Plant-based Diets For The Win

Welcome to the week!

We will be taking most of this week off for Thanksgiving, but you can still look forward to a special edition of the Not Important newsletter on Friday — recommendations of books, playlists, tools, etc. from Quinn, usually reserved for INI Members!

Now to the news.

This week:

• ☣️ Nuclear power x3

• 💊 Treatment for PPD

• 🍬 Ultra-processed foods

• 🌦️ AI weather forecasters

• 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 Paul wants to help solve “food justice and sustainability“.

Can’t stress enough how important improving our food system is to solving soooo many issues. Let’s do it!

⚡️ Climate change:

• Switching to a plant-based diet — at a global scale — remains a huge climate solve

• World leaders from the US and the UK have pledged to triple nuclear power by 2050

• We can (and should) develop all the clean energy infrastructure possible, but until we actually phase out fossil fuels, it won’t be enough — which the US and China have agreed to do

• Why so many EV Chargers are broken — as EV sales continue to creep upwards

• The Fifth National Climate Change Assessment was released in the US. Here are six big takeaways

🦠 Health & Bio:

• An oral treatment for postpartum depression is coming, but it’s expensive

• Health risks related to climate change (caused by heat, drought, etc.) are getting worse

• Poverty rates are rising in the US — here’s why (including a map breaking down poverty rates by region)

• More and more adults are reporting cognitive fog, and it’s likely due to Long Covid

• Some good news: more and more kids are surviving cancer

💦 Food & Water:

• Many seemingly healthy foods are actually ultra-processed, causing concern about health impacts (but also, some might be helpful?)

• New York is suing PepsiCo over plastic pollution in the Buffalo River

• Companies spent millions of dollars to avoid accountability for contaminating drinking water with forever chemicals

• What does Walmart’s investments in regenerative agriculture mean for the future of the marketplace?

👩‍💻 Beep Boop:

• The tech world is in chaos with the firing of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman — and his quick pivot to Microsoft

• Google’s AI weather forecaster could change the weather forecasting game

• Researchers are using AI to help identify Alzheimer’s

• Protecting online privacy costs Signal millions a year

• When anyone can create convincing propaganda online, can anyone tell what’s real and what’s fake anymore?

• YouTube is cracking down on videos using generative AI, with creators who fail to disclose it facing penalties

Want more news? Become a Member.

Last week’s most popular Action Step was volunteering with your local YIMBY chapter to advocate for housing in your community.

• Donate to create clean jobs and build clean infrastructure with the BlueGreen Alliance.

• Volunteer with your local Sunrise hub and organize for community climate action.

• Get educated about the different categories of corporate emissions so you can better spot greenwashing.

• Be heard about transparency in AI and urge your representatives to support the Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023.

• Invest in a climate-friendly 401(k) regardless of the company you work for with Sphere.

Together With Sandcastles

What happens when a band of surfers fights against wildfire? 

Join reporter Adriana Cargill as she investigates the infamous Woolsey Fire in Malibu, California, LA County’s most destructive fire yet. Learn how one community created a model to help save more homes and lives as climate change increases wildfires across the world. 

Listen now to Sandcastles, an award-winning podcast about home, how we create it, and why we fight so hard for it.

Want an ad-free experience? Become a Member.

🍳 Forever in your bloodstream

You may have already heard forever chemicals have been found in the deep ocean, on Mt. Everest, and in our drinking water. It’s not ideal.

Read our explainer to learn more about where they come from, and steps you can take to avoid them (as much as possible) 👇️ 

Support Our Work

INI is 100% independent and mostly reader-supported.

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.

⌚️ Read the full article for a chance to spend the rest of your afternoon in an existential crisis 👇️ 

🙋‍♀️ Today’s Poll

Last week, 28% of you said you use Examine to research your supplements (if you take them at all)

Want to talk climate strategy, investing, or anything else?

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