Protection, action, and an appreciation for the planet should go far beyond Earth Day, but nevertheless, we can’t deny positive change can be made on global days of solidarity, that help us to galvanise and use the day to think about investing in our planet. 

Now more than ever it’s getting increasingly harder to ignore the urgent need for meaningful climate action, and one company that utilised Earth Day to address climate change was Twitter.  The social media platform has said it will ban advertisements that deny climate change in the hopes to stop the spread of misinformation. 

The report came just days before multi-billionaire Elon Musk's [takeover deal with Twitter](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61215197). The founder of Tesla and the world’s richest man recently had [a spat with Microsoft founder Bill Gates](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/elon-musk-bill-gates-feud-twitter-tesla-stock-b2064147.html) over climate change philanthropy.   

In [a statement](https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2022/accelerating-our-climate-commitments-on-earth-day) outlining their new policies released on Friday 22 April, Twitter said: “We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis.”

It continues: “We recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet. In the coming months, we’ll have more to share on our work to add reliable, authoritative context to the climate conversations happening on Twitter.”

In 2021 Twitter signed the Science-Based Targets pledge to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. “By 2030, we’re set to have significantly reduced our greenhouse gas emissions, paving the way for our net-zero journey.” the blog says.

> “We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter"

Climate denial and spotting misinformation online is becoming an increasing issue. According to YouGov, the US is the second country behind Indonesia to think that [climate change is not real or something humans are responsible for](https://www.statista.com/chart/19449/countries-with-biggest-share-of-climate-change-deniers/).  And a study by [The Conversation](https://theconversation.com/climate-change-misinformation-fools-too-many-people-but-there-are-ways-to-combat-it-170658) showed that out of more than 1,700 adults surveyed in the UK, “almost half the sample were unable to correctly identify 50% of fake climate change news headlines, and almost half (44%) of all respondents were unaware of how often they encountered misinformation online.”

Twitter aren’t alone in this, in 2021 Google stated that they will also be [tackling ads that deny climate change](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58831379) and demonetise YouTube videos claiming climate change is a hoax. And earlier in the month, Pinterest also [banned climate misinformation](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/06/pinterest-announces-ban-on-all-climate-misinformation) on their platform. 

The new changes by Twitter don’t go as far as addressing whether this ban will include users who spread climate denial on the platform too. 




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Markus Spiske

On Earth Day 2022, the social media platform laid out plans to tackle climate change misinformation

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Here’s How Twitter Is Preventing Climate Misinformation 

Niellah Arboine

Twitter Is Banning Climate Denial Ads On Its Platform

Aaron Sterling is laughing about how his once particularly clandestine passion is now en vogue – a hobby du jour. “When I was in my early 20s, it was a lot more hidden,” he tells me over Zoom, dressed in an all-black tracksuit and working a big smile. “So I wasn't really shouting from the rooftops: ‘I watch birds’. That’s changing now!” 

Sterling, now in his 30s, is witnessing his beloved citizen science herald a new era, with an online, global community of diverse young people discovering birdwatching. Young people are boosting a collective interest in what 10 years ago – maybe even five – was generally considered the reserve of older, white, middle classers who could pick a Nightingale out from their battered old birding book with the same ease as they could spot Bill Oddie in a crowd. The ‘birdwatching’ hashtag has 167 million views and counting on TikTok, where young, new birdwatchers contrast and compare local birds from their regions and share tips.
 
Sterling has been active in this online community, and also works as a wildlife photographer and birdwatching advocate. He first became interested in birding after receiving wildlife books from his mum aged 10, and finding himself drawn to the winged variety, and begging her for binoculars. His initial tallies recorded what you might expect from someone situated in the inner city of Birmingham: “It was like: ‘Seagull times six. Pigeon, 200,’" he says with a laugh.


It’s simple enough to suggest that after a protracted period of being inside during lockdown, people’s interest in the outside has boomed. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) noted a 70% increase in website views over the first lockdown, with more than 50% of those on pages looking at bird identification.
 
Sterling encourages people to get out there, and really look around. In episode two of Woo's Nature Calling, he introduced hosts Mary Steven and Niko B to the joys of bird-watching, for the first time. He does quick run-down for beginners like me: the Robin (friendly) Sparrowhawk (not friendly) Mockingjay (known for mocking other birds' songs), Bullfinch (“you have to see the colours up close”). 

