The hottest Sustainability Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Climate & Environment Topics

Energy Realism and Climate Pragmatism at the Department of Energy

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2100 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Chris Wright believes in energy realism, recognizing that climate change is real but not the only pressing issue we face. He argues we should address various global problems, not just focus on climate.
  2. Wright supports practical solutions for climate change, like improving energy technology that is affordable and reliable. He thinks we need to balance climate goals with the benefits of fossil fuels.
  3. The Department of Energy plays a key role in advancing energy science and policies. Wright's leadership could help promote effective energy strategies that might appeal to both environmental and economic concerns.

Reading List for 11/9/24

Construction Physics • 2087 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Sustainability
  1. Using drones and AI to monitor construction sites can help identify issues and improve efficiency. This tech can make construction safer and more effective.
  2. Microsoft's plan for mass-timber data centers is an attempt to cut carbon emissions, but energy use for operating them has a much bigger carbon footprint than the building materials.
  3. The trend of smaller windows in buildings to save energy might not be the best solution. It's better to focus on creating more clean energy rather than limiting our energy use too much.

A year of wins for farmed animals

Open Philanthropy farm animal welfare research newsletter • 859 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Sustainability
  1. Advocates for farmed animals achieved major wins in 2023, such as eliminating cages for hens and broiler chickens globally.
  2. Corporate pledges to go cage-free have seen significant implementation rates, resulting in millions of animals being freed from cages.
  3. Policy advancements include the world's first state plan for plant-based eating, increased support for alternative proteins, and improved welfare standards for various animals.

Selling Solar The Wrong Way

Points And Figures • 559 implied HN points • 26 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Solar power costs are still high compared to other energy sources, despite some prices coming down. Many people only find it worthwhile when there are significant tax credits.
  2. Solar energy works best in sunny locations and for specific applications, like home installations or powering small devices. Large solar plants aren't always the best solution.
  3. In the short term, solar could help ease the energy demands in sun-rich areas while focusing on long-term solutions like nuclear and natural gas for power generation.
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If it destroys life, it is progress?

storyvoyager • 4 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Progress that destroys ecosystems and species is not real progress; true progress must protect life on Earth.
  2. Economic systems have turned nature and basic needs into commodities, concentrating wealth for a few while wrecking environments and livelihoods.
  3. Technological automation and today's economy make humans increasingly replaceable and consumable, leaving younger generations disillusioned about their value.

What the What?

Nova Terra News • 279 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
🔬 Science Sustainability
  1. Nova Terra's EcoBlox are sustainable building blocks that are free of cement, fireproof, and made from waste materials.
  2. The EcoBlox are 4x stronger than traditional adobe, climate-friendly, mold-resistant, and earthquake-resistant.
  3. The production of EcoBlox involves using sand and clay fines from rock quarries, and the company is collaborating with partners like NREL and West Gate for innovation.

Solar and the need for more flexibility

GEM Energy Analytics • 219 implied HN points • 13 May 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Solar energy is growing fast and becoming a main part of our energy systems. This growth is due to lower costs, a global effort to cut emissions, and how easy it is to set up solar technology.
  2. As solar power becomes more popular, we need to be more flexible with how we use and produce energy. This flexibility is important to handle times when there's too much solar energy or not enough.
  3. The rising use of solar power is changing energy prices and increasing the value of flexible energy sources, like batteries and demand response systems, which can help balance supply and demand.

We could return three continents of land to the wild

The Novelleist • 434 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. We could bring back a lot of land to nature by changing how we farm. This could help wildlife thrive again and create better ecosystems.
  2. Human activity has caused massive biodiversity loss, but small changes in our diets and energy sources could fix a lot of this damage.
  3. Creating gardens for insects and supporting nature in our own spaces can make a big difference. It helps both wildlife and ourselves feel happier and healthier.

Top LInks 787 Corporate GHG emissions. History's biggest trade surpluses. China's low-altitude economy & global femicide.

Chartbook • 543 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Corporate greenhouse gas emissions are mainly concentrated in industrial areas of Asia, highlighting a significant environmental issue.
  2. The trade surpluses recorded recently are some of the largest in history, reflecting changes in global trade dynamics.
  3. There are serious concerns about China's low-altitude economy and its link to global femicide, indicating challenges in social and economic policies.

