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A group Shell's own investors is suing board of directors over its climate change strategy

Failure to take care of the planet is a real business risk.

shell oil, shell lawsuit, clientearth
via Eddie/Flickr

A truck carrying Shell gasoline.

In a historic legal maneuver, ClientEarth is personally suing 11 of Shell’s board of directors for failing to bring its business policies in line with the Paris Agreement. The suit is the first time that a corporate board of directors has been sued due to a lack of climate action.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark 2015 international treaty to reduce global warming below 2° and, preferably, 1.5° Celcius.

ClientEarth is a Shell shareholder, giving it the right to bring a suit against the company for failure to manage the risk posed by climate change under the UK Companies Act.

“Shell’s Board is legally required to manage risks to the company that could harm its future success, and the climate crisis presents the biggest risk of them all,” ClientEarth said in a statement.

“Ensuring the company stays competitive in the energy markets of the future, as countries and customers worldwide choose cheaper, cleaner energy, means,” the statement continues. “Shell needs to move away from fossil fuels towards an alternative business model.”

The lawsuit is supported by Nest, the UK’s largest workplace pension scheme with over 10 million members. “Investors want to see action in line with the risk climate change presents and will challenge those who aren’t doing enough to transition their business,” said Mark Fawcett, Nest’s chief investment officer. “We hope the whole energy industry sits up and takes notice.”

The lawsuit has the backing of a group of investors that hold over 12 million shares in the company.

Shell believes it’s acting according to the Paris Agreement because its goal is to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050. The company says it supports the “most ambitious goal” of the Paris Agreement, limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius.

ClientEarth says Shell should be more aggressive in moving away from fossil fuels towards an alternative business model. It also believes that the company's current efforts are inadequate and will lead to diminishing profits.

“[Shell] fails to deliver the reduction in emissions that is needed to keep global climate goals within reach and continues with fossil fuel production for decades to come,” ClientEarth said in a statement. “This will tie the company to projects and investments that are likely to become unprofitable as the world cleans up its energy systems.”

In 2022, Shell reported its largest annual profit of nearly $40 billion, fuelled by rising energy costs due to the war in Ukraine.

“We do not accept ClientEarth’s allegations,” a Shell spokesperson said. “Our directors have complied with their legal duties and have, at all times, acted in the best interests of the company.”

While efforts to push companies to do more to solve the climate crisis tend to come from the outside, ClientEarth’s approach to sue as a shareholder is a unique way to pressure Shell to change. It also makes a lot of sense. Whether you’re a citizen of the Earth or a multinational corporation—we need to do something about climate change before it becomes impossible to do business altogether.

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Joy

Adorable Golden Retriever absolutely loses it when he runs into his vet at a bar

No one has ever been this excited to see their doctor.

@cosmo_andtheoddparents/TikTok

He wuvs his vet.

Not every dog might jump with joy after seeing their vet out in public. But for Cosmo the Golden Retriever, it was practically Christmas all over again when he spotted his own vet, Dr. Jones, at a brewery.

In an adorable clip posted to TikTok, we see Cosmo in pure, unadulterated bliss as he snuggles with an equally happy Dr. Jones, who, considering he’s still in his scrubs, might have just gotten out of work to grab a quick pint.

Watch:

@cosmo_andtheoddparents When you run into your vet in public #goldenretrieversoftiktok #vetlife #animallovers #petparents #goldenretriever #goldenretrievers #doglife #dogmom #dailyfluff #charlestondogs #doglover #charlestondog #brewerydog ♬ original sound - Cosmo

Ugh, the cuteness is too much to handle! People in the comments could barely contain their secondhand joy.

“He looked over like, “Mom, do you see who this is?” one person wrote, while another said, “What in the Hallmark movie? Adorable!!”

One person even joked, “Did we all check the vet’s hand for a wedding ring? (Said as a married woman. Looking out for you all, or something.)”

According to Hannah Dweikat, Cosmo’s owner, the two actually share quite a history. She tells Upworthy that when Cosmo was but a wee pup, he “gave a scare” after eating a Sago Palm seed, which are highly toxic to dogs, from a plant in their backyard, which of course resulted in him being rushed to the animal hospital and staying there over the weekend.

While that’s every pet owner’s worst nightmare, and certainly a scary situation for the poor fur baby, Dweikat says that “the calm and patient demeanor” of Dr. Jones and his staff put Cosmo at ease. And because of this, “Cosmo has always loved going to see his friends—especially because they give him lots of treats and snuggles.”

