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Ocean Conservancy And GOAL Launch Reusable Cup Venue Partnership: 'Protect Where We Play Tour'

Ocean Conservancy And GOAL Launch Reusable Cup Venue Partnership: 'Protect Where We Play Tour'

Scoop07-06-2025

WASHINGTON – Today, Ocean Conservancy and its partner GOAL announced the "Protect Where We Play Tour" launch, a partnership across GOAL's network of venues to reduce their plastic footprint by deploying a reusable cup program during concerts and sporting events. The Protect Where We Play Tour will kick off at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, which is hosting Coldplay on June 6-7. Other tour stops this summer will include Savannah's Enmarket Arena for The Lumineers, two nights of Billie Eilish at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York and others.
It is estimated that this tour will prevent 1,000,000 single-use cups from entering the waste stream. Bold Reuse, a leading reuse service provider, is supporting the tour by managing all reusable cup operations at participating venues.
'We're so excited about this activation because it's the perfect combination of mission alignment and funding for operational changes. We're grateful for Ocean Conservancy's collaboration and openness to fund tangible solutions that help facilities implement sustainable change, while also elevating their mission. These are the type of win-win partnerships that enable the positive change that our sports and entertainment industry really needs,' said Kristen Fulmer, Executive Director of GOAL.
'With 50% of our oxygen coming from the ocean, whether you live on the coast or hundreds of miles inland, the future of your favorite game, concert, or event depends on a healthy, plastic-free ocean. By tapping into the joy of what it means to be a fan, we can inspire action and create a global movement that protects our planet for the next generation,' said Ocean Conservancy's Chief Brand and Communications Officer Jenna DiPaolo.
Select tour dates include:
In February, Ocean Conservancy launched the Protect Where We Play Initiative, aimed at rallying sports and entertainment fans to protect the future of our planet, leveraging the reach of athletes, artists, and events to mobilize millions of fans in support of ocean conservation. The program features 'Team Ocean Captains' including WNBA's Napheesa Collier, NFL's Kelvin Beachum, MLB's Brent Suter, Paralympian Ezra Frech, and American ballerina Katherine Barkman.
The Protect Where We Play Initiative is the newest Ocean Conservancy program among decades of work to protect the ocean from plastic pollution. Since 1986, Ocean Conservancy has led the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), mobilizing nearly 19 million volunteers to remove 395 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways worldwide. Ocean Conservancy has also led advocacy efforts to prevent plastic pollution through policies at the state, federal, and international levels.

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Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony
Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony

