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At Home On Earth

SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES

We can sometimes overlook how much incredible work is being done to protect species, turn down our global temperature, and otherwise meet this moment. Take, for instance, the LA Zoo’s breeding program for condors, which had a banner year — 17 chicks were hatched, all of which will be candidates to be released in the wild through the zoo’s partnership with the California Condor Recovery Program.

“It is a matter of what a man thinks about while chopping, or while deciding what to chop. A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke he is writing his signature on the face of his land.”

–Aldo Leopold

Widely considered the father of modern-day conservation, Aldo Leopold’s early musings on the relationship between humans and the environment are still relevant today. Leopold believed that we must stop seeing nature as a resource and, instead, see it as a community in which we hope to be good citizens. He reminds us that each of our actions matters and will make a lasting impact on our planet … it is up to us what kind of impact we choose to make. 

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Surprise vet bills can certainly bite. But fear not, pet insurance can be your lifeline. Some plans cover major surgeries — which can cost up to $7,000 — so you can afford the best care for your pet. Check out our top-rated pet insurance providers, with some plans offering coverage for just $1 a day, multi-pet coverage, and reimbursement options of up to 90%. With the right coverage, you could keep your pet (and your wallet) happy.

• Leftover Halloween Candy? Check Out Our Instagram

• Prep Your Pantry with Sustainable Staples

• A Neuroscience Professor Teaches Climate Activism

• Soup’s On! Pasta e Fagioli

• Dear Dot Gets the Buzz on Green Energy

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Unplug your phone as soon as it reaches 100% power to prevent unnecessary damage to your phone’s battery and your electricity bill.

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So… what exactly does collagen do, again? This nutrient is Insta-trending for a reason – it’s essential for healthy skin, joints, and bones. The big bummer: many collagen supplements are made with artificial ingredients and (gross) animal byproducts. NativePath has a different approach. NativePath collagen is certified grass-fed and pure, and sourced from 100% happy, healthy cows… so you can put nutrients into a happy, healthy human. It provides Types 1 and 3 collagen – more than 90% of your body’s needs. Plus, it’s tasty and provides 20 grams of protein, so you’ll get lots of energy to boot. Find out more about the many benefits of NativePath’s collagen powder on their website!

 Bluedot Living Kitchen

This is the kind of simple, hearty soup that will keep you warm on cool fall days, and your kitchen will smell great. It’s also versatile, which is great for preventing food waste. Use whatever beans you have, and grab some veggies from the crisper. Let it simmer all afternoon and it will taste even better. It also refrigerates and freezes well, so plan for leftovers! Get the recipe.

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

The Universe, the Farm, and the Future of Homesteading

Bluedot readers’ favorite farmer is back with this month’s installment of the Iowa Farm Companion. With frost coming, Joe considers what’s behind him and his wife Lydia … and what lays before them, including a whole lot of hens. 

– Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Dear Dot,

How green is my electricity and is that why it’s so expensive? 

–Roberto, San Diego

Dear Roberto,

The forces that keep our lights on can often seem shrouded in mystery. But it’s actually not mysterious at all. All the data you could want on the greenness of your electricity is a few clicks away. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a handy dandy calculator that will tell you just what’s powering the lights in your home. 

Just select your eGRID (Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database) subregion, and the site will generate information about the fuel mix used to generate electricity in your area. It populates this data into a straightforward chart and allows you to compare with the national average. 

Renewable energy currently generates about 20%of U.S. electricity — a number growing each year!

But while all this greening of the grid is cause for celebration (lower carbon emissions! Cleaner air! Energy provided by the heavens instead of hell!), it’s perfectly reasonable to want to know the price tag of all this green goodness. Is this burgeoning green energy industry responsible for driving up energy prices? Turns out, high prices are actually one more thing we can blame on our reliance on the fossil fuel industry — specifically, in this case, natural gas. 

Want to know more? Read on.

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Buy Better Marketplace: The Prepped Pantry

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

Thanksgiving will be here soon, and Christmas and Hanukkah both come on Dec. 25 this year. It’s time to take stock of what’s in the cupboard: If your spices don’t smell fresh (or, heaven forbid, have no scent at all!) or your oil is over the edge, then your stuffing, cookies, and latkes will suffer. We recommend updating and upgrading your pantry with these reasonably priced, eco-conscious brands. 

Diaspora Co.

These outstanding spices and masalas (spice blends) from India and Sri Lanka are all sourced from farmers paid living wages. Diaspora’s cloves, cinnamon, and mace will make your spice cookies sing, while the cocoa, chai, and drink mixes will help you settle into cozy season. Shop today or read our review.

Burlap & Barrel

Our Marketplace editor has probably 30 of Burlap & Barrel’s exquisitely fresh Single Origin Spices and blends in her cupboard. Her new surprise favorite is the tangy, dilly, buttermilk-y Ranch, which has been a smash hit with eaters of all ages. Get a free 1.8-ounce grinder-top jar of Robusta Black Peppercorns with any order of $15 or more; add the peppercorns to your cart, then enter code BLUEDOT at checkout. Shop today or read our review.

Graza

This company sells two single-varietal Spanish olive oils — “Sizzle” for cooking and “Drizzle” for finishing — and just launched an eco-friendly refill program. Our Marketplace editor, a prodigious user of olive oil, tested it out and was delighted by how well it works. Shop today or read our review.

The Keep-This Handbook: Clean Your Beauty Routine

When it’s time for a restock on toiletries or to revamp your makeup routine, consult Bluedot’s Guide to Clean Beauty! We break down the basics of clean beauty to help you make the best decisions with helpful tips on what to look for, what to avoid, and insight on what all those labels really mean.

Parting Thoughts About a Tough Week

The impacts of climate change — everything from how and where we produce our food to extreme weather to the loss of species and natural spaces — affect all of us. There is much work to be done and it will require every one of us stepping up in our homes and communities to bring about the better future we can all imagine for ourselves, our children, and people around the world. Plenty of powerful climate action takes place at grassroots and local levels, which is part of why Bluedot’s mission has always been to showcase what’s happening in homes and neighborhoods around the world, highlight the hardworking people creating change, and do our best to forge the connections we need to tackle the climate crisis. We’re glad you’re with us. Let’s continue the work.

We’ll see you in two weeks.

–Emily Cain and Leslie Garrett

Editors

Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com

Emily Cain is a nature lover and environmentalist who aims to promote conscious living and environmental protection. She lives in Southern California.

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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