Kavya Gopal

Grassroots solar power in Puerto Rico: The Mutual Support Centre is part of a growing number of community-led rooftop solar projects in Puerto Rico that are reducing reliance on the existing electricity system (with its instability, high costs, and fossil fuel-dependence). Nearly 42,000 rooftop solar systems were added to the island’s net-metering program this year alone, and there are several others popping up that aren’t connected to the grid. After facing consecutive disasters, and the false promises of state-utilities, ordinary residents, business owners, and philanthropies are leading a grassroots solar movement to supply clean electricity close to where people need it.

 Juliana Birnbaum & Paul Hawken

A clean energy roadmap for the US: By implementing action on several ambitious-but-possible goals right away, including a major shift toward renewable energy and electric cars, the U.S. has a pathway to achieving its 2030 emissions target, according to a new study.  The updated pledge to cut net emissions by half in eight years would represent a tripling of the pace of historical reductions. The study's authors noted the main barrier is not costs but policy, or the lack thereof. A congress that is doing its best impersonation of Nero is the major stumbling block.

 Claire Inciong Krummenacher

The new crop that feeds soil and people: Kernza—an edible perennial grain developed by the Land Institute—is gaining renewed attention this year amidst increasingly unpredictable and frequent flash droughts across the Midwestern United States, whose usual cash crops of soybeans, wheat, and corn are already threatened by warming temperatures. Unlike most annuals, Kernza's extensive root systems draw water from far below the surface, anchor topsoil, and sequester carbon, making it a promising regenerative agriculture solution that bolsters soil's carbon storage capacity and alleviates damages in drought-affected areas.

 Courtney White

Cheers to viticulture: I loved this article about Kelly Mulville and regenerative viticulture at the Paicines Ranch in California, a place I’ve visited many times. Kelly specializes in holistically-managed sheep grazing in vineyards. Her mission at Paicines is to build soil health using native perennial grasses and livestock with the goal of withstanding climate change, sequestering carbon, minimizing water usage, and increasing mycorrhizal fungi, all while producing an exceptional wine. The writer judged the wines to be “fresh, energetic and deeply textured.” Sounds like success!

 Robert Denney

Seeding the future: This article gives a recent ironic account of a greenhouse in New Mexico growing tree seedlings to reforest areas impacted by wildfire, all while the facility was in the path of a wildfire itself. Thankfully thousands of seedlings were trucked away to another nursery, and firefighters managed to keep the fire away from the facility. The article also briefly explains that scientists are still learning how to best select and grow seedlings in nurseries for afforestation and reforestation projects. Relatedly, there is a current seed shortage in some areas, partly due to drought. An article from National Geographic explains in detail the art of seed collection, and the current high demand for skilled collectors.

 Amy Boyer

Digging deeper into Carbon Tanzania: The Hadza people have been gradually gaining title to lands in Tanzania and are now cooperating with the neighboring Dootongo tribe to manage 590,000 acres. Hadza control of ancestral lands prevents deforestation for agricultural use. Biodiversity is increasing, while the Hadza are able to increase traditional hunting. Their 273,000-acre Yaeda-Eyasi Landscape project is now distributing income to local villages from carbon credits through REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) and is the only Tanzanian REDD+ project to recognize and benefit Indigenous peoples.

 Emily Jensen

Challenging fashion’s sustainability claims: How can vegan leather be called sustainable if it’s made out of fossil fuels? That’s the question at the center of this New York Times piece that takes a closer look at the Higg Index — an influential rating system assessing the environmental impact of materials used in the clothing industry. They found that limited data and corporate greenwashing have skewed the index, making it unreasonably difficult for the average shopper to make informed choices. Buying fewer clothes of better quality (and mending the ones we have!) is still the move.

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