Need to Know
15 : 12 : 20

By Gursharan Panesar, Rumi Josephs and Abi Buller

WaterBear is a climate-conscious streaming service, Bleach London taps into eco-hair colouring and Indians lean into immunity-boosting diets.

In today's news:

WaterBear is a Netflix for environmental activism

Bleach London is making hair colour sustainable

Digital education for intersectional tech workers

Stat: Indian consumers opt for immunity-boosting diets

WaterBear is a Netflix for environmental activism

WaterBear Network

Amsterdam – Partnering with over 80 global NGOs, WaterBear Network is a free online streaming service with eco-conscious intentions.

With many celebrity supporters, the streaming service will feature a curated selection of international environmental documentaries, as well as original content inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through interactive technology, viewers can simultaneously watch content and donate to WaterBear’s NGO partners, volunteer or book sustainable travel.

‘At WaterBear we believe in collaboration, local and global partnerships, and using the power of inspirational storytelling, networking and technology to reach and inspire as many people around the world as possible to make a positive difference to the world we live in,’ says Victor Eckard, managing director of WaterBear Network.

Explore our Sustainability series to find out more about how brands are making environmental action accessible to all.

Bleach London is making hair colour sustainable

Plastic-free Rosé Shampoo by Bleach London

UK – Haircare brand Bleach London is launching a new shampoo bar as a plastic-free option for its popular Rosé shampoo.

Building on the brand’s existing sustainability initiatives, including the use of recycled plastic and cardboard packaging, the shampoo bar offers a zero-waste alternative to bottled shampoo. The new formulation will allow consumers to experiment with their hair colour through a less wasteful and harmful method.

The launch comes at a time when an increasing number of consumers are experimenting with at-home hair colouring. According to Alex Brownsell, founder and creative director of Bleach London: ‘It’s our mission to create a spectrum of hair products for people to experiment with at home, but it’s also our goal to continue improving our environmental impact. This is a new option for our most popular pink, with zero plastic.’

In a similar vein, Lush has been experimenting with packaging-free products for a while – offering sustainable solutions elevated by digital discovery tools.

Digital education for intersectional tech workers

Logic School by Logic magazine, US

US – Media publication Logic magazine has unveiled a scholastic initiative that aims to invoke positive change in the technology sector.

Logic School, an online 12-week course, will be free to all participants, covering topics under the umbrella theme of creative protest, including racial capital, gendered labour and surveillance. Participants will meet for a two-hour session each week in which they read and reflect on the week’s topic. Through approaches such as art, writing, working on existing apps as well as building new ones, the students will collate what they learn in a final project.

With the aim to rebuild tech firms ‘from below,’ the education scheme calls itself a ‘a grassroots theory of change’. ‘You’d be surprised how difficult it is to have conversations about inequities and then figure out what to do about them,’ says Xiaowei Wang, creative director of Logic magazine.

The re-evaluation of the digital world has left many institutions, brands and consumers seeking a new moral code fit for the digital era. For more, read our macrotrend Morality Recoded.

Stat: Indian consumers opt for immunity-boosting diets

Better Not Younger

Indian consumers are focusing on preventative healthcare as a result of the pandemic, with many having changed their diets and fitness routines in the past year.

According to research by VLCC, about 82% of people across India have started using dietary supplements as a preventative health measure. In addition, about 35% have changed their diet this year, with another 34% focusing on building immunity through boosting their overall fitness levels.

This shift towards long-term healthier mindsets is also shown to be representative across generations, with many stating a willingness to seek professional health and wellness guidance.

Many global consumers are changing their diets to prioritise physical and psychological health concerns, something we explore in our Total Tastes macrotrend.