I ask him what his favourite bird is, and he screws his face in mock anguish: “Can I pick two?”. Eventually, he settles on the Kingfisher, because of its rarity and dazzlingly tropical, fluorescent orange and blue feathers, and then the Short-eared Owl, because of its mystery and expert predatory ability (“a crazy bird!”).
 
During our chat, I take this advice and keep one eye out of my window in Brixton for a while. I seek some joy from the often-overlooked blurs darting around the south London sky. Half an hour later, I find myself transfixed – small, brightly pigmented lime green birds settle on a tree outside my door, perching over a car. Sterling tells me these are Parakeets, which is news to me. He makes the point that they’ve probably visited every day, I just haven’t thought to really look at them. This, for Sterling and other birders, is a major part of it – it’s about finding new ways of seeing after a period of stasis.

A typical birding afternoon sees Sterling suited up in camouflage (often with a tracksuit like the one he wears now underneath) and might see him out for six to eight hours walking around RSPB nature reserves. He’s usually armed with a pop up chair, a 600mm lens Canon, and a Kit Kat Chunky if it’s a particularly long day. He will stay completely silent to listen out for birdsong, his favourite being the Blackbird. This is most typically heard during the breeding season, from March through to July – it’s one of the UK’s most prolific, and one you’ve probably heard twinkling above you in the spring.

It can be a struggle, he admits, not to reach for the airpods. But there’s nice advantages to being open to birdsong to keep in mind on your next jaunt outside: in 2019, scientists at the University of Surrey studied the “restorative benefits of birdsong”, testing whether it really does improve our mood. They discovered that, of all the natural sounds, bird songs and calls were those most often cited as helping people recover from stress, and refocus their attention. Being in nature, full stop, is good for us too of course – in the 1980s, researchers at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo first published their research into the health benefits of shinrin-yoku (which you may know as ‘forest bathing’), which showed that nature calms the stress response in our central nervous system, and can contribute to blood pressure reduction, improvement of autonomic and immune functions, as well as of alleviating depression. In 2019 too, the RSPB released a single of birdsong for International Dawn Chorus Day (May 5, stick it in your diary) that actually cracked the UK’s music charts – it featured once common British bird species like the Starling, Swift, and endangered Turtle dove and Grey partridge, to draw attention to British birdlife’s extinction worries.
 
Anecdotally, Sterling feels the benefits, and wants you to feel it too. He’s evangelical about how searching for an elusive Kingfisher can be what he calls ‘a cheat code’ to calm. “If you do actually take the time to get out in nature, the benefits are crazy,” he says. “Like I can be, ‘Ah, can't get through this week’. And the weekend, I'll make sure I get out, phone off, slow down, and de stress. We live these really fast-paced lifestyles, don’t we?”

The act of something as small as birdwatching as a person of colour, especially a young Black man, can feel radical too. It’s an act of taking up spaces that have been overwhelmingly white. “I've had people see me and be like, ‘Are you in the right place?’ There's the whole (prejudice) thing of being quite big, strong, and aggressive. But it's like, ‘Nah, man. We just sit in a hide and watch birds. Happy days’,” he says.


In 2020, a white woman, Amy Cooper, called the police on a Black male birdwatcher. The incident made international news, and it sparked debate about just who is able to enjoy nature in peace. How can we expand the accessibility of green space for some communities who are made to feel like outsiders and aggressors? Groups like Flock Together, a birdwatching collective for people of colour, Facebook meet-up groups like POC in Nature, and British Birdwatchers are testament to a mission to reclaim green spaces for people of colour and the most marginalised.

Sterling takes Woo, armed with binoculars and a positive, skyward-facing attitude, into the hills for a hike. We’re on the look-out for a Red Kite, thrilled at the excitement of a prospective Heron spot and a shared mission for a glimpse at Starlings.
 
Sterling hopes to get a diverse range of people as excited as he is about rediscovering birds. His infectious energy and enthusiasm is palpable. I ask him how successful he’s been in recruiting friends. “When I'm pushing it to people, I just feel like I’m sharing a secret, and when they come out, they're like, ‘Yeah, this is sick’.” The camo and tracksuit uniform he dons is a sartorial, aesthetic plus. “They love the drip. They love the swag,” he says with a smile.


