RadioRob

Published by Reuters By Sandra Stojanovic NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) – The 28-year-old former student who killed three children and three adults at a Christian grade school in Nashville on Monday was under a doctor’s care for an “emotional disorder” and had purchased seven guns ahead of the shooting, the city’s police chief said on Tuesday. New details about Audrey Elizabeth Hale emerged hours after police released harrowing video showing officers storming the Covenant School and conducting a room-to-room search before confronting and fatally shooting the assailant. Hale employed two assault weapons and a handgun during the assault on the elementary school, the latest in a long string of U.S. mass shootings that have turned guns into a hot-button political issue. Those three guns were among seven Hale bought legally from five area stores, Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake told reporters on Tuesday. Hale’s parents did not know that Hale was in possession of seven guns, the chief said, adding that they were under the impression that the suspect had owned only one gun but had sold it. Drake said it appeared that the suspect had some sort of training with firearms. Hale fired on officers from the second floor as they arrived in patrol cars while standing back from large windows to avoid becoming an easy target. Hale left behind a detailed map of the school showing entry points as well as what Drake described as a “manifesto” indicating that Hale may have planned to carry out shootings at other locations. Drake previously said Hale self-identified as transgender. He referred to Hale using female pronouns on Tuesday, though Hale used male pronouns on a LinkedIn page that listed recent jobs in graphic design and grocery delivery. The chief said investigators still have not established a motive. The newly released six minutes of footage, edited together from the body-worn cameras of two responding officers, starts with an officer retrieving a rifle from his trunk as a staff member tells him that the school is locked down but that two children are unaccounted for. “Let’s go! I need three!” the officer yells as he enters the building, where alarms can be heard ringing. The video shows officers passing by bulletin boards and cubbies as they clear one room after another before heading upstairs, where one says, “We’ve got one down.” Amid the sound of gunfire, the officers race down the hallway – past what appears to be a victim lying on the ground – and into a lounge area, where the suspect is seen dropping to the floor after being shot. Officer Rex Engelbert and Officer Michael Collazo – whose body cameras provided the footage – both fire several rounds at the suspect. The video shows the assailant still moving on the ground as another officer repeatedly yells, “Get your hands away from the gun!” ‘OUR COMMUNITY IS HEARTBROKEN’ Monday’s violence marked the 90th school shooting – defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property – in the United States this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman. Last year saw 303 such incidents, the highest of any year in the database, which goes back to 1970. The three 9-year-old children who were killed were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. Also shot dead were Katherine Koonce, 60, the head of school; Mike Hill, 61, a school custodian; and Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher. Scruggs’ father, Chad, is a pastor at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, which is connected to the school. In a statement given to ABC News, he said the family was heartbroken. “Through tears we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again,” the statement read. The school in a statement said, “Our community is heartbroken. We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church.” Nashville police began receiving calls about a shooter at 10:13 a.m., spokesperson Don Aaron told reporters on Monday. The suspect was pronounced dead by 10:27 a.m. “The police department response was swift,” Aaron said. The body camera footage showed officers rapidly searching for the shooter, in contrast to videos showing officers in Uvalde, Texas, waiting inside Robb Elementary School for more than an hour in May as a gunman inside a classroom continued an attack that claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults. A number of officers responding to a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 remained outside the building rather than immediately pursuing the suspect, according to a state commission’s investigation. Seventeen students and staff members died in that attack. Both incidents prompted fresh scrutiny of police protocols for active shooters, which call for officers to engage the suspect at once to prevent loss of life. Police