentially have fans traveling from East to West, moving from the group stages through to the knockouts. The closest two stadia are in London and Amsterdam, which, with the potential lack of advanced planning, would still entail a flight for fans to travel between the two. At worst, you have the potential journey from Dublin to Baku. Most of these journeys will be further than intranational ones in the traditional host model, particularly with the potential crisscrossing.

- For those from countries who are not hosting group stage matches, you would still have to travel from one country to another even just for those games. A Swiss fan who wants to watch all three group stage matches would have to go from Baku to Rome and back again. These travels are added to by the fact that you also have to include how they are getting to these locations from their home country in the first place.

- An expanded tournament means that you are adding in more teams, meaning more travel, with some coming from further away.

The playoffs include Georgia, Iceland and Israel, all of whom would create significantly more air miles for fans. Whilst it could work out with nations having closer hosts than in the past, it is still introducing more fans into the equation.

Callum McPhail

Illustration & Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee

Benefits

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Reduce Reuse RE-CRAINE..?

Phoebe (C)Raine shares her crafty habits Impact puts on a beautifully colourful spread five times a year, packed with images, designs and, of course, incredible content.

Whilst the articles are amazing and the designs stunning, there is only so long one can hold onto each copy before wanting to de-clutter. As fate decides, our magazine usually heads to the recycling bin, a green yet sad act. Why waste such gorgeous colours and photos when there are so many uses for them? My own personal approach is that of recycled earrings, made using editions of Impact.

“How on earth?” I hear you cry. The answer is origami, more specifically, paper cranes made using origami. The colours and patterns of Impact’s pages are perfect for recycling to create an array of shapes and creatures, with my favourite being the crane which can be made in all sizes and attached to wire designs to create fun (and exceptionally light) earrings.

If earrings aren’t your thing, paper cranes can lighten up any dull windowsill, be they huge or tiny, complemented by the gorgeous colours of Impact.

Phoebe Raine

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