Birding and its impact on mental health may have long term effects, with new research suggesting a positive link between the hobby and the care of dementia patients, concentration, and even eyesight, as distance viewing (looking at horizons far away) is good work for our eyes. As global warming sees the concerning change of migration patterns, birdwatchers are seeing the impact of climate change first hand in the future – a dynamic and crucial way to get people engaged with the climate emergency, and one that could inspire more collective action and responsibility for the planet should we be concerned for our feathered friends.
 
Sterling continues to be inspired by the burgeoning birdwatching communities both URL and IRL, and as a simple, beautiful hope for an optimistic future world. Before we part ways on our hike, he articulates a simple dream for the future: “I would love for a day for me to go to a nature reserve and there's all sorts of people there.”


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The thrill of nature’s call is revitalising a hobby once reserved for old men in anoraks. Aaron Sterling shares the joy of birding



Eyes up! The young birdwatching community is taking flight

*In this new series, writers lift the lid behind the best days of their lives. These stories will cover moments of unfiltered joy, memories that make them—and you—laugh, and the people and places they fell head over heels in love with. First up, it's author, youth worker and activist Ciaran Thapar, on a transformative trip to India.*


It’s April 2014: weeks into a trip to India that will last several months, trailing from the mountainous far-north, where I begin, down via Punjab, to stay with family, to Jaipur, Pushkar, Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, and finally Cochin, Kerala, on the southern tip. 

It will forever pain me that this will be the last visit to the country of my father’s birth for I don’t know how long, despite several failed attempts to return across subsequent years. In one month’s time, a general election bringing the Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi into power of the largest democracy in the world will change things forever, making it more difficult for Muslims to live or travel there as they become an oppressed minority. 


So part of what makes the following memory so special—one I revisit constantly—is that it belongs to an era of young and blissful ignorance. When smartphones were still a novelty. When writing was my hobby and not my career. When being half-Indian—half-Hindu, if that’s possible—was something to be only proud of, not confused about. [Recalling it brings me peace.](https://woo.itv.com/posts/how-to-be-happy)

I wake up, roll out of bed, walk across the carpet and unzip our tent to let morning daylight pour inside. Birds tweet as I rub my eyes. I can peer through the nearby tree branches and follow the green canopy as it slopes upwards towards the urban bustle at the top of the mountain. Yesterday we were up there. Today, I’m glad to be down here. 

We liked Darjeeling town center, but we didn’t love it. The room at our hostel, which served masala dosas for 18 rupees, boasted epic, misty views of the Himalayas. But our nights’ sleep was soundtracked by incessant honking from cars and mopeds outside. For a few days we wandered around eating, shopping and stopping to read our books. 

We did a few touristy things. Visited the zoo, which was uncomfortable. Caught the famous train ride, which was ruined by the fog. Played chess at one of the dusty old colonial hotels, if only to shelter from rainfall, and therefore travel back in time—to be served, to our surprise, dainty British sandwiches instead of samosas, tea with milk instead of without it, like independence had never happened, like we might as well be back in Surrey.

So we went online in search of an easy escape and found one. We packed our backpacks and piled into a jeep, which wound down the valley, away from the honking and fog, towards the rolling pure green. After one hour, the vehicle’s battered tyres stopped beside a long path of Buddhist prayer flags leading down a zig-zag path from the bumpy road. The driver encouraged us to get out, with our bags, and follow it. 

Which is how we entered the tea farm yesterday afternoon.


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The farm is one of the few in the region still owned by local people. Resisting the machine automation brought in by a rising global demand, the leaves here are still hand-rolled. We paid upfront to stay for a few nights in a large tent, purpose-built for, and flown in from, the deserts of Rajasthan—where we were only a few weeks prior. Our fee includes unlimited tea and all our meals. 

We have breakfast in the open plan communal dining area: aloo puri and tea. We write our travel diaries at the table: mine is made of red fabric, with petal-pressed paper which makes my ink-pen run if I’m not careful. We read books on our veranda, before being invited on a trek with one of the tea farmers in the afternoon. He leads us for hours through the local tea plantations, pointing out growing produce as we go: garlic, spinach, pumpkin, more and more tea.

We stop to break by a stream and some rocks. Ganja plants grow all over these mountains; our guide has brought some harvested from the farm. He doesn’t need any rizla to smoke it. He skips over to a plant, strips off one of its leaves, tears and twists it carefully into a coil, and places a bud in the open end. As it is smoked, with the stream’s trickling water the only noise for miles, the makeshift pipe’s circular leaves burn gradually away, until all of it disappears into thin air. A sustainable habit.




