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Baggage handler calls out crucial mistake at bag-drop

A ramp agent for a major airline has revealed one crucial mistake that many people make when checking their luggage before they fly. Sharing all the details of the little-known trick on a lengthy Reddit thread, the baggage handler, who has years of experience working with American Airlines, noted an extra step that many people miss to ensure the safe arrival of their bags. "Your bag tag has three 'bingo' stickers with your itinerary on them. Take one off and stick it on your suitcase," the airline worker shared. "This way, even if the bag tag gets torn off at some point, we can still get it to its destination." The stickers look like small barcodes at the very end of the long luggage tag and can simply be pulled off and placed anywhere else on the suitcase. It can also be a good idea to keep one of these small tickets with you, whether on your boarding pass (in an area that doesn’t restrict important information), or simply on an old receipt. That way if your luggage unfortunately goes missing, you have the right barcode and number for your bags to be easily located, wherever they may be. Another thing the baggage handler mentions is the location of the luggage tag. While many signs indicate it should be placed around the side handle (if your case has one), the staff member suggests the top handle is better. "Having the tag on the top handle, which is the one that faces outward on the cart, makes it more likely for mistakes to be caught," he points out. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

What to claim for lost, delayed or damaged bags on overseas flights

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> If you get on a plane and your baggage ends up being delayed, damaged or lost, who’s responsible: you or the airline? And what rules apply when you’re flying between different countries – even if you don’t have travel insurance? Airlines (otherwise known as carriers) generally include baggage requirements in their terms and conditions of carriage, which are set out or referred to on your ticket. These are the rules that apply to the journey that you have booked. But for international flights, a carrier’s liability for damage, loss or delay of baggage is governed by a number of overarching international treaties, which many passengers aren’t aware of. <h2>International agreements</h2> The <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.1929/doc.html">Warsaw Convention</a> of 1929 was the first of these treaties, and the latest is the passenger-friendly 1999 <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.unification.convention.montreal.1999/">Montreal Convention</a>. In order for one of these treaties to apply to a particular journey, the same treaty must be in place at the point of departure and the passenger’s final destination. For many trips, the agreement that will apply will be the Montreal Convention, which has to date <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">108 state parties</a>, covering everywhere from Albania and Australia to Zambia. In time, the Montreal Convention is expected to apply to almost all air travel. The Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) will generally apply where the Montreal Convention does not. It is less favourable to passengers. All these treaties have similar provisions to deal with baggage claims – but very different limits to what you might get if you need to make a claim. <h2>What the airline is responsible for</h2> A carrier is liable if your checked baggage is lost, delayed or damaged regardless of fault. This is so unless the damage resulted from the inherent defect or quality of the baggage or, in terms of delay, if it proves that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage occasioned by that delay. As for unchecked baggage (that is, carry-on baggage), the carrier is only liable if the damage is due to the fault of the carrier or its agents. Unless otherwise specified, reference to “baggage” includes both checked and unchecked baggage. <h2>Calculating baggage compensation</h2> Under the Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) and the Montreal Convention, liability limits are expressed in <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/sdr.HTM">special drawing rights</a> (SDRs). An SDR is a type of foreign exchange reserve asset created by the International Monetary Fund. Its value is based on an artificial basket of currencies consisting of the US dollar, the euro, the pound and the Japanese yen. The liability limits are reviewed every five years. As of October 16, 2014, the <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">value of an SDR</a> is about US$1.49, £0.93 or A$1.70. Current SDR values for other currencies are also listed <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">here</a>. <h2>So what is your baggage worth?</h2> In terms of baggage liability limits, the Warsaw Convention is of relatively little assistance to passengers. If your international travel is subject to Warsaw (for example, if you flew out of the United States on a one way ticket to Guatemala), liability for delayed, damaged or lost baggage is limited to 17 SDRs (about US$25.33, £15.81 or A$28.90) per kilogram per passenger for checked baggage and 332 SDRs (about US$494.68, £308.76 or A$564.40) per passenger for unchecked baggage. In contrast, a carrier is liable to pay far greater damages if the Montreal Convention applies. For any travel covered by Montreal, the carrier’s liability for baggage is limited to 1131 SDRs per passenger (US$1685.19, £1051.83 or A$1922.70), unless otherwise declared. The carrier is not liable for damages caused by delay if the carrier took all reasonable measures, or if it was impossible for it to take such measures. <h2>Time limits on baggage claims</h2> Time limits are imposed on making a claim for delayed, damaged or lost baggage. Any potential claims should be made to a carrier in writing within these specified limits. Article 26 of Warsaw provides that any complaint as to delay of baggage must be made at the latest within 21 days from the date the baggage was placed at the passenger’s disposal. <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Similarly, under Article 31 of Montreal, a complaint must be made within 21 days of a passenger receiving their baggage. With respect to damaged baggage, under Warsaw, any claim must be made “forthwith” after the discovery of the damage and at most seven days from the date of receipt of the baggage. Montreal also gives passengers seven days from receipt of checked bags to report a damage claim. Neither convention imposes a time limit for reporting lost baggage claims. But it is advisable that you make your complaint as soon as possible. Warsaw does not state when baggage is considered “lost”, leaving it up to carriers to make that ruling. Under Montreal, baggage is only considered lost after 21 days or if the carrier admits that they have lost it. If a passenger fails to make a complaint within the specified times, the carrier will not be liable unless there has been fraud on the carrier’s part. <h2>Insurance alternatives</h2> If you are concerned that the contents of your baggage exceed the liability limits outlined above, you can make a special declaration of the value of your baggage prior to check-in and pay any additional fee (if required). In this case, the carrier will be liable to pay a higher amount, unless it is proved that the declared amount is greater than the actual value of your baggage. Alternatively, prior to travelling, check with your insurance company as to whether your travel insurance covers any excess from delayed, damaged or lost baggage. You might also want to <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">check this list</a> to see whether the places you’re departing from and finally arriving at are parties to the Montreal Convention. If not, you might just find yourself out of pocket.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/32111/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, Adjunct Lecturer, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, Associate Professor, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-claim-for-lost-delayed-or-damaged-bags-on-overseas-flights-32111">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Plastic Free July is a waste of time if the onus is only on consumers

