Meet Oscar, the machine turning food waste into Christchurch's greener (but not uncontroversial) future
Today’s featured story happens half a world away. After an earthquake leveled a third of Christchurch's buildings, the city had to decide how to rebuild. It was not an easy decision, and it raised an interesting question: Can a city really engineer its way to a greener future? Here’s what we discovered.
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ELLIOTT CONFIDENTIAL
Allison's Munich Hangover
From earthquake rubble to carbon zero: Here’s how Christchurch is building a greener city
To understand how Te Pae Christchurch became a carbon zero certified convention center, you need to meet Oscar.
My Furnished Finder subscription auto-renewed. Why can't I get a refund?
When Debbie McNulty discovers a surprise $179 charge on her credit card from Furnished Finder, she immediately asks for a refund. Why is the company trying to keep her money?
Turo charged me $2,338 for damage I didn’t cause. Can I get a refund?
Turo charges Georgina Montalvan $2,338 for damages she didn’t cause. Then Turo makes a U-turn, dropping the charges. Then it changes its mind again. Does she really have to pay?
Is this the worst check-in policy in the history of travel?
Alison Palkhivala was ready for pretzels, polka, and a pint. She’d booked a stay in a vacation apartment in Munich through Booking.com during the legendary Oktoberfest.
Why you should be a tourist — not a local — this summer
Damien Zouaoui used to be a true believer in living like a local. He scoured online listings for authentic-looking apartments in up-and-coming neighborhoods, shopped at local markets, and tried his best to blend in.
How an airport sandwich could destroy your next vacation
It starts with a plate of shrimp at the resort buffet. It’s pink and chilled—or at least, it’s sitting on a bed of ice. You eat it and you feel fine.
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CONSUMER ALERT: The one place you should avoid this summer
It's open for business, the airlines are selling seats—and that's the problem
FORUM: Should cruise lines ban more passengers?
A viral foot-scratching video exposes what cruise conduct codes miss, and what happens when the cruise lines ban you anyway
NEED TO KNOW: Airlines want to hide the real price of your ticket. Should the government let them?
Remember what booking an airline ticket used to be like?
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Elliott Confidential is published daily by consumer advocate Christopher Elliott.