Magic Beans (For Your Gut)

Welcome to the week!

This will be the last Monday newsletter for the year, as we’re taking a couple of weeks off for a much-needed break (did you know that Quinn wrote the equivalent of 2 books this year? OK, go off, Alexander Hamilton).

We’ll return in the new year with some exciting new projects! Stay tuned.

Now to the news.

This week:

• 🏦 Green banks

• 🧬 Autoimmune treatments

• ⚠️ Food safety

• 🧱 The virtual border wall

• And more!

Have a great week,

— Willow

This is science for people who give a shit.

Every week, we help 25,000+ humans understand and unfuck the rapidly changing world around us. It feels great, and we’d love for you to join us.

👉 New Shit Giver Ruth wants to help solve “the ever-growing piles of waste, in the water and on land.“

Welcome, Ruth. We’re going to need action at every level, but we can do it!

💦 Food & Water:

• Beans are magical for your gut health

• Yes, drought in the West isn’t helping the Colorado River water crisis. But it’s not the only reason the river is running dry

• Climate solutions in the food industry were the talk of the town at COP28, with billions in pledges to overhaul our food systems

• The FDA’s hands-off approach to food safety regulation is causing people to get sick, and in some tragic cases, die

• The drugmakers responsible for the weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic have been paying obesity doctors millions over the last decade

⚡️ Climate change:

• COP28 has nations going nuclear, with 24 countries pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050

• They also pledged to triple renewables by 2030, and double energy-saving efforts. Check out the costs to make that happen.

• The risks of climate change are more than traditional insurance companies are willing to take on. But a new type of insurance company is using tech to fill the gap

• Is your bank “climate-responsible”? If it’s a big bank in the US, the answer is no. Here’s a guide on how you can change to a cleaner bank

• $41 million is being invested in training the US clean energy workforce

🦠 Health & Bio:

• The reality (including symptoms, pain, and data) of life with long Covid

• CAR-T-cell therapy (engineered immune cells) are being used to treat autoimmune disorders — and it’s working

• Researchers are hopeful that CRISPR could be used to treat Alzheimer’s

• We still don’t have a vaccine for TB, even though it kills more people than malaria and HIV. Why not?

• Tampa is using new tech to remove forever chemicals from its water

👩‍💻 Beep Boop:

• The border wall is virtual, and using AI to detect unauthorized migration and drug smuggling

• Your Smart TV is watching you, or at least what you’re watching. You can turn that feature off — here’s how

• The EU has finalized its AI regulations, but the laws won’t come into force until 2025

• Microsoft is working with labor unions on AI, but won’t guarantee that AI won’t displace jobs

• Learn when it’s time to log off, slowly shut your laptop, and literally go touch grass

Want more news? Become a Member.

Last week’s most popular Action Step was volunteering to Run for School Board with Run for Something. Let’s go!

• Donate to Vote Solar, and support their work advocating for clean energy policies at the state level.

• Volunteer with World Central Kitchen, and help feed people right now.

• Get educated about the harmful chemicals in your food and personal care products, and find clean, healthy alternatives using the Yuka app.

• Be heard about protecting trans people, and use the 2023 anti-trans bills tracker to find legislation you can oppose in your state.

• Invest in banks that provide financial services that align with your values using bank.green.

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🎁 Gifts for people who give a shit

Still need to get some sustainable gifts? Check out our 2023 Gift Guide!

It’s not too late to order some of this stuff (ok, it’s probably cutting things pretty close), or at least use this list for last-minute ideas that you might be able to pick up locally (which is preferable anyways)!

And it’s never too late to donate in someone’s name. Find a reputable charity that’s worth your support in our 2023 Charitable Giving Guide.

🌳 What is agroforestry?

One of the biggest sectors where we still need to make a lot of progress to reduce emissions? Food.

More specifically, how and where we produce it, and then how we can stop wasting one-third of the amount that gets produced.

One solution that could improve :

• food security

• land use

• biodiversity

• resilience to climate change?

Agroforestry.

Read our agroforestry explainer to get up to speed 👇️ 

Support Our Work

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This newsletter is free, but to support our work, get my popular “Not Important” book, music, and tool recommendations, connect with other Shit Givers, and attend exclusive monthly live events, please consider becoming a paid Member.

Was this on your 2023 Bingo card? Click to read the full article 👇️ 

🙋‍♀️ Today’s Poll

Last week, 41% of you said you wear masks, depending on where you are going.

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