Thursday, May 29

Welcome to Your Daily Dot where Dot will share tips, advice, and stories on how we can make our world better.

Dear Reader,

Among Bluedot’s myriad newsletter offerings (surely you’re subscribed! If not, let’s fix that right now), the Fix the News newsletter is one of Dot’s favorites. Fix the News is a compilation of some of the best news stories around the planet, primarily focused on progress in climate, healthcare, and science. Founding editor Angus (aka Gus) Hervey recently spoke at the TED conference in Vancouver, where, he reports, “I was reminded that there are some truly extraordinary people out there moving things forward.” 

In my job with Bluedot Living, I, too, meet some truly extraordinary people who are moving things forward — something Dot (and perhaps you, too) can sometimes lose sight of when faced with the exhausting deluge of doom and gloom that makes up much of our daily media diet. 

One thing Gus noticed among the movers and shakers of the Vancouver TED conference was that “there was no pitching, no selling, no bragging about their accomplishments, and not one of them complained about the awful state of the world, or expressed dismay at the headlines. Instead, they all had this quiet, potent steeliness, and what I can only describe as an inner light that I guess comes from making a decision to solve a really big problem, no matter what it takes.”

Gus reminds us that “progress isn’t a given.” It’s the result of somebody, or a bunch of somebodies, refusing to give in to despair. When Dot’s Eldest was young and Dot was exhausted by this extraordinary child’s ability to challenge every single thing that came out of my mouth, I posted a quote on my refrigerator. It went something like this: “Reasonable people adapt themselves to suit the world. Unreasonable people change the world to suit themselves. Therefore all progress depends on unreasonable people.” (It appears the quote from which this is adapted belongs to George Bernard Shaw.)

I posted it to remind myself that my child wasn’t being defiant, she was a born changemaker, wired to challenge the status quo in order to come up with a better, fairer way. 

Those are the people Gus points us toward. Those are the people Gus wants us to become. They’re the people who know that progress isn’t a given, that we fight for every inch of it by first imagining a better, more equitable world, and then setting about — in our own homes, neighborhoods, towns, or cities — to create it.

Unreasonably,

Dot 

Paid Advertisement with Energy Sage

Tired of being bombarded with pushy solar ads and sales calls? EnergySage offers a smarter, stress-free way to go solar. Compare multiple quotes from top-rated, pre-screened installers—all in one place, and all without the pressure.

Here’s how it works:

• Easy comparison: Find and compare quotes from trusted installers in a transparent, user-friendly platform at your own pace.

•No pressure, just savings: Homeowners using EnergySage save an average of 20% on solar installation.

•Unbiased guidance: Our Energy Advisors are here to offer free, expert advice whenever you need it.

Ready to get started? Start by entering your zip code, then answer a few questions about your electricity usage, roof condition, and timeline, and confirm the property to get your quote.

Use AC when there is cheaper available solar energy. 

For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.

Inside each issue of Bluedot Living Kitchen, you’ll find fresh cooking inspiration for planet-friendly eating, waste-saving tips for a more sustainable kitchen, and inspiring stories of the people who grow and make your food. In the latest issue, you’ll find tips for growing hearty herbs you’ll actually use, dozens of seasonal recipes, low-waste tips for campfire cooking, and the story of the third-generation farmers behind the regenerative Happy Hens Farm.

Claim your free issue now! No payment information required.

Paid Advertisement with Money Auto

With car insurance premiums projected to reach a record $2,101 annually in 2025, it's more important than ever to make sure you're not overpaying. In fact, switching car insurance providers could save drivers over $1,300 a year, according to a 2024 survey.