online shopping

Making Sustainable And Climate-Friendly Choices When Online Shopping 

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The internet is a vast resource that has created easy ways for us to purchase essentials. Clothing, furniture, electronics, groceries, and more are all available with the click of a button. The growth of technology and the conversation surrounding climate change has occurred simultaneously. With so many ways to shop online, the number of products labeled as “sustainable” has also increased. 

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However, it can become difficult to distinguish how sustainable certain online shopping habits actually are. The term “sustainability” is so vast that it’s hard to determine if our actions are actually helping the environment. So what can we look out for to make the best choices before clicking purchase?

Third-party nonprofit organizations, study manufacturers, and government programs such as the Agriculture Department’s organic certification and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star efficiency standard all offer easy ways to find sustainable digital shopping options. 

Elwyn Grainger-Jones, who leads a nonprofit that certifies product sustainability, told the Associated Press that “there also isn’t a single clearinghouse that tracks which third-party certifications are the most credible.”

“Therein lies an issue and a challenge. What we haven’t seen so far is a third-third party step in and be the information portal on what a good certification is,”  said Grainger-Jones, CEO of Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

According to a study recently published in Environmental Science and Technology, there are cases where a person shopping online may emit less emissions than they would if they went to the store. Of course, this depends on which site they’re on, the shipping speed they choose, and how close they live to a brick-and-mortar alternative. 

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Third-party certification generally is meant to show that an independent group studied sustainability factors. Some focus on certain specific issues while others look at a more general holistic picture. 

Certification labels are also widely varied. Some retailers place them directly on the product and others have them listed on the manufacturer’s website. Larger retail bodies typically list them in their product descriptions. 

“Ideally you want to look for some certifying bodies because they’ve removed some of that up-front labor that as a consumer you otherwise might have to do,” said Clementina Consens who works for B-Lab, which certifies companies that meet environmental and social standards.

Grainger-Jones said “some companies create their own self-certifications that look convincing but don’t mean much. You can go and buy a self-declared certificate for a couple of thousand dollars.”

Consens stated that companies that are serious about sustainability need to not only have their manufacturing and shipping practices properly assessed, but need to make that information easily accessible to their customers. This builds a foundation of trust between the company and consumer.

Specifically, Consens looks to see if a given company has completed an environmental impact assessment, if they make that information public, and whether or not they have data on the company’s greenhouse gas emissions, water, or energy use.

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The Curious Case of ‘SuperAgers’: How Some People Over 80 Keep Minds as Sharp as Ever

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At 85, Sel Yackley is busier than most people half her age. Her days are filled with civic organization meetings, choir practice, book clubs, gym workouts, and knitting scarves for the homeless. She even finds time to get 7.5 hours of sleep a night, according to her Fitbit.

She’s also a SuperAger — a rare class of individuals 80 or older whose memory performance rivals that of people decades younger. As researchers at Northwestern University’s Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease explain, Yackley is more than just a high-functioning anomaly. She’s a living clue in a scientific mystery that may reshape how we understand aging.

When most people think of aging, they picture cognitive decline, memory lapses, and slower recall. But the SuperAgers at the center of Northwestern’s long-running study defy these expectations.

Since 2000, nearly 300 older adults have participated in the Northwestern University SuperAging Program (NUSAP), which focuses on individuals whose memory — particularly their delayed word recall — remains robust well into their 80s, 90s, and even beyond.

Yackley, who moved to Chicago from Turkey, credits both her genes and her spirit. Her parents lived into their late 80s, and she maintains a lifestyle rich in engagement and purpose.

“I think it’s partly your determination to live a long life and your activities that enable you to do so,” she told NBC News. She also encourages older adults to “pursue things that make you proud.”

So what exactly makes a SuperAger tick? That’s the question researchers at the Mesulam Center have been asking for the past 25 years. Their latest findings, published this week in “Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association,” shed light on both the lifestyle habits and biological features that distinguish SuperAgers from their peers.

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Dr. M. Marsel Mesulam first coined the term “SuperAger” in the late 1990s. Since then, his team — now led, in part, by Dr. Tamar Gefen, a neuropsychologist and associate professor at Northwestern — has taken a multi-pronged approach, including cognitive testing, lifestyle analysis, and post-mortem brain studies.

