| NAILED IT: TfL competition tackles ageism 

This year, Transport for London’s (TfL) annual diversity competition takes on ageism by challenging brands to make their campaigns more representative of older consumers.

TfL is offering free advertising space to the brand that comes up with the best campaign properly presenting older people, and the judges are looking for one that acts as a catalyst to change public perception.

Previous editions of the competition have challenged brands to tackle the “sometimes superficial” representation of underrepresented groups, including women and Black, Asian and other minority communities. 

The deadline for entries this year is Tuesday 17 November 2020 at 17:00. Good luck!

| ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Government tells creatives to ditch their careers

The government is facing a backlash after the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, told creatives to see the decimation of their industry as a “fresh and new opportunity”. 

The cultural sector has been largely shut down since March, and many musicians, artists and crew are having to give up their careers to survive. The government’s Job Support Scheme, announced last week to replace furlough, does not include the music and creative sectors in its list of ‘viable’ jobs that will be supported. 

Whilst, not every job can be saved, it’s callous to pretend there’s anything exciting about giving up your passion because the government has shut down your industry. No amount of spin can comfort those who, having spent years training and working for little pay, are now being told their industry isn’t viable. 

| THE ONE TO WATCH: Saving the ocean, one haircut at a time 

French hairdressers are using a cutting-edge tactic to reduce water pollution – soaking up oil spills with leftover hair.

Started by Thierry Gras, the Coiffeurs Justes (Fair Hairdressers) campaign stuffs hair waste from French salons into nylon stockings to create floating tubes that can absorb 8x times their weight in oil. The lipophilic nature of hair means these tubes can absorb oils and fats without being damaged, and can be used up to 10 times.

A pilot scheme in the south of France proved the tubes can absorb the oil from boats that pollute local harbours, and the technique was successfully used in Mauritius following the oil spill from the Japanese ship the MV Wakashio. 

This idea is cheap, eco-friendly and makes use of something that would otherwise be wasted. Let’s hope it catches on globally.