Immediately after the opening of the Winter Fair, guests were greeted with spectacular musical performances and a mini art exhibition at the entrance, which really set the mood of the scene. Later on, the Interhouse Junk Fashion Show was held in the performance space, where Year 7-10 students worked together to create an outfit. As the event name suggests, they were only allowed to use “junk” such as newspapers and cardboard. So, you could imagine my astonishment when I saw the extent of creativity of the competing students as they transformed trash into treasure (quite literally— I’m pretty sure the “newspaper” outfits could pass off as actual ones in the stores). Following the Fashion Show, we were graced with K-pop dance performances along with impressive singers. 

Many people may think that the Winter Fair is only hosted to celebrate Christmas. Although this is definitely part of the reason, this year’s Fair, held in January (so technically Spring Fair!), has proven this theory very, very wrong. Not only has it shown the fact that simply the collaboration and enthusiasm of the Island School community were worth celebrating, but it also showcases the unwavering commitment from everyone, which made every annual Winter Fair as memorable as it is. 

Of course, we’d like to thank the Island School PTA Committee members, parent volunteers, students, and staff for organising the Winter Fair— It has truly exceeded our expectations, and sets the bar higher every year!

Media Committee

The media team has started the process of updating and building on both of our key channels, being the Island Currents and Instagram. For Island Currents, many new articles have been put on the site, ranging from movie reviews to Island School event coverage! Additionally, you can now view the English newsletter and Capital Island on Island Currents. The Media channel has done an excellent job in collating images from different sports events, the Walkathon, and the Winter Fair. There are many reels up and coming, so keep an eye on our Instagram: @is.mediateam

Creative Arts Committee

Look forward to our school production: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on the 3rd, 4th, 5th of February!!

The recent interhouse junk fashion show held during the winter fair was also an immense success, with Fleming coming out on top.

Support our school production @cursedchild.is and stay connected with Creative Arts through @islandcreative_is on instagram!

Culture Committee

The culture team has worked to immerse the student body in holiday spirit through two major week long celebrations. 

Most recently, we did our Lunar New Year celebrations, our school campus was enhanced with festive decorations. We also held daily activities in the courtyard, including making wishes at the wishing tree and trying their luck at the chinese fortune sticks. Additionally, we also planned a PTA and parent dance performance, a Fai Chun calligraphy workshop in collaboration with the creative arts team, and Lai See Lantern making. As usual, we also have our APC special lunch menu. In addition a LNY trivia interhouse for year 7s and 8s, and a lion dance with students being able to dress casually on the last day before LNY break. 

Prior to this, we wrapped out the previous term with our animal Christmas celebrations. Highlighted by our candy cane and keychain delivery service. With the collaboration with Run your own business elements hosting the island marketplace, featuring students running their unique stalls and selling gifts and games. Besides, we also had a Christmas karaoke, and our yearly find the elf staff scavenger hunt, to sum up with a gingerbread decorating session and finally a student dressing festive to wrap it up.

English Committee

Over the last few weeks, the English committee has been keeping itself busy with finalising details for the Orwell essay competition and planning for Book Week! We’d like to thank our members for their lovely contributions and enthusiasm during meetings. In regards to the English newsletter, we’ve released the first two editions so far (the December and January issues). Our monthly Newsletters can be found through past Island School Newsletters, as well as on Island Currents! The February issue of the English newsletter is well underway too, so please keep an eye out in your inboxes for that. We can’t wait for you to see what we have in store for you during our upcoming events!

Social Action Committee

Hi Island School! The Social Action Committee has made waves of impact in the previous two academic terms hosting events such as the whole school walk where funds are directed to fund the Nicola and Kenneth bursary and a toy drive in collaboration with Kids4Kids to aid affected children in Tai Po. Turning our focus on a new term, the Social Action Committee has lined up more initiatives in the works. We are currently planning events such as our annual Pride Week and the Helper’s appreciation day. At the end of the school year we will also be hosting the annual Nicola and Kenneth bursary award ceremony where bursary winners will come to Island School and receive their cash prize for their standout achievement. On behalf of the social action team, we are ecstatic to bring forth these new initiatives and cannot wait for your involvement and participation. 

Connected Communities Committee (Under Social Action Committee)

The Connected Communities Team is pleased to share that our Secret Santa Drive – Mother’s Choice x IS has been a huge success! We have successfully secured 50 gifts for 50 mothers, raising over 18,000 HKD in total.

Through our partnership with Mother’s Choice, we’ve made a meaningful impact this Christmas by providing these young mothers with gifts that will support their children and brighten their holidays.

Here are a few quotes from the mothers:

“Thank you for thinking of us this Christmas. My baby loved the gift, and I loved the sweet surprise too. Your kindness warmed our little family’s hearts.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful Christmas surprise. It was such a joyful moment opening it, and I felt so cared for. Your generosity truly made this holiday season more meaningful, and I’ll remember this warmth for a long time.”

Finally, we’d like to give a huge thank you to all the donors who contributed to this cause, it would not have been possible without you!

Sports Committee

In the past two weeks, our typhoon sports teams have been extremely busy. The U20 Boys Football Team is getting ready for the prestigious Jing-Ying tournament, which is a major accomplishment and should be very exciting. Additionally, our U16 Boys Football Team recently triumphed over a strong Carmel team in a penalty shootout, as the team secured the ISSFHK championship title. Furthermore, the U20 and U14 Boys Tennis Team are gearing up for their ISSFHK Division I finals and we wish them the best of luck as they compete. And moving onto our basketball teams, our U12 Girls team has reached the ISSFHK finals, along with the U14A Boys, U14B Boys and the U20 Girls teams. Moreover our U16A Boys Basketball team has reached the semi-finals and the U20 Boys team is in the 3rd place playoffs match. These achievements over the past two weeks have been nothing less than outstanding, Go Typhoons!

STEM Committee

The STEM Committee has recently restarted the mentorship programs for the younger year groups, mainly mentoring for MYP science and math, with each program having about 20 mentees each and a 1:1 mentor-mentee ratio, ensuring quality mentoring for each mentee and student. 

We are also in the process of getting ready for our STEM days in semester 2! Year 7, 8, and 9 STEM days are in the planning process, and the STEM committee is researching what can be done for these events. We will need volunteers for this as well, so keep an eye out in your emails, and we look forward to seeing what you can all contribute soon.

In terms of outreach and student engagement, we’ve already promoted several external opportunities, including the HKSSPC Competition and the CityUHK Summer Research Internship 2026. We are also preparing to launch school-wide promotion for the GIZMOS Eastern Asia STEM Competition in the coming weeks. A student interest form and promotional materials are currently being developed. The VEX IQ Robotics Competition is scheduled for later this year, and preparation will begin closer to the event.

