Retuned // The Extractionists by Emily Gilbert

RETUNED

Photo: Pinterest.

We are The Extractionists. We believe in the consuming immersion of the natural world in lifestyle and design. In the next five years we foresee a growing global reliance and enthusiasm in the use of natural and botanical resources. Whether ingredients have been fermented, grown from bacteria or grown in sync with the lunar cycle, one thing that unites them all is the fact humans have taken nature and adapted its uses. For Procter and Gamble this means a more sustainable future. The growth of naturally based and infused products developed conscientiously and responsibly. Connecting the consumer to the natural world.

The future is here, but what comes next?

Technology: The New Nature  4

The revolution will be televised: technology, a global household name known by all of humankind. From children to adults there is no country in any of the seven continents where you might have embarked on a voyage that technology isn’t seen as a paramount factor of the everyday life. The phenomenon of this simple, yet complex knowledge of creation and technical interrelation with life, society and the environment is the future in front of us, but what will emerge next? 2019, a mere five years to go, but the frightfully curious and perhaps exciting question is: ‘what are we to expect in five years time?’ Predicting what will emerge in the future is nothing short of simple speculation and plain opinions. However, the world in front of us now doesn’t unerringly make it hard to envision and prophesy the future and all it might bring with it. The natural world has always been a part of mankind’s evolution; fascinating you might say, however, mankind’s obsession with technology and its maintenance attitude towards nature, to some extent, is seen as the cause towards nature’s gradual eradication. Speaking with noted Urbanist and Geographer, Matthew Gandy (University College London), on the topic of humankind’s obsession with technology and whether nature could or will possibly be recreated via the intelligence and power of the phenomena, he stated: “I don’t think the destruction of nature is caused by technology per se but by the socio-technological relations that underpin processes of historical change. The key thing is to view technological change not in a teleological sense but as a field of multiple pathways.” Predicting what will occur in the future will always

be a speculation, however suggesting what will be the future of what is presently happening is prophesying. Gandy further added, “What is distinctive now, perhaps, is the sophistication of artificially generated forms of nature such as morphogenetic pathways.” In some eyes nature is seen as a beautifully constructed art piece and experienced in the physical form of meditation and outdoor activities. However, it now seems human-gadget interaction is increasingly becoming a mundane and rooted part of our lives. It has now come to the extent where we literally cannot function without our gadgets, from the attached-to-our-pockets smartphones to the travel essential tablets; we live in a gadget/technology-obsessed world. Being able to stay in the comfort of your home is a trend rapidly growing and according to specialists ‘it is only the beginning.’ Our natural world is slowly fading right in front of our eyes yet it seems technology has blindsided us despite numerous campaigners and protest groups who excruciatingly urge us to be aware of the devastating damages we as humankind are causing the natural world. Technology advancements in the past few years has been innovatory and beyond our imaginations. However, it seems the greater and bigger technology becomes, the smaller our natural world befalls and a step closer to eradication. Technological effects on the human race are already predicting what awaits us in the future: a virtual natural world. It is possible there will come a time, not so far from now, where the entireness of humankind will have sunk to its lowest and desperation will surface.

A recent discussion with Fashion Design & Technology: Menswear student Jess Tremaine, at the renowned London College of Fashion, she spoke of nature soon becoming man-made, “Nature will eventually become something that is completely designed by humans as we are always trying to control it.” Our view of nature, particularly those of us who reside in big and congested cities such as London and New York, is rather one of a technological view than physical. As of recent in China, due to the excessive and dense fogs populating the country’s main cities sunrise is displayed and viewed by pedestrians through a big electronic billboard. The signs are already being made evident; only those who see through the impenetrable clouds are aware. In a later discussion with Urbanist, Matthew Gandy he mentions of a ‘technological mediation’ and asking profoundly “are we experiencing nature directly or through various forms of visual media?” - a food for thought perhaps. Our viewing of nature is progressively becoming so technological we are not aware of the real thing. Ray Kurzweil, in his thought-provoking book, The Singularity Is Near, speaks of lack of nature restricting mankind from personal growth particularly in cities where it is seen as a major cause of depression. Though lack of nature in cities can be seen as a cause of depression, it can’t be forgotten that technology is a firm culprit. Kurzweil further mentioned of how technology will prevent humanity from a healthy mind also urging us that wWWe should “accept our future.” Alas, our fate is no longer in our hands but the intelligence of technology.

