In his best-selling book 21 Lessons for the 21st Century , historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari explains that the principle of democracy operates on the aphorism that “you can fool some of the people all of the time, you can fool all of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all...
New Fashion Revolution Report Calls for Field-to-Fabric Transparency
Global ethical fashion movement Fashion Revolution have released a new report that demands radical transparency at every tier of the supply chain. Out of Sight: A call for transparency from field to fabric was produced in support of the Tamil Nadu Declaration, a pledge to eradicate severe labour exploitation in the textile manufacturing hub of...
Keyboard Warriors: Does Signing an Online Petition Actually Achieve Anything?
Digital times call for digital measures. We have digital banking, digital shopping, digital learning, and yes, even people power and activism have taken the digital route. Prior to the internet revolution, people had to take to the streets to voice out their concerns and demands. But now, there are digital platforms that serve as a...
Extinction Rebellion’s “Fashion Act Now” Campaign Calls on Industry to Radically Transform
As part of their new campaign Fashion Act Now, Extinction Rebellion have composed a letter to the fashion industry in multimedia format quoting words from industry titans. Filmed, directed and edited by Tessa Edwards and Kailash Bharti and narrated by intersectional climate activist Tori Tsui, the video was released during Paris Fashion Week September 2020 and calls...
#PayUp Pressure Pays Off: Brands Commit to Paying Billions to Garment Factories
One of the most severely affected industries by the coronavirus lockdowns is the fashion industry. With people all around the world staying home and losing jobs, buying new clothes is first to be crossed off every struggling family’s essentials list. But what does this mean to garment workers and their families? One word – DEVASTATION....
#CancelNetflix in Response to the Film ‘Cuties’: Too Little, Too Late
The hashtag #CancelNetflix recently trended on Twitter, and the reactions it has elicited from individuals across the globe is a clear indication that Netflix may have crossed the line. This public outcry for the cancellation of Netflix was in reaction to the release of the movie ‘Cuties’, and far from being another baseless example of...
Patagonia Gets Political (Again) With New Garment Tags: “Vote the Assholes Out”
As if to coincide with prestigious science publication Scientific American’s first ever presidential endorsement in its 175-year history (it backed Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the upcoming US election explaining that they were “compelled to do so… because [Trump] rejects evidence and science”) pioneering sustainable outdoor retailer Patagonia is also making its political position clear...
#ZimbabweanLivesMatter: What is Happening in Zimbabwe and Why We Should Care
If I had to guess, the question on the lips of anyone who has come across the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter on Twitter would be: what is happening in Zimbabwe? And the answer is, well, a lot; but for everyone’s benefit, let’s start with the basics. Zimbabwe is a landlocked African nation with a population of about 15.6...
Voices on the Road: New Documentary on Indigenous Rights and the Future of the Amazon
On 13 August [today] a new documentary, Voices on the Road, will launch online worldwide, following a year of screenings at international film festivals such as Tampere Film Festival. The 23-minute documentary follows the building of a road that is quietly destroying a protected rainforest deep in the remote Peruvian Amazon, causing conflict, fear and...
9 Words and Phrases to Remove From Your Vocabulary in Support of Black Lives Matter
We have come a long way from the first men who lived in caves but as affluent as we grow in the mastery of many languages, somehow we often forget why certain words are profoundly offensive to our friends (and foes) of other races. Since the wrongful killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna...
The Plastic Crisis: It’s a People Problem, Not a Plastic Problem
As Plastic Free July draws to a close, once again, I am drawn to some evaluation and reassessment on what it is about and what is achieved. For those who don’t know, Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution by providing resources...
Why Canceling the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a Big Win for the Environment
After six years of legal battles and controversy, Duke Energy and Dominion Energy announced the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project. Though the project sought to bring a lower-cost and lower-emitting energy source to the coal-burning homes and industries in Virginia and North Carolina, many deemed the project unnecessary. They felt it did not...