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A deep dive into Lola Tillyaeva (Till)’s ‘The Harmonist’, sustainability in beauty
Beauty and sustainability don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Written by
Lola Till The Harmonist

Modern consumers understand sustainable business. They know the difference between authentic commitments and vague marketing attempts to boost "natural" and "green" beauty products.

As more shoppers incorporate sustainability into their habits, more businesses adapt operations and communications strategies to meet demand. But real change takes time. And the beauty industry, for example, emits loads of waste.

One beauty brand, The Harmonist, wants to make sustainability an integral part of its business.

Dig deeper ➝ 5 min
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How to contribute to climate issues at your company
The private sector has been under the climate hot seat for the last 20 years.

Written by
how companies can contribute to climate

Climate mitigation is a multi-lateral issue. There is no one-size fits all band-aid solution to solve Earth's problems. But corporations in particular wield considerable influence over the state of global affairs. Can corporations lead the charge on climate?

Dig deeper → 7 min
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1 on 1 with Closed Loop Partners CEO Ron Gonen
We talk sustainable investing, social entrepreneurship, and climate optimism.

Written by
closed loop partners ceo ron gonen

This week, we sat down with Closed Loop Partners CEO Ron Gonen. Closed Loop Partners is a New York based investment firm comprised of venture capital, growth equity, private equity and project finance as well as an innovation center focused on building the circular economy.

During our conversation, we covered pressing topics like social entrepreneurship, sustainable investing, and climate optimism.

Dig deeper ➝ 3 min
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1 on 1 Special with Mount Founder Madi Rifkin
The innovative amenities platform offers guests and tenants a new way to travel.

Written by
Madi Rifkin from Mount

This week, I had the chance to sit down with Madison Rifkin, founder of Mount. Mount is a SaaS platform that enables private property (think airbnb) to launch, track and monetize their guest amenities. Those amenities can include things like bikes and e-scooters.

Mount allows travelers to use more sustainable modes of short distance travel in place of ubers or car rentals. And it accomplishes this without causing a scooter-frenzied-tourist headache for city administrators, because all of the equipment is completely owned and controlled by the host.

If you'd like to learn more about Mount and how they're disrupting the hospitality industry, check out the full Q&A below.

Check out our full interview.
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Should You Make the Big Switch to Electric Vehicles?
GM rolled out plans for its first electric truck. Have electric vehicles caught up with consumer demand?

Written by
electric hummer displayed outside
Busy? Try the speed read.

Big picture: GM announced plans to release an electric Hummer in 2023. It got me thinking, is it time to make the switch to electric vehicles?

Benefit of electric vehicles:

  1. Lower carbon footprint... social impact ✓
  2. Lower maintenance costs... convenience factor ✓
  3. Tax credits... financial incentive ✓

Cost of electric vehicles:

  1. EVs require minerals like cobalt and lithium to function. Mineral mining is a tough industry with poor standards in developing countries like Bolivia and Chile. Organizations are working to change that.
  2. Electric vehicles have a limited driving range compared to their gas cousins. You may find yourself charging up more than usual.
  3. High sticker prices: The average price of a new electric vehicle is almost double the price of a gas car.
  4. Limited amount of charging stations: this is a tricky one, because there are still more charging stations per EV on the road than there are gas stations for gas cars. Unless you go on a road trip, most of your charging will probably be at home anyway.

Bottom line: With billions of dollars flowing in, electric vehicles are not only here to stay, they are booming.

If you 1) need a car in your life 2) want to be a part of a cleaner future and 3) can afford the extra monthly cost (for now), then making a switch to electric vehicles is the right thing to do.

Dig deeper ➝ 3 min
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The truth about the environmental impact of takeout food
It is not a consumer issue. Food takeout needs better packaging.

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environmental impact of food takeout
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: Food takeout and delivery accounts for considerable waste. About 29% of all greenhouse emissions come from packaging. And food takeout uses a lot of packaging.

Takeout packaging: You want a burrito? Let me wrap that in foil for you. Here's some plastic utensils and paper napkins wrapped in plastic to go along with your hand-held meal. Ok, now here are three packs of ketchup and hot sauce you didn't ask for because you have condiments at home. Let me put that in a paper bag placed in a plastic bag for you... even though you are about to eat it.

Sustainable solutions: Reduce and reuse. Buy in bulk. Use bulk alternatives when on the go. Shop at restaurants that use sustainable alternatives like plant fibers for their packaging. If you have a good relationship with your local food business, talk to them about affordable options.

Dig deeper → 3 min
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This business model would make Ethereum (and NFTs) sustainable
It’s time to go beyond research and fix the crypto energy problem.

Written by
Is-ethereum-sustainable
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: NFTs went mainstream. Now more people are starting to realize Ethereum has a sustainable energy problem. There is a solution.

Not all blockchains are the same: Bitcoin uses about 1% of the world’s electricity. Ethereum is the second largest coin and runs on a similar model as Bitcoin. Neither are energy efficient.

Still, blockchain technology as a whole operates under many different consensus algorithms. Bitcoin and Ethereum’s proof-of-work model is just one version.

Sustainable proposals: Convert mining facilities to use more renewable forms of energy. That’s a good place to start.

More effectively, big coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum can operate using a proof-of-stake model to be more sustainable. This would allow fewer nodes (computers) to validate transactions on the public ledger and increase the energy efficiency of their blockchains.

Finally, emerging coins should look to more efficient consensus algos like Ripple as a model for sustainable crypto. That would propel the industry forward.

Bottom line: Progress is happening. There are existing solutions. The blockchain industry just needs a little nudge to do better.

Dig deeper → 3 min
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Diving deep into the sustainability of plant milk
Not all plant milks were created equal. But all of them are better than dairy.

Written by
Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: All plant milk is more sustainable than dairy milk. But that doesn't mean all plant milks are sustainable.

SR's favorites:

  • Pea milk: protein-rich, noninvasive crop, good taste.
  • Hemp/flax seed milk: nutritious and low emission-based.
  • Hazelnut milk: tastes great in a cup of coffee, pollinates naturally, grows on trees.

Bottom line: Every company has a different process, but we can draw conclusions about the sustainability of certain crops. As consumer interest in plant milk keeps growing, it's important to distinguish good labels from bad labels.

The best best thing you can do is make your own plant milk at home. Just take your favorite organic, fair-trade nut or seed and mix it with water in a blender. Details in the article!

Dig deeper → 6 min
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What makes Bill Gates an expert on climate science?
A computer programmer college dropout is leading the world on public health and climate science. I want to know why.

Written by
bill-gates-climate

The scoop: Bill Gates published a new book about climate change. Why are we praising a tech entrepreneur pretending to be a scientist and public health official?

Why it matters: I think people like Bill Gates make everyday people more suspicious of actual science. Gates should step aside and let real scientists do the talking. Because as it turns out, he isn't always right.

My proposal: Let's praise and highlight actual climatologists dedicated to the field. He's not even a professional writer.

We need to build communication platforms for researchers, doctors, and scientists to bridge the gap between complex subject matter and public skepticism. Businessmen like Bill Gates only widen the gap (imo).

Bottom line: Let's hear the talking points not from some obscure monolithic gospel, but science-backed, distinguished talking points from recognizable human faces.

Dig deeper → 3 min

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