Words: Timmy Odejimi.

Photos: Pinterest

Wild West Ferments â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hope to inspire you not just to incorporate more of these incredible health restoring foods into your diet, but also to inspire a re-evolution, and connection to ecology.â&#x20AC;?

Photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Wild West Ferments Website

Words: Grace Molan.

8 Photos: Pinterest.

The Green Truth In a world governed by technology, are we forgetting how to be human? In a world where banks are gambling away our hard earned money, governments are being overthrown and everyday jobs are being carried out by machines it is no surprise that consumers are beginning to feel disillusioned, disaffected and disconnected. We are experiencing a change in behaviour where luxury and middle range consumers are taking a step back and reassessing what actually matters to them. They are seeking an escape, a striped down lifestyle and are aspiring to a new set of values. The phrase ‘Keep it simple’ is the driver behind this trend. The downturn in the economy forced people to look at the way we are living and consuming. Standing at Chapel Market on a Sunday morning is a prime example of this. Instead of searching out the cheapest fruit and vegetables, shoppers look for quality, asking questions like “How many miles away were these apples grown?” and “What kind of pesticides, if any, do you use on your crops?”. When the price of food rises it appears that people come back down to earth and revert back to the ancient principles of sow, grow, forage and harvest. These principles are something which Kitty Lambe, a student at Falmouth University holds close to heart. “I think unfortunately there is a lot of technology being incorporated into

nature at the moment which to me completely goes against everything nature stands for, it should be completely natural rather than manmade.” If this is the case then in 2019, the luxury will be harvesting the food you buy in the comfort of your own home or at least on the supermarket shelves. We already are experiencing this is small ways. The potted cilantro and parsley plants that sit in their own special section in Waitrose or Marks and Spencer are a small shift in this direction allowing consumers to pick the leaves off the plant as and when they need them keeping them fresh. This logic can also be translated into other forms of food production for example, your lunch time salad. Instead of the pre made potted salads on the shelves in Pret a Manger, expect to see vegetable patches or salad stations, if you like, where the salad is still growing in the ground and you pick the leaves you want to put in the salad before moving onto the next station which could offer a strawberry bush or an apple tree from which to select a healthy snack. Although this sounds like hippy trippy nonsense now, stores such as Wholefoods Market, the market leaders when it comes to healthy eating, are already cashing in on the freshness factor by offering consumers freshly made guacamole from avocados that have been

chilled on crushed ice and hand selected by the consumer themselves. This level of un-tampered with eating requires a very hands on approach, however with modern problems forcing us to reconnect with nature and our sense of self, it doesn’t look like this option is too far away from the mainstream. “We are at the stage now where people need to know the provenance and value of their food” explains Paul Woodmin, inner city farmer and project manager of The Pig Idea at Stepney City Farm. The Pig Idea is an idea created by Wahaca Chef Thomasina Miers and food campaigner Tristram Stuart to put food waste back on the menu for the UK’s pig population who are currently being fed on a diet of soy from the Amazon rainforest. This diet is causing deforestation and contributing to food waste and the global issue of food shortage. Stepney City Farm were chosen to rear 8 piglets on a diet of food waste from the local area with the end result being served in a gastronomic feast in Trafalgar Square, showing just how efficient the food waste cycle can be and creating a new form of meat, eco meat. “The wealthy are not afraid anymore. It will be the new organic and people are prepared to pay more” adds Paul whilst remembering the success

