by Preety Sharma | 9 Jan 2024 | Economy, Educators' Catalog, Environment, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
The global toy industry has a plastics predicament: How to feed children’s appetite for new toys, keep prices low and not harm the Earth in the process. A pile of plastic toys at a toy landfill. (Illustration by News Decoder) Plastic is omnipresent in our lives...
90% of the world’s new toys feature some form of plastic. As the industry continues to grow, especially in places like North America, how can we ensure toy makers are thinking of the environment — and not just profit? University of Toronto Journalism Fellow Preety Sharma covers potential solutions.
Exercise: Sharma’s article suggests that pro-environmental behavior is most commonly adopted when it is a default option. That means it is the easiest or cheapest option. In pairs, have students think about the default options in their lives. Are these the most environmentally-friendly options, or is there room for improvement? For example: students may think about the accessibility of recycling/compost bins in their local community, the types of food packaging they see in the grocery store, etc.
by Lance Roller II | 2 Jan 2024 | Health and Wellness, Sports, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
The Olympics are the pinnacle of an athletic career. But after athletes step off the podium a deeper challenge awaits. Who are they when the uniforms come off? Olympic rower Christine Roper (frontside) hugging her teammate as they celebrate their gold medal victory....
by Ayeshah Haque | 22 Dec 2023 | Health and Wellness, History, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows, Women
Across cultures and times, midwives have been at the side of women, helping bring healthy babies into the world. Finally, the world recognizes their value. Midwife Sifa Ndeze attends to mother and baby. (Credit: UNFPA DRC/Junior Mayindu) Call them “baby catchers,”...
by Nahid Widaatalla | 15 Dec 2023 | Islam, Religion, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
In the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s unrelenting attacks on Gaza, around the world people curious about Islam flock to their local mosque. The Gothenburg Mosque in Sweden has seen an uptick in visitors since 7 October. Credit: Andrzej Otrębski...
by Preety Sharma | 14 Dec 2023 | Health and Wellness, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
A spiral-shaped algae is cheap and easy to grow. It’s so nutritious that NASA thinks it can power people to Mars. On earth it can keep kids healthy. Spirulina powder. (Credit: Madeleine Steinbach for Getty Images) An algae that has been around since before...
by Madison Stringer | 27 Nov 2023 | Health and Wellness, Science, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
We pass down our eye color and baldness to our kids. It seems we also pass along health problems from bad food we consume and smoke we inhale. Two hands hold a fast food burger against the backgrop of DNA strands. Illustration by News Decoder This article was...
by Shefali Malhotra | 15 May 2023 | Asia, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
The Indian government has proposed strengthening privacy protection, but at the cost of transparency. Is this about protection or repression? Photo illustration by News Decoder. India’s proposed digital privacy law is creating fault lines between the right to privacy...
by Alfonso Silva-Santisteban | 20 Mar 2023 | Americas, Human Rights, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
With the killing of six sex workers in Lima this year already, people are calling on the government to address the unequal treatment of transgender people. A group of transgender women protest outside the police station in downtown Lima, Peru. Since the beginning of...
by Shefali Malhotra | 3 Mar 2023 | Africa, Educators' Catalog, Government, Technology, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
If a government agency stores the DNA and fingerprints of its residents can it serve them more efficiently or control them more effectively? (Image: News Decoder) A year after Kenya’s historic digital identity program was declared illegal, the Kenyan government is...
As more countries around the world adopt digital identification systems, concerns about the legality of such programs have come to the fore. This month, University of Toronto global journalism fellow Shefali Malhotra walks us through arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs in Kenya.
Exercise: As students are reading the article, have them create a list of arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs. Then, have students write a paragraph on whether or not they support adopting digital IDs in your country. The paragraph should include arguments around at least two of the following subtopics: data protection (legal), privacy (personal & commercial), internet penetration/the digital divide, potential discrimination against vulnerable groups. To extend the activity, students can engage in a structured debate with classmates after writing their paragraphs.
by Shefali Malhotra | 27 Jan 2023 | Technology, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
New biometric systems scan your face or fingerprint as proof of ID, but many governments require an official card. For some people that’s a problem. Facial Recognition System starts its operation at JR Shinjuku Station in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo on 30 August 2021....
