🌱 The Grumpy Optimist Newsletter #10
Mental health, climate tech and game of function research. Your breakdown of the environmental stories you need to check out.
G'day folks!👋
Today marks the penultimate milestone in the roadmap out of lockdown! While it may seem that the new variant may have other ideas, we really hope not, and fingers crossed if the new strain is managed safely, we can all take another step towards seeing loved ones, getting back into cafes and socialising indoors. I'm convinced that the moment we are finally allowed to socialise with others indoors, a heatwave will arrive and our summer will finally start, so we'll want only want to be outside anyway. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but it would be very British if it does happen, wouldn't it. 🤞
One observation that I (Will) want to share as I've begun to see family and friends again over the past few weeks is just how exhausting socialising is - particularly after a year of repeated nights in. Earlier this week a colleague of mine shared this article with me, and it resonated strongly with how I've been feeling. Given that it's mental health awareness week, it's worth acknowledging how important it is that we are kind to ourselves as we move through this transitional period towards a 'new' normal. While there are undoubtedly reasons to be optimistic as restrictions ease, almost all of us will be negotiating anxieties and grappling with mental health issues - both new and old - and it's vital that we support each other through this.
Check out Mental Health UK for some more info about the fantastic work they're doing to support our wellbeing through this period - there are some great tips, resources, and blog posts on there to take a squizz through. In the meantime, ask a friend how they're doing, and whether they've found themselves waking up to a 'social hangover' recently - it might be just the chat they need.
Have a great week all,
George and Will
Quick Reads
🇺🇸 Americans feeling the impact of climate change. After being largely subdued throughout President Trump's administration, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a long-awaited report which reveals very few spoilers: humans are causing climate change. Shock. Climate change is also framed as a social issue, not just environmental. Check out their website.
🍔 Banning hamburgers to fight climate change? President Biden's strong ambitions for tackling climate change have continued to flare up the Republican Party's history of climate denial and scepticism. False claims and misinformation remain an enormous barrier to engaging citizens in climate action globally, but particularly so in the US where politics is so inherently partisan.
👕 PANGAIA clothing gets a new passport. Clothing firm PANGAIA uses QR codes to provide transparency and traceability for their clothing, giving consumers a real insight into the impact of their purchases.
🤔 Half of emissions cuts to come from future tech. John Kerry has said that 50% of emissions we need to cut will come from future technologies we have not yet created. Scary or optimistic? The response has been met with mixed feelings.
🏎️ Michelin wants to make tyres out of recycled plastic. Michelin has said they could use up to 3bn plastic bottles each year to make their tyres. Our thoughts are that this is stupid and increases reliance on producing billions of single-use plastic bottles.
🧪 Why game of function research should be stopped. Will and I both did a course on pathogens, viruses and disease in a globalised world which started in January 2020. The course was impacted ironically enough due to covid. One element that always scared us was game of function research, Vox outlines how labs make viruses more deadly and why we should stop.
Other things to check out
🌱 Following the footsteps do a regular blog on all things business, climate and sustainability. A great way to supplement our thoughts with what's going on in the business world.
⚠️ Israel-Palestine Conflict. Vox do a fantastic job of explaining the Israel-Palestine conflict. While we're not in a position to comment too much, the conflict happening at the moment is nothing short of awful. Learn and understand more below.
😬 Josh Rogin on Joe Rogan. While I imagine not everyone is a fan of Joe Rogan, he is a fantastic interviewer (George's opinion) and in this episode, Josh Rogin presents the fact that we need to explore the idea covid was a result of a lab accident. No conspiracy theory, just a genuine concern that for the future of our health we should explore.
Smash the week and stay safe folks. ❤️