Yes, You Can!

www.ozy.com [OZY]() Your World. Bold & Bright Sponsored by The newsletter to fuel — and thrill — your mind. Read for deep dives into the unmissable ideas and topics shaping our world. Mar 05, 2022 Today What do you get when you combine an engineer who loves to knit with an antique sewing machine, some wood and elbow grease? A really interesting spinning wheel. When the pandemic hit and we hunkered down, everyone expected “normal life” to resume within weeks. Then solitude became the norm, encouraging people as well as nations to adapt to a more self-sufficient way of life. In this Daily Dose, we highlight some do-it-yourself trends, the notable people who embody a DIY attitude and the countries striving to fill in the gaps in their do-it-all portfolios. Plus, we’ll take a look at the downsides of going it alone. Read on to see how the world is hurtling toward a transformed future. — featuring reporting by Liam Jamieson and Isabelle Lee TRANSFORMATIVE UPCYCLES Born-Again Bicycles Going to the grocery store was a mundane chore before the pandemic. But now, it’s nothing short of an adventure. The truly adventurous added spice to their trek long before reaching for the basil and coriander. With fewer long commutes, bicycles became the ideal transportation for those aiming to keep it local. With craftiness and [sustainability]( in mind, zero-emission [bicycle conversion kits]( have become a popular DIY activity. Whether the goal is higher speeds, more storage for groceries, or both, companies are providing customers with kits to transform their everyday bikes into [e-bikes]( and [cargo bikes](. #Vanlife Those venturing outside the neighborhood are also going DIY. Ditching COVID-risky conventional lodging options while maximizing their time outdoors. The [#Vanlife]( craze has soared, boasting over 12 million [Instagram]( posts under the hashtag and a whopping 7.3 billion views on [TikTok](. There is no better way to join in than by repurposing an old school bus or van and turning it into your own [adventure-mobile.]( You can even use [waste vegetable oil]( to power your refurbished ride. Window Wonders Ever considered how to use old windows? Well, there is a whole [Pinterest board]( dedicated to turning old windows into coffee tables. The advantage to using an old window is the glass, which you’ll often find with stained or painted panes. That way, you can fill your new table with coffee table books or maybe a few crystals. It’s the perfect [display table](, and it is shockingly easy to build: All you need is an old window, backing and some table legs. Must Be 21 to Hang Did you enjoy regular “wine o’clocks” during quarantine? If so, turning your empty [wine bottles into pendant lights]( might be just the DIY project you’ve been looking for. Decorating a room with fairy lights is nice and all, but using colored wine bottles is a needed upgrade to the old trend. Plus, lighting is notoriously expensive, so doing it yourself is not only a cost-saver but also a fun activity that makes the most of the castoffs from a night in with friends. We Want More! We hear you. Other ideas include turning old sweaters into comfy [slippers](; transforming [antique sewing cabinets]( into desks, spinning wheels or even washbasins; using pallets for storage (or even sandboxes); and repurposing [old dressers]( into planters (we see you and your [victory garden](). [THE SHOE OF THE MOMENT]( We’re always telling you the next big things in names, trends and ideas, so listen up: Cariuma’s newest launch is [SALVAS](, a timeless sneaker designed to look and feel even better with age. They’re the blue jeans, the white tee - a staple for the sneaker age. These SALVAS are made to last, for any occasion, and for everyone. With both comfort and style these shoes are all the rage! If history is an indicator these shoes will sell out quickly! Stay ahead of the curve and get [$15 off a pair of these kicks using the code OZY2022]( [Shop Now]( COUNTRY-SIZE DIY Singaporean Urban Farming A tiny island nation, Singapore doesn’t have land for traditional agriculture and relies on imports for 90% of its food. With the pandemic underscoring the need for food security, the city-state’s government is [turning to its citizens]( to innovate ways to improve urban farming technology, even providing free vegetable seed packets to households to [promote home gardening](. So far, Singaporeans have spared no creativity, placing urban farms on car park rooftops, starting greenhouses in former schoolyards and even retrofitting vertical farms into office buildings. Urban greening initiatives like [vertical farming]( also combat the urban heat island effect, with green spaces in cities dropping ambient temperatures by up to 4 C (39 F). Internal Exploring Travel restrictions are beginning to ease, but the scars of the pandemic mean it’s unclear when global tourism will return to pre-COVID levels. That’s why several countries are trying to revitalize tourism and further their economic recovery by [focusing on domestic tourism](. Malaysia has allocated more than $100 million toward travel vouchers and tax relief for domestic travelers, while Italy is paying low- and middle-income families up to 500 euros ($610) for domestic travel accommodation. The tourism industry has often faced allegations of not being [sustainable]( and not [benefiting locals](. This [reset]( offers a chance for improvement. Supreme Leader of DIY Say what you will about North Korea, the world’s most secretive country, but the authoritarian state’s desire for few international friends has prompted it to become an unlikely model of self-sufficiency. Under the [official state philosophy](of juche, which roughly translates to “self-reliance,” the independent national economy flexes its own [auto]( and [film industries](. But even the People’s Republic [needs