of the project. The Pig Idea also links with a project that Tim Smyth is working on which focuses on defective vegetables. “There is nothing wrong with vegetables that don’t look like what we think they should look like. It doesn’t mean they will taste any different or be any worse for you” explains Elizabeth Anderson, a third year Biology student at Exeter University, before going on to add “There are massive problems with food shortages, if we ate defective vegetables we wouldn’t be wasting anything.” With young people being more critical than ever before about the origins of ingredients, retailers will be forced to become more honest about their business practices whilst governments will face increased pressures to change the legislations in place surrounding food production. In order to survive the modern world we need to understand what nature has to offer us, we need to remember how to be human again. Maybe it won’t happen, maybe we really are destined for a life where technology controls everything, including nature? But whatever is the case, we are turning over a new leaf and heading into a greener future where nature will reign supreme.

Photographer: Marion Luttenberger

Crushing on Food It is no new news to our current world that food is on the continuous up, new cafe’s popping up in East London’s trendiest yet worn down locations, whilst South London is hurrying up behind on E8’s heels with places such as Brixton Village and Peckham’s food courts. The combination of the words ‘healthy’ and ‘beautiful’ within food is now an integral part of modern every day living. From the one blog I’m crushing over comes many more, all similarly presenting their sites in an extremely detailed way, challenging the most important fashion blogs of today’s world. So as I look past the cacti propped on the windows of quaint cafe’s and see the entirety of their customers posing on their Macs and eating (organic) humble pie, it phases me what the 20 and 30 somethings will be eating like and where in the next five or so years. So therefore asking Irina Wang, founder and creative director of blog ‘Wandercrush’ what she believes will be the case was an interesting insight to a ‘foodies’ opinion on the matter. It’s safe to say university of the arts is renowned for it’s creatives - fine art, fashion design, costume making, make-up.. the list goes on. So therefore it is an interesting notion to say the least that I find myself sitting endlessly on Wandercrush. A ‘good food’ blog created by a second year student at Chelsea College of Art. Trying to decide whether my obsession is with the beautiful photography and styling of the site or the student’s obvious love

for creating mouth watering wonders.. either way, I’m hooked. Finding myself clicking on the blog daily waiting for the next update on what glorious food student Irina has managed to cook up in her spare time outside of her degree and general London life. Its the photographs I believe that takes me on a mouth watering trip every day, always questioning myself why food photography, presentation and overall food image and perception has become so important to us, here in the city especially. Well mostly it is because fashion is an ever evolving world, fast pace, non stopping, uncontrollable to say the least. Food is (arguably) the most important thing to the human race. We do not just enjoy the tastes and smells seeping through us, we need it to function, to survive. So therefore it is no shock that the ‘trend’ of food is in actual fact no longer a trend, but something that is here to stay for the long haul. “Indeed foodies are identified as much by their instagrammed bowls of porridge as they are by their actual food philosophy, but I think this will only last as long as foodie values are considered trendy as opposed to intrinsic” explains Wang. So therefore eventually seeing healthy and attractive food as an every day norm opposed to an occasion or something that must be bragged about, or instagrammed the living day lights of, seems like a plan and possibility for the future of city life. Com-

muting to work and seeing a variation of healthy food opposed to a cool new store opening selling greens is a future forecast that I will believe will be integral to the rise and rise of healthy living. Irina seems to enjoy the idea of the ‘foodie’ generation becoming every day life just as much as myself. “When the hype of eating locally, whole-heartedly, and sustainably eventually becomes engrained in our culture as it once was (your grandparents were accidentally the original hipster foodies) and should always be, everybody will be a foodie”. “When and if this day comes in the future, the term itself will be neither necessary nor appropriate; with the phasing out of a trend divide, the eye-rolls will also stop completely because the motivation to eat well won’t be contrived.” A hopeful point and opinion to say the least, imagining a day where there will be less association with privilege and snobbishness as prices in big chain supermarkets reduce from increased demands and increasingly efficient production methods. And lets hope that the downturn of this ‘trendiness’ won’t mean that cafes and restaurants stop serving healthier, sustainably sourced, and considered foods; instead, lets hope the change will be reflected in marketing and branding - the ‘how’ will change while the ‘what’ remains the same. Steering away from the labelled world we live in, eating awareness will eventually become a global matter even more so than it is at this present time.

