The hottest Environment Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top World Politics Topics

Searching for Posthumanist AI

Cybernetic Forests • 259 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🔬 Science AI Technology Ethics Philosophy Environment
  1. Large Language Models are anthropocentric and pose challenges to moving beyond human-centric ideologies
  2. Post-humanism emphasizes decentering humanity and focusing on the health of the planet and interconnected natural systems
  3. AI's current state reflects human biases and design decisions, and a posthumanist approach would require a shift towards technologies that facilitate listening and understanding the world outside ourselves

Life Abounds

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 219 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Nature Wildlife Adventure Family Environment
  1. Baby animals, like marmots and geoducks, can be very cute and inspire joy in nature. People often feel a nurturing instinct towards baby animals, similar to how they feel about human babies.
  2. The recovery of wildlife can surprise researchers, as seen with western toads at Mt. St. Helens after the eruption, which thrived in new conditions.
  3. Many baby marmots survive their first winter, which is good news for their populations. Cute baby animals help us connect with nature and remind us of the importance of wildlife conservation.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #76

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 229 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Blockchain Environment Health Cryptocurrency
  1. Figure demonstrated a robot learning to make coffee based on observing humans, showcasing a general purpose AI approach.
  2. Rabbit introduced an AI model that translates human directives into actions without traditional app interfaces, paired with affordable hardware.
  3. US saw a decline in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 despite economic growth, emphasizing the need for continued emissions reduction efforts.

Dune 3: Planetary Regeneration?

Surfing the Future • 59 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Film Literature Environment Religion Science fiction
  1. The Kynes family in 'Dune' is crucial, with Pardot, Liet-Kynes, and Chani playing significant roles in planetary regeneration.
  2. The complex characters and the family business of planetary regeneration add depth and memorability to the 'Dune' story.
  3. Herbert's ecological themes in 'Dune' explore the aim of all life to maintain coordinated patterns of greater diversity, emphasizing the importance of sustaining life.
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Smoke on the Water

Unbound • 600 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
📰 News Environment Politics Media Disaster Community
  1. Accidents like the train derailment in Ohio can have long-lasting and terrible effects on communities.
  2. There is a growing sense of uneasiness and concern over industrial mishaps, shortages of goods, and global tensions.
  3. The media focus on perceptions and ideas rather than on reporting on actual events, leading to a loss of trust in institutions.

National Association of Manufactured Consent: D.C. Group Floats Anti Right to Repair Tome

Fight to Repair • 118 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Repairability Environment Politics Digital Rights Legislation
  1. The National Association of Manufacturers released a report against the right to repair but it recycled industry talking points and presented weak arguments.
  2. The report falsely claims that right to repair harms the environment, but in reality, creating and shipping replacement parts are more environmentally friendly than replacing entire devices.
  3. Different state right to repair laws can be burdensome, but they are a step towards a federal law that grants repair rights to all Americans, while still allowing for state-level legislation.

The Population Bomb

Diane Francis • 439 implied HN points • 17 Nov 22
🌍 World Politics Demographics Global Issues Migration Economics Environment
  1. The world's population hit 8 billion, largely due to longer life expectancies and better health care. This brings both business opportunities and environmental challenges.
  2. Population growth is expected to slow down significantly in the coming decades, influenced by factors like women's education and lower fertility rates. Many countries are facing issues related to aging populations and shrinking workforces.
  3. Countries like Japan and Germany show that a declining population can still lead to economic success, especially when they invest in automation and embrace environmental sustainability.

TechnoGlobalist Terrorism and the Criminalization of Human Life

DrV’s Newsletter, Notes, Essays, Articles, Videos, and Book Chapters • 78 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Environment Climate Farming Healthy living
  1. Behaviors such as subsistence fishing and farming might be criminalized as ecocide, leading to severe penalties for a large part of the population.
  2. Eating for survival could be considered as a crime against the environment, labeled as ecocide.
  3. There is an agenda to guilt and make individuals pay for simple everyday actions like drinking coffee, hinting at a larger scheme from previous years.

Cochran's Great Insight

The Heart Attack Diet • 139 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Diseases Environment Toxins
  1. Common diseases that affect many people should be carefully examined for underlying causes, like pathogens or recent environmental changes.
  2. Pathogens play a significant role in causing diseases, such as the example of sickle-cell anaemia in Africa being a defense against malaria.
  3. The rise of 'diseases of modernity' like heart disease, cancer, and obesity may be linked to long-term exposure to environmental toxins in food and water.

How To Read for Trends

Think Future • 119 implied HN points • 09 Nov 23
🔬 Science Environment Technology Health Society Medicine
  1. Identifying trends involves looking for patterns over time, both increasing and decreasing, in various aspects of society and industry.
  2. Reading news for trends involves focusing on 'real news' that provides deep insights and understanding of issues, rather than temporary headlines or human interest stories.
  3. Deep-lying trends impact many surface-level changes, with monitoring deep trends providing valuable insights for forecasting the future.

