The hottest Sustainability Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Climate & Environment Topics

Is Earth A Computational Process?

Surfing the Future • 119 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🔬 Science Computing AI Sustainability Chemistry
  1. Stephen Wolfram's TED talk on computational thinking explores AI, the universe, and more, opening up new possibilities for the future.
  2. Earth being a computing process is a fascinating concept with implications for sustainability and AI.
  3. The work of James Lovelock, especially his Gaia theory, holds significance and influences the thinking of many individuals.
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Specialized thinking leads to ineffectual actions

Technology, Environment, and Art • 59 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Renewable Energy Environmental Impact
  1. Specialized thinking can lead to actions that may not be effective or truly sustainable.
  2. Efforts focused on finding the most environmentally friendly solutions may just be a minimization exercise within the existing industrial system.
  3. To truly move towards sustainability, we should focus on reducing industrial production, global trade, energy and material usage, and emphasize local dependence.

The Dirty Secret of Recycling

Polymathic Being • 104 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Recycling Plastics Waste Management Environmental Impact Sustainability
  1. Only 10% of plastic put in recycling bins is actually recycled.
  2. Recycling can have high contamination rates and often leads to materials being shipped overseas or dumped in landfills.
  3. To improve recycling, focus on reducing and reusing materials, design products for better recycling, and address the psychological aspect of recycling habits.

Sorry, Davos: e-waste is a tragedy, not an opportunity

Fight to Repair • 138 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment E-Waste Right-to-repair Circular Economy Sustainability Recycling
  1. E-waste is a significant problem globally, causing harm to people and ecological systems through pollution, inhumane extraction of raw materials, and other disasters.
  2. The idea pushed by some, like the World Economic Forum, that e-waste can be seen as a financial opportunity and a way to boost the economy is criticized as overlooking the true impact and complexity of the issue.
  3. Repairing electronics rather than constant disposal is highlighted as a more sustainable solution that could lead to a more resilient community, a reduction in repair costs, and the circulation of money locally.

The man who invented a time machine

The Crucial Years • 876 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Sustainability Climate Science Conservation Global impact
  1. John Goodenough, who invented a powerful lithium-ion battery, helped keep the Texas power grid run smoothly during a heatwave.
  2. Batteries like the ones Goodenough invented are crucial for storing solar power and preventing energy crises.
  3. The use of batteries is growing worldwide to support renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Federated Ecovillages & Steps Towards a Modern Cybersyn

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 609 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Community Building
  1. Decouple from the capitalist system by creating alternative systems like free housing collectives and community land trusts.
  2. Build federated ecovillages and interconnected communities to share resources, knowledge, and create a cooperative network.
  3. Use modern technologies and community databases to work towards a modern Cybersyn system for fair distribution of resources and fostering collective autonomy.

Shifting The Shifting Baseline Syndrome

Surfing the Future • 99 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Nature Conservation Sustainability System Change
  1. System change can often creep up on us, and we adapt without realizing it, leading to the 'shifting baseline syndrome'. We tend to imagine today's world as how it was yesterday, which may not be the case.
  2. The concept of rewilding offers a chance to reset our baselines, allowing nature to rebound faster than expected. This shift could lead to 'Knepp' potentially becoming a verb symbolizing unexpected transformation.
  3. In the sustainability space, there has been a dilution of the original system change ambition over time due to mainstreaming. The concept of triple bottom line has evolved and must continue to adapt to drive urgent systemic changes.

A Mount Rushmore For Sustainability?

Surfing the Future • 1 HN point • 02 May 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Markets Regulation Externalities
  1. Consider creating a sustainability version of Mount Rushmore showcasing notable figures like Richard Sandor, Rachel Carson, and Gro Harlem Brundtland.
  2. Richard Sandor made significant contributions to the financial world by pioneering interest rate futures contracts and emissions trading, leading to the creation of influential exchanges.
  3. Sandor's mentor, Ronald Coase, emphasized the difficulties in designing markets and the importance of viewing failure as part of the learning process.

My visit to a dying local park

Technology, Environment, and Art • 99 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Nature Technology Sustainability Wildlife
  1. Wildlife photography can reveal beauty that is hard to see in real life, but it may not capture the feeling of peace of just observing wildlife.
  2. Our consumerist and hyper-capitalistic system hides its destructive nature by providing entertainment and analgesics for its killing. It destructs relationships with nature.
  3. The need for a global philosophy and moral resolve to live harmoniously is essential for a sustainable future. Being around nonhuman life can inspire us to fight for solutions.

210: It's (Not Necessarily) Fair to Mock Apple's "Mother Nature" Video

Hardcore Software • 393 implied HN points • 14 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Environment Manufacturing Sustainability Supply Chain
  1. Apple's efforts to fight climate change go beyond the criticized video and involve significant, strategic initiatives.
  2. Apple's vertical integration approach to packaging optimizes materials, reduces waste, and enhances profitability.
  3. Apple's focus on sustainability extends to materials used in products, manufacturing processes, and transit efficiency, all contributing to environmental and financial benefits.

The cost of wind, the price of wind, the value of wind

Jérôme à Paris • 510 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Carbon Emissions Energy Market Environmental Impact Sustainability
  1. Cost, price, and value of wind power are different concepts in the energy market, with costs being related to production, prices driven by market forces, and value including externalities like pollution and carbon emissions.
  2. Wind power has fixed costs, zero marginal cost, and can lower electricity prices for consumers, making it an attractive option compared to fossil fuel-based generation.
  3. Externalities like intermittency, carbon emissions, and security of supply contribute to the overall value proposition of wind power, impacting its role in the system and the pricing mechanisms in place.

