Hello folks,
The art habit got a break this week. So here is one I made last year:
This week’s finds take you all around Asia Pacific.
- G.O.A.T TOTES In July 2023 the Singapore government instituted a policy where all major supermarkets would charge five cents per disposable plastic carrier bag. 6 months in, plastic bag use at supermarkets has dropped by up to 80%. This is not a unique story - consumers, retailers and governments around the world have been trying to reduce single use plastic bags. The unlikely hero in all of this is the mighty tote bag - part utilitarian champion, part personal brand signifier - and now it’s spinning it’s own little cottage economy where Trader Joe’s mini-tote is now selling for $500 on eBay.
- CRISIS OF MEN Japan’s men are on the struggle bus: “The great extent to which Japanese men are encouraged to commit themselves to work is another barrier to change. Retired workaholic men are described as a nureochibazoku, or “wet fallen leaf”, because, lacking hobbies or friends, they follow their wives around like a wet leaf stuck to a shoe. A staple magazine article offers advice to wives suffering a severe case of “Retired Husband Syndrome”.
- SNAKE WEATHER Here’s a new word I learned: brumating - it’s like hibernating, but for reptiles - and due to climate change this duration is getting shorter. As a result there are just more snakes milling around, especially at night. And that, in turn, is great for your snake-catching business in Australia.
- ERUPTION AHEAD We are at a very interesting inflection point in modern history, where the time is ripe to question…well..everything. My friend Joey lays out an idea that we’re seeing a time of scarcity after a time of unchecked abundance - and that’s “incredibly fertile ground to leverage [our] creativity.“ I feel this when I talk to clients and customers. They are all more constrained than ever before, but they’re all equally committed to inventing a new order.
- MALAY CHIPS In the tussle between the US and China semiconductor giants, the surprising winner has been Malaysia. The boom is evidence of how much geopolitical friction and competition are reshaping the globe’s economic landscape and driving multibillion-dollar investment decisions.
Have a great weekend y’all!