This year has been difficult in lots of ways. While both the Covid-19 pandemic and the US election undoubtedly dominated the news cycle, plenty has been happening elsewhere too.
At Euronews Green we were lucky enough to commission some phenomenal writers in 2020, working with a range of new and established voices to tell environmental stories all over the world.
Here are a selection of our favourite pieces from this year's guest writers:
Why cycling is no longer reserved for white men in lycra
As lockdowns around the world limited our movements - a lot of people got really into cycling this year.
This piece is a fascinating look at one of the most homogenous sports in the world, talking with three amazing organisations seeking to open up cycling to more than just “white men in lycra.”
Journalist Timothy Gallagher interviews the women behind Cycle Sisters, Wheels for Wellbeing, and Women in Tandem.
Nature shouldn’t be a white space: Why I started Black Girls Camping Trip
This piece was one of our first commissions of the year - and undoubtedly one of our most popular articles. It’s a powerful personal essay about nature, race, trauma, and healing.
Writer and community organiser Tianna Johnson talks about her own transformative journey with nature through camping, which led her to found Black Girls Camping Trip two years ago.
Exploitation and sweatshops are at the heart of fast fashion: It’s time to dismantle the system
In the wake of the Boohoo scandal, where garment workers in the UK were found to be paid as little as €4 an hour, Frankie Leach penned this brilliant op-ed on the exploitative nature of fast fashion as an industry.
The coronavirus pandemic has been an opportunity for many of us to reconsider our priorities and what we actually need. This extends to clothing too, as people suddenly found themselves surrounded by clothes they didn’t need.
This article is a must-read for anyone who wants to use 2021 to finally break up with fast fashion for good.
How dogs are using their special powers to help us save water
Across England and Wales almost 3 billion litres of water are lost every day. This staggering quantity has led water companies to turn to canine assistance, as dogs are now being trained to sniff out water leaks.
Journalist Lottie Limb speaks to trainers, evolutionary anthropologists, and other specialists to learn how man’s best friend is being put to work.
It’s a really fascinating look at an unusual eco-solution - exactly what we love here at Euronews Living.
Is selling tap water the solution to parched Poland’s drought problem?
This is another article about innovative and quirky solutions to environmental issues.
London-based Polish journalist Juliette Bretan looks at the drought devastating her home country, and how the city of Chełm has tackled the problem in an unusual manner.
Environmental racism has ripped Black people away from nature
“Black women have been pushed out of safe and natural places and subjected to environmental racism in order for white society to have a better quality of life.”
Sage Anifowoshe writes about ecofeminism, environmental racism, and how colonialism has displaced generations of Black people from their native lands.
It’s an incredible article, reframing the relationship between nature and race by addressing the harmful stereotypes around Black people’s place in the great outdoors.
How fiction can persuade readers that climate change is real
At Euronews Living we love thinking about how other sectors and industries can be harnessed to help the environment. From music to fashion to film, it’s one of our favourite topics to explore.
In this piece, Anna Colivicchi unpicks the relationship between fiction and climate change, talking with writers and researchers about the power of literature.
It’s also a great article to read if you’re looking for some works to add to your 2021 reading list.
Hidden faces: Why I launched a movement for Black people in geography
This article kicked off our coverage for Black History Month in 2020, and what a great place to start.
Francisca Rockey launched a movement to diversify geography; from decolonising the curriculum to widening participation - Black Geographers is now working to effect meaningful change within the field.
In this brilliant piece, Francisca explains how she came to start Black Geographers, and why it’s such a vital space right now.
Growing vegetables in seawater could be the answer to feeding billions
As we’ve said, we love solutions-focused journalism - and this piece is another great example.
Giula Bottaro looks at the problems we are facing as a planet around water scarcity and food shortages, before introducing an innovative new approach to agriculture.
It’s a great read, and should leave you feeling a little more hopeful as we move into 2021.
Why we need to stop saying fashion and start saying clothes
“We all wear ‘clothes’ every single day, yet so many people struggle to see their place in ‘fashion’.”
In this op-ed, founder of Red Carpet Green Dress Samata outlines the drastic need to reconsider the language we use when we talk about clothes.
Instead of saying fashion, something with connotations of exclusivity and opulence, we need to start thinking about clothes - a far more inclusive term.
We hope you enjoy this tiny selection of content from the many, many brilliant articles we’ve published from guest writers this year.
We’re looking forward to bringing you even more fantastic pieces in 2021 from these talented writers and many more.