Being concerned more with WHY we are eating these food groups opposed to what it looks like to do so. Food trendiness will evaporate as quickly as the cafes concentrating solely on food image, allowing honest healthy eating to fall into place for the entire population. “As the population as a whole sees the importance and joy of eating well and eating with awareness of global agricultural/ consumption crisis, there will be less of a need to label (and mislabel, in many cases) a restaurant as “green” or “eco”. Blogger Irina foreseeing a possible future food trend? I think so. Although sarcastically branding places such as Brixton Village and Broadway market as negative popularity destinations, for the present and the future, the greatness in them is the already established ‘foodie destination’ image. All eating destinations should adopt the same mentality to create environments where like these places, the stalls, stands and cafes under the umbrella identity have less pressure to over-assert these characteristics when selling their food. They have room to focus more on ethnic tradition, local origins and flavour profiles. These are the things that should set food apart and make it truly interesting and varied for the future - not the fact that it was made from happy cows (because happy cows should be the default not a bonus!)

Words: Paige Sexton.

Photos: Wondercrush.

14 Photos: (right) Pinterest (left) The Guardian

Vertical Farming â&#x20AC;&#x153;The beauty of vertical farming is that you can go as high as you want.â&#x20AC;?

Future, Flexibility and Food

Multi-purpose natural products to be the food of the future

As the world becomes increasingly connected our diet and lifestyle suffer as a result. This has encouraged a rise in health-conscious individuals reexamining their lifestyle choices, resulting in the ‘worst ingredients and additives being taken out from processed foods’ according to Renee Elliot, Founder of Planet Organic. Food companies are facing outcries over GMOs, contributing to the arrival of nature-based health substitutes such as raw foods and juicing, based on the process of liquidizing vegetables and fruit, which Barrons’ predicts has a growth of 4 to 8 percent per year making it a $5 billion business. According to Jinny Blom, board member of Therapeutic Landscapes, a natural-based diet is the foreseeable future of society and Blom is frequently requested to create ‘hybrid farms to feed clients who understand the value of land in an increasingly congested world’, despite the wide-access to supermarkets and mass produce. Furthermore retail analysts firm Nielsen reinforces this with their statistics showing sales of organic produce has grown 1% in the last year making the UK organic market worth £1.24 billion whilst organic food chain Abel & Cole recorded sales of £38 million, a noticeable 24% rise from last year.

However despite individuals wanting a healthy lifestyle they tend to be time-poor, this has led to food companies producing nutrient-condensed ‘meals’ in convenient forms such as ‘The Soylent Shake’, a drinkable meal substitute. It seems consumers no longer need to cook or consider individual food categories to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you can now ‘purchase a healthy lifestyle’. But as well as the rise of natural foods in simplified forms, foods will also become multi-purposeful. For example, in recent years coconuts have become widespread in the form of coconut oil marketed as a multi-purpose product for everything from cooking to hair treatments, however Bio Couture’s Director Suzanne Lee predicts it will become one of the leading natural ingredients to become versatile in various other forms such as coconut water or syrup. Coconut water can be used to create bacterial cellulose, a natural compound that shares the same structure as most plants, currently sold as ‘a fermented sweet desert Nata De Coco’ in Asian countries, it is especially popular in Japan where Lee claims ‘teenage girls are crazy about it as a diet food as it makes you feel full’ though you ‘do not put on any weight’. However its distinctive

properties enable it to be cultivated into everything from clothing to cosmetics, even biological live fabric that becomes wallpaper as seen at The Heimtextil Interior Design Trends trade fair. From a natural coconut to a multitude of products, this process reinforces how natural produces can and will be used as significant substitutes for other materials in the near future. Natural foods will also become multi purposeful through hybridization, as more people begin to object to GMOs, the food industry will act in response by producing new fruits and vegetables through the process of cross breeding current produce. Supermarket chain Tesco is already selling a tangelo, a cross between a pomelo and a tangerine whilst Sainsbury’s has a pluot, a cross between a plum and apricot, signifying a mass level appeal for new flavors. A growing desire to experiment with our tastes and smells as seen by the popularity of experimental food website ‘Look Listen Smell Eat’ indicates that hybrid foods from organic sources is the solution to providing us with new foods without jeopardizing our wellbeing. So this leads to the sensory experience of natural foods, according to Julia Strietelmeier of