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bhavna-middha-1061611">Bhavna Middha</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ralph-horne-160543">Ralph Horne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Every year, the <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/">Plastic Free July</a> campaign asks us to refuse single-use plastic. The idea is that making a small change in our daily lives will collectively make a big difference. And hopefully, better behaviour will stick and become a habit. The intent is good, but consumers shouldn’t have to bear full responsibility for plastic pollution. Individual sacrifices – particularly temporary ones – <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421509004728">won’t make a significant difference</a>. Governments, manufacturers and retailers need to get serious about tackling this problem. If Plastic Free July put pressure on the supply side of the equation, rather than demand, it could be more successful. Our research spans food packaging including plastics, waste, sustainable consumption and social practices. We know consumer demand is only one part of the picture. Eliminating plastic waste requires broader systemic changes. <h2>The cabbage dilemma</h2> Research shows consumers generally want to do the <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/news/news-articles/the-conversation-on-sustainability-has-changed">right thing by the environment</a> but find it <a href="https://theconversation.com/households-find-low-waste-living-challenging-heres-what-needs-to-change-197022">challenging</a>. Coming out of a supermarket with no packaging is difficult. There are few unpackaged food items and even when there is a choice, the unpackaged item may be more <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/want-your-fruit-and-veg-without-the-plastic-you-ll-have-to-pay-more-20231107-p5eib4.html">expensive</a>. Have you ever been stuck in the supermarket, choosing between the large head of cabbage you know you won’t finish before it goes bad, or the plastic-wrapped half-cabbage you really need? Consumers should not be forced to choose between food waste (another huge problem) or plastic waste. Maybe there’s another way. For example, why not sell cabbages of different sizes? Why do we need to grow such large heads of cabbage anyway? Both plastic consumption and food waste can be addressed by changing how we produce and distribute certain foods. <h2>Governments, manufacturers and retailers must drive change</h2> The onus for reducing plastic consumption and waste should be placed firmly on those who make plastic and profit from selling their products, as well as those who make and sell products wrapped in plastic packaging. Research has shown just <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/News/2024/April/Global-study-finds-more-than-half-of-branded-plastic-pollution-linked-to-56-companies?utm_source=pocket_shared">56 companies</a> globally are responsible for more than half of the branded plastic pollution that ends up in the environment. Companies profit from using plastics because it is cheaper to use than changing to alternatives, such as cardboard or compostable materials, or using less packaging. This means companies choosing to avoid using plastics face unfair competition. It’s a tough habit to kick. Industry-led <a href="https://productstewardship.us/what-is-epr/#:%7E:text=Stewardship%20can%20be%20either%20voluntary,product%20stewardship%20required%20by%20law">voluntary schemes</a> are <a href="https://www.insidewaste.com.au/91038-2-product-stewardship-schemes/">limited in terms of both participation and outcomes</a>. Many companies are failing to meet their own <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/report-page/2024-plastic-promises-scorecard">plastic reduction goals</a>. Governments need to step in and force companies to take responsibility for the plastic and packaging they manufacture. In practice, this could involve similar schemes to the container deposit scheme for beverage containers, or returning plastics to stores. Replacing voluntary schemes with mandatory regulations and increased producer responsibility means companies will have to <a href="https://www.insidewaste.com.au/91038-2-product-stewardship-schemes/">invest in long-term changes designed with care</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UnXVU-06ciI?wmode=transparent&start=1" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>What’s Plastic Free July?</figcaption></figure> <h2>Cities are built around plastic</h2> Our previous research has shown plastic performs an essential role in some, <a href="https://rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geoj.12457">constrained circumstances</a>. We found vulnerable householders often rely on plastic to make life manageable, such as using plastics to cover belongings on the balcony, or using plastic cutlery and plates in student apartments with minimal kitchen space. This includes people with accessibility needs, people relying on public transport to shop for groceries, or people who are financially constrained or living in small high-rise <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-keep-putting-apartment-residents-waste-in-the-too-hard-basket-200545">apartments</a>. Unsustainable lifestyles are not so much a choice as a product of poorly planned cities, housing and regulations. It is all very well if you are mobile and well-located, but if you live in a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-08/food-deserts-have-serious-consequences-for-residents-experts/6605230">poorly serviced</a> distant suburb and <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/01/are-you-living-in-a-food-desert--these-maps-suggest-it-can-reall">transport groceries or takeaway food</a> or buy things on the go, then plastic is perhaps the only current affordable way to make it work. So campaigns and solutions that do not consider how <a href="https://rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geoj.12457">everyday lives and economy</a> are intertwined with plastics can <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42949-024-00149-w">exclude people and spaces</a> who can’t access the alternatives. For example, there are ways to make <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-5871.12464">convenience eating more sustainable</a> in education settings. We have shown how <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-5871.12390">canteens and microwaves</a> in shared spaces can enable people to access affordable food with their friends, as in <a href="https://www.charlesabroad.cz/post/german-university-canteens-why-do-they-beat-the-czech-ones">University Mensa in Germany</a>. Our <a href="https://cur.org.au/project/tackling-food-related-single-use-plastics-in-diverse-consumption-contexts/">new research</a> will explore how single-use food-related plastics and packaging form an integral part of our daily lives, including shopping, work, cooking and storage. Sometimes new policies inadvertently disadvantage certain groups and communities, such as the aged, less mobile, people living in apartments, or low socio-economic groups. Before we roll out new policies and regulations, we need to understand the roles these materials play and the kinds of services and value they provide. We aim to develop a framework to inform policies and strategies that enable a just and inclusive transition to reduced plastic use. <h2>What about after July?</h2> Plastic Free July and similar campaigns are based on idea that making a temporary change will lead to more permanent lifestyle changes. But research shows temporary shifts are <a href="http://www.demand.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/DEMAND2016_Full_paper_42-Shove.pdf">very different</a> to <a href="https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/32468813/FULL_TEXT.PDF">structural, permanent shifts</a> in <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315816494-1/introduction-social-practices-intervention-sustainability-beyond-behaviour-change-yolande-strengers-cecily-maller?context=ubx&refId=d608abad-39f9-4bb2-8754-56e9e2000c5e">practices</a>. Supermarkets will still wrap items in plastic and sell single-use plastic, even if we try to buy less during Plastic Free July. Ultimately, the focus should be on designing effective infrastructure and policy solutions for lasting results, considering how demand for plastic is produced in the first place. Some of these changes will require a shift in community expectations and food culture. Rather than pointing the finger at consumers, let’s get to work on redesigning our cities. We need to rethink how everyday practices, manufacturing and distribution systems are structured to eliminate plastic waste.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233436/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bhavna-middha-1061611">Bhavna Middha</a>, ARC DECRA and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ralph-horne-160543">Ralph Horne</a>, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, College of Design & Social Context, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/plastic-free-july-is-a-waste-of-time-if-the-onus-is-only-on-consumers-233436">original article</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first? Travel hack goes viral

One TikTok user has racked up over 75 million views for their hack which warns travellers against buying red suitcases. The reason behind it? He claims that red suitcases are always loaded onto a plane first - meaning that they will be the last ones to come out at the baggage carousel. The <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@airportlife_/video/7359248989134327072" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viral video</a> showed a plane's cargo being loaded, with all the red bags being loaded first. Many commenters have shared their theories on why this might be the case. "If the red are at the back then they are less likely to get left behind when unloading," one wrote. "So that it's easier to check if there is any bag left at end corner of loading area and prevent missing out black bags at dark corners, maybe," another added. However, a spokesperson for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has debunked this theory and claimed that the video is "nonsense" and "was made purposefully to mislead or provide false information". They also said that there was simply not enough time for their baggage handlers to sort suitcases out by colour. The question of "Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first?" also made its way to Reddit, after the video went viral, and one user who claimed to be a ramp worker denied the theory. "If we had taken the time and brain power to load bags based on colour I'd still be loading flights from 2015." Image: TikTok

