🌱 The Grumpy Optimists # 44
Fossil fuel takes up 40% of global shipping. It's a shocking number, but it shows hope. This week we look at why.
Happy Monday 👋
Welcome back to the second week of the year. To start on an optimistic note, we’re getting more vitamin D as we gain 2 minutes of sunlight a day, daffodils are starting to come out and omicron numbers are heading down.
This week we look at the volcanic eruption in Tonga and the powerful forces of nature, how Berlin is looking to create the world’s largest car-free city, Will’s reflection on week two of Veganuary and finally a subtle plug for Mari’s half-marathon fundraiser!
Have a great week everyone.
👀 Articles to read
🌋 Underwater volcano eruption causes flooding and tsunami warnings. For those who may have missed it, Earth demonstrated its enormous force as an underwater volcano erupted in Tonga, causing tsunami warnings from the US to Japan. At the time of writing, there have been no official reports of deaths but communication is limited and it is estimated 80,000 people have been impacted. The effects of the eruption were felt as far as the west coast of the US and New Zealand.
💭 Why it matters: It’s easy to forget that we’re living on a powerful planet that has the ability to dramatically change and disrupt our way of life. The eruption showcases the power and interconnection that exists within our planet. While this is a ‘natural disaster’ not caused by global warming, it is a sign of what will continue to happen if we don’t take drastic action to cut emission.
🚢 40% of global shipping is just for fossil fuels. Almost half of what we move around the world is simply gas, oil, coal and wood pellets. It’s a shocking number, but it shows hope. It means that if and when we make the transition to renewables, we will not just stop putting carbon in the atmosphere but also we’ll decrease the number of ships trailing back and forth. Or at least, that is the hope. It may mean the shipping industry tries to fill its containers with more ‘things’ we don’t need.
🐟 100-year-old Norwegian hydro dam blown up to restore river ecosystem. The dam which has been inactive for 50 years was destroyed after campaigns by a local angling group. The dam was one of 1.2 million instream barriers in Europe that have led to a 90% decrease in migratory freshwater fish. A reel victory for nature.
🚲 Berlin is planning a car-free area larger than Manhattan. The plans drafted by three friends over a beer in 2019 has collected 50,000 signatures and will be considered by Berlin’s senate. The proposal is not to completely ban cars, but instead to limit the use of personal vehicles. Some neighborhoods already have ‘Kiezblocks’, areas where traffic is already limited. Some cities like Paris lead the way in pedestrianising urban space and we’re all here for it. Check out the thread below. 👇
🐑 Farmers in the UK to be paid to rewild. As part of the government’s post-Brexit plans, farmers and land managers will be given tax-payer cash for nature recovery projects. This is a shift away from farmers being paid for the land they farm (often leading to intensive farming) to the protection of land and biodiversity. The government have to balance food production, land management and protecting nature.
🏃🏻♀️🌱Plug Alert! Fundraiser for mangrove restoration and tree planting
Hi, Mari here 👋🏼. I have made the dubiously ambitious decision to shed my Christmas couch potato cocoon and emerge as a majestic running gazelle - ok maybe more a wheezing tortoise at best. I’ll be running the Richmond Half Marathon in late Feb along with some equally mad Defra colleagues to raise money for a seriously cool charity - the LEAF (Little Environmental Action Foundation).
The LEAF consists of incredible botanists, zoologists, marine biologists (I could go on...they’re a nerdy bunch) working with local communities to promote afforestation and restoration of relic habitats to help tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis. Currently, they’re working on a project to plant over 10K mangrove seedlings in Kilifi county, Kenya, which will not only promote local biodiversity but will also provide livelihoods, food and crucial protection from coastal flooding and storms. Mangroves can also sequester up to four times as much carbon as other tropical forests, so they’re one to look out for in mitigating climate change.
We’re pretty excited by what this charity does. If you are too (oh go on, you know you are), then the link to donate to the fundraiser is here. Any contribution, big or small, will be massively appreciated!
I could at this point attach an embarrassing selfie of a red and sweaty Mari during a run. Instead, I’ll “leaf” (I’ll see myself out) you with a far more beautiful and inspiring mini docu about the LEAF’s mangrove project:
🍆 Veganuary - Week 2 / Will
I’m pleased to say my optimism from last week has continued. The first few days of January were a bit tumultuous (mainly spent grieving my temporary break-up with cheese), but this week feels like I’m through the initial adjustment period, and I’ve actually started to really enjoy what’s on offer as a vegan. Aside from a few minor (again, mainly cheese-related) wobbles, this week we’ve cooked up some delightful meals, as well as sampled some of London’s finest vegan cuisine.
✅ Biggest revelation: Lentils are very, very good. This might seem silly, but I feel like aside from being healthy, lentils have a bad reputation as being bland and boring - and by default, something only veggies and vegans eat. They’re actually really tasty, soak up tons of flavour, and offer a much lighter substitute to rice, pasta or quinoa. Great cooked from scratch in a dahl or with some greens at lunchtime, but if you’re feeling a little lazier (me most of the time), you’ll find ready-made packs on most supermarket shelves that are packed with flavour and only need popping in the microwave. Yum.
😋 Best meal: Crispy sweet chili tofu, with honey glazed sprouts and spicy rice (right, below). This was delicious. I happen to be a big fan of tofu, but I’m aware it often splits opinion. I think its rubbery texture often puts people off, but this recipe gives it a deep-fried, crispy feel, which I’m confident would win over any potential doubter. We also made coconut green pasta (left, below). While maybe not a looker, it was really tasty and super easy to make.
👎 Biggest letdown: Enchiladas. Usually one of my favourite meals, but this really lacked something. I don’t think the vegan cheese was able to replicate the same stringy, melted texture which usually makes these such a hit (similar to the sage pumpkin lasagne we made). Maybe a few tequila shots wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Top Tip: Don’t feel like you have to make everything from scratch. I think there’s a real pressure when it comes to eating vegan that you have to blend up all your sauces yourself, use niche ingredients, and over-compensate on difficult recipes. If you want to do this then by all means do! But if you didn’t do this as a meat-eater or veggie, don’t stress about it as a vegan. There’s a growing range of healthy, pre-prepared vegan ready meals and snacks - so don’t feel you’re letting anyone down by taking a shortcut once in a while.
🍽️ Where to eat out: The Peachy Goat in Herne Hill, South London. This was probably the longest time I’ve ever taken to order my food in a restaurant - it all looked so good I didn’t know where to begin. I eventually settled on the ‘beef’ ragu pasta, and I was not disappointed. What The Pitta do some cracking vegan kebabs too.
That’s all from us this week folks. Have a good one!
The Grumpy Optimists 💚