At Home On Earth

SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES

On Martha’s Vineyard, a new book from the Fishermen’s Preservation Trust weaves together recipes, stories, and the people behind the catch. You don’t have to live there to appreciate this book! The Sea Table is “as much a love letter to the island’s fishing culture as it is a guide to preparing its local bounty,” writes Britt Bowker in this story (featuring recipes). “Featuring 75 recipes and portraits of 21 island fishermen, The Sea Table is a cookbook and a community story — one that aims to preserve a way of life and support the working waterfront that still helps define the Vineyard.”

Elevate Your Holiday Gifting With Sustainable Gifts From Our Store

We’ve made sustainable gifting simple just in time for the holidays. Our new store is stocked with everyday essentials, clever swaps, and hardworking products that help reduce waste — all from brands we’ve vetted for real environmental responsibility. Treat the people you love to gifts that feel good and do good.

“Our roots are in the dark; the earth is our country. Why did we look up for blessing — instead of around, and down? What hope we have lies there. Not in the sky full of orbiting spy-eyes and weaponry, but in the earth we have looked down upon. Not from above, but from below. Not in the light that blinds, but in the dark that nourishes, where human beings grow human souls.”

– Ursula K. Le Guin, “A Left Handed Commencement Address”

Leave it to a writer to throw water on any expectations we might have for an easy life. Nope. Ursula Le Guin points out in this commencement address that life has always been thus — that we all experience failure, disappointment, betrayal, loss. That life on this planet will inevitably lead us to dark places. But, she reminds us, that is where we’ll find our roots, that is where growth begins. 

• The Ecologist Who Serves Up Climate Science on a Plate

• Favorite Read: When It All Burns

• Sustainable (Affordable) Gifts From Our Shop!
  

• A Book About Fishing and Community (With Recipes)

• Aldo Leopold’s Classic, ‘A Sand County Almanac,’ Turns 75

• Climate Quick Tip: Earth-Friendly Wrapping

• Adult Vegan Grilled Cheese With Chili Crisp

• A Conversation With Witchland Writer Tim Mulligan

• Dear Dot: Where Can I Donate Gently Used Books?

• What You Can Do: Create a Little Free Library

• Climate Books for Every Reader

Enter the Bluedot Living x Sea Bags Holiday Giveaway for a chance to win two Ogunquit Beach Totes and two bag charms, a $550 value. Keep one set for yourself and share the second with someone who loves coastal-inspired, sustainably made design.  Each bag is handmade in Maine from retired sails, giving new life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Celebrate sustainable craftsmanship and coastal style this holiday season — choose your favorites and make them yours!

Enter between December 3 at 6:00 a.m. EST and on December 12 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.

FEATURED STORIES

BIG IDEAS AND LOCAL CHANGEMAKERS

Paid Advertisement with Cash App

Cash App Card is a debit card that turns everyday spending into everyday savings. From your grocery list to new sneakers, you’ll get offers that unlock instant discounts at places you already shop—in person and online. 
It’s not just about saving. Cash App Card is designed for peace of mind, with 24/7 fraud monitoring and no monthly or hidden fees. Plus, you can pay over time for eligible purchases and split them into 4 interest-free payments with Cash App Afterpay.*
It’s more than a debit card. It’s a smarter way to spend and take control of your cash every day.

Cash App is a financial platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See Terms & Conditions. To view the eligibility requirements for sponsoring a teen, please visit the Sponsored Accounts section of the Cash App Terms of Service.

Looking to wrap a gift in an Earth-friendly way? Dot has some ideas for you.

Adult Vegan Grilled Cheese With Chili Crisp

A Conversation With Witchland Writer Tim Mulligan

Tim Mulligan grew up in the shadow of Hanford, Washington, one of the three Manhattan Project sites. But no one, he says, ever talked about it. He’d “never had a discussion about toxic waste with anyone in my world or family” — until he started writing a series of graphic novels, set in his hometown, blending the horrors of toxic waste with the supernatural. Bluedot contributor Teresa Bergen talked with him about the secrecy that persists around nuclear waste sites, his efforts to get people to talk about their experiences, and what’s next in the Witchland series.

Paid Advertisement with Money

Not all checking accounts are created equal. Some charge maintenance fees, overdraft penalties, or ATM costs that quietly chip away at your balance. The good news? The best checking accounts eliminate those fees entirely. To see which accounts help you keep more of your money (or even make you more), check out Money’s top picks.
Does your account have these?
Overdraft protection or no/low overdraft fees
Rewards, interest, or cash back on spending or balances
No required minimum balance

Dear Dot: Where Can I Donate Gently Used Books?

Illustration by Elissa Turnbull

Dear Dot,

I have been looking for a way to recycle gently used books for over a year. Libraries no longer accept books, and I can’t find any place to donate them. If you have any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

–Connie K., Brooklyn, NY

Dear Connie,

My good friend Sarah spends her days helping people declutter. She arrives at their home, her clients often embarrassed and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of their stuff, and gets to work strategizing, sorting, and culling.

