Sustainability by numbers

Sustainability by numbers explores environmental solutions through a data-driven lens, covering energy efficiency, renewable resources, and the transition to low-carbon technologies. It addresses climate change impacts, the benefits of electric vehicles, and the efficiency of meat substitutes, advocating for an evidence-based approach to environmental sustainability.

Environmental Sustainability Renewable Energy Electric Vehicles Energy Efficiency Climate Change Agricultural Practices Low-Carbon Technologies

The hottest Substack posts of Sustainability by numbers

And their main takeaways

Solving for Climate: the podcast is back

188 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Sustainability Environmental Policy Climate Science Agriculture
  1. The podcast 'Solving for Climate' is starting its second season, focusing on conversations with experts who are working on climate change solutions.
  2. Reading can help us understand important topics, like the impacts of climate change and our agricultural practices, through different perspectives and stories.
  3. Generational differences in views about climate change may be overstated, and it's important to recognize common ground instead of blaming each other.

Do US states with more renewable energy have more expensive electricity?

316 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Sustainability Energy Sources Environmental Policy
  1. Having more renewable energy sources like solar and wind doesn't always mean higher electricity costs. Some states with a lot of renewables actually have lower prices.
  2. Electricity prices vary widely between states due to many factors, not just the types of energy used. Things like distribution costs and market design play big roles.
  3. Tracking electricity prices over time can show the impact of renewable energy. Some states see lower prices with more renewables, while others may see prices rise.

State-by-state electricity mixes and prices in the United States

279 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Energy Electricity Policy Data
  1. There are interactive slide decks available that show how electricity sources and prices vary across different states in the US. This makes it easy for people to understand where their electricity comes from.
  2. The slide decks get updated with new data to reflect changes in energy policy and the electricity market over time. It's helpful for anyone interested in seeing the latest trends and figures.
  3. Users can freely explore the data on electricity mixes and prices without needing permission, promoting accessibility and awareness about energy consumption.

How much food did the world produce in 2024?

379 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food production Agriculture Sustainability Global trends
  1. In 2024, global food production of staple crops like rice, wheat, and soybeans is expected to hit record highs. This is good news as it means more food is available.
  2. While some crops like corn may not reach last year's records, overall yields for most staples are strong. This shows that farming practices are improving.
  3. Other crops like cocoa and coffee have mixed results; cocoa production has dropped while coffee is nearly at record levels. It highlights how different crops respond differently to growing conditions.

How many people died in disasters in 2024?

211 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Disasters Sustainability Data Analysis Public Health Environmental Impact
  1. In 2024, fewer people died from disasters compared to previous years, thanks to fewer major earthquakes. The estimate was around 9,500 deaths, which is low compared to the high averages from past years.
  2. Floods, wildfires, and storms were the main causes of deaths in 2024. Many fatalities came from extreme weather events, particularly flooding in Africa and wildfires in South America.
  3. It's important to note that data on disaster deaths is often incomplete, especially for temperature-related deaths. Researchers have to estimate these numbers, leading to less reliable statistics overall.
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Deforestation in the Amazon has halved in the last few years

266 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Conservation Deforestation Sustainability Biodiversity Climate change
  1. Deforestation in the Amazon has significantly decreased, halving over the past few years, thanks to new policies and leadership.
  2. Lula da Silva's administration has made real progress in reducing forest loss, following a troubling period of increased deforestation under the previous president.
  3. While the trend is positive, challenges remain and ongoing efforts are crucial to meet the target of ending deforestation by 2030.

Vertical farming: a local solution for greens, but not feeding the world any time soon

339 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Sustainability Farming Agriculture Food security
  1. Vertical farming can grow greens indoors, but it won't solve global food issues soon. It's too energy-intensive and often expensive.
  2. Growing leafy greens like lettuce can work if electricity costs are low. However, for staple crops like wheat, vertical farming is not a practical option right now.
  3. While vertical farms might use less land, they can have a bigger carbon footprint than traditional farming, depending on the energy source used.

What’s the impact of artificial intelligence on energy demand?

402 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Artificial Intelligence Sustainability Efficiency
  1. AI and data centers currently use only a small portion of the world's electricity, about 1 to 2%. Even with the rise in AI, experts expect this demand to grow slowly in the coming years.
  2. People often worry about energy demands from AI, similar to past fears about data centers. However, improvements in technology and efficiency have kept actual energy use in check.
  3. The future energy demand of AI is uncertain, and while it will likely increase, it may not be as drastic as some predict. Continued efficiency improvements will be key to managing this growth.