Interestingly, Gefen notes that most SuperAgers have one major thing in common: connection.

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily social connections, it’s just connections in general. There are people who are connected to the land, there are people who are connected to their ancestry, people who are connected to their grandchildren, who are connected to their art. You don’t see a lot of detached SuperAgers.”

To explore the neuroscience behind this phenomenon, researchers have autopsied nearly 80 brains of SuperAgers and compared them to those of neurotypical older adults. They focused on two biological markers heavily linked to Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid plaques and tau tangles.

SuperAgers had significantly fewer tau tangles in memory-critical regions of the brain — despite having similar levels of amyloid buildup.

This raises a provocative question, Gefen says: “Are we really targeting the right target if SuperAgers and their peers have similar amounts of amyloid?”

Their brains also feature larger entorhinal neurons, which play a key role in memory, and an abundance of von Economo neurons — rare cells believed to be associated with social intuition and complex emotions.

While some scientists believe these neural traits may be present from birth, researchers are now digging deeper into the cellular and genetic makeup of SuperAgers to understand how these advantages are maintained over time.

Of course, lifestyle alone doesn’t paint the full picture.

“Genetics is a part of it, definitely,” Gefen explains. For instance, some SuperAgers lack the high-risk gene variants associated with Alzheimer’s, such as APOE4. People of European descent who inherit two copies of APOE4 have up to a 60% chance of developing Alzheimer’s by age 85, but SuperAgers often don’t carry that burden.

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“Our guess is that [SuperAgers] are probably born with these kinds of structural protections, but we’re now going really deep into the molecular mechanisms of the cell in order to figure out what is keeping that cell strong.”

Gefen is interested in whether the genes that SuperAgers harbor can prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Is there a gene, let’s say, that’s related to the immune system, that is over-expressed in SuperAgers that can be manipulated to then help individuals protect themselves?”

SuperAgers are rare — at least for now. During the program’s initial recruitment period, only about 10% of participants met the criteria for being a SuperAger. Today, 101 active participants, aged 81 to 111, continue to contribute data, perspective, and even their eventual brain tissue to science.

And they come from all walks of life. Some are health nuts; others still enjoy the occasional vice. Some had stable, happy lives; others endured serious trauma and hardship. What unites them isn’t a perfect past — it’s resilience, purpose, and cognitive performance that stand out against the odds. “These SuperAgers know that they have a gift,” Gefen says.

Sel Yackley has already arranged for her brain to be donated to Northwestern’s Brain Bank — and, she hopes, her organs as well.

“Hopefully, maybe my heart or my kidneys can be used for transplanting. I don’t want to be underground.”

She’s still got things to do, though. The retired journalist and travel agent is currently tackling a scrapbook of her life. She logs about 4,200 steps a day and keeps her social calendar full. Her next goal? Making it to 90.

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Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Bag Sells At Auction For $10 Million 

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The first ever Birkin bag created by Hermès for British actor and singer Jane Birkin was recently sold for $10 million (€8.6 million), becoming the most expensive handbag to be sold at auction. 

Before the iconic Hermès bag became the face of luxury, it was used by Jane everyday from 1985 to 1994. This month, her bag was sold by auction house Sotheby’s in an online sale of notable luxury fashion including pieces designed by Alexander McQueen and Christian Dior. 

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When CNN reached out to the auction house they declined to give an estimate of the original Birkin before the auction took place, but advanced bidding already broke records reaching roughly $1,155,000 (€1 million). The audience at the auction was engaged and shocked as the price continuously increased. 

The bidding lasted around 10 minutes among nine collectors. According to a press release from Sotheby’s, the auction ended with a private collector from Japan winning the bag. 

Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and accessories stated that this “historic sale is an important milestone” when it comes to the history of fashion. 

“It is a startling demonstration of the power of a legend and its capacity to ignite the passion and desire of collectors seeking exceptional items with unique provenance,” she said in the press release. 

“The sale of the Original Birkin is also, ultimately, a celebration of the enduring spirit and appeal of its muse, Jane Birkin.”

