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Oceanographic Museum embraces Waste Reduction Week

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/11/2021

The Oceanographic Museum, as part of a larger country-wide awareness campaign, is celebrating European Waste Reduction Week with three events centred around the “three-Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle.

European Waste Reduction Week (EWWR) is taking place from 20th to 28th November and the theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Circular Communities’, inviting volunteer countries to take part in awareness-raising actions promoting the sustainable management of resources and waste. 

Monaco is clearly on board, and the Oceanographic Museum has leapt in with both feet, organising three events on the precepts of the movement: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Under the “reduce” heading, they are hosting a ‘One Day, One Chef, One Anti-waste recipe’ event. Running from 22nd to 26th November from 11am to 1:30pm, five well-known chefs from Monaco will offer visitors a menu using only zero waste recipes.  

On Monday 22nd November, Pastry Chef Patrick Mesiano, from the Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo, will produce an exquisite brioche perdue du verger, a take on pain perdue and an excellent way to use brioche that’s a bit past its freshest.

Chef Marcel Ravin, Executive Chef of the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, will be offering up a delicious citrus fruit and day old bread recipe on Tuesday 23rd November, another brilliant way to use up bread.

On Wednesday 24th November, Chef Jean Laurent Basile from Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo will make a tangy pumpkin tart with roasted seeds, a perfect use of this seasonal gourd.

Chef Sylvain Etiévant of the Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco in Cap d’Ail has come up with a creation that he’s hilariously calling the ‘beard of the left behind’ on Thursday 25th November. For the name alone, it’s worth the trip.

Finally, on Friday 26th November, Monaco City Hall’s own Chef Julien Baldacchino will have a mouth-watering tartlet stuffed with sardines and clementine marmalade on the menu.

To top it off, the snacks will be presented using ingenious edible cutlery and drinks served in edible cups, showing incredible dedication to the cause. Sugar and condiments will be served in bulk, the old-fashioned way, and napkins will be made from cellulose recycled from food cartons.

The events are free and included in the price of admission thanks to support of partner organisations and volunteers from CFM Indosuez Wealth Management and the Association of Friends of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco (AAMOM).

 

Next up is “reuse”. For the second time, the Oceanographic Museum is organising a clothes collection from their staff, as well as from those from Monaco Explorations and CFM Indosuez Wealth Management to benefit Les Semeurs d’Espoir, a local association that collects and distributes gently worn items of clothing. The clothes will be distributed to the needy between Nice and Menton from 22nd to 28th November. 

Last but not least is “recycle”. On Wednesday 24th November and Saturday 27th November, young people aged six to 14 are invited to take up the ‘Super Sorter Challenge’. Several receptacles and types of waste will be placed at the entry to the Oceanographic Museum where clever kids can practice sorting and learn good recycling practices. Each Super Sorter will be given their own diploma and free entry to the museum.

Since 2019, under the coordination of the Monegasque government, European Waste Reduction Week has brought together many entities in the Principality looking to act for a more sustainable future. Those who involve themselves include institutions, schools, companies, associations, and even private citizens.

Worldwide, the EWWR has drawn support from 33 nations, with 38 coordinators equalling 10,695 actions since 2020.

 
 

 Photo source: Pixabay

 
 
 

Transfer round-up: Tchouaméni, Golovin and Adamu linked with moves

by: Luke Entwistle
17/11/2021

In our new, regular feature, Monaco Life sports journalist Luke Entwistle brings you the ‘Transfer round-up’, uniting all AS Monaco related transfer rumours in one place.
Aurélien Tchouaméni – linked by Tuttosport to Chelsea. Touted for a fee of €50 million. A deal could be complicated by interest from other clubs, most notably Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, but it remains to be seen whether ASM would be willing to let their young international star leave mid-season. Tchouaméni’s impressive form for Kovac’s side has seen him become a full French international, and he has quickly asserted himself in Didier Deschamps’ side.
Benoit Badiashile – linked by Calciomercato to Tottenham. The French U21 international’s recent impressive form has seen him linked with a potential £25 million move to Antonio Conte’s side. An integral element of an ASM defence which hasn’t conceded in their last three matches, Badiashile would fetch an attractive fee, and with interest throughout the continent, a subsequent bidding war would only increase this fee.
Aleksandr Golovin – linked by Liverpool Echo via Championat to Everton. Benitez is thought to be a long-term admirer of the Russian playmaker, and ASM are hoping to fetch a fee of around £40 million. Although it remains to be seen whether Everton would be willing to meet the asking price in the January transfer window, what is clear is that Benitez is keen to replace James Rodriguez who left the Mersey club to join Qatari side Al-Rayyan towards the end of the summer transfer window.
Chukwubuike Adamu – linked by The Daily Mail to AS Monaco. The British newspaper is reporting that Kovac is interested in Red Bull Salzburg. The £15 million rated Austrian striker is attracting interest from all around Europe with Southampton, as well as a host of Bundesliga sides interested in securing his signature.
Jonathan Clauss – linked by Foot Mercato to AS Monaco. The French right-back, who has enjoyed a strong start to the season with RC Lens is in demand on the French Riviera, with interest from both OGC Nice and ASM Monaco. According to Foot Mercato, Clauss would be available for a fee of around €15 million, and would compete with Aguilar for the right wing-back position.
Patrick Wålemark – linked by Göteborg Posten to AS Monaco. The Swedish right-winger, capped six times by his country at U21 level, is believed to be a player of interest. Having registered eight goals and six assists for Häcken in the Swedish top division, he has now started to catch the attention of numerous clubs across the continent. The 20-year-old winger interests Monaco greatly, but is also attracting interest from Girondins de Bordeaux, Ajax, Atalanta, Anderlecht and Sassuolo.
 
