Every other Sunday, Bluedot Living Martha's Vineyard will share stories about local changemakers, Islanders’ sustainable homes and yards, planet-friendly recipes and tips, along with advice from Dear Dot. Did your friend
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES
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Sarah Thornington, who lives in West Yarmouth, had a modest goal back in 2019: to pick up three to five pieces of beach trash a day, which would work out to almost 2,000 pieces of trash by the end of the year. She reached her goal for the year in nine days.
“Her artwork evolved from her collection,” writes Andrea Pyenson about the Cape Cod “artivist.” “By the second week of cleanups, for example, she had so much ghost gear (lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing gear) and ghost rope that she taught herself to weave bowls, ‘because I didn’t know what else to do with it,’ she says.”
About this piping plover, Sarah says, “My first bird. … She’s made with a fisherman’s glove, beach protection fence, part of a child’s bucket, on reclaimed wood. … When I give talks and workshops, I always end by saying that the most important thing we can do for the planet is to find wonder in it: You protect what you love.”
We’re lucky to have artists on the Vineyard who use found or discarded objects to create things of beauty. One of our favorites is Cynthia McGrath’s Original Cyn jewelry, created from Fordite, which is the built-up residue left behind in car painting facilities.
Do you know Island artists turning refuse into art? Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com.
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Quick Links
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Skip scrolling! Here's what you'll find in this edition of the Bluedot Newsletter:
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Making Eco Solutions Easy to Swallow
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For years, researchers have been sounding the alarm about silver carp. The behemoth species (they can grow to three feet long and weigh from 20 to 80 pounds) were brought here from Asia and quickly became what researcher Mark Morgan calls an “environmental time bomb,” reproducing rapidly and outcompeting native species.
One potential solution is to put them on our plates. “A heart-healthy fish, carp are a rich source of nutrients, including essential amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which play a role in disease prevention,” the Modern Conservationist magazine tells us. “Plus, [Mark] Morgan notes, they are extremely low in heavy metal content and, he claims, are one of the healthiest fish in the world; this is because they are mid-stream feeders that only eat
microscopic plants in the water column.” Problem is … they’re carp. It comes down to a branding issue.
The Vineyard has its own problems with invasive species, an issue we tackled in What’s So Bad About … Invasive Species? (Check out our ideas on how to prepare green crabs and other invasives for dinner or drinks.) Since then, though, we’ve spotted recipes for invasive green crabs in the pages of more than a few glossy New England magazines, making clear that the “if you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em” strategy is gaining traction.
Out with heavily mowed green blankets of grass! VCS is celebrating the "Vineyard Lawn," that prioritizes native species and pollinator plants, and a sort of lush messiness that's not only lovely but better for us, our waterways, and the critters around us. They’re taking their “Love Song for the Vineyard Lawn” on the road to Island libraries, with a first stop in Edgartown on January 30th at 4:30. (Read Bluedot MV’s ode to the Vineyard Lawn.)
If you’re enjoying our solutions-focused climate stories, please consider a contribution so we can continue our work. (Thank you!)
—Leslie Garrett (and Jamie Kageleiry)
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BUY LESS/BUY BETTER: Athletic Clothing
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The Bluedot Marketplace includes affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of our links, we may earn a commission, essentially a small digital finder’s fee.
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If you’re one of the many people who have committed to exercising more in the new year, you may want another pair of leggings or snag-resistant pants to your wardrobe. Whether you’re hiking, doing yoga, or hitting the gym, these brands have you covered.
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Boody
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Boody’s best known for super-soft underthings, tees, and basics made from bamboo viscose. We also recommend their activewear, which is made from viscose and organic cotton, with a little spandex for stretch. (Men and women.)
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Buy now or
read our review.
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Prana
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Bluedotters across the country love Prana’s tops, bottoms, and dresses for hiking, yoga, and just hanging out. The brand makes simple yet attractive clothing that doesn’t distract from the task at hand. (Men and women.)
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Buy now or
read our review.
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Girlfriend Collective
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This size-inclusive brand makes flattering activewear using recycled materials and good manufacturing processes. Our Boston co-editor Julia Cooper, a fan, appreciates the wide range of cheerful colors on offer.
(For women.)
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Buy now or
read our review.
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Quiz: Long Live Trees
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HANDBOOK
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We have drawers full of sentimentally valuable (but otherwise useless) t-shirts so we were delighted to read about a Boston-based company that will turn them into cozy quilts. For loads of on-Island eco resources, consult our Ultimate Simple, Smart, Sustainable Handbook to Martha’s Vineyard.
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What’s Behind the Name “Bluedot”?
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“There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world,” astronomer Carl Sagan wrote in 1994’s Pale Blue Dot. “To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” Sagan’s humbling words inspire us to deliver stories to you that reflect his and so many others’ work to cherish this blue dot. Please consider forwarding this newsletter to your friends and family to share and inspire real-world eco-actions we can take at home and in our
Martha’s Vineyard community.
Thanks for being part of our Bluedot community!
–Jamie Kageleiry and Leslie Garrett
Editors, Bluedot Living Martha’s Vineyard
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Jamie Kageleiry, a longtime magazine and newspaper editor from Oak Bluffs, says her favorite spot on earth is on the trails around Farm Pond, and out in a kayak there, looking at birds.
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Leslie Garrett has been covering climate stories for close to two decades. A newcomer part-time to the Vineyard, she’s still figuring out her favorite spot but it’s definitely near the water.
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