previously released surveillance footage showing the shooter arriving at the school and gaining entry by shooting through a glass door. The suspect is seen stalking through empty hallways as emergency lights flash, brandishing a rifle and entering rooms, seemingly looking for people. The Covenant School, founded in 2001, serves about 200 students from preschool to sixth grade in the Green Hills neighborhood of Tennessee’s state capital, according to the school’s website. (Reporting by Sandra Stojanovic in Nashville; Additional reporting by Tyler Clifford, Rich McKay, Brad Brooks, Brendan O’Brien and Jonathan Allen; Writing and additional reporting by Joseph Ax and Steve Gorman; Editing by Mark Porter) View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star A day after a gunman killed six people at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Sen. Josh Hawley took to the Senate floor to denounce the shooting as a hate crime against Christians. “We must also tell the truth about what happened yesterday in Nashville,” Hawley said. “This murderous rampage, this taking of innocent life, was a horrific crime, but more specifically, it was a hate crime. A crime that according to Nashville police, specifically targeted, that’s their word, targeted, the members of this Christian community, the members of this religious institution.” Under federal law, a h… Read More View the full article

Published by Grazia USA All products featured on GRAZIA are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, GRAZIA may earn an affiliate commission. Lady Gaga has been photographed on the set of Joker: Folie à Deux for the first time. Over the weekend, New York City transformed into Gotham City as filming progressed on director Todd Phillips’ forthcoming sequel to his 2019 blockbuster hit Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix. Fans have theorized which lucky actress would wind up playing opposite the Oscar-winner’s crazed comic book villain. While Gaga’s role has yet to be co… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Emily Ratajkowski found herself in hot water with Olivia Wilde after locking lips with the director’s ex-boyfriend Harry Styles. According to an insider, the supermodel is “begging” Wilde, 39, for “forgiveness” after a now-viral video of Ratajkowski, 31, sloppily making out with the “Watermelon Sugar” singer, 29, on the streets of Tokyo, Japan, was shared over the weekend. mega Given that Styles’ seemingly new and old flames are friends, their PDA night out likely didn’t sit well with Wilde after she and the Grammy Award winner split in November 2022 following an almost-two-year romance. “This is a betrayal,” the source candidly told the news outlet. While Ratajkowski — who was photographed hanging out with Wilde at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars bash on March 12 — is likely hoping that the women can play nice, it seems the House actress won’ be standing by the mother-of-one while she pursues her ex-boyfriend. “[Olivia] is staying far away from this and taking the high road,” said the source to the outlet. “She wants nothing to do with this mess.” They added that Wilde is “focused on her kids and her work,” referring to the two children she shares with ex-fiancé Jason Sudeikis: Otis, 8, and Daisy, 6. Fans Go Wild Over Harry Styles Discussing Emily Ratajkowski In Resurfaced Interview 8 Years Before Tongue-Tied Makeout Sesh With Model Is Harry Styles A Bad Kisser? Fans Judge His Tongue Game After Emily Ratajkowski Makeout Goes Viral: ‘Really Ruined My Day’ Emily Ratajkowski’s Ex-Husband Sebastian Bear-McClard Seen Out For First Time Since Supermodel’s Sloppy Make Out With Harry Styles mega It’s unclear whether Wilde was aware of her ex’s brewing romance with her pal before the video of the two getting steamy made headlines, as a source recently revealed Styles and Ratajkowski “have been friendly for a while.” Ratajkowski was even seen attending one of his concerts last June in Paris alongside his then-girlfriend, Wilde. The ladies were spotted next to each other dancing around to the handsome hunk’s tunes. Emrata even came to the Booksmart director’s defense last year when she faced backlash about her relationship with her Don’t Worry Darling leading man, Styles, while promoting their movie. At the time, Ratajkowski told Elle UK that she felt “protective” over Wilde — who is in the midst of a nasty custody battle with Sudeikis — saying there has been a “craziness” of the public putting women, such as Wilde, in a box “as if they’re monsters or witches.” “There’s nuance to it, but when you see the way that the whole world reacts to women, it’s really hard not to want to go to an extreme side of it,” she shared at the time. mega Page Six spoke to the source about Ratajkowski begging Wilde for forgiveness. