- Prostitutes, prospectors drive spread in DR Congo mpox capital
- Oil extends rally after Iran attack, Hong Kong resumes surge
- Extreme heat another form of death sentence in Texas jails
- Can music help plants grow? Study suggests sound boosts fungus
- Nike earnings drop, says turnaround will take time
- US dockworkers launch mass strike a month before election
- Iron Dome: Israel's key anti-missile shield
- Cranes stand still as US dockworkers fight for 'future'
- GM reports US sales dip, but says EVs grew
- Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico's first woman president
- Webb telescope detects carbon dioxide on Pluto's largest moon
- Stock markets slump, oil jumps on Middle East concerns
- French PM vows more taxes and spending cuts ahead of budget fight
- Germany inaugurates IBM's first European quantum data centre
- Stock markets diverge as eurozone inflation drops further
- France's richest man takes control of Paris Match magazine
- Anger meets tear gas as Nigeria hardship protests fizzle out
- US dockworkers launch mass strike month before election
- Evacuations from Lebanon: what we know
- Feathers fly at Chanel's Paris fashion return
- UAE oil giant ADNOC swoops on German chemicals firm Covestro
- Eurozone inflation falls under 2% for first time since 2021
- Coldplay ticket scalping fiasco sparks backlash in India
- Droughts drive Spanish boom in pistachio farming
- Tokyo recovers some losses to lead Asian markets higher
- Rural schools empty in North Macedonia due to exodus
- US dockworkers launch strike after labor contract expires
- Thousands evacuated as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan
- Kenya airport whistleblower fears for his life
- Sheinbaum to take office as Mexico's first woman president
- Scientists fear underfunded Argentina research on verge of collapse
- US port officials gird for strike despite last-minute bargaining
- With 118 dead from Hurricane Helene, Biden defends US government response
- Breeder who tried to create enormous trophy sheep jailed in US
- Qatar Airways seeking 25% stake in Virgin Australia
- US port officials gird for strike as labor talks stay stuck
- As toll crosses 100, Trump puts Hurricane Helene at election center stage
- US Fed Chair sees 'further disinflation' in economy
- Epic Games sues Google and Samsung over app store
- Officials see no shortages from likely US port strike
- UK families of Gaza hostages warn Lebanon attack 'takes focus away'
- Shares in Stellantis, Aston Martin skid on profit warnings
- Dali prints found in London garage sold at auction
- ECB chief backs bank mergers amid UniCredit, Commerzbank talk
- China stocks soar on stimulus, but US and Europe retreat
- 100 dead in storm Helene damage, flooding across US southeast
- China stocks soar on stimulus, Europe slides on automaker woes
- German antitrust watchdog steps up monitoring of Microsoft
- Nepal's urban poor count cost of 'nightmare' floods
- E.Guinea, Gabon clash at ICJ over oil-rich islands
What a waste: US campaigner wears his trash for a month
We all know someone with a rubbish fashion sense, but Rob Greenfield is proud to be wearing garbage -- it's all part of a plan to show just how much trash we unthinkingly throw away every month.
The campaigner is wandering the streets of Los Angeles and surrounding cities in a specially designed suit that holds all of the junk he has produced over the last few weeks.
"For most of us, trash is out of sight, out of mind," he told AFP on the swanky shopping streets of Beverly Hills.
"We throw it in the garbage can and it goes away and we never think about it again. I wanted to create a visual that helps people to really see how much our trash adds up."
With just a few days left to go in his challenge, Greenfield is wearing around 62 pounds (28 kilograms) of rubbish generated from the drinks, snacks and meals he has consumed.
All of it is packed in his clear plastic suit, with specially constructed pockets on the arms, legs and back.
The legs are already bulging with cans that clatter and restrict his ability to walk, adding to the overall impression of a robot made of junk.
"It was about day 12 that I started to really feel the burden of consumerism," he said, noting that the average person in the US creates around five pounds of waste per day.
"I really started to feel the weight and see the visual and just say 'wow, it’s astounding how much our trash really adds up'."
Greenfield, who prides himself on living a minimalist life with only a handful of possessions, no bank account and no driving license, is no stranger to stunts aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues.
In 2019, he fed himself for a whole year on food he grew and harvested himself.
But for the purpose of the trash suit, he decided to put aside the asceticism and consume like the average American for 30 days.
The sight of a man wearing garbage as he wanders through upmarket parts of one of America's most avowedly consumerist cities raises some eyebrows, but, he says, most people are interested in learning more.
"There are some people who think I’m someone who’s experiencing homelessness or that I have a mental health issue, but for the most part, people have just been very positive.
"People can understand this message and it helps me to really reach people from all walks of life."
Ng.A.Adebayo--CPN