Birkin bags have long held the record for being the most expensive handbags sold at an auction. In 2022, Sotheby’s sold a white-diamond-studded Diamond Himalaya Birkin for over $450,000. In 2021, Christie’s sold a crocodile-skin version for around $390,000. 

The previous record for most expensive handbag sold was a diamond and crocodile Kelly Birkin bag for $513,040. 

Jane Birkin initially sold her bag in 1994 to benefit AIDS research, and since that point it’s changed hands multiple times. It made public appearances in exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The last time it was up for auction was 25 years ago by someone who went by Catherine B to Sotheby’s.

At the time, Catherine B said that the sale made her “relive [her] own bidding battle, and how raw and indescribable the feeling of winning over the wonderful bag was.”

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Jane Birkin passed away in 2023 when she was 76-years-old. At the time, she joked to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that people would remember her the most for her style and for sporting one of the most recognizable and expensive accessories on the market today. 

“Bless me, when I’m dead … people will possibly only talk about the bag.”

Sotheby’s stated that the original Birkin has multiple distinctions that separates it from later versions that we more commonly know today. The handbag’s size, metal rings, hardware, and shoulder strap were never replicated, and the front flap features Jane’s initials “J.B.” 

Sotheby’s also said that since Jane liked to keep her nails neatly trimmed, a pair of silver nail clippers were attached to the shoulder strap. The bag also shows marks of its extensive use from Jane with discoloration from two stickers she adorned on it. 

Birkin bags in today’s modern era of luxury fashion are treated as investments to keep in pristine condition to accumulate more value. However, the origins of the bag were meant to offer practicality in a luxury market. 

In 1984, Jane was sitting next to former Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight from Paris to London. As a mother of three, Jane told the chairman that she couldn’t fine a purse that was spacious enough to suit all of her needs, and instead opted to carry around a large wicker basket, according to Sotheby’s. 

In a future interview, Jane recalled how she wanted a bag that was “half the size of a suitcase. “He said, ‘Well, draw it for me,’ and so I drew it on one of those sick bags — the vomit bags — in the airplane,” she said.

In 1985, Hermès delivered the original bag, and ended up gifting her four more throughout her life. 

“It is incredible to think that a bag initially designed by Hermès as a practical accessory for Jane Birkin, has become the most desirable bag in history and will most likely continue to be so for many years to come,” said Halimi in a press release ahead of the auction.

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Teenagers Who Are Addicted To Their Screens Are More Likely To Have Emotional And Behavioral Issues 

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According to new research, teenagers who show signs of being addicted to their phones, social media, and/or video games are at a much greater risk of dealing with emotional issues and suicidal behavior. 

In a recent study published in the journal Jama, more than 4,000 adolescents were tracked for four years. It found that about one in three teenagers reported increasingly addictive use of social media and smart phones. Those who were on that increasingly addictive track had about double the risk of suicidal behavior towards the end of the four years. 

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While screen time wasn’t directly linked to the mental health issues that arose, the compulsive and addictive nature of smart phone use paralleled the increase in risk. 

“For parents and educators, the discussion around mobile phones and social media has focused on limiting or banning use, but our results indicate more complex factors are involved,” Dr Yunyu Xiao, an assistant professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine and first author of the study, said. 

“Testing interventions that work against other types of addiction may be one way to approach this type of social media and mobile phone use.”

Mental health problems in younger people have been on the rise consistently, and the increase in advanced technology has fueled that rise. 

Within the study, the researchers were specifically looking for signs of “addictive use” when it came to the youths’ connection to their devices. These signs included the smart devices impeding on their ability to focus on school, exercise, and withdrawal symptoms when they were without their devices. 

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For mobile phones, around half of the kids reported highly addictive use from the beginning of the study and remained at a high level through their early adolescence. 41% of children had high or increasingly addictive use of social media, which was associated with having a two to three times greater risk of suicidal ideation/behavior. 

“There are many factors that would induce addictive feelings, such as the designs of the social media or video games, some kids may also experience bullying and more adverse childhood that they find using phones more comfortable, but later they cannot stop using it,” Xiao said.