Travel Tips

Why do airlines charge so much for checked bags? This obscure rule helps explain why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jay-l-zagorsky-152952">Jay L. Zagorsky</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/boston-university-898">Boston University</a> Five out of the six <a href="https://www.oag.com/blog/biggest-airlines-in-the-us">biggest U.S. airlines</a> have <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/05/delta-is-the-latest-airline-to-raise-its-checked-bag-fee.html">raised their checked bag fees</a> since January 2024. Take American Airlines. In 2023, it cost US$30 to check a standard bag in with the airline; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2024/02/20/american-airlines-bag-fees-mileage-earning/72669245007/">today, as of March 2024, it costs $40</a> at a U.S. airport – a whopping 33% increase. As a <a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/">business school</a> <a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/profile/jay-zagorsky/">professor who studies travel</a>, I’m often asked why airlines alienate their customers with baggage fees instead of bundling all charges together. <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/4/16/8431465/airlines-carry-on-bags">There are</a> <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/2023/06/21/bag-fees-will-stay-a-while-cruising-altitude/70338849007/">many reasons</a>, but an important, often overlooked cause is buried in the U.S. tax code. <h2>A tax-law loophole</h2> Airlines pay the federal government <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D">7.5% of the ticket price</a> when <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/tax/library/aircraft-club-nov-2023-air-transport-excise-tax-rates-for-2024.html">flying people domestically, alongside other fees</a>. The airlines dislike these charges, with their <a href="https://www.airlines.org/dataset/government-imposed-taxes-on-air-transportation/">trade association arguing</a> that they boost the cost to the consumer of a typical air ticket by around one-fifth. However, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D/section-49.4261-8">specifically excludes baggage</a> from the 7.5% transportation tax as long as “the charge is separable from the payment for the transportation of a person and is shown in the exact amount.” This means if an airline charges a combined $300 to fly you and a bag round-trip within the U.S., it owes $22.50 in tax. If the airline charges $220 to fly you plus separately charges $40 each way for the bag, then your total cost is the same — but the airline only owes the government $16.50 in taxes. Splitting out baggage charges saves the airline $6. Now $6 might not seem like much, but it can add up. Last year, passengers took <a href="https://www.transtats.bts.gov/Data_Elements.aspx?Data=1">more than 800 million trips on major airlines</a>. Even if only a fraction of them check their bags, that means large savings for the industry. How large? The government has <a href="https://www.bts.dot.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/baggage-fees-airline-2023">tracked revenue from bag fees</a> for decades. In 2002, airlines charged passengers a total of $180 million to check bags, which worked out to around 33 cents per passenger. Today, as any flyer can attest, bag fees are a lot higher. Airlines collected over 40 times more money in bag fees last year than they did in 2002. When the full data is in for 2023, <a href="https://www.bts.dot.gov/baggage-fees">total bag fees</a> will likely top $7 billion, which is about $9 for the average domestic passenger. <a href="https://viewfromthewing.com/the-real-reason-airlines-charge-checked-bag-fees-and-its-not-what-you-think">By splitting out the cost of bags</a>, airlines avoided paying about half a billion dollars in taxes just last year. In the two decades since 2002, flyers paid a total of about $70 billion in bag fees. This means separately charging for bags saved airlines about $5 billion in taxes. <iframe id="88MYD" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/88MYD/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> It seems clear to me that tax savings are one driver of the unbundling of baggage fees because of a quirk in the law. The U.S. government doesn’t apply the 7.5% tax to <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D/section-49.4261-3">international flights that go more than 225 miles</a> beyond the nation’s borders. Instead, there are fixed <a href="https://www.airlines.org/dataset/government-imposed-taxes-on-air-transportation">international departure and arrival taxes</a>. This is why major airlines charge $35 to $40 <a href="https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/checked-baggage-policy.jsp">for bags if you’re flying domestically</a>, but don’t charge a bag fee when you’re flying to Europe or Asia. <h2>Do travelers get anything for that money?</h2> This system raises an interesting question: Do baggage fees force airlines to be more careful with bags, since customers who pay more expect better service? To find out, I checked with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which has been <a href="https://www.bts.gov/content/mishandled-baggage-reports-filed-passengers-largest-us-air-carriersa">tracking lost luggage for decades</a>. For many years, it calculated the number of mishandled-baggage reports per thousand airline passengers. The government’s data showed mishandled bags peaked in 2007 with about seven reports of lost or damaged luggage for every thousand passengers. That means you could expect your luggage to go on a different trip than the one you are taking about once every 140 or so flights. By 2018, that estimate had fallen to once every 350 flights. In 2019, the government <a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/number-30a-technical-directive-mishandled-baggage-amended-effective-jan">changed how it tracks</a> mishandled bags, calculating figures based on the total number of bags checked, rather than the total number of passengers. The new data show about six bags per thousand checked get lost or damaged, which is less than 1% of checked bags. Unfortunately, the data doesn’t show improvement since 2019. Is there anything that you can do about higher bag fees? Complaining to politicians probably won’t help. In 2010, two senators <a href="https://www.nj.com/business/2010/04/us_senators_present_bill_to_ba.html">tried to ban bag fees</a>, and their bill went nowhere. Given that congressional action failed, there’s a simple way to avoid higher bag fees: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/packing-expert-travel-world-handbag/index.html">travel light</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/opinion/carry-on-packing-airlines-lost-luggage.html">don’t check any luggage</a>. It may sound tough not to have all your belongings when traveling, but it might be the best option as bag fees take off.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225857/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jay-l-zagorsky-152952">Jay L. Zagorsky</a>, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/boston-university-898">Boston University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-airlines-charge-so-much-for-checked-bags-this-obscure-rule-helps-explain-why-225857">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Former beauty queen dies after cosmetic surgery

Former beauty queen Jaquelin Carrieri, 48, has sadly passed away following complications from cosmetic surgery. The mother-of-two from Argentina suffered a blood clot and passed away at an unnamed clinic in Los Angeles, California on Sunday October 1st. A post on her Instagram page confirmed the tragic news. "We want to inform our followers today of some sad news," the post began. "Jaquelin Carrieri, who was Queen of Punta del Agua District and Deputy Queen of San Rafael Department in 1996, has passed away. "From Reinas de San Rafael, we want to extend our condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time." According to another statement posted on Facebook the following day, Carrieri passed away from a "stroke" caused by cosmetic surgery. "Jaquelin Carrieri has passed away," the statement began. "She was a woman of great talent, an actress in one of our department’s plays that was being performed at the Roma Theatre until just a few days ago. "Jaquelin also owned a high-end fashion store called Jaquelin Carrieri Boutique, which unfortunately had to close its doors during the pandemic. "She was well known for dressing the San Rafael pageant queens for many years, making their dresses shine during the Vía Blanca and Carrusel Vendimial parades. "In her youth, she was also Deputy Queen of the San Rafael en Vendimia festival. "She passed away in Los Angeles, California, due to a stroke that may have been caused by cosmetic surgery". Carrieri was just days away from celebrating her 49th birthday, and grieving friends have taken to social media to share their heartache. "Dear Jaqui yesterday I sent you a message for your birthday and I was surprised you didn't answer. Today on TV I heard this terrible news. I will always love you and I'm broken. Lots of light and love to you," one friend said. "All of us who had the pleasure of knowing you and sharing moments of our lives with you know what a wonderful person you were, a beautiful woman in every sense, always with your smile and your glamour," her close friend Jorgelina Olivera said. "Honestly your departure has taken me by surprise and I still can’t believe it. "Thank you, a thousand thanks for coming into my life and painting it with so much joy and happiness. "It was a pleasure to share moments with you, and I will be eternally grateful. "May God welcome you into His glory. It’s not a goodbye but a see you soon, my beautiful and dear Jaquelin". Carrieri leaves behind a son, Julian and daughter, Chloe. Images: Instagram

Caring

Why do I have to take my laptop out of the bag at airport security?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Anyone who has travelled by air in the past ten years will know how stressful airports can be. You didn’t leave home as early as you should have. In the mad rush to get to your gate, the security screening seems to slow everything down. And to add insult to injury, you’re met with the finicky request: “laptops out of bags, please”. But what does your laptop have to do with security? <h2>The day that changed air travel forever</h2> Airport security changed dramatically after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 2001. Before 9/11, you could pass through security with a carry-on bag full of everything you might need for your holiday, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">including a knife</a> with a four-inch blade. Indeed, that’s how the 9/11 attackers brought their <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">weapons on board</a>. After 9/11, screening processes around the world changed overnight. In the US, private security contractors being paid a minimum wage were swapped out for a federalised program with highly trained security personnel. Anything that could be <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00654/full">considered a weapon</a> was confiscated. Around the world, travellers were suddenly required to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6hBnJ-1hRp0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA86&dq=why+do+I+have+to+take+my+shoes+off+at+airport+security&ots=o6JIFHJzF1&sig=B6azb6xqN2uxM9CP-VZdfyt3Ag0#v=onepage&q=why%20do%20I%20have%20to%20take%20my%20shoes%20off%20at%20airport%20security&f=false">remove their shoes</a>, belts and outerwear, and take out their phones, laptops, liquids and anything else that could be used as part of an improvised explosive device. This lasted for several years. Eventually, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">more advanced</a> screening methods were developed to effectively identify certain threats. Today, some countries don’t require you to remove your shoes when passing through security. So why must you still take your laptop out? <h2>Airport scanners have come a long way</h2> The machine your bags and devices pass through is an X-ray machine. The main reason you have to remove your laptop from your bag is because its <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/why-do-i-have-to-remove-my-laptop-from-my-bag-at-the-airport-xray-machine-20170320-gv1vqs.html">battery</a> and other mechanical components are too dense for X-rays to penetrate effectively – especially if the scanning system is old. The same goes for power cords and other devices such as tablets and cameras. With these items in your bag, security officials can’t use the screened image to determine whether a risk is present. They’ll have to flag the bag for a physical search, which slows everything down. It’s easier if all devices are removed in the first place. A laptop inside a bag can also shield other items from view that may be dangerous. Scanning it separately reveals its internal components on the screen. In some cases you might be asked to turn it on to prove it’s an actual working computer. With newer multi-view scanning technology, security officials can view the bag from multiple angles to discern whether something is being covered up, or made to look like something else. For instance, people have tried to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">mix gun parts</a> with other components in an effort to pass checked baggage screening. Some airports have upgraded <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/no-more-removing-liquids-and-gels-laptops-at-melbourne-airport-as-new-scanners-installed-20191002-h1ijdf.html">3D scanning</a> that allows travellers to pass their bags through security without having to remove their laptops. If you’re not asked to take out your laptop, it’s probably because one of these more expensive systems is being used. Nonetheless, amping up the technology won’t remove the lag caused by airport screenings. Ultimately, the reason these are a major choke point is because of the speed at which staff scan the imagery (which dictates the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">speed of the conveyor belt</a>). Unless we find a way to automate the entire process and run it with minimal human supervision, you can expect delays. <h2>What about body scanners?</h2> But your bags aren’t the only thing getting scanned at airport security. You are too! The tall frame you walk through is a <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/airport-security3.htm">metal detector</a>. Its purpose is to uncover any weapons or other illegal objects that may be concealed under your clothes. Airport metal detectors use non-ionising radiation, which means they don’t emit X-rays. The larger body scanners, on the other hand, are a type of X-ray machine. These can be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">active or passive</a>, or a combination of both. Passive scanners simply detect the natural radiation emitted by your body and any objects that might be concealed. Active scanners emit low-energy radiation to create a scan of your body, which can then be analysed. The kind of machine you walk through will depend on where in the world you are. For instance, one type of active body scanner that emits X-rays in what’s called “backscatter technology” was once <a title="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" href="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used widely</a> in the US, but is no longer used. It’s also banned in <a title="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> and <a title="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the European Union</a>, where only non-ionising technology can be used. Another type of scanner emits lower-energy <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/backscatter-machines-vs-millimeter-wave-scanners.htm">millimetre waves</a>, instead of X-rays, to image the passenger. Millimetre wave frequencies are considered to be non-ionising radiation. <h2>AI in our airports</h2> AI seems to be all around us lately, and our airports are no exception. Advancements in AI systems stand to transform the future of airport security. For now, human reviewers are required to identify potential threats in scanned images. However, what if an advanced <a href="https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/artiificialintelligenceinsecuritycheck/article/">AI was trained</a> to do this using a database of images? It would do so in a fraction of the time. Some airports are already using advanced <a href="https://www.in-security.eu/index.php/editorial/the-future-of-airport-security-faster-smarter-safer">computed tomography</a> (CT) <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/21/3d-body-scanners-at-australian-airports-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work">scanners</a> to produce high-definition 3D imagery. In the future, this technology could be further enhanced by AI to detect threats at a much faster rate. Hypothetically, CT scans could also be used for both humans and their baggage. Could this allow travellers to walk through a body scanner while carrying their bags? Possibly. Until then, you should probably try your best to leave the house on time.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209041/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-have-to-take-my-laptop-out-of-the-bag-at-airport-security-209041">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

