News + What You Can Do About It | May 2021

Mainstream news in The Netherlands is depressing. It has to be shocking, sensational and topical. Because of this news gets negative and people who only follow this news feel like the world around them is changing in a bad way. They lose trust in people and companies and they lose hope. Besides that, it makes people feel powerless. Yet, it has been scientifically proved that the world gets better every single day for humans. And so, I share 7 news-article once a month in these posts. A mix of positive and bad news, but mostly positive, to make sure that positive news has the upper-hand. Along, I share a practical tip on what you can do to change that news. This could be a lifestyle change, a petition to sign or a social media campaign to support, anything. To make you feel in power, because we are! This way you’ll know about the positive news, how to keep it that way, the negative news and how to change that!

No More Fossil Commercials in the Amsterdam Metro 3-5

The city of Amsterdam took an important step today. They have decided that commercials for fossil products are banned in all the metro’s in the city. Fossil products are for example cars or holidays by plane. Amsterdam has more ambitious goals because it wants to be the first city in the world to ban commercials for fossil in all of the city, not just the metro. This first step is a great example, because cities around the world were very excited about this initiative and want to do something their self alike.

Personal practical tip: there are many ways to ban fossil fuels out of your life. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but we can all do something. Switch to an energy provider which only uses renewable energy, buy solar panels, get rid of your car or share an electrical car, go zero waste, stop flying. The possibilities are endless!

Woman Are Still Harassed When Getting An Abortion in Groningen 5-5

In my hometown Groningen woman are still harassed by pro-life (which is a ridiculous name of course, they’re pro-suppression) activists when they’re undergoing an abortion. The activists (usually very strict religious people) are allowed to still stand by the entrance of the abortion clinic. This way woman who want to undergo an abortion are harassed by them. There is no appropriate distance. That’s why a woman has started an online action, calling people to e-mail the mayor (who is doing nothing about this issue) to create a safe zone. Then the activists can still protest (which is their right), but at a safe distance, not at the entrance of the clinic.

Personal practical tip: send the e-mail to the mayor too. This can easily be done via https://mailschuiling.nl, it’s a pre-set up e-mail (Update: this e-mail can no longer be sent). Also, I think abortion clinics should not exist. This makes women a target. Why not just do the procedure in a hospital? Then the activist can protest in front of the hospital, but then don’t know which people to turn to because you can’t tell why people are going to the hospital. It could be anything.

International Anti-Diet Day 6-5

Diets suck. Also: they don’t work. 95% percent of people get back to their original weight or get heavier because of a diet. We’re also worth more, especially woman (the group which is targeted most by the dieting industry). Why spend years counting calories and putting your life on hold? We’re meant to do so much more with our lives. That’s why this day is important. I read a Dutch article saying that more and more dietitians promote intuitive eating. If you do this, you listen to your body and nothing more. You eat when you’re hungry, you don’t when you don’t. You stop eating when you’re full and don’t look at the scale ever again. Once we’ve broken the dieting culture, only then most woman can be free.

Personal practical tip: I know this sounds ridiculous for most people today: stop dieting! That’s the ultimate solution but our dieting culture is so strong. A great tip is to read Body Positive Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe. She will open your eyes.

Female Players Allowed in Male Teams in Amateur Soccer 11-5

The Dutch Soccer Association has finale done something to decrease gender discrimination. Female players were only allowed to play together with male players in low amateur teams and in the youth teams. Now, female players can play in all teams of amateur soccer up until the Second Division. They’re not allowed to play in the First Division or the Eredivision yet. However, it is a great step forward. Woman will be discriminated a little less on the basis of their gender. That’s some something to celebrate.

Personal practical tip: I think the sports on television in The Netherlands are very limited still. It’s 90% male football and that sucks. This is not the right representation. I wish we could change that but I don’t know how.

MilieuDefensie Wins Case Against Shell 20-5

Shell is a horrible company. They’re not doing anything serious about their emissions to combat climate change. They have literally been knowingly destroying the planet for about 40 years now. Milieudefensie has therefore sewed them. And they won! Shell now has to lower their emissions by 45% by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement. This is historical and amazing news! If they don’t do so they probably will be fined and then Milieudefensie can use that money to do something themself (just like when Urgenda sewed the Dutch government, if the government doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do then Urgenda will use the fine to combat climate change their self). Right now, only 4% of Shells investments go to renewable energy (even though they advertise differently) and they emit 9 times more than our whole country The Netherlands does.

Personal practical tip: there are many ways to ban fossil fuels out of your life. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but we can all do something. Switch to an energy provider which only uses renewable, buy solar panels, get rid of your car or get an electrical car, go zero waste, stop flying. But what’s also very important: don’t invest in companies like Shell.

Greenland Water is Contaminated With Mercury 25-5

Scientists have found high concentrations of mercury in Greenland’s meltwater. This is the water that melts down from the ice caps and flows into the rivers and fjords. The concentrations are almost as high as in rivers in industrial China. It seems that this mercury is from the earth itself. Because the ice caps are melting so fast, the chemical balances in the ice caps are changing. This shows that climate change influences so many processes. We’re endangering our water supply here.

Personal practical tip: we need to all live an eco-positive lifestyle, so that we live within the earth’s capacity and combat climate change. How? Start here.

Slavery in Indian Garment Industry 30-5

This is unfortunately not a surprise, but a new research has once again proved that there still is slavery today in the Indian garment industry. 10 international companies were directly linked to the slavery: Carrefour, GAP, IKEA, Marc O’Polo, NEXT, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Cookie Company Group, WE Fashion, en Zeeman. However, this is still the tip of the iceberg.

Personal practical tip: the only solution is to buy ethical fashion. Companies need to have certificates to show that they pay a fair living wage and produce sustainable.

Yours sincerely,
Romee