“We do not know if just taking away access will help, unless it is taking away access 24/7, because we know from studies of addiction management that partial access can quickly reinforce the addiction,” he said.

Professor Amy Orben, who leads the Digital Mental Health Group at the University of Cambridge, said while the study could not fully prove that technology use caused mental health problems, it spotlights a very important issue that has been growing since the start of the digital age. 

“The study importantly highlights that why and how young people use technologies, and how they feel technologies affect their lives, may matter more to their mental health than the time spent online,” she said.

“As those reporting such issues are not a small proportion of the population, supporting them should be taken seriously.”

netflix

Netflix to Overhaul User Experience With TikTok-Style Feed and AI Search

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Netflix announced Tuesday that it will soon test a new, vertically-scrolling feed that is specifically catered to the watching patterns of its users, embracing the trend made popular by social media platforms like TikTok. According to the streaming giant, customers will be able to access this feature alongside a revamped new home page in the coming weeks or months, depending on the viewer’s location.

The new feature will utilize short-form video clips from Netflix’s extensive catalog of movies and shows, personalized based on viewing history. Users can interact with these snippets by swiping through them to watch, save favorites, or share them directly with friends, mirroring the intuitive user experience that has made apps like TikTok immensely popular.

Netflix Chief Product Officer Eunice Kim explained the reasoning behind the platform’s new direction during a virtual event.

“We know that swiping through a vertical feed on social media apps is an easy way to browse video content, and we also know that our members love to browse our clips and trailers to find their next obsession, so in the coming weeks, we’ll be testing a vertical feed filled with clips of Netflix shows and movies to make discovery easy and fun.”

This test won’t be universally available immediately. Netflix clarified to Fast Company that the trial phase will initially reach only select mobile users. Those chosen will encounter a customized stream labeled as “top picks for you.”

Netflix previously experimented with vertical video in 2021 via two niche apps: Fast Laughs, which showcased comedy segments, and Kids Clips, designed for younger audiences.

The current initiative, however, broadens this strategy to encompass Netflix’s entire library, significantly enhancing content discovery. “This is not the first change we’ve made to our home page,” said Kim in a briefing with reporters.

“We’ve been constantly improving it over the last 12 years, mostly behind the scenes, but now, thanks to a combination of new technology and the expansion of our entertainment offerings, we think it’s time to take a giant leap forward.”

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Steve Johnson, Netflix’s head of design, previously expressed concerns regarding two key issues: content discovery and competition from mobile-focused, short-form video platforms that capture substantial viewing hours. By adopting a familiar vertical swipe experience, Netflix aims to enhance content visibility and retain users within its ecosystem longer.

The broader move reflects a significant industry shift, with vertical video formats originally popularized by TikTok now permeating various apps. Social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube have adapted short-form interfaces, while streaming services like Tubi have launched similar discovery tools. Even Uber Eats has launched a new short-form video feed aimed at highlighting dishes from leading merchants.

Netflix’s strategy cleverly leverages viewer habits and the viral potential of bite-sized, shareable clips. By curating and controlling snippets from its own content, Netflix can ensure quality representation across platforms, simultaneously fostering organic, user-generated marketing.

If Netflix’s pilot proves successful, other streaming platforms may follow suit, exploring ways to adapt their content libraries to this increasingly influential viewing format.

The vertical feed experiment is just part of several new design features Netflix revealed, which include a revamped “My Netflix” section where users can manage their personalized lists, receive reminders for upcoming episode releases, and access their continue-watching lists.

Additionally, the streaming giant’s homepage is being updated to quickly display highlights like “New Episode,” “Oscar Winner,” or “Recently Added,” each marked by recognizable emoji icons.

“Our current TV experience was built for streaming shows and movies. This one is designed to give us a more flexible canvas now and in the future. We are always going to keep sight of what we think is the best experience for our members, particularly driving discovery and engagement with all of the movies, shows, live events and games that they love. And we believe that the improvements to the member experience will ultimately drive lots of great outcomes for us as well.”

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The company is also adapting its recommendation engine to be “more responsive to your moods and interests in the moment.”