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA Madonna is back on her Queen of Pop energy. On Monday, March 27, the 64-year-old surprised fans with an announcement of additional U.S. concert dates for her upcoming world tour. While doing so, she also took a jab at Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who recently signed off on a law restricting drag performances across the state. @madonna/Instagram “Excited to announce we are adding 8 more cities in the US for The Celebration Tour! ,” Madonna captioned an Instagram photo of herself playing guitar while wearing a pair of large-framed shades, emphasizing she’s “especially happy to come to Nashville to celebrate Drag and the Trans community!!” The “Material Girl” singer impressively used her platform to speak out in support of the LBGTQ+ community and specifically those affected by recent controversial lawmaking decisions. MEGA Madonna Lets Loose On Horseback As She Mocks Haters With Remix Of Her Viral Grammys Speech: Watch Lourdes Leon Insists She Is ‘Nothing Without My Family’ Months After Madonna Admits Motherhood Is ‘Exhausting’ Madonna Declares ‘Artists Are Here To Disturb The Peace’ While Bizarrely Shoving A Clementine In Her Mouth: Photos “The oppression of the LGBTQ+ is not only unacceptable and inhumane; it’s creating an unsafe environment; making America a dangerous place for our most vulnerable citizens, especially trans women of color,” the mother-of-six expressed. “Also, these so-called laws to protect our children are unfounded and pathetic.” “Anyone with half a brain knows not to f*** with a drag queen,” Madonna quipped. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! MEGA “Bob and I will see you from the stage in Nashville where we will celebrate the beauty that is the Queer community!” the “Like a Virgin” vocalist concluded, referencing Bob the Drag Queen, who will join as a special guest throughout the entirety of her months-long tour, set to kick off on Saturday, July 15, in Vancouver. Fans of Madonna were beyond thankful for her kind-hearted activism on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and took to the comments section of her post to express their gratitude. “Thank you for continuing to fight against hate ,” one user wrote, while another added, “Once again she’s not afraid to speak her mind and show her support. Queen behavior.” “The Queen! Always on the right side of history. And ALWAYS [an] LGBTQ+ ally! From the jump ,” a third person admired, as a fourth concluded, “You have always had our community’s back! Other celebs should follow your lead and put queens in all there shows! We love you @madonna.” View the full article

Published by AlterNet “Florida is where woke goes to die,” according to the Sunshine State’s governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, who has based much of his expected 2024 presidential campaign on being “anti-woke.” But a new poll from Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal is devastating to many of the policies being promoted and enacted by Governor DeSantis in his “free state of Florida,” calling into question how he and other Republicans who embrace his ideas will fare on the national stage. “Patriotism, religious faith, having children and other priorities that helped define the national character for generations are… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adam Lambert got his first job in order to buy makeup. The 41-year-old singer became interested in fashion and cosmetics during his teenage years but because his parents refused to buy him makeup products so he took up a job serving coffee at Starbucks in order to fund his passion. He told Allure: “As I got into my teenage years, I started getting really interested in fashion. I was buying a lot of magazines. I was looking at editorials and was so into what I was seeing, and I was like, “I want to try to do that. I want to be able to do that.” The first cosmetics brand that I dove into was MAC. “I remember I would beg for something from MAC. And then at some point, my parents were like, ‘Well, we’re not going to just buy you this s***. You have to buy it yourself.’ So I got a job and I had some spending money, and so I was buying stuff for myself. Unfortunately, the job was not at a makeup counter. I was 16, I was working at Starbucks.” The former ‘American Idol’ contestant – who is often seen on stage sporting extravagant looks as part of rock band Queen – went on to add that he would charge the girls at school to do their makeup for formal occasions and would take on so many appointments that he would have enough money by the end of it that he could afford to take his own date out for dinner. He added: “I mean, one of the things I wanted to spend my money on was to build a makeup kit. I started doing makeup on friends [in high school]. Every year for the school dances, I would end up having appointments all afternoon and charge the girls that I knew 10 or 20 bucks a pop. Then by the end of the day, I would do my date’s makeup, and I would have enough cash to go out to dinner with my date. I had so much fun doing it and would take pictures of it. And I did some photography in high school; I ended up doing makeup for that.