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Best face scrub for smooth and glowing skin in India

Exfoliating your skin is a very important part of skincare. It helps in removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. <keyword id="975814" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Face-Scrubs">Face scrubs</keyword> are the best way to exfoliate your skin and here are some of the <keyword id="8136042" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="best-face-scrubs">best face scrubs</keyword> that you will absolutely love. <bulletContentEmbed name="B004X33GGA" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B004X33GGA_head"><div type="image" title="Top Pick" msid="80040719" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B004X33GGA</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B004X33GGA_body"><bulletContentRow name="B004X33GGA_4105984494511256"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Biotique Bio Papaya Revitalizing Tan Removal Scrub, 75g</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Living in a country like India, getting a tan is very normal. This scrub from Biotique is extremely beneficial and is a must have if you reside in extremely hot weather conditions. It is made up of 100% naturaI ingredients and revitalises, exfoliates and purifies your skin.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B004X33GGA_6002687273548636"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This is a unisex face scrub.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B00DRE0TDY" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B00DRE0TDY_head"><div type="image" title="Editor&amp;#39;s Pick" msid="80040751" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B00DRE0TDY</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B00DRE0TDY_body"><bulletContentRow name="B00DRE0TDY_8410817326906552"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Everyuth Naturals Exfoliating Walnut Scrub, 200gm, Tube</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Everyuth Naturals exfoliating walnut scrub is enriched with the goodness of real walnuts to fight against blemishes, pimples and skin damage. It is very easy to use and leaves a clean, clear and glowing after effect on your face. Get rid of your black heads, exfoliate your dead skin cells and revitalise your skin with this amazing scrub from Everyuth.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B00DRE0TDY_9002844628395961"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Suitable for all skin types.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B00791FF2Q" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B00791FF2Q_head"><div type="image" title="Popular Pick" msid="80040781" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B00791FF2Q</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B00791FF2Q_body"><bulletContentRow name="B00791FF2Q_7531550498036878"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Lotus Herbals White Glow Oatmeal And Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub, 100g</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This scrub from Lotus Herbals comes with the goodness of oatmeal &amp; yoghurt. The scrub helps in removing dirt and impurities from your face. It also helps in removing blackheads and whiteheads from your skin. It gives you a shining and glowing clear skin after using.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B00791FF2Q_6739145089833554"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Suitable for both men &amp; women.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B0762RDN8P" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B0762RDN8P_head"><div type="image" title="Must Have" msid="80040821" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B0762RDN8P</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B0762RDN8P_body"><bulletContentRow name="B0762RDN8P_3272651538993964"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Khadi Mauri Herbal Apricot Face Scrub Dead Skin Remover &amp; Revitalises Health, 210 Ml</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Khadi Mauri Herbal apricot face scrub has multiple benefits. This scrub helps in reducing wrinkles, removing blemishes &amp; blackheads as well as moisturising your skin. It exfoliates the dead skin, revitalises your skin and gives you the perfect glow. It also helps you to fight against skin infections.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B0762RDN8P_6571603588208808"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Made up of natural extracts and is free from harmful chemicals.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B07K4JWGV9" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07K4JWGV9_head"><div type="image" title="Also Consider" msid="80040895" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07K4JWGV9</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07K4JWGV9_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07K4JWGV9_0831439987546325"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">mCaffeine Naked &amp; Raw Coffee Face Scrub, 100 g | Vitamin E | Tan Removal | Oily/Normal Skin | Paraben &amp; SLS Free</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This face scrub from mCaffeine is enriched with the goodness of argan oil, vitamin-E, coffee, walnut and hibiscus. The scrub helps you to nourish and soften your skin. It also exfoliates and polishes your skin, making the skin smooth and providing a healthy glow to it. This face scrub helps to regenerate your face cells and prevents premature aging of your skin. Suitable for oily and normal skin types, it is a unisex face scrub.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07K4JWGV9_6155764330438461"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is cruelty &amp; paraben free.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B006LXAZ5U" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B006LXAZ5U_head"><div type="image" title="Best Alternative" msid="80040965" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B006LXAZ5U</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B006LXAZ5U_body"><bulletContentRow name="B006LXAZ5U_8225206028655443"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Lotus Herbals Apriscrub Fresh Apricot Scrub, 100g</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This scrub from Lotus Herbals comes with the goodness of walnut shell powder, glycerine, corn, cetyl alcohol &amp; calendula oil. It helps you to exfoliate your skin, remove dead skin cells and deeply cleanses the skin. This scrub nourishes &amp; restores the moisture of the skin.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B006LXAZ5U_1416406387194772"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Suitable for normal skin type.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed>