Think Water And Waves, Not Just Fish

Surfing the Future • 59 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Sustainability Market Dynamics Corporate Responsibility Environmental Impact
  1. Focus on the broader market landscapes rather than just individual businesses ("fish") in terms of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
  2. Anita Roddick's legacy through The Body Shop highlights the importance of corporate responsibility agendas in the business realm.
  3. The collapse of The Body Shop's UK arm underlines the need for market evolution to promote sustainable practices among businesses.

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.

Micromobility: An Urban Transportation Revolution

Need to Know by Stephen Leahy • 58 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Transportation Electric Vehicles Urban living Sustainability Decarbonization
  1. Nearly 300 million electric two- and three-wheelers are in use today, showing a global shift towards micromobility.
  2. Micromobility has the potential to significantly reduce oil demand and improve air quality in cities.
  3. Micromobility addresses traffic congestion by providing low-cost, sustainable transportation options for short urban trips.

The Good Life: Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk & Degrowth.

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 609 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Ideas Sustainability Community Politics Aesthetics
  1. Imagining a postcapitalist, ecological, and equal future is vital for creating change.
  2. Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk, Social Ecology, and Degrowth are interconnected in promoting community well-being, sustainability, and decolonization.
  3. The concepts of Buen Vivir and Hygge can give insight into a degrowth future, emphasizing interconnectedness, community action, and well-being for all.

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

Sustainability by numbers • 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.

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.

Why real environmental action is so hard

Technology, Environment, and Art • 39 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Capitalism Science Consumerism Sustainability
  1. The global capitalistic-consumerist system is fundamentally destructive and promotes unsustainable practices, causing cognitive dissonance in individuals.
  2. Efforts to address environmental issues are often evaluated based on their ability to further global consumerism rather than their actual impact.
  3. To truly make a difference, we need to challenge the current industrial and capitalistic systems, reassess our reliance on technology, and make significant lifestyle changes to prioritize sustainability over convenience.

The Future Looks Green: Hemp, Algae, and Ideas for Ecovillages and Cooperative Life

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 511 implied HN points • 30 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Renewable Energy Circular Economy
  1. Plants like hemp and algae have a wide range of uses and can help in creating sustainable communities.
  2. Circular systems can help in stopping waste and regenerating the ecosystem for a better future.
  3. Exploring alternative energy sources like biogas from hemp and algae can provide sustainable solutions to our energy needs.

Appropriate Technology, Permacomputing, Post Growth, and Ecomodernism.

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 511 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Technology Economics Sustainability Climate change
  1. To address climate change, we need to rethink our approach to technology and economics.
  2. Technology is influenced by social and political systems, and alone cannot solve all our problems.
  3. Appropriate technology and permacomputing offer sustainable alternatives to traditional tech.

Critique of Kvarteret Backklövern detailed development plan in Solna

The Third Place • 59 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🪑 Design Urban planning Architecture Sustainability Aesthetics
  1. Encouraging diversity in building typology within neighborhoods can foster inclusivity and community integration.
  2. Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility in urban planning can lead to sustainable and vibrant communities, like Barcelona's superblocks.
  3. Balancing practicality with cultural enrichment, such as including entertainment or cultural facilities in development plans, is essential for creating thriving and lively communities.

From Vicious to Virtuous Cycle

Creative Destruction • 32 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Activism Sustainability Worldview Addiction Vision
  1. Acknowledging the need for help and motivation are crucial in starting the rehabilitation process for humanity's addiction
  2. Current activist movements may need to shift focus from guilt and fear to understanding and addressing the deep-seated needs driving destructive behaviors
  3. Presenting enjoyable visions of a future that genuinely satisfies these deep-seated needs can motivate and guide people towards a virtuous cycle of healing and positive change

Help Bill Weihl Take LEAD On Climate Policy

Surfing the Future • 39 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Policy Sustainability Climate Crisis
  1. Bill Weihl advocates for companies to play a stronger role in climate policy.
  2. Weihl uses AI-generated audio to communicate due to ALS, highlighting the importance of sustainability professionals' collective voice.
  3. The LEAD statement calls for companies to leave obstructing trade associations, elevate climate policy, advocate for specific climate policies, and commit to transitioning away from fossil fuels.

It's the economic growth, stupid

¡Do Not Panic! • 452 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Sustainability Renewables Degrowth
  1. Continued energy growth, irrespective of the source, could lead to catastrophic levels of waste heat.
  2. Global economic growth at 2.3% annually may hit a saturation point in 200 years due to resource constraints.
  3. Physical limits to growth, driven by raw physics, will eventually necessitate radical changes to current economic, political, and social systems.

Strategies to Boost Heat Pump Adoption [Part II]

Volted: Electrify your Life • 98 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Sustainability Climate Policy Green Technology
  1. Installing high-efficiency heat pumps can lead to significant cost savings on heating bills.
  2. Engaging HVAC contractors and providing them with incentives and training is crucial for boosting heat pump adoption.
  3. Streamlining financing options through instant rebates and zero-interest loans can help make heat pumps more accessible to consumers.