I’m finding more advertisements for non-alcoholic cocktails popping into my social media feeds, more NA drinks showing up on menus when I’m out at restaurants, and more of a need to explore these options as I age. With that in mind, I recently started exploring zero-proof and lower-proof cocktails to see if I could find something capable of going toe-to-toe with my favorites.
Golf’s popularity continues to grow throughout the world, but its environmental impact remains significant. In order to reduce costs, improve public relations, and simply be a better steward of the environment, course designers and superintendents are now adopting more sustainable practices. Are recycled water, native plants, and integrated pest management enough to make an impact, or is this industry just too resource intensive?
This year’s resolutions were designed to help me build resilience to stress, but healthy behaviors tend to fall by the wayside in tough times. As of July I’m giving myself a D, but that’s actually not too bad considering the majority of people give up their resolutions by February. My next assignment is figuring out how to prioritize my wellbeing for the remainder of 2026.
One of the principles of ecotourism is minimizing environmental impact, but that’s a tall order when tourists want the comforts of home. Tourism is growing in Galápagos, generating revenue that is supporting the national economy and lower-income residents of the islands, alike. But increased tourist volume can come with a steep cost to the fragile ecosystems people are there to see.
Everyone will be impacted by climate change, which means that everyone needs to be part of the solution. The problem is that some businesses and countries aren’t ready to have that conversation yet. Thanks to growing frustrations with the slow progress at COP, over 50 countries gathered in Colombia this April to begin planning a decisive and collaborative transition away from fossil fuels.
Most gardeners are fighting a never-ending battle with dandelions, either spraying them with herbicides or digging them out by hand. Having been in the latter group for years, I only recently paused to wonder why we’re trying to get rid of them in the first place. Research indicates that they have far more pros than cons in the garden – and provide some health benefits too.
I am excited about trying new techniques to mend my clothing, in both invisible and visible ways. What remains to be seen is how welcome some of the results will be in professional settings. Even as a sustainability professional, I don’t often see colleagues wearing mended clothing, and I wonder if that is an intentional choice or the symptom of a pervasive business norm.
Most of our clothes today are made with plastic, which tends to be cheaper than natural materials but leads to pollution, climate change, negative health impacts, and more money spent in the long run compared to investing in quality garments and maintaining them. Unfortunately, many of us lack the necessary money, time, or requisite skills to opt for the more sustainable option.
The end of this series is not the end of this exploration. Looking into the historical influences of religion on cuisine has made me more curious about what modern influences shape the choices we make today in an increasingly global society. It also feels, to me, that in an increasingly chaotic world, the small decisions we make for ourselves are even more important.
The world’s oldest monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism, influenced the others we’ve already covered in this series: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However, with more of a focus on ethical behavior than prescribed actions, the guidelines of this ancient religion leave a lot of room for interpretation. “Everything in moderation” and religious tolerance went hand in hand with centuries of peace and prosperity in the Persian Empire.