Best face scrubs

<ul><li>Dyson recently launched its most advanced vacuum cleaner V15 Detect, in India.</li><li>It is priced at ₹62,900, which makes it an expensive piece of tech, but it's also one of a kind.</li><li>It's a good investment, but you must be sure of your cleaning requirement as it has some caveats. Is it for you? Read the full review to find out.</li></ul>Dyson has launched another high-tech and high-priced vacuum cleaner in India. The latest machine is called <keyword id="14550029" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dyson-v15" source="Orion">Dyson V15</keyword> Detect and is touted as the most powerful and intelligent cordless vacuum cleaner to date; it better be as it's priced at a whopping ₹62,900, which makes it one of the most expensive cordless vacuum cleaners in the country. The vacuum cleaner is the most popular product from the company for its visually distinctive design, and it's been among the favorites of many ever since it debuted in India. Having used the previous models of the machine, I can say the functionality is also as good as the design. Although, I am not sure of its durability in Indian homes as I've never used them for more than a month or two. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 1" msid="93143385" hostid="261" sizebytes="277760" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Dyson V15 Detect still looks the same, but doesn&amp;#39;t feel old.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The V15 Detect has been with me for around a month, and so far, it's been a great experience using it. It is said to have 1.5 times more suction and 54% more bin capacity than the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. This means the suction is more powerful and can now store more debris in the bin. Why is the price so high? The price is not surprising for those aware of Dyson's products. As per the company, they usually carry a premium price tag for their design, service, and innovative technology. In addition, it has some great-sounding tech built inside, like a laser on the cleaning head to highlight microscopic dust particles, a sensor to track evidence of cleaning by gauging particle data, self-adjusting suction intensity, and a digital motor apart. All this in a good-looking cordless vacuum experience without compromising suction power. So I decided to test all of these features and see whether it does what it promises, and if yes, is it worth the premium? Design and build: Same futuristic laser blaster design <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 2" msid="93143451" hostid="261" sizebytes="190122" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The bin on the V15 Detect is larger than its predecessor.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>As I mentioned, the design is similar to the V11 Absolute Pro, with a slightly larger 0.75-liter bin and handheld unit weighing 3.1kg. Unfortunately, the weight takes away the ease of use; although I didn't have an issue, someone like my 55-year-old mother would not be able to run it for a long stretch. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 Detect" height="900" width="1200" msid="93143692" hostid="261" sizebytes="2066023"></div>The increased weight is also because it has got some significant upgrades on the inside over its predecessor. The most prominent one is the 230W motor which is more powerful than the V11. Further, an acoustic piezo sensor tells the amount and type of dust particles it picks on an LCD and the remaining battery run time. I couldn't verify the particle data, but the battery stats are reliable so far. The particle stats essentially tell how dirty the floor is before and after cleaning. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15" msid="93143588" hostid="261" sizebytes="1669657" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The click and attach mechanism for attachments is still the same as seen on V11 range.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The attachment mechanism remains the same. It has a simple click of a button to detach and insert to attach extensions and attachments. I really like this element of the Dyson design. Removing or adding parts to their products is a very satisfying experience and can quickly be done by anyone as it doesn't ask for added power or precision. That said, I faced some issues while opening the bin flap of its predecessor, which seems to be fixed on this one and is no longer flimsy. Although, it's still the exact push-to-eject mechanism as before. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 5" msid="93143776" hostid="261" sizebytes="1530850" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The dust sticks to the bin&amp;#39;s surface, which is why regular cleaning is a must.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The quality of the material is consistent across the vacuum and its attachments. It also has a detachable battery. That means you can invest in a spare battery and double the output. I miss a design feature on this machine: a lock switch for the power trigger. Right now, I must keep one finger on the button while using it. While not having a lock may avoid accidents, it's also tiring for some. So much so that I felt the need for it in just 15 minutes of cleaning. That's also because it's heavy. I'll have no discomfort putting one finger busy for long if this was a lighter machine. Attachments: Made to reach anywhere but not to scratch hard stains Unboxing Dyson's products is an inviting process, and repackaging them is a nightmare. Anyhow, it comes neatly packed in a box that has eight attachments. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 5" msid="93143945" hostid="261" sizebytes="80914" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Dyson V15 Detect&amp;#39;s packaing is neat.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>There are two main cleaning heads of all. The first is the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head with a soft brush bar meant to clean hard floors without damaging them. Note that this is the only one with the green laser and the one I used the most at my home, where there's a mix of marble and tile flooring. The laser projects a green beam in front of the cleaning head, exposing the microscopic dust particles on the floor. This particular feature is an addition to those obsessed with cleaning. I had a similar individual at my home, and trust me, they did not let the vacuum cleaner rest unless it died. Despite getting the floor cleaned with conventional 'jhadu and pochha' (broom and mop) in the afternoon, this laser showed a floor full of fine dust after a few hours. What's better is that you can clean floors even in the dark. Imagine someone with a habit of compulsive cleaning having this at home - they're going to have one arm more muscular than the other. Jokes aside, this feature not just wants you to clean more but also shows how dirty the floors are even when not visible to the naked eye. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 6" msid="93144434" hostid="261" sizebytes="1757057" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The fluffy laser cleaner head is very effective on hard floor.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The other cleaning head is the High-Torque, which is noisier and more powerful against bigger particles, hair, and rigid surfaces. It also has a layer of polycarbonate teeth which also scratches and collects soiled dust. A miniature version of this cleaning head, the Hair Screw Tool, is designed for smaller tasks that the High-Torque can't reach. But I noticed a few scratches on its bottom after cleaning my wooden cupboard, which is a letdown. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 7" msid="93144459" hostid="261" sizebytes="1298159" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In a weird incident, the Hair Screw Tool got scratched after I used it on wood.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Both the cleaning heads are movable, so you don't have to lift and change the cleaning path. Instead, you can tilt it to either side to turn the head in different directions. In addition, it comes with four more attachments that allow it to reach tight spaces like gaps between sofas, keyboards, cars, under the bed, and similar. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 Detect comes with seven attachments, each for different purposes." msid="93144498" hostid="261" sizebytes="90400"></div>Lastly, you get a wall mount to make a stand for the machine and a storage clip that lets you attach two accessories to the extension tube’s barrel. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 8" msid="93144559" hostid="261" sizebytes="1974179" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You get a storage clip that lets you attach two accessories to the extension tube’s barrel.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>These attachments cover most of the cleaning needs. But it can't mop, and that's a need in typical Indian households. It also fails to remove dry stains on the floor. So be clear that this tool can remove dust from every corner of your house but not wipe the floor. Maintenance: Easy to keep clean and working The Dyson V15 Detect doesn't really need a lot of maintenance, but there are a few things you need to clean periodically. Dirt compartment- It is easy to clean; you just have to empty it and then wash it once in a while so that it doesn't collect debris in the corners. You might need to use a brush or a cloth to clean it. Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head roll- It comes with a soft brush roll made of a material that will need regular cold water. The laser sensor will also need cleaning if you use it regularly. High Torque brush roll- You can detach the brush rolls by removing the side cover using a coin. Then slide out the brush roll to clear debris or hair without damaging the bristles. HEPA filter- The HEPA filter is found on the top of the handheld unit, right below the LCD. It can be removed by twisting the purple head anti-clockwise. Like the fluffy brush roll, this must be washed under cold water when the machine indicates it. Make sure to put it back after drying it, and it's fixed properly. Performance: It sucks so well that it blows away every other cordless alternative This is where the Dyson V15 Detect shuts down the alternates and wins even at a higher price. After using it, I can confidently say that its only competition in terms of performance is a Dyson vacuum cleaner. The Indian market is still short of its alternatives; an advantage Dyson is leveraging. I shifted to a new house in the first week of July, and guess who did most of the cleaning? This machine. I got a chance to use it on hard floors, small carpets, sofas, mattresses, car, and cupboards, and I'm pretty impressed with how quickly and easily it cleans all types of places and surfaces. The cleaning heads do a brilliant job. Especially the laser head is great at picking up microscopic dust. Pass it through the floor once, and it's all gone. Check the image below. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 9" msid="93144617" hostid="261" sizebytes="1558591" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vacuumed area vs normal floor condition hidden from human eye. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Even the intensity of suction changing with the floor and dust type is impressively accurate. You get to feel the heaviness and release while sweeping through the floor. Overall, it is the best vacuum cleaner for cleaning efficiency and ease. But as I mentioned, it doesn't mop, and it doesn't scrub stains off the surfaces. Charging and battery life The first bummer after paying almost ₹63K for a vacuum cleaner is that it takes five hours to charge from 0-100%. That's a common issue with cordless vacuum cleaners. And with all that suction power, it only cleans for an hour in the best possible case. Put it on a thick carpet, which will come down to 40 minutes on 'Eco' mode. <div type="image" title="Dyson V15 10" msid="93144682" hostid="261" sizebytes="1582781" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;LCD displays the suction modes. Auto is best for most requirements.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>It has three modes- Eco, Auto, and Boost. Eco mode is the most power efficient and provides light suction, which is suitable for tile and marble floors. Auto mode adjusts the suction power as needed to give you a balance of cleaning and battery efficiency. And Boost mode uses the full force of the machine and offers lesser battery backup. With a mixed-use on a marble floor, mattresses, and others, I got around 43 minutes in Eco mode, 19 minutes in Auto mode, and 11 minutes in Boost mode. If you have a big house requiring over an hour of cleaning, buying an additional battery is best. Should you buy it? The high price of this vacuum cleaner strikes off a large chunk of the customer base for a market like India. However, that doesn't take away the utility of this machine and makes it a superb vacuum cleaner for those who want to make cleaning easy and need one solution for most cleaning needs. Its powerful suction and ability to detect and remove microscopic dust are unmatched. Additionally, pet owners will find this extremely useful to pull their hair from carpets, sofas, and other surfaces. Don't buy it if you're expecting to mop and if you have a large house, as it dies in under an hour and takes close to five hours to charge. Unless, of course, you are okay with investing in an extra battery. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/rapido-ceo-unicorn-india-invest-in-windo-that-is-helping-small-businesses-take-their-business-online/articleshow/93139058.cms">Rapido CEO, Unicorn India Ventures invest in social commerce startup Windo</a>w <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/unclaimed-deposits-after-10-years-will-be-transferred-to-education-and-awareness-fund-as-per-rbi/articleshow/93137699.cms">RBI wants depositors to act on unclaimed deposits</a>