Cosmo and Dr. Jones’ buddyship has also blossomed thanks to proximity, as Dweikat only lives down the street from the clinic. “Which means we get to see Dr. Jones and his staff out in public at times and Cosmo takes every chance he can get to say hi,” she explains. This time, however, she was able to capture it all on video. Yay for us!

What makes a good vet?

While not every vet, however gifted, will be able to elicit this type of reaction from their patients, having a calming presence like Dr. Jones is certainly a good sign for pet owners to be on the lookout for when shopping around for their own vet. But that’s not the only quality a good vet needs. According to Saint Matthews University, a vet also needs to have high stamina (both physically and mentally), as well as an ability to tolerate unpleasant situations (you can’t faint at the sight of blood or vomit), a high level of emotional intelligence (maybe all doctors should possess this skill, but especially those who work with animals), adaptability, a sense of enthusiasm, and finally, excellent communication skills.

Dr. Jones seems to have these attributes in spades, and his patients clearly love him for it. None so much as Cosmo, obviously.

By the way, if you’re in need of even more content featuring this precious pup, you can follow Cosmo on both TikTok and Instagram.

This article originally appeared in February

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Joy

Her husband mysteriously brought home bananas and tuna, then she found the note explaining why

“Marry him again, sis."

@jaethefade/Threads, Photo credit: Canva

This is so, so thoughtful.

Actress Janaé Basemore recently shared (via Threads) how she found it perplexing that her husband bought what she called “an obnoxious amount” of bananas—not that she minded, per se, as she was eating them daily—and tuna fish, which she found strange. Not only that, but the hubs offered to cook trout for dinner, which wasn’t exactly a dinner staple in their household.

Lo and behold, the oh-so endearing motivations behind this perplexing grocery haul became clear once Basemore was cleaning the house and found copious notes on her husband's desk.

The subject of these notes? Each phase of her menstrual cyle—and how best to support her through them.

View on Threads

Basemore’s husband seemingly left not stone unturned—from jotting down which foods are best for each phase (trout and bananas are particularly great for the follicular phase) to anticipating what her moods would likely be (“follicular phase=likes me,” “luteal phase=hates me”).

Down in the comments, people called this an undeniable “green flag.”

“Marry him again sis,” one person quipped.

“I’m gonna need a copy of this for my husband,” said another.

clapping, praise, green flag, woman clapping, good jobThe greenest flag. media1.giphy.com

This list is especially helpful considering that Basemore is diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) where symptoms like extreme irritability, depression, anxiety, and other symptoms like fatigue, sleep disturbances, and changes in appetite typically start in the week or two before menstruation and usually subside a few days after menstruation begins. However, those symptoms can be managed by a diet that helps to restore hormonal balance and manage inflammation.

But really, even if a woman doesn’t have PMDD, a diet that helps restore balance during each of their phases can be extremely beneficial. That, and a little emotional support from their partners.

Granted, this kind of intel (along with most aspects of the female body) aren’t exactly well known even to many women, much less to the men who love them. That’s kind of what makes this whole story so sweet. Her husband clearly made an effort to learn something that wasn’t common knowledge. Some folks murmured that the handwriting in his notes looked like it belonged to a female…but, even if that were the case…who cares? It was still him applying those notes in real life. The trout, people!

And for those guys (and gals) looking to learn more about how to best support each menstrual phase, here’s a quick general rundown, courtesy of London Clinic Nutrition:

Menstrual phase: Day 1 to 3-7

This is the ‘period’ stage of your cycle, when the uterine lining sheds causing you to bleed and estrogen/progesterone levels are low.

Foods to eat:

  • Shellfish
  • Pork
  • Pumpkin + flax seeds
  • Black + kidney bean
  • Red: Beets, berries, grapes, peppers
  • Seaweeds

Avoid: heavily processed foods, alcohol, spicy foods and sugar as these can contribute to inflammation which may cause painful period cramps to be more severe. That said, it’s okay to slip in a couple of comfort meals.

Follicular phase: Day 3-7 to 12

This phase begins on the first day of your period (overlapping with the menstrual phase) and finishes when you start to ovulate. Energy levels might increase during this phase, making it a good opportunity to add some more vigorous exercise. This is a time to up magnesium-rich foods to reduce heavy periods and PMS symptoms.

Foods to eat:

  • Trout
  • Chicken, eggs
  • Pumpkin + flax seeds
  • Lentils, mung beans
  • Berries, grapes
  • Green: Broccoli, lettuce, zucchini, avocado
  • Citrus, pomegranate
  • Fermented foods
  • Barley, oat, wheat

Ovulation: Day 12 to 16

Estrogen levels reach their peak in this phase, so eating foods high in fiber can help to reduce those levels and avoid estrogen dominance.

