SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES

Fred Khedouri took this photo of a land iguana on a recent trip to the Galapagos. In our just-posted story about their trip there, Sarah Glazer writes: “Rakan Zahawi, executive director of the Charles Darwin Foundation, which studies how to protect native species in the Galapagos, acknowledges what is often called ‘the Galapagos paradox’: The archipelago’s unique, seemingly pristine environment is what attracts tourists, but their very presence threatens to harm it.” Read more about how Fred and Sarah’s trip, and others like them, can help support conservation in the Galapagos.

From wasting less food to choosing more plant-based meals or rethinking how you shop — small changes add up. We’d love to hear what’s different for you. This quick, 3-minute survey is a chance to reflect on your habits and help shape future Bluedot Living content around what matters most to you.

As a thank you, you’ll receive 20% off in our online store after completing the survey.

“When workplaces democratize, the employee learns the tools of community activism and collaborative practices. That, in turn, impacts the community and the issues that are important to the community.”

– John Abrams, founder of South Mountain, a construction company focused on sustainable building, and author of From Founder to Future: A Business Roadmap to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership. Abrams has made a (second) career out of coaching business owners in becoming either B Corp companies or creating a succession plan whereby workers become owners. Today, on Workers’ Day, we salute visionaries like Abrams. 

• The Shift: Refinery Worker to Nonprofit Campaigner

• Buy Yourself Something Nice This Mother’s Day

• Meet One of London’s Urban Rangers

• Wild Things in the Galapagos: Can Tourism Save Conservation?

• Climate-Friendly Job: Harvesting Sugar Kelp (+ Recipes!)

• Working a Regenerative Ranch in Santa Barbara

• Podcast: What to Do When Your Undies Are Made of Plastic

• Climate Quick Tip: A Crumby Idea

• Can Tofu Be Irresistible? This Food Scientist Says Yes.

• Recipe: Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls With Lemongrass Tofu Balls

• Daily Dot: Climate Champ Sarah Lazarovic Dances for Heat Pumps 

• A Guide to Understanding Eco-Labels and Certifications

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Bluedot Kitchen

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls With Lemongrass Tofu Balls

Read more about Wendy the Food Scientist (plus more tofu recipes!).

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More people are discovering the climate and health advantages of cycling. And the growing popularity of e-bikes means two-wheeled transportation is more accessible than ever. But all those bikes means a growing need for people to keep them in road-worthy condition. Which is where Charlie’s Free Wheels in Toronto, Canada, comes in. As they put it in a Field Note, “During our five-week program, 10 participants receive 40 hours of hands-on bike mechanic training to prepare them for entry-level jobs doing bike repairs. The program runs from January to early March, so when bike shops begin their hiring for the season, our mechanics will be freshly trained and ready to apply for jobs. We also serve a nutritious home-cooked vegetarian meal with each class to ensure that food insecurity is not a barrier to participation in our program.”  

For just $5/month, you can become a Bluedot Living member — investing in a healthier planet while unlocking real, everyday benefits for yourself. You'll enjoy 10% off every purchase from Bluedot Living Collection, our editor-curated marketplace of planet-friendly brands and products and you'll receive additional member-only store discounts each month. Many members recoup the cost of membership in just a handful of purchases from our store. From there, the savings continue — making sustainable living more accessible, affordable, and impactful.

Daily Dot: Climate Champ Sarah Lazarovic Dances for Heat Pumps

Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Still on the fence about heat pumps? Let Dot’s Climate Champ Sarah Lazarovic explain why her job pitching them makes her want to dance: “I talk about heat pumps all the time because I’m a big believer in one-and-done-ish, high-leverage climate actions. That is to say, the larger decisions we make that really impact our emissions.” We all need to heat (and, as the planet warms, cool) our homes. So we need to use something. And why wouldn’t we use something that can bring our household emissions down by 70% to 80% while also being really good at heating and cooling our homes? Heat pumps are so effective that Sarah calls them “magic.” Read Sarah’s extremely compelling, extremely amusing sales pitch. And then tell your neighbor why you’re getting a heat pump. 