Dyson V15 Detect review: The best just got better, but at a premium

<ul><li>The <keyword id="1229083" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Beauty-Industry">beauty industry</keyword> in India, projected to be worth $20 billion by 2025, was one of the sectors whose path was redefined during the coronavirus pandemic.</li><li>With people staying away from <keyword id="41857" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="salons">salons</keyword>, quick home solutions became important.</li><li>The future of the beauty industry has got a digital push with the pandemic but it might not be enough for a behavioural change.</li></ul>Gone are the days of weekend pampering sessions at the spa or salons. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the face of the beauty industry. From the parlour waali aunties and posh salons, the situation has changed with at-home services ruling the roost now. The beauty industry in India, projected to be worth <a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/business-of-brands/indias-cosmetics-market-to-grow-by-25-to-20-billion-by-2025/62845033">$20 billion</a> by 2025, was one of the sectors whose path was redefined during the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown led to salons shutting down, and even as they began reopening in phases, the situation remains cautious. Work from home and lack of social gatherings meant lesser business for the salons. Also, people remain wary regarding the safety of getting any beauty procedures done outside. Here’s what worked in the beauty industry So, the beauty industry has settled for the simpler things – people took to self-grooming as they spent time at home. In a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuv6pwL9tbA&amp;t=106s&amp;ab_channel=GoldmanSachs">YouTube chat,</a> Janki Gandhi, Managing Director, Consumer retail investment banking division, Cross Markets Group, <keyword id="6361649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Goldman-Sachs">Goldman Sachs</keyword> said that the categories that did well globally were skin, hair and personal care. “Even within those, it's really subcategories that are more health and wellness oriented, self-care where people finally have time at home have gravitated towards those categories,” she said during the chat. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Skincare </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hair </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Personal Care </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Green, clean natural products </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hair colouring and hair care </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">DIY products, bath and body wash products </td></tr></tbody></table> Even products that one can use while wearing a mask – eyeliner, concealers, mascara saw a steady demand through the global lockdown phases, she said while adding that heavy make-up products saw a slowdown as people weren’t going anywhere. “Certain categories have been reinvigorated during this time like nail, grooming and devices,” she said. Beauty e-commerce during lockdown In the last one year the <keyword id="2902598" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="beauty-and-wellness">beauty and wellness</keyword> category in e-commerce has been one of the fastest growing sectors. “Beauty &amp; wellness is one sector that has witnessed an unprecedented order volume growth of over 130% as compared to the last year. This is more than six times the overall e-commerce growth,” said a report by Unicommerce on India’s online retail market. That explains the fast rise of beauty retail <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> like Nykaa, which has solidified an online as well as offline presence. The beauty e-commerce platform has also announced major sales and forayed into the home and travel care essentials category during the past few months. “We have seen favorable trends in customer buying behavior including higher AOVs (average order volumes) as customers are willing to spend more on platforms such as Nykaa. While personal care is growing for us, we are seeing an overall return in demand across traditional categories such as make up and are currently tracking higher than pre-lockdown numbers,” a Nykaa spokesperson told Business Insider. At home, Do-It-Yourself With people staying away from salons, quick home solutions became important. As non-essential deliveries began, trimmers and grooming devices saw a surge in demand across e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and Paytm Mall. The beauty and wellness category has seen a 57% jump in demand in June 2020 as compared to February 2020, according to the Unicommerce report. From women resorting to YouTube tutorials to cut their hair to taking care of their own beauty needs, DIY kits are the flavour of the season. “In our case things came back to business-as-usual on the skincare and haircare fronts. People were ordering a lot more of specialist solutions, face packs, scrubs and creams. Our skin care kits are seeing excellent demand. These have always been about DIY skin care at home, and therefore ideally suited in a "locked down" environment,” said Shankar Prasad, Founder of beauty and wellness startup Plum. And for those not indulging in DIY, home services came to the rescue. Even in men’s grooming, after months of growing out their hair, men's haircuts become the most in-demand service for a home services startup Urban Company. “Relatively speaking, men’s grooming people tried DIY, but cutting your hair is fairly problematic so its rebounding faster and that category has grown five times from where we were pre-COVID, but their consumption in beauty beyond that is limited,” said Mukund Kulashekaran, SVP of Business, Urban Company. For women, Kulashekaran says its a mixed response as the main trigger for demand has been the need to go back to office or festivals. “Otherwise people will make-do for sometime with alternative versions of waxing for instance. I would say one in two women are being safe even now. However, Delhi has come back for us to 70-80% of pre-COVID levels while Tier II and III cities, which haven’t yet really seen the impact of COVID-19, have bounced back 100%,” he said. The future – Will we go to the salon? As salons open up and pictures of beauticians wearing full gear – PPE kits, face shields, and masks, trend on social media — the question remains, whether people find it safe to venture out. Experts believe that while at-home solutions will continue to reign supreme for another year, it's too short a time to change behaviour. And people will turn to stylists soon. “Making yourself look good is not an easy task. There’s a reason why people have been opting to go to stylists over the years. As soon as aspects of socialization come back, people will go back to salons or ordering services at home. In the near future, consumption will remain low but I don’t see people replacing it,” said Kulashekaran. And when it comes to the sale of beauty products, companies will have to look at an omnichannel strategy as especially with beauty products people would want to try before buying – it’s very experiential. “COVID-19 has accelerated the jump to digital buying by a few years. This kind of push has made people somewhat agnostic to where they are buying their products from. It will be interesting to see how brick and mortar plays into this omnichannel strategy,” said Gandhi in the Goldman Sachs chat. M&amp;A activities will grow From a business perspective, mergers and acquisitions in the beauty industry too are set to grow. The Goldman Sachs exec said that globally companies are aggressively pursuing opportunities in the space, which will help them modernise their business and become category leaders, technology-driven, or tap into a new market. In India too, deal activity has been seen in the beauty and wellness category. Earlier,the beauty marketplace MyGlamm had acquired the Priyanka Gill-led startup PopXO. Most recently, Lotus Herbals acquired the whole business of the startup SoulTree. “We have been scanning the market for a premium certified organic Ayurvedic brand that resonates with modern consumers and SoulTree checked all the boxes,” said Nitin Passi, Joint Managing Director of Lotus Herbals. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/stack-overflow-is-using-its-85-million-to-boost-teams-and-it-wants-to-use-it-to-crack-the-india-market/articleshow/77972020.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Stack Overflow is using its $85 million to boost Teams — and it wants to use it to crack the India market</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/india-overtakes-brazil-to-become-the-second-worst-hit-covid-19-nation/articleshow/77971312.cms">India overtakes Brazil to become the second worst-hit COVID-19 nation</a>

COVID-19 and the changing face of the business of beauty — from sanitized salons to DIY kits and acquisitions

Going by its very name, <keyword id="2354181" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disruptive-innovation">disruptive innovation</keyword> creates new markets and value networks – eventually replacing the earlier ones. The western concept of disruptive innovation is all about the replacement of an existing product or technology by an improved or new product. And the mantra is – disrupt or be disrupted. But in her article in The New Yorker titled The Disruptive Machine: What the gospel of innovation gets wrong, Jill Lepore questions this overboard obsession in the tech and business world of America. 
 
William H. Saito, founder and CEO of Intecur, K.K., aptly describes the western thought and attitude to disruptive innovation, saying that the “real genius lies in inventing something that shakes up the world and shatters the status quo. We instinctively prefer sensational, disruptive innovation because it catches our attention and it reflects the qualities in both the individual and the organisation that we admire most.” 
 
In the Indian context, disruptive innovation follows the basic principle, but it starts out as a cheaper alternative of a strategy and targets a market segment (the lower end) ignored by existing leading brands. 
 
Technological advances, open global markets and the media have made Indian consumers product and price savvy. Now they make their choice based on their requirements and at the pricing they are comfortable with. 
 
In turn, Indian companies and brands have become and will have to become more flexible in adopting a disruptive innovation mindset to reach out to the vast and growing cost-conscious lower-end markets. After all, Indian consumers want best value for their money. 
 One of the earliest instances of disruptive innovation in India was Nirma detergent powder. Its aim was to replace the ‘washing soap bars’ and offer a product at an affordable cost. Detergent powders make washing easier as soaping and scrubbing will be no longer required. With Nirma hitting the market, this need was fulfilled. Introduced in 1969 at Rs 3.50 per kg against <keyword id="6633666" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hindustan-Lever">Hindustan Lever</keyword>’s upmarket Surf, priced at Rs 15 per kg, Nirma soon became a household name all over India. 
 
To counter Nirma’s disruptive threat, Hindustan Lever had to rethink its marketing strategy and in 1987, launched its popular washing bar soap brand Wheel in powder form at an affordable price. Wheel now tops the HUL brands, with sales well over Rs 2,000 crore. 
 Similarly, <keyword id="1301553" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chik-shampoo">Chik shampoo</keyword> came to the market in 1999 with shampoo sachets costing just 50 paisa each. The shampoo came in a wide range of fragrances and was directly advertised across the rural and the urban target segments. The product managed to capture its target markets and once again Hindustan Lever, the giant, was humbled and had to counter the disruptive threat from Chik. Now every outlet, from a high-end air-conditioned department store to the corner shop, sells shampoo sachets of all brands, including the top ones. 
 