Consequently, she frequently leaves these clients’ homes with a van full of their no-longer wanted items, including books. What Sarah does next is consult the Little Free Library app, map those in her city, and set aside a few hours, with one of her daughters riding shotgun, to restock these neighborhood treasures with her clients’ discarded books. What could be a chore, she says, feels like a privilege — getting books into the hands of new readers. 

If you’d prefer one-stop dropping, our Bluedot Guide to Getting Rid of (Almost) Anything notes that you have a few options, including prison libraries, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army. 

Dot offers loads more suggestions for Connie who lives in NYC. Where do you take your books? Tell us!

BUY LESS/BUY BETTER: Affordable Holiday Gifts

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

Do you still have any holiday shopping to do? This week, we’re here to help you find a unicorn: a gift that’s affordable, sustainable, and a genuinely good present. Something that will have a lasting impact on your recipient, not on your wallet or the planet. Some of our favorites include:

The Gift of Growth

Modern Sprout makes it easy to spread joy wherever you go — quite literally. The company makes charming seed bombs, seed paper confetti poppers, and seed-stuffed ornaments, all containing seeds for plants that can adapt to a variety of soil types and climates. You’ll love receiving photos of the plants and flowers when they grow. ($1.50 and up) Shop Now 

The Gift of Chic Schlepping

A good tote is useful for hauling stuff around; a great one makes you look great while you’re hauling. Out of the Woods’ Pure Cord Shopper does it all. The clean, structured silhouette and sturdy rope handles look simultaneously boho and nautical, and it’s made from the brand’s durable, lightweight Supernatural Paper. ($26) Shop Now 

The Gift of Conversation

Finding entirely plastic-free baseball caps for our own line of merch was surprisingly difficult, but we did it! Embroidered with mostly cheeky (and some sweet) phrases, these organic cotton ball caps are surefire conversation-starters. Our advice columnist’s top pick is energy efficient, our newsletter producer plans on getting fermented for herself and her sisters, and pollinator pairs perfectly with any of the gifts from Modern Sprout (above). ($34.95) Shop Now

For more unique, affordable, ethically made gifts, check out Bluedot Living’s store. 

To save on last-minute purchases, enter code HOLIDAY10 at checkout to get an extra 10% off all items — now through December 15th. 

Explore all of our favorite gifts here. 

• Gifts Under $15 (tea, seed pops, lip balm, tiny trees, incense!) 

• Gifts Under $25 (wool ornaments, body oil, socks, cooking tools!) 

• Gifts Under $50 (candles, garden decor, totes, awesome hats!)  

• Gifts for Men (sling bags, hoodies, soap sets, tinned fish, cologne!) 

• Gifts for Women (paper flowers, throws, customizable jewelry!) 

• Gifts for Teens (water bottles, skincare, sleep masks, belt bags!) 

• Gifts for Plant Lovers (glam watering cans, smart growframes, trellises!) 

Experience impeccable hospitality at Santa Ynez’s The Genevieve hotel on our upcoming Bluedot Living trip to California’s Central Coast. Designed and led by Bluedot’s founder, Victoria Riskin, this curated trip was designed with sustainability and luxury in mind and features private tours, whale watching, wine tastings, meetings with local change-makers, and inspiration to care for our planet.

What You Can Do:
Create Your Own Little Free Library

There’s something magical about a little house in which books are free for the taking. If you want to help spread the magic, create your own Little Free Library, or Little Free Hamper (non-perishable foods), or Little Free Hygiene (personal care products) or ….

The Keep-This Handbook

Looking for your next great read? Need gifting inspiration? Check out our list of climate books for every reader. (And we mean every reader.) Peruse over 25 titles ranging from fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and kids.

There’s Nothing Like a Good Book

The first time I saw a Little Free Library, I couldn’t believe it. Free books? Even the new hardback ones? I thought I’d landed in utopia. See, there’s not much I love more than a good book. The way it feels when you’ve been reading uninterrupted for hours, so engrossed in the story that you forget where you are. The way great characters become your companions, long after you’ve finished the book. The way it feels when you can pass a great book along to a friend, knowing you’re sharing something special.

And that’s the main reason Little Free Libraries delight me: When I’m done with a book I love, I don’t have to just put it on a shelf, where it probably won’t be cracked again. I can offer it to the neighborhood, and whoever picks it up can pass it along in whatever way they like. These days, I’ve been giving my book finds to my mom, the fastest reader I know, who tears through them and returns them to me with notes about each one. (It’s like having my own private book reviewer.) I keep some for myself, pass some along to friends, and relocate others at book swaps around town. I bet some of those books go through 10 sets of hands before they end up on someone’s shelf. All thanks to some creative thinkers who wanted to encourage reading, and sharing.

Next time you pass a Little Free Library, I encourage you to take a look. Maybe you’ll even find one of our favorite reads. If you do — or if you find a book you think we should know about — tell us about it!

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

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.

Sent to: _t.e.s.t_@example.com

Unsubscribe from Bluedot Living - The HUB Newsletter | Unsubscribe from All Bluedot Living Newsletters

Bluedot, Inc., 2945 Townsgate Road, Ste 200, Westlake Village, CA 91361, United States