The Gadgeteer it will taste ‘mild and not overly intense’, as the ever rising number of people with food allergies will result in food becoming more neutral as to avoid heavy and rich foods, compromising on the texture and depth for light options. Additionally after reviewing AeroLife, futuristic sensory tubes that provide powder-based nutritional ‘meals’ Strietelmeier states that with two out of three people becoming lactose intolerant or suffering from some kind of food allergy, the future of food is about the less and light. Additionally Michel Roux, founder of Growing Underground, predicts food will smell ‘vivid and vital’ enhanced only with freshness in reflection of rising demand for natural foods. As ‘global food availability will be reduced because of climate change’, encompassing a nature-based lifestyle will be more of a survival step than a social choice, and the feel, smell and taste of natural foods will reflect this according to Jonathan Essex of BioRegional. Ultimately though, natural foods will adapt for multiple-uses to meet the demands of overpopulation/food shortages, whilst at the same time giving our taste buds a vigorous cleanse, adjusting our sensory palate for a more natural diet.

Words: Vanessa Lee.

Photos: looklistensmelleat.com

Visuals 18

Photos: Mel Bles.

24 Photos: ohsheglows.com

Got Milk?

The first simple transition in line with a more vegan lifestyle, almond milk is the next nutritional trend to hit the mainstream. Naturally low in saturated fat and a source of calcium and vitamins, this healthy natural daily essential will be widely embraced in the next 5 years by cautious parents and the diet conscious alike. Welcome to the eco age of grocery shopping. Where the term ‘sustainable eating’ has been rattling around for a while – Fair Trade chocolate and Dolphin Safe tuna springs to mind. Growing concerns for the future of the Earth is breeding a more conscientious consumer and almond milk is the newest edition to the planet conscious pantry. Research carried out by the Food Climate Research Network acknowledges food is responsible for around 30% of UK Green House Gas emissions. Furthermore, the FCRN have recommended that the government should commit to reducing this figure 70% by 2050. Leading conservation charity WWF (World Wildlife Fund) have supported FCRN recommendations with a report stating that “technological improvements” will make this achievable - along with “changes in consumption” that’s where the consumer comes in. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

estimate that individual ‘foodprints’ vary massively depending on diet type. Great news for chocolate lovers: The FAO finds that the snacks and sugar food category has the lowest carbon intensity. Practically speaking surviving on a diet of chocolate bars alone is not nutritiously sustainable though, not to mention decidedly un-‘treat wise’. Further statistics reveal that the foodprint of a meat lover is more than double that of a vegan. The likelihood of everyone in the UK switching to vegan by 2050 is slim however, and that figure moves to absolutely zero if you lower the bar to 2019. An exasperated sales assistant in Waitrose struggles to get to grips with the very basics of the vegan diet “I couldn’t tell you exactly what being vegan involves but the labels on the food will tell you if it’s suitable.” Veganism is niche in comparison to other diet groups due to its strict policy on the consumption of any animal based products.