1News

time11 hours ago

  • 1News

Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony

The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have travelled into space, and expectations were about as high ahead of their wedding in Venice on Saturday. One of the world's most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check. Star-studded guest list and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavour? You bet. And then, time to tie the knot. The couple held their wedding ceremony Friday night (local time), and Sánchez posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world's fourth-richest man. ADVERTISEMENT It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city, which added complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land. Dozens of private jets had flocked to Venice's airport, and yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall. Not so for these nuptials, which became a lightning rod for small, colourful protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch hadn't materialised as of Saturday. Instead, the glitterati were partying, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala. And the bride wore a classic mermaid-line gown, featuring Dolce & Gabbana's signature Italian lace. A traditional tulle-and-lace veil completed her look. "Not just a gown, a piece of poetry," she wrote on Instagram, where her name now appears as Lauren Sánchez Bezos. ADVERTISEMENT Logistics and costs Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service. "It's a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people," said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. "There's very tight control, especially on movement there with boats." It at least triples the cost versus staging the same soiree in Rome or Florence, he said. Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia was first to give an estimated tally for the Bezos/Sánchez bash: He told reporters this week the most recent total he saw was between 40 million and 48 million euros (NZ$77 million and NZ$92 million) It's an eye-popping, jaw-dropping figure that's over 1000 times the US$36,000 (NZ$69,000) average cost of American couples' weddings in 2025, according to wedding planning website Zola's annual report. Bezos' team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going. When the youngest son of Asia's richest man married last July, performances by pop stars Rihanna and Justin Bieber pushed up the price tag. ADVERTISEMENT Jeff Bezos leaves a hotel ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations with Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, Friday, June 27, 2025 (Source: Associated Press) "How do you spend $40 million on a three- or four-day event?" Ezon said. "You could bring headliners, A-list performers, great DJs from anywhere in the world. You could spend $2 million on an incredible glass tent that's only there for 10 hours, but it takes a month to build," or expand the celebration to local landmarks. There's no sign Sánchez and Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, intend to take over any of Venice's tourist-thronged hotspots. Still, intense hand-wringing about the prospect prompted their wedding coordinator, Lanza & Baucina, to issue a rare statement calling those rumours false. Earlier, Sánchez emerged from her hotel wearing a silk scarf on her head and blew a kiss to journalists before stepping into her water taxi. It carried her through the canals to San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St Mark's Square, where the couple held their ceremony. Bezos followed two hours later. Then, in a string of water taxis, came their illustrious guests — Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more. Paparazzi trailed on their own boats, trying to capture them all on camera. Vogue magazine, to which the couple granted exclusive access, reported that the Dolce & Gabbana-designed gown took 900 hours to complete. Inspired by Sophia Loren's wedding dress in the 1958 film Houseboat, it featured a high-necked, hand-appliqued lace and 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons. A police officer rides in front of the boat, center, carrying Lauren Sanchez as it travels past St. Mark's Square ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Friday, June 27, 2025. (Luigi Costantini/AP) ADVERTISEMENT 'No Space' There are some who say these two shouldn't have been wed in this city. They characterise the wedding as a decadent display of wealth in a world with growing inequality, and argue it's a shining example of tourism taking precedence over residents' needs, particularly affordable housing and essential services. Venice is also one of the cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. "Venice is not just a pretty picture, a pretty postcard to please the needs and wants of the elite or of mass tourists, but it is an alive city, made of people who want to actually live there," Stella Faye, a researcher at a university in Venice, said. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — are protesting under the banner "No Space for Bezos", a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight. Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St Mark's Square denouncing Bezos for paying insufficient taxes. Activists floated a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down Venice's Grand Canal atop an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash. Authorities — from Venice's mayor to the nation's tourism minister — have dismissed the outcry, saying it ignores the visibility and economic boost the wedding has brought. ADVERTISEMENT "There will be photos everywhere, social media will go wild over the bride's dress, over the ceremony," Italy's tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, told the AP. "All of this translates into a massive free publicity campaign. In fact, because they will spend a lot of money, they will enrich Venice — our shopkeepers, artisans, restaurateurs, hotels. So it's a great opportunity both for spending and for promoting Italy in the world." Jeff Bezos waves as he arrives at San Giorgio island ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations with Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, Friday, June 27, 2025. (Source: Associated Press) Philanthropy As Amazon's CEO, Bezos usually avoided the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. Today he has a net worth of US $234 billion (NZ$386 billion), according to Forbes. In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos' divorce was finalised. He stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives. ADVERTISEMENT Sitting beside Sánchez during an interview with CNN in 2022, he announced plans to give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests. Local media have reported a reception Saturday in the Arsenale, a former navy base best known as a primary venue for the Venice Biennale.

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending June 27
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending June 27