a little help]( sometimes, with a history of economic hardships mandating aid and investment from outsiders. Most recently? Despite the state’s claims of having [zero COVID-19 cases](, human rights advocates expressed concern over a “[humanitarian disaster](” as it accepted nearly 2 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses. [THESE SHOES ARE HELPING SAVE THE PLANET]( [Cariuma]( has always been a leading brand when it comes to sustainable footwear. These shoes are good-looking, crazy comfortable and best of all, consciously made. With each purchase, 2 trees are planted in the Brazilian rainforest. Stylish, sustainable and saving the planet - what more can you ask for? [Get an exclusive $15 off]( when you buy these one-of-a-kind sneakers with code OZY2022 [Shop Now]( DIY SUPERSTARS Ron Finley This self-taught gardening guru transformed the empty swimming pool in his backyard into a green oasis in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. Now, [Ron Finley]( is spreading home gardening to his [produce-deprived urban]( neighborhood [and beyond](, highlighting how gardening can change lives and turn around struggling communities. His mission took on a new urgency amid the pandemic as food supplies fluctuated and it became risky to leave home for produce. Finley describes the self-sufficiency of gardening fresh produce as an act of defiance against systems of inequality set in place. “[If you ain’t a gardener, you ain’t gangsta](,” he says. “This is no damn hobby, this is life and death.” Nicole McLaughlin Beginning her upcycling career [dumpster diving]( in Boston, designer and [Instagram star]( Nicole McLaughlin has since taken the idea of reuse to the [extreme and even bizarre](. From shoes made from volleyballs and suitcases made from shoes to vegetable peeler high heels and a bagel bra (the bragel), McLaughlin’s designs bring a lighthearted sustainable creativity to the dark relationship between fashion and the environment. She has earned collaborations with high-end brands like Hermès and Prada in the process. Gittemary Johansen Did you ever think that you would need to learn how to make recycled paper? After discovering that every piece of plastic ever made still exists, Danish creator Gittemary Johansen transformed from DIY fashion designer to [DIY environmentalist](, becoming a warrior and champion of the zero-waste movement. From shopping and recipes to toiletries, Johansen shows how you can be eco-friendly in every facet of your life, sharing tips and educating others on how to live waste-free on her [YouTube]( and [Instagram](. Watch Chad Bronstein [The Modern Entrepreneur]( on The Carlos Watson Show RISKS OF FLYING SOLO War and Peace The evidence is clear. Countries that are [more interdependent are less likely to go to war](. Researchers studied more than 290,000 pairs of country-country relations between 1950 and 2000, and they found a clear correlation between increased bilateral trade and reduced risk of military conflict. Indeed, regions and continents that are less integrated — such as [South Asia]( and [Africa]( — in terms of trade and connectivity are constantly on the precipice of war. By contrast, think about the biggest global rivalry of our time: between the U.S. and China. They’re constantly trading allegations, squabbling over everything from human rights to espionage. But [China is still the biggest destination for U.S. exports]( outside North America. And the U.S. imports more from China than from any other nation. That deep economic interdependence has helped keep tensions between them from tipping over into a military conflict. Community Cutoff Community interdependency is critical to human survival — they don’t say “it takes a village” for nothing. While we all have sought avenues to help us adapt to this new, self-sufficient normal, [loneliness]( is on the rise — along with a [mental health]( crisis. [Marginalized communities]( already face additional health risks from the pandemic, as well as greater challenges finding a sense of belonging. Any semblance of community, [however small](, has become a rare commodity. Border Chain Reaction A vibrant domestic industry is usually beneficial for a country, but if the trade is in illicit drugs? Not so much. The opioid epidemic has already plagued the United States, [topping 100,000 deaths in 2021](. But the U.S. has tightened its border with Mexico in recent years, and security [increased during the pandemic](. With access to the U.S. market more restricted, Mexico’s drug kingpins are targeting new customers, their fellow Mexicans, with narcotics like the highly dangerous fentanyl and sparking a fresh opioid crisis. [Read More]( Home Office Hours Easy commutes and meetings in pajamas with no boss looking over your shoulder. The so-called pandemic perks were less sexy than your well-worn sweatpants but so too is the fact that your laptop (and the piles of work it contains) is forever at your fingertips, destroying any [work-life balance](. It’s not just you; there’s a new pandemic . . . of worker burnout. The only working demographic in America that isn’t suffering from burnout at a rate north of 50% are baby boomers (they’re at 31%), according to a recent Indeed survey — a situation made worse by the inability to [disconnect fully]( or take proper vacations. And sadly, recovery is going to [take longer]( than many realize. DIY, it turns out, can also be exhausting. COMMUNITY CORNER Did you pick up any new skills during the pandemic? How did your time management change? Share your thoughts with us at OzyCommunity@Ozy.com. ABOUT OZY OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. [www.ozy.com]( / #OZY Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Action. That’s OZY! [TV]( | [PODCASTS]( | [NEWS]( | [FESTIVALS]( A Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](