Disappointingly, even if we did in fact all become vegans, that’s still 0.6 tCO2 per person more than the FCRN recommendation. One could take inspiration from veganism though, and still help to massively reduce GHG emissions. Less drastic changes to eating habits include cutting beef out of one’s diet, which lowers foodprints by up to 40%. Dairy also has relatively high carbon intensity, so switching from regular cows milk to dairy-free alternatives like almond milk is another step in the right direction. A study conducted in the UK by the leading retailer Waitrose revealed that one in five families are already choosing non-dairy alternatives to milk. Almond milk is creating a white wash in the United States where it is dominating sales of non-dairy milk products by 55%. According to Waitrose, sales of this plant powered dairy-free alternative have rocketed by 200% in the last year alone and figures are only expected to rise. The price of supermarket bought almond milk per litre is higher than that of soy and cows milk but Emer Delaney, a dietician recommended by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) says almond milk is the “smartest choice for our bodies”. Delaney, who specialises in food allergy and intolerance, advises, “Stepping away from lactose is definitely the right move. Only about 40% of people maintain the ability to digest lactose after childhood. Basically, milk is for babies, not adults. That’s why so many people struggle to digest it.” The NHS advise that up to

15% of all adults in the UK are lactose intolerant. Moreover, Delaney says almond milk is superior to soy “Soy milk is heavily processed and soy products in general have been linked to numerous health risks.” Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréa in Canada emphasise concerns about the high levels of Manganese content in soymilk. Manganese is an essential element to the human body but when consumed in excess, manganese becomes a “potent neurotoxin”. Overexposure has been linked to Parkinson’s disease and Wilson’s disease as well as reduced IQ. Contrastingly almond milk is a very natural product, made from ground, roasted almonds and blended together with spring water. Head of organic chemistry and chemical biology at UCL, Professor Jim Anderson reflects, “Soy products wouldn’t be available on the wide market if they weren’t safe” but nevertheless, the negative stigma being associated with soy is sure to help almonds crack the market. The fact that almond milk is naturally free from saturated fat and has the lowest calorie content of any milk or non-dairy substitute is yet another positive draw for the success of the product. In fact the product falls in line perfectly with the current government siege to combat growing obesity. Almond milk is already heading to the front of the non-dairy pack and word is spilling into mainstream fast. With motives such as global sustainability and a slimmer waistline, it is likely that in the next 5 years we will see further growth in sales and a new, exciting milk product.

Nebula 12: The Weather Beacon

“Whether it’s to decide if it’s the umbrella or the sunnies that make an appearance, our smartphone culture are obsessed with knowing what the day’s weather holds. Nebula 12 infuses light, colour, liquid nitrogen and hot water to recreate current weather conditions inside the comfort of your own home. You can wake up to a vibrant yellow mist on a particularly sunny day or a low deep cloud on an overcast wintery morning.”

Photo: dezeen.com

A Natural Backlash Whilst the NHS are occupied transferring our personal medical data online, the revolt to natural medicines is on the cards. But how are our most vulnerable going to cope? 2014 see’s the ticking time bomb of medical security on the brink of uncontrollable explosion. The critiqued National Health Services plan to shift into the realm of the unsupervised online dimension risks patient’s medical notes being made available to any mediocre hacker. Whilst some may not batter a perfected eyelid at the idea of someone finding their flawless medical notes, some more vulnerable members of society may have things no one but them and their previously trusted NHS doctor deserves to know. These vulnerable members of our hypercritical society are our misunderstood mental health sufferers, the ones of whom medical notes may not be as unblemished. But with the increasing diminish in trust towards our NHS group; a backlash could soon be on the cards; a good thing considering unnecessary cuts in funding is occurring even more frequently. But without the National Health Service, we are left with the only other option of

paying the extortionate fees of private health care; or are we? Natural remedies are nothing innovative; in fact they’re more antique than our NHS scheme but in modern day, it’s contemporary medicine over ruling nature’s wonders. However, with the new realisation that your personal records could be unveiled, we might see the day of not only self diagnosis but self treatment via nature’s elements. But whilst there’s countless studies of how to naturally aid a common case of acne (what 42.7% of 14,000 people studied by the Mayo Clinic visited their health care providers for), where does that leave the mental health patients that don’t want to join a tedious NHS waiting list for a diagnosis. Mental health is a broad and misunderstood category which can cover anything from severe cases of depression and schizophrenia to insomnia and ADHD. Whilst it’s broad, all patients are plagued with discrimination and dim-witted perceptions by uninformed members of