Foods to eat:

  • Salmon, tuna
  • Lamb
  • Sesame and sunflower
  • Red lentils
  • Berries, grapes
  • Spinach, tomato, eggplant, dandelion, brussels sprouts
  • Apricot, cantaloupe, fig
  • Chocolate, coffee, alcohol (in moderation)
  • Corn, quinoa

Luteal Phase: Day 16 to 28

Unless a woman becomes pregnant, this phase is commonly associated with premenstrual symptoms as the body prepares for the next period. Again, foods high in magnesium can help mitigate pain, low energy, and low libido that can occur during this phase.

Foods to eat:

  • White fish
  • Red meat, turkey
  • Sesame and sunflower
  • Chickpeas, navy bean
  • Berries, grapes
  • Cruciferous + bitter veg: garlic, ginger, onion, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, dark greens
  • Apple, date, pear, peach
  • Mint + greens powder
  • Brown rice, millet
This is just a starting point, but hopefully it helps women (and their partners) navigate the never-ending adventure that is the female body.
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Internet

A nail salon made an ad so funny that people are taking road trips just for a manicure

Nailed it.

Representative photos by Wonderlane|Flickr and Aris Leoven|Canva

This Canadian nail salon has people packing their bags for a manicure

There are a lot of nail salons out there and, without word of mouth recommendations from people you trust, it can be impossible to know which salon to visit. Thanks to social media, though, many businesses have pages where they can advertise their services without having to spend a lot of money on traditional marketing practices like television, billboards, and radio. Doing their marketing using pictures and videos of their amazing work can help keep a steady flow of customers coming—but one Canadian nail salon is going with a slightly different approach.

Henry Pro Nails in Toronto, Canada is leaving the Internet in stitches after creating a viral ad for his nail salon. The video takes the beginnings of several viral video clips but instead of the expected ending, Henry pops in completing the viral moment in hilarious different ways.

It opens with a familiar viral video of a man on a stretcher being pulled by EMS when the stretcher overturns, flopping the man onto the ground. But instead of it ending with the injured man on the ground, Henry seamlessly appears laid out on the floor of his salon and delivers his first line, "Come to my nail salon. Your nails will look beautiful."

nails, nail salon, manicure, henry's pro nails, adsRihanna Nails GIFGiphy

In another clip, a man holds his leg straight up and somehow flips himself into a split. When the camera cuts back to Henry, he's in the splits on the floor of his nail salon promoting loyalty discounts. The ad is insanely creative and people in the comments can't get enough. Some are even planning a trip to Toronto just to get their nails done by the now Internet famous top nail artist in Canada. This isn't Henry's first rodeo making creative ads, but this is one is without a doubt his most popular—and effective.

"I will fly to Canada to get my nails done here just because of this hilarious video. You win this trend for sure," one woman says.

"Get yourself a passport and make a road trip! My bf and I are legit getting ours and its only a 4 hr drive from where we are in Pennsylvania. Their prices are a lot better than other places I've been too," another person says while convincing a fellow American citizen to make the trip.

"Omg, where are you located? I would fly to get my nails done by you," one person writes.

"The pedicure I had at Henry’s was the best I have ever had. Unfortunately made all other places disappointing and I don’t live close enough for Henry’s to be my regular spot," someone else shares.

To keep up with demand, in late October 2024 Henry's announced another location was coming soon in Vaughan, Ontario. Though there's no word on when the new "more spacious and professional facility" is opening just yet, customers can keep an eye out for Henry's next ad on social media.

It just goes to show that creative advertising can get people to go just about anywhere, but great service is what gets them to come back. If you're ever in Toronto (or Vaughan!) and find yourself needing an emergency manicure, Henry's Pro Nails is apparently the place to be.

This article originally appeared last year.

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Joy

Comedian makes a musical about the most insane Facebook Marketplace transaction ever

Where is bed?

via ABC iView

Lou Wall performs "Facebook Marketplace: The Musical."

Buying, selling, or simply giving away an item on Facebook Marketplace can be a harrowing experience because you’re dealing with strangers. After posting an item, it’s common to come across people with terrible communication skills, hagglers, and those who love to complain, even if you’re giving it away for free. In addition, many scammers on Facebook Marketplace will try to send you fake payment confirmation requests or take the conversation to a less secure platform.

Aussie comedian Lou Wall had such a bizarre transaction with a woman named Eileen on Facebook Marketplace that she turned it into an epic PowerPoint slideshow musical with incredible twists, tons of bad grammar, and elaborate crime. To top it all off, Lou tried to give the bed frame away for free.