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John got into shape for his tour by walking six miles a week in his swimming pool. The ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ started in 2018 and is due to conclude in Sweden in July and the 76-year-old pop legend has revealed he used the enforced break during the COVID-19 pandemic to start working out and his regular sessions have helped him bounce back from a series of health troubles including a bout of pneumonia and hip replacement surgery. According to The Sun newspaper, he said: “I get up, have breakfast and go for a walk in the pool. At my age that is the best thing I can do. I walk sideways and do about six miles a week.” Sir Elton’s final concert date in the UK will be at Glastonbury Festival in June. He’ll then go on to perform in cities including Paris, France and Copenhagen Denmark before finishing up at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on July 7. The singer recently opened up about his decision to retire from the road following the end of the tour, insisting he wants to change his life and spend more time with his husband David Furnish and their two sons. He told CBS: “I want to be with my family. I mean, I’ve been touring since I was 17 in the back of a van. I’ve had the most incredible life. I’ve been so lucky, and I’ve loved every single minute of it. But I’ve had enough of that applause, and I really want … I’ll be 76 years of age when I stop touring in 2023. I want to do something different with the rest of my life.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Christine and the Queens thinks Madonna is the “most emblematic female voice” in the pop world. The 34-year-old singer worked with Madonna on his new album, ‘Paranoia, Angels, True Love’, and he relished the experience of collaborating with the pop icon, who plays a mysterious character who appears throughout the record. Chris told the BBC: “What is the most emblematic female voice we have in the pop landscape? She has such an imprint on everybody’s subconscious. “She did a very risky FaceTime when I explained the whole concept and I was like, ‘Do you want to be an actress in this weird musical? To be exactly also the great actress you are?’ Because she’s multifaceted. She’s not even enclosed in one person. “And she said, ‘Yes!’ I think because she was enticed by the insanity of the whole thing. She was like, ‘You’re crazy. I’ll do it!’ “I sent her lines that I wrote because she’s embodying the character of Big Eye, a very ambivalent ‘being of light’. We don’t really know if it’s AI, a true angel, or maybe my mum? “Or if it’s maybe me. She’s has this voice that encloses all of the others and she’s piercing through in the record to just give the wisdom we need.” Madonna features on three tracks on the new album, and Chris insists he’d be happy to return the favour one day. The singer shared: “She sent me the lines and she delivered in such a perfect way. So I had the emotions of a stage director having the best, best performer to direct, and she delivered in exactly the right way. “I’m truly joyful that she trusted me enough to give me this impeccable piece of theatre. And also, any time she wants me to just do something for her, I’ll be of service all my life.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega A transgender woman was harassed and assaulted by a TSA agent at JFK Airport. The victim was allegedly punched, humiliated and left in tears while crying out for help after her assaulter followed her into the woman’s bathroom. twitter – @massofclay The flyer, Mara, took to Twitter to vent about the incident to express how “humiliated” she felt by the whole experience. She tweeted a photo of herself in the airport bathroom with the caption on top which read, “Hi, so a TSA agent at JFK airport punched me in the genitalia, yelled at me for having a penis (?) and humiliated me in front of everyone after i told her to please stop.” She asked her followers how she should proceed safely. The victim followed the tweet with a photo of her crying claiming that she cried for over an hour and that her “balls still hurt so bad.” twitter – @massofclay 6-Year-Old Boy Found Locked In Dog Cage In Northeast Philadelphia Wisconsin Restaurant Employee Shot In Face By Customer Over Messed Up Hamburger Order Colorado Dentist Accused Of Wife’s Murder Flew His Mistress To Visit During Dying Mom Of Six’s Hospitalization, Text Messages Reveal The JFK Airport official Twitter account responded to Mara’s post asking her to “please