Godrej wanted to tap 80% of India’s population who needed refrigerators but could not afford the conventional ones, either because of financial constraints or because of lack of power supply. The 116-year-old brand introduced ChotuKool at less than Rs 4,000. ChotuKool is based on a thermoelectric chip and runs on 12 volt direct current (DC) or an external battery. 
 
Godrej adopted a cost-effective and profitable marketing system through the Indian Postal Department, self-help groups, women, small-scale entrepreneurs and so on. The company has not only created a commercially disruptive innovation but also a social one. 
 
India has also taken disruptive innovation to the very root – in terms of education. IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Gandhinagar was started four years ago as part of the Indian government’s plan to create over 1,000 universities. From the very beginning, it went beyond the usual book-learning concept and focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and building economic value. It planned to educate and enable its students to be part of the global innovation economy. It has a well-qualified and motivated teaching faculty who is also part of the innovation programme. 
 
IIT Gandhinagar may very well disrupt the Ivy League destinations and the US could face tough competition from such educational institutions in the near future. 
 However, it is the mobile phone segment that has given us the most popular disruptive innovation. Indian manufacturers such as <keyword id="71696" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Micromax">Micromax</keyword> and Karbonn realised the potential of cost-effective mobile phones and introduced the affordable smartphones, mostly imported from China. Nokia did not perceive the disruptive threat and the Indian manufacturers evolved into successful brands. 
 
Another area of manufacturing disruption is the automobiles industry. The advent of Maruti in 1983 in the Indian automobile space was one of the biggest disruptive innovations and was a threat to the established brands, such as Ambassador and Premier Padmini. Maruti 800 was designed appealingly, was sleek and compact, fuel efficient, had Japanese technology and was relatively cheap. It soon became an Indian icon and also provided more brand choices to the Indian consumers. 
 
In India, social disruptive innovation has always been a priority. Former HCL Technologies CEO, Vineet Nayar, founded the non-profit Sampark Foundation by selling his HCL shares. The foundation works in several areas, such as water conservation and efficient and more profitable use of available resources. 
 
The value of disruptive innovation in India is not limited to mere profits; it is more about reforms and socio-economic developments. Disruptive innovation opens up untapped markets, creating increased growth. Plus, it benefits the customer. It has immense value, provides better quality of life and ensures a more content and responsible citizenry.

India’s Theory Of Disruptive Innovation Is Simple And Cheap

<ul class="summary-list"><li>For centuries, watermelon has been used alongside negative imagery of Black Americans.</li><li>Watermelon was first seen as a demeaning symbol in the 19th century when freed Black Americans became merchants and sold the fruit.</li></ul>For centuries, Black Americans have had to endure painful watermelon stereotypes. That hasn't changed in recent years.In May 2022, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/photo-posted-online-6-florida-middle-schoolers-holding-letters-spell-s-rcna29806">NBC reported</a> that six Florida middle-schoolers posted a photo of themselves on social media holding up a letter to spell out a racial slur, sparking outrage in the community. One letter appeared to be shaped like a watermelon.In 2014 political cartoonist Jerry Holbert designed <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/politics/boston-herald-cartoon">a comic of then-President Barack Obama</a> using watermelon-flavored toothpaste for the Boston Herald.At the<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/11/20/daniel-handler-lemony-snicket-watermelon-joke-national-book-awards/70022100/"> National Book Awards in 2014</a>, author Daniel Handler — perhaps best known by his pseudonym Lemony Snicket — joked about Jacqueline Woodson's watermelon allergy after she won an award that night for her book "Brown Girl Dreaming." Handler quipped that he'd write about "a Black girl being allergic to watermelon," as long as he had consent from Black icons like Toni Morrison, Cornel West, and then-President Barack Obama. Woodson responded eloquently and emotively to the remark in her 2014 New York Times op-ed, "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/29/opinion/the-pain-of-the-watermelon-joke.html">The Pain of the Watermelon Joke</a>": "By making light of that deep and troubled history, [Handler] showed that he believed we were at a point where we could laugh about it all." Woodson wrote. "His historical context, unlike my own, came from a place of ignorance."<h2>The origins of watermelon</h2>Although stereotypes about the fruit are primarily associated with the American South and Black American culture, the fruit's vines <a href="https://lab.plant-humanities.org/watermelon/">stem all the way back</a> to the African continent. The origins of watermelon can be dated back approximately 6,000 years ago when it was domesticated throughout Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and Kenya. Enjoyed by royalty like the Egyptian King Tutankhamen, watermelon soon made it to Rome and Greece, later becoming cultivated in Spain after the Arab conquest.Ancient Greeks praised watermelon for its <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalgeographic.com%2Fhistory%2Farticle%2F150821-watermelon-fruit-history-agriculture">healing and restorative properties</a>, and prescribed them to people as a diuretic and to children as treatment for heatstroke.<a href="https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2020/7/watermelon-DT/">By the 7th century</a> watermelon had made its way to India, and by the 10th century, it could be found in China. It is thought that it wasn't until the late 16th century and early 17th century that watermelon was introduced to the Americas through European colonists and through the transatlantic slave trade from Africa. Thomas Jefferson's <a href="https://www.monticello.org/house-gardens/center-for-historic-plants/twinleaf-journal-online/african-american-gardens-at-monticello/">gardens at Monticello</a> were known to have grown the fruit.By the mid-to-late 19th century, watermelon began to become racialized. Around the time of the Civil War, negative descriptions about African American watermelon-eaters started becoming more prominent. According to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26381503?read-now=1&amp;seq=5#page_scan_tab_contents">researcher William R. Black</a>, enslaved people would sometimes negotiate informal contracts with their owners to cultivate and sell their own crops on designated plots of land on the plantations they worked on. As watermelons were easy to grow, they became a popular choice. Black quotes one former enslaved person as saying, "We never had our own gardens, but we had small watermelon patches."<h2>'A taste of freedom'</h2>Post-emancipation after the Civil War ended, newly freed African Americans continued to grow watermelons and sold them to generate income for themselves. "Newly emancipated Africans employed their farming and entrepreneur abilities to produce and sell items like watermelon and the like," Howard University Afro American Studies lecturer Dr. Jo Von McCalester told Insider. "Personal gardens and their ability to sell its goods after completing their obligations, fostered a taste of freedom driven by their own efforts and on their own terms."However, this new economic model upset some former slave owners in the South, who were angered that formerly subjugated African Americans had carved out a lucrative business niche for themselves and were enjoying the fruits of their labor."This air of freedom among those formerly enslaved further humiliated Southern whites," Dr. McCalester said. "The sheer audacity for Freed Africans to persevere in spite of their deplorable action, caused the concerted effort and sharp response of Southern whites to create a racist trope around the fruit and freed Africans."<h2>Smear campaigns</h2>Throughout the Jim Crow era, smear campaigns involving African Americans eating watermelon began to be spread, partially as a form of bigotry, but also as an attempt to squash African American businesses. Ads and ephemera used images of African Americans "stealing, fighting over, or sitting in streets eating watermelon," in an effort to "shame Black watermelon merchants," according to the <a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/popular-and-pervasive-stereotypes-african-americans">National Museum of African American History and Culture</a>.Degrading African Americans by way of watermelon also acted as a ploy to derail Black people from gaining and sustaining positions of power."By associating the fruit with ideas like ignorance, uncleanliness, and laziness, refusing to accept their participation in society, politics, business, etc., is viewed as justified," Dr. McCalester said."Their consumption of watermelon was an outward expression of their inward inferiority."Movies like the 1915 film "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebtiJH3EOHo">The Birth of a Nation</a>" aided in cementing the watermelon stereotype with their "watermelon feast" scene. The film portrayed Black people being coaxed by white Northerners to quit working and eat watermelon after emancipation, implying that free Black people were going to be burdensome workers in America.In 1941, Universal Pictures released "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UacUR7bPnMM">Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat</a>," an animated film that inhumanely distorted Blackness, reiterating racist notions that all Black people do is laze around and jig while over-indulging in watermelon in lieu of laboring.<div type="image" title="Harmful caricature illustrating the watermelon stereotype" height="461" width="615" msid="95493298" hostid="261" sizebytes="22152"></div><h2>Caricatures persist into the 20th century</h2><a href="https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/2008/may.htm">The Jim Crow museum</a> at Ferris State University holds countless memorabilia illustrating exaggerated and dehumanizing examples of the watermelon stereotype."The museum has dozens of three dimensional objects showing African Americans eating watermelons, including banks, ashtrays, toys, firecrackers, cookie jars, match holders, dolls, souvenirs, doorstops, lawn jockeys, and novelty objects," according to Ferris State University. "These objects not only show Blacks lustily eating watermelons but often portray African Americans in physically caricatured ways: hideous faces, over-sized bright red lips, darting eyes, and ragged clothing.""The stigma associated with dark skin, oversized smiles, and red lips eating watermelon, has caused so many to socialize younger generations to steer clear of the fruit, Dr. McCalester said. "The backlash and perception of being associated with the fruit can even be seen contemporarily, even if Black People don't fully understand the historic implications of consuming the fruit."