In a Barbie world … after the movie frenzy fades, how do we avoid tonnes of Barbie dolls going to landfill?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> It made headlines around the world when the much-hyped Barbie movie contributed to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/05/barbie-film-required-so-much-pink-paint-it-contributed-to-worldwide-shortage">world shortage</a> of fluorescent pink paint. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When movies or TV shows become cultural phenomena, toymakers jump on board. And that comes with a surprisingly large amount of plastic waste. Think of the fad for <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51554386">Baby Yoda dolls</a> after the first season of The Mandalorian in 2020. When the Barbie movie comes out this week, it’s bound to trigger a wave of doll purchases over and above the <a href="https://environment-review.yale.edu/most-materials-are-recyclable-so-why-cant-childrens-toys-be-sustainable">60 million Barbies</a> already sold annually. Toys are the most plastic-intensive consumer goods in the world, <a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25302/Valuing_Plastic_ES.pdf">according to</a> a 2014 United Nations Environment Program report. Worse, very few toys are recycled. That’s often because they can’t be – they’re made of a complex mixture of plastics, metals and electronics. When children get bored, these toys often end up in landfill. <h2>The toll of the dolls</h2> Consider a single Barbie doll. What did it cost to create? Before the US-China trade war, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/China-s-toy-making-capital-scrambles-to-reinvent-itself">half the world’s toys</a> were manufactured in Dongguan, a city in China. That included one in three Barbie dolls. American researchers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550922000550">last year quantified</a> what each doll costs the climate. Every 182 gram doll caused about 660 grams of carbon emissions, including plastic production, manufacture and transport. The researchers analysed seven other types of toys, including Lego sets and Jenga. By my calculations, emissions on average across all these types of toys are about 4.5 kilograms per kilogram of toys. Scaled up, this is considerable. In the US, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/21/plastics-greenhouse-gas-emissions-climate-crisis">it’s estimated</a> emissions from the plastics industry will overtake those from coal within seven years. So the question is, how can we cut our emissions to zero as fast as possible to ensure we and our children have a liveable climate – without putting a blanket ban on plastic toys? After all, toys and entertainment add happiness to our lives. <h2>The role for toymakers and governments</h2> To date, there has been little focus on making the toy industry more sustainable. But it shouldn’t escape our notice. Toy manufacturers can – and should – use low carbon materials and supply chains, and focus on making toys easily dissembled. Toys should be as light as possible, to minimise transport emissions. And battery-powered toys should be avoided wherever possible, as they <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550922000550">can double</a> a toy’s climate impact and turn a plastic waste problem into an electronic waste problem. To their credit, some toymakers <a href="https://time.com/6126981/my-kids-want-plastic-toys-i-want-to-go-green-heres-a-fix/">have cut back</a> on plastic in their packaging, given packaging immediately becomes waste. In a welcome move, the maker of Barbie, Mattel, launched their own recycling scheme in 2021, allowing buyers to send back old toys to be turned into new ones. This scheme isn’t available in Australia, however. Toymakers can help at the design stage by choosing the materials they use carefully. Governments can encourage this by penalising cheap, high-environmental-impact plastics. We can look to the <a href="https://www.clientearth.org/latest/press-office/press-list/eu-court-delivers-final-blow-to-plastics-industry-on-bpa/">European</a> and American bans on BPA-containing plastics in infant milk bottles as an example of what’s possible. Governments can set up effective recovery and recycling systems able to handle toys. Some plastic-dependent brands such as Lego are unilaterally moving away from petrochemical-based plastic in favour of sugarcane-based plastic. But it’s not a <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/lego-sustainable-bricks/">short-term project</a>. While Barbie dolls had an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-24/barbie-s-pandemic-sales-boom-followed-yearslong-revamp-at-mattel">uptick in popularity</a> during the pandemic years – and will no doubt have another surge alongside the movie – longer-term trends are dampening plastic toy impact. While movies in the 1980s were often “<a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/toyetic?s=t">toyetic</a>” – conceived with an eye to toy sales – the trend is on the wane. Gaming, for instance, has moved to centre stage for many older children. While gaming produces e-waste streams, it is also a likely cause of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/apr/05/lights-camera-but-no-action-figures-are-movie-toys-going-out-of-fashion">longer-term fall</a> in popularity of plastic toys. <h2>What should we do?</h2> If you’re a parent or an indulgent grandparent, it’s hard to avoid buying toys entirely – especially if your child gets obsessed with Barbie dolls after seeing the movie. So what should you do? For starters, we can avoid cheap and nasty toys which are likely to break very quickly. Instead, look for toys which will last – and which will lend themselves to longer-term creative play. Think of the enduring popularity of brick-based toys or magnetic tiles. Look for secondhand toys. And look for toys made of simpler materials able to be recycled at the end of their lives – or even for the Barbie dolls made out of <a href="https://www.today.com/shop/mattel-barbie-doll-recycled-plastic-t221461">ocean plastics</a>. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209601/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, Senior Industry Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-barbie-world-after-the-movie-frenzy-fades-how-do-we-avoid-tonnes-of-barbie-dolls-going-to-landfill-209601">original article</a>.

