This doesn't really have anything to do with sustainability, but it is certainly positive! I wrote a piece inspired by The Good Trade's call for essays on “joy, bliss, lightheartedness, and wonder” about how my husband and I got engaged within ten days of meeting each other. Fun fact? He hadn't read the essay before it published. And, as he reminded me, I was actually blond at the time. Whoops! 

Vive la France, where you get paid to repair your clothes. This breakdown of new sustainability reporting regulations in Europe is essential reading for brands, as it will soon affect the global market – for us, it's a great way to red light greenwashing. And don't you just love revelatory statements like these? “Fashion companies are finding that resale isn’t just a sustainability initiative—it’s a way to keep their brands relevant, too.” Well, duh.

I drink mostly water — although I’m kind of addicted to bubbling it up with my carbonator at home. But when I hit a wall on the go, sometimes I’ll reach for a can of something caffeinated. I’ve long known that diet soda is bad for me and is actually linked to weight increase, but the sugar sweetened stuff tastes way too syrupy. Now that new research linking aspartame to cancer makes it official, I’m breaking that occasional habit. Yes, I know “you’d have to drink a case a day” etc. but I’d rather be safe than sorry, especially when there are naturally sweetened low-calorie sodas to be had. How about you?

 

During one of summer’s hottest weeks, the Texas power grid “comfortably” met demand due to “abundant power from wind and solar.” And there's new good news for people (like me) who dream of all-electric road tripping: Trucks are getting cheaper. Think opting out of junk mail isn’t worth your time? Think again – It’s easy (and so important for trees)! Canada just became the first country in the Group of 20 to end (some) fossil subsidies. And good news for all: In Brazil, deforestation dropped by 34% this year. 

 

Investment in climate projects — from decarbonization to renewable energy — doubled from 2011 to 2021 to $850 billion and will top $1 trillion as legislation in the US, EU, and China reach fruition. In related stories: Happy birthday, IRA! In one short year, you’ve kicked off a massive buildout of battery and EV manufacturing, even though key elements have yet to be implemented. And even Trump 2.0 wouldn’t be able to repeal the IRA, analysis shows (but he could certainly slow things down). 

Years ago, I worked with Patagonia — among other stakeholders — on legislation that would mandate washing machines include microfiber filters (just like dryers do). Looks like Samsung now leads on the technological solutions side with a new after-market filter that captures 98% of fibers and will soon be introduced in the EU. While we wait for implementation in the U.S., please remember that washing synthetics by hand or in cold/gentle significantly reduces shedding and gets clothes just as clean.