Finally, our Instagram account is active and performing well, with regular biweekly posts and features highlighting STEM events and competitions. The publicity subcommittee continues to manage and plan our outreach effectively. We have posted some STEM-related competitions that can be signed up for on our instagram on @stematisland, so be sure to check those out!

Student Advisors Committee

Greetings from your Student Learning Advisors!

Following a series of meetings, we are excited to announce several upcoming initiatives. These include a school-wide anonymous feedback system, peer-to-peer workshops to support lower-year students, and a new Junior Elements Mentorship Programme. We also plan to revamp a recognition system that awards students based on their performance in different subjects, rather than an overall academic excellence award.

Additionally, we will be more active on social media platforms like Instagram, so stay tuned for more updates!

WANBO

Over the past 2 weeks, WANBO has taken many initiatives.

During the IS winter fair we established the recycling bin in front of the staff room, with our prompts many people to contribute to recycling their plastic bottles/cans. From our team, we had 37 people volunteer for the second-hand uniform sale and kitchenware sale.

The School Council presentation took place on 26/1, in which Chelsie represented WANBO and spoke to members of the school council directly. Together with Mr Burrough, they introduced the sustainable initiatives that take place in Island School, detailing the past, current and future work that WANBO has done, while also highlighting our ongoing partnerships with external organisations, such as TASS and Redress.

Our composting sub-committee all learnt how to manage the compost machine and have been regularly managing food waste at the end of most days. (so far we’ve successfully composted around 2 days’ worth of food!!)

Our design sub-committee has officially relaunched WANBO Weekly, which, as the name suggests, are weekly instagram posts created by the WANBO Design team members, promoting sustainability by bringing attention to certain aspects of their interest.

GOAT

Coming out in February this year, GOAT is an animated film coming from Sony Pictures Animation. Trailers for the movie have already been released, and the key pull from that is the animation style. Sony Pictures Animation is known for innovating and adapting their animating style, having the Spiderverse movies under their belt. GOAT seems to use that same choppy animation style that we see in the Spiderverse movie, and it is blended into a bright and beautiful colour palette. The movie will follow this goat named Will as he tries to go pro in a sport called roarball (the movie equivalent of basketball). This movie looks like Zootopia but instead of rookie cops, it is a basketball underdog story. This movie looks to be like something for fans of animation, as it has a very unique art style, and quirky animation techniques. GOAT also seems to create some appeal for basketball fans too, with the film’s sport being based around basketball, and Stephen Curry featuring as a voice in this movie. I think GOAT will be an enjoyable underdog movie, enhanced with that beautiful Sony Pictures Animation touch, making this a film worth catching.

Hoppers

Another animated animal movie, Hoppers, releases in March this year. Hoppers follows the story of a girl who transfers her consciousness into that of an animatronic Beaver, and she uses this to go and communicate with animals. This movie has a very refined animation style, keeping things looking rounded and cheerful. Pixar are the ones making this movie, and I think in keeping with the Pixar theme, this movie will have a lot of laughs but also a lot of heart. While not their biggest movie coming out this year, Pixar’s Hoppers has built up a good following and could turn out to be a refreshing new animated movie. Animal lovers, and those wanting to see a classic family friendly fun flick, should definitely give Hoppers a watch.

Project Hail Mary

This upcoming project comes from Ryan Gosling, and is adapted from the novel of the same name. This movie is going to be a sci-fi thriller, following Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or what he is doing. However, he slowly pieces his memory back together, and realises that he has to stop the Earth from entering a new ice age, by saving our sun. The plot seems outlandish and wild, and that is what draws me towards this movie. Behind this complex sounding premise however, it looks to be a fun comedy movie, mixed with thriller and sci-fi elements. From the trailer, it looks like Interstellar and the Martian blended together, throwing in some more comedy effects, and stunning space visuals. This sci fi movie looks like a great ride, with some visually stunning elements, and for a sci fi nerd like me, makes it a must watch when it comes out in March.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was wildly successful when it was released in 2023, showing that, if done right (looking at you live action Mario movie from 1993), Mario could be adapted for the big screen. Now as a follow up to that movie, Mario returns in this adaptation of the Super Mario Galaxy games. From the trailer, it looks like all the fan favourite characters from the last movie will return, but also new characters from the franchise, like Yoshi, Bowser Jr., and Rosalina. The movie also looks to be taking elements from multiple Mario games too, notably Super Mario: Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Seeing how well the last adaptation went, and both the franchise and star power that this movie is bringing, I could see this film making over 1 billion dollars. This movie is the follow up to one of the best video game adaptation movies of all time, and I think it has the ability to surpass the original. For Mario fans, and frankly anyone who enjoys video games, this Nintendo movie coming out in April needs a watch.

Michael

I love a good movie musical biopic, and have found films like Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, and Better Man to be greatly entertaining. Now for 2026, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson is getting his very own biopic. Starring his nephew, Jafaar Jackson, this biopic will follow the rise of the pop superstar, from his time in the Jackson 5 to his international stardom. This movie will be loaded to the brim with all of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, guaranteeing this movie too have a stellar soundtrack. It has been stated that the movie will tackle every part of the singer’s life, and from the trailer it looks absolutely incredible. From iconic music videos like Thriller, to the recording of hit songs like Billie Jean, this movie looks like it will have it all. Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jafaar Jackson, provides a good likeness to the King of Pop, and shows off some great singing talent too. This musical biopic will definitely be something to catch, when it moonwalks into cinemas in April.

The Mandalorian and Grogu

I love Star Wars, and this movie is going to be the first Star Wars movie to come out since 2019’s Rise of Skywalker. The Mandalorian T.V show was a breath of fresh air into the franchise, styled like a western, it brought the effortlessly cool but caring Din Djarin to the universe, and his adorable sidekick Grogu (or Baby Yoda). The show ended with the return of the Mandalorians to Mandalore, and saw Din and Grogu settling down for the quiet life on Tatooine. However, by the looks of things, they are called into action to fight against the remaining imperial warlords around the galaxy. When I saw the trailer, I could just feel the goosebumps. Seeing the return of Star Wars to the big screen is an absolute treat, and in a movie which will no doubt be a galaxy wide bounty hunting adventure. The return of fan favourite characters from across the franchise will be seen in this movie, with the likes of Zeb Orrelios (Rebels), Rotta the Hutt (The Clone Wars), and Babu Frik (Rise of Skywalker), all featuring in this film. I am most excited to see the return of the Razor Crest, ATATs, and X-Wings. For all Star Wars fans this is a must see, as the galaxy far far away returns to the big screen in this western style adventure on May 22nd.