specify what terminal this happened? As well as any other details about this TSA agent that you are referring to.” She made it clear that she didn’t want the TSA agent to get fired, but she asked to have the assailant “educated and the entirety of TSA abolished altogether.” The account thanked Mara for her response and apologized again telling her that her comments have been “noted and shared.” Mara deleted the tweets and private her account. mega Trans related assaults have been on the rise in recent years due to a conservative ran campaign against the transgender community lead by many of the top elected officials in southern states such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Debates over transgender issues have become a hot button issue ever since a law was passed in 2021 allowing Americans to legally change their gender on their passports and drivers license IDs. Transgender athletes have also become a topic of contention. Recently, anti-trans protesters pointed towards the recent UCI Cyclocross National Championship where a trans-woman placed ahead of previous Cyclocross Champion Hanna Arensman. They however failed to mention Arensman placed fourth and how cis women won both first and second place in the same race. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. View the full article

Published by uInterview.com As part of season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the drag queens put on a stunning show of Wigloose: The Rusical about the queens overcoming a small town that tries to ban drag. The musical theater challenge was inspired by Kevin Bacon‘s Footloose, which he loved. On his Instagram story, Bacon, 64, posted a link to the episode, writing, “Big shoutout to @rupalsdragrace’s Wigloose: the RuSical (and props to Heaven Bacon [winky face emoji] @looseyladuca). With all the recent anti-drag bills, this came at just the right time. Drag is an art and drag is a right.” 50 BEST CELEBRITY BIKINIS SLIDESHOW! Lo… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Dave Sherwood HAVANA (Reuters) -Upwards of 70% of eligible Cubans had cast ballots by late Sunday afternoon in an election for the 470 lawmakers who will represent them in the country´s National Assembly, with voter turnout topping that of two previous votes in 2022, officials said. Participation in Sunday’s election was widely seen by both pro- and anti-government groups as a proxy for gauging support for Cuba’s communist leadership at a time of deep economic crisis and growing social unrest. Election officials said Sunday evening that turnout had topped 70% by 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT), with two hours still remaining before voting stations closed at 7 pm. That turnout bested both participation in municipal elections in November and a referendum on the Cuban family code, which legalized gay marriage, in September. Though results are not expected until Monday or Tuesday, Cuba´s government, saddled by shortages, inflation and record-breaking migration, is likely to claim the stronger than expected turnout as a success after weeks of rallying for a “unity vote” in support of former leader Fidel Castro’s six-decade old Cuban revolution. Cuba polices its own elections and does not allow independent, international observers to monitor the proceedings. Anti-government groups, primarily off-island in a country that restricts dissident political speech, had encouraged voters to stay home in protest, saying a vote had no meaning in a one-party system with no formal opposition or international oversight. The 470 candidates on Sunday´s paper ballot were vying for 470 open seats in the legislature. In order to win a place in the National Assembly, a candidate must receive more than half the votes of those who cast ballots. There were no opposition candidates in the election, and the majority of those running were members of the country’s Communist party or allied groups. The winning candidates, who serve for five years, will choose the next president of Cuba from among their ranks. Sitting President Miguel Diaz-Canel is widely expected to be re-elected by lawmakers. Legislators elected Sunday will also debate and pass laws that will regulate the press and the right to protest. PATRIOTIC VOTE Diaz-Canel, who spoke with reporters shortly after voting in his hometown of Santa Clara, said he was confident Cubans would turn out to vote despite predictions to the contrary. Abstention had been on the rise in Cuba over several elections. Cuba’s president also blasted long-time foe the United States for what he called its “hostile narrative” towards Cuba and its elections, urging Cubans to vote to defend their homeland against foreign intervention. “This is a vote to defend the Revolution, to defend socialism,” Diaz-Canel said early on Sunday. On the eve of the vote, Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, said Cuban elections offered no “real choice.” “When the only choice is the Communist party and closed committees choose candidates to run unopposed, there is no democracy, only autocracy and misery,” he wrote on Twitter. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood; additional reporting by Mario Fuentes, Anett Rios and Alexander Frometa; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Raju Gopalakrishnan) View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Darcelle XV, the Guinness World Record holder for oldest drag queen performer, has died aged 92 of natural causes. “The family of Darcelle XV along with her cast and crew are heartbroken to announce that our beloved Darcelle (Walter W. Cole, Sr.) has died at age 92 from natural causes,” Darcelle XV Showplace, her Portland cabaret announced on Instagram. “We ask for privacy and patience as everyone processes and grieves in their own way and at their own pace.” Walter Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen Darcelle XV, was crowned the oldest drag queen by Guinness World Records in 2016. The… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) British police have been urged to stop strip-searching children, after “deeply concerning” and “widespread” failures were highlighted in a new report. The report found that kids as young as eight were being subjected to intrusive searches by officers in the back of police vans, in schools and outside fast-food outlets. Black children were up to six times more likely to be searched than others, it also revealed. Strip searches involve removing or arranging a person’s clothing so their breasts, buttocks or genitalia. Experiencing one during youth can lead to shame, guilt, depression and other la… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Though it was revealed through private text messages that Tucker Carlson “passionately” hated Donald Trump, he backtracked on Monday, March 20. “I’m pretty straightforward. I love Trump, like as a person. I think Trump is funny and insightful,” he said during a radio appearance on WABC’s Bo Snerdley’s Rush Hour show. The Fox News host added that he spent “four years defending” Trump’s “policies” and doesn’t think he did anything prior to the January 6 Capitol attack. mega “And I said this to Trump when he called me, you know, all wounded about those texts. That was a moment in time where I was absolutely infuriated,” he recalled. As OK! previously reported, Carlson’s texts were exposed in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox News. “I hate him passionately,” Carlson said in the messages, per the court filing. “Those were all grabbed completely illegitimately, in my opinion, in this court case, which I guess I’m not allowed to talk about, but I’m enraged that my private texts were pulled,” Carlson said of his remarks. Jimmy Kimmel Cracks More Jokes About Donald Trump’s Delayed Arrest: ‘We Are On Day 3 Of To Catch A President’ Melania Trump Shielding Son Barron From Dad Donald’s Arrest Drama; Former First Lady ‘Wants to Be Away From It’ Joe Rogan Slams President Biden As A ‘Goofy Old Politician’ Who ‘Lied About A Bunch Of Things’ The TV personality claimed he sent those texts when Trump lost to President Joe Biden. “Those particular texts were pulled at the moment where I was texting with one of my producers because some idiot on the Trump campaign had sent us the name of these dead voters who had voted,” he noted. “And we went, and I repeated them on air, and it turns out, some of them were alive. So, I was just, I felt humiliated.” Carlson admitted he was “so mad by the incompetence of that campaign, which was completely incompetent.” “I can’t stand getting the facts wrong,” Carlson continued. “At the time, I was just blaming the Trump campaign, and I was livid.” mega After other Fox News hosts threw Trump under the bus, the former president went on a rant about the ordeal — going on to call out Rupert Murdoch. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! “Why is Rupert Murdoch throwing his anchors under the table, which also happens to be killing his case and infuriating his viewers, who will again be leaving in droves – they already are,” the 76-year-old wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday, February 28. “There is MASSIVE evidence of voter fraud & irregularities in the 2020 Presidential Election.” “Just look at the documentary ‘2000 MULES’ and you will see large scale ballot stuffing caught on government cameras, or votes cast without Legislatures approval, or just recently, the FBI/Twitter Files Scandal,” he continued. “RIGGED!!!” View the full article

