Recapping the COP27, Dialing Back and Rethinking Lawns: What We’re Reading This Week

Good morning, on this cold and grey day. It’s time for us to break out our winter trifecta: room humidifiers, personal heater and happy light. We’re seeing and experiencing the first signs of winter, including our first snow dustings.

For us, the next few months are a time filled with wonder, anticipation and traditions. We delight in soup season, especially those we can easily make in our Crockpot or Instant Pot, to warm us from the inside out, followed by an event spent curled up on the couch reading a book or watching TV. We are excited about the upcoming secular and religious holidays. But however you observe these days, we hope you find some comfort and peace.

We know that everyone takes a different path in life, so we found an article about protecting your mental health especially timely. And while we may take different paths, we are still optimistic that we can all come together and tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges. In short, this week we’ve started counting our blessings. And you, gentle readers, are among them.

Recapping the COP27

As the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference comes to a close, delegates are finalizing their pledges and plans for the coming year.

One negotiation of note is about loss and damage to help developing countries cope with the damage of floods, drought and other climate-fueled disasters. This year’s historic flooding in Pakistan is an example of such devastation. Delegates from more than 130 developing countries are demanding that the COP27 deliver a deal.

In the past, the European Union (EU) and United States had resisted the idea. But, in a turn of events, the EU has put an offer on the table. The caveat: The special fund would be financed not only by wealthy, developed nations but a broad donor base that would include emerging economies, such as China, that are high emitters of fossil fuels.

This proposal is at odds with another on the table from China and other developing countries that said all developing countries have access to the fund. The change in semantics would mean that China could receive funding but wouldn’t have to contribute any.

As of this writing, the U.S. hasn’t responded publicly to the new proposal.

As is often the case with discussions, there is consensus that change needs to happen, but how that happens is up for debate. In other words, the devil is in the details.

Dialing Back

It seems obvious, but we’re going to say it, anyway: Humans are not machines. Even in that folktale of John Henry (Man vs. Machine), his victory was cut short when he suffered a fatal heart attack from the stress he put on his body.

But it seems we have trouble remembering our humanity and the very real need to give ourselves a break. Despite the research, our culture—and to a large part our own identity—is shaped by our work, both what we do and how much of it we do.

“It’s no wonder, then, that despite plenty of evidence that dialing it back is smart for both our productivity and our health, we have trouble giving ourselves permission to do it,” writes Kate Northrup. “But just because it’s unusual or uncomfortable to change your work habits, it’s by no means impossible.”

Northrup, an author and entrepreneur focused on fighting burnout, offers five ideas for how to give yourself permission to do a little less—and be OK with it.

November and December are filled with messages about putting family and friends first. As you may enjoy extra time with loved ones, perhaps trying to reclaim some unused PTO, consider what life might look like if you prioritized your personal life the other 10 months of the year. Northrup’s advice may show you that it’s possible, after all.

Rethinking Lawns

When we think of lawns, we are reminded of the fluffy grass that cushioned us while we stared up at the clouds. Now, as adults, we see them as a source for lots of work, money and time that is spent mowing, seeding, watering and fertilizing.

There's another reason why it might be time to rethink our love of lawns. Grass is the most water guzzling crop in the U.S. What’s more, NASA estimates that grass covers three times the amount of space than any irrigated crop in the U.S.

That means that a lot of water, one of our most precious resources, is being used for our yards than it is to grow food. Maintaining those lush green lawns contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, too.

In response, some drought-prone local water agencies are offering incentives to replace grass to reduce outdoor water usage. Native plants require less water to maintain, can help prevent runoff that could lead to flooding and provide a food source for pollinators and other wildlife that we need to maintain diverse ecosystems.

So, when we saw examples of what a yard could look like, we were intrigued. We remember our first trip out West, where yards featured cacti and flowering plants instead of grass. It was an incredible sight for a Midwesterner and opened our eyes to a possibility we didn’t know existed.

Now, thinking about landscaping, we see a lot of beauty in a grass-less lawn, one that helps create a more sustainable world. And, if we can spend more time enjoying our land rather than toiling or fighting it, then that’s even better.

Watch the video here.