This is excerpted from Dot’s daily blog, Daily Dot. Sign up to get it straight to your inbox!

BUY LESS/BUY BETTER:
Buy Yourself Something Nice This Mother’s Day

If you make a purchase through our links, including from Amazon, we may earn a small commission.

Mother’s Day often centers on caring for others. This year, we’d like to encourage any mother reading to do something nice for herself. Forget dropping hints. Instead, treat yourself to something you’ll genuinely enjoy. Our Marketplace editor has selected some of her favorite self-care items. None require much time, effort, or money, but they all make her feel good — which is just what we want for you. Don’t wait too long! Mother’s Day is May 10.

An Easy Upgrade to Your Routine

A staple of traditional Chinese medicine, a gua sha helps ease tension and supports circulation in the face. UpCircle’s stainless steel version is much more practical than the stone gua shas you’re more likely to come across. The non-porous surface can be sanitized, and it also won’t break if dropped. Just a couple of minutes of use can help reduce puffiness and leave skin looking more refreshed. ($20) Shop now.

Excellent, Refillable Skincare

Activist Skincare offers a small, effective product line and has a great refill system. Our favorites include the Sea to Skin Cleansing Gel, which leaves skin soft and balanced, and the brightening Active Hydration Vitamin C+ Antioxidant Serum. The Precious Oils Active Infusion layers in moisture and is fun to apply with UpCircle’s gua sha. ($28+) Shop now.

An Effortless Home Spa Experience

No Tox Life’s Eucalyptus Steam is just the thing on mornings when you’re having a tough time getting started. Put one in the shower, and it will release energizing eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils into the steam. ($16+) Shop now. 

All of us at Bluedot Living completely get the value in having a career that aligns with our values — after all, we work for a climate-focused media company. And with that in mind, we created two series: My Green Job, which features people who work in areas related to nature or conservation or climate more broadly, and The Shift, which features people who moved from jobs harmful to the environment to jobs aimed at helping it. We hope you’ll check them out. If you’ve got a “green job” or made a “shift,” tell us about it.

The Keep-This Handbook

Learn what those eco-certifications really mean, so you know what you’re spending your hard-earned money on. Eco-labels and certifications are meant to signal products that are better for the planet, but some of them are just … meaningless. Here’s a guide to help you know what’s what.

On International Workers Day:
People Who Love Their Jobs

Five years ago, in May of 2021, we launched Bluedot Living’s Martha’s Vineyard print magazine. (Most of us who started the company live here on the Vineyard, at least for part of the year.) From the start, we wanted to focus on the stories of people in our community who weren’t just calling attention to the challenges from climate change, but were actually doing something about it. 

It has always struck me, as one of the original editors, that these people all seemed to love their jobs. People like Jonah Maidoff, who teaches at a local charter school and leads his students on paddling expeditions and walkabout days, as well as trips to the Massachusetts state house to lobby for environmental and community sustainability. Sure, the news about the environment can be discouraging, Maidoff told reporter Kelsey Perrett, “but that’s a place of fear. I don’t think that’s a place to work from for success. Possibility and connection are far more important.” 

Or brothers Greg and Dan Martino, who’ve been farming and harvesting sugar kelp — a crop that not only makes a low-impact and tasty ingredient, but also sequesters carbon dioxide. “Mother Nature does its thing,” Greg said. “Our job is to find the best growing environment so it can flourish.” 

Or, take Noli Taylor, the co-executive director of Island Grown Initiative, an organization dedicated to creating a sustainable, equitable food system on the Vineyard. “The community work I do is just seeing what is happening,” she told reporter Lucas Thors, “and finding a place where I can be helpful in getting people together to make a change.”

Since those early days on the Vineyard, we’ve found thousands of similar stories about people across the U.S., in Canada, and around the world. We count ourselves among those who love their jobs. Telling these stories — and hearing yours — reminds us that, yes, the challenge is formidable. But so are the many people working to make our world better.

Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you next week. (And if you'd like, support us by becoming a member for $5 a month.)

– Jamie Kageleiry (and Leslie Garrett, Emily Cain, and Robin Jones)

Editors

Write us at editor@bluedotliving.com

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.

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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