Magic Beans (For Your Gut)

Plus: 3x nuclear, life with long Covid, and a bio-computer

INI News Logo 2

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!

From My Notebook header

💦 Food & Water:

⚡️ Climate change:

🦠 Health & Bio:

👩‍💻 Beep Boop:

Want more news? Become a Member.

How To Give A Shit logo v3

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.

Together with your new homepage.

Don’t stay on top of the news — we’ll do it for you.

Doom-scrolling sucks. INI Members get daily access to my personal, curated news feed — only what’s most important, updated when I read it.

And right now, the first year of an annual Membership is 50% off — just $25.

Search, sort, or filter by the INI-relevant tags to keep an eye on what matters the most. Plus: Members support our work, get to join the INI Member Slack, get exclusive weekly (and weekend) editions, and more.

Get it now on mobile and desktop for $25 for the first year!

The Good Shit logo v2

🎁 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

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.

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.

How important is it for you to reduce plastic in your home?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

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

Work with me 1:1

Want to sponsor the newsletter?

Get your brand, product, or service in front of 20,000+ sustainably-minded consumers:

Brain content break

Reply

or to participate.