Inside Job: Crafting Climate Careers Without Changing Employers

This Week in MCJ (My Climate Journey) • 609 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Advocate for sustainability within your current company to unlock opportunities for climate jobs for yourself and your colleagues.
  2. Consider working on sustainability as part of your current job, even if your ultimate goal is to transition to a full-time climate job.
  3. Start making small changes towards working on climate within your current role, viewing it as a gradual journey rather than an immediate shift.

Some data and thoughts on the complementarity between wind and solar

GEM Energy Analytics • 419 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. The combination of wind and solar power works better in different places. For example, Germany benefits more from wind, while southern countries like Greece get more from solar energy because of their climate.
  2. Wind and solar energy do not produce electricity at the same rate all the time. There are many hours when either one is low, so we need good storage solutions like batteries to keep the lights on.
  3. Geographical differences matter a lot in how we can balance renewable energy. Countries with rivers can store energy easily, but places like Germany and France have a hard time sharing power because their wind and solar outputs are similar.

The Brazilian Model Who Wants America to Go Nuclear

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 357 implied HN points • 19 Aug 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Isabelle Boemeke, a Brazilian model, used to feel very anxious about the environment. Now, she focuses on promoting nuclear energy as a solution.
  2. Many young people, like Ella Emhoff, experience climate anxiety and find it overwhelming. They are looking for ways to cope and respond to these feelings.
  3. Boemeke wants to change the conversation around nuclear energy to help reduce eco-anxiety and encourage younger generations to embrace it.

Sounding the Climate Change Alarm: Lessons from Carl Sagan

The Climate Historian • 19 implied HN points • 29 Aug 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Carl Sagan connected the extreme climate of Venus to warnings about Earth's future. He showed us that understanding other planets can help us prevent our world from facing similar climate issues.
  2. Sagan proposed four key actions to tackle climate change: using fossil fuels more efficiently, developing alternative energy, reforestation, and helping the world's poorest. These ideas are still very important today.
  3. Despite Sagan's warnings and advancements in some areas, we are facing more climate challenges now. It's crucial that we change our thinking and take long-term actions for the planet's future.

An Illustrated Guide to Rain Harvesting

OK Doomer • 106 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Rain harvesting can be done without special structures. You can adapt existing items like sheds for collecting rain.
  2. It's important to get feedback during projects. This helps improve the work and shares useful knowledge with others.
  3. Future topics will include bugout bags to help people prepare for emergencies. Different sizes and packing tips will be covered.

Climate superpowers

The Crucial Years • 1036 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. One way to inspire others for climate action is through music. Antonique Smith's new version of 'Love Song to the Earth' aims to unite people and inspire hope.
  2. Jessie Diggins uses her platform as a champion skier to advocate for climate change awareness. She believes athletes can lead conversations about protecting the planet.
  3. Connecting climate change to everyday lives is crucial. People need to understand how pollution affects their health and environment, especially in communities of color.

No, Kerosene did NOT save the Sperm Whale

Material World • 1323 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Sperm whales have unique features, like the biggest heads and brains among large animals. They are incredible divers and eat mysterious creatures from the ocean's depths.
  2. Whale oil was popular because it made great lantern fuel and was used in various industries. Even after kerosene was discovered, the hunting of sperm whales actually increased due to new uses for their oil.
  3. Whale populations only recovered significantly after international bans on whaling and the development of synthetic substitutes for whale oil. It shows that technology and regulations are important for conservation.

Hang on, are there ANY lost minerals?

Material World • 1269 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🔬 Science Sustainability
  1. Humans haven't really run out of minerals or resources, just gotten better at finding and extracting them. We still have plenty of well-known materials, even if they're harder to find in some places.
  2. Many stories about lost minerals, like certain types of marble, are exaggerated or incorrect. For example, some rare marbles still exist in significant amounts, contrary to popular belief.
  3. Instead of focusing on supposed lost minerals, it's more interesting to explore the minerals we continue to extract today, even when people think they've been exhausted.

Do/Don't Give Me Money

Yassine Meskhout • 393 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💼 Business Sustainability
  1. The writer turned on paid subscriptions, but values being read over being paid and doesn't plan to put writing behind a paywall.
  2. The writer mentions not needing money due to getting paid well in their job, expressing gratitude for readers' interests and potential financial support for more writing time.
  3. The writer's writing schedule is irregular due to their job, but hopes it can become financially sustainable in the future to write full-time.