How the watermelon stereotype came to be weaponized against Black Americans

<ul><li>Starting October, users will need to re-authenticate their net banking/card/unified <keyword id="6359540" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="payments" source="Orion">payments</keyword> interface (UPI) details as per the new format, and validate it with a one-time password, to continue their <keyword id="7567986" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="auto-debit" source="Orion">auto-debit</keyword> transactions.</li><li>The development comes as <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> introduced an additional factor of authentication for all <keyword id="8009153" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="recurring-transactions" source="Orion">recurring transactions</keyword> in August 2019.</li><li>Even as the RBI’s new guidelines help make payments more secure for customers, there are likely to be short-term challenges as banks will see a sudden rise in authenticating e-mandates.</li></ul> As the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) guidelines for auto-debit transactions kick-in from October 1, those having online subscriptions, or other recurring payments such as phone bills, utility bills and rent are likely to face short-term pain as the banking regulator looks to impose <keyword id="1592017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="two-factor-authentication" source="Orion">two-factor authentication</keyword> on all such transactions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Here’s what will change" comment="subhead" text="Here’s what will change">Here’s what will change</cmsannotation> Starting October, users will need to re-authenticate their net banking/card/unified payments interface (UPI) details as per the new format, and validate it with a one-time password, on all such platforms to continue their auto-debit transactions below ₹5,000. Whereas all transactions above ₹5,000 will require a further additional link for authentication, as they are not eligible for e-mandate-based recurring transactions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Why the change?" comment="subhead" text="Why the change?">Why the change?</cmsannotation> The development comes as RBI introduced an additional factor of authentication for all recurring transactions in August 2019. The <a href="https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=11668">guidelines </a>require users to opt for an e-mandate facility through a one-time registration process, which can only be successful once the user validates using an OTP, besides entering their bank/card/UPI details. Users will also get an option to pause, modify or cancel their recurring transactions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How will it work?" comment="subhead" text="How will it work?">How will it work?</cmsannotation> An e-mandate is a standing instruction initiated by the RBI and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that allows businesses to collect recurring payments of up to ₹5,000. These mandates can be directly set up through a net banking transaction from merchant websites. For example, if a user is signing up for a <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> subscription via an e-mandate, he or she can schedule all monthly payments through a one-time authentication. <div type="image" title="From Oct, what will change" msid="86655011" hostid="261"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What experts say?" comment="subhead" text="What experts say?">What experts say?</cmsannotation> What this essentially means is that one will have to re-authenticate all their subscriptions and recurring payments once again starting October, without which the payment to the merchant (say, Netflix) will fail, said Mandar Kagade, founder and principal at Black Dot Public Policy Advisors. “The onus of re-authentication and grievance redressal falls on issuing banks, which would need to have their systems prepared as customers may see failed payments or issues with authentication via OTPs. Since so many e-mandates would need to be set up on the same day, it is likely that we will see a non-trivial number of failures,” he said. Even as the RBI’s new guidelines help make payments more secure for customers, there are likely to be short-term challenges as banks will see a sudden rise in authenticating e-mandates, said Srinath Sridharan, member of governance council at Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE). “October is going to be a critical month because there will be multi-fold challenges in processing such payments, starting from the tremendous pressure on bank servers due to spike in bulk OTP messages, which would need to be sent to consumers for setting up their e-mandates, to addressing disputes emanating from failures in such authentication,” he said. Further, banks will increasingly need to depend on fintech companies to help them handle such large volumes of e-mandates that will come through October, he said. “Most banks will have to depend on fintech companies to make this processing possible, which are much better equipped to assist banks in processing e-mandates for recurring transactions,” he said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="If not manually, how else can I set up e-mandates for all my recurring payments?" comment="subhead" text="If not manually, how else can I set up e-mandates for all my recurring payments?">If not manually, how else can I set up e-mandates for all my recurring payments?</cmsannotation> Customers who do not want to make all their recurring payments manually can either set up auto-pay using the net banking facility, or do it through online <keyword id="6420963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bill-payment" source="Orion">bill payment</keyword> companies. Fintech companies such as BillDesk, Citibank’s Billpay, ICICI Bank’s Mandate Hub and Yes Bank’s PayNow allow users to set up auto-pay e-mandates, while others such as PayU's Zion and Razorpay’s Mandate HQ enable banks to automate recurring transactions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="More pain for banks and telecom operators" comment="subhead" text="More pain for banks and telecom operators">More pain for banks and telecom operators</cmsannotation> “The usual retail consumer traffic increases over the weekend, which means every time a customer tries to re-authenticate their recurring payment, the bank will have to send out OTPs, and those banks that are not well-equipped or have not adequately invested in integrating their servers, will face a lot of challenges,” said Sridharan. In March, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had to roll back its norms on commercial text messages, which required ‘scrubbing’ of text messages by telecom providers, to protect customers from spams. However, once implemented, many customers took to social media to complain about not receiving OTPs for transactional messages such as for banking and e-commerce. “As each of these banks start pushing out bulk messages, the traffic from bank servers to authenticate transactions will suddenly increase. Hopefully, the user banks are ready with technology preparedness and SoPs (standard operating procedures) for this. And more importantly, all industry stakeholders should be geared to address consumer concerns, and to ensure that the customer call centres and other touch points are ready for handling both queries and speedy redressal of grievances,” said Sridharan. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/meesho-raises-more-than-half-a-billion-dollars-in-the-fourth-biggest-funding-round-this-year/articleshow/86636161.cms">Meesho raises more than half a billion dollars in the fourth biggest funding round this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/vedantu-the-last-and-biggest-rival-of-byjus-has-finally-entered-the-unicorn-club/articleshow/86614637.cms">Vedantu, the last and biggest rival of Byju’s, has finally entered the unicorn club</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tata-powers-stock-gains-on-transformation-towards-renewable-energy/articleshow/86640268.cms">Tata Power wants to break up with coal and investors love it</a>

From Netflix and Hotstar to Airtel to Jio bills, brace for surprises as RBI’s guidelines on auto-debit transactions kick in from October 1

