Latest news with #LessWasteLaura
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
The influencer whose tweet led to a ban on disposable vapes
There are not many times when a single social media post can trigger a snowball effect which leads to a significant change in the social media influencer Laura Young's actions did exactly that when she started noticing a litter problem while walking her dog in Dundee.'Less waste Laura' - as she calls herself online - said she was "sick of litter picking" disposable vapes and wanted to campaign against years on and her campaign has led to a UK-wide ban now coming into force. Laura realised her message had struck a chord when a TikTok video she created was viewed 10.5 million led to a prominent newspaper campaign and then calls from government officials requesting meetings with told BBC Scotland News: "If you look up disposable vapes, (mine) is the first (tweet) that comes up."Within five weeks it had made the headlines and of course everyone was showing where these vapes were." The year after Laura first raised the issue, the Scottish government commissioned an urgent report into the impact of single use vapes on the environment and on young revealed that 2.7 million vapes had been littered on Scotland's streets in a single year - about 10%t of the total report also found that 22% of all under-18s - about 78,000 people - were using vapes. But it was the environmental impact which concerned Laura the said: "They begin to fall apart. They get broken, they get damaged and the metal can pop tyres so it's a really big problem." In the same year that Laura first launched her campaign, it emerged that a fire which destroyed a recycling facility in Aberdeen had "most likely" been caused by a discarded devices contain lithium-ion batteries which, when damaged, can spontaneously blaze took just 10 seconds to take hold and the entire facility has had to be Scottish ban was first proposed in February 2024 and was due to be introduced last UK and Welsh governments then confirmed they would follow suit and the Scottish ban was delayed by two months to bring them all into line. Retailers have been increasingly providing recycling bins in shops so the devices can be disposed of Laura says she's probably collected thousands of littered vapes over the last few adds: "It's was fantastic to know that throughout the campaign we were really building up momentum. We had lots of councils support a ban, we had the Scottish government putting out reports and then, of course, we had the commitment to a says she's incredibly proud of what's been achieved but adds that the campaigning has also raised the issue of other disposable technologies and how damaging that is for the not sure what campaign she might start next but admits that she's received a very long list of suggestions from family and friends.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Glacier modelling and meteorites: Dynamic Earth holds National Careers Week Event
A Dynamic Earth event aimed at encouraging youngsters to pursue careers in science is set to return for a second year. The National Careers Week Event will take place on March 10 and 11. Now in its second year, the two-day event will see more than 20 partner organisations from across the UK's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) employment landscape engage directly with learners and teachers. Students will have the opportunity to participate in activities (Image: Supplied) The organisers are hoping to encourage early registrations for the event which has limited spaces. Those interested in attending can find more information on the website at During the interactive, hands-on event, students will have the opportunity to explore diverse STEM careers and participate in dynamic activities such as flying drones, experimenting with glacier flow, and modelling the impact of landslides. The organisers are urging people to register early (Image: Supplied) The event will also feature inspiring guest speakers including award-winning climate activist Less Waste Laura, marine biologist Alycia Smith, and volcanologist Julia Crummy from the British Geological Survey. Building on last year's event which engaged more than 600 participants, this year's event will expand to accommodate 1,200 learners and teachers. Conor Ellis, science learning and engagement director, said: "The world around us is changing at an unprecedented rate and there is no shortage of challenges we need to solve. The event will take place on March 10 and 11 (Image: Supplied) "At Dynamic Earth we want young people to understand how studying science subjects at school and beyond can lead to innovative and fulfilling careers with positive impacts for people and planet. "With the demand for STEM skills continuing to grow, our Your Planet, Your Future! Careers Showcase is all about empowering young people on their journey to become problem solvers of the future. Read more: Q&A: How will VAT impact Scotland's independent schools and families? How the introduction of VAT for private schools impacted in Edinburgh Why LGBT-education experts are fighting back against online hate "Showcasing partners in research and industry from across Scotland, we champion the science and scientists working to understand and protect our planet and ignite natural curiosity in learners to explore STEM futures." Dynamic Earth said the Careers Showcase is "Scotland's biggest hands-on careers event for school learners focussing on Planet Earth and sustainability." Key event highlights include interactive activities such as VR glacier modelling and experimenting with meteorites. Other speakers at the event will include Claire Motion and Joe Walker, engineers from Cirrus Logic, and Laura Young, a climate activist.
