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At Home On Earth |
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Welcome to The Hub, a Bluedot Living newsletter that gathers good news, good food, and good tips for living every day more sustainably. |
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Welcome to The Hub, a Bluedot Living newsletter that gathers good news, good food, and good tips for living every day more sustainably. |
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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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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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One of our favorite images of the year was this giant otter, seemingly laughing in delight at the fish it has caught, photographed by Yasmin Namini. Known as the “river wolves” of the Brazilian Pantanal, this largest of the world’s otters (they can get to six feet) are as charismatic as they are intriguing. The critters are highly sociable and form family groups called romps. See more from the Pantanal. |
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DISPATCHES FROM ALL OVER
SUSTAINABLE LIVING ADVICE
ECO-FRIENDLY RECIPES |
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DISPATCHES FROM ALL OVER · SUSTAINABLE LIVING ADVICE · ECO-FRIENDLY RECIPES |
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“I’m still heartbroken, but I want us to be angry. Not a destructive anger, a righteous anger. I want us to stand up for an Earth that was created with perfect balance, with beauty and mystery and a divine artistry. An Earth that was put here not for our consumption and our greed but for our nourishment. An Earth that has so much to teach us, and that needs protection, now more than ever.”
– Patti Davis, writing in the New York Times about the fires that have ravaged Pacific Palisades, where she grew up.
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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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FEATURED STORIES |
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BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS |
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With wildfires on everyone’s mind, we revisit this Dispatch from Colorado where research into mushrooms reveals their firefighting capabilities. A researcher shares a Field Note from her work in the Antarctic protecting penguin populations (and struggling to avert more losses from avian flu). And Aldo Leopold’s seminal text turns 75, but isn’t done teaching us about protecting our planet. |
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Paid Advertisement with Money |
Don’t let a broken heater break the bank |
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Home repair costs have surged in recent years due to inflation and supply chain issues, making unexpected breakdowns a financial burden for homeowners. Fortunately, a home warranty could help cover the repair and replacement of your home appliances and systems for a reasonable monthly fee. Check out Money’s list of the Best Home Warranties and start protecting your essential appliances. |
| VIEW LIST |
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In this story for the Bluedot Living Kitchen, Sarah Glazer visited schools in Portland, Maine, where cafeteria chefs are taking local wild-caught fish (better for the environment!) and creating recipes that reflect the cuisine of local immigrants. Plus, soup!
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When Charlotte, one half of the Secondhand Sisters, started wearing a cool racing jacket, Sophie wanted one too. “The problem came,” she writes, “when I realized just how trendy these jackets had become.” With fast fashion brands producing cheap knockoffs, Sophie found it tough to distinguish authentic pieces. But she did her homework and scored a winner on eBay. Find out how she did it … and how you can, too.
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Bluedot Boston editor (and Good Libations columnist) Julia Cooper is a book lover — of both print and audio versions. And Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing had long been on her list (ah, the irony). Julia writes that, “I didn't expect it to have much of a climate/environmental angle,” and was “surprised to discover that author Jenny Odell emphasizes the importance of connecting with the natural spaces around us as a radical act of self care.” Julia calls the book “A great read for the chronically stressed looking for motivation to unplug!” That’s advice we’ll take!
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Paid Advertisement with Tovala |
An answer to every “What’s for dinner?” question: That’s Tovala.
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Imagine coming home and not having to worry about “What’s for dinner?” Instead, you can enjoy a freshly cooked meal and never have to compromise on quality, taste, or your time. (We think you deserve all those good things.) Tovala is the revolutionary meal delivery service + smart oven that’s making breakfast, lunch, dinner—pretty much every meal—easier than ever. With Tovala, you can enjoy chef-crafted meals that arrive fresh to your door and skip your weekly—or daily—trips to the store. Plus, every meal cooks like magic with the scan of a QR code in just 25 minutes and with only one minute of prep. Get started now with your Tovala Smart Oven. |
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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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Increased energy, better sleep, and weight loss can all be benefits of participating in Dry January, an international campaign encouraging people to cut out alcohol for a month. Last year, 25% of American adults participated. These alcohol-free, planet-friendly beverages can help support you on your Dry (or damp) January journey.
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Boisson offers alcohol-free beverages that feel decidedly adult. Great options include nonalcoholic beers like Athletic’s IPA; terrific dupes like the Phony Negroni; and a range of intriguing adaptogenic drinks, including Three Spirit Livener, which can help boost your mood, and De Soi Purple Lune apéritif, which is formulated to help you wind down. Shop today or read our review. |
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If you’re looking to refresh your morning cuppa, give Trade Coffee a go. The company curates tasty coffees from small roasters nationwide and offers well over 100 brews that have Organic, Fair Trade, and Rainforest Alliance certifications. From there, you can choose from 13 different flavor profiles. Shop today or read our review. |
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Our marketplace editor is a big fan of the Climate Neutral, Organic, Fair Trade tea company Numi. She got herself their Organic Tea by Mood gift set, and enjoyed sampling different teas to help invigorate, focus, sleep, and more. (Her favorites are the well-balanced Moroccan Mint and grounding but energizing Emperor’s Pu-erh black.) Shop on Amazon or read our review. |
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The Keep-This Handbook |
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If you’re like, well, all of us, then you likely have a mounting pile of electronics and e-waste for disposal. Don’t throw them out; instead get rid of them responsibly — and potentially profitably. Bluedot’s Guide to Getting Rid of (Almost) Anything notes that, “If you’d like to get some cash for your electronics, sell them to Decluttr or through Amazon’s trade-in program, which will give you Amazon gift cards in return. If you’re looking for more options, check out SellCell, a site that compares buyback companies and helps you find the best deal.”
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From Bluedot Living’s President
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I grew up in the Pacific Palisades. As a teen I routinely went to the “show” on Saturdays to see a double bill with my best friends, and happily wander the small shops in the Village. The Palisades was a small town in a sprawling city where everyone had a sense of community and neighborhood pride, a place people loved. My old friend Bill Bruns, once a top editor/reporter for Life Magazine, ran the Palisadian Post with the same dedication he gave to his award-winning national assignments. His wife, Pam, taught journalism five days a week as a volunteer at the local high school, my high school. She inspired hundreds of kids. Their house is gone. So are the homes of dozens of my friends, too many to mention, but among the thousands lost from the Palisades to Altadena on the other side of Los Angeles.
This week I set aside my optimism to shed tears for my friends, my old town, and the planet. These raging weather events are part of a much bigger picture that we need to grapple with. Maybe it’s time to truly embrace a post-fossil fuel future and remember, we’re all in this together.
Thank you for being a Bluedot reader.
– Victoria Riskin
See you all in two weeks. Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com |
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Jamie Kageleiry, a longtime magazine and newspaper editor from Martha’s Vineyard, says her favorite spot on earth is out on a kayak there, looking at birds.
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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