Regaining Our Footing | Sustainable Content #7


Ignoring the doom

We've had a week to come to terms with what the elections mean for climate. We know it's bad. And we know that the broader forces aren't going to solve this for us.

What do we know that's positive?

Renewable power is increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels. This means that the capitalist economic incentives align with renewables.

The majority of the investment from Biden's Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is going to Republican districts, in spite of the fact that no Republican legislators voted in favor of it. Why? Because these are the historically industrial areas that lost jobs due to overseas manufacturing or mine closures. If your job and community is dependent on the advancement of electric vehicles or renewable energy, perhaps you'll be more inclined to see its benefits in the long haul.

"This is complex stuff, and no one person has all the answers. We can’t wait for a genius scientist with movie star hair or billionaire philanthropy to solve this problem. This is not something anyone can do alone."

 

Alisa Bonsignore, from the forthcoming book
Sustainable Content: How to Measure and Mitigate the Carbon Footprint of Digital Data
(Available 19 November 2024)

What I've been reading

I've been reading as little as possible, because the news is terrible! But here's what I've got.

Paralyzed by existential dread? Acetaminophen may help. Apparently our bodies can't tell the difference between physical and psychological pain, and acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) targets those pain receptors.

California voters passed a bond for $10 billion to fight against the effects of climate change. Californians have long been on the front lines of drought, wildfires, heat waves, and flooding, so it makes sense that voters would be interested in impact mitigation.

Climate change is affecting real estate risks. Obviously.

How is climate change affecting fall foliage? Researchers in New Hampshire, USA, are trying to find answers across decades.

Shameless and unsolicited cross-promotion of good stuff!

Today I want to call out one of my favorite organizations: World Central Kitchen. I donate to WCK as part of my 1% for the Planet commitment. When climate-related disaster strikes — and it strikes more frequently than we'd like to admit — WCK is there to deliver meals to locals and support to first responder teams.

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Sustainable Content

Coming soon: buy the book

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Speaking Engagements

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Consulting

Reduce your Scope 3 emissions

People are saying good things about Sustainable Content

"In addressing the environmental impact of creating and transferring and storing digital content, Alisa uncovers not necessarily another problem—but another solution we can all drive toward as we look to create sustainability in our own lives, our communities, and our planet."

- Melanie Mannarino. Author, The (Almost) Zero-Waste Guide

Alisa Bonsignore

Founder, Strategist, and Author

Clarifying Complex Ideas, LLC

Talking about sustainable content: how to measure and mitigate the carbon footprint of digital data.

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