Low-carbon tech needs much fewer materials than it used to; this matters for resource extraction in the future

364 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Resource Management Circular Economy Renewable Energy
  1. Low-carbon technology is using way fewer materials now than in the past. This means we can reduce the need for new resource extraction in the future.
  2. Many materials from old solar panels and batteries can be recycled more effectively, which could lead to a 'super-circular' economy. This is better than just making one new item from one old item.
  3. Improvements in material efficiency for solar panels and batteries mean that even if we don’t recycle everything perfectly, we can still have enough materials for more new products.

Launching a new podcast on climate solutions

268 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Sustainability Environmental Policy Podcasting Climate solutions
  1. A new podcast called 'Solving for Climate' is focused on discussing solutions for climate change. It features conversations with experts who are actively working on these solutions.
  2. The first series has five episodes that will be released weekly. The first two episodes showcase different perspectives from notable figures in the energy sector.
  3. The host is learning about the challenges of podcasting and hopes to improve in future seasons after this initial learning experience.

My book is published today!

545 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental Issues
  1. The book offers a data-driven look at environmental problems and how to solve them with a cautiously hopeful tone.
  2. It promotes urgent optimism in tackling solvable environmental issues relying on focused human effort and data-driven solutions.
  3. The book covers various environmental challenges and highlights the interconnected solutions to address them.

Many people don't know that nuclear power is low-carbon

301 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🔬 Science Energy Public Opinion Demographics Communication
  1. Many people are unaware that nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy, leading to confusion between renewables and nuclear power.
  2. Surveys show that there is a lack of understanding regarding the low-carbon nature of nuclear energy, with less than half of the public recognizing it as such.
  3. Demographics play a role in this confusion, with older individuals and men more likely to correctly identify nuclear power as low-carbon compared to younger individuals and women.

Low-carbon energy does not have the same energy security risks as fossil fuels

284 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Minerals Transition Security Geopolitics
  1. Low-carbon energy is more secure compared to fossil fuels due to different risk factors.
  2. Fossil fuel supplies pose an energy security risk due to being fuels that can be cut off or become expensive, impacting a country's energy security.
  3. Mineral inequities for clean energy transition are a separate issue, as expensive minerals may slow down the transition but do not impact the operation of existing technologies.

How many birds do wind farms kill?

246 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment
  1. Wind farms kill fewer birds compared to other hazards like cars, buildings, and cats.
  2. Bird deaths from fossil fuels are difficult to quantify, but climate change plays a significant role.
  3. Wind power poses a greater threat to specific bird species, like birds of prey, as well as to bats.

China is building more coal plants but might burn less coal

201 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Emissions Renewable Energy Environmental Impact
  1. China is constructing more coal plants, but they might end up burning less coal by running those plants less frequently.
  2. Despite the increase in coal plant construction, China's coal plants are operating at lower capacity factors, indicating a trend towards burning less coal in the future.
  3. Many of China's coal plants are operating at a financial loss due to high coal prices, and the country is shifting towards using coal as 'peaker plants' as renewable energy sources grow.

Biofuels: the US could switch to electric cars and solar power on just a fraction of the land

296 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Sustainability Renewables Transportation Land use
  1. Growing biofuels in the US is a poor use of land, especially when solar energy needs much less land and could power the country three times over.
  2. Biofuels may not have as positive an impact on the environment as initially assumed, with some studies suggesting they could increase emissions.
  3. Switching from biofuels to solar power for electric cars in the US could significantly reduce land use and still meet transportation needs.

Can solar and wind power Britain? An update of David MacKay’s numbers

211 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy
  1. Renewable energy costs have significantly decreased since 2008, making solar and wind power more feasible for Britain.
  2. There is a growing potential for solar and wind energy to meet Britain's energy demand with more efficient technology and public support.
  3. An update of David MacKay's 2008 numbers shows that solar and wind resources could surpass energy demand in Britain, even considering land requirements.

My TED Talk is now live

241 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🔬 Science Environment Health Data Renewables Agriculture
  1. We can improve human wellbeing while tackling environmental problems together.
  2. Global progress has been made in reducing child mortality and extreme poverty.
  3. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, is becoming more affordable and can help combat air pollution.

The low-carbon energy transition will need less mining than fossil fuels, even when adjusted for waste rock

201 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy transition Mining Recycling
  1. Low-carbon energy transition requires less mining than fossil fuels, even when accounting for waste rock.
  2. Material requirements for low-carbon technologies are still lower than current mining requirements for fossil fuels.
  3. Electrification for vehicles will increase material requirements, but overall material needs will decrease with an energy transition.