Movies

Flex your sustainability skills this Plastic Free July

It’s no secret that single-use plastics are often a huge part of our lives, with grocery items and household essentials often relying on plastic for their packaging. However, if you look a little further, you’ll find that there are sustainable options out there to help curb your plastic consumption. The annual global initiative of <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/">Plastic Free July</a> is once again taking place, with over 190 countries determined to be a part of the plastic pollution solution. Plastic Free July is a great opportunity to discover more sustainable options in day to life, while also helping to save valuable dollars during the ongoing cost of living crisis. In collaboration with this international movement, <a href="https://www.brita.com.au/">BRITA</a> have shared ten valuable tips to help reduce individual plastic waste contribution in everyday life. <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Make the switch to a filtered water jug and reusable bottle instead of drinking single-use bottles of water at home or at the office. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Instead of plastic food wraps, choose alternatives such as beeswax wraps or reusable containers. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Try a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Skip the plastic straw or buy stainless steel straws to reduce dangerous plastic waste caused by used straws. Think of the turtles! </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Try out powdered laundry detergent that comes in a box instead of laundry liquid in plastic bottles. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Swap plastic bin liners for newspaper or certified compostable ones instead. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Avoiding pre-packaged foods by choosing bulk or loose food. Or, better yet, take in your own jars. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Use soap bars instead of liquid soap in plastic containers. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Use your own cutlery when ordering takeaway food, instead of relying on plastic ones. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Always consider the three R’s for a better planet – reduce, reuse, recycle! </li> </ol> Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> This week in Paris, negotiators from around the world are <a href="https://www.unep.org/events/conference/second-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-develop-international">convening</a> for a United Nations meeting. They will tackle a thorny problem: finding a globally binding solution for plastic pollution. Of the staggering <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/viewhtml.aspx?datasetcode=PLASTIC_USE_6&lang=en">460 million tonnes of plastic used globally in 2019 alone</a>, much is used only once and thrown away. About <a href="https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.htm">40% of plastic waste</a> comes from packaging. Almost two-thirds of plastic waste comes from items with lifetimes of less than five years. The plastic waste that escapes into nature persists and breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782">eventually becoming microplastics</a>. Plastics now contaminate virtually every environment, from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/20/microplastic-pollution-found-near-summit-of-mount-everest">mountain peaks to oceans</a>. Plastic has entered vital systems such as our food chain and even the human <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time">blood stream</a>. Governments and industry <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/nations-agree-end-plastic-pollution">increasingly acknowledge</a> the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution. They are introducing <a href="https://apco.org.au/the-australian-packaging-covenant">rules and incentives</a> to help businesses stop using single-use plastics while also encouraging collection and recycling. As a sustainability researcher, I explore opportunities to <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/research/zerowaste/">reduce plastic waste </a>in sectors such as tourism, hospitality and meat production. I know how quickly we could make big changes. But I’ve also seen how quick-fix solutions can create complex future problems. So we must proceed with caution. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The best way to tackle plastic pollution is to prevent it in the first place. Governments, businesses, civil society, and academia can all be part of the solution to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>. Join in this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEnvironmentDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEnvironmentDay</a>: <a href="https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz">https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz</a> <a href="https://t.co/1p5G0183uh">pic.twitter.com/1p5G0183uh</a> — UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1660873190577680384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Plastic avoidance is top priority</h2> We must urgently eliminate waste and build a so-called “<a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview">circular economy</a>”. For plastics, that means reuse or recycling back into the same type of plastic, not lower grade plastic. The plastic can be used to make similar products that then can be recycled again and again. This means plastics should only be used where they can be captured at their end of life and recycled into a product of the same or higher value, with as little loss as possible. Probably the only example of this to date is the recycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) soft-drink bottles in Norway and Switzerland. They boast recovery rates of <a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-02-norway-bottles-plastic-fantastic.html">97%</a> and <a href="https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/environment/switzerland-leads-way-pet-recycling">95%</a> respectively. The <a href="https://wastewise.be/2014/11/ad-lansink/">waste management pyramid</a> below shows how to prioritise actions to lessen the waste problem. It is particularly relevant to single-use plastics. Our top priority, demanding the biggest investment, is prevention and reduction through redesign of products. Where elimination is not yet achievable, reuse solutions or recycling to the same or higher-level products can be sought to make plastics circular. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Inverted pyramid diagram showing waste management priorities" /><figcaption>In the inverted pyramid of waste management priorities, downcycling is almost the last resort. Pascal Scherrer</figcaption></figure> Unfortunately, a lack of high-quality reprocessing facilities means plastic waste keeps growing. In Australia, plastic is largely “downcycled”, which means it is recycled into lower quality plastics. This can seem like an attractive way to deal with waste-plastic stockpiles, particularly after the recent collapse of soft-plastics recycler <a href="https://theconversation.com/redcycles-collapse-is-more-proof-that-plastic-recycling-is-a-broken-system-194528">RedCycle</a>. But downcycling risks doing more harm than good. Here are three reasons why: <h2>1. Replacing wood with recycled plastics risks contaminating our wildest natural spaces</h2> An increasing number of benches, tables, bollards and boardwalks are being made from recycled plastic. This shift away from timber is touted as a sustainable step - but caution is warranted when introducing these products to pristine areas such as national parks. Wood is naturally present in those areas. It has a proven record of longevity and, when degrading, does not introduce foreign matter into the natural system. Swapping wood for plastic <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749122019510?via%3Dihub">may introduce microplastics</a> into the few remaining places relatively free of them. Replacing wood with downcycled plastics also risks plastic pollution through weathering or fire. <h2>2. Taking circular plastics from their closed loop to meet recycled-content targets creates more waste</h2> Clear PET bottles used for beverages are the most circular plastic stream in Australia, approaching a 70% recovery rate. When these bottles are recycled back into clear PET bottles, they are circular plastics. However, the used PET bottles are increasingly being turned into meat trays, berry punnets and <a href="https://www.praise.com.au/faqs-100-recycled-bottles">mayonnaise jars</a> to help producers meet the <a href="https://apco.org.au/national-packaging-targets">2025 National Packaging Target</a> of 50% recycled content (on average) in packaging. The problem is the current industry <a href="https://anzpacplasticspact.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Recovered-Polymer-Specifications_FINAL_June2021d.pdf">specifications for plastics recovery</a> allow only downcycling of these trays, punnets and jars. This means that circular PET is removed from a closed loop into a lower-grade recovery stream. This leads to non-circular downcycling and more plastic sent to landfill. <h2>3. Using “compostable” plastics in non-compostable conditions creates still more plastic pollution</h2> Increasingly, plastics are labelled as compostable and biodegradable. However, well-intended use of compostable plastics can cause long-term plastic pollution. At the right temperature with the right amount of moisture, compostable plastics breakdown into soil. But if the conditions are not “just right”, they won’t break down at all. For example, when a landscape architect or engineer uses a “compostable” synthetic fabric instead of a natural alternative (such as coir or jute mats) they can inadvertently introduce persistent plastics into the environment. This is because the temperature is not hot enough for the synthetic mat to break down. We must also <a href="https://documents.packagingcovenant.org.au/public-documents/Considerations%20for%20Compostable%20Packaging">differentiate</a> between “home compostable” and “commercially compostable”. Commercial facilities are more effective at composting because they operate under more closely controlled conditions. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Plastic pollution could reduce by 80% by 2040 if governments and companies make policy and market shifts using existing technologies. OUT NOW – UNEP’s new report provides a pathway for nations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>: <a href="https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN">https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN</a> <a href="https://t.co/iSQ9QSpYC1">pic.twitter.com/iSQ9QSpYC1</a> — UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1658419925638152192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Learning from our mistakes</h2> Clearly, we need to reduce our reliance on plastics and shift away from linear systems – including recycling into lower-grade products. Such downcycling may have a temporary role in dealing with existing plastic in the system while circular recycling capacity is being built. But we must not develop downcycling “solutions” that need a long-term stream of plastic waste to remain viable. What’s more, downcycling requires constantly finding new markets for their lower-grade products. Circular systems are more robust. So, to the negotiators in Paris, yes the shift to a circular plastics economy is urgent. But beware of good intentions that could ultimately make things worse.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206060/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Law and Art, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-little-known-reasons-why-plastic-recycling-could-actually-make-things-worse-206060">original article</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

What's inside the $126k Oscars gift bags?