Toy Story 5

Toy Story is back again, with a new and different plot that hits surprisingly close to home. After what has felt like 2 perfect endings for the franchise, in the form of Toy Story 3 and then again in Toy Story 4, Pixar looks to have changed their minds, reuniting Woody and Buzz for another adventure. This movie will see the return of most of the fan favourite characters, with Slinky Dog, Hamm, Rex, Jessie, Bullseye, Combat Carl, and Forky all confirmed to come back. Other characters like the Potato heads remain ambiguous but likely. From the teaser, it looks like the toys will take on the threat of technology, more specifically the Ipad. We are currently living through the Ipad kid generation, making this movie definitely relatable and fitting today’s audience. Seeing how well Toy Story movies perform, I don’t doubt that this movie will have a lot of heart, a lot of meta jokes, and make a lot of money. Another addition to a timeless series, Toy Story 5 will surely be a hit when it comes out in June.

Supergirl

Superman was a surprise smash hit from 2025 (which I have reviewed already on my top films of 2025), and here comes another addition to James Gunn’s DC universe. Supergirl takes place before she meets Superman on earth, as seen in the post credits scene of Superman, as she travels across the galaxy with Krypto the Superdog. This is directly after the destruction of Krypton, so I’m sure we will see a sad Supergirl searching for some purpose, accompanied by her adorable canine. From the trailers, it looks to be a space adventure, with the Guardians of the Galaxy vibes definitely being there. For comics fans, this movie is based on the Woman of Tomorrow comic line for Supergirl, and knowing James Gunn, it will be very comic accurate. Already from the trailer, the character of Lobo can be seen, with Jason Momoa playing him, which is a perfect casting for the role. For those that enjoyed Superman, Guardians of the Galaxy, or any of James Gunn’s DC movies, Supergirl will definitely be a super time when it releases in June.

Assorted movies that we don’t know much about yet

There are still many movies on this list that we don’t have too much information about yet, but are still highly anticipated either because they are franchise heavy hitters, or they are led by famous stars. Firstly, Minions 3: Mega Minions is a sequel to the greatly successful minions franchise, which is the prequel series to the Despicable Me franchise. Not much is known about the plot, just that Gru will return in this movie, alongside the indestructible minions. Next, in October, Digger releases. Again, not much is known about the plot, beyond the fact that it is a comedy, and will see Tom Cruise star in the film. The star power alone sells it to me, but I think a good independent comedy will definitely be an entertaining piece. Lastly, Jumanji 3 will be coming out in December. Again, not much is known about the plot, besides that the main cast of video game characters will be returning, and this might be the last movie in the rebooted franchise. The reboot of Jumanji does a great job in being like a sort of sequel to the original, but modernising it and bringing it to a new audience. I enjoyed all the Jumanji movies, and I feel that Jumanji 3 will live up to its predecessors.

The Odyssey

Take a bunch of the most famous and popular actors of our time, combine that with one of the best directors of this century, and make them adapt one of the most famous stories of all time, and you get The Odyssey. This Odyssey will follow the story of Odysseus as he returns home from the Trojan War, facing many perils and challenges on the way. The cast for this movie is one of the best ensemble casts I have seen since Love Actually. The movie stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway portraying his wife, and Tom Holland portraying his son. Other actors in this film include Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, and Benny Safdie. All of them are being directed by the great Christopher Nolan, whose last movie, Oppenheimer, won best picture. He knows how to do a historical movie, and while some on the internet have criticised the costumes already for historical inaccuracies, it’s adapting a story with a cyclops in it and the armour looks cool. The whole movie is filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, adding to the cool factor of this movie. I believe this will be a beautifully done movie, with incredibly action set pieces, incredible cinematography, and superb acting. This movie will definitely be a need to watch when it comes out in July.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Tom Holland returns to the MCU in another movie playing everyone’s favourite friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. This movie’s plot has remained quite secretive, no leaks this time around, but it is rumoured to be a more street level movie. This means that it could see the integration of some of the characters from the Netflix marvel shows, and finally see Spider-Man take on some street level threats. I theorise that this movie will have Daredevil return, the Punisher, and see Spider-Man take on Kingpin in some way. It is unknown whether we will see the return of Zendaya’s MJ or Ned, but it will be awesome to see a more Tobey Maguire style Spider-Man, now that Peter lives alone and has his new suit. Any Spider-Man movie is a great time, and this one will definitely be on the watch list when it swings into cinemas in July.

Street Fighter

I don’t know much about the Street Fighter games, or the Street Fighter movie that came out in 1994, but I do know a little about this new Street Fighter movie coming out this year. The movie looks to be including every major character from the games, with there definitely being some recognisable characters thanks to their pop culture stardom. Like it says on the tin, there will be a lot of fighting in this movie, but from the teaser trailer, the fighting looks awesome, with fight choreography looking clean and flowing like a classing kung fu flick. It also has that retro vibe, leaning into the older vibes and retro feel found in the original Street Fighter arcade game. This movie will definitely bring some incredible action and fight scenes, with some impressive KOs, giving the audience an exhilarating ride. For those looking for a classic style kung fu flick, or just another incredible video game adaptation, look no further than this movie, coming out in October.

Avengers: Doomsday

While this movie may only be coming out in December, the Russo brothers know how to build hype. The film has already been teased last year, with Doctor Doom appearing in post credits scenes, and the Fantastic Four coming to the mainline MCU timeline. The reveal that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom is already incredible, but the teaser trailers that have been released for this movie are definitely making it more exciting. I won’t spoil what happens in them here (and I urge you to watch them), but I will say that we will be seeing the return of Thor, Steve Rogers Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Namor, Shuri, M’baku (now as king of Wakanda), and the X-Men. Along with other characters returning from other MCU movies last year, this cast will be packed full. This movie is looking to top the likes of Avengers: Endgame with the cast and story. The world is currently in a state of superhero fatigue, and many believe that the MCU peaked at Endgame and has been going downhill ever since (I personally believe the peak was at Spider-Man: No Way Home). However, with the hype that Doomsday is building I think that it could be reaching for a new high. Once the Avengers: Doomsday clock runs out, and the film releases in December, it will be a must watch.

Dune: Messiah

Dune: Messiah is the third and final instalment in the Dune franchise, which tells me that it will be the best of the three. Denis Villeneuve does a great job at adapting the Dune books into these massive space operas, led by a stellar cast, and featuring an incredible soundtrack. According to the books, this next movie will see a major time jump, as Paul Atreides solidifies his power as the new ruler on Arrakis. While these movies can be hard to follow at times, it gives you space to breathe at points, letting you take in the beautiful shots of the desert planet. Timothée Chalamet spearheads this film again as Paul Atredis, and based on assumption, should be rejoined with Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Florence Pugh. This movie looks to be the finale of this stunning set of films, and as seen with Dune: Part 2, I believe it will beat the other two to become the best in the franchise. I felt Dune was very exposition heavy, Dune: Part 2 was very action heavy, so following that, Dune: Messiah should be the perfect mix of both. Regardless, it will be an amazing movie, and the movie event that will be Avengers: Dunesday (as coined by Robert Downey Jr. and Timothée Chalamet) will definitely be a need to do, when it happens in December.