Lou is a comedian and composer who has earned critical acclaim for her solo shows, That One Time I Joined The Illuminati (2022) and The Bisexual’s Lament (2024).

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Recently, Lou performed the musical slid show as part of her Breaking the Fifth Wall performance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Warning:The video contains strong language.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

It all began when Lou put a bedframe up on Facebook Marketplace for free, and a woman asked if she could “negotiate the price.” Yes, really. Amazingly, the woman kept pulling out all the stops to get a discount on the free bedframe. Lou probably should have found someone else to give the bedframe to at this point, but then, we wouldn’t have this amazing story.

After the price was figured out, they made a time to meet up, but the woman didn’t understand that Wall meant 5 p.m., not 5 a.m. Who would be giving away a bed frame at 5 a.m? Lou told her to leave because moving a bed frame out of her place would disturb her sleeping roommates.


Eileen then sent Lou nasty messages before asking the big question that would become the hook of the entire bit: “Where is bed?” The pair then failed to meet again when Eileen showed up at 8 p.m. instead of 8 a.m. Even though Eileen clearly has a terrible grasp of time, she accused Lou of being unable to understand the “concept of time.”

The story takes a dramatic turn when Eileen shows up at the wrong apartment, enters through an unlocked door, and steals Lou’s neighbor’s bed while messaging her through the entire process. “Hi all, we have just been robbed. Our bed and sheets were taken from the front room. Please lock your doors!” the neighbor wrote. It had to be incredibly strange to have your bed—one of the largest pieces of furniture in the house—missing and your valuables untouched.

The story is hilarious, but also a great reminder to be careful who you hook up with on Facebook Marketplace, even if you are giving something away for free. Inviting a strange person to your apartment isn’t just dangerous for the people selling things, it could put your neighbors in danger, too.

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Family

Dad shares 3 brilliant principles for fathers on how to teach sons to respond to setbacks

"We can help them see obstacles as opportunities to make things even better."

fullstrengthfather/Instagram

Kristoffer Koerper (@fullstrengthfather) shares how he taught his kids to overcome setbacks.

Life is hard. Every parent knows that hardship will come into their kids' lives in time, which is why raising resilient kids is a crucial part of parenting.

Instagrammer Kristoffer Koerper (@fullstrengthfather), a husband and father of three boys, shared an insightful post on how he is teaching his sons to respond well to setbacks. In the video, he explains how the family's broken trampoline became a lesson in turning something negative into a positive, and how other parents can do the same with their kids.

"Teaching our young boys how to respond to setbacks: 3 principles I'm working to apply," he wrote in the video's caption.

Koerper begins the video by explaining that the family recently broke its trampoline. "Initially my boys were devastated," he shares as the video shows one of his son's crying. "But instead of seeing it as a loss, I told them that this is an opportunity, guys. We can build something really cool if we just take it apart and use all the parts."

Taking their dad's optimistic lead and suggestions to make a fort or hideout, their attitude "immediately changed. Instead of sulking or crying, they got excited." From there, together they got to work and began to dismantle the broken trampoline to transform it into something new (spoiler alert: the boys decided to make a "secret military base.")

Koerper goes on to share, "As fathers we have a choice. We can teach our kids to focus on what they lose or the challenges, or we can help them see obstacles as opportunities to make things even better. And I believe they carry that mindset into life."

In the post's caption, he went into further detail on three specific principles that helped turn the broken trampoline into a positive experience, and how to instill a proactive attitude in kids when it comes to setbacks.

The first principle he shared is titled "Obstacles Are Opportunities." "I try to teach my boys that setbacks aren’t the end but the beginning of something new. Every setback is a setup for something better," he wrote.

The second principle: "My Reaction Shapes Theirs." "My boys mirror my emotional response to challenges. Stay calm, get excited about solutions, and they will too," he shared.

Finally, he shared the third principle to helping his kids respond well to setbacks: "Encourage Creative Problem-Solving." He elaborated, saying, "Instead of fixing things for my boys, I try to guide them in repurposing and rebuilding. It builds resilience."

Koerper's principles were well received by viewers.

"I love how curious the boys are, curiosity breeds brilliance," one viewer wrote.

"Kids need to have these minor setbacks as it makes them anti-fragile for bigger setbacks as they grow up. Setting a great example out here 🫡."

Another viewer wrote, "I love this. Resilience is something that has to be practiced. Not to mention all the fine motor skills and physical aspects of that exercise, you’re raising great young men!"

"Secret military base 😄 Love this. Keep em resilient and full of the ability to problem solve," said another.

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