No. 34: Hello discover page?!
Plus more on slow living and I bought a car...
First off, I’m so excited to announce we’ve grown (a LOT)! Thank you so much
for featuring G&S on the discover page, and thank you new readers for giving us a chance! I’d love to get to know you, so feel free to comment below, reply to this email, or suggest a topic for future issues! I’d also love to know why you decided to subscribe! :)If this is your first time reading, hi I’m Ainsley, a teen in the U.S. that wants to educate myself and others on all things climate! I’m an imperfect environmentalist that believes climate policy and acknowledging/discussing the reality of the climate crisis are the two most powerful things we can do. Reach out anytime if you have any questions or feedback!
More on slow living: it’s adaptable
Slow living is about more than sustainability (as mentioned in No. 32); it’s about mental wellness and dislodging toxic work productivity.
From a recent Glamour article…
Self-compassion. Not the ‘self-love’ trends of unaffordable face masks and performative productivity. But whatever self-compassion looks like to you. It might mean clean bedsheets. Staying up late to binge the latest Netflix release. Going to bed early because you’re tired and you want to. Going to the party. Staying at home. Reading more. Finally admitting you’re not a reader and you’d rather be watching The Kardashians with a glass of rosé.
So how can these ideals be intertwined? Being conscious of yourself, your needs, etc. “Choosing yourself, your mental health and your body above fulfilling a cultural pressure to be productive at all times.” (Couldn’t have said it better.)
Further reading: I tried embracing slow living techniques for a week (Stylist)
I bought a car as an environmentalist
I can never remember what I tell others in person, and what I tell the readers here, but obviously I’m not going to hate you if you drive a car. Gatekeeping is totally not cool, and takes us completely in the wrong direction. I live in a small, car dependent town, and there’s simply no other option for me, either. Carpooling, more efficient vehicles, and public transit (nonexistent here) are just three solutions to these unjust problems.
Last week I bought a 2010 Honda Insight, a hybrid, which averages around 40 mpg, and has a similar look to a Prius, complete with the signature hatchback (my dream car!). I opted for this instead, because of the Prius’s higher price tag, yet older age and higher mileage. I’ve proudly told all my friends about it, hopefully putting it on their radar that hybrid cars are an option!
So while I still have to support fossil fuels for now, I’m trying to participate as little as I can as I advocate for a cleaner, more efficient future.
Check out…
New York Landlords Try Carbon-Sucking Towers to Comply With Climate Law (Bloomberg)
South Korea has almost zero food waste. Here’s what the US can learn (The Guardian)
From The Source Podcast - Teens Fighting for a Livable Planet | S4, Ep 6.
Exxon Made “Breathtakingly” Accurate Climate Predictions in 1970’s and 80’s (Mother Jones)
Germany plans to destroy this village for a coal mine. Thousands are gathering to stop it (CNN) - Have you heard about this? Despite a 2030 phase-out of coal mines, this greedy company wants to destroy a German village to profit off of the coal below. Climate activists are protesting (pictured below), but neither party is done fighting.
Good climate news
EPA to award $100M to boost environmental justice programs - This is actually pretty exciting, as the EPA will be providing local grants (up to $100 million) to local climate justice programs, with $30 million in direct grants to community-based nonprofit organizations and partners, $5 million for small community-based groups with less than five employees, and the remaining $70 million to local + state governments and federally recognized tribes. Organizations can apply now until April 10, and more info can be found here.
Wrap-up
Thanks for reading, and happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Congrats on 700 subs!!
Excellent content. We’ll written