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Healthcare workers on the front lines of the world's <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> response are being attacked, hit with rocks, sprayed with bleach, kicked out of their homes, spit on, and denied rides to work.</li><li>The World Health Organization said in April there were more than 35 "serious" incidents, in 11 countries. </li><li>"Sometimes this happens because of misunderstanding and lack of information and education," the WHO's Mike Ryan said. "And then other times, this is senseless acts of violence and discrimination." </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Even as healthcare workers are being applauded as coronavirus <a href="https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/national-nurses-day-not-all-heroes-wear-capes/">heroes without capes</a>, they're also getting attacked and hurt, even rendered homeless, for being on the frontlines of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> response and caring for sick people. In the Philippines, a nurse on his way to the hospital was <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/attacked-underpaid-filippino-nurses-battle-virus-200402010303902.html">hit in the face with bleach</a>, while others have been splashed <a href="https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/03/30/doh-vows-to-investigate-reports-of-harassment-discrimination-against-health-care-workers/">with chlorine</a>. Healthcare workers in India who were wearing their <a href="https://twitter.com/Anurag_Dwary/status/1245546299002204161">scrubs in the street</a> had stones hurled their way, as they ran for cover.Many nurses in Mexico have simply stopped wearing their uniforms while commuting to work for fear of attack, and Australian healthcare workers have been told not to wear their scrubs in public anymore, after <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-05/nsw-nurses-midwives-abused-during-coronavirus-pandemic/12123216">some were spat on and assaulted</a>."I have worn my nurse's uniform for 27 years with great pride – as do doctors," Fabiana Zepeda, the head of nursing for the Mexican Social Security Institute <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/mexico-health-workers-attacked-covid-19-fears">told reporters in April</a>. "But today we are taking off our uniforms because we don't want to be injured." The violence against healthcare workers is not limited to Mexico, Australia, India, or the Philippines. "Just in April alone, we've noted more than 35 incidents in over 11 countries," the World Health Organization Executive Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan said during a press conference on Wednesday, characterizing the attacks the WHO has logged around the globe recently as "quite serious sort of events." "COVID-19 is bringing out the best in us, but it's also bringing out some of the worst," Ryan said.Some hospitals in China are now teaching healthcare workers self-defense, <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2020/05/11/health-workers-become-unexpected-targets-during-covid-19">the Economist</a> recently reported. <div type="image" title="frontline nurse italy coronavirus" height="2656" width="3541" msid="75746368" hostid="261"></div>Even as people <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-people-cities-cheering-healthcare-workers-windows-rooftops-same-time-2020-4">open their windows and stand on their balconies</a> to cheer on healthcare workers each night, some nurses and doctors in the US have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-workers-coronavirus-challenges-housing-apartments-2020-4">kicked out of their homes by landlords</a> who fear they might spread the virus to others in their buildings. At least one street vendor in the Philippines had a written sign refusing to serve their food to hospital workers, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/attacked-underpaid-filippino-nurses-battle-virus-200402010303902.html">Al Jazeera</a> reported, and many healthcare workers now have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/coronavirus-doctors-nurses-attack-mexico-ivory-coast/2020/04/08/545896a0-7835-11ea-a311-adb1344719a9_story.html">trouble getting a ride to work</a>, because rideshare drivers and buses are scared to pick them up. Some have started using bikes and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/young-doctors-struggle-to-treat-coronavirus-patients-we-are-horrified-and-scared-11588171553">scooters</a> to get to their jobs."People are feeling empowered to take out their frustrations on individuals who are purely trying to help, and help communities," Ryan said. "I think we have to be sensitive to the fact that sometimes this happens because of misunderstanding and lack of information and education. And then other times, this is senseless acts of violence and discrimination." It's <a href="https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2020/01/14/a-call-to-end-violent-attacks-on-health-workers-and-health-facilities">not the first time</a> that healthcare workers have been seen as vectors of disease, and used as vehicles to weaponize people's fears about infection.At least seven <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/11/28/783582331/it-was-unmistakably-a-directed-attack-4-ebola-workers-killed-in-congo">healthcare workers treating ebola patients were murdered in 2018 and 2019.</a> Healthcare workers giving out polio vaccines in Pakistan, hoping to eradicate that disease from the Earth once and for all, have also been <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/AETmcEnXRC/polio_the_final_battle">attacked and killed</a>. "We beg those people who have attacked doctors and nurses to reconsider," Zepeda said. "We could end up saving your lives."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-workers-treating-coronavirus-assaulted-left-homeless-bleached-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

WHO: Healthcare workers are being attacked with rocks and bleach for treating coronavirus patients. Some have stopped wearing uniforms to stay safe.

Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Thursday.<ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-sign-executive-order-on-social-media-after-twitter-spat-2020-5">Trump will sign an executive order 'pertaining to social media' on Thursday, shortly after he accused Twitter of squashing free speech</a>. Legal experts have expressed doubt that Trump has the legal authority to regulate social media companies in the way he has threatened, citing free speech protections.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-dorsey-responds-criticism-for-fact-check-labels-trump-tweets-2020-5">Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded to criticism after a dustup over adding fact-check labels to Trump's tweets</a>. Dorsey explained that the fact-checking links were meant to help users "connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-nasa-astronaut-launch-weather-delayed-to-saturday-2020-5">SpaceX's launch of NASA astronauts was scrubbed and rescheduled for Saturday because of poor weather, just 17 minutes before liftoff</a>. Weather conditions, including thunderstorm clouds and a threat of lightning strikes, made the skies unsafe for liftoff, forcing NASA and SpaceX to delay the historic launch.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/arizona-sues-google-over-alleged-illegal-phone-location-data-tracking-2020-5">Arizona sued Google over claims it illegally collected location data from smartphone users even after they opted out</a>. The lawsuit claims Google violated Arizona's consumer fraud laws by tracking users' locations even when they had disabled location tracking settings and demands Google repay any money it made as a result.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/huawei-cfo-loses-key-aspect-of-us-extradition-case-in-canada-court-2020-5">The US may be able to put a Huawei executive on trial after a Canadian court ruled she could be extradited, escalating tensions with China</a>. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, has lost a key aspect of the trial on her extradition to the United States.</li><li><a href="https://deadline.com/2020/05/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-avoid-harm-censorship-1202944403/">Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has said the platform's policing should be limited to preventing users from "imminent harm</a>." At a virtual shareholder meeting the social media giant's founder said the platform continues to police hate speech that dehumanizes and incites violence, Deadline reported.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-is-facing-antitrust-scrutiny-in-india-over-google-pay-2020-5">Google is facing antitrust scrutiny in India for unfairly promoting its Google Pay app over competitors</a>. India's antitrust body is said to be investigating whether Google abused its market position and unfairly promoted its mobile payments app.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-hbo-max-not-available-on-roku-amazon-fire-tv-2020-5?op=1">HBO Max's lack of Roku and Amazon support casts a big shadow over its launch day</a>. HBO Max launched on Wednesday, but isn't available for Roku and Amazon, the two biggest streaming distribution platforms with a combined 70% market share.</li><li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-27/apple-buys-machine-learning-startup-to-improve-data-used-in-siri">Apple has bought machine learning startup Inductiv to improve data used in Siri</a>. Inductiv, from Ontario, Canada, will work on machine learning and data science for Apple and is the latest in a string of AI acquisitions from the iPhone maker in recent years, Bloomberg reported. </li><li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52819648">Drone firm Zipline has been given the green light to deliver medical supplies and PPE in North Carolina</a>. The Federal Aviation Authority has granted two emergency waivers to the company which is the first time the agency has allowed beyond-line-of-sight drone deliveries in the US.</li></ol>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear <keyword id="9070519" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="10-things-in-tech">10 Things in Tech</keyword> each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.You can also <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/free">subscribe to this newsletter</a> here — just tick "10 Things in Tech You Need to Know."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-in-tech-you-need-to-know-today-may-28-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

