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Formerly The Hub |
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Welcome to The Weekly, 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 Weekly, 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. All Dear Dot illustrations by Elissa Turnbull. |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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“Behold the captivating Deadvlei in Namibia, where a mesmerizing tableau of colors and contrasts unfold at sunrise,” writes Bluedot contributor Yasmin Namini in this At Home on Earth column. “Beneath the baby blue sky, the sand dunes paint a breathtaking canvas of amber and orange. Shadows cast upon the ground create a textured layer of tan and gray. Amidst this symphony of hues stand 1,000-year-old tree skeletons. It’s a sight I won’t soon forget…”
See more of Yasmin’s travels capturing the beauty of our planet here.
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Enter the Bluedot Living x The Hermit Giveaway for a chance to win a Year of Snacks for you and a friend. The prize includes 42 bags of wild-caught calamari jerky — high-protein, zero-sugar snacks made from one of the cleanest fisheries in the world — plus two T-shirts, valued at $500+. With no land or freshwater use and significantly lower carbon emissions than land-based meats, calamari jerky is a smarter way to fuel everyday adventures. Stock up, share, and snack better all year long.
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Enter between February 13 at 6:00 a.m. EST and on February 22 at 11:59 p.m. EST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to U.S. residents aged 13 and older.
See Official Rules for more details.
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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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“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
― Marcel Proust
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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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Kayak tours doubling as coastal cleanups. Textile artisans practicing an ancient cloth-dying technique. An ecotourism company leading a community toward a more sustainable economy. Around the world, climate heroes are working to prove that travel can benefit the environment.
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Cutting out red meat and poultry for Lent? Or maybe you want to eat less meat for its environmental benefits. Either way, now is the time to enjoy this delicious pan-roasted salmon dressed up with radishes, fresh winter citrus, shaved fennel, and radicchio. (Shop at the seafood counter confidently with our sustainable seafood buying guide.)
Get the recipe.
Vegan or vegetarian? Make Beer-Battered Mushrooms With Spicy Aioli instead of fried fish!
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Paid Advertisement with Money |
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Illustration by Elissa Turnbull |
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Dear Dot,
In late 2021, after staying put during COVID, I flew to California to see friends and family on JetBlue. The captain proudly announced that JetBlue had a carbon offset program so that the flight was carbon neutral. How does the offset work?
— Curious Traveler
My dear Curious Traveler,
Carbon offsets are indeed curious things. While it was the “word of the year” way back in 2006, it has continued to confuse and confound ever since.
There are cynics among us who consider carbon offsets to be little more than an attempt to assuage our guilt over less-than-eco-friendly actions. But we’ll get to that later.
For now, let’s examine what offsets are and how they can range from powerful to … not so much. Curious yourself? Keep reading. |
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What if the most powerful climate solution is connection across generations? This week on Imagine If, we bring together Bluedot founder Victoria Riskin and college student Cleo Carney for a conversation about how people of all ages are showing up for climate action in everyday ways. From composting with high-tech kitchen tools to choosing plant-based meals and organizing neighbors to speak up locally, they share how small, intentional choices add up. Their story is a reminder that you don’t need to be an expert or an activist to make a difference — you just need to start where you are, listen to one another, and act together for the future we all share.
Click now to listen on your favorite listening platform!
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If you make a purchase through our links, including from Amazon, we may earn a small commission. |
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Hitting the road? Nothing beats the simplicity and functionality of a good duffel bag — except maybe our Bumi Eco Duffel Bag, made with the good of the environment and people in mind. It’s the perfect size for a spontaneous weekend getaway or those days when you need a little more room to haul gear for work or athletics. Shop today.
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Parting Thoughts About the Power of Travel |
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Every few years in Death Valley, one of the hottest, driest places on Earth, the parched brown earth yields flowers of purple, yellow, pink, orange. The once-every-few-years phenomenon — a so-called “superbloom” — occurs when there’s enough precipitation but not too much heat or wind. (This year is shaping up to be a superbloom year — check it out on the park’s website.)
Yellowstone National Park has geyser cleaners, employees who periodically clean out the park’s gushing hot springs. They frequently discover a preponderance of wedding rings. (Want to read about how Yellowstone is combatting climate impacts? Keep reading.)
In Australia’s Daintree Rainforest, a tree yields something called “idiot fruit.” Potentially the oldest flowering tree in the world — and one found only in the Daintree Rainforest — idiot fruit is poisonous. Something, apparently, only an “idiot” would eat.
I learned these things — and so much more — thanks to travel. Sure, we can read books and watch documentaries (and I highly recommend both), but there’s something about being there, about absorbing new places through all our senses, about hearing about the quirks and the you-gotta-be-kidding stories that stay with us, shared by those who make these places their home.
I recognize the harmful impact that travel can have on our planet. But give it up? Nope. I travel differently these days — more trains, fewer planes, for one — but in a world filled with incredible sights, wonderful places, and plenty of opportunities for responsible, respectful travel, I’ll still be wandering.
Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you next week.
– Leslie Garrett (and Emily Cain, Jamie Kageleiry, and Robin Jones)
Editors
Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com |
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Leslie Garrett has been covering climate stories for close to two decades. She makes her home in Canada, west of Toronto. She’s still figuring out her favorite spot but it’s definitely near the water.
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.
Robin Jones is a Southern California native who served as an editor at Westways magazine for more than a decade. She lives in Long Beach and teaches journalism at Cal State Long Beach.
Emily Cain is a recent graduate of Cal State Long Beach, where she wrote and edited for the university’s award-winning magazine, DIG. |
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Our audience is informed, intentional, and tuned in to sustainable living. Reach our 300,000 readers by advertising here, or contact adsales@bluedotliving.com to reserve your space. |
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