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Everything you think you know about going plant-based (and why it’s wrong)

One of the most surprising things I learnt this year is that only 5% of Europeans are vegetarian, and just 3% are vegan. Perhaps the relative rarity of eating a plant-based diet explains the misconceptions surrounding them. I’ve talked at length before about why plant-based diets are the sustainable and ethical choice, so I don’t want to repeat myself. I also try to avoid being preachy when it comes to vegetarianism, since it’s something I myself managed to talk myself out of for 19 years. That said, omnivores are often very curious about vegetarianism and veganism, and ask a lot of questions. From these conversations, I have learnt that many people are operating under false assumptions about what it means to eat a plant-based diet. With that in mind, let’s challenge some of those assumptions. 1. It’s unhealthy A very common line I hear is that plant-based diets are unhealthy, especially where getting enough protein is concerned. (Side note: what is the obsession with chugging prote...
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Recent posts

Helpless: The Women in Hamilton

When the musical Hamilton was first staged back in 2015, I, like many others, quickly learnt the lyrics to most of the songs, convincing myself I could rap. After having seen the musical on the West End in 2019, I moved on with my life, largely forgetting about it until its ten-year anniversary was celebrated at the Tony Awards this summer. Memories of this swashbuckling tale came rushing back to me, and with them, a desire to revisit the songs. If you’re not in the know, Hamilton tells the story of young upstart Alexander Hamilton and his rise to become a military commander in the American Civil War and Treasury Secretary under President George Washington. Following accusations of embezzlement by his political adversaries, Alexander (as he is known in the musical) refutes these claims by revealing an affair he had with a married woman. This triggers his political downfall, followed shortly by his early death at the hands of his political rival Aaron Burr. I’m a big fan of the musical...
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Embracing a zero-waste lifestyle in Brussels

Although I always wanted to buy as much as I could zero-waste, I thought that buying my groceries without packaging would be too expensive and too inconvenient. However, now that I'm working, I realised I have no excuse but to start shopping more sustainably. So I have begun exploring the zero-waste shops of Brussels, buying dried foods, like pasta and rice, cleaning supplies, and some toiletries without packaging. By buying as much as you can zero-waste and supporting sustainable businesses, you can reduce your impact on the environment in three ways. First, you reduce the amount of waste which ends up in landfills, incineration, or our oceans. Second, by reducing our consumption of materials, we preserve resources including energy, water, and other raw materials. Finally, you also decrease pollution from the manufacturing, transportation, and disposal of packaging. All of this actively reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Annoyingly, searching “zero waste” on Google Maps doesn’t giv...
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Fear of Becoming Obsolete: Generative AI in the Creative Industries

Have you ever broken up with someone because they said that generative AI could replace the work of creatives? Me neither, but fittingly it did speed the process up. From environmental and security concerns, to embarrassing search engine faux-pas , hallucinations and discrimination , there’s no denying that generative AI’s boom in recent years has come with its fair share of controversies. (I highly recommend watching these videos in which YouTuber Drew Gooden goes into detail on the plethora of ways in which AI is overrunning society.) My focus, however, is on the impact of generative AI on the creative industries. The short version of this article is that I cannot understand why we are so desperate to render ourselves obsolete. And by "we", I of course mean profit-hungry tech giants. And by "obsolete", I mean replaced by soulless AI-produced garbage which all looks and sounds the same. I should be clear that I am not referring to the use of AI as a springboard...
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The UK should accept the EU's Youth Mobility Scheme

Needing a visa is like being in a permanent limbo. If you have ever requested a work or study visa, then you know what I’m talking about. If not, let me give you the run-down. You spend hundreds of euros on documents, apostilles, translations. You wait countless hours for decisions to come through, scrambling to make appointments at consulates, unable to plan ahead. No one gives you any assurances as to when you might be able to move to your new home or start your new job. And even then, once (if) you finally get your visa, it's still far from plain sailing. You miss out on job opportunities because your visa can’t be renewed on time, or because employers simply don't sponsor visas. Your friendships hang in the balance because you don’t know whether, when your visa expires, you will be able to get a new one, or if you will be given your marching orders. You are suspended in mid-air, a file lost in a backlog at the Ministry of the Interior. In my experience, losing my freedom of...
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The Tragic Irony of the Life and Death of Lobsters

In Maine, the American lobster is considered a delicious holiday food and an indulgent delicacy. Last year, Maine fisherman caught 93.8 million pounds of lobsters. But besides being a dinnertime favourite, lobsters boast an impressive resume of surviving and thriving. What a shame, then, that so many meet their end at the hands of hungry restaurant-goers. H. americanus, found in waters from Labrador to North Carolina, sometimes dwells in shallow water but is more abundant in deeper water down to 366 metres (1,200 feet). Lobsters caught in shallow water weigh about 0.45 kg (about one pound) and are about 25 cm (about 10 inches) long. They are caught usually in lobster pots—cages baited with dead fish. In deeper water, they weigh about 2.5 kg (about 5.5 pounds) and are often caught by trawling. - Encyclopedia Britannica Survival against all odds Lobsters are engaged in a constant fight for survival throughout their lives. Lobsters hatch from thousands of eggs laid by female...
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Who needs populists when you have the Conservatives?

You might not have bothered to follow the ongoing leadership contest for the British Conservative Party - as the fourth contest in five years, it’s kind of lost its shine. But indeed, a leadership election is ongoing. Against their better judgment, six candidates have stood to become the next leader of the Conservative Party. After four rounds of voting amongst Conservative MPs, two candidates have made it to the final run-off before the wider party membership. You’d think a crushing electoral defeat (their worst ever ) would be enough to push the party in the direction of reform - instead, it has just pushed the party in the direction of Reform, the UK’s new far-right party, headed by Nigel Farage. But who needs ultra-right populist parties when you have the Conservatives? Having lost a significant portion of their vote share to Reform, the solution the Conservatives have come up with is to become just as bad themselves. The two candidates vying to become Leader of the Oppositio...
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