But first, I wanted to share some personal news. “Sustainable fashion” can mean different things to different people — from vegan to organic to circular to preloved (my personal choice, as this recent article can attest). However, I think we can all agree that systemic shifts are critical. That’s why I'm thrilled to announce that I have joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition as their Director of Communications. SAC Members who have set science-based targets through the organization's Decarbonization Program now represent nearly 25% of the sector and — super important to me, especially after my recent deep dive on EPR — the SAC is actively advocating for comprehensive legislative frameworks that will be transformative when realized. I’m proud to have joined this visionary team!

 

Now, back to our regular programming…

Does a shoe have to look like a sock to be carbon neutral? The cattle industry alone shears more than 100 million trees in the Amazon each year, which is why industry leaders have joined forces on a Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather. With mycelium, cactus, and other fiber-based leather alternatives (not pleather) racing to market, why not? Vestiaire’s latest impact report shows that buying preloved can reduce environmental impact of the garment 10x and Ambercycle’s recycled textile cycora fabrics debuted at Paris Fashion Week. Plus, secondhand disruptor Beni made it to the Today Show! Could an air treatment help clothes shed less microfibers in washing machines? Yes, and — we still need microplastics filters on those machines. Finally, because of the negative environmental and social effects from mining, I’ve long avoided new jewelry in favor of preloved, but Mejuri has me sold: They just became the first jeweler to join the Regeneration initiative, which mitigates the harm caused by past mining, supports rehabilitation of mining sites, and scales circular production. (P.S. In case you're wondering, none of this is sponsored.)

I don’t much care which system we use, I just want a universal EV plug-in solution so I can plug in my car. Agrivoltaics — the “double-duty climate solution that pairs solar panels with agriculture — make so much sense, and legislators are stepping up to catalyze its growth. ESG investments beat out the general category over the past five years. Maybe time to hug some trees? And the Shinnecock — one of New York state’s oldest self governing tribes — lead coastal restoration with kelp to combat ocean acidification and pollution. Then the nuns got involved. 

 

Meanwhile, Uber commits to being emissions-free by 2040 and to eliminate all plastic waste from deliveries by 2030 — some of which might include lab-grown meat, coming soon to a store near you. For the first time, wind and solar generated more power than coal in the United States (over a five-month period). In Finland, there’s so much renewable energy they’re giving it away — although, along with wind and hydro, nuclear is also considered clean. And Spain will generate more than half its power from renewables in 2023, according to a new report — and it’s phasing out nuclear, too. 

 

Hi from London, where I'm traveling this week and where everyone will soon live within walking distance of green space (although there’s still debate about what that means). Cheerio! 

My dad grew up in a Nebraska town so small you could bike from one end to the other in less than 10 minutes. He read the Bible from cover to cover when he was seventeen years old, not because he was that religious, but because nobody he knew had ever done it – not even the pastor. He left for California, lived in Europe, and traveled through China and South America — all the while raising me as a single dad, writing a shelf full of books, and influencing thousands of students. Until recently, my father could play a piano concerto and then pick up a guitar and sing a song that would bring you to tears. He could fix an engine with duct tape and recite Yeats from memory. For most of my life, I believed that he was the source of a solution to any problem, the keeper of answers to all questions. Now, we are older — and his life is smaller. But I was recently reminded of its guiding principle: To choose joy. My challenge now is to respect his choices, even though there are so many that I don’t understand. I’m so grateful for the friends and family who gathered this weekend to celebrate his 80th birthday - Carhenge cake and all.