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After four hours of walking we end up crossing the state border, from West Bengal to Sikkim, where they sell what our guide assures me is a much-loved, local strong beer called HIT. It has a black and red label with a dragon emblazoned on it. I buy a few bottles: some for me, some for the farmers. We’re picked up in a jeep and driven back to the farm. On arrival, half-an-hour later, shortly after sunset, the light pollution of the town up above beams into the star-filled night sky. 

In the farm’s dining area, beside candlelight, the chef asks me what meat I would like to eat. I say chicken. He nods and walks over to the coop at the back, grabs a chicken, breaks its neck, and starts plucking it. He lights two fires at the stove using dried branches, one underneath each karahi, and begins frying the tadkas. The smell of onion and garlic and cumin and more fills the air. We sit and drink our beers with the farmers. Dinner arrives: pakora, then chicken curry, aubergine curry and fresh chapatis. We eat well, refueling, before the farmers crack open homebrewed rice wine. We talk into the night.

At past midnight we stumble back to our tent. Before zipping it closed to sleep I turn to gaze up at the town again: an image of comfort and peace that becomes permanently carved onto my mind’s rearview mirror.
Yesterday we were up there. Today, I’m glad to be down here.

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‘Travel is about exposure to the world, but it is also about creating memories to escape to’


Finding Peace and Pride in Northeast India 

Ciaran Thapar

Higher States: The Power of a Transformative Holiday

The climate crisis is furious and real, there’s no denying it, but as with all crises, it’s the terrible stories that tend to dominate feeds. But behind the scary statistics, progress is being made. Activists are fighting for change, new organisations and initiatives are being rolled out and on a global level, mindsets are changing. Public attitudes towards the environment are shifting, and those who are concerned about the health of the planet are much more likely to make the important lifestyle changes needed to of it. 
 
There are successes worth celebrating, and Woo is committed to documenting them. Below is a welcome and refreshing list of positive climate news, detailing the steady progress, foremost thinkers and innovations, in addition to educational resources and charities to support. We don’t say share this to diminish the negative but necessary news, it’s merely to highlight that it isn’t all bad. 
We all need something to alleviate the eco-anxiety that, according to the National Office of Statistics, [75% of UK adults suffer from, to varying degrees.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/threequartersofadultsingreatbritainworryaboutclimatechange/2021-11-05#:~:text=In%20October%202021%2C%20three%2Dquarters,either%20very%20or%20somewhat%20worried.)  So, we’ll keep adding to this rolling inventory, bookmark it and refer back whether you’re feeling sad, stressed or like you need to do something – anything! – to help.


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## COP26

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in October 2021, Indian PM Narendra Modi pledged that India will become [carbon neutral by 2070](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/01/narendra-modi-pledges-india-will-reach-net-zero-emissions-by-2070). Although the rest of the world, bar China, is aiming for 2050, it’s better late than never. What’s more, 110 world leaders have promised to address deforestation to the point of reversing it by 2030.
 
## Magic Mushrooms 

You might munch mushrooms or rely on microdoses of them to keep you happy and sane, but don’t overestimate their role in the fight against climate change. Right under our feet, in forests and fields, uphill and down dale, are vast fungal networks that decompose organic and inorganic waste into nutrients, filter water and treat disease. They also help to store carbon safely in the soil ([some studies suggest up to a staggering 70%](https://time.com/507/why-some-mushrooms-may-be-magic-for-climate-change/#:~:text=They%20found%20that%20soils%20dominated,more%20nitrogen%20from%20the%20soil.)), even after trees have died.


## Get Fit And Pick Up Shit
 
Lizzie Carr started paddleboarding after surviving cancer, but now she uses it as a way to pick plastic from the UK’s waterways from London to Glasgow, she collects water samples to monitor pollution as she paddleboards. If you’re looking for an active and social way to get involved this is it. [Visit the Planet Patrol for more details](https://planetpatrol.co/clean-ups/),
 
## Ethical Living
 
Contrary to the headlines, you don’t have to subsist on bugs or be a staunch vegan to do your bit. If you do eat and enjoy meat, try consuming it more ethically – especially red meat which has the biggest environmental impact. Try to eat seasonal produce, and reduce the amount of flights you take. If you drive and own a car, consider a hybrid or electric one. Switch off lights, stop the tap when you’re brushing your teeth and don’t leave the shower running unnecessarily when you potter or scroll or whatever else it is you’re doing. Head to second-hand shops for furniture and clothes, instead of buying new – and mass.


