007 is a woman!

Black actress Lashana Lynch is taking over the iconic role…

There’s a new spy in town! British actress Lashana Lynch has just been announced as the new 007 in the Bond franchise. Although Daniel Craig will still have the titular role of James Bond, the codename of 007 has been reassigned to a new character, played by Lynch. This new plotline comes as Bond leaves MI6 and is “called back to action to fight a new villain”, as quoted from an anonymous “movie insider” who also says that “there is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says “come in 007”, and in walks Lashana who is black, beautiful and a woman.”

Daniel Craig with Naomie Harris, centre, and Lashana Lynch in Jamaica. Photograph: Gilbert Bellamy/Reuters

Originally from West London, Lynch made her film debut in 2011’s ‘Fast Girls’ though her breakthrough role came earlier this year in Captain Marvel as fighter pilot Maria Rambeau. Now, she will step into the role of Nomi, who is initially seduced by Bond but refuses his advances.

This isn’t the only display of girl power shaking up the 25th Bond movie. British writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge (‘Fleabag’, ‘Killing Eve’) came on board to polish up the existing script, making her the second female writer in the history of the franchise. 

Waller-Bridge, who’s shows are known for digging deep into the female psyche, is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying, “There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not Bond is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women. I think that’s bollocks. I think he’s absolutely relevant now. “[The franchise] has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn’t have to. He needs to be true to his character.”

Speaking to Deadline in May, she also mentioned how she was excited to make the female characters “feel like real people”, explaining that it “brings me much pleasure, knowing that I’m giving that to an actress.”

From hiring a female 007 to recruiting a female screenwriter, both of these moves have been widely praised as they steer the famed franchise into a new era, allowing it to remain current and become more inclusive. 

Holland Goes Green!

Holland takes steps to preserve the planet and improve air quality by covering hundreds of bus stops with plants to attract bees!

Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands, has covered the roofs of 316 bus stops in sedum plants. Not only does this look beautiful, but it helps to support the city’s biodiversity by attracting honeybees and bumble bees. These plants also store rainwater and capture dust, which counts as one of many measures that Utrecht has put in place in a mission to improve air quality. This forward-thinking city in Holland plans to introduce 55 new electric buses by the end of this year and have “completely clean public transport” by 2028, a scheme that is already being implemented. Utrecht also runs a scheme which allows residents to apply for funding to transform their own roofs into green roofs.

This wonderful idea also helps to employ people, too! The roofs are cared for by workers who drive to and from each place in electric vehicles, and the bus stops have all been fitted with energy-efficient LED lights and bamboo benches to make the entire operation eco-friendly. To top all of that off, the electricity used to power the buses will be sourced from Dutch windmills.

This story reinforces how accessible an environmentally-friendly lifestyle can be for all and challenges us to find more ways that we can go green. People are now being encouraged to refuse plastic straws when they are not needed, as well as carry a reusable water bottle and coffee cup (like these from mybyta.com) to eliminate as many single-use plastics as possible.