The hottest Environmental Impact Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Climate & Environment Topics

Beyond the carbon buzz

Topsoil • 373 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Finance Environmental Impact
  1. Agriculture has a significant impact on the environment, beyond just carbon sequestration.
  2. Sustainability in agriculture requires real changes on farms, operational support for farmers, and financial incentives.
  3. Financing and risk-sharing across the agricultural value chain are crucial for accelerating adoption of sustainable practices.

The Climate Death Cult's Mask is Slipping

The Corbett Report • 26 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Propaganda Eugenics
  1. A scientific study claimed that human breathing contributes to climate change by emitting methane and nitrous oxide. However, the study's conclusions are statistically questionable and heavily biased.
  2. The study raises concerns about the underlying agenda behind such research, hinting at a dark narrative that demonizes human existence and suggests population control as a solution.
  3. The propaganda surrounding climate change, such as 'climate anxiety,' is being used to manipulate people into believing that human life itself is the problem. It is vital to recognize the sacredness of life and resist such destructive ideologies.

A Crisis of Red Roses

Tessa Fights Robots • 35 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Sustainability Consumerism
  1. The quality of fresh produce and flowers, especially red roses, has drastically decreased since 2020, raising questions about the impact of various factors like supply chain interruptions, climate change, and transportation methods.
  2. Imported cut flowers, like red roses, have a significant carbon footprint due to their long, emissions-intensive journey involving climate-controlled greenhouses, refrigerated trucks, and air travel.
  3. The post highlights concerns about consumerism, manipulation, and coercion in business models, emphasizing the importance of waking up to the lies and manipulation around us.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Google Goes To Bat For Right To Repair In Oregon

Fight to Repair • 59 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Repairability Privacy Environmental Impact Right-to-repair
  1. Google endorses the right to repair, changing its corporate position and supporting a legal right for users to repair their devices.
  2. Google is backing comprehensive right to repair legislation in Oregon and actively lobbying for its passage.
  3. Although Google's endorsement is a significant shift, their focus on parts assemblies over individual components has been critiqued by right to repair advocates.

The IPCC and the Gates-Kerry-Gore axis of smug, jet-setting pseudoscience aren't interested in CO2 reduction. They're tyrannical zealots bent on reducing human thriving

Beck of the Pack • 58 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Global Warming Environmental Impact Climate Policy
  1. The IPCC and certain renowned figures are seen as zealots focused on controlling human thriving instead of reducing CO2
  2. Disillusionment led to questioning established truths in various fields such as pharma, 9/11, and the green agenda
  3. Climate change may be influenced more by natural factors like fluctuations in sunlight and planetary dynamics rather than human actions

Factory Farming Is Not Just Bad: It’s the Worst Thing Ever

Bentham's Newsletter • 412 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Suffering Atrocities Environmental Impact
  1. Factory farming is considered one of the worst atrocities in human history due to the immense suffering inflicted on billions of animals.
  2. Even with exaggerated assumptions, factory farming still emerges as a grave moral issue, surpassing many other historic atrocities.
  3. The scale of suffering caused by factory farming, even at conservative estimates, is far greater than most human tragedies, making it a significant ethical concern.

Balancing Speed and Sustainability: The Operational Dilemma of Reusable Cups in Drive-Thrus

Gad’s Newsletter • 50 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
💼 Business Sustainability Operations Efficiency Customer Service Environmental Impact
  1. Introducing reusable cups in drive-thrus can slow down the service, leading to longer wait times and potential inefficiencies.
  2. Starbucks' focus on operational efficiency conflicts with the introduction of reusable cups, impacting speed and customer satisfaction.
  3. Visible queues in drive-thrus make operational inefficiencies more apparent, potentially affecting customer decisions and perception.

Another Canary Died in the Climate Coal mine: No Skating on the World's Largest Ice Rink.