Elizabeth Stone, Netflix’s chief technology officer, announced the platform’s collaboration with OpenAI to develop a generative AI search tool. This innovative feature will enable users to request tailored recommendations from Netflix using conversational language.

“This company has always had a unique ability to marry incredible technology with incredible entertainment. That’s our superpower,” Stone stated. “Everything starts with great shows and movies that people love. But if you think about all of the areas where Netflix has a big advantage, our reach, our recommendations, our fandom, technology enables all those things. That technology includes AI.”

“We want you to be able to discover shows in movies using natural conversational phrases, like, ‘I want something funny and upbeat,’ or ‘I want something scary, but not too scary, and also maybe a little bit funny, but not like, ha ha funny.’ Believe it or not, that search phrase will actually yield results in the new experience.”

Netflix also indicated interest in integrating video podcasts into its offerings.

The announcement of these upcoming features arrives three weeks after Netflix disclosed record profits in its most recent quarterly report, alleviating concerns among investors amid the economic turmoil triggered by President Trump’s tariffs.

It also comes just over a week before the company’s May 14 upfront, when it will present its lineup of content and products to potential advertisers. Even while Kim pointed out that “This was not timed to influence the upfronts,” the redesign and Netflix’s recent success are sure to generate interest despite advertisers seeming hesitant in the face of economic challenges.

nicotine

Rise of Zyn: USC Study Finds Teens Turning to Nicotine Pouches

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Teenagers are shifting away from vaping and increasingly turning to nicotine pouches, especially from brands like Zyn. Their use among U.S. high school students nearly doubled from 2023 to 2024, a recent study led by researchers at USC’s Keck School of Medicine revealed.

The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, are based on data from a national survey involving over 10,000 tenth and twelfth graders.

Nicotine pouches—small sachets containing nicotine that users tuck between their gums and lips—have rapidly increased in popularity, particularly due to aggressive social media promotion by “Zynfluencers,” who portray pouch use as enhancing confidence, masculinity, and mental clarity.

While nicotine pouch use climbed from 3.0% of teens in 2023 to 5.4% in 2024, vaping saw a slight decline over the same period. E-cigarette use dropped from 20% to 17.6%, yet dual usage—teens who reported using both e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches—increased from 2.1% to 3.6%. Additionally, more students reported lifetime and recent use of nicotine pouches.

The trend has raised significant public health concerns, echoing earlier apprehensions surrounding other tobacco products. Groups, including the American Heart Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, have asked for nicotine pouch legislation.

“This growing public health issue needs more attention. Like flavored e-cigarettes when they first emerged, use of this new oral nicotine product is becoming more widespread, particularly among adolescents,” said study lead author Dae-Hee Han, a postdoctoral researcher in population and public health sciences at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

The demographic patterns for nicotine pouch users mirrored traditional smokeless tobacco users, with higher rates among males, non-Hispanic white teens, and those living in rural areas. According to Han, these distinctions underscore the need for tailored preventive approaches distinct from those used for vaping.

“We’re finding that the risk profile differs quite a bit between nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, which means we need prevention approaches that are targeted for each.”

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Health implications of long-term nicotine pouch use remain unclear, though early reports indicate potential risks like addiction, mouth sores, and gum irritation. Moreover, prior studies have demonstrated that adolescent nicotine exposure can negatively impact brain development, particularly affecting learning, memory, and attention capabilities.

“Parents, teachers, and pediatricians should be aware that teen nicotine pouch use is increasing across the nation,” emphasized Adam M. Leventhal, executive director of the USC Institute for Addiction Science and a study co-author.

Leventhal told Business Insider he had anticipated a rise in the popularity of nicotine pouches, especially with the rapid increase in demand for Zyn products and frequent shortages. Still, the scale and speed of this uptick surprised him.

On platforms like TikTok, “Zyn” is gaining popularity among younger audiences, with users frequently posting about their favorite flavors and demonstrating how to discreetly place pouches, often referred to colloquially as “upper deckies.”

Another unexpected discovery from the study was that teen girls are vaping at higher rates than boys.