Conclusion

2026 looks to be a very exciting year for movies. Whether it be major franchise blockbusters, or new original movies 2026 looks to be having it all. Ranging from many different genres, like action, animation, sports, music, superhero, video game adaptation, sci-fi, or just good old comedy. I am very excited for the up and coming films for this year, and I cannot wait to see how good these movies will be. As a side note, this list was aided by a Rotten Tomatoes list of upcoming films, which features even more exciting films to come, so I recommend taking a look at it too, linked here: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-most-anticipated-movies-of-2026/. For movie fans it looks to be a good year, and I personally cannot wait to see these films hit the big screen this year.

The unfair conditions of workers in the fast fashion industry highlight why we should discourage fast fashion in China and globally due to the harsh working conditions. Approximately 150 million internal migrant workers in China face harsh working conditions, including the need to work overtime often, the lack of employment contracts, and limited access to social security benefits. Despite the country’s rapid industrial growth, these workers live in crowded dormitories, and frequently endure 14-16 hour shifts, 7 days a week, and overtime for low wages, averaging 1,690 CNY per month. Migrant workers make up a significant portion of the workforce, with 75 million factory workers worldwide, less than 2% earn a living wage, and 80% are women who face gender inequality and lack the rights of maternity leave and childcare options, which forces them to make difficult choices about their family situations, making them vulnerable to employers being able to exploit them without any consequences. These extreme working conditions in the fashion industry are extremely common in China and heavily impact migrant workers’ mental as well as physical health. 

Alternatively, from the point of view of some cotton farmers, fast fashion has the opportunity to improve their lifestyles drastically. Kady Walie, from West Africa is involved in the fairtrade system, where cotton farmers are paid a guaranteed price, over the market price, for their cotton. They are given training courses to get higher yields, as well as a fairtrade premium which is granted to the farmers’ group, where they can collectively decide how to utilise it. As yet, the premium has been used to help provide support for them towards Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, and 6, which are good health and well being, quality education, and clean water and sanitation. Fast fashion can also shift the lives of many cotton farmers in Hong Kong due to a high demand of cotton from fast fashion brands, as cotton is a cheap and durable material. There is a current drive in fast fashion, with the market reaching over 20.2 billion HKD this year, there is an estimate that it will continue to grow about 9.5% reaching 2029, which suggests a significant upwards trend in the fast fashion industry. Consumers knowing where their clothes come from could lead to appreciation and acknowledgement for the farmers, increasing customers’ awareness, potentially driving more support for fairtrade initiatives, which foreshadows a future of sustainable lifestyles for cotton farmers all over the globe.

Additionally, many farmers commit suicide as they cannot make their living wage, highlighting the impacts of unstable market prices, as well as agricultural debt on cotton farmers and their families. Many cotton farmers worldwide go through similar devastating experiences to Yogita Kanhiya, who lost her husband who committed suicide due to an overwhelming amount of debt, which seems to be common pattern in the area, as 44 farmers take their lives every day. While fairtrade has its many benefits, and could potentially assist to solve this groundbreaking issue, the assumption of which fairtrade could tremendously improve cotton farmers’ lifestyles oversimplifies the complex challenges and ignores major issues in the cotton industry, and fairtrade sales are unreliable as customer awareness is limited and fluctuates based on current trends. Although fairtrade provides a guaranteed price and a premium for community needs, these benefits are nowhere near enough to address underlying issues such as exploitation and poverty, and the lack of basic needs. Unpredictable weather has destroyed many crops in the past, triggering despair and hopelessness in these farmers. The quality of cotton is reduced as a consequence of the high demand for cotton which arises as fast fashion encourages a throwaway culture. Over the past 30 years, cotton prices have halved, production costs have risen, making it extremely challenging for farmers to earn a steady income. Fast fashion involves the use of many chemicals and practices that are unsustainable and harm the environment, ultimately complicating the process of growing healthy cotton. The governments’ poor attempts to address the situation has caused the local community to lose hope in which the situation will improve, leaving farmers in India trapped in mountains of debt. Discouraging fast fashion is crucial as it would majorly contribute to easing the burdens on cotton farmers, and it would help support a healthy financial, as well as mental wellbeing.

Living in Hong Kong, the issue of fast fashion leads to overflowing landfills along with both air and water pollution, as fast fashion promotes a throwaway culture. This affects local communities and the overall public’s health, myself included. Moreover, as awareness of extreme working conditions including migrant workers suffering 14-16 hour shifts, 7 days a week for only 1,690 CNY, and cotton farmers facing overwhelming amounts of debt, leading to 44 committing suicide daily, these extreme measure which workers in the fast fashion industry face could lead to guilt and self reflection in consumers and make them reconsider their spending choices on temporary trends, which make people like myself feel pressured to constantly update their wardrobes to fit in, as many people my age are impacted by FOMO, which social media indirectly promotes. Us, as a community of consumers can help take action by choosing to buy from sustainable brands, saving you money in the long term as you do not need to buy replacements as often for low quality, cheap, garments.

We all have a role to play in making sure that from where our clothes’ journey starts in the cotton farms in India, to where they are constructed in cramped factories in China, all employees are treated fairly. You can help Yogita Kanhiya and many others by advocate for the Hong Kong government to set laws for brands to follow regarding labour practices and sustainability, raise awareness for the workers in the fast fashion industry through campaigns, implement textile recycling programs to reduce clothing waste, offer financial support to local businesses that use eco friendly practices, ultimately encouraging sustainable choices and a reduced demand for fast fashion.

The evidence presented clearly indicates that fast fashion should be discouraged in Hong Kong, due to its exploitation of workers, negative impact on cotton farmers, environmental impact, etc., all contributing to significant social and ethical issues. Nethertheless, there are still several advantages to fast fashion, an example being that it could potentially ease the lives of cotton farmers with the help of fairtrade. However, as expressed, fairtrade does not consider all aspects of this complex issue. When contrasted with the overloading negative impacts, it is clear that the only outcome is that Hong Kong should discourage fast fashion.