The Planet • 353 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Global Crisis Environmental Impact Cultural heritage
  1. The Rideau Canal Skateway, the world's largest ice rink in Ottawa, is facing closure due to warming temperatures.
  2. Experts point to climate change as a likely cause for the abnormal closure of the skateway.
  3. This situation serves as a clear example of the urgent need for global action to address the climate crisis.

A Letter to Vivek

Gordian Knot News • 161 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Regulation Nuclear Energy Federal Agencies Environmental Impact
  1. Implement firm emission triggers with strict pass/fail enforcement for nuclear plants.
  2. Establish a fixed compensation system based on individual radiation harm profiles and a clear compensation model.
  3. Consider moving the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to be under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for better oversight and regulation.

The Last Crusade or the Temple of Doom?

Logging the World • 398 implied HN points • 14 Jan 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Renewable Energy
  1. The COVID-19 pandemic led to extreme groupings on each side of the argument, mimicking past experiences in climate change discussions
  2. Centrist views, acknowledging real problems but also the progress being made, are important in addressing climate change
  3. Promoting centrist voices and avoiding extreme rhetoric can be effective in fostering positive action and moving away from a sense of hopelessness

Ditch cars and reduce mining

The Land Desk • 255 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Transportation Mining Electric Vehicles Environmental Impact
  1. Transportation sector with internal combustion engines is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
  2. Electric vehicles require more minerals like copper, rare earth elements, cobalt, nickel, and lithium for batteries.
  3. Transitioning from internal combustion cars to electric vehicles may result in a significant increase in mining, which can harm the environment and communities.

Review 2023 - Energy

nicosmid • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Bitcoin Mining Environmental Impact Energy consumption
  1. Bitcoin mining power usage in 2023 was around 16-18 GW with over 50% coming from renewable sources.
  2. Bitcoin mining industry leads in using sustainable energy and saw a significant increase in the mix of renewable sources.
  3. Bitcoin miners can operate independently of traditional power grids and 75.3% of off-grid mining relies on sustainable energy.

The Ethics of GitHub Copilot [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 259 implied HN points • 25 Dec 22
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Environmental Impact
  1. GitHub Copilot raises ethical questions in the tech industry, especially regarding its impact on the environment and privacy of developers.
  2. The use of AI models like Copilot can have substantial implications on society, requiring a thorough evaluation of their ethical considerations and potential flaws.
  3. While GitHub Copilot can aid developers in writing routine functions and offer insights into coding habits, it also poses challenges such as high energy costs, potential violations of licensing rights, and the risk of generating incorrect or insecure code.

Cultivate your palate for a new type of food

WeBeGreen • 99 implied HN points • 09 Aug 23
🍲 Food & Drink Sustainability Alternative Proteins Environmental Impact
  1. Cultivated meats offer a sustainable solution to the environmental impacts and challenges of traditional animal agriculture, providing a way to meet the growing global demand for meat without the same resource-intensive practices.
  2. Lab-grown or cultivated meats use cellular agriculture technology to produce meat from cells rather than raising and slaughtering animals, offering a more efficient and ethical approach to meat production.
  3. By transitioning to alternative proteins like cultivated meats, we can significantly reduce land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and reliance on animal agriculture, leading to a more sustainable and compassionate food system for the future.

Putting Southeast Asia on the Climate Tech Map

This Week in MCJ (My Climate Journey) • 157 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Decarbonization Emissions Reduction Environmental Impact
  1. Southeast Asia is a region with significant potential for climate tech innovation and investment.
  2. There is a need for highly scalable, decentralized solutions in Southeast Asia's climate tech landscape.
  3. Opportunities in Southeast Asia include addressing emissions from land use change and agriculture, and focusing on growth tailwinds for high-growth climate tech companies.