Overcoming challenges in Martian and Earth agriculture: a path to sustainable food production

Space Ambition • 219 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🔬 Science Agriculture Space Environment Technology Research
  1. Growing food on Mars will be challenging. Scientists need to consider energy needs, special farming techniques, and the importance of making the environment attractive for all settlers.
  2. For a permanent Mars colony, it’s better to produce most food on-site rather than bringing it from Earth. This means finding ways to efficiently grow food using available Martian resources.
  3. Advancements in technology, like genetic engineering and farm automation, are crucial. These innovations can help make food production sustainable both on Mars and here on Earth.

The man who forgot to die

10x your mind • 119 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Well-being Healthy Habits Environment Lifestyle Physical health
  1. Changing your environment can have a significant impact on health and well-being without conscious efforts on lifestyle changes.
  2. Living in a toxic environment can hinder healthy habits and contribute to stress and health issues.
  3. Sometimes, embracing a new environment or location that nurtures well-being can lead to unexpected positive changes in health and life.

So long Aeolus, and thanks for all the wind data

Europe in Space • 117 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🔬 Science Space Technology Data Environment Satellites
  1. Aeolus satellite mission ended and made significant contributions to improving weather forecasting with its pioneering technology
  2. Aeolus had a unique instrument to collect global wind data and its impact goes beyond just weather forecasts
  3. The mission had a lasting impact and economic benefits, leading to approval for a second Aeolus mission

Race, Gender and IQ

David Friedman’s Substack • 323 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🔬 Science Race IQ Gender Environment Genetics
  1. Publicly discussing racial and gender differences in IQ can lead to accusations of prejudice, as seen in the cases of James Watson and Lawrence Summers.
  2. Evidence suggests that the genetic IQ of Africans is comparable to that of whites, challenging previous assumptions of lower intelligence.
  3. Nurture may play a smaller role than nature in influencing outcomes, as seen in a study of Korean-American children placed for adoption.

EU Systems Transformation Hub launched

Surfing the Future • 59 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Environment Policy European Union Sustainability Collaboration
  1. EU Systems Transformation Hub launched to find systemic solutions for systemic crises in Europe.
  2. The Hub involves five organizations like Metabolic, EIT Climate-KIC, and the Club of Rome, with an open invite for more to join.
  3. The Hub focuses on mapping EU progress on Sustainable Development Goals, crafting progressive narratives for policymakers, and consulting with stakeholders.

How Robins Got Their Name

Bird History • 99 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
🔬 Science Nature Biology History Culture Environment
  1. Robins named in England were given human names like Robert and Robin due to their familiarity and endearing qualities.
  2. American settlers in North America applied the name Robin to birds with orange breasts despite being different species from the English robin.
  3. The name Robin has been widely adopted by various birds across different continents, showcasing the historical influence of English colonization and erasure of indigenous knowledge.

Reality is a Privilege

The New Urban Order • 99 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Technology Environment Urbanism Society Digital Divide
  1. Many people are spending increasing amounts of time in virtual reality, which may become a compulsion and potential tool for survival in a degraded environment.
  2. As physical reality becomes less viable, the shift towards online life can lead to decreased social interaction, impacting mental health and social dynamics in cities.
  3. Good urban planning that prioritizes accessible physical spaces is essential to maintaining humanity and preventing a digital divide where individuals are forced to live more of their lives online.

Imagining a World Beyond Consumerism

The Joyous Struggle • 158 implied HN points • 11 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Philosophy Spirituality Environment Society Economy
  1. Going beyond consumerism is challenging because it is deeply ingrained in our societal norms and behaviors.
  2. Consumerism is not just about consumption or capitalism; it is a cultural and economic way of life that influences our sense of normality.
  3. To move beyond consumerism, we need to understand and address the emotional, social, economic, technological, legal, political, and spiritual logics that drive it, while also reimagining our societal norms and narratives.

Iceland's new found popularity

The Global Jigsaw • 119 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🏝 Travel Tourism Economy Infrastructure Environment Sustainability
  1. Tourism is Iceland's biggest export industry, but there are concerns about the impact on the environment and culture.
  2. Tourism has played a significant role in Iceland's economy, especially in times of crisis like the financial crash and pandemic.
  3. The increase in tourism has led to infrastructure challenges and a debate on sustainable tourism practices in Iceland.

2023 Was the Year Cities Sued — And Won

The New Urban Order • 59 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal Urbanism Policies Litigation Environment
  1. Cities are increasingly using litigation to address problems that policies can't solve.
  2. City legal departments are evolving from being slow and conservative to actively participating in affirmative litigation.
  3. Cities are winning lawsuits against companies like Kia, Hyundai, Big Oil, and 3M for issues like car theft, climate change, and pollution.

The Summer of the Whale

Men Yell at Me • 268 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Animals Politics Environment Social Issues
  1. People are supporting whales in a recent wave of attacks on boats, siding with the orcas due to their anti-capitalist symbolism.
  2. Americans relate to the struggles of whales due to growing income inequality, stagnant wages, and other socio-economic issues.
  3. There is a sense of commonality between people and sea creatures like whales in feeling targeted by a system that harms and kills them both.