society who know nothing other than the appalling stigma. Whilst there’s to say the future holds a greener form of therapy for mental illnesses, there are in fact already forms of natural remedies, or CAMs (complementary and alternative medicines), available for sufferers. ADHD, a common and steadily increasing form of psychiatric disorder in children has got some herbal saviours in the form of Saint Johns Wort; this herbal antidepressant seems to work similar to contemporary forms by affecting neurotransmitter levels, an aid to anxiety sufferers also. Saint Johns Wort, also known as Hyperivum Perforatum, is a over the counter herb derived from a flower plant. Other natural remedies for ADHD, anxiety and mild depression also available are 5-HTP, derived from natural amino acids found in milk, meat, potatoes, pumpkin and various greens and Kava, a crop of the Western Pacific alongside many others. 11% of primary care patients with anxiety and depression are taking complementary or alternative therapies, which is around the same proportion of people who take an antidepressant for depression. Debbie Jarvis, Mother of 16 year old Jared Hardman, a previous sufferer of ADHD, said ‘Jared was taken out of school for a few months and he ended up pilled to high heavens on calming drugs’. Debbie was recommended chamomile and passionflower herbal tea, both containing a mild sedative or anxiolytic effect. ‘It didn’t ‘cure’ him but neither did the stuff the doctor gave us. You’d rather see your son drinking tea than force feeding

them pills if you had the choice.’ Whilst the natural tea’s worked for Jared’s ADHD spouts, more serious cases, such as sufferers admitted to recovery centres, are still left with the embarrassing side effects of contemporary medicines. Gabrielle Bramley, a Psychiatric Nurse at a NHS Mental Health Recovery team said ‘anti-psychotic drugs add to the stigma of mental health as they can make people stand out, for example they usually experience hyper salivation, tremors, weight gain and pill rolling.’ So it’s no question that if a more natural aid was found to even aid this side effect, it would be a positive outcome. Gabrielle went on to say ‘there are remedies out there for mild sufferers, but nothing for the people that end up coming into contact with me at a recovery ward. In nearly 3 years of recovery nursing, I have never met anyone that self medicates using herbal remedies. The only thing I’ve seen to be considered ‘natural’ is cannabis, it’s definitely popular and used to self medicate but can also exacerbate and trigger the illness in the first place, but there might be a day of legalisation if evidence is worthy enough to prove cannabis as an aid.’ Gabrielle said that whilst ‘more research is needed into what causes Schizophrenia before they can find more possible treatments, talking therapies have been found to be even more successful than contemporary medication’ and she thinks ‘if we’re going to put money into any area of research it should be this.’

Photos: Pinterest.

Growing Underground

Photos: growingunderground.com

“100 feet beneath Clapham two west country entrepreneurs have started London’s first underground, aquaponic farm to grow micro herbs and leafy greens all year round.”

32 Interview by: Vanessa Lee.

Photos: Planet Organic.

You started Planet Organic at a time when there wasn’t much of a market for ‘healthy’ foods in a supermarket setting, why? There was a market for healthy foods in supermarkets; it’s just that no one had tried it yet. Health foods were selling all over England, but in small, traditional health food stores. My vision was to take organic and health foods mainstream. They are the best quality foods. All I did was put them in an appropriate showcase You’re American, what aspects of food did you want to bring to Planet Organic? The American in me wanted to create excellent service and standards. Although England has always had upscale supermarkets, the service used to be pretty dire. Americans are naturally friendly and helpful – you don’t have to teach them how do give good service – and I grew up with that. You’ve also written cookbooks and maintain your website – what is the next step for ‘food’ in your opinion? I think, and hope, that food will return to a more natural state. We have gradually seen the worst ingredients and additives being taken from processed foods. I hope this ball keeps rolling and the spotlight is shone on sugar, white flour and other over processed, worthless foods. With the increasing concern of obesity, diabetes and all sorts of illnesses that are becoming much too common, I hope that people realise they must eat simple, unprocessed foods that they cook simply at home. I am inspired by the work the Soil Association is doing with the Food for Life programme in this regard, changing how and what kids eat at thousands of schools across the country. I believe the only way to change food culture is through the children. There is a growing trend to become more healthy over the years, and most recently that’s all about raw foods – what do you think about it? I think raw food is a great new trend and good to include as part of your healthy eating plan.