 
Photo of Aurélien Tchouaméni, source: AS Monaco football club
 
 
 

“A real man doesn’t hit a woman”

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/11/2021

The International Day to End Violence against Women is being observed on 25th November and to mark the event, two Monaco associations are banding together to show boys and men how they can help stop aggressive behaviour towards girls and women. 

Since the start of the pandemic, something just as sinister as Covid has been on the rise. According to frontline workers reporting to the United Nations (UN), domestic violence against women and girls has risen sharply with some countries reporting a five-fold increase in calls to helplines since the start of the health crisis.

This “shadow pandemic”, as it has been nicknamed by the UN, is being highlighted on 25th November on the International Day to End Violence against Women.

In the Principality, an event will be held on Friday 26th November by Monegasque organisation SheCanHeCan with the support of the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights. The event is aimed at teaching men and boys how they can take an active role in preventing violence against women.

A stall will be set up in the Commercial Gallery of Fontvieille from 10am to 6pm, and men and boys are invited to have their photos taken along with a message of support to the cause.

Represented by ambassadors Louis Ducruet, Pierre Frolla and David Coulthard, the goal of the day is to collect over 200 portraits of men standing up against violence against women. Each participant will choose the message he wants to convey, such as “A real man doesn’t hit a woman” or “I say NO to violence against women”.

They will also be asked to take a “Pledge for Equality”. This pledge comes in the form of a daily action such as, “I pledge to speak about this experience with my family or friends.” The hope is that by speaking openly about the issue, people will begin to incorporate equality and non-violence into their lives as a matter of course.

As most violence against women and girls is inflicted by the opposite sex, their participation and support are vital in reminding people that the vast majority of men and boys are against such behaviour.

The photos will be available for viewing on the SheCanHeCan, Fight AIDS Monaco, and the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights social media and websites.

To show support, the Prince’s Palace, National Council building, Oceanographic Museum, the Hôtel de Paris and the Odeon Tower will all be swathed in orange, the official colour of the movement, on the night of 25th November. This tradition has been followed since 2015.

 
 
 

Opinion: an overview of the COP26 summit

by: Nathan Jones
16/11/2021

COP26 was the most significant climate conference since 2015, a unique opportunity to finalise the Paris Agreement to drive tangible action on the climate emergency. National leaders were urged to take the necessary steps to reduce emissions, mobilise funding, and boost adaptation and resilience across multiple, beautifully constructed sites in Glasgow city centre on the banks of the River Clyde.
The result was an important step in the fight against climate change; a new pact that talks about the world’s use of fossil fuels for the first time. Yet there is still much to do to build a positive human future and now is the time to turn all these high level “conversations” into actions.
Implementing change with the necessary pace and scale will require unprecedented commitment, innovation, collaboration and partnerships across governments, industry, financiers and innovators. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, global carbon emissions need to fall by 45% by 2030. But the recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) report shows emissions are set to rise by 16% during this period.

Methane has a global warming potential of more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making it a powerful heat trapper. But it only stays in the atmosphere for 12 years, far less than carbon dioxide. In practice, this means reducing methane emissions can have a faster impact on reducing global warming and buy us some valuable time. Over 60 countries have joined the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
Current commitments put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7°C by the end of the century. To stand a chance of limiting global warming to even 1.5°C, the next eight years will be crucial. Greenhouse gases need to be halved and drastic changes need to occur through international policies.
Any temperature increase approaching 2.7°C would be a disaster for humanity and many of the planet’s species. According to the IPCC, even an increase of 2°C would have a major impact on food, security and human health. Insects, vital for pollination of crops and plants, are likely to lose half their habitat at 1.5°C. This becomes twice as likely at 2°C. The frequency and intensity of droughts, storms and extreme weather events will rise with every increment in temperature, as we are already seeing with a global temperature increase over pre-industrial levels of around 1.2°C.

We must all work together to accelerate and scale the climate response through financing and technological innovation. But how can we achieve this?
It is all well and good highlighting the issues and it is a huge step forward by just making the environment part of our vernacular. But it is action that counts, and unless we all make changes to our lives then we will still be having the same conversations in decades to come when it will all be too little, too late.
The world leaders at COP26 are capable of large scale change, which in turn can see almost immediate results. But it is us mere mortals that need to change our daily habits to make a real difference. And unless we make them habits, then how do we ever expect this situation to improve?
Let’s see how many of the conversations had this November will have been actioned by COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh next year.
 
