This week's good news: the first smartphone-free island
I'm back!
Kind of.
I'm currently in London, England, on a 2-week extension after my time in Cannes, France at the 2023 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
There, I joined Clean Creatives in calling out the advertisers and agencies still shamelessly working with fossil fuels... in 2023.
We disrupted events to ask hard-hitting questions, held the largest-ever climate summit in Cannes where I spoke on a panel about navigating greenwashing as an environmental creator, held up signs behind people who still work with fossil fuels that simply read "this person works with fossil fuels" (and a few other equivalent signs) to educate the public, and a lot more.
We even got to meet Jameela Jamil, Emma Chamberlain, and dozens of environmental friends in the space that are in support of our mission.
Here's a quick recap video if you're interested in hearing more, and here's the Clean Creatives pledge to not work with fossil fuels if you're interested in signing.
And now, onto the good news:
The Good From Monday, June 26, 2023
- The USDA just approved the first lab-grown meat product for sale, a chicken that should taste just as good but uses much less water, land, and animal harm.
- Sheep are being deployed around solar panels fields to graze on the grass and keep the solar panels out of the shade in a win-win for us and our wooly friends.
- For each of the first five months this year, solar and wind generated more power than coal in the US.
- Three new proposals are aiming to bring back protections under the endangered species act that were revoked under the last US presidency which will save more wilderness and the lives of animals.
- Surprisingly, most people underestimate how much their fellow citizens support transformative climate policies, meaning if you feel alone in drastically wanting a better, more environmentally friendly future, I promise, you are not alone.
The Good From Tuesday, June 27, 2023
- An Island in Finland called Ulko-Tammio will aim to be smartphone free this summer by slapping a sticker over the screen and camera and instead encouraging visitors to enjoy nature and live in the moment.
- On the heels of 13 million euros in donations for climate justice last year, Rihanna is now being vocal and calling for financial and debt reform and climate commitments.
- Bison populations in Canada’s Banff National Park have grown from 16 to 100 in just 5 years, proving this pilot to be a success and spurring support for them to stay in the beautiful park and continue growing.
- A surfer in San Francisco lived out my dream when an otter climbed onto their surfboard and went for a ride.
- The Australian Fashion Council is planning to reduce the 200,000 tonnes of textile waste by embracing circulatory, repairing older garments, and having some companies pay a 4-cent levy on fashion pieces to fund further research and solutions.
The Good From Wednesday, June 28, 2023
- Canada just officially banned cosmetics animal testing.
- London’s ultra-low emission zone which imposes a daily charge on the most-polluting vehicles started in 2019, has dropped pollution levels in inner London by 21%, and is now expanding to every borough.
- A tiny lizard called the earless dragon was last seen in 1969 and thought to be extinct, but was just rediscovered and efforts will be made to protect the remaining numbers and study these fascinating animals that surprisingly have no ear openings or eardrums.
- Ireland is seeing a growing ‘rewilding’ movement aiming to restore the stunning country’s native forests and protect its biodiversity.
- Allbirds just released their M0.0NSHOT Net Zero Carbon Shoes and open-sourced their methodology including carbon-negative materials, manufacturing, and transportation so that other brands can follow in their footsteps.
The Good From Thursday, June 29, 2023
- A once-in-a-lifetime discovery on the island of Borneo revealed the only species of palm tree that produces flowers and fruits below the surface of the soil, baffling scientists as to how and by whom the flowers are even pollinated.
- 175 UN countries are meeting right now to discuss a shipping tax of $100 dollars per ton of carbon produced by ships that would likely result in a massive 50% decrease in shipping emissions by 2030.
- South Korea just introduced legislation to outlaw the breeding and slaughter of dogs for human consumption to permanently end the sale of dog meat.
- In an effort to end greenwashing or misleading environmental claims, the International Sustainability Standards Board has new rules that require companies to disclose their contributions to climate change which will hopefully be adopted by individual countries around the world.
- The first hydrogen-powered train in North America is now running in Canada and uses green hydrogen which only emits water vapor instead of the puff of emission-filled black smoke from its diesel-powered predecessor.
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Talk more soon,
Jacob