## Get to Know: Vanessa Nakate 

25-year-old Ugandan climate activist [Vanessa Nakate](https://www.instagram.com/vanessanakate1/?hl=en) is fighting for the voices of the climate crisis that are not being platformed, not being listened to, and not being amplified. After The Associated Press cropped Nakate out of an image from a press conference with [Greta Thunberg](https://www.instagram.com/gretathunberg/?hl=en) and three other white climate activists, Nakate spoke out in a video statement. “You didn't just erase a photo. You erased a continent,” she stated. Since then, Nakate has continuously advocated for climate action in Africa and the Global South at conferences and climate strikes – including COP26, where she delivered a [speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeLWEbvXzSA) calling for tangible change from the leaders and corporations branding the conference as a success.
 
## Give and Feel Great
 
Ahead of your fridge or kitchen cupboard clear out, download [Olio](https://olioex.com/). Aware and rightly horrified that the UK wastes around £16bn worth of food every year in the UK, this app lets you upload details of what it is you’re giving away, whether three tangerines or a tub of ice cream. Maybe you’re going on holiday, need to thaw your freezer or you simply don’t like something you bought? Set your location, state when you’re in for someone to be able to collect and confirm the recipient. With an intuitive interface and reward badges, it couldn’t be simpler or more addictive. It also works for old electricals, clothes, and well, just about anything.
 
Click [here](https://olioex.com/) to download the app

## Tonne of Terrific Bricks
 
Gjenge Makers, founded by Kenyan engineer Nzambi Matee, turns plastic into bricks. By combining used plastic water bottles and general waste with sand, she’s created blocks that are up to seven times stronger than concrete. What’s more, they don’t weigh as much which means the carbon footprint in transporting them is reduced too.
 


## Bacteria Better Than Yakult
 
A recent study has shown that microbes have evolved to eradicate (some) plastic. Of the 200 million types tested, 30,000 were found to be able to munch their way through 10 different types of plastic, of which polyethylene terephthalate polymer is one – you know the stuff that drinks bottles are made from? With [1 million bottles every minute](https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2017/07/the-worlds-population-consumes-1-million-plastic-bottles-every-minute/) around the world, they’ll have to work fast, but scientists are currently working out how to harvest and evolve said enzymes as a way to sustainably break down plastic.
 
## A Precedent For Change
 
A court ordered Royal Dutch Shell to [cut its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/26/court-orders-royal-dutch-shell-to-cut-carbon-emissions-by-45-by-2030). The first time a company has been obligated to operate in accordance with the Paris agreement. Given the grave havoc oil companies wreak on the world, it’s a step in the right direction.


## Intersectional Environmentalist

Founded by environmental activist and content creator  [Leah Thomas](https://www.instagram.com/greengirlleah/?hl=en), [Intersectional Environmentalist](https://www.instagram.com/intersectionalenvironmentalist/?hl=en) is a non-profit organisation, climate justice community, and online resource hub centering BIPOC and historically under-amplified voices in the environmental space. Launched in 2020 after Leah Thomas went viral for stating “Environmentalists for Black Lives Matter” on Instagram, the organisation has amassed over 400,000 followers and uses its reach to champion meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change through consulting with companies and brands, providing resources, and prompting one million people to sign a [pledge](https://www.intersectionalenvironmentalist.com/take-the-pledge) to ​​stand in solidarity with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled communities, and the planet.

## Level Up With The Breakdown

Filmmaker (and former YouTube star) [Jack Harries](https://www.instagram.com/jackharries/?hl=en) has dedicated his work to documenting stories surrounding climate change. Besides founding creative studio [Earthrise](https://www.instagram.com/earthrise.studio/?hl=en) – which aims to platform people who are doing important work in climate activism – and covering environmental stories in environmental stories in Greenland, Somaliland, Bhutan, Kiribati and Borneo, Harries launched a docu-series, [The Breakdown](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Ec5NXzcESo60F3UgtgQRA), which dives into topics like climate justice, climate denial, and climate solutions while prompting viewers to sign petitions and engage with environmental organisations.

