And just like that, it’s holiday season. (Forget about the Christmas decorations that hit stores in October, that’s just plain blasphemy.) Over at Mommy Greenest, I’ve got tried-and-true tips to plan a more sustainable Thanksgiving, make a delicious holiday cocktail, and throw an eco holiday party. Plus, here are a few nonprofits for Giving Tuesday that still deserve your consideration: They force corporations to do better, defend democracy at a local level, and empower emerging BIPOC conservationists. 

 

In recent news, the U.S. EPA announced the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights will oversee $3 billion in grants. France says oui, turtlenecks can help curb greenhouse gas emissions. And a 17-year-old student just took first price at ISEF for a magnet-free motor that could reduce electric vehicle dependence on rare-earth materials. (And that’s where my understanding of this invention stops.) 

 

Who’s up for a windfall profit tax? Gavin Newsom! California's biggest oil and gas refiners Chevron, Marathon, Phillips, and Valero made $26 billion in profits in the second quarter of this year, while raising prices for consumers to as much as $7 per gallon. Newsom is calling for a special legislative session in the state, which is poised to overtake Germany as the world's fourth largest global economy, after the U.S., China, and Japan.

 

All 50 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, will soon have EV charging stations that cover 75,000 miles of highway. And with 2,000 set to launch at Pilots by 2023 — plus 500 at 7-Elevens by 2022 and 200 at Circle Ks by 2024 — charging stations are the next big trend in convenience stores. 

 

Researchers propose the ocean and nature should legally be considered living entities — a concept that could see expression in protective laws. Speaking of, the Pacific coral reef is back — just five years after El Nino! And, after discovering that 1,750 female scientists had no Wikipedia bios, one woman wrote them all in five years. 

 

Finally, a new study shows that reusable water bottles could reduce as much as 85% of GHG emissions as compared to single-use plastic. Important to know, because…