Karate Kid: Legends

For those unaware of the Karate Kid franchise, it follows the story of a boy learning to integrate into a new society, and in the process finds love and enemies. Through the art of karate, he is able to deal with his bullies, creating the perfect formula for the classic underdog story. The original Karate Kid is a aFor those unaware of the Karate Kid franchise, it follows the story of a boy learning to integrate into a new society, and in the process finds love and enemies. Through the art of karate, he is able to deal with his bullies, creating the perfect formula for the classic underdog story. The original Karate Kid is an all time great sports movie, and with the loveable characters of Daniel LaRusso and Mr Miyagi, it has become a cult classic. From this first movie, a franchise has spawned, with 4 sequels, a T.V. show and a reboot. Karate Kid: Legends is the 4th, and possibly final, movie in the series and does a great job in living up to the original. This movie follows the formula well, with a loveable main character, a master of karate and kung fu as his aides, a compelling love story, and a punchable bad guy. Beyond this however, Legends ties in aspects from all areas of the franchise. The return of Daniel LaRusso was a huge draw, but even more than this, the inclusion of Jackie Chan’s character Mr Han from the reboot was the cherry on top. It brings in aspects from all of the Karate Kid movies, even including small references to the Cobra Kai T.V. show. However, you don’t have to watch the rest of the franchise to enjoy this movie. From a film stand point, I found it to be very entertaining, with awesome karate fight scenes, heartfelt emotional moments, and a great soundtrack. The setting of New York adds a different and new element to the franchise and the dual masters of Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso make for a funny and interesting pairing. If you’re after a sports movie that leaves you with that feel good feeling, wax on (or jacket on) your T.V. and give this super sequel a watch.

Superman

In a time of superhero fatigue, I found Superman to be a refreshing watch. James Gunn brings his excellent superhero formula of taking weird and unknown comics characters and turning them into beloved superheroes. In this case, I am not referring to Superman, but rather the plethora of side characters thrown in, being Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and Mr Terrific. While all these characters are handled and portrayed perfectly, it’s Gunn’s handling of Superman that is incredible. There hasn’t been a successful Superman adaptation since Reeve’s version in the late 70s (sorry Henry Cavill fans), but Gunn expertly takes an unknown star and helps bring back that heroic feel to the man of steel. The Superman in this film looks like he was ripped straight out of the comics, and the whole film sets off that vibe, with the vibrant colours and amazing action set pieces. Superman’s supporting character cast is also great, with good chemistry between Superman and Lois Lane, and the inclusion of Jimmy Olsen (hooray!). Lex Luthor in this film is absolutely perfect. Top tier aura farmer, top tier ragebaiter, an overall menacing presence, a good motivation, and he definitely looks the part. The styling and characters of this film are perfect, but what about the story. That is done very well, with Superman being slightly weaker making the stakes feel higher, a great evil villain plan, and a heartwarming story about family at the core of it. For comics fans, this film is an absolute treat, with the inclusion of Krypton, the Fortress of Solitude, and Krypto the Superdog! This film is also a key cornerstone for James Gunn’s new DC universe, leaving grim and gritty and moving towards more comic book fun. Superman ties in great with other past and future projects in this universe, personally I enjoyed the Peacemaker cameo. Superman brings back the comic pizzazz to superhero movies, and is a great addition to James Gunn’s DC universe, and this movie should fly into your watch list.

F1: The Movie

After Covid, the film that brought the movie industry back was Top Gun: Maverick, giving audiences high speed thrills and adrenaline pumping action. Now take the directors, producers, and thrills of Top Gun: Maverick, but instead of planes it’s cars. That’s the F1 movie for you, and it delivers on those high speed thrills. I saw the film in IMAX originally, and that is one way to get your adrenaline flowing, as the camera movements and filming make you feel like you’re in the car. The filmmakers nailed the feel of the movie, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats as they watch the protagonist throw his car around corners at 200 mph. In terms of story, this also delivered, with the protagonist Sonny Hayes having both a comeback and underdog story. Alongside his hotheaded young teammate, Joshua Pierce, Sonny Hayes works to help a struggling F1 team stay afloat, salvaging his own career in the process. This movie delivers in so many aspects, and really shows what a summer blockbuster should look and feel like. Watching Sonny Hayes’s antics was entertaining, his rivalry and later friendship with Joshua Pierce felt very genuine, and the cast is a mix of old and new stars. However, the main selling point of this movie is the F1 racing action, and in that aspect, the movie blows it out of the park (or should I say track?). For F1 fans, it also delivers, featuring cameos from F1 drivers like Carlos Sainz Jr and Lewis Hamilton, and the settings being the different race tracks F1 takes place on. F1: The Movie proves to be an amazing racing movie, giving races, rivalry, and redemption all wrapped into one. F1: The Movie is an action packed adrenaline pumping movie, with the added bonuses of a great cast, soundtrack and story, making this a must watch movie.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

This choice is a bit more of an outlandish one. It wasn’t a mainstream blockbuster hit, nor a franchise movie, and was a fairly cheap movie to make. Rather, the part in this movie I like the most is the heart and story. It follows a simple premise, with a millionaire inviting the two former members of the folk duo McGwyer Mortimer to perform a private concert for him on his island home. This movie’s comedic elements were excellent, with the dynamics between the former bandmates, and former lovers, of McGwyer and Mortimer adding lots of awkward scenes. The millionaire is also comedically great, being a shy awkward guy that loves their music, and lives a very secluded lifestyle with all his millions made through winning the lottery. Beyond the great comedy in this film, there is also a deep sense of heart and soul in this movie. Charlie, who is the millionaire, is living alone on this island, beyond the single mother and her son that work in the only convenience store, and both Mcgwyer and Mortimer encourage him towards love and to talk to her. There is also great character growth and dynamics in an emotional sense. Mcgwyer starts out as a more cynical guy, only in it for the money, showing clear signs of his struggling music career after the break up, but he goes beyond this and you feel bad for him and what the breakup did to him. On the other side of the coin, Mortimer provides a positive reinforcement and feeling throughout the movie, providing some emotional grounding. The movie may not provide you with the fully resolved happy ending that you want for them, but rather provides a fitting ending that really leaves you with a smile on your face. Pair that with a soundtrack that sounds very close to Fleetwood Mac, and you have a nice indie feel good movie that definitely lives up to its rumours.