10 things in tech you need to know today

By Manish Sarmah New Delhi, Jun 21 () Being trapped inside PPE suits for six hours is tough, battling the fear of contracting COVID-19 tougher and not meeting children, spouses or parents for weeks the toughest. But that is what they signed up for and that is what they do, say the doughty doctors and nurses at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Their days revolve around their COVID-19 patients and their lives around their families and the twain can never meet. That is the maxim for the band of frontline warriors in the battle against the pandemic who go to extraordinary lengths to isolate themselves from their loved ones and ensure the two halves that make up their world stay completely separate. Like Vikas and Jyoti Yadav, both nursing officers, who live with their children, an 11-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son, in suburban Gurgaon but haven't met them for days. The couple, both posted in the COVID-19 ward of the Trauma Centre, make it a point to return to their apartment complex about 40 km from their place of work. But make sure they isolate themselves from their children. They haven't been within touching distance of the their children since their COVID-19 duties began. "Isolating ourselves from the children is the most difficult part," Jyoti told . The children have their own room and have been very understanding. Since the lockdown began on March 25, Vikas and Jyoti spend most of their time at home in the garden close to the children's room, watch them go about their daily work and talk to them from there. It is tough but it is a commitment they made. "Vikas proposed to me inside the trauma centre in 2007 and since then we have been working and living together," Jyoti said. Kanishk Yadav, their colleague at the Trauma Centre, part of the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences dedicated to COVID-19 treatment, echoes them. He stays in a separate room in his home in Sultanpuri and hasn't touched his four-year-old son for three months. His routine is down pat. It's 6 am and he has just reached home after his shift. He keeps his scrubs for washing, takes a shower and makes morning tea for himself. It's the end of just another day but he won't have it any other way. "When the coronavirus outbreak happened , I wrote a letter to the AIIMS administration requesting them to post me in COVID-19 duty," the nursing officer said. He added that COVID-19 duty was perceived as something fearful, and he wanted to motivate others. Yadav also spells out in detail what it is to wear a Personal Protective Equipment suit for six straight hours to ward off the dangers of being in an environment where the risk of infection is ever present. It is a daily hazard for the staff involved in COVID-19 duties. The routine of getting into a suit and getting out of one is a complicated, meticulous process and extreme care is needed to avoid any exposure. They have to consume their meals at least an hour before donning the suit and avoid even drinking water. Once the PPE is worn, it is six hours of no food, no going to the toilet, excessive perspiration, nausea and even blurred vision. Ashish Jhakal, also a nursing officer, said, "With the goggles and fogging, sometimes its even difficult to read the name of medicines. We have to double check with others." Jhakal has marks on his face due to wearing of the mask and goggles inside the PPE suit. With the surge in cases, health workers around the country walk the tightrope between work and home. On Sunday, the number of cases crossed the four lakh mark with the biggest single-day spike of 15,413 new infections. More than 195 healthcare workers have tested positive in AIIMS so far. But even in the face of such adversity, the workers are undeterred in their determination to do their best. "As doctors, this isn't something new for us. We are always at a risk of infection," said Irfan V, an AIIMS resident doctor. He and nursing officer Monika Sharma are among those who have been at the vanguard since the crisis began and remain steadfast in their commitment towards their work and its many challenges. Monika said the days are a test of her patience and will power. While Irfan misses watching Lionel Messi's forward play, Monika has not jammed with her AIIMS staff band since the outbreak of the disease. But their spirit of helping their patients keeps them motivated. Letting down their guard can expose their families to all kinds of risks. Minarey and Ranjuna Milind, another couple working at AIIMS realised they may have been careful. While Minarey works in the anaesthesia department, Ranjuna is in the gynaecology section. A few days ago, their 10 month-old baby and their parents, tested positive for the novel coronavirus. "When our baby tested positive, I felt like we made our baby suffer because of our profession," Minarey said. For patients undergoing COVID-19 treatment, the hospital stay can be lonely and traumatic. Over a period of time, they develop a bond. That is perhaps the dream that Pritam Yadav, another young AIIMS resident doctor saw when he opted for the medical profession. The 25-year-old said his father, a farmer by profession, wanted him to become a doctor. He did and in doing so became the first from his village in Kothputli in Rajasthan. "Clearing MBBS was one of his happiest moments," he said. Even now, he said, his father boosts his morale when he feels low. "I feel sad sometimes. There is an infant child in the ward, who along with his parents came out positive. Although his parents are safe and recovering, the baby is still under oxygen support." MANISH MIN MIN MIN

