Emma Balebela
It's time for skateboarding's environmental reckoning
Skateboarding is heavily dependent on carbon-hungry concrete, but could a cement-free alternative and a focus on skate-friendly cities help reduce its impact?
Written by: Sam Haddad
Tenants are being left out in the cold by the cladding crisis
'We want our homes back' — When Grenfell-style cladding was removed from a Salford tower block in 2020, tenants had no idea it would take years to replace. With the government and the private housing association Pendleton Together at loggerheads over responsibility, residents of Holm Court have now spent three winters without insulation.
Written by: Jessica Bradley
Meet the 'trollhunters' battling climate disinformation online
Hoax so simple — Fuelled by their passion for the environment and disdain for “nonsense”, an anonymous collective called Team Ninja Trollhunters is patrolling Twitter for accounts spreading climate crisis conspiracies and denialism.
Written by: Becca Warner
Sperm donor children are calling out the fertility industry
‘It’s driven by profit’ — A new law change is enabling Britain’s donor-conceived children to know the truth about their origins – but campaigners say the fertility industry must do more to protect people.
Written by: Katie Tobin
What’s behind the rise of emotional spending?
Treat brain — As the cost of living crisis bites, many people are continuing to treat themselves as a coping mechanism and in some cases, spending beyond their means. But we shouldn’t just blame ourselves for our financial worries, writes Eve Upton-Clark.
Written by: Eve Upton-Clark
The real reasons young straight men aren’t having sex
‘I self sabotage’ — Sex among young men is declining – and the things holding them back from physical intimacy are more complicated than you might think.
Written by: Magdalene Taylor
Too poor to die: the rise of crowdfunded funerals
Grave matters — Dying has always been expensive. But now, amid soaring inflation, more families are having to turn to the kindness of strangers to shoulder the costs.
Written by: Sian Bradley
Porridge Radio’s Dana Margolin on her London studio
We catch up with the singer in her London studio to connect the dots between music, painting and her relationship with the city.
Written by: Ben Smoke
The deadly rise of Tasers in British policing
Say Their Names — A sharp increase in officers armed with the electrical weapon is resulting in serious injuries and deaths, with Black people and those suffering from mental ill health more likely to be Tasered.
Written by: Rebecca Tidy
British satire is fanning the flames of fascism
Cruel comedy — Satirical culture in the UK routinely protects the powerful and punches down. It’s time people stopped laughing along and took its threats seriously, writes Elia Cugini.
Written by: Elia Cugini