## Get Gardening with [Poppy Okotcha](https://www.instagram.com/poppyokotcha/?hl=en)

Writer, speaker, and environmentalist Poppy Okotcha has amassed over 73,000 followers on Instagram through advocating for regenerative gardening – a form of horticulture which uses methods like permaculture, forest gardening, and organic soil practices to reverse climate change and restore biodiversity. Check out her Instagram for practical gardening tips that you can use at home to create change.

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It may feel like humanity has decimated the planet, but rest assured: there’s still hope yet

How to Alleviate Your Eco-Anxiety 

Team Woo

Is one of the antidotes to the mental health crisis already on our doorstep? In a pioneering new comedy series, TikTok superstar Oatmilk Leader [Mary Steven] and musician Niko B ditch the city to forge an unexpected new relationship with the outdoors



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Nature’s Calling

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With summer creeping closer, our plans of jetting off to faraway corners of the globe – escaping the monotony (and miserable weather) of our everyday lives – are almost upon us. 

While the summer marks many people’s first proper holiday since the pandemic began, it will also see an unfortunately very familiar character return, and descend on Europe: the Brit abroad. The sunscreen slathered boomers refusing to speak in any other language, and the freshly graduated (and overly-slaughtered) 18 year-olds on their first trip abroad.

And this hasn't gone unnoticed. Destinations including Ibiza and Mallorca, famous for their party scenes which bring in over 10 million tourists a year, recently [announced a crackdown on drinking laws ](https://mixmag.net/read/ibiza-drinking-restrictions-fines-tourists-news)on the islands. Tourists found to break these new rules could be fined up to 6,000 euros, while establishments could face up to 600,000 euros, along with forced closure of up to three years.

With this in mind, perhaps it’s time to rethink how we conduct ourselves as visitors at these party-centric locations. But fear not: here’s a quick guide on how to ethically party abroad this summer.


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# Respect the local community and environment

“There are many environmental challenges that [Balearic Islands] face,” Kate Benyon-Tinker from [IbizaPreservation,](https://ibizapreservation.org/) a non-profit organisation that campaigns for the environmental protection of the region, tells Woo. “A lot of which are related to human pressure, and the increasing number of tourists that we see year on year.” 

“One of which is water resources: there is an issue in terms of providing enough water for the usage of the number of people who kind of flood onto the island during the summer months because it's a very large amount of people in a very short concentrated time.”

Benyon-Tinker adds that there has been “a gradual and continued decline” in the quality of bathing water in the islands – partly caused by party-goers and tourists year on year. “We’re also seeing a rise in plastic pollution too: more microplastics in the water and a huge amount of plastic pollution on shorelines.” 

Sarah, 22, is a regular punter in Malia, a popular party destination in Greece, from Manchester. On her trips, she’d see the local beaches covered in litter. “I do not think that party goers have locals in mind at all. I think we’re so disrespectful to the community and the country,” she says. 


Plastic pollution is a far-reaching and devastating issue in our global marine ecosystem but is particularly prevalent in areas with increased tourism. In the face of such a monumental issue, it’s easy to feel hopeless. Luckily, Benyon-Tinker assures us there are “many simple things you can do to help.” 

It might seem obvious, but cutting down plastic use while you party can make a small – but tangible – difference. “Things like bringing reusable water bottles or reusing shopping bags can help.” She says. “Also, chemicals in traditional sunscreen cause damage to local marine life so it’s important to use eco-friendly, chemical-free sunscreen.”

If you’re a smoker, it’s important to be mindful of where you stub it out too. Cigarette butts account for more than [766 million kilograms of toxic trash ](http://ncr.emb.gov.ph/shareworthyarticle/cigarette-butts-account-for-766-million-kilos-of-trash-yearly/#:~:text=Cigarette%20butts%20account%20for%20more,Nations%20Environment%20Program%20(UNEP).)each year. They take years to degrade - when they eventually do, they release harmful microplastics and toxins. “These can be particularly harmful to our marine life; so please if you’re a smoker be thoughtful of where you put your cigarette butts – not in the ocean or the beach,” Benyon-Tinker adds. 



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# Know your limits

Not only should you be mindful of the environment, you should be mindful of yourself too. “It’s a very toxic environment. There are a lot of people who have just left home for the first time – no one is there to tell them what to do so they just go mad. There's a lot of booze and a lot of drugs.” Sarah told Woo, recalling her experience in Malia over the last two years.

Party destinations can feel far from home, which is a great thing. They can provide a much-needed feeling of escapism and release. But taking it too far and exceeding your limits can also be dangerous.

