Greenwash or step in the right direction? Fast Company reports on the launch of “Barbie Loves the Ocean.” This new line of dolls is made with plastic flakes derived from discarded plastic collected from Mexico’s Baja peninsula. In addition, Mattel is partnering with 4ocean on a limited edition bracelet – for every bracelet sold, 4ocean will collect a pound of plastic waste from oceans, rivers, and coastlines. But, as FastCo point out, “it’s one collection amid at least 10 other collections that are still made with virgin plastic”. Full article here

A ‘flower seed cannon’ which spreads wildflower seeds in order to support bee populations has won this year’s Design Ventura schools challenge. The competition, which is organised by the Design Museum, had a brief set by Yinka Ilori which asked students to design a product that “improves everyday life”. The winner, Sow Beautiful, was created by students from Heckmondwike Grammar School in West Yorkshire and will be sold in the Design Museum shop. Details from Design Week here

Design Week also reports that The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has put out a tender to find a design team capable of reinventing electric vehicle charging points. The contract is worth £200,000 and calls for an “iconic, functional” design that could become part of Britain’s street furniture. Story here

TED Countdown, TED’s global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, is partnering with photography resource Climate Visuals in a competition “to build a new robust, diverse and accessible collection of evidence-based photos that document the reality of climate change around the world”. The competition is seeking submissions across five themes (shown above). One hundred selected images will share a $100,000 licensing fund. Details here

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