Whole Life Times

29/10/2025

Brilliant and we never needed it more.

France made history by becoming the first nation to require large supermarkets to donate unsold but edible food to charities and food banks.

Passed in 2016, the law applies to stores over 400 square meters, which must sign formal agreements with organizations that redistribute fresh produce, bakery goods, and near-expiry items to people in need.

The law also forbids supermarkets from deliberately spoiling food to prevent its reuse — a practice once used to discourage dumpster divers.

Instead, France’s system turns what was once waste into nourishment, redirecting millions of meals every year to families who might otherwise go hungry.

The impact has gone beyond charity. By combining environmental responsibility with social action, France has reduced food waste, supported local communities, and inspired other European countries to adopt similar models. The initiative now extends beyond supermarkets to include catering services and food producers — creating a more circular and humane food system.

France’s approach has transformed an environmental challenge into a humanitarian solution — a global example of what policy can achieve when empathy meets sustainability.

Source:
Assemblée Nationale de France (2016). Loi n° 2016-138 relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage alimentaire.
The Guardian (2016). French law forbids supermarkets from wasting food.

27/10/2025

An uplifting free news story about how people all over the US continue to help our beautiful, life-sustaining planet.

A series about local solutions, and the people behind them, to environmental problems.

25/10/2025

“Her microbiome had an abundance of a type of beneficial bacteria, Bifidobacterium, whose growth can be spurred by bacteria in yogurt. Ms. Branyas ate three yogurts a day.”

She also “followed a Mediterranean diet, did not smoke or drink, and walked an hour a day until the early 2000s when doing so became too difficult.”

Plus… good longevity genes. We can’t change that (yet!) but we can do the rest.

Spanish researchers say Maria Branyas Morera, who lived to 117, won a genetic lottery. But experts caution that healthy genes and microbiomes don’t explain longevity on their own.

26/09/2025

Great innovation! Rural US could use these.

In Germany, rural innovation is taking a graceful turn with wind-capture lamp posts that light roads using nothing more than a passing breeze. These lamp posts are designed with hollow, vertical columns that spin silently when wind flows through them. As the turbines rotate, they generate electricity that powers the streetlights — offering a self-sufficient, off-grid lighting solution for countryside roads and remote areas.

Unlike traditional wind turbines, these vertical-axis turbines are compact, quiet, and integrated seamlessly into the lamp structure. There are no external blades or towering structures, making them safer for wildlife and aesthetically pleasing in scenic landscapes. Their rotation begins with even the gentlest wind, and excess energy is stored in small batteries at the base of the pole for nights with no wind.

The system dramatically reduces the need for underground wiring or external power sources, especially in hard-to-reach places. Maintenance is minimal because the turbines are enclosed and protected from dust and debris. These lamp posts are ideal for rural pathways, forest edges, hiking trails, and country roads where grid electricity is either too costly or disruptive to install.

Germany’s approach blends design and sustainability in one elegant solution — offering renewable lighting without large infrastructure footprints. It’s a step toward smarter, quieter, and greener rural living, where even a whisper of wind can bring light to the dark.

26/09/2025

A small way to make a difference for small creatures.

Nearly 1 **Billion** birds were in the sky migrating south last night. We knew it would be a big night, but the birds beat model estimates by a significant margin. Honestly tonight has the potential to be even bigger. Now through Sunday is the most important time to turn off those outdoor lights to help migrating birds on their journey south. I will post a link later today on other ways you can help birds. Take a look at that national radar picture near midnight last night. Most of the colors were birds, and the big bird surge was in the red circle. Our entire area will be in that zone tonight.

02/09/2025

For how long have we been saying this? Grateful for an official study, but so many trees decimated in the interim.

Deforestation is playing a greater role than researchers expected, according to a new study.

30/08/2025

South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi, and Georgia are listed among the top states for murder rate. Wondering why the Marines aren’t being sent there instead of DC, where 2024 saw a 31% drop in homicides and a nearly 50% decrease in carjackings compared to 2023. 🤔

30/08/2025

What are you doing today to take care of our planet?

10/04/2025

Is it safe to eat? NRDC tries to answer that question.

The Food Date Labeling Act would standardize date labels on food packaging and reduce confusion about their meanings which is a leading cause of food waste.

31/03/2025

Very disturbing. What is causing this?

Bees play a key role in the U.S. food supply, and the mass deaths could jeopardize that.

26/02/2025

Dangerous news for our planet.

The energy giant said it would cut planned investment in clean energy and redirect spending toward fossil fuels.

11/02/2025

This is encouraging. The author maintains we’ve made too much progress—with too much benefit to red states—for it to be stopped.

The 20-year move toward lower emissions won’t stop just because of the president.