Top Links 786 Coal and the climate crisis. European auto dividens. Pitching for Gaza work. Hot Money. Metaphysical authority in Pakistan.

Chartbook • 429 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Coal has been a major contributor to climate change, responsible for over 30% of CO2 emissions since the Industrial Revolution. It's important to understand how this affects the environment.
  2. There are interesting developments in the European auto industry that are worth exploring. Keeping up with these changes can give insight into how cars will evolve in the future.
  3. There's ongoing work related to Gaza that needs support and attention. Learning about these efforts can help raise awareness and possibly lead to action.

The Price of Progress: How Economic Interests Are Destroying the Planet

Adetokunbo Sees • 312 implied HN points • 16 Aug 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Economic interests are leading to the destruction of important ecosystems like rainforests and wetlands. This is troubling because these places help clean our air and support many species.
  2. Many governments prioritize short-term profits over environmental protection, resulting in harmful projects that threaten biodiversity. This could lead to serious consequences for our planet's health.
  3. Robust environmental laws and smarter decisions are needed to protect these special areas. Without these, activities that harm the environment will continue to increase.

Population growth or decline will have little impact on climate change

Sustainability by numbers • 392 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Population changes won't significantly change our climate situation because they happen too slowly compared to how quickly we need to reduce emissions.
  2. Even with more people in the future, their overall impact on temperature rise will be very small if we focus on reducing emissions effectively.
  3. To tackle climate change, the best approach is to decarbonize our economies rather than trying to limit population growth, which won’t solve the problem fast enough.

An Illustrated Guide to Growing Food

OK Doomer • 74 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🍲 Food & Drink Sustainability
  1. A detailed illustrated guide to growing food and survival is being developed. It’s already over 40 pages and will have a print edition.
  2. The current pages cover basic food gardening techniques and include sample fruit and vegetable profiles that will be expanded.
  3. Planned additions include how to set up solar-powered and manual pumps to move water through a garden, followed by sections on urban gardening methods and strategies.

How Environmentalism Works in California

The Discourse Lounge • 379 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. California's environmental regulations are changing quickly but have a complex history that shapes their current form. Understanding this history helps explain why these rules exist today.
  2. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was recently reformed, and there is a misunderstanding about how environmental protections are applied in California. They're now managed more broadly instead of on a project-by-project basis.
  3. There's a generational divide in the environmental movement, with different views coming from new climate science and earlier beliefs about growth and sustainability in cities.

Take the Under

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1334 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Recent projections show that the global population could peak earlier and lower than previously thought, which could lead to reduced carbon emissions.
  2. Using more realistic estimates for population and economic growth can suggest that climate change might be less severe than some models predict.
  3. Climate policies should be based on updated data and current realities, not outdated assumptions, to effectively address climate change.

📉 Well, they ran the numbers on degrowth — and it's not good

Faster, Please! • 1279 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Degrowth means living better with less stuff, focusing more on well-being than just economic growth. It suggests we should intentionally reduce production and consumption to fit within our planet's limits.
  2. However, following the degrowth idea doesn't guarantee a perfect, eco-friendly world. It might not look like a dreamy utopia where nature and humanity perfectly blend together.
  3. Research shows that reducing consumption to meet basic needs is challenging and requires significant changes in how we live. Simply downsizing isn't easy and can have complex implications.

Whether the Storm

Field Guide to the Anthropocene • 393 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. In the Anthropocene era, humans must protect and restore the Earth given our excessive impact on its ecosystems.
  2. We need to become rational and compassionate managers of the planet to address climate change and ecological disruptions.
  3. Storms, while disruptive and dangerous, also serve as a reminder of our place in nature and the need to prepare for managing the impacts of extreme weather.

A Thing to Think About That Isn't That Thing

The Crucial Years • 1275 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Balcony solar panels are a convenient and popular way for apartment dwellers to harness solar energy in Germany. These small solar setups are easy to install and can power small appliances, promoting energy independence.
  2. The U.S. has stricter regulations regarding solar installations, making it difficult for similar plug-and-play systems to thrive. This contrasts with Europe, where regulations are often more relaxed, leading to faster adoption of such technologies.
  3. Balcony solar systems are a part of a larger trend in renewable energy. This small yet meaningful step represents a growing movement toward sustainable living and empowerment in combating climate change.