“Historically, any kind of substance, you typically see that males have higher-use levels than females. But vaping, it’s appeared to kind of switch over recent years.”

He theorizes that marketing might influence these gender disparities. Initially targeted towards women seeking an alternative to cigarettes, Zyn now markets itself broadly, appealing to diverse demographics, including Wall Street professionals and celebrities like Josh Brolin. Former user Tucker Carlson plans to launch his own nicotine pouch brand, criticizing Zyn as insufficiently masculine. This rebranding could make nicotine pouches particularly appealing to teen boys, according to Leventhal.

Leventhal’s chief concern is that nicotine pouches may expose teens to even higher nicotine doses than e-cigarettes alone. The health risks associated with Zyn include potential gum damage, altered brain chemistry, and increased heart rates. Vaping similarly carries significant health risks comparable to traditional smoking, with both products being highly addictive.

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Although some TikTok users claim to use Zyn as a strategy to quit vaping, Leventhal emphasized that this is not an effective solution. Instead, dual usage often occurs, exacerbating overall nicotine exposure. “We don’t want children to use any nicotine products,” he said. “So all nicotine products should be avoided.”

Despite extensive campaigns to educate teens about nicotine’s dangers, their attraction to its effects remains consistent. According to previous studies from Leventhal’s team, adolescents are drawn to nicotine for its mood-enhancing properties, appetite suppression, and metabolism boost.

Leventhal explained that nicotine pouches appeal particularly to teens due to their discreet nature. Unlike vaping, nicotine pouches can be used subtly during classes, in movie theaters, or even around parents, heightening the risk of frequent and unnoticed use.

“To reverse this trend, we need to heighten public awareness about pouches and educate youth about them. Policymakers might also consider ramping up regulation of the booming pouch market—including cinnamon, fruit and other attractive flavors—to protect youth.”

The study also highlighted ongoing regulatory debates. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized marketing flavored nicotine pouches like Zyn to adults 21 and over, citing their potential role in helping smokers quit. However, the FDA did not approve these products as formal smoking cessation aids and less than 1% of adults currently use them, prompting concerns over teen appeal.

FDA’s authorization decision partly depended on the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which reported no statistically significant increase in teen pouch use, when asked about usage over the last 30 days, between 2023 and 2024. Yet, both the USC-led research and the FDA’s survey found significant year-over-year increases in lifetime pouch use among teens, suggesting experimentation may be growing.

Moving forward, continued monitoring of nicotine pouch trends, initiation patterns, nicotine content variations, and potential health impacts is vital. Researchers recommend that future studies also assess the effectiveness of regulatory policies, especially for high-risk demographics and dual users of nicotine products.

“Nicotine pouches are relatively new, so we need time to collect data on prevalence, policy and prevention,” Han said.

lego

Lego Opens Factory In Vietnam That Runs Entirely On Clean Energy 

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This week, Lego officially opened a new factory in Vietnam. The $1 billion project is making headlines after it was announced that the company will be producing their famous toys using completely clean energy. 

The new factory is located in Binh Duong, an industrial area. This will be the first factory in Vietnam to run completely on clean energy, and Lego stated the factory will reach that goal by 2026. 

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This is Lego’s sixth factory worldwide and their second in Asia. The Lego market in Southeast Asia is growing rapidly, so the company has implemented high-tech equipment to match up with the market’s demand, according to reports. 

“Today marks an exciting milestone for us as we proudly open our sixth factory in the world. We want to make sure that the planet that the children inherit when they grow up is a planet that is still there. That is functional,” Lego CEO Niels Christiansen told The Associated Press.

“This state-of-the-art site reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and innovation, bringing more LEGO play experiences to children and our fans in the Asia-Pacific region through increased manufacturing capacity.”

In general, Lego has stated that they have a goal of ending their greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and are hoping to reduce their emissions by 37% by 2032. They’ve invested $1.2 billion in finding and implementing more sustainable production/manufacturing practices. 

Vietnam as a nation is also working to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, so the clean energy that the Lego factory will be running on is helping aid that goal. The factory is equipped with 12,400 solar panels and an energy storage system, which the nation is hoping will set a new standard for future sustainable manufacturing.