The Spinoff

time2 days ago

  • The Spinoff

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending June 27

The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books' stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) The Spinoff's own Madeleine Chapman reviewed Ardern's memoir – here's a snippet: 'Whether or not Ardern wrote this book herself (there is an 'editor' profusely thanked in the acknowledgements) is by the by. It is the story that she wanted to tell, or at least the parts of it she wanted to tell. Ardern ends her book by referring to herself as a 'speechwriter'. And her speeches are what have defined her career, whether impromptu or nervously rehearsed. But they're also deliberately limiting in what they offer. As a memoirist, Ardern has taken the same approach – offering just enough while still holding her cards close to her chest. It's an impressive move from someone who will now continue to be able to live a very private life while being extremely famous and a successful memoirist.' 2 The Safe Keep by Yael van der Wouden (Penguin, $26) A stunning debut novel set in the Netherlands of the 1960s. Beautifully written, surprising, and hopeful even while it offers insights into traumatic episodes in history. 3 Papatūānuku: A Collection of Writings by Indigenous Wāhine by multiple contributors (Awa Wāhine, $30) The latest, beautiful publication from indie indigenous publisher Awa Wāhine. Here's the blurb: 'A collection of writings by Indigenous wāhine is a powerful anthology of writing by Māori and Pacific women, offering a fresh, raw, and deeply personal tribute to Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother. Through these stories, poems, and reflections, the contributors explore the sacred connections between land, identity, and Atua Wāhine (Māori goddesses), bringing ancient wisdom into the present moment.' 4 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38) One of the great novels of the decade is this Pulitzer Prize-winning retelling of Huckleberry Finn. Here's the blurb: 'When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and with the electrifying humour and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.' 5 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (4th Estate, $35) The hugely successful true crime novel that has stayed in the bestseller charts for over a year now. Way back in 2024 Josh Weeks reviewed Butter in The Guardian: 'Based on the real-life case of the 'Konkatsu Killer', in which a con woman and talented home cook called Kanae Kijima was convicted of poisoning three of her male lovers, Butter uses its sordid source material to interrogate the impossible beauty standards to which Japanese women are held.' 6 Eurotrash by Christian Kracht (Serpents Tail, $30) A black comedy about a mother and a son and a roadtrip. 'Eurotrash is a knowing book,' writes Marcel Theroux, 'with excursions into German history and allusions to Shakespeare, myth and pop culture. Part of its charm is the voice of its narrator, a self-aware snob-insider who is anatomising the avarice and insecurity of the privileged class he was born into.' 7 There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (Penguin, $26) A moving novel about the ways water connects people, place and time. 8 Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell (Simon & Schuster, $40) Another 'unforgettable voice in Irish fiction'. Here's the blurb: 'On a bright spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change her life. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, Ciara straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe. It was meant to be an escape. But with dwindling savings, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself adrift, facing a broken housing system and the voice of her own demons. As summer passes and winter closes in, she must navigate raising her children in a hotel room, searching for a new home and dealing with her husband Ryan's relentless campaign to get her to come back. Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.' 9 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) A magnificent new novel from one of New Zealand's great fiction writers. Here's a snip from The Spinoff's books editor Claire Mabey's review: 'Fading seaside towns are microcosms for faded histories and dreams – and the UK's coastline is littered with them. The layered architecture of eras gone by affects a kind of haunting; the bright surfaces and ice cream shops pasted on top peddle dreams of beachside holidays often, in reality, rudely spiked by hyper-aggressive, Hitchcockian seagulls. Pastel-coated shopfronts and dusty vintage stores soften the detection of darker underbellies and thinly disguise the failures of capitalism to inject the buoyancy required to keep the nostalgia at bay.' 10 The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Simon & Schuster, $40) An epic new novel from the superstar that is Wally Lamb. WELLINGTON 1 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) 2 A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan (Allen and Unwin NZ, $37) Narrated by a 10-year-old girl, this immersive summer holiday novel is awash with a sinister undertow. Read a review of A Beautiful Family on The Spinoff, right here. 3 If I Must Die by Refaat Alareer & Yousef Aljamal (OR Books, $59) Renowned poet and literature professor Refaat Alareer was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City alongside his brother, sister, and nephews in December 2023. He was just forty years old. This book is a collection of his essays and poetry about literature, politics, and family. 4 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) 5 The Safe Keep by Yael van der Wouden (Penguin, $26) 6 Bombard the Headquarters! by Linda Jarvin (Black Inc., $32) For anyone interested in China then and China now: 'In 1966, with the words 'Bombard the Headquarters!' Mao Zedong unleashed the full, violent force of a movement that he called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. By the time he died ten years later, millions had perished, China's cultural heritage was in ruins, its economic state was perilous, its institutions of government were damaged and its society was bitterly divided. The shadow of these terrible years lies heavily over the twenty-first-century nation. The history of this period is so toxic that China's rulers have gone to great lengths to bury it – while a few brave men and women risk their freedom to uncover the truth. For as both they and the Party know, to grasp the history of the Cultural Revolution is to understand much about China today.' The award-winning novel about ageing, loss, and living. The Spinoff's Gabi Lardies and Claire Mabey loved it. A succinct guide to the conflict – essential reading. 9 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38)

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