The Week Unwrapped: Mortgage penalties, waste and femcels

Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters.

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In this week’s episode, we discuss:

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Green mortgages

The government has said it may link the cost of a mortgage to a property’s energy efficiency, making it cheaper to buy and own a greener home (and more expensive to buy and own one that uses more energy). Opponents of the move have attacked it on several fronts: they say it will make it even harder for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder, they ask how accurate the energy assessments will be and they question whether the policy would create enough of a financial incentive to make the necessary improvements.

Corporate waste

Whole Foods is under fire this week for throwing away unsold stock, a week after the fashion brand Coach was criticised for a similar practice. Both cases came to light because of a campaign by prominent TikTok users, who are now able to exert significant social pressure. Will other companies now be forced to sort out their waste problem?

Femcels

Incels – men who consider themselves to be “involuntarily celibate” – have gained notoriety through a series of violent attacks, and a broader culture of misogyny. Now some women are beginning to identify as “femcels”, their female equivalents – although their worldview appears to be less aggressive and more introspective. Is this a useful label for a growing trend towards extended periods of single living – or simply a new word for a longstanding sense of loneliness?