The Know Daily - Wednesday 2 August

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British surf brand Finisterre has launched the world’s first Yulex wetsuit rental programme - allowing sea enthusiasts to get eco-friendly wetsuits delivered directly to their door. The majority of wetsuits are made from non-biodegradable neoprene but the wetsuits in Finisterre’s range are Yulex - a sustainable alternative made from natural rubber, recycled spandex and recycled polyester. We love to sea it!

🇺🇸 Donald Trump charged (again)

The former president has been charged with several crimes connected to overturning the results of the 2020 election - here’s what you need to know.

What’s happened?
Jack Smith - the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Donald Trump for seeking to overturn his 2020 election defeat - filed a 45-page indictment against the former president at Federal District Court in Washington on Tuesday.

The indictment accused Trump of conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to violate civil rights and two charges involving the vote certification proceedings at the Capitol on 6 January 2021 - “one of obstructing that process and one of conspiring to do so”, explained The New York Times.

This is a big deal, right?
Definitely. This isn’t the first time that the former president has faced criminal charges (he’s been charged in two other cases: illegally retaining classified files and falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to a porn star) but this is the first time that a US president has faced criminal charges for trying to overturn an election.

The indictments will not prevent Trump from seeking the presidency again - even if he is convicted. However, he now “faces the prospect of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by three separate criminal trials”, said Sky News’ US correspondent James Matthews.

How has Trump responded?
Like with his other criminal indictments, the former president has described the charges as being part of “witch hunts” against him. In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump compared the latest indictment to the actions of “Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes”.

What next?
The former president is due to appear in court in Washington DC at 4pm ET on Thursday to face the latest charges. We don’t yet know when the case will go to trial, but Smith said his office will seek “speedy” proceedings.

As there’s “no equivalent historical context that can shed light on - or predict - this never-before-seen scenario”, it’s hard to determine how Trump’s indictments will affect next year’s US election, said the BBC.

What we do know is that the ex-president will “have to deal with a clash between campaign events and court appearances at his trials which could each last weeks”.

🏡 The grass is always greener

Around a quarter of people in the UK would like to see artificial grass lawns banned and 33% think that its usage should be limited for environmental reasons, according to a new survey.

What’s the story?
According to mybuilder.com, enquiries for artificial grass installation are down 48% year on year. The site commissioned some research into consumer demands and found that 24% of Brits would like a full ban on fake grass.

The news comes after fake lawns surged in popularity during the pandemic. In summer 2020, Builders’ Merchants News reported that the term “artificial grass” had experienced a 185% jump in online searches in May 2020 compared with May 2019. The site attributed the trend to people having longer to study their gardens “while cooped up indoors”.

Why the change of heart?
Fake grass requires more maintenance than some people may have initially realised. “You may not have to mow it, but you do have to vacuum it,” pointed out The Guardian. It also “doesn’t drain well” and “it gets so hot in summer it burns your feet”.

On top of the extra upkeep - and the fact that artificial lawns can “lower the value of your home by up to 5%”, there’s also an environmental factor.

How does plastic grass affect the planet?
Fake lawns have no climate benefits and result in the loss of biodiverse habitats which are essential for wildlife to thrive. A recent study also found that the tiny plastic fibres they contain often end up in water bodies close to major cities, “posing a substantial threat to ocean ecology”, reported Thred.

But proponents of synthetic lawns argue that they use less water than real grass and reduce grass clippings - which increase the production of the greenhouse gas methane when they decompose in a landfill.

What might happen next?
Last month, the Welsh government came close to banning artificial grass in the same way that it ruled out single-use plastics - but it then U-turned. Environmental campaigners have been calling on the government to introduce a tax on artificial lawns - but there are currently no plans to make that a reality.

Do you think the government should ban fake lawns - or tax them? Hit reply to share your thoughts.

🎙️ Lizzo lawsuit: Three former dancers have filed a lawsuit against the pop star Lizzo - a performer known for her body positivity - accusing her of sexual harassment and allegedly creating a hostile work environment that included weight-shaming.

🏠 House prices drop: Annual property values appear to have fallen by the biggest drop in 14 years and are likely to continue to decline even further, experts say. The average home is now worth £260,828, which represents a fall of 0.2% compared to the previous month.

🩻 AI can help spot cancer: The use of artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening is safe and as good as two radiologists working together, preliminary results from a large Swedish study have suggested. An NHS England spokesperson described the news as “very encouraging”.

🍺 Oh beer: Rishi Sunak was heckled by a pub landlord at a beer festival in London on Tuesday. The PM was pulling a pint as part of an “all-round-awkward” publicity stunt when he was criticised for his decision to raise alcohol duty that same day.

🌻 Starry eyed surprise: Babies can demonstrate a taste in fine art from as young as four months, a new study has found. When shown works by Vincent van Gogh, both babies and adults mostly favoured the same paintings. One proved to be the most popular - can you guess which?

Trivia answer: A) There has been a reported rise in people with Apple Watches accidentally dialling 999 during gym workouts - with the National Police Chiefs’ Council warning that recent software updates have had a “significant impact” on the volume of 999 calls recorded by forces.

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