A Minecraft Movie

This list, I feel, would be incomplete without this movie. There was a time when the Minecraft movie was thought to never come out, and was just one of those old internet conspiracies, and here it is, in all its glory. Is this movie a stupid goofy movie made for kids without any serious noteworthy film elements? Yes. Is this movie inaccurate to the game? Yes. However, was this movie not stupidly fun to watch with friends and jam packed full of references for the Minecraft community? 100% yes. Just seeing the Minecraft world and lore being put into a movie was incredible for me, and I loved reference spotting, and this movie is full of them. Ranging from famous Minecraft Youtubers like DanTDM and Technoblade to famous Minecraft lore and legends, like a Herobrine reference. While the story itself featured elements that were not accurate to the game, like Steve having elytras without going to the end, it was still incredibly fun to see Minecraft elements and game mechanics in a movie. While some elements of the design and look of the movie felt a bit off from the game, certain elements, like the Iron Golem and Creepers, looked very well done. The acting was also very funny to watch. Jason Mamoa and Jack Black fit perfectly in this film, and it feels like they’re both putting their full heart and soul into acting in this movie. I mean Jack Black’s Steve is just so perfect in such a funny way, over delivering all his lines, like ‘I am Steve’ and ‘Waterbucket, RELEASE!’. Jack Black also delivers some hilarious musical numbers, with iconic songs like ‘Lava Chicken’. However, I think the main sell of this movie was definitely the memes and the experience. Seeing this in cinemas with my friends was hilarious, and the iconic line of ‘Chicken Jockey’ became a meme sensation. The memes alone make this a worthwhile movie to watch, and I wait in anticipation for the sequel coming out next year. For those that play Minecraft, watch Minecraft Youtubers, or just enjoy video game adaptation movies, this blocky flick is definitely worth your time.

Conclusion

2025, while not being the strongest year for movies, still had some great heavy hitters. This is without mentioning the great animated movies that came out last year, a lot of which I have yet to see. It has definitely been a good year for Warner Bros. and I am excited to see what more they have in store for us this year. Looking ahead, 2026 looks to be an even better year for movies, with some franchise heavy hitters coming our way soon (with a list for those definitely on the way). This list has just been some of my personal favourites, and I know there are still some great films from last year I must watch, but for now, these are my top 5 films I would recommend watching from 2025.

The Great Green Wall (GGW) is a Pan-African initiative implemented to restore and sustainably manage land in the Sahel region, or the part of Africa between the Sahara in the north and the savannahs in the south. Described by some as the world’s most ambitious reforestation project, it was conceived in 2007 by the African Union, with initial plans of it being a 7,000 km long and 16 km wide wall of trees that bisected a dozen countries.

In 2010, the Sahel countries formed the Pan-African Agency of the GGW (PA-GGW) to work on implementing the GGW in the official GGW member states. The ultimate aim was to rehabilitate 100 million hectares of presently degraded land, create 10 million jobs in rural regions and capture 250 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, all by 2030. The GGW would improve livelihoods in one of the poorest regions in the world by tackling the interlinked issues of desertification and poverty.

Desertification affects Africa the greatest out of all the continents. It is the process of land becoming desert as soil quality worsens over time. It can be caused by over-cultivation, climate change and deforestation. When trees are cut down, the topsoil is exposed and easily blown away by strong winds, which increases the rate at which rainfall runs off the land instead of soaking into the ground. This soil erosion leads to less suitable land for farming, food scarcity, and expanding deserts. Deforestation has been the main factor behind Africa’s desertification; with about 45% of the continent’s land area affected by this type of land degradation, desertification has even been described as a “spreading cancer” by Abdoulaye Wade, the former president of Senegal.

The effects of desertification include falling crop yields, food scarcity, a loss of income for farmers, and forced migration. Rainfall was already low and droughts were already frequent, but with more infertile land, millions of Africans are predicted to migrate from degraded regions of Africans in the next 20 years. Meanwhile, the population of the Sahel is set to increase from 135 million today, to 340 million by 2050. When all these factors are combined, they will eventually result in widespread poverty. 

Despite the noble aim of ending both desertification and poverty, the efficacy of building walls of trees was immediately questioned once the GGW was announced. Dennis Garrity, a senior research fellow at the World Agroforestry Centre, declared that “this was a stupid way of restoring land in the Sahel”. There was not a lot of scientific evidence suggesting the GGW would work, nor was there enough funding for such a massive project. In addition, large areas of the wall were in unpopulated regions, which meant nobody would be there to take care of the saplings.

Since then, the Great Green Wall has become less about planting a forest but more about focusing on indigenous land use methods, including the restoration of natural vegetation, water conservation and sustainable dryland management. Mohamed Bakarr, the lead environmental specialist for Global Environment Facility, said the concept of the Great Green Wall had become more practical, and that “it is not necessarily a physical wall, but rather a mosaic of land use practices that ultimately will meet the expectations of a wall.” 

By 2020, the Great Green Wall had several impressive achievements. Over 350,000 jobs had been created, the majority of which were in the production and sales of non-timber forest products. The wall had generated 90 million USD and restored 18 million hectares of land. Certain countries had done particularly well, especially Ethiopia, which had ostensibly planted 5.5 billion seedlings on around 943,000 hectares of land. If the GGW reaches its 2030 targets, it is estimated that by then, restored areas will be able to sequester 256 and 57 metric tons of CO₂ through the forests and the soil respectively (carbon sequestration is the capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, slowing atmospheric CO2 pollution and global warming).

However, recent announcements decrease the likelihood of the Great Green Wall being completed in just eight years. Only 4 million hectares of degraded land have been restored in the last decade, meaning only 4% of the wall’s target area within the program’s “strict intervention zones” has been completed. Many countries have planted several million trees already, but due to their physical landscapes, level of economic development and/or the governance of their country, they are behind schedule.

One such country is Djibouti, which is located in the Horn of Africa and naturally has a warm, arid climate throughout the year. Daily temperatures are usually between 32 and 41ºC, resulting in only 90 hectares of land having been restored. This is in stark contrast to the 151,448 hectares of land restored in Ethiopia, which has a daily maximum temperature of 25ºC.

Another challenge that countries in the Sahel face is poor governance in terms of environmental policies. There is an absence of widespread political support for environmental policy agenda in less developed countries, as they tend to prioritise economic development over preserving nature. Confusing and unorganised procedures for the initiation of environmental programmes also hinder progress in environmental conservation.

Finally, countries also struggle with the monitoring of such an ambitious scheme. The level of environmental project monitoring and reporting has risen within these past few years, which has overwhelmed many of the poorer countries in the GGW area. According to Salwa Bahbah, a business and research analyst, researchers struggled to investigate the success of the GGW because “there is not a good monitoring and evaluation system in place.” As a result, it remains unclear “where the money goes exactly and how it is used.” Countries report their own progress, but there is speculation that not all of Senegal’s 12 million seedlings, for example, have actually survived.

In order for the GGW to meet its 2030 objective, more than 8 million hectares will have to be restored every year. Though it sounds impossible, several methods have been suggested to speed up this project. Improving the administration of the GGW and ensuring there is high-level political support from every country involved will allow the GGW to move forward. Advocacy and raising awareness globally will also help; a documentary titled “The Great Green Wall” was released in 2019, as part of a successful United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) publicity campaign.