For many actors, being awarded an Oscar is the greatest gift of their career. However, if an actor misses out in their category, it doesn't mean they'll walk away with nothing. The Oscars' gift bags have long been jam-packed with a selection of luxury goods, bringing the total value of the goodies well into the six-figure mark. This year is no exception, with the Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets once again sending out its infamous "Everybody Wins" swag bags to the top nominees. The bags are worth an impressive $126,000 this year, with 26 nominees in acting and directing categories going home with the goodies. The celebrities will be offered thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods, and even more in vouchers for things like vacations and cosmetic procedures. Among the contents is a luxury getaway to Canada, which is said to be valued at $40,000, vouchers for cosmetic procedures like liposuction and micro-needling, luxury skincare and gourmet foods, and and "the first-ever chocolate box with a personalised video embedded inside." Also in the goodie bag is one unusual gift that has caused outrage with Indigenous Australian communities: a plot of land in regional areas of Australia. Pieces of Australia is one of a number of brands to pay $4,000 to secure a spot in the Oscars gift bag, offering a small parcel of land in outback Australia as part of its “Conservation Gift Packs”. The land parcels all come with a “certificate of land licence”, but the terms and conditions go on to state that “you have purchased a symbolic souvenir … of the land” and people who own a “pack” may not “take possession of the parcel; use the parcel; enter upon the parcel and/or the land without the licensor’s express written consent”. The digital “member’s handbook” which comes with the pack referenced the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN) without the company's permission, causing outrage with the traditional owners of the land. In a statement, ICIN said it “has not granted permission for any of our information, publications or photos to be reproduced to support the Oscars ‘Goodie Bag’ or ‘Pieces of Australia’.” “The Indigenous Carbon Industry Network is a 100% Indigenous-owned charitable company owned by 23 Indigenous organisations across Australia,” it said. “ICIN is seeking legal advice regarding this matter and will be able to provide further statement once we have sought appropriate advice.” The Pieces of Australia founder, Niels Chaneliere, said the intention of his organisation was to provide “land licence agreements (where there is no land title transfer at any point) as novel/symbolic gifts for people around the world to engage and participate positively in conservation efforts”. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Madonna takes aim at "ageist" critics

Madonna has spoken out against wide-spread criticism of her appearance after presenting at the Grammy Awards. The 64-year-old musician introduced Sam Smith and Kim Petras' performance of their hit song Unholy at the annual music award ceremony, but rather than focus on the "history making" performance, many were quick to comment on Madonna's appearance. Following her moment on the stage, Madonna's social media was flooded with comments calling her scary, unrecognisable and denouncing her supposed "obsession with plastic surgery", despite the singer never confirming having cosmetic enhancements. Hitting back at online trolls, Madonna took to Instagram to condemn the "ageism and misogyny" of her critics, while refusing to apologise for her "creative choices". In a lengthy post, she wrote, "Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim - Many people chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera By a press photographer that Would distort anyone’s face!!" "Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45, and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous." She continued, "I have never apologised for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I’m not going to start. I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come." She concluded the post by saying, "I look forward to many more years of subversive behaviour, pushing boundaries, standing up to the patriarchy, and most of all enjoying my life." While her post was flooded with support from her celebrity friends, she also welcomed a new wave of criticism with many commenters thinking her anger was misdirected. One person said, "Ok but there's an elephant in the room here - This is not ageism - it is plastic surgery and filler! How is this ageism when YOU did all this to yourself in order to prevent looking old? Give yourself a break from those fillers and stop blaming ageism for what you choose to do to yourself." Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Here’s how you can bag a night at Bag End

While many visitors to New Zealand’s Hobbit movie set have gone there and back again, no-one has had the chance to stay overnight - until now that is. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Airbnb will be offering a few lucky fans the opportunity to spend the night at the original movie set. Winners will score one of three overnight stays at the set in Waikato, with access to the Hobbit Holes, Millhouse and The Green Dragon Inn, a private tour of the movie set, and an evening banquet in the Green Dragon - think beef and ale stew, fresh bread, chickens and ale. Two decades after the working farm caught the attention of Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, the farm’s owner Russell Alexander said he was excited to offer guests the experience of living like a Hobbit. “We’ve welcomed millions of passionate fans to the Hobbiton Movie Set, but never before has anyone had the opportunity to spend a night in Middle-earth,”he said. “I am delighted to share the beauty of my family’s farm and pleased to be hosting this iconic location on Airbnb for fans from around the world.” The three two-night stays will come with a four-guest limit and cost $10 a night to mark the 10th anniversary. Each of the stays will take place on March 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18. Unsurprisingly, there are some rules for the lucky guests who stay on-set, with plenty of references to the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings sagas, including “no unexpected parties”, “magical rings permitted, but keep them secret, keep them safe”, “straying far at night is discouraged, thanks to multiple troll sightings of late”, and “pony parking” available only at the Green Dragon Inn. To go in the running, applicants can request to book one of the stays from Wednesday December 14. Applicants must have a history of positive reviews on Airbnb, have an Airbnb profile and be over the age of 18. To enter, head <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/hobbiton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Images: Airbnb

Real Estate

Dog found hidden in carry-on bag at airport security

A US Transportation and Security Agency (TSA) officer has discovered a small dog stashed in a traveller's carry-on luggage. The animal was found in a backpack when going through the X-ray machine at the Dane County <a title="Airport " href="https://www.9news.com.au/airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airport</a> in Wisconsin. TSA told a local news outlet that the passenger was unaware of the screening protocol and did not tell security officers about her dog. After an officer explained the proper process and confirmed she disclosed she was travelling with a pet to the airline, she proceeded to her gate to board her flight. TSA Great Lakes confirmed that the woman's error was an accident on social media, while alerting people to the proper flying rules. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Video: Here’s the proper way to travel with your pet. Note: This is a <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TSA</a> PreCheck passenger traveling with a cat. If you think your pet will attempt an escape, ask to speak with a supervisor before removing the animal. Alternative screening options may be available. (2/2) <a href="https://t.co/NL2jNjni2l">pic.twitter.com/NL2jNjni2l</a> — TSA_GreatLakes (@TSA_GreatLakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA_GreatLakes/status/1600210121136537600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2022</a></blockquote> "A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @MSN_Airport this week," it tweeted. "When travelling with any animal, notify your airline and know their rules." "At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine." It then uploaded a video showing "the proper way" to travel with pets. Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

What’s the connection between cosmetic procedures and mental health?

