Links of the Week
LINKS OF THE WEEK: Feb 12, 2024
Interesting stats on EVs and energy use in the US, developments in wind and tidal power, a plastic recycling microfactory, and an "unprecedented collapse" in EU fossil fuel generation.
Resources
There are a ton of resources online that share valuable information about the ideas and developments that are happening now and could play a role in shaping our possible future.
Here are some great ones to get you started...
WEBSITES & NEWSLETTERS
DEGROWTH.INFO – This website preaches the gospel of the degrowth movement, which critiques our current "growth at all costs" global capitalist system and advocates for societies to prioritize social and ecological well-being over corporate profits, over-production, and excess consumption.
ECOWATCH – A digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Their goal is to empower readers to make informed, environmentally-conscious decisions that support a sustainable future for everyone.
EDIE.NET – A purpose-driven business media brand that "empowers sustainability, energy and environmental professionals of all levels to make business more sustainable through award-winning content and events." Useful if you want to see how the corporate crowd is currently addressing these topics.
ENERGY TRANSITION – A Europe-based site highlighting how energy transitions around the world are moving forward – and the challenges lie ahead.
FUTURE CRUNCH – A website dedicated to telling stories of progress (both socially and in terms of scientific and technological advances) to help organizations and individuals understand the future fast approaching.
GREENBIZ – A media company whose mission is to accelerate the just transition to a clean economy. "Through events that galvanize, stories that amplify, peer networks that bond and industry-leading analysis, we define markets and advance opportunities at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability."
GRIST.ORG – A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Their goal is "to use the power of storytelling to illuminate the way toward a better world, inspire millions of people to walk that path with us, and show that the time for action is now."
THE MICROMOBILITY NEWSLETTER – The world’s largest newsletter for small vehicles. A great source of info on what's happening in the world of ebikes, escooters, and other micromobility options. "The future is urban. The future is electric. The future is micro."
PHYS.ORG – Good site for the latest news on developments in science and technology. Many of their articles focus on research relevant to green energy and technology that could accelerate our transition to a zero-carbon future.
RESILIENCE.ORG – An information site published by the Post Carbon Institute to support building community resilience in a world of multiple emerging challenges: the decline of cheap energy, the depletion of critical resources, and complex environmental crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
VOLTS BY DAVID ROBERTS – a newsletter and podcast about the technology, politics, and policy of decarbonization. Deep-dive discussions with engaging and well-informed guests.
BOOKS
Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? by Mark Fisher
Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth
How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything in Between by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates (I know, I know. Billionaires are evil etc. I still think this book provides a useful overview of the products and industries that need to be decarbonized if we want to be carbon-free by 2050.)
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman
Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything―Even Things That Seem Impossible Today by Jane McGonigal
Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel
Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation by Paul Hawken
The Book of Joy by his Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
PODCASTS
THE DECARBONIZATION RACE – For ESG and sustainability leaders in organizations that are ready to go beyond 100% renewable, beyond the bare minimum, and truly make an impact.
GREEN DREAMER – A community-powered podcast and journal exploring our paths to collective healing, biocultural revitalization, and true abundance and wellness *for all*.
HOW TO SAVE A PLANET – Join journalist Alex Blumberg and a crew of climate nerds for "smart, inspiring stories about the mess we're in and how we can get ourselves out of it."
MICROMOBILITY PODCAST – By the same folks who publish The Micromobility Newsletter. Great conversations about the latest developments in the micromobility world.
THE MINIMALISTS – Emmy-nominated Netflix stars, podcasters, and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus help millions of people live meaningfully with less.
OUTRAGE + OPTIMISM – A podcast exploring the stories behind the headlines on climate change, talking to the change-makers turning challenges into opportunities. "We delight in progress, question greenwash and get to grips with the difficult issues – sharing it all with our listeners along the way."
SUSTAINABLY INFLUENCED – Sustainably Influenced is a platform created by Bianca Foley, guiding people to make more sustainable choices. Foley interviews experts in the sustainability space to help shed some light on the many terms used across industries, discussing the different aspects of living a conscious lifestyle and how we can do our bit to make a difference.
TIPPING POINT: THE TRUE STORY OF "THE LIMITS TO GROWTH" – A three-part podcast created by Katy Shields and Vegard Beyer that tells the true story of the 1970s book "The Limits to Growth" on humanity's impact on the environment and the impossibility of endless unfettered growth – and how the book was, after its positive initial reception, fought and since ignored.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO RIGHT? – Climate change, economic injustice, systemic racism…it seems like so much is going wrong right now. Host Vicki Robin asks cultural scouts a single question: What could possibly go right?
PLUS: This episode of the Ezra Klein show looks good: "The Single Best Guide to Decarbonization I’ve Heard"