Alternative Prosperities

In Bed With Social • 534 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Sustainability
  1. A growing shift towards sustainability and conscious consumer behavior is gaining momentum globally.
  2. Generative AI is revolutionizing the processing of unstructured human data, offering new insights into behaviors and social interactions.
  3. Technological advancements, such as generative AI, provide opportunities for self-discovery and redefining our understanding of humanity and the world.

Mining the Earth, Polluting the Future: The Impact of Gold Extraction on Climate Change

Adetokunbo Sees • 416 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Gold mining is causing a lot of deforestation around the world, damaging many forests. In some places, thousands of hectares of land have been lost due to illegal mining activities.
  2. The process of extracting gold emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. In the coming years, this could exceed 100 million tonnes of emissions each year.
  3. To help reduce the negative impacts of gold mining, we need to focus on using renewable energy and new technologies that lower energy use. This could greatly help the environment.

My new book — Clearing the Air — is coming out in September!

Sustainability by numbers • 369 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. A new book titled 'Clearing the Air' will be released in September, focusing on climate change solutions through 50 questions and answers. It's designed to help readers understand how to tackle environmental issues more clearly.
  2. The book aims to provide straightforward answers to common doubts and questions about climate change, such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and more.
  3. An audiobook version will be available, read by the author, allowing listeners to engage with the material in a personal way.

The Renewable Revolution Continues

Renewable Revolution • 459 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Clean technology prices have dropped, making solar and wind energy cheaper than before. This is great news for renewable energy as it becomes more accessible.
  2. The global demand for fossil fuels is leveling off, which means they might be losing their place in the energy market. More renewable energy sources like solar and wind are now providing most of the new electricity.
  3. Governments are stepping up their support for clean energy through new policies. As countries commit to increasing renewable energy production, it shows that the push for sustainability is stronger than ever.

Heat maps on Germany: renewables and prices

GEM Energy Analytics • 239 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Germany's renewable energy sources like solar and wind are working well together, especially during the winter. This means Germany can rely on both types of energy to help meet their needs.
  2. Heat maps show that solar energy has a big impact on electricity prices, especially during sunny afternoons in the spring and summer. When there's lots of solar power, prices can drop.
  3. Comparing Germany with France on energy prices, we see Germany benefits from more solar energy during the day. This can lead to lower prices in Germany, especially in the afternoon.

The Unthinkable Becomes Inevitable

Anima Mundi • 82 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. Economic systems can change quickly and unexpectedly. Slavery, once seen as essential, became morally wrong in a short time due to various factors like economic shifts and the resistance of enslaved people.
  2. Today's society faces a similar situation with climate change and inequality. Current systems are proving unsustainable, but many individuals and countries are hesitant to change because it might mean losing out in a competitive world.
  3. Younger generations are more open to alternative economic models because they haven't built their lives around the current unsustainable practices. If we act now to create and share new ways of living, we might be able to make positive changes before time runs out.

No, growing more food does not mean we always need more and more inputs

Sustainability by numbers • 301 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. High and middle-income countries are now producing the same or more food while using less fertilizer, pesticides, and land. This shows that it's possible to farm more efficiently.
  2. Total factor productivity (TFP) is crucial in growing food as it measures how much output can be increased without using more resources. Higher TFP means we can produce more food with less input.
  3. Low-income countries still need to increase their use of fertilizers and other inputs to improve food production, as they haven't yet reached the efficiency levels of wealthier nations.

Building an operating system for Earth

The Novelleist • 304 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability
  1. We need a new way to understand and respond to Earth's changes, using real-time data to prevent disasters before they happen. This would help us adjust our actions based on what the planet is experiencing right now.
  2. By gathering people from different fields—like scientists, artists, and leaders—we can work together to make better decisions for the planet. This teamwork can help us focus on what actually works instead of just arguing ideologies.
  3. The future can be shaped by using technology that helps us see the consequences of our actions beforehand. If we can visualize outcomes, we can choose paths that lead to a healthier planet.