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“The use of battery storage solutions and power purchase agreements to increase renewable energy is not just a first for the LEGO Group but among the first for any company in Vietnam. I am thankful for the collaboration we have had with our partners in establishing frameworks and policies that can serve other companies looking to increase their own use of renewable energy,” COO of the Lego Group, Carsten Rasmussen, said.

“I am extremely proud of our environmental sustainability progress in Vietnam, strengthening our positive impact locally while supporting our global ambitions.”

Mimi Vu, a founder of the consultancy Raise Partners in Ho Chi Minh City, said to AP:

“The Lego factory, which spans 62 soccer fields, sets the ‘blueprint’ for making large, power-guzzling factories sustainable while remaining profitable. Sometimes it takes a big company, like Lego, to take those risks. To show that we can do it … And we can be profitable.”

According to AP, this factory is an example of a facility that will benefit from the new 2024 rule called a direct power purchase agreement (DPPA). DPPA allows large foreign companies to buy clean energy directly from solar and wind power producers to meet clean energy requirements. 

“Lego and Vietnam, we have the same aspirations. We both want to be green, to play our part in the climate. And I think this with the solar and battery and DPPA, it is showcasing that it can be done,” Senior Vice President Asia Operations at the LEGO GroupJesper Hassellund Mikkelsen, told AP.

south africa

Artist In South Africa Creates Dynamic Sculpture Installation To Make City Parks More Welcoming 

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James Delaney is an artist in South Africa who has a dream of using his art in the nation’s biggest city to create a fun and playful destination for families. His sculptures are vibrant and utilize metal to create a whimsical atmosphere in a location that is often overlooked due to its sometimes dangerous neighborhoods. 

Throughout the past ten years, Delany has created over 100 sculptures for The Wilds Park in Johannesburg, according to AP. 53-year-old Delaney has shown his work in New York, London, and Paris, and his past experience at these exhibitions has motivated him to create the works in South Africa. 

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“Artworks can bring a sense of life to public spaces, and public spaces need lots of people to be functional and to be safe.”

Johannesburg city authorities have been utilizing, encouraging, and implementing public art displays as a means of improving safety and environmental conditions for its 6 million citizens. Downtown Johannesburg has a reputation for crime and danger, and the city is actually considered one of the world’s most dangerous cities, based on data reports. 

Delaney and Johannesburg authorities want to help create a safe and fun environment for people of all ages so they can feel motivated to go for walks and enjoy their city. 

“One can create a public space which is grass and trees and it’s OK and nice. But one has to do more than that to really attract people and to capture their imagination,” Delaney said to AP. 

The Wilds is divided by two sides showing the different lifestyles people are living in. One side of the park is more suburban while the other side is known for having more broken-down neighborhoods. 

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AP spoke with Lydia Ndhlovu, a mother who described going to the park to watch her kids play since they don’t have their own backyard. 

“I don’t feel safe being alone here with them, but I like seeing the elderly people enjoying the park from my window, because then I know we can be free and also come,” she said.

Jenny Moodley, a spokesperson for the Johannesburg City Parks, discussed how the reputation for crime in the city isn’t necessarily fair. She cited that the city runs 22 nature reserves, 15 bird sanctuaries, and over 2,000 public parks. 

“Many of these open spaces are safe, little children play unsupervised, and we know elements such as art reinforce that this is a vibrant space to play, to come together with your families and friends and to also express yourself,” Moodley said.

Delaney first walked through The Wilds back in 2014. At the time, it was an overgrown and deserted park, and he immediately saw the potential and got to work. Beyond creating and adding his sculptures to the park’s landscape, he also repaired and painted seating areas, maintained plants/gardens, and was able to build a growing group of volunteers and donors to help fund the restoration of the park.

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Scientists Report That People Mentally Feel Better And Brighter In The Morning 

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In the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind, scientists have found that generally, the world feels better and brighter in the morning when you wake up compared to evenings. The findings, which were published in the journal BMJ Mental Health, said that people start the day with the best state of mind and end in the worst, around midnight if the individual usually stays up that late. 