But perhaps the most crucial step that needs to be taken is for the GGW to obtain enough funding so it can continue. Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic will persuade many investors to withdraw their funding for the GGW. The UN deputy secretary-general, Amina Mohammed, requested that investors do exactly the opposite, saying “How we respond today will shape the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities for generations to come.”

Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the UNCCD, agreed and proclaimed that “Financing income-generating activities linked to the land, typically the main asset the poorest people have, is perhaps, the most cost-effective way to pursue peace, security, development and good health”.

Though Africa’s Great Green Wall may not be as publicised as Trump’s wall, or as politically significant as the Berlin Wall, in time the GGW will become just as prominent. Walls have historically been built to protect people by keeping them in or out of an area, but the Great Green Wall may very well be the first of many to protect people by primarily protecting the environment.

Article written by Ady Lam

However, in recent years, arguments have surfaced calling for the end of keeping dolphins in captivity. Maddalena Bearzi, co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, is one of the many outspoken critics of this issue. She believes that there are a multitude of reasons why having dolphins in tanks is wrong, including “the poor, often terrible, conditions in which dolphins are still kept in many facilities worldwide, and the high illness and mortality rate of captive animals.” Later, Bearzi also brings up the stress dolphins have to endure when taken away from their “families” and the high death toll from just the process of their capture whilst rejecting claims made in favour of dolphins in captivity.

Dolphinaria (aquariums where dolphins live and are trained for entertainment) often assert that captivity is necessary for researchers to understand more about dolphins. However, according to Bearzi, the artificial settings in aquariums mean “research in captivity provides little knowledge that can be applied to the protection and management of these species at sea.” Another claim that she swiftly rebuts is how captivity protects dolphins from the environmental problems that plague our world today, such as pollution and overfishing, saying that “removing dolphins from their natural habitat to live in tanks will not address environmental issues. And the statement that these programs help endangered or threatened species is faulty, especially considering that the endangered species are generally not the ones being kept in captivity.”  Indeed, common bottlenose dolphins are the species of dolphin most commonly found in aquariums, but their conservation status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is Least Concern.

The glaring problems with keeping dolphins in captivity were obvious to entrepreneurs in New Zealand. A company named Edge Innovations had been commissioned to come up with digital components for planned aquariums in China, but many were hesitant to contribute to a project which would harm dolphins. Eventually, they collaborated with the American engineers behind famous animatronic animals featured in Hollywood movies, such as “Free Willy” and “Flipper”, to develop a robot dolphin. 

The robot dolphin prototype weighs over 270kg, is 2.5m long and was closely modelled after a bottlenose dolphin. It is so lifelike that a woman who swam with it reported that “when I first saw the dolphin, I thought it could be real.”, and a test audience failed to notice that it was not a live dolphin. This is due to the precise attention to detail by the engineers, who have recreated an accurate skeleton and a representational skin coating (made from medical-grade silicone), and have even stained the robot dolphin’s teeth slightly yellow.

The robot dolphin is remote-controlled by humans, and has a battery life of ten hours. It can behave in a way that is indistinguishable from real dolphins; it can squeak, move its head around and respond to questions similar to how trained dolphins in aquariums acknowledge their trainers. The robot dolphin can even come into close contact with humans to an extent that would normally be harmful to live animals. 

Another advantage of this robot dolphin is that aquariums could attract people who had previously been repelled by their use of live animals, and rescue the declining aquatic theme park industry. Roger Holzberg, one of the designers of the robot dolphin, said “the marine park industry has had falling revenues for over a decade due to ethical concerns and the cost of live animals, yet the public hunger to learn about and experience these animals is still as strong as ever.” Edge Innovations founder Walt Conti agreed, claiming that there are 3000 dolphins in captivity today, which ‘proves’ that people are eager to gain an understanding of dolphins.

Robot dolphins will allow people to deepen their understanding of the sea creatures without any actual dolphins being harmed in the process. Instead, as Edge Innovations describes it, art and technology are brought to life. As Holzberg recounted in an interview, “we realized that using animatronics […] enabled us to create characters that truly were loveable, that could really deliver on the idea that we won’t hurt what we fall in love with.”

Animal rights organisations, especially People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have voiced their support for the development of robot dolphins. “In 2020, cutting-edge technology allows us to experience nature without harming it,” said Elisa Allen, the UK director of PETA. 

In addition, robot dolphins will last longer than regular dolphins and be cheaper in the long term. A major problem with animals in captivity is that they die much earlier than their counterparts in the wild; bottlenose dolphins have an average life expectancy of 20 years in captivity which is much lower than their expectancy of 30-50 years in the wild. Robot dolphins solve this problem while also requiring less expensive upkeep. An aquarium typically spends a lot of money and effort on recreating an open-ocean environment, but with this new technology, previously important aspects like the calibration of water temperature have been reduced to minor sidenotes, and money can now be allocated elsewhere.

However, it is debatable whether these animatronic dolphins will really reduce costs. Each dolphin will cost around £20.8m, four times more than real dolphins. Edge Innovation claims that their robot alternatives will be “sustainable, safe, and profitable”, but this may not be enough to satisfy potential investors and clients. 

Hopefully, all goes well, and Edge Innovation will be able to expand the concept of robot dolphins. People have suggested that these animatronics can be used instead of real animals in movies and marine parks, or placed in cruise ships, hotels, shopping malls and museums. Proposals have even included developing robot great white sharks or marine reptiles from the Jurassic Period for swimmers to dive with. 

The first stage of the prototype’s development was funded by a Chinese organisation that has pledged to use robot dolphins, instead of real ones, in the 30-odd aquariums being constructed in China now. Though this implies that these robot dolphins may only be seen in Chinese aquariums in the near future, they have the potential to replace all captive live dolphins in the future, marking a new chapter in both animal rights and engineering.

Written by Ady Lam

Featured Art by Airi Tachino

What is “Right to Repair”?

Currently, many electronics producers lock us out of their devices in the name of safety or because of copyright infringement – they argue that the devices they sell us are their own intellectual property, not ours. How do they do this? These OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have two major strategies: Withholding official repair manuals due to copyright, and software locks. If Tesla detects that you have tampered with one of their cars, for example, they will block you from receiving any software updates and potentially from their supercharger network. “Right to Repair” is a concept wherein these OEMs must provide a practical way for the end consumer to repair their own devices.

Why is it such a hot topic right now?

