Hi friend,

And just like that, it’s March tomorrow! If anyone knows what happened to February, please let us know.

🔍 Fun fact of the month: There's a plastic-eating variety of mushroom! They're called 'Pestalotiopsis fungi' and can decompose plastic in anaerobic conditions (that means they'd be great in landfills and under the sea!).

PS Thank you to everyone who has let us know how you're liking our new look. If you ever want to give us some feedback, feel free to contact us at the email address at the bottom of this newsletter.

Trash to treasure: the workplace made of waste

Did you know that the building industry is responsible for creating a third of the world's waste? (yikes). Through sourcing old steel, tiles, and even concrete floor plates from demolition sites and building projects around Norway, Mad Arkitekter architects have completely refurbished and expanded a 1958 office building using 80% reused components. With a design strategy that resulted in a staggering 70% reduction in embodied carbon emissions compared to standard new construction practices, this building is 'large enough to set an example, but small enough to tackle'.

Madrid Design Festival saw some amazingly innovative sustainable designs this month, with multi-use wooden furniture created by students (like a cot that can become a clothing rail!) and an exhibition of very wacky furniture designed to encourage the rediscovery of nature being some of the highlights from the event.

For the fashionistas and animé fans, Spanish fashion house Loewe has collaborated with Japanese animators Studio Ghibli in designing a magical installation inspired by the 2004 feature film Howl's Moving Castle. Taking over Selfridges' 'corner shop' space for February, the exhibition lets you walk among the clouds, discover art from the movie, and even try some tasty treats.

What is the social responsibility of the influencer?

The influencer marketing industry was valued at a massive $16.4 billion for 2022 and businesses continue to collaborate with trendy online faces to grab the big money bags. As old Uncle Ben used to say, 'with great power comes great responsibility', and influencers and social responsibility go together like peas in a pod. Take a look at the responsibilities both influencers and businesses need to keep in mind when working together.

In the world of podcasts, The 'Building Better Business' podcast produced by ethical pioneer coffee brand (and B corp) Cafédirect recently saw the launch of its second season. Hosted by CEO John steel, the podcast continues to drop some top tier knowledge and conversation on the thought that's definitely on our minds everyday - 'What are businesses doing to protect our future and what more can be done?'. Go ahead and give it a listen!

Off the back of our ChatGPT special last month, the AI debate is still ongoing and making people wonder if ChatGPT will eventually take their job, sanity, or even their lives. If you were wondering if your job is actually at risk from Mr. Roboto, check out this review on the jobs seemingly at risk from the advancement of AI. Do we have anything to worry about?

The unsung wingmen protecting our environment

When you think of vultures, it's usually the image of a grumpy blob of feathers sat on a dead tree in the desert. Despite the bad rap they get, vultures actually do us a lot of good. From being a 'sentinel species' to a sacred symbol in Tibetan culture, this deep dive into the vulture's role as a natural recycler and why their decline poses a serious threat is a great read on our planet's stern-faced caretakers.

Speaking of declines, we all know that the Amazon rainforest has been ravaged by humans for some time now. Even though what was once there can't be brought back, what we use the land for after deforestation is still crucially important. This article explores the alternative agricultural methods that can better protect wildlife and preserve ecosystems. Well managed deforested zones don't have the power to replace, but they can be a pathway for change.

For something a little bit closer to home, 5 million seagrass seeds are being planted off the coast of Wales for their carbon absorption abilities and to restore Wales' underwater habitat. The UK has lost over 90% of its seagrass meadows in the last century, but organisations like the WWF and Project Seagrass are aiming to plant 10 hectares by 2026 (that's enough habitat for 800,000 fish!).

We've had a busy February at Avery & Brown. If you couldn't tell from the image above, we're currently making our plans to attend Futurebuild 2023. If you're at the event and see us walking around on the 7th and 8th of March, come over and say hi!

Because we love purpose-driven projects, we supported Rosalind and Andy's Atlantic Escapade which kicked off last week, sponsoring them £100 to support their row and the amazing causes they're doing it for.

That wasn't our only donation this month, we also made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee for the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal on top of a monthly pledge to ClientEarth for their work protecting the environment and ensuring that everyone has access to clean air, water, and a healthy planet.

Since publishing our Impact Report a few weeks ago, we have already won two impact reporting projects! If you need help to plan, write, design, and publish your impact report this year, please make sure to get in there early and reach out to us today. These projects always take longer than you might expect, so the earlier you come to us, the better!

Each month, we feature a different Certified B Corporation, to celebrate the brands which are working hard to create a better business world. To learn more about B Corps, click here. 

Our featured B Corp this month is...

Space Group

Established in 1957, Space Group originally made their name developing social housing and civic buildings. Now made up of the businesses Space Architects, Bimstore, BIM.Technologies, and Twinview, Space Group are on a shift to carbon neutral and net zero through continuing to design and develop buildings that positively contribute to people's lives.

Aside from planting forests as close as Northumberland and as far as Uganda, Space Group are responsible for many projects like the refurbishment of the Darlington Hippodrome and the Stockton Globe.

Space Group are making progress, not excuses.

Have you enjoyed this month's nineteen eighty four? Let us know your feedback by dropping us a line at [email protected]!