Hey team, and welcome back to one5c! I’m so used to July being on the slow side—warm and breezy. But if you’re trying to live a climate-conscious existence, the summertime is full of temptations: travel plans, BBQs, Amazon Prime Day sales, and enough enviro-claims on sunscreen tubes to make you go cross-eyed. We’re here to help guide you through all of it. Perhaps losing yourself in a book will do the trick? Keep scrollin’ past the digest for our top summer picks for reading poolside. —Corinne |
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WHAT WE'RE INTO THIS WEEK |
A major sunscreen company’s ‘reef-friendly’ claims may be bogus |
Be extra wary of what sunscreen you choose this summer. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the country’s top regulator, is suing Edgewell Personal Care—owner of Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat—after finding that more than 90 of its products labeled “reef friendly” still contained ingredients that can indeed harm coral and other marine life. While the formulas are free of oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals known to cause damage to reefs, the ACCC alleges that they contain other harmful ingredients such as homosalate and avobenzone, which research shows may cause bleaching in coral reefs. The lawsuit follows a consumer watchdog report that found overstated protection claims on several products; one particularly distressing example found that a sublock marked SPF 50+ only provided a level of protection equivalent to SPF 4. Want a sunscreen that protects you and the planet? We recently tested several and landed on a standout sustainable pick. |
A big SCOTUS win for environmentalists |
In a Supreme Court session dotted with setbacks, environmental groups scored a major victory last week. On June 30, the justices refused to hear ExxonMobil’s appeal of a $14.25 million penalty for air pollution violations at its Baytown, Texas, refinery. The ruling upholds the largest-ever civil penalty resulting from a citizen-initiated environmental lawsuit. Jointly filed by the Sierra Club and Environment Texas in 2010, the case cited more than 16,000 air pollution violations and 10 million pounds of unreported emissions between 2005 and 2013. The fossil-fuel giant had challenged not only the ruling but also whether citizens had the legal right to enforce regulations. Ultimately, the court’s decision affirms the public’s right to hold polluters accountable. |
Local governments are saving the world faster than their countries |
A little fed up with shouting at the federal government about climate policy, and watching sweeping legislation like the “One Big Beautiful Bill” take the legs out of nationwide clean-energy and climate initiatives? There’s plenty of change (and progress!) happening closer to home. Nearly three in four cities in the C40 group—a worldwide cadre of about 100 mayors—are cutting emissions locally more quickly than their countries overall, according to a new report by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Cities are hustling to change because they’re not only getting hotter faster than farms or burbs, but metropolises are also vulnerable to flooding, as heavy rainwaters overwhelm aging sewer systems, Grist reports. Efforts to bolster public transportation, urban greenery, building efficiency, and more add up quickly. It’s an excellent reminder to keep attuned to what’s on local ballots and council dockets, so you can address the impacts of the climate crisis at your own doorstep. |
EVs pass plug-in hybrids in reliability |
Plug-in hybrid cars are proving to be the TV/VCRs of the auto industry, according to a new analysis from J.D. Power. EVs have officially passed the half-gas-half-electric rides by a metric called PP100, which is how many issues a car will have in its first 90 days off the lot. The reason? The cars have all the same issues of a gas-powered car and an all-electric one wrapped up in a single package. "They are getting impacted with issues from both the combustion engine (shifting, hesitation, etc.) as well as the electric engines (range, charging issues, etc.),” Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, told InsideEVs. If that’s enough to nudge you a little more towards flipping the electric switch, check out our cheat sheet for tips on buying your very first EV. |
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Taste test
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Our favorite plant-based burgers, ranked |
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Summer is about celebrating the good days. Crafted from organic and recycled fabrics, Faherty’s soft, breezy apparel is well-cut with a worn-in feel that’s designed for a lifetime of chasing good days. They’ve traveled the world in search of the highest-quality, most sustainable materials—so that every piece is as responsible as it is refined. Best of all, you can get 25% off select items and an extra 25% off for a limited time. |
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5 climate books for your summer reading list |
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Summer has arrived, and with the longer, sunnier days comes a chance to slow down, reflect, and lose yourself in a good book. If you’re searching for some pool-, lake-, or oceanside reading that can capture your mind but also lend you a little perspective about our climate-changing world, we’ve got you covered. These five recommendations (some nonfiction, some fiction) explore everything from the communities we build to how we might handle what’s ahead with grace and humanity. (Extra credit if you can find ’em at the library or secondhand—or share a copy with a friend or two.)
Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan
This debut novel from artist Susanna Kwan takes place in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, which has largely been abandoned after sinking below sea level. Most residents have fled the seasonless, rain-drenched city, but protagonist Bo remains in one of the few livable homes in the uppermost levels of abandoned high rises. When she befriends a 130-year-old neighbor who watched the city devolve throughout the 21st century, Bo discovers a new gift for unfolding her history and reopens her love for art. She finds time to create, even amidst seemingly unending crisis.
Human Nature by Kate Marvel
We all feel it: The intense, all-encompassing dread that comes with watching our planet rapidly change, but also the tinge of hope that we can do better. No one gets this more than Kate Marvel, a climate scientist who spends her days modeling various world-ending scenarios like giant volcanic eruptions and the dissolution of the ozone layer. What all that apocalyptic science doesn’t show us, she says, is how we should feel about our rapidly changing world. Framing each chapter in Human Nature around a specific feeling—from anger and grief to wonder and love—Marvel weaves together the science of climate change and emotionality of living in a shifting world. |
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Amplify by Adam Met
Adam Met is a pop musician, Columbia University professor, and founder of nonprofit Planet Reimagined. Drawing on his deep rolodex, this book lays out the tools that help make change, “I wrote this book to share everything I know about building a great fan base," he told People earlier this year. “These various areas of my life all inspire different strategies that can help build movements that connect with and mobilize people in really powerful ways.” Featuring interviews with musicians, activists, politicians, and artists, this book is for anyone who wants to rally their own community to the climate cause.
The Unmapping by Denise S. Robbins
The premise of Denise S. Robbins’ debut novel is a practice in chaos: At 4 a.m. one morning, every building in New York City is somehow transported to another place in the city. Millions suddenly find themselves in random boroughs; the Empire State Building has jumped from Midtown to Staten Island. This rapid reshuffling keeps happening for months, turning the Big Apple into “a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces are thrown in the air and reassembled every morning,” writes reviewer Sam Matey. It’s a potent story and one with clear connections to our climate crisis: How do we exist in a world where maps lose their meaning and we don’t have any clue what tomorrow will bring?
We Are Eating the Earth by Michael Grunwald
Growing enough to feed the world poses a major climate threat, but unlike fossil fuels, eating isn’t something humanity can just quit. In his latest book, journalist Michael Grunwald lays out how we can keep bellies full without baking the planet. It all starts with a hard look at how we handle land and work to check the encroachment of farmland into natural ecosystems. “Humanity’s dominion over the Earth isn’t really about the spread of cities and towns, highways and driveways, industry and commerce. It’s about farming,” he writes. What’s the way forward? Revolution: New crops, new polices, and a new mindset that does what’s best for every acre we have left. |
ONE LAST TIP BEFORE WE GO... |
If you’re tempted to buy something on Prime Day this week, put it in your cart, but don’t click the “buy” button. You’ll still get a dopamine hit, but without the inevitable boomerang of guilt from buying something you probably didn’t need. Check out more strategies to curb impulse shopping. |
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