Author: The News Feed

by Alana Kirsch-

The Covid-19 pandemic was brutal for small businesses in America with restaurants, getting particularly hit hard. But if you’re looking for a silver lining, many of these changes provided options that brought alternative forms of revenue, opened a door for new customers, and changed the trajectory of the industry itself.  

Prior to 2019, a restaurant was a place to gather and share a meal. New safety regulations led the restaurant industry to re-evaluate its service model. Operators’ priority became their customers’ safety and restaurants worked quickly to implement new offerings that would keep them in business.  

While in-person dining services were paused restaurants focused on alternative forms of revenue. Sixty-seven percent of restaurants implemented curbside pick-up with another 27% implementing third-party delivery. 

People were able to order food from their favorite restaurants while reducing the risk of exposure. Many places even provided customers with a contactless delivery option, requesting the deliverer to leave the food at the door. 

New changes continued to be implemented even after the option for in-person dining services was re-opened.  Physical menus were replaced with QR Codes. This allowed customers to scan a code on their mobile devices which would direct them to an online version of an establishment’s menu. Contactless menus were an easy and accessible solution for most people. 

Cashless payments became the new normal. Many establishments adopted tablets to avoid giving customers physical checks. This allowed for the rise of contactless payment all together. Most restaurant establishments have continued using the new practices they implemented during the pandemic. 

Automation was not the only solution. Mandatory physical changes lead to deeper reconstructions within the system. Restaurants have been known for long hours, low wages, and few benefits. This too was changed by the pandemic. 

Social distancing called for restaurants to reduce their in-person dining availability. This allowed restaurant owners and operators to focus on the quality of their employees instead of the quantity.

With fewer and better employees to pay wages and benefits grew. The independent restaurant coalition reports since February of 2020 84% of restaurants have raised wages and 34% have added paid sick leave to benefits for their employees. 

An essential characteristic of working in any restaurant is the ability to adapt. This was especially true during the pandemic. Although these changes are a departure from the pre-pandemic world they lead to many necessary changes for employees and customers. 

by Cyna Mirzai-

The spring season often marks the beginning of plant buying season, with plant lovers and newbies alike searching for new greenery to take home. While houseplants can certainly be used for decoration, there is much more to those green and leafy plants than simply embellishing a space.

Although eating well and exercising have a substantial impact on one’s health and wellness, the environment in which one lives also plays an important role. Integrating varying houseplants into one’s home can create positive changes in stress levels, breathing and overall wellness.

A number of studies show that inadequate access to nature can contribute to higher rates of emotional and physical illnesses. However, since houseplants are seen as an essential connection to nature, multiple studies prove that being in the presence of houseplants can improve cognitive, behavioral and health-related functions. 

Plants are notably beneficial for reducing stress. One study found that people feel less physiological and psychological stress after repotting a plant compared with doing a computer task. The study also found the subjects to have significantly lower diastolic blood pressure and a suppressed sympathetic nervous system after repotting their plants. 

Similarly, another study found that patients in hospital rooms with plants and flowers indicated significantly more positive physiologic responses evidenced by lower systolic blood pressure and lower ratings of pain, anxiety and fatigue. 

While reducing stress is an important factor for one’s mental health, houseplants can also aid in improving one’s physical health. According to the World Health Organization, 3.2 million people die prematurely from illnesses attributable to household air pollution each year. Although opening windows and naturally ventilating indoor spaces can work as a remedy, many plant species can also improve air quality by removing cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene from the air. One study also found that soil in potted plants could help clean indoor air.

There is a myriad of different houseplants to choose from when looking for new flora. If you are new to plants, many botanists recommend starting out with pothos and snake plants. On the other hand, if you have a natural green thumb, try incorporating orchids and Boston ferns into your home.

by Nicole Tutino-

Fashion brands’ selection of materials for their apparel designs impacts the environment through the extraction of raw materials and through apparel production. 

Authentic leather is derived from animal skin. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the tanning process the skin endures to become a leather material results in the release of harmful waste, including “salt, lime sludge, sulfides and acids” into the environment. 

PETA notes cows are the usual source of leather; however, other animals, like pigs, sheep and crocodiles can also be sources. A cow releases “between 154 to 264 pounds of methane gas per year,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Southeast New England Program (SNEP). Methane — a greenhouse gas — comprises about 30% of global climate change, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Recently, brands have been experimenting with unconventional alternatives to leather, called vegan leather, to reduce their environmental impacts. Vegan leather can be derived from polyurethane, a synthetic plastic material. However, sustainable options include bio-based materials, like fruit waste.

Leather and leather alternatives can be used to create various products within the fashion industry; handbags often use this material.

Copenhagen’s Fashion Week for autumn/winter 2023 required brands to adhere to numerous sustainability guidelines to qualify for participation. During the show, ready-to-wear brand GANNI presented a handbag composed of a vegan leather material constructed from orange and cacti waste and recycled plastic, called Ohoskin.

Ohoskin, an Italian fabric company, claims their bio-based vegan leather reduces their carbon emissions by 90%. Carbon dioxide remains a major greenhouse gas contributor to global warming.

Although Ohoskin features polyvinyl chloride — a synthetic material — the plastic used is recycled.

Known for luxury sustainable and ethical designs, the Stella McCartney brand partnered with Bolt Threads to create a handbag composed from a fungi-based leather, called Mylo. The Mylo vegan leather begins with mycelium, the foundation for mushrooms. 

Mansur Gavriel, a luxury handbag and shoe brand, announced a new bucket bag featuring  recycled apple skin to imitate leather. The brand states the bag is waterproof which increases its usage opportunities. The brand included additional materials in the bag’s creation, such as polyurethane, polyester and cotton, which raises sustainability concerns.

Vegan leather products can include polyurethane, which is a synthetic material produced using fossil fuel resources. Non-renewable resources, like fossil fuels, contradict sustainability’s main goals. 

While concerns over vegan leather exist, brands’ exploration of plant-based materials allows a lower-impact alternative to traditional leather production. 

Since leather is used in other fields, such as upholstery, sustainable vegan leather can expand beyond fashion.