Although we cannot be sure of the exact numbers of Australians undergoing cosmetic procedures, as there is no requirement for health professionals to report their statistics, there is a consensus demand is on the rise. In 2015, the <a href="https://cpca.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/31-05-2016_AUSTRALIAS_SPEND_ON_COSMETIC_TREATMENTS_TOPS_1_BILLION.pdf">Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia</a> found Australians were spending more than $1 billion a year on non-invasive cosmetic procedures like Botox and fillers. This is more than 40% higher, per capita, than in the United States. In the US, where procedure <a href="https://cdn.theaestheticsociety.org/media/statistics/2021-TheAestheticSocietyStatistics.pdf">statistics are reported</a>, there was a 42% increase in the number of filler procedures and a 40% increase in Botox procedures performed in the last year alone. Rates of mental health issues in this group may be higher than the general population, but seemingly not enough is being done to ensure the psychological safety of people requesting cosmetic procedures. <h2>Body dysmorphic disorder</h2> Body image concerns are generally the main motivator for seeking cosmetic procedures of all kinds. These concerns are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144518305552">usually focused on the body part</a> where the cosmetic intervention is sought, such as the nose for a rhinoplasty. Severe body image concerns are a key feature of several mental health conditions. The most prevalent in people seeking cosmetic procedures is body dysmorphic disorder. In the general community, around 1-3% of people will experience body dysmorphic disorder, but in populations seeking cosmetic surgery, this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35715310/">rises to 16-23%</a>. <a href="https://bdd.iocdf.org/professionals/diagnosis/">Body dysmorphic disorder</a> involves a preoccupation or obsession with one or more perceived flaws in physical appearance which are not visible or seem minor to other people. In response to the distress regarding the flaw, the person with body dysmorphic disorder will perform repetitive behaviours (such as excessively checking body parts in the mirror) and mental acts (such as comparing their appearance with other people). These concerns can have a significant negative impact on the person’s daily life, with some people too distressed to leave their home or even eat dinner with family members out of fear of being seen by others. With the distress associated with body dysmorphic disorder seemingly stemming from physical appearance issues, it makes sense someone with body dysmorphic disorder is far more likely to turn up at a cosmetic clinic for treatment than a mental health clinic. The problem is, cosmetic intervention usually makes the person with body dysmorphic disorder feel the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00266-017-0819-x">same or worse</a> after the procedure. They may become even more preoccupied with the perceived flaw and seek further cosmetic procedures. Patients with body dysmorphic disorder are also <a href="https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/22/6/531/204131">more likely</a> to take legal action against their treating cosmetic practitioner after believing they have not received the result they wanted. For these reasons, body dysmorphic disorder is generally considered by health professionals to be a “red flag” or contraindication (a reason not to undergo a medical procedure) for cosmetic procedures. However, this is not entirely clear-cut. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/asj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/asj/sjac243/6678852?searchresult=1">Some studies</a> have shown people with body dysmorphic disorder can improve their symptoms after cosmetic intervention, but the obsession may just move to another body part and the body dysmorphic disorder diagnosis remain. <h2>What about other mental health conditions?</h2> Body dysmorphic disorder is by far the most well-studied disorder in this area, but is not the only mental health condition that may be associated with poorer outcomes from cosmetic procedures. According to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8034989/">recent systematic review</a>, the rates of depression (5-26%), anxiety (11-22%) and personality disorders (0-53%) in people seeking cosmetic surgery may be higher than the general population (which are estimated to be 10%, 16% and 12% respectively). However, these rates should be interpreted with some caution as they depend greatly on how the mental health diagnosis was made – clinician-led interview (higher rates) versus mental health questionnaire (lower rates). Some interview approaches can suggest higher rates of mental health issues as they may be quite unstructured and thus have questionable validity compared with highly structured questionnaires. Besides body dysmorphic disorder, the research investigating other mental health conditions is limited. This may just be due to the fact body image focus is at the core of body dysmorphic disorder, which makes it a logical focus for cosmetic surgery research compared with other types of psychiatric disorders. <h2>So what should happen?</h2> Ideally, all cosmetic surgeons and practitioners should receive sufficient training to enable them to conduct a brief routine assessment of all prospective patients. Those with signs indicating they are unlikely to derive psychological benefit from the procedure should undergo a further assessment by a mental health professional before undergoing the procedure. This could include an in-depth clinical interview about motivations for the procedure, and completing a range of standard mental health questionnaires. If a person was found to have a mental health issue in the assessment process, it does not necessarily mean the mental health professional would recommend against pursuing the procedure. They may suggest a course of psychological therapy to address the issue of concern and then undergo the cosmetic procedure. At the moment, assessments are only recommended rather than mandated for cosmetic surgery (and not at all for injectables like Botox and fillers). The <a href="https://plasticsurgery.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2.5-AHPRA-MBA-Guidelines-for-Registered-Medical-Practitioners-Who-Perform-Cosmetic-Medical-and-Surgical-Procedures-2016.pdf">guidelines</a> say evaluation should be undertaken if there are signs the patient has “significant underlying psychological problems”. This means we are relying on the cosmetic medical practitioner being capable of detecting such issues when they may have received only basic psychological training at medical school, and when their business may possibly benefit from not attending to such diagnoses. An August 2022 <a href="https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Cosmetic-surgery-hub/Cosmetic-surgery-review.aspx">independent review</a> by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Medical Board of Australia recommended the guidelines around mental health assessment should be “strengthened” and emphasised the importance of medical practitioners receiving more training in the detection of psychiatric disorders. Ultimately, as cosmetic practitioners are treating patients who are seeking treatment for psychological rather than medical reasons, they must have the wellbeing of the patient front-of-mind, both out of professional integrity and to protect themselves from legal action. Mandatory evaluation of all patients seeking any kind of cosmetic procedure would likely improve patient satisfaction overall. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-connection-between-cosmetic-procedures-and-mental-health-190841" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Beauty & Style

Forget plastic surgery! These 7 makeup tricks could completely transform your features

Nose contouring instead of a nose job If you find your nose too big, too wide, or too something else, get ready to transform it with contouring. For the uninitiated, contouring is the process of strategically placing bright concealer or highlighter on areas you want to catch light, making them more pronounced, and darker products on places where you want to create shadows, making them less noticeable. There are specific contouring techniques for each nose shape, but in every case, you’ll want to apply concealer that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone to the bridge of your nose, and a greyish-brown or dark taupe colour (a powder or liquid) to cover bumps, wide nostrils, or hook shapes. Always blend the light and dark colours into place using a beauty blender sponge or a rechargeable makeup brush, which evenly disperses granules of makeup in thin, even layers for an airbrush-like finish. The results are like an instant nose job – no surgery required! Strategic eyeliner instead of an eye lift Oh, the wonders of a good eyeliner. Whether your eyes are too small, too big, too down-turned or too something else, applying eyeliner in the proper style and colour is the perfect way to visibly alter their shape. To open up the eyes, adding white liner to the lower lash line creates an optical illusion as it acts as a continuation of your eyes, making them look bigger. For down-turned eyes, nothing works better than a reverse cat eye in black liner. For hooded lids, apply smokey eyeliner to enhance the outer corners for the illusion of lift. Shading cheekbones instead of fillers Women have been turning to pricey injectable fillers to fake supermodel cheekbones, but there’s a much easier – and cheaper – way. For this no-fuss three-step process, all you need is your trusty contour kit (foundation that is two shades lighter than your skin tone, plus a base that is two shades darker), which you will use to outline and highlight the apples of your cheeks. First apply the one-shade lighter cream foundation on your cheekbones to draw light; then apply the two-shades darker base below the cheekbones to help those areas recede. Finish with a pop of pink or peach on the apples of your cheeks, and dab a few drops of liquid highlighter at the top of cheekbones. Blend, et voila – Hollywood cheekbones. Smoothing foundation instead of botox Many foundations are prone to caking, cracking and flaking, which are likely to make any wrinkles and blemishes more noticeable instead of concealing them. If you want your face to look younger, one of the easiest ways is by smoothing skin. That means starting with a primer, which smooths the canvas of your face, like a painter would spackle and prime walls before applying colour. Follow with a satin foundation for a silky smooth, practically Photoshopped face. Overlining lips instead of injectable plumpers Less is definitely more here, but this tiny adjustment will make a huge difference in the appearance of your lips. The trick is to first apply a neutral-coloured, matte lip liner all over your lips; then trace slightly outside the lines. Don’t venture more than a few millimetres beyond your natural lip line, as that looks too obvious (and a little scary). You can also strategically choose the areas you want to overline, like the cupid’s bow or bottom lip instead of the entire rim. Once you’ve overlined, apply your favourite matte lipstick not only to your lips, but onto the overlined area as well. A matte finish will hide the line you’ve added, whereas shiny lipstick emphasises it. Chisel your chin with powder instead of surgery If your jawline isn’t quite as sharp as you’d like, shaping powder is an easy way to get more definition. Take a greyish-brown powder (nothing too orange) and apply it along your jaw line from behind your ear all the way down to the tip of your chin. Repeat this application on the other side of your jaw. Blend the powder down your neck so that there aren’t any noticeable lines or colour differences. You’ll absolutely love the look of your sharp new bone structure. Slim your silhouette Though some celebrities manage to rock a round face, the rest of us can feel insecure about so-called chipmunk cheeks. A great way to slim your face is to use a contour stick and bronzer to hollow out the cheeks, then apply blush and highlighter above the bronzer to make your cheekbones more pronounced. This will not only elongate your face shape, but will give you those model-like chiselled cheeks. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/forget-plastic-surgery-these-7-makeup-tricks-could-completely-transform-your-features" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Beauty & Style

Real reason boy struggled to breathe for over half his life

A young boy who from the age of two began to struggle with his breathing must now undergo major surgery after being misdiagnosed by doctors. Marley was just two years old and had a lingering cough, which his parents didn’t think much of until a few years later when it got considerably worse. The young boy was eventually diagnosed with asthma, the treatment for which was expected to help him breathe. Unfortunately, Marley’s condition kept getting worse and his father Jay Enjakovic wanted to get to the bottom of it. Mr Enjakovic explained that his son was playing football and basketball and his health “went downhill pretty quick”. “He couldn’t run out his games, coughing a lot more, bringing a lot of food up, bringing water up every time he ate,” the worried father said on The Today Show. Then, together with his wife Skye, the pair were determined to find out what was wrong with their son, who was struggling for more than half his life. The now eight-year-old was in and out of hospitals when his condition turned critical in December 2021. X-rays of Marley’s oesophagus and trachea were done and it was there the family were shocked to be told that their son possibly had tracheoesophageal fistula. Tracheoesophageal fistula is when the oesophagus is connected to the trachea which makes food, drink and saliva enter from the trachea. Doctors were ready to do a surgery on Marley but were unable to due to the inflammation. They then decided to do another X-ray, which is when they were even MORE shocked to see that something was in fact lodged in the young boy’s throat. “A few hours later I received a phone call to meet his surgeon at recovery where they pulled a piece of plastic, an arts and craft plastic flower, from his airway,” Ms Enjakovic said. “I honestly couldn’t believe it! This was the whole cause of everything! I was relieved I finally had an answer. “We are unsure how long this price of plastic was lodged in his airway, but my guess is at least five years as that’s when we started noticing small issues, which became worse over time.” The flower has since been removed and Marley is due to undergo further surgery to help repair the airway and oesophagus. Images: The Today Show

