Author: Jem Collins

e UK’s existing housing stock away from fossil fuels and towards more sustainable heating solutions. Good Energy is advocating for better support for people looking to move onto renewable heating systems, such as heat pumps. “The misconception is that heat pumps don’t work in old or traditionally built houses,” says Pocklington. “Actually, about 40% of… Continue reading Beacon of light: the model village retrofitted into a tiny renewables kingdom

Over 30 years have passed since the inception of Fairtrade in the UK, yet smallholders on an international scale continue to confront threats to their livelihoods. Despite this ongoing challenge, proponents of Fairtrade are optimistic about the enduring impact of the certification. When Ruchi Chawla entered the fashion and textiles industry in the early 2000s,… Continue reading Fairtrade certification changed the way we shop. Where is it headed now?

hen it comes to heating homes, it’s easy to be skeptical of new technology. However, heat pumps have a lot to offer, and it’s time to dispel the myths surrounding them. Max Waddingham, Good Energy’s operations director, is well-versed in the technology, overseeing teams that install heat pumps and owning one himself. He took on… Continue reading Hot properties: 10 questions about heat pumps answered

The upcoming Notting Hill Carnival will see a team of young journalists reporting on the event, thanks to the Cocoa School of Journalism and Creative Arts. Students aged from five to 17 will be writing articles, conducting interviews, and recording videos, all of which will be published in the UK’s first Black children’s magazines, Cocoa… Continue reading A new school teaches children from low-income families to be journalists

Over 500 creatives and entrepreneurs from around the globe have responded to the call of the annual Redesign Everything Challenge by creating sustainable designs to combat the climate crisis. The ethos behind the initiative is to encourage bolder ideas that tackle the plethora of environmental challenges we face. Eleven winning products have already been showcased,… Continue reading The innovations unleashing the power of design to create a more sustainable and fairer world

Free Loaves on Fridays is a recent anthology with more than 100 care-experienced voices, including poetry, essays, stories, and open letters that brings out a complete and nuanced picture. The anthology by the editor, Rebekah Pierre, published through Unbound, includes narratives of individuals aged from under 13 to almost 70, revealing the experiences following foster… Continue reading ‘No longer passive subjects’. Care-leavers tell their stories

Beekeeping in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has been an ancestral way of life for many. The Xunan-Kab bee has been given veneration by the Mayan civilisations and is priced for their honey. However, honey production in Mexico is not an easy way of life, especially for 21st-century beekeepers. The difficulties range from climate change to adulterants diluting honey,… Continue reading The Mexican honey co-op finding sweet success in a volatile sector

World Mental Health Week (13-19 May) is a time to celebrate the many innovative ways individuals and groups are working to tackle mental health challenges. A range of approaches that reflect differing needs have been highlighted by Positive News. These approaches range from specially trained support dogs for veterans; UK’s first hip-hop therapist, Kiz Man… Continue reading 10 unique mental health projects helping people in the UK

Ethex, a not-for-profit investment platform, has invested more than £115m to push for social and environmental transformation over the last decade. The platform has sent this amount to ethical businesses across the UK, raised from around 25,000 everyday investors who contribute as little as £100. Ethex investors aim for a return of up to 6.5%,… Continue reading Not your average bank statement: what 10 years of impact investing looks like

Eddie Jones, a qualified personal trainer and nutritionist, has developed an online health and wellness programme called The Kindness Revolution that encourages its participants to perform an act of kindness every day. The 12-week programme guides participants through easy-to-follow habits that help them lose weight sustainably and improve their relationship with food. The programme also… Continue reading The secret ingredient for optimum health? Kindness, says this fitness expert