Sarah recalls a term widely used by party-goers called ‘the Malia shakes’, where your body shakes from dehydration and alcohol abuse. It goes to show how important it is to listen to your body and, if you feel unwell, take it slow. Unfortunately, some don’t follow this message.  In 2014, a 22-year-old from Ireland [sadly died of alcohol poisoning](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/health-news/22-year-old-man-died-after-downing-4092251) after downing dozens of vodka and Red Bull cocktails during a three-day booze binge.


# Try new things

Travel broadens the mind. Immersing ourselves in different cultures and giving us the opportunity to speak with individuals we otherwise wouldn't. I get it: you’ve been planning this ‘lad’s holiday’ for months and you’re ready to hit the bottle first as soon as you feel the gush of warm air stepping off the plane. But take some time to appreciate your new surroundings: refrain from the all-inclusive English breakfast, and try some of the local cuisines; make friends with the locals or explore 

Harry, 25, from Leeds, did just that on his recent trip to Ibiza. He stayed in the secluded and tranquil northeastern region of the Island. “It totally changed my perception of Ibiza,” he notes, “I spent most of my time on beaches we had just to ourselves. We stayed in an Airbnb in a remote field, surrounded by goats – it was worlds apart from the Ibiza I was expecting.”

So how to do as the locals do and find the authenticity on party islands? Check out the recently relaunched [Trippin’](https://trippin.world/) for one, an independent platform that connects travel, culture, and creativity, with local guides by cool, creative local people. Multidisciplinary artist Ana Sting, for example, [gives a guide to holistic retreats and spiritual practices in Ibiza.
](https://trippin.world/guide/ibizas-magical-crystal-mountain-is-any-meditators-dream)


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With summer creeping closer, our plans of jetting off to faraway corners of the globe – escaping the monotony (and miserable weather) of our everyday lives are almost upon us


Don’t be a dick abroad: an ethical guide to partying this summer

long read

Jack Ramage

New discoveries made during the lockdowns of the past two years, the enduring climate crisis, and a worldwide reaction to screen-fuelled anxiety has meant that getting outside and reconnecting with nature is an everlasting trend.

Whether you have access to a craggy moorland or a pint-sized local park, a daily walk outside has proven mental and physical health benefits. Practicality took over fashion during the pandemic and, for many of us, it’s still present. Salomons XTC to the Tesco Express? North Face on the brain? Decathlon your biggest bank drainer? And when you’re venturing outdoors, here’s to being as prepped as we are slick, from premium water bottles to nature-friendly speakers.

Below, explore the Woo outdoor edit of products and necessities for levelling up your outdoor drip.

No long distance road trip of any sort is complete without a cool box to keep drinks and perishables, well, cool. But the YETI Roadie 24 Cool Box has something that most others don’t: dimensions specifically catering to bottles of wine. Just don’t drink them when you’re driving, obviously. 


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Yeti - Roadie 24 Cool Box

Coffee freaks won’t need to forgo the good stuff while camping with the Snow Peak Coffee Dripper. It disassembles into six pieces that fit perfectly into its accompanying travel case so your caffeine hit can be as convenient as it is essential.  


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Snow Peak - Field Barista Coffee Dripper

Whether you want to keep soup hot (for 7 hours) or ice cream cold (for 25 hours), the Klean Kanteen Food Canister does the job perfectly. This doesn’t make deciding what to put in it any easier, though, so it’s perhaps sensible to invest in a few. 



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Klean Kanteen - Insulated TKCanister 16oz

Whether you refer to this as a waist bag or a bum bag or a fanny pack, the fact remains: being hands-free is a massive help when you’re gallivanting about outside. Don’t ask us to help you choose which colour to get, because we can’t decide either. 


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Patagonia - Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack 1L

Whatever the temperature outside, beer is always best enjoyed cold. But you don’t want your hands to get cold when it’s already freezing, do you? And that’s where the Rumpl Beer Blanket comes in. 

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Rumpl - Beer Blanket

Whether you use this in your garden or the great(er) outdoors, it’s a convenient way to get a fire going. Fires being majestic things for both cooking on and staring at, in case you didn’t know. 

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Snow Peak - Pack & Carry Fireplace

You have absolutely no business whatsoever using plastic bottles with the Frank Green Reusable Bottle in existence. Not only does it maintain temperature while keeping your drink tasting just right (metallic flavour water is not a vibe), it’s also gorgeous. And it won’t spill in your bag either. 