Net-zero: it’s not just where you end up, but how you get there that matters

218 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets Emissions Reduction
  1. The path countries take to reach net-zero emissions is crucial, not just the end goal.
  2. Delaying emissions cuts can lead to steeper reductions later, making it technically difficult and politically unpopular.
  3. Early investment in low-carbon technologies is crucial for reducing costs and driving global emission reductions.

The future of low-carbon heating is heat pumps

261 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency Carbon Emissions Green Technology Government Policy
  1. Heat pumps are around 4 times more efficient than gas boilers, reducing heating emissions close to zero.
  2. Switching to heat pumps reduces gas demand even if all electricity comes from gas, making them effective in cutting emissions.
  3. Heat pumps are much more efficient than hydrogen for heating, requiring far less electricity to operate.

Anger, sadness, guilt, hope: on the complex emotions of climate change

238 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Emotions Climate change Hope Activism Research
  1. Researchers are uncertain about which emotion is most effective in driving climate action.
  2. Emotions in response to climate change vary and are likely a combination of concern, anger, sadness, and hope.
  3. Pairing emotions like concern, anger, and sadness with hope can be vital for motivating action towards addressing climate change.

The world has enough minerals for low-carbon electricity

178 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Minerals Electricity Greenhouse Gases Supply Chains Renewable Energy
  1. There are enough minerals for low-carbon electricity systems, but issues may arise with mine construction and geopolitical risks.
  2. Most materials needed for decarbonization are available, with demand being a small fraction of global reserves for the majority of minerals.
  3. Building low-carbon electricity infrastructure will require some increase in global production, but the embedded carbon emissions are relatively low compared to using fossil fuels.

How much does aviation contribute to climate change? How will this change in the future?

208 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Aviation Global Emissions Energy Efficiency Future Trends
  1. Aviation contributes around 3% of global emissions and is a challenging sector to decarbonize.
  2. Global passenger demand for flying has quadrupled since 1990.
  3. Future aviation emissions will depend on changes in demand, energy efficiency improvements, and adoption of low-carbon technologies.

We have enough minerals for the energy transition, but medium-term supply is a challenge [Part 2]

150 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Minerals Energy transition Supply Recycling
  1. Short- and medium-term supply of minerals for the energy transition is a challenge that requires increased recycling, substitution, mining, and refining capacity.
  2. The time it takes to discover new mineral deposits, open mines, and scale up refining capacity can create bottlenecks in the short- and medium-term.
  3. To meet the growing mineral demand by 2030, there is a need to accelerate new mine openings, build refining capacity, and ensure strong environmental and social oversight.

No, the world is not going to pass its 1.5°C warming target in the next few years

276 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets
  1. The world is not expected to exceed the 1.5°C warming target in the next few years, but it serves as a warning of future warming trends.
  2. A temporary temperature rise above 1.5°C could occur due to factors like ongoing global warming and El Niño phases.
  3. Exceeding 1.5°C temporarily does not mean the Paris Agreement target has been crossed; long-term warming trends are crucial in climate change impacts.

How much more electricity will the UK need to switch to electric vehicles?

188 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Electric Vehicles Energy consumption Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency
  1. Fully switching to electric cars in the UK would increase electricity demand by around one-quarter.
  2. Transitioning all road transport to electric would lead to a 40% increase in electricity demand in the UK.
  3. Shifting to electric transport significantly reduces overall energy demand due to the higher efficiency of electric vehicles compared to petrol and diesel vehicles.

If the UK has lots of renewables, why do electricity prices follow gas prices?

206 implied HN points • 15 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewables Green Energy Market Dynamics
  1. Electricity prices follow gas prices because the most expensive source that needs to be turned on at any given time, usually gas, sets the price.
  2. In many electricity markets, the price is determined by the most expensive source that has to be turned on to meet demand, known as the marginal price.
  3. To lower electricity prices, there needs to be lower demand or an increase in renewable and nuclear energy sources to reduce the need for more expensive sources like natural gas.

Are plant-based milks healthier or less nutritious than cow’s milk?

241 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Plant-based Dairy Vitamins
  1. Plant-based milks are generally lower in calories, saturated fat, and protein compared to cow's milk.
  2. Soy milk is an exception, containing a similar amount of total protein and considered a 'high-quality' protein source.
  3. Not all plant-based milks are good protein sources, especially for infants and young children, as they may lack essential amino acids needed for proper growth and development.