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At Home On Earth

SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES

Bluedot contributor Summer Rylander was astonished by the robust herd of bison she met when she visited Saskatchewan’s prairies, writing that “the bison I’m admiring now … are genetically pure Yellowstone bison. This means that each is a direct descendant of the wild bison who managed to escape the widespread slaughtering efforts across the North American plains in the 1800s. In short, these animals are as closely related as possible to the bison that once ran wild across this very land.” Bluedot loves a success story and this one’s incredible.

“This is the fight of our lives, and it’s a multigenerational task. We need what’s been called ‘cathedral thinking.’ That is, the people who started working on that stone foundation, they never saw the thing finished. It took generations to get these major works done. This is that kind of problem. And we have to all do our part.”

– Susan Joy Hassol, climate communication veteran who served as senior science writer on three National Climate Assessments

In 1970, a psychologist and professor at Stanford University conducted a study on instant and delayed gratification, widely known as the Stanford Marshmallow Test. The psychologist placed one marshmallow each in front of 30 children and gave them two options: eat this marshmallow now or wait 15 minutes and get one more. In the simplest way, our climate crisis delivers us the Marshmallow Test. Are we willing to play the long game — do the hard work now, make eco-conscious choices now — for a better world in the future? This seems like an easy choice, knowing our proverbial marshmallows will double, but it is made difficult because we might not be the ones who get to eat them when they do. But with “cathedral thinking,” the choice is clear — don’t eat the marshmallow! Instead, choose to be part of something bigger and longer lasting than yourself, a legacy for generations to come. 

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• Meet Fire Fighters in Sheep’s Clothing

• Your Perfect Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts Salad 

• Nuclear Energy: Promise? Or Peril?

• Dear Dot: Does Harvesting Krill Oil Starve Penguins?

• Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Leaders

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Learn about third-party certifications and what they mean. Bluedot’s Guide to Clean Beauty offers more tips. Or visit Bluedot’s Marketplace for tried and true products.

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 Bluedot Living Kitchen

Addictive Brussels Sprouts Salad

Bluedot contributor Laura Roosevelt shares this family-favorite recipe just in time for Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings. Shredded down to delicious bite-size pieces and coated with a simple dressing, Brussels sprouts take the spotlight in this salad. And with toasted walnuts and parmesan cheese, each forkful has something for everyone to enjoy. Get the recipe.

Sign up for our new Bluedot Living Kitchen newsletter, and get a free copy of our Bluedot Living Kitchen digital magazine.

Nuclear Energy: Saving the Day or a Big Mistake?

With news that energy-hungry AI has led to the reopening of Three Mile Island’s nuclear reactor, let’s revisit this Bluedot story about the promise — and peril — of nuclear energy.

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– Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Dear Dot,

I often see ads for krill oil. But I heard that overharvesting of krill is starving the penguins that feed on it. Is that true?

—Stephanie

Dear Stephanie,

Many years ago, when Dot was a just-starting-out journalist, I made my way to the 14th floor of a Four Seasons hotel where I knocked on a door and was greeted by a penguin. I followed the penguin into the room and spoke to his keeper for a story, while the penguin padded about, ultimately settling in a half-filled bathtub. I’ve long forgotten the point of my story but I’ve never forgotten the hotel penguin, so elegant in his black-and-white. 

Are there any cuter ambassadors for marine conservation than those flightless, tuxedoed comics of the Southern Ocean? Dot thinks not. And the thought that anything I do might be taking food out of their adorable little mouths breaks my heart. So … am I? Are we? 

I reached out to the folks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Adrian Somora is the guy tasked with responding to pesky media folks like Dot, and he took your concerns seriously, sending the Aquarium’s own 2021 Seafood Watch report, which noted that “In the U.S., krill oil is sold as a dietary supplement for human consumption, whole krill is used for animal feed, and krill meal is used in pet food.” Nonetheless, the report called Antarctic krill caught with midwater trawls a “Good Alternative,” because “the stocks are considered healthy.” 

But there are worrying trends. What are they? Read on. 

Buy Better Marketplace: Good Mood Reading

If you purchase anything via one of our links, including from Amazon, we may earn a small commission.

Lots of important climate action takes place at the local level, and we need people like you to participate. But, you can’t do that if you’re feeling too rundown, and we suspect that a number of you may indeed be tired. This week, we suggest snuggling up with a good book and taking time to recharge. With that in mind, we’re recommending three uplifting reads to help you reclaim your energy and your optimism.

Not Too Late

Rebecca Solnit’s book Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story From Despair to Possibility highlights the work of activists, scientists, artists, organizers, and poets from around the world. It’s like an exceptionally well-sourced pep talk, and you can easily dip in and out as you need inspiration. Shop on Amazon or read more.

Not the End of the World

Do you think the planet is doomed? Dr. Hannah Ritchie, a data scientist at Oxford University and author of Not the End of the World, used to think so, too. Using data, she takes down “doomism” and shows us which actions will most effectively fight climate change — and which ones we should stop stressing about. Shop on Amazon or read more.

How to Do Nothing

If you’re often refreshing your podcast feed or keep the news playing in the background, you may need a digital detox, but unplugging is easier said than done. How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell is a book about reclaiming your time, energy, and focus, so that you can redirect your attention to what really matters. Shop on Amazon or read more.

The Keep-This Handbook: Check Your Smoke Detectors

With the recent “fall back” of our clocks, we hope you also did your twice-annual check of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If you’ve got any to get rid of, Bluedot’s Guide to Getting Rid of (Almost) Anything can help.

Fighting for our Planet at the Local Level

With an anticipated lack (ahem) of federal leadership on climate issues in the U.S., scientists and activists are reminding all of us just how much progress has been and will continue to be made at state, city, and community levels. Bluedot’s mission has always been rooted in a conviction that powerful change occurs at grassroots and local levels and you can expect more stories of changemakers in neighborhoods around the world doing the work that’s in front of them. We’ll also continue to celebrate policy that recognizes the need to adhere to the Paris Climate Treaty goals and salute those aiming to honor their commitments (we’re looking at you, Massachusetts, for pushing ahead with your climate bill and at you, U.K., for insisting you’ll lead on climate). In short, count on Bluedot to make good on its mission to deliver solutions-focused climate stories to educate and inspire. Thanks for reading. (If you want to help us carry out our work by supporting our reporters and editors, please become a member.)

Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you in two weeks.

–Emily Cain and Leslie Garrett

Editors

Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com

Emily Cain is a recent graduate from California State University, Long Beach, where she wrote and edited for the university’s award-winning magazine, DIG. She has maintained a plant-based diet for over five years and believes conscious eating can nourish the body and soul while connecting us closer to the planet.

Leslie Garrett has been covering climate stories for close to two decades.  She divides her time between London, Ontario, and Massachusetts. She’s still figuring out her favorite spot but it’s definitely near the water.

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