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Frank Green - Ceramic Reusable Bottle 

If you’ve exhausted the rooms in your house, grab a picnic blanket and head into your garden or local park to lay out for a bit. While you’re at it, bring a journal to write down how you were feeling inside or to sketch what you see in nature.

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Picnic Blanket

We appreciate the punny brand name of the Outlery Reusable Cutlery Set almost as much as the fact it’s a reusable cutlery set. Containing a fork, spoon, knife and chopsticks, it has all you need to eat with ease outside – many times over!

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Outlery - Reusable Cutlery Set

Whether you’ve prepped an eight-hour playlist of mellow beats or a one-hour refresher playlist of all your favourite songs – a charged, portable bluetooth speaker is essential. 

Bring this yellow one from Roberts with you as you float from room to room around the house or stick it on your bedside table to create a more relaxing ambiance.

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Roberts Radio - 320 Bluetooth Speaker

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Wherever you go outdoors, failing to plan is planning to fail – here’s Woo’s picks of water bottles, enduring garms, and campside essentials


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The outdoor edit: 10 essentials for making the great outdoors even greater

She’s serving. 

Have you ever wanted to see a beautiful, gigantic hole? Well, while you’re collecting your mind from the gutter, your prayers might’ve just been answered. A huge 630ft-deep sinkhole has been found in China. This wondrous (and slightly terrifying) hole is home to a stunning ancient forest range, with trees growing as tall as 131ft. Pretty neat, huh?

Cave explorers came across the sinkhole near Ping’e village in Leye County of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region earlier this month. According to the Xinhua news agency, the sinkhole is 630ft (192m) deep and measures 1,000ft (304m) in length and 490ft (149m) in width. (For people with no spatial awareness, basically: it’s big). 

Most fascinatingly, a “well-preserved primitive forest” of trees grows on the bottom of the sinkhole. “I wouldn’t be surprised to know that there are species found in these caves that have never been reported or described by science until now,” Chen Lixin, leader of the cave expedition team, told Xinhua.

China’s Guangxi region is known for its huge sinkholes. In November 2019, Xinhua reported the discovery of a giant cluster in the Guangxi region. Before this, in 2016, scientists discovered the world’s largest cluster of sinkholes in Shaanxi province in northwest China. The South China Sea is also home to the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole.


Most fascinatingly, a “well-preserved primitive forest” of trees grows on the bottom of the sinkhole. “I wouldn’t be surprised to know that there are species found in these caves that have never been reported or described by science until now,” Chen Lixin, leader of the cave expedition team, told Xinhua.

China’s Guangxi region is known for its huge sinkholes. In November 2019, Xinhua reported the discovery of a giant cluster in the Guangxi region. Before this, in 2016, scientists discovered the world’s largest cluster of sinkholes in Shaanxi province in northwest China. The South China Sea is also home to the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole.

Why are there so many in China? Sinkholes happen in most places (in the UK, they’re just pretty underwhelming by comparison). They’re formed when land surface collapses or sinks into cavities in the ground. Drought and flooding (which is particularly common in parts of China) can make conditions favourable for sinkholes to form.

These holes can be scary, of course. In 2020, six people were killed when a sinkhole swallowed a bus in northwest China. And in 2016, a huge sinkhole opened in the middle of a busy road. Last year, another sinkhole opened during floods in China’s Zhengzhou region and several people were sucked into it. 

Let’s file them next to black holes in the “holes that should not be messed with” category. 


explore

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space

5 cities doing public transport right

The outdoor edit: 10 essentials for making the great outdoors even greater

Turns out dolphins have skincare routines, too

pulling plastic: why indoor bouldering is booming

scientists discover huge sinkhole with stunning ancient forest growing inside

A psychic changed my view of death

Here’s How Twitter Is Preventing Climate Misinformation

Niko B and Mary Steven's guide to falling in love with nature

Don’t be a dick abroad: an ethical guide to partying this summer

Finding Peace and Pride in Northeast India

Is it time to quit your job?

8 SPFs to help you nail sun protection

Peek inside the Studio Ghibli theme park in Japan

Escape to Bali with Desa Potato Head’s live sessions

Nature’s Calling

How to Alleviate Your Eco-Anxiety

Eyes up! The young birdwatching community is taking flight