Welcome to Bluedot San Diego! Every other Sunday, we share stories about local changemakers, sustainable homes and yards, and the nature all around us, along with planet-friendly recipes and advice from Dear
Dot. Together, we can make a difference for the blue dot we call home.
– Nicki and Jim Miller
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Quick Links
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Skip scrolling! Here's what you'll find in today's Bluedot San Diego Newsletter:
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Cleaner energy reduces emissions, creates jobs, saves money, and spurs innovation. But it can also be difficult to find financing for green projects, even when they pay for themselves in short order, and especially for
small borrowers and disadvantaged communities. That’s why the Biden Administration’s announcement of $20 billion in “Green Bank” funds for clean energy is such a big deal:
Every dollar of that money will be leveraged with almost seven dollars of private cash to create a cleaner and more prosperous future for people who might otherwise be left out of the clean-energy revolution. Also, if you know a high-schooler (or are one!) who doesn’t want to wait for adulthood to start making a difference, the Bluedot Institute is offering an incredible opportunity to attend the first annual Climate Leadership Program. At this week-long intensive leadership training program, two dozen students with a demonstrated interest in environmental issues will attend training on environmental leadership at the MIT Media Lab. The application
deadline is April 30, and please note that through the generosity of donors, there are need-based scholarships.
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Dear Dot: Is Organic Food Really Better?
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– Illustration by Elissa Turnbull
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Dear Dot,
I’m a Harvard alum and a recent article in the Harvard Gazette indicated that organic food is no better than conventionally grown. What say you, Dot?
– David
Dear David,
“[Nutrient value] is not based necessarily on whether or not it's organic,” says Tim LaSalle, co-founder of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture & Resilient Systems at Chico State University in California.
But, there are other benefits to buying organic beyond personal health reasons. “If you're buying local organic, that means you’re keeping those toxins out of your air, out of your water,” LaSalle says. And you’re supporting food production that doesn’t expose farm workers to toxic chemicals. On top of all that, you’re minimizing carbon emissions by purchasing food that doesn’t have to travel far to reach you.
Ideally, David, I’d recommend purchasing organic food from a farm or a farmers market where you can talk to the farmers and learn about their practices. Keep in mind that, due to regulatory hurdles — certification is expensive, and farmers must wait three years for approval — not all sellers that offer organic produce will have the United States Department of Agriculture organic certification.
Second best, LaSalle says, is simply buying organic from any source. …
Read the rest of Dot’s
answer.
Got a question for Dot? Write her at deardot@bluedotliving.com.
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Paid Advertisement
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BUY LESS/BUY BETTER:
Organic Cotton Underthings We Love
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If you purchase anything via one of our links, including from Amazon, we may earn a small commission.
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If you’d like to make some more space in your top drawer, refresh your wardrobe for spring, or just need new underwear, we’ve got ideas for you
this week. The one we’re most excited about: Subset’s pioneering recycling program, which will basically pay you to send in your old underpants, socks, pantyhose, and bras. Once they
receive your package (you provide the envelope, they pay the shipping), they’ll email you a $25 credit to spend on their great organic cotton underwear. Your old underthings will live on as furniture batting, insulation, and more. How cool is that?
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Mark your calendar for April 26 to 29, when over 600 cities worldwide will be participating in the City Nature Challenge. Join in by taking and uploading photos of nature to a massive database for scientists to
pore over. But the real motivation is to get out there to observe and connect with nature. Since 2016, some cool sightings have been posted, like a gray fox in an industrial area, photographed by a night security guard. “It changes your framework that nature is no longer out there,” Amy Jaecker-Jones, community science manager at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, says. “Nature is right here.” Learn how to participate …
Do you have a special San Diego nature photo or story to share? Email sdeditor@bluedotliving.com.
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Earth Day is special for Southern Californians, because the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill energized the country to stand up for nature. Especially in the face of attitudes at the time, like that
of Fred Hartley, president of Union Oil, whose improperly drilled well caused the massive slick: “I don't like to call it a disaster, because there has been no loss of human life. I am amazed at the publicity for the loss of a few birds.” Nice, Fred. Real nice. Ponder a few facts about how this terrible event caused so much later good. And we hope you plan some Earth-friendly activity to celebrate on Monday, April 22.
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That “technical gear” wicks away sweat, but holds the stink! Dear Dot has loads more laundry tips. For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.
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Earth Day
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We’re really more “every day is Earth Day” people here at Bluedot, but there’s no doubt that the annual celebration of Mother Nature helps bring visibility to environmental issues, especially in a world so distracted by other things, both important (war in Ukraine) and trivial (what is the best age gap in celebrity relationships?). A CNN poll late last year showed that about three-quarters of Americans want more action on climate change, but only 2% said it was the most important issue for them. There’s always been a consistent gap between the way people feel about the environment, and the way they act (and vote). That’s
where Bluedot Living comes in. We educate, enlighten, and inspire readers without bumming them out. And we give them easy-to-implement solutions for a complex world. And if you haven’t already, we hope
you’re inspired to support our solutions-focused journalism at Bluedot.
Happy Earth Day! We’ll see you in two weeks.
– Nicki and Jim Miller
Editors, Bluedot Living San Diego
sdeditor@bluedotliving.com
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We live in San Diego and love the opportunity to be on the water and in the mountains in one day. Nicki, a writer and editor, and Jim, a writer and environmental economist, are excited
to combine skills as the editors of Bluedot Living San Diego. Since we’re avid cyclists, you may see us riding along the Silver Strand or hitting the trails in Cuyamaca (probably not on the same day). Thank you for joining us on this Bluedot ride!
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