🌞 The UK city banning fast fashion ads

Things that have filled my cup this week: parkruns with friends, frozen raspberries on my oats, reading on the train, a good iced matcha, Yo-chi with biscoff and this meme.

Things that haven’t: university. 

What fills your cup? Hit reply and let me know! 

A study in Kenya has found African elephants use different medicinal plants to treat themselves and their families when they’re sick.

Researchers worked with conservation charity Mount Elgon, and scouts, community guides and village elders from the local Indigenous community, the Sabaot people. 

They described elephants choosing specific plants when they seemed unwell, and noted that mothers administered plants to their calves.

While Mount Elgon specified that the research doesn’t mean that the elephants intentionally self-medicate, it does indicate there’s something that deserves more investigation.

They’re my favourite animal for a reason. 

Earlier this month, English city Bristol banned the advertising of high-carbon products across bus shelters, digital screens and billboards owned by the council. 

The policy bans advertising high-carbon holiday, petrol and diesel vehicles and marketing which encourages fast fashion. 

Deputy Leader of Bristol City Council Heather Mack said: “As the first council to introduce restrictions on the advertising of fast fashion, we will continue to look at how we can keep improving our advertising policy so that our outdoor spaces reflect the positive values of Bristol, reduce our climate impact and improve our local neighbourhoods and economy.”

The council’s ‘Advertising and Sponsorship’ policy was first adopted in 2021 to limit exposure to harmful advertising, and was amended this month.

An unrelated fun fact: anonymous street artist Banksy is from Bristol. 

Alternate caption: me and my friends.

Librarian Ms. Maze has made it her mission to give kids living in book deserts (areas where books are hard to obtain) opportunities to read. 

She curates book selections based on the community, and brings books to children in her book trolley. Kids can choose what they want to read and get to keep the book for free.

There are far more helpers out there than we think. 

You can check her account here.

I’ve cycled through my victims co-workers asking for a song for this newsletter.

Instead of one song, they’ve suggested one artist: Kylie Minogue.

Here are some of the team’s fav Kylie songs.

Xavier: Come Into My World

Adam: Say Something

Lucy: Literally any Kylie song

Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi has won silver in the women’s road race at the Asian Games in Japan, becoming Afghanistan’s first female medallist at the competition since 2002.

The 23-year-old fled Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban returned to power, having trained disguised as a man and faced attacks while cycling as a teenager.

Hashimi, who now lives and trains in Italy, said the medal “can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women”. In a post to Instagram, Hashimi added: “This achievement is not only personal. I dedicate it to every woman and girl around the world who continues to pursue her dreams despite challenges and obstacles.” 

There are so many elements out there, but magnesium's one of the good ones, and you might not be getting enough.

It supports muscle relaxation, energy production and a healthy nervous system, which is why it's recommended for period-related cramping, tension and poor sleep.

Swisse's Ultiboost Magnesium + Hormone Support pairs magnesium glycinate, a form your body absorbs (unlike standard magnesium oxide), with zinc to help maintain healthy reproductive hormones and ease bloating and muscle pain, plus Vitex to help with the mood swings and tenderness.

I’m not sure if we have any Kiwi readers, but if we do, this is for you guys. 

New Zealand’s annual Bird of the Year winner has been announced, and it’s the karure, or the Chatham Islands black robin, which received over 25,000 votes. 

The competition is run by Forest & Bird, an independent conservation organisation. Group Manager Rebecca Hatch said the competition matters because “it helps people discover, connect with, and fall in love with the incredible diversity of New Zealand's wildlife, while shining a light on the real challenges nature is facing.”  

My favourite part is the karure’s conservation story. In 1980, only five birds were left with one single breeding pair. The Chatham Islands community and the Department of Conservation worked to improve those numbers. There are now 350 adult birds that live on two pest-free nature reserve islands.

A new test to diagnose multiple sclerosis has been successfully rolled out in England.

Previously, people who needed an MS test would need to have a standard MRI scan and a lumbar puncture (it’s exactly as it sounds. A needle is inserted into your back). This could cause headaches, back pain, or unintended issues..

University of Nottingham experts previously found that they could successfully identify MS using a new type of MRI scan that only took six minutes longer. This means the lumbar puncture is no longer needed to diagnose MS. It’s now in effect across England. 

Rachel Mellor, who has MS, said: “This development is an amazing thing. To have something non-invasive and quicker, eases the stress”. 

If you love this newsletter, please consider emotionally supporting me. If you see anything positive in your feed, community or life please please please email me: [email protected]. If I’m coming across as desperate, that’s because some weeks I am. As one pop star once said: God, it’s brutal out here. 

(While I am being dramatic and will definitely find good news, I would still appreciate any good news from you all.)

We’ve heard good news stories from all around the world, so I’m ending with an Aussie story. 

Earlier this month, 13-year-old Leihani Zoric became the youngest-ever International Surfing Association (ISA) under-18 World Junior Champion. 

One of only nine Australian women to hold the title of ISA World Junior Champion, Zoric also became the first Australian to win the title since 2010.

She said: “I actually got the wildcard to come here, I didn’t even really qualify, but the moment I did I said to my mum and dad, ‘I’m going to win this. I’m going there to win the gold… I’m only 13 and I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of winning an ISA in under 18s at this age, so if you believe it and you dream it, you can achieve it.”

Zoric is also the first Indigenous person to win a surfing world title. 

She told the ABC: "I'm really proud to have represented my Yued mob over in Western Australia… We have such important history in our culture and I feel like [that] has really shaped me as a person."