Additionally, mental health struggles tend to spike during weekends compared to the weekdays. The study itself was led by the University College London. 

“Generally, things do seem better in the morning.”

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One’s own mental health and well-being is a very specific experience that varies among everyone. It’s subject to change over short and long periods of time based on the individual’s life experiences. 

This study, however, marks one of the most comprehensive in research on how the time of day impacts the intensity of one’s struggles. 

The data from the study began in March 2020 as a UCL Covid-19 social study. It involved regular monitoring of the participants into November 2021, and more analysis until March 2022. 

The entirety of the study involved about 1 million survey responses from nearly 50,000 adults. 

Some of the questions throughout these surveys included: “In the past week, how happy did you feel?”, “How satisfied have you been with your life?”, and “To what extent have you felt the things you are doing in your life are worthwhile?”

Researchers also ensured to take into consideration every person’s age, health, and occupation/work schedules. They specifically found that things like happiness and life satisfaction were higher on Mondays and Fridays.

It’s important to note that logistically, this was an observational study, meaning there’s no direct way to establish cause, especially considering how each person has their own emotional responses and experiences. 

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“The changes in mental health and wellbeing across the day might be explained by the physiological changes associated with the body clock,” the researchers suggested.

“For example, cortisol [a hormone that regulates mood, motivation and fear] peaks shortly after waking and reaches its lowest levels around bedtime,” they said.

Dr Feifei Bu, from UCL’s department of behavioural science and health, said: “Our findings suggest that on average, people’s mental health and wellbeing are better in the morning and worse at midnight.”

“We drew on a large sample of repeated data – nearly a million survey responses from 49,000 participants over two years. However, this pattern could reflect when people choose to respond to the survey, rather than a direct effect of time of day. For example, those already feeling better in the morning might be more likely to engage with the survey at that time,” Dr. Bu said. 

“While these findings are intriguing, they need to be replicated in other studies that fully account for this potential bias. If validated, this could have important practical implications. Researchers investigating people’s mental health and wellbeing should take into account the time of day people respond.”

“Mental health support services might consider adjusting resources to match fluctuating needs across the day – for instance, prioritising late-night availability.”

drinks

New Study Reveals Sugary Drinks Linked To Millions Of New Diabetes And Heart Disease Cases 

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According to a new study published in Nature Medicine, sugary drinks are responsible for more than 2.2 million cases of diabetes and 1.1 million new cases of heart disease a year around the world. 

The study highlighted rising health inequalities, citing that Latin America and the Caribbean say sugary drinks contribute to about 24% of new type 2 diabetes cases in 2020. 

In sub-Saharan Africa, they had the greatest percentage increase in diabetes cases from 1990 to 2020, and sugary drinks led to 21% of new diabetes cases and 11% of new heart disease cases. 

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Columbia, Mexico, and South Africa also experienced major rises. Half of new diabetes cases in Columbia were connected to sugary drink consumption. One-third of new diabetes cases in Mexico were also linked with 27.6% of cases in South Africa also being connected. 

Part of the science behind this connection has to do with how quickly sugary drinks are digested. The speed causes a spike in blood-sugar levels and provides little nutritional value. 

“Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations. Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences,” Dariush Mozaffarian, one of the paper’s authors, said.

Around 830 million people have diabetes around the world. A majority of these individuals live in low to middle income countries. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, unlike type 1. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death around the world with about 17.9 million people dying from the disease annually. 

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“We are seeing a rise in the popularity of sugary drinks fuelled by influencer culture online. In urban centres, young people are targeted by social media influencers that are paid to promote branded sugary drinks to them, filling an information gap left by the lack of school-based nutrition education,” Dr Catherine Kanari, a non-communicable diseases specialist for Amref Health Africa in Kenya, said.

“Ultimately, a rise in diabetes cases risks straining our health system to beyond its limits.”

The authors of the study are hoping that their research will spark greater conversations about the measures that can be taken to help prevent this consistent increase in diabetes and heart disease. They’re calling for more public health compaigns as well as greater regulation on sugary drink advertisements.

“Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa where consumption is high and the health consequences severe,” said Mozaffarian. 

“As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”