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Welcome to Bluedot Living Los Angeles, a newsletter that gathers local good news, good food, and good tips for living every day more sustainably. |
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Welcome to Bluedot Living Los Angeles, a newsletter that gathers local 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. |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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As she watched the smoke from January’s wildfires turn the skies dark, Hannah Reynolds Martinez, a UCLA law student, knew she had to leave Los Angeles, and fast — she has asthma and other respiratory conditions that made breathing difficult in the smoky air. Because she had to pack quickly, though, she didn’t have time to grab food that would be safe for her anaphylactic allergies. That’s when mutual-aid organizations came to the rescue: She simply filled out a form, and soon she was receiving food donated by allergy-safe brands. It was just one of many instances of community care Hannah witnessed during and after the fires. “Time and time again, we see how those whose lives are devastated by wildfires adapt, take care of each other, and survive, even when the world is (literally) burning,” she says. “Regardless of area code, climate change will ultimately reach us all in one way or another. As we face the ongoing climate emergency, we will have one another to depend upon.”
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Quick Links |
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Skip scrolling! Here’s what you’ll find in today’s Bluedot Los Angeles newsletter: |
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We’re all about wildlife this week. Bluedot contributor Chris Lysik recommends we all watch Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons, from PBS’s Nature series. It tells the story of mama bear Grizzly 399 as she raises a litter of four cubs at the age of 24 — an unheard of accomplishment in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As her popularity grows, leading to greater tourism, Grizzly 399 realizes that humans could play a helpful role in protecting her cubs. But her proximity to humans and traffic also raises issues. Ethan Maday, a Santa Barbara high schooler, suggests watching the wildlife closer to home. In this essay for the Bluedot Institute, which amplifies student voices and supports their climate-related projects, he eloquently describes how trail cams taught him about the nature that’s all around us. |
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–Illustration by Elissa Turnbull |
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Dear Dot,
I’m seeing a lot more references to vegan leather. Is leather bad because it’s an animal product? Is vegan leather a more ethical alternative?
– Kylie
Dear Dot,
I’m curious about your take on vegan leather versus genuine leather from an eco perspective but also from a quality perspective.
– Sofia
Dear Kylie and Sofia,
When I was pregnant with Eldest Dot Child, I bought myself a pair of black “pleather” maternity pants and snakeskin boots, chasing a Blondie circa 1978 aesthetic. Problem was, those pants were hot … and not in the way Blondie circa 1978 was hot. As both the outdoor temperatures and the numbers on my scale soared, those pants — among the only items in my closet that still fit me — became like a waist-down sauna. If you are unfamiliar with women who are 8½ months pregnant, Kylie and Sofia, let me assure you that we are not known for being easygoing. All of which is to say, Dot and vegan leather have a somewhat troubled history.
Back then, however, vegan leather — or “pleather” — was pretty much restricted to a version of plastic, usually either polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Making my plastic pants took water, chemicals, and energy. PVC is particularly toxic, from creation to long past disposal — the “worst of the worst,” according to Judith Enck, a policy expert with Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit based at Bennington College in Vermont.. ...
Read the rest of Dot’s answer.
Got a question for Dot? Write her at deardot@bluedotliving.com. |
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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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As spring puts on a show all around us, we can’t help but want to bring those flowers inside. If you find yourself longingly admiring public displays of daffodils and tulips, you deserve to treat yourself to some flowers. Or, spread the love and give flowers to someone else. Our Marketplace editor, a flower fiend, trusts these companies when she wants to liven up a room or needs a special gift. In fact, they’re stepmother-, mother-in-law–, and sister-in-law–approved! You still have time to order ahead of Mother’s Day. |
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FreshCut Paper makes greeting cards that go from flat to fabulous in just seconds. Our Marketplace editor first spotted them in a botanical garden shop, and they’ve become one of her go-to gifts. Today, she also spotted one in the background on a team Zoom call. These lovely arrangements look even better in person than they do online — and they look great online.
Shop on Amazon or read our review. |
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Keeping fresh flowers in the house year-round is pricey, and while dried flowers make a nice alternative, they can shed and get messy. Enter Unwilted, a woman-run, Michigan-based brand that makes beautiful paper flowers by hand. Our Marketplace editor keeps Unwilted peonies in her Airbnb, and guests often ask her where they can find paper bouquets of their own. Save 20% with code BLUEDOT20. Shop today or read our review. |
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We always recommend shopping for fresh flowers at a local farmers market, but if that option isn’t available, or you’d like a cut-flower bouquet for someone out of town, we suggest Bloomsy Box. Bloomsy sells Rainforest Alliance Certified bouquets and potted plants. When your stepmother, who’s a stickler for quality, is impressed by two separate Bloomsy bouquets, it’s no small feat.
Shop today or read our review. |
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Wildlife Watch |
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As a kid, I was crazy about all animals, from house cats to giraffes. But I was not a fan of nature documentaries — I found them scary and brutal. After viewing the beautiful, moving My Octopus Teacher, though, I changed my mind. It’s more important than ever to understand the wildlife we share the planet with — and especially, how they’re affected by climate change, and what we can do to help. That’s why I can’t wait to curl up on my couch and take in Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons, a Bluedot Favorite Watch recommended by one of my favorite Bluedot writers, Christopher Lysik.
We love bringing you great recommendations for wildlife documentaries (and more!), along with inspiring stories about people and communities banding together to find climate solutions, and we hope you’ll help us by contributing to our journalism, subscribing to our newsletters, and forwarding this email to your like-minded friends.
See you in two weeks!
–Robin Jones
Do you have a special Los Angeles photo or story to share?
Email laeditor@bluedotliving.com. |
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Robin Jones is a Southern California native who served as an editor at Westways magazine for more than a decade. She currently lives in Long Beach and teaches journalism at Cal State Long Beach, where she advises the award-winning student magazine, DIG MAG. She loves road-tripping across California, especially when the itinerary includes stops in Arcata and Trinidad. |
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