Life through a COVID prism: Nurses, docs walk tightrope between work and home

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>A careful observer might note the chunky double glazing on the elegant windows and the heat pump whirring outside the basement entrance. From the outside the five-storey house in London's posh Notting Hill district looks like any other. Inside, though, it is full of new technologies that aim to make it a net exporter of power. They exemplify many of the shifts now under way that are making energy cleaner, more plentiful, cheaper to store, easier to distribute and capable of being used more intelligently. The house in Notting Hill is a one-off, paid for by its green multimillionaire owner. But the benefits of recent innovations can be reaped by everybody.
That makes a welcome change from the two issues that have dominated the debate about energy in the past few decades: scarcity and concerns about the environment. Modern life is based on the ubiquitous use of fossil fuels, all of which have big disadvantages. Coal, the cheapest and most abundant, has been the dirtiest, contributing to rising emissions. Oil supplies have been vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and price collusion by producers. Natural gas has mostly come by pipeline--and often with serious political baggage, as in the case of Europe's dependence on Russia. Nuclear power is beset by political troubles, heightened by public alarm after the accident at Japan's Fukushima power station in 2011. Renewables such as wind and solar--beneficiaries of lavish subsidies--have so far played a marginal role. The main worries were whether enough energy would be available for power generation, transport, heating, cooling and industry; and if so, whether it would cook the planet.
Now new factors are in play. Technological change has broken the power of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to keep the oil price high. Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") and horizontal drilling have turned America into a big oil producer, with 4m barrels a day coming from sources which used to be deemed "unconventional". The boom in producing oil and gas from shale has yet to spread to other countries. America enjoys some big advantages, such as open spaces, accommodating laws, a well-developed supply chain and abundant finance for risky projects. So far it has refrained from exporting its crude oil or natural gas, but exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) will start this year. Increased trade in LNG will create a more global gas market and greater resilience of supply, undermining Russia's pipeline monopoly in Europe. America is already exporting lightly refined oil.
An increase in supply, a surprising resilience in production in troubled places such as Iraq and Libya, and the determination of Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies not to sacrifice market share in the face of falling demand have led to a spectacular plunge in the oil price, which has fallen by half from its 2014 high. This has dealt a final blow to the notion of "peak oil". There is no shortage of hydrocarbons in the Earth's crust, and no sign that mankind is about to reach "peak technology" for extracting them. But the fall has created turmoil in financial markets as energy companies lay off workers and cut or delay investment projects.
The implications are more complicated than the headlines suggest. For a start, low prices do not instantly cause supply curbs or make investment dry up. Even costly projects do not stop pumping when the oil price falls. Fracking is a small-scale business. New projects can be halted quickly and restarted when the price picks up. American frackers are now the world's swing producers, reacting to price fluctuations in a way that was once the prerogative of the Saudis. On a 15- to 25-year time horizon, today's slide in the oil price needs to be set against the likely long-term trend. Futures markets are betting that the oil price will be back to $90 per barrel in the early 2020s.
For now, though, low oil prices put money in consumers' pockets and give a bit of breathing space to governments, making it easier to cut fossil-fuel subsidies (and perhaps even tax carbon emissions). In 2013 some $550 billion was spent on subsidising fossil fuels, a policy of extraordinary wrongheadedness that favours the rich, distorts economies and aggravates pollution.
A bigger question on many minds is the effect of rock-bottom oil prices on the shift towards low-carbon energy. Solar, wind and other renewables have recently benefited from unprecedented investments: an average of $260 billion a year worldwide over the past five years. Long, and wrongly, decried as mere boondoggles, they have begun to show real commercial promise in places as diverse as India, Hawaii, and parts of Africa where the climate is favourable, costs are low and other sources of power are expensive. Renewables capacity is rising even as subsidies are falling. China, for example, has already installed nearly half the 200 gigawatts (GW) of wind power it had been planning for 2020, so it is sharply cutting back the subsidies it introduced in 2009.
But the relationship is not always straightforward. Renewable electricity mainly competes with gas- and coal-fired power stations, not with oil. In North America, low oil prices may, paradoxically, lead to higher natural gas prices. Less fracking means there will be less of the associated gas that is produced along with shale oil. More broadly, much of the support for renewables has been political, and there is little sign that this is changing. Worries about climate change continue to ensure that clean energy enjoys strong political support in many developed countries. Whereas shares in oil companies have in recent months fallen along with the price, the S&amp;P Global Clean Energy Index, which covers the industry's 30 biggest listed companies, has barely budged.
The economics--and particularly the whopping subsidies of the past decade paid out in countries such as Germany and Britain--remain contested. Solar and wind are intermittent, so they are truly useful only if the power they produce can be stored; otherwise they need back-up capacity, typically from fossil-fuel sources. Dieter Helm, an energy expert at Oxford University, says that subsidies for primitive green technology, such as the current generation of solar panels, have been a "colossal mistake". It would have been much better, he argues, to invest in proven technologies such as electrical interconnectors (linking Britain and Norway, for example) and support research into new kinds of solar power, such as films that can be applied to any outside surface and technologies that use a wider chunk of the spectrum.
Bits of the green-energy world are wilting under the impact of low oil prices. Some biofuels have become less attractive. The same is true for electric cars, which currently make up less than 1% of America's light-vehicle fleet. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reckons that with petrol at $3.34 a gallon ($0.87 per litre), that share could rise to 9% by 2020. With petrol at $2.09, it would go up to just 6%. At the same time countries and companies thinking of switching from oil-fired power generation to renewables may reconsider. Saudi Arabia, for example, was planning to invest $110 billion in 41 GW of solar capacity by 2032, but may now want to think again.
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<h3>Take The Long View</h3>
Yet the long-term trend is clear. In particular solar electricity, and ways of storing it, are getting ever cheaper and better, as this special report will show. Sanford C. Bernstein, a research firm, sees "global energy deflation" ahead. Most of the investment decisions in the fossil-fuel industry are taken a decade or two ahead. The International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental organisation often criticised for its focus on fossil fuels, says the world will need to stump up about $23 trillion over the next 20 years to finance continued fossil-fuel extraction, but the prospect of much cheaper solar power and storage capabiliy may put investors off. The story may be not so much what falling oil prices mean for clean energy than what the prospect of clean energy will mean for the oil price.
Old energy industries are changing too. Gas will become more abundant and easier to trade. Even coal, the most widely used and so far most polluting fossil fuel, is not inherently dirty. It does not need to be burned but can be cooked instead to produce methane, which can then be used as a fuel or in petrochemicals. Modern coal-fired plants, though pricey, are far cleaner than the belching monsters of the past. The heat they produce is used, not wasted as in many traditional power plants. The emissions are scrubbed of the oxides (of nitrogen and sulphur) that eat away at bodies and buildings. In some projects--albeit for now on a tiny scale--the CO{-2} is also captured for storage or use. Such improvements could make coal as relatively clean as other fossil fuels, though they make commercial sense only if the rules are tilted in their favour. But if the price of such techniques comes down and the cost of pollution goes up, clean coal could be competitive.
Nuclear power, in theory, is a source of cheap, dependable, constant electricity. In practice it is too costly for private investors to back without government guarantees, and its perceived danger makes it unpopular in some European countries and in Japan. One of several flaws in Germany's Energiewende--supposedly a big shift to green technology--was the hurried abandonment of the country's nuclear capacity. Besides, many of the world's existing nuclear power stations will have to close in the coming two decades. Barring a political shift or a technological breakthrough--perhaps in small, mass-produced nuclear plants--it is hard to see the fortunes of nuclear energy reviving.
Demand for energy is likely to hold up for some time yet, mainly thanks to rapid economic growth in emerging economies. The IEA predicts that over the next 25 years it will rise by 37%. Yet increasing efficiency in energy use and changes in behaviour have meant that the hitherto well-established link between economic growth and energy use is weakening.
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<h3>More For Less</h3>
America's economy, for example, has grown by around 9% since 2007, whereas demand for finished petroleum products has dropped by nearly 11%. In Germany household consumption of electricity is now lower than it was in 1990. Global demand used to rise by 2% a year, but the rate is slowing. Even emissions in China, the world's largest and dirtiest energy consumer, may peak by 2030, thanks to huge investments in new clean-coal power generation, nuclear and renewable energy and long-distance transmission lines. Simon Daniel, an energy expert, sees two conflicting trends: on one hand greater efficiency, local production and storage, on the other increased consumption from the billions of new devices that will be hooked up to the "internet of things".
On current form the emissions from oil, gas and coal would, on most models, make it impossible to keep the rise in global temperatures below 2¢ªC by the year 2100; the most likely outcome would be a 4¢ªC rise, which has prompted calls for most of the world's remaining hydrocarbons to be left in the ground. The IEA estimates the investment needed for "decarbonising" future electricity production alone at an astounding $44 trillion. The best hope of avoiding that much warming is a huge increase in energy efficiency.
One big component of that task will be to adapt the existing stock of buildings. Amory Lovins, one of the foremost prophets of energy efficiency and founder of Rocky Mountain Institute, a think-tank and consultancy based in Colorado, believes that the scope for improvement remains huge. He has long preached that proper building design and energy storage can eliminate the need for air-conditioning and space heating in most climates, and illustrates this by growing bananas in his own house, on a windswept mountainside in Colorado where winter temperatures can drop to -44¢ªC. Eliminating the heating system for his house, he says, saved more money than he spent on insulation and fancy windows. His optimism is slowly winning converts.
Despite all the obstacles, pretty much all the technology the world needs for a clean, green future is already available. As A.T. Kearney, a consultancy, notes in a recent report for the World Energy Council, a think-tank: "Energy-efficiency potentials combined with renewable-energy sources and shale-gas potentials provide an abundance of energy that can be made accessible with currently available technologies."
Transmission costs for electricity are plunging, thanks to solid-state technology, which makes efficient direct-current circuitry safer and more flexible. Power grids which were previously isolated can now be connected: one audacious plan involves a 700-mile, £4 billion ($6 billion) link between Britain and Iceland. Such projects are costly up front, but offer big long-term savings from cheaper power, better storage and increased resilience.
More effective management of supply and demand also offers scope for big savings, as this special report will show. Sensors can now collect vast amounts of data about energy use, and computer power and algorithms can crunch that information to offer incentives to customers to curb consumption at peak times and increase it when demand is low. At the same time business models which can turn a profit from thrifty energy use are developing, and capital markets are waking up to their potential.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
That splendidly energy-efficient house in Notting Hill demonstrates just how much can be done right now, even if it does not yet come cheap. Its owner, Michael Liebreich, founded a business called New Energy Finance, which he sold to Bloomberg, a financial-information company, in 2009. He has spent tens of thousands of pounds on making his home thrifty, resilient and productive.
The house is no stranger to energy revolutions. In 1865 its original builders installed a state-of-the-art delivery and storage system: a coal hole in the pavement, sealed by a handsome cast-iron hatch. Gas and then electric lighting, central heating and hot water came later. But the revolution under its current owner is the biggest yet. Despite the airtight insulation the rooms feel airy. Specially designed chimney cowls suck stale, moist air from the house while a heat exchanger keeps the thermal energy indoors.
The house now requires remarkably little input of energy. Gas and electricity bills for a dwelling of this size would normally run to at least £3,500 ($5,500) a year, but once everything is in place the owner expects not only to spend nothing but to receive a net payment for the electricity he produces. On the roof is a large array of solar panels which deliver two kilowatts (kW) of electricity on sunny days. Another source of power is a 1.5kW fuel cell in the former coal bunker. It runs on gas, with over 80% efficiency--far more than a conventional power station or boiler. The electricity from these two sources powers the household's (ultra-frugal) domestic appliances and its low-energy lighting, as well as a heat pump (a refrigerator in reverse) that provides underfloor heating. A water tank stores surplus heat. Spare electricity is fed back into the grid.
Mr Liebreich does not claim that his house is easily copied, but he insists that through "thinning mist" the future is visible. "The only things that are inherently costly are the thermodynamic process and resource depletion--for everything else costs have come down, are coming down and will come down in future," he says. In short, most of the forces changing the energy market are pushing in the right direction.

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