Body

Plastic surgeon called out for “toxic” video

A beautician has been slammed for a video she posted online outlining the cosmetic surgery she thought a star of Stranger Things would need. Miranda Wilson, who describes herself as a nurse practitioner injector, posted a video on TikTok outlining the alterations she believed would enhance the look of actress Natalia Dyer. “We’d start by treating those masseters … to help slim the face,” Ms Wilson said, referring to Dyer’s prominent bottom jawline. She then recommended adding “a bit of chin filler just to help fill out her chin and make her face more of a heart shape”. Moving onto Dyer’s lip and brow area, Wilson said she would “add just a little bit to the lips” than “do a little Botox (to) give her a nice brow lift to help open up her eyes”. “And to top if off we’d start with some Sculptra, she does seem to have more thin skin and we want to prevent that from getting thinner and create more collagen,” Wilson said. She ended the clip with a “before and after” image of Dyer, where she complimented the actress’ slimmer jaw, pointy chin, lifted brows and pouty lips. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/tiktok-beauty2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> However, her assessment drew large amounts of ire from viewers, who described the clip as “toxic” and “highly insulting”, with one commenter arguing that videos like hers were “one of the reasons girls today are so insecure”. Though she has since deleted the video, download copies have been uploaded and shared on other social media platforms, including Twitter, where the uproar continued. “Still can’t believe a plastic surgeon (sic) spoke on what she’d change about someone’s face without a) their consent, b) any indication that the person disliked those features and c) putting a disclaimer that the person is already beautiful as they are,” one Twitter user said. “Like I cannot believe she ‘influencerfied’ her face completely unprovoked as if it was a free consultation.” After the backlash, Wilson posted a follow-up video saying she wanted to “clear the air”, adding that she “didn’t mean to offend anyone” in the controversial clip. “I was simply offering suggestions – not on what you have to do – just on what the possibilities are,” Wilson said. “As an advanced injector that is what we do – we look at faces and assess and look at the possibilities.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/tiktok-beauty-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> She then took a photo of herself and suggested improvements, such as botox injectables, lip and cheek fillers, and a brow lift, sharing another “before and after” image and writing in the caption that “Natalia is absolutely stunning the way she is” but that her image was just an “example”. Though comments were disabled on her later video, upset viewers took to Twitter to call out her behaviour. “She posted a sorry, not sorry video where she completely missed the point of what the original complaint was,” one Twitter user said. Another questioned who Wilson’s target audience was and pondered the impact such views would have on young women. “If Natalia Dyer, a white and thin and conventional woman gets scrutinised on her appearance like this, what happens to all the young impressionable poc/mid-size/plus-size girls watching?”, they wrote. Images: TikTok

Beauty & Style

Prince Charles denies wrongdoing for reportedly accepting bags of cash

Prince Charles reportedly accepted a suitcase containing €1 million ($NZD 1.67 million) in cash from a Qatari sheikh in 2015, according to recent reports - and it is one of three payments that will be reviewed by the UK’s Charity Commission. According to The Sunday Times, the senior royal received a total of €3 million ($NZD 5.02 million) from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, between 2011 and 2015. Clarence House has denied that there was any wrongdoing in Charles’ acceptance of the money as charity donations and said the money was “passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate covenants and assured us that all the correct processes were followed”. On one occasion, Charles reportedly received €1 million in carrier bags from high-end grocer Fortnum & Mason. At another, in 2015, Charles accepted another €1 million in a holdall during a one-on-one meeting at Clarence House. Two advisors from the royal household reportedly counted the cash by hand, which was said to be made up of now-discontinued €500 notes, which earned the nickname “bin Laden” because of links to funding terrorism, per <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/prince-charles-denies-any-wrongdoing-over-bags-of-cash-claim/0face1c8-1ebb-4139-a91c-9c9aa0dee13c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>. The money was understood to have been collected by private bank Coutts, with each payment being deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund (PWCF). As the prince’s meetings with Hamad were private, they don’t appear in the Court Circular - the official record of court engagements - but they do raise questions about how much Charles knew about the cash and where it came from. Sir Ian Cheshire, the chairman of PWCF, said on Friday that “there was no failure of governance” in relation to the organisation receiving the funds. “At a few hours’ notice from The Sunday Times, we have checked into this event in the past, and confirm that the previous trustees of PWCF discussed the governance and donor relationship, (confirming that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty) and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific enquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance.” After confirming that he was referring to the 2015 payment, Sir Cheshire added: “I believe the same assurance applied to earlier donations and look forward to confirming that in due course.” Though there is no suggestion that the payments were illegal, a Charity Commission spokesperson said on Sunday that they will be reviewed by the Commission. “We are aware of reports about donations received by the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Foundation,” they said in a statement. “We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the Commission in this matter.” It comes as London police continue to investigate a separate allegation that the prince’s top aide, Michael Fawcett, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure a knighthood and British citizenship if he donated to The Prince’s Foundation, another of Charles’ charities. Fawcett resigned from his role as chief executive of the foundation in light of the allegations. “We are disappointed not to have been given more time to look into this matter, which dates from a decade ago,” Clarence House said in relation to reports from The Sunday Times. “In the few hours we have had on a Saturday, we have confirmed that Charitable donations were received from sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, and these were passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed.” Image: @clarencehouse (Instagram)

Legal

Intense debate sparked among fiercely loyal Aldi customers

A new feature on Aldi bread has sparked intense debate among the supermarket’s loyal customers. The retail giant is currently trialling cardboard recyclable tags on many of its loaves of bread, replacing plastic tags. ALDI said it’s made the step as part of its commitment to become more sustainable. “ALDI Australia has a number of commitments to improve the sustainability of our product packaging, including a goal to reduce the amount of plastic packaging across our own-label range by a quarter by 2025,” an ALDI Australia spokesperson has told 7NEWS.com.au. “We have started trialling recyclable cardboard bread tags on a select range of our bread products, and we continue to work closely with our business partners to identify opportunities to transition to cardboard tags on more of our products. “The next few years will see us continue to remove plastics from our range or replace it with sustainable alternatives and by 2025 all remaining packaging will be either recyclable, reusable or compostable.” Since being shared on social media, ALDI’s new cardboard bread tags have sparked intense debate. Many agree that the new sustainable tags are “a brilliant idea”. “Every bit of plastic that we can easily replace with a recyclable version is so much better for our environment,” said one. Added another: “This makes me very happy. Hopefully we can lose the vegetables in plastic wrap next. Good direction.” Said a third: “I was impressed by this too!!! And I found the plastic ones would sometimes pierce the bag.” Wrote one more: “ALDI has a commitment to recycling, I think it’s great, use the reuse-able clips, save our environment.” Others have said they were disappointed in the cardboard tags, saying that they don’t work as well. “These really are the worst thing since sliced bread,” said one Facebook user. Another wrote: “I absolutely hate them… they break or become flimsy the first time you open the bread! So I’ve saved a whole heap of plastic ones and swap them as soon as I get home!” Added a third: “My bread ended up through the boot of my car these clips are useless.” Said another: “I love that it’s not plastic but the cardboard isn’t working well. I got a loaf of bread and it was raining, all open by the time I got to the car.” One more wrote: “It’s a great sustainability initiative however they’re so crap that they fall off after the second time getting bread out. Same for other stores too, not just an Aldi issue.” Another added: “Can’t stand them. They break so easily. I’m glad I kept my old plastic ones.” However, other Facebook users urged ALDI users to rise above the various issues. “Tip to anyone that is complaining. You can buy reusable metal pegs or even reuse other plastic tags,” one wrote. “You just need to think outside the box. Man we are living in an interesting time of convenience and self entitlement. These tags are the worst thing for our ocean.” A few others pointed out a very Australian problem with the new cardboard tags. “You can never really fix a thong blow-out with it though,” said one. Another joked: “Won’t last long when I use it to fix my flip flops! Seriously though, good on ya ALDI.” Image: 7News

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Prince Charles denies wrongdoing for reportedly accepting bags of cash

Intense debate sparked among fiercely loyal Aldi customers