Wholefoods has opened up several branches in London, are they the main competition? Wholefoods and supermarkets selling organic are our competitors. Competition, however, is inevitable and it keeps us on our toes. When I started Planet Organic, I wanted to see as many people as possible eating organic and healthy foods. The truth is, I would prefer it if all shops stopped selling crap food.

Planet Organic

Renee Elliot Founder

There are a lot of juice cleanses, juice bars and detox deliveries happening now – what do you think triggered this? When Planet Organic opened in 1995, we had the first organic juice bar in store and were the first to sell wheatgrass juice. Juicing and detox have been around for a long time in the UK. I think that now they’re seen as smart and cool, and are mainstream. Clearly there is a trend for immediacy, people don’t have the time to necessarily make healthy meals so companies such as Raw to Door and Blue Print are making money off delivering meals to people, what do you think about that? Do you think that affects the ‘healthiness’ of a meal? I think people do have time to make healthy meals, if they knew how to make really simple ones. Buying from these delivery companies could affect the healthiness of the meal because of transportation and time, but their customers are presumably eating much more healthily. What needs to be changed in society so that people will buy more Organic? The question isn’t ‘in society’ really, but in England, which drags behind many many countries in organic farming and eating organic. There are several reasons, but one is definitely lack of government support. How can people educate themselves on eating and living well? I find that if people are interested in good eating and living, then they will learn about it. People

put time, energy and money in their passions. The difficulty is convincing all of the other people how important it is to eat well.

residential area, but has more workers and students – who don’t come in to buy veg and cook, but come in for lunch and convenience.

What do you think of city farms/people growing vegetables on balconies in apartments? I LOVE, love, love it.

Right now Organic food is typically reserved for the middle/upper class who can afford to buy at premium supermarkets, what can be done about this so everyone can afford to eat ‘right’? It is not reserved for middle and upper classes. 1, if you look at who eats organic across the UK, organic consumption is spread across all socio demographic groups. 2, People spend money on what’s important to them. 3, Eating organic does not have to be much more expensive if you buy raw ingredients and cook.

What is the next step for Planet Organic? Open more stores. Inspire people to eat organic, healthy food. Keep on our mission ‘to promote health in the community’. Why do you think there is now a ‘conscious consumer’? I think the world is changing. I often visit your Warren Street branch and am amazed that the fruit and vegetable section is the smallest, is this something you guys are working on? Fruit and veg is bigger in other stores. It is smaller at Torrington Place because it is not a high

Lastly, what’s the next step for you? Do you think you will open another business or move into an e-com business? I have a few ideas, but I don’t naturally gravitate toward e-com because what I do with food is about relationships and community.

Wearable Futures If you never imagined pollution having an effect on fashion, think again. PdCl2 is the colour changing ink that will change your yellow Celine to black when entering a highly polluted area. Alchemist Lauren Bowker has embedded the ink into an exquisitely designed feather garment to produce a spectrum of indescribable colours in a forever changing climate. The feathers respond to light, heat and friction so they ripple with the changing tones as the wearer moves.

Photos: Dezeen.com

38 Photos: visualnews.com

Wearable Foods â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wearable Foods by Korean artist Yeonju Sung, each of these beautiful garments was elaborately made of edible materials such as red peppers, eggplants, bananas, green onions, lotus roots, white radishes, tomatoes, and red cabbageâ&#x20AC;?

Tarzan

Inspiration

Ready to wear collections inspired by natural surroundings, using colour, print and texture.

Celine Spring Summer 2014

CĂŠline | Autumn Winter 2014

Dries Van Noten | Spring Summer 2014

Valentino | Autumn Winter 2014