Click on the photos below to see more pictures from COP26…


 
 
 

Roca team re-find their form in emphatic style

by: Luke Entwistle
16/11/2021

AS Monaco basketball responded to their recent disappointing displays with two dominant performances over the weekend, putting them back in contention on the European and domestic fronts.
The Roca team backed up their drubbing of Bayern Munich on Friday, with an even more comprehensive win over Cholet on Sunday.
Nearly 4,000 Monaco fans crammed into the Salle Gaston Médecin in Fontvieille for Friday’s fixture, and they didn’t have to wait long before their team hit the front. Leo Westermann, who was consistently finding himself in space on the left touchline, began the game in emphatic style, scoring the opening eight points of the match with 100% accuracy.
Will Thomas then got in on the act, firstly with a two pointer when he did well to manufacture space in a tight area and then find great accuracy with the shot on the spin. He then found himself with time outside the arc to accurately dispatch another three pointer for La Roca side.
Monaco had an unrelenting intensity, both in attack and in defence, that went unmatched throughout the game. Having won the first quarter 27-20, they pushed on to increase that lead in the second, aided by two Danilo Andjusic three pointers, as well as a flurry of two pointers by Dwayne Bacon to go in at half-time 55-43 up.
From there, Monaco consolidated their lead, drawing the third quarter, before closing the game out with a dominant fourth quarter, ultimately securing the win 94-71. Mike James finished as the top scorer with 18, closely followed by Andjusic and Bacon with 16.
Not wishing to dwell on the win, Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic’s thoughts turned immediately to Sunday’s fixture against Cholet, a team that they struggled against last year, and who have since improved further. Mitrovic acknowledged the short turnaround for all Euroleague sides this year. “There are lots of problems with consistency for all Euroleague teams. Bayern are also struggling in their domestic championship.”
There was, however, no such hangover for Mitrovic’s men as they backed up their Euroleague win with an even more emphatic display at home against Cholet. A tightly-contested first quarter, which was edged 24-25 by Cholet, gave the false illusion of a tight encounter; what followed was a complete annihilation.
AS Monaco basket took the second quarter by an impressive 18-point margin (27-9), and this display then set the tone for a dominant second-half as wins in both quarters (30-13 and 21-12) gave Mitrovic’s men a resounding 102-59 victory. Yakuba Outtara and Brock Motum this time the outstanding points scorers with 23 and 22 points respectively.
Keen to avoid over-analysis after two impressive weekend displays, Mitrovic succinctly summarised, without embellishment, his side’s performance after the match. “It was a very good collective display”.
The victories not only put them back in contention on both the domestic and European fronts, but the manner of them was an emphatic sign of strength that is sure to disturb their rivals.
 
 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basket 
 
 

Voxan presents new Wattman

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/11/2021

Voxan, owned by Monaco-based Venturi, has unveiled its new Wattman high-speed electric motorbike as it sets out to conquer even more world records with world champion Max Biaggi at the controls.

The Voxan Wattman was initially due to make its attempts on a Bolivian salt flat in July 2020, but the pandemic made travel impossible, and so it was on the runway at the Châteauroux airfield in France that the team broke 11 world speed records a year ago.

Asphalt proved to be an interesting surface, so the Wattman – modified accordingly – will continue its schedule on another strip. This time, the venue will be the Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, where, on Monday 15th November, the first ultra-high-speed tests got underway.

The Wattman is now under 300 kilos in weight, allowing it to compete in this category. The weight difference is primarily down to a new Voxan-Saft battery design, which is both mechanical and electric.

Saft, the French subsidiary of TotalEnergies, specialises particularly in high-performance, very high-power batteries. The pouch cells used make it possible to increase the batteries’ power by nearly 80 times, compared with around 10 times for standard products on the market. They are assembled in modules, enabling cooling to be managed with a recently patented process, resulting in an ultra-compact construction.

Photo credit: Voxan

The bike continues to rely on the Mercedes EQ Formula E powertrain, which delivers power of 320 kW (compared with 270 kW for the previous version) and offers torque of 1,360 Nm.

Other notable differences compared with the previous Wattman include the motorcycle’s dimensions: to improve stability and air penetration, the wheelbase has been increased to 1,957 mm (from 1,800 mm previously) and the seat height is now 685 mm (up from 610 mm). In the event of significant crosswinds, the team will now have the flexibility to add a fairing that cuts wind resistance.

As for the tyres, longstanding partner Michelin has worked on designs specifically tailored to this challenge. The front 120/70-17 is a tyre from the Michelin Power GP range, which has been modified to tolerate extremely high speeds. For the rear 190/55-17, Michelin has relied on technology that has been proven in MotoGP to develop a tyre with improved grip. The challenge was to channel all of the extraordinary torque delivered by the Wattman’s electric engine, allowing the motorcycle to accelerate as fast as possible without skidding.

Once the new Wattman is ready, further world record attempts will be made within the first six months of 2022. As they did last year, Max Biaggi and Voxan will seek to beat the clock with two types of motorcycles in two separate categories: “partially streamlined” (traditional sports bike) and “naked” (roadster with no streamlined elements).

SEE ALSO:

Voxan back on the world speed record trail

Gildo Pastor’s motorcycle team makes history books