This debate is a hot topic due to a press release that was released by Apple outlining their plans to support third-party and self-service repair for the foreseeable future from the iPhone 12 and onwards. To say this is controversial would be an understatement; currently, rights groups are split into multiple camps – one that embraces this change as a massive positive for consumers, one that believes that Apple still isn’t doing enough to encourage repairability and that this press release was just a front to appease regulators, and competitors in the technology industry that worry about the future of electronics safety.

This article will explore the reasons for and against this movement from a consumer’s perspective and the validity of the arguments both sides give in the world of repairability.

Pro-Repair Perspectives

The People’s Choice

Many believe that Right to Repair is a good movement as it often encourages greater consumer choice. This is good as there are cases where having your device repaired costs even more than just buying a new or used one. This helps encourage pre-existing consumers to keep their devices and to cut down on the massive problem of e-waste. Right now, anyone that wishes to repair a simple component, like a screen on a phone, often only has three choices. They can either go for the extremely expensive first-party repair, buy an entirely new device, or void their expensive warranty by doing a third-party repair. However, none of these options seem great except for the first, which is an intentional decision – these companies restrict your options to boost their repair sales and therefore their bottom line at the cost of the consumer. Still, the best that they can offer is far from perfect, since your device may not be fixed completely. Furthermore, the entire process would be very time consuming as they would have to hold onto your device for several weeks at a time – can you imagine surviving a month without your phone, your method of communicating with others, working, and spending your free time? If we had the right to repair our own devices, millions wouldn’t be faced with such a dilemma on a daily basis.

We can attest to this personally. One of us had a MacBook, where the audio port would constantly fail. This left me unable to use my Mac’s sound features, and my Mac would constantly be in the shop for first-party repairs. I was lucky enough to be covered under warranty, though if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t want to know how much all those repairs would’ve cost.

Pricing

Right To Repair also helps to exponentially lower the price of repairs that many consumers may have to pay when their devices do eventually break. Rather than having to pay for the broken chip itself, as many devices often have a single fault point that occurs more often than others, manufacturers require us to pay for the whole replacement board. This can often drive up the price from just hundreds of dollars to multiple thousands of dollars. Furthermore, there are cases where there are components that are not even covered under your warranty, meaning that despite having to pay a premium on your device for that warranty you may still end up having to pay for a replacement board.

There is also the issue of price gouging within the first-party repair industry, as most first-party repair shops often charge ludicrous amounts for a repair. There have even been cases where official Apple Repair services were caught selling repair services that wouldn’t even have worked.

There is also the case of Apple Repairs being hideously time-consuming. The “Genius Bar” will often have you book in advance, though this is always full. Additionally, when you attempt to do a walk-in repair, they will make you stand for possibly an hour and also take a while “repairing” the device. 

If consumers were instead given the right to repair their own devices, they would be able to take matters into their own hands and purchase only the things they need for their repairs, saving thousands of dollars, several hours and preventing scams. This is why we believe in the Right to Repair.

Anti-Repair Perspectives

Component Sizes

We’ve potentially hit a point where we end-users don’t even have the capability to repair our own devices. This is because the parts themselves get smaller and smaller every year – CPUs, for example, have shrunk to the point where individual transistors are only ~50 nanometres (nm) wide. For comparison, a mere atom has a radius of 0.1 nm. Technology has progressed to the point where logic gates, decision-making circuits that make up nearly every single part of a computer, are closer in size to fundamental particles than they are to human hairs! As these parts have decreased in size, they have been integrated together. Many controllers are soldered onto a single board nowadays, and the company that produced your device will often have to desolder them to complete specific repairs, which most ordinary people simply can’t do. Let’s consider a different example, like the flexible cables within our phones. Unless these are handled with the utmost care and delicacy, they may fray and force you to replace more parts than even necessary. Even if we did have access to repair tools, the argument goes, it wouldn’t have made a difference.

However, there is a case to be made that third-party shops that do have the ability and resources and so should be allowed to do these repairs without facing any consequences from the manufacturer of the product – after all, if the shop is experienced enough, it will likely do as good a job, and shouldn’t be prevented from having the same access to parts. Additionally, the extra competition would incentivize the company to lower their prices and ultimately benefit the consumer. Still, the original manufacturer can argue that since they can’t supervise such shops, the quality of a repair cannot be guaranteed and its brand reputation may be ruined.

Safety

Batteries are another major problem impeding the advancement of Right to Repair. We naturally tend to buy cheaper, lower-quality alternatives, but beware when battery shopping, because a poor module could cause big problems. If your battery isn’t made well enough, you could either waste your money on a brick in the best case or end up as yet another exploding battery headline in the worst. Most phones and laptops, for instance, have chips that detect the amount your device has charged to regulate current and therefore protect against overcharging, so you’ll be safe even if you charge your devices overnight, but this guarantee never applies to third-party cells. Additionally, bad-quality cells may overheat faster and degrade quicker. Thus, OEMs tell us that if we were to modify our devices ourselves without consequence from them, we would suffer more.

Solutions

This is why when we talk about Right to Repair, we ask for first-party manufacturers to give us their own parts and documents. If Samsung, for instance, decided to give us their official components instead, we wouldn’t have to deal with scavenging for good third-party alternatives, and safety would be a non-issue. Restriction to prevent the consumer from harm should then, therefore, be a non-argument. No one should be expected to pay a service charge in the thousands in the name of protection, especially professionals with the means to actually repair the device as well as the company itself. 

And although companies like Apple have taken a step in the right direction by offering tools to repair some of the most common hardware issues such as screen and battery repairs, there’s still much to be desired. Namely, the company has currently limited this program only to the latest iPhones and Macs (although this will presumably change in the near future), and has complete discretion over the third-party repair shops it will give these components to.

Conclusion

Sometimes, we simply must sacrifice repairability in order to create better products. Displays are glued onto their chassis so that we can enjoy thinner devices, and many ports sealed for waterproofing. If we were to force OEMs to improve the repairability of their devices, we would regress technologically by years. Moreover, this may lead to more expensive phones, laptops, and computers. In some cases, as with Bluetooth earphones, this is downright impossible. Therefore, consumers will always be prevented from completing some repairs. Having said that, this isn’t such a black-and-white issue – there is a balance to be struck between improving the ease of repair and sacrificing design; a compromise can be reached between repairability and functionality. This, as mentioned above, will result in dramatic price decreases for consumers, and, more importantly, expand the choices available to them. Instead of relying solely on first-party repairs, we will be able to repair our own devices and save both our own money and the environment.

Akshat Gupta

Akshat primarily writes for the Science column, but dabbles in Arts and Culture sometimes. Outside of Island Currents, he likes to play bullet and blitz chess and watches TV late at night even though he really should be asleep. He doesn’t read his email, so you can reach him via WhatsApp or Discord.

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Colby Ho

Colby is interested in all things tech-related which is visible in the articles that he writes.

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