Two guides for a healthy biosphere

Technology, Environment, and Art • 19 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Philosophy Environmental Impact Sustainability Education
  1. Human happiness and contentment is tied to the health of the biosphere, including all life forms, not just humans
  2. We need more thinkers who ask basic, general questions without relying on specialized knowledge, encouraging a return to fundamental philosophy
  3. We should move beyond prioritizing profit and measurable variables to embrace a new philosophy emphasizing harmony with the biosphere and a shift towards empathetic and wise thinking

How Climate Change links Pongola, Peru, Pacific Ocean with Massive Bird Carcases

Adetokunbo Sees • 103 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Birds Environmental Impact
  1. Bird die-offs in various parts of the world are linked to climate change and rising temperatures.
  2. Climate change is fueling events like El Nino, causing significant impacts on bird populations.
  3. Addressing bird die-offs requires changes in policies, individual actions, and a shift away from fossil fuel usage.

Green patch: Bällsta bro

The Third Place • 39 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Urban Design Community Engagement Environmental Impact
  1. Neglected urban areas like barren grass patches in cities can disrupt city flow and pose problems like attracting bad activities due to neglect.
  2. Transforming neglected spaces into green recreational areas with community input not only beautifies the area but also positively impacts the environment, creating win-win situations.
  3. Community involvement in urban design interventions fosters a sense of belonging, enhances neighborhood aesthetics, and manages resources like rainwater effectively.

Atoms for Copper

Material World • 120 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🔬 Science Mining Innovation Nuclear Environmental Impact
  1. Copper is a vital metal in our daily lives, but it is becoming harder to obtain in high quantities due to diminishing natural resources.
  2. In the past, there were radical ideas, like using nuclear weapons for mining copper, but technological advancements in mining techniques eventually proved more effective.
  3. Innovation in mining methods has been a gradual process, leading to better extraction of metals like copper, making them more accessible and affordable over time.

I read the degrowth paper, so you don't have to

Economic Forces • 14 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Degrowth Environmental Impact
  1. Wealthy economies should focus on well-being over endless GDP growth to reduce environmental impacts.
  2. Ignoring the role of prices in economic coordination can hinder understanding and decision-making in the degrowth movement.
  3. The degrowth agenda imposes subjective judgments on consumption habits, challenging the neutrality of economic analyses.

Congress Introduces "Agricultural Right to Repair Act"

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Industry Repairability Environmental Impact
  1. The Agricultural Right to Repair Act aims to give farmers more flexibility in repairing their own equipment by requiring manufacturers to provide necessary tools and information.
  2. Corporations, including those in the agricultural industry, may publicly support repair efforts but use tactics behind closed doors to extract profit, highlighting the need for legislation like the Agricultural Right to Repair Act.
  3. While there is a history of right to repair bills failing at the federal level due to political divisions, there is potential for progress at the state level, where repair laws have started passing through legislatures and being signed into law.

Microsoft backed a repair bill in Washington State. It died anyway.

Fight to Repair • 78 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🕹 Technology Repairability Legislation Consumer Electronics Environmental Impact
  1. Microsoft supported a right-to-repair bill in Washington state, marking a shift in their stance, but the bill did not progress due to opposition from members, including a former Apple employee.
  2. Older phones are generally easier to repair than newer models, as research shows the most repairable phones have an average age of 7.8 years.
  3. The right-to-repair movement is gaining momentum globally, with political and corporate endorsements, such as the Biden Administration's support and the Council of Europe's official backing.

Carbon offsetting: climate fix or fail?🌲

Climate In Colour • 78 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Climate solutions
  1. The post discusses the topic of carbon offsetting and questions its effectiveness in addressing climate change.
  2. The author will be conducting research in Ghana's forests, working closely with the local community.
  3. Readers can access the full post and archives with a 7-day free trial subscription to Climate In Colour.

EVs are taking us for a ride

WeBeGreen • 79 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Electric Vehicles Carbon Emissions Environmental Impact Sustainability City Planning
  1. Electric vehicles (EVs) are seen as a solution to climate change, but their production has a significant environmental impact, especially due to lithium battery production.
  2. Transportation emissions, particularly from cars, are a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives.
  3. There is a pressing need to think beyond traditional car-centric urban planning and explore innovative solutions for more sustainable and eco-friendly transportation.