Are you ready for the big day? For me, that's the lighter of the holiday lifts: In about a month, 50 people will crowd into my house for our annual caroling get-together, where I serve my now-famous posole. (Scroll down for the recipe.) We use every glass and bowl in the house and I ask people to bring their own coffee cups to use for drinks or dinner — which they then take home to wash. What’s your zero-waste party strategy? Please reply to this email and tell me about it, and I'll do a follow-up post.

 

This year, my Giving Tuesday Holiday Gift Guide features actual physical gifts from nonprofits that I love and trust, as well as information on great organizations where you can donate a gift in someone else’s name. 

In the U.S., legislators (once again) proposed a tax on virgin plastic in packaging — and this time it just might pass. In Australia, Coke invested nearly $13m into reusable, refillable glass bottles; in 25 markets worldwide, Starbucks is testing reusable cups. Progress!

Love these tips on shopping your own closet instead of buying new. Each fall, I stow my lightweight and light-colored clothes in drawers and pull out the things I haven’t let myself look at since spring. It’s like discovering a whole new wardrobe! Meanwhile, Goodwill doubles down on preloved online, the French government will now pay a “repair bonus” so that clothes get refreshed rather than trashed, in New York new designers are training on how to design for disassembly, and Mara Hoffman’s new dress — made from 100 percent recycled materials that are 100 percent recyclable — is a vision for the future for fashion. 

California and Europe lead on new laws that force corporations to disclosure their climate emissions and new forward-thinking electricity report projects “the grid’s dirtiest days will soon be behind it.” Cool roofs made from light-colored materials that reflect rather than absorb heat can cut energy consumption by as much as 26 percent, and solar adoption continues to increase as rates go up: Consumers can accurately estimate the payback on their investment, using this handy tool. Onward!

Wah wah. After feeling a slight sore throat and stuffy nose and testing negative for three days, on the fourth I got the dreaded covid double line. The good news (besides the fact that “The Crown” just dropped four new episodes) is that I'm vaccinated and my symptoms are mild. According to the World Health Organization, cases of the illness are down globally, but in California, where I live, there's been a slight uptick in the number of people testing positive over the last few weeks. Time to break out the masks! Meanwhile, here are my strategies for getting through it.