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On Nantucket, high school and college student stewards care for more than 15,000 acres of conservation lands that Mass Audubon manages on the island. They have helped monitor shorebirds, developed popup education programs for beachgoers, maintained trails, and monitored forests for the newest threat to the island woodlands, southern pine beetles.

Trees Deserve Better

Over 51,000 trees are cut down every day for paper towels alone. Swapping to this washable cotton alternative saves resources, cuts waste, and keeps your kitchen running just as smoothly. Find this and more planet-friendly products for a low-impact kitchen in the Bluedot Living Collection.

“We can no longer let the people in power decide what is politically possible. We can no longer let the people in power decide what hope is. Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah, blah, blah. Hope is telling the truth. Hope is taking action. And hope always comes from the people.”

– Greta Thunberg, Youth4Climate Summit, Milan, Italy

• Dear Dot: Can I Green My Money?

• Rescuing the Great Salt Lake

• The YES Stewards on Nantucket

• Check Out What Students Are Doing at The Bluedot Institute

• A Conversation With a Climate Grief Researcher

• Pushing for Responsible Pension Plan Investing

• Recipe: Lemon Dill Hummus

• 12 Tips for Thrifting Success

• Going Vegan at the Dorm Dining Hall

• Buy Less/Buy Better: Let’s Do Lunch

• Climate Quick Tip: Be a Climate-Conscious Camper

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Planning to camp during spring break? Follow Leave No Trace principles. And, when it comes to camp grub, don’t sacrifice flavor or rely on prepackaged meals.

Bluedot Kitchen

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For just $50 a year, 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.

Dear Dot: Can I Green My Money?

Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Dear Dot,
I’m really impressed when I hear about universities divesting from Big Oil. I know that the biggest impact I could make would be to follow suit. Why is it I’m having such a hard time making these changes? Between our mortgage, checking accounts/savings, auto loan, retirement accounts, and credit cards, I think we bank with all of the top offenders. Help me make a change. I don’t know how or where to begin.  

– Overwhelmed, Santa Monica, CA

Dear Overwhelmed,

Cheers to the waves that the divestment movement has made in recent years. As Bluedot’s Lily Olsen wrote in “The Power of Divestment,” more than 1,300 institutions with assets over $14.6 trillion have thus far committed to divest. The beauty of this movement is its chain effect — with each entity that pulls financial support from Big Oil, others are inspired to join, and one of those people is you. 

Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to actually start making financial adjustments, let’s just recap divestment basics. Depriving fossil fuel companies of funds applies economic pressure, serving as a powerful force in the transition away from atmosphere-destroying fuel sources to more sustainable alternatives. 

You want to be part of this change. It makes sense — but does it also make cents? 

Dot invests some time in finding the answer. Read on.

BUY LESS/BUY BETTER: Let’s Do Lunch

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

This season’s issue is all about cooking with intention, using what you have, and setting the tone for a more thoughtful spring. We’re sharing waste-not soup and a closer look at planet-conscious chocolate. You’ll also find guidance on raising backyard chickens, what to know about amla powder, and ideas to help you cook seasonally while we head into spring. Subscribe now to read the latest issue of Bluedot Living Kitchen and get a full year of low-waste recipes, sustainable kitchen tips, and mindful cooking inspiration for every season.

What You Can Do

The Bluedot Institute, Bluedot Living’s non-profit arm, is dedicated to cultivating cub climate reporters. You can read some of the stories high school (and some college) kids from around the country have posted. And if you know a student who might be interested, check out the Institute’s various programs (including retreats — some with scholarships available).

The Keep-This Handbook

We quizzed our vintage-shopping experts for their best advice on finding hidden gems at secondhand stores. Check out their tips, and consult the Secondhand Sisters for even more sustainable fashion advice.

Leaving Our Planet In Good Hands

While I was in high school, in January of 2019, the United Teachers of Los Angeles union led an eight-day strike. More than 30,000 educators across Los Angeles Unified School District walked out to advocate for better pay and smaller classes — better conditions for teachers and students. It was the first district-wide strike in 30 years. Every day, massive rallies took place downtown. Teachers, students, and other community members from my high school’s small port town lined up outside our campus. All of this in the cold, heavy rain in Los Angeles. That’s how you know we meant business.

That week, I learned so much more than I would have had we stuck to the regularly scheduled curriculum. It was what first exposed me (and likely many other young Angelenos) to the power of disrupting the system. To the signs and chants, and that overwhelming mix of hope, humanity, and fear that you get standing in the middle of a group of people fighting for each other’s well-being. Since then, I’ve been part of many other protests and rallies, and I’m sure I’ll be part of many more. We’ve seen what can happen when we organize and care for each other, unwaveringly.

Check out Bluedot’s Guide to Citizen Action to learn what you can do to protect our people and our planet. (Spoiler alert: You can do a lot.)

Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you next week.

–  Emily Cain  (and Leslie Garrett, Jamie Kageleiry, 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.

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