Published by AFP Anna Marino, owner and founder of Mason & Greens, a zero-waste, sustainable lifestyle dry goods and grocery store that newly opened in Washington Washington (AFP) – Toothpaste tabs plunk into a jar. Maple syrup flows viscously from a spout. Dishwasher powder crunches under the tip of a metal scoop. The chorus of consumer goods lacks one familiar sound: the crinkle of plastic wrap. At Mason & Greens in Washington, the lack of packaging is the point — the small shop selling household goods and groceries is among dozens of zero-waste refill stores sprouting up in US cities from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Customers bring their own containers — from used jars to Tupperware, to fill with bulk items. The store even has “had people bring in the sleeves that their newspapers come in,” owner Anna Marino, 34, told AFP. Such stores are emblematic of what experts say is a necessary culture shift in one of the world’s largest consumer economies, where the average person generates 4.9 pounds of waste per day, according to government statistics. Marino says the aim is to help anyone from novices to experts on their journey towards less waste, citing paper towels as a personal catalyst. “Quitting paper towels was one of the first things that my family did and it was a significant reduction in the waste that we were creating on a weekly basis,” said Marino, who co-founded the store with her husband. Reusable “paper” towels made of cloth are just one of the products she now sells at her store, where beans and oats fill wall-mounted dispensers, metal containers hold vinegar and olive oil, and shelves are stocked with package-free artisanal bread, veggies and vegan food. For bulk items, customers pay by weight, Marino’s aim being to avoid any “obnoxiously outrageous price” and to keep things “accessible.” Reusable containers, such as mason jars, can be purchased if needed. Upstairs, shampoo bars and toothpaste tablets that are chewed until becoming paste are among the store’s many unpackaged hygiene products. Less than a third of US municipal solid waste was recovered for recycling or composting in 2018, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and only about nine percent of plastic material was recycled. Statistics such as these are why Marino asks suppliers to send shipments in compostable, or minimal packaging. ‘Reduce, reuse’ first “We can’t recycle our way out of the plastics crisis,” says Jenny Gitlitz of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics. She points to toxins in plastic that can be carcinogenic or cause genetic mutations, as well as to endocrine disruptors. On top of that, tiny particles called microplastics have been discovered in virtually every environment, from the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest, as well as in the human body including the lungs and blood. Unlike aluminum and glass, plastic can only be recycled a few times before its polymers break down. And many types are not widely recyclable in the first place. “If all else fails, then recycle,” sums up professor Shelie Miller at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. “I think folks often skip straight to the recycle and forget to reduce, reuse,” she told AFP. Miller cautions that the issue of plastic waste will not be solved simply by individuals changing the way they consume — as exemplified in places like Mason & Greens. Creating a sustainable future “really is a complete shared responsibility model” involving corporations, governments and waste handlers, she said. ‘No choice’ In the meantime, though, Rini Saha — the co-owner of the FullFillery, another Washington-area refill shop in the suburb of Takoma Park, Maryland — hopes to make a difference from the ground up. “We want you to reuse as much as we can, because recycling is still a huge carbon footprint,” the 46-year-old told AFP. Saha and colleagues make a number of body care and cleaning products on-site, for refill or purchase in a returnable container. On a recent Wednesday morning, fellow co-owner Emoke Gaidosch, a chemist by training, poured liquid soap she had made into a large receptacle. Aside from the lack of packaging, Miller says bulk sales could yield even bigger environmental benefits by helping consumers buy only what they need. That, ultimately, can help eliminate the impacts from a product’s entire lifecycle, from the energy and resources used to create it, to things like methane released when unused organic waste decays in landfalls. Over three years of existence, the FullFillery has morphed from a farmer’s market stall to a large store lined with environmentally friendly products and extremely limited packaging. Similarly, Mason & Greens’ Washington location, which only opened in September, was an expansion after the success of its first location in another suburb. The model “is profitable,” Saha told AFP. “I don’t think it’s as profitable as a disposable business.” “But I think that inevitably, there’s no choice. This is the way that business has to go.” View the full article