Welcome. I'll be away for the next few weeks, but I've dug up some columns that have been favorites of Climate Coach readers and will be featuring those in the newsletter on Tuesdays. This week: Why you may need a bidet, but not for the reason you think.
I'm also searching for new column topics — and I'd welcome your advice. Please let me know what decisions and trade-offs you're wrestling with in your daily life — related to climate, the environment or more broadly how to lead an ethical life in a time of dramatic change. You can reach me at climatecoach@washpost.com.
I look forward to rejoining you at the end of November.
"This is not no regular toilet bowl," gushes DJ Khaled on Instagram, fawning over a new toilet that rapper Drake sent to his home. "This is the most amazing toilet bowl I ever seen in my life."
Designed by the Japanese company Toto and listed for more than $21,000, it features a remote control, heated seat, deodorizer, night light and, as DJ Khaled says enthusiastically, "water that splashes up" after you're done.
In other words, it's a very pricey bidet. Khaled's paean may be the high-water mark of the bidet's profile in American pop culture — so far. Once viewed as an overseas oddity, the bathroom fixture has exploded in popularity in the United States. Retailers report sales leaping tenfold during the pandemic, and remaining strong.
The vast majority of Americans still exclusively use toilet paper, though.For many, the bidet remains a fusty porcelain basin vaguely associated with the French. But the technology has evolved. Multibillion-dollar incumbents like Toto, as well as newcomers such as Tushy and Luxe, have stormed the U.S. market, along with a flood of cut-rate manufacturers on Amazon. Bidets that promise to work with almost any toilet are now within reach of every American: Simple versions can be had for just $30.
For the world's northern forests, that's great news. The pines, birches and aspensthat fringe the Northern Hemisphere are a primary source of virgin pulp to make toilet paper, particularly older, mature trees with longer fibers that manufacturers want to create an ultrasoft texture.
And no one buys more TP than Americans. The typical person in the United States uses about 24 rolls of toilet paper per year. That's roughly three times more than Europeans — and among the highest per capita consumption of any country. Were the country to switch to bidets, millions of trees would probably remain standing every year.
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I bought one in 2019 and never looked back.
But can bidets persuade Americans to set aside their rolls of Charmin Ultra Soft Cushiony Touch? It's an easier sell than you think.
Did you know that Blackbar soliderfish can talk? Researchers at the FishEye Collaborative, a conservation technology nonprofit, have been recording soldierfish and other fish species to try to understand what they're saying. They hope deciphering this underwater communication will lead to new ways to conserve coral ecosystems.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has called solar panels "just a parasite" on the grid with little hope of overtaking fossil fuels. "If solar continued to grow at its current [rate] it could theoretically catch up to gas, but I don't think that's likely," Wright said in an interview with The Washington Post, predicting solar will play a minor role in global energy.
It's true that solar power generates less than 3 percent of global energy, while the vast majority of the global economy still runs on oil, gas and coal. But China, India, Europe and other nations are betting on solar as a major source of electricity. So are power generators in the United States.
Federal regulators expect more than 70 percent of new electricity generation between July 2025 and June 2028 will be powered by the sun.
Last week, I wrote about why the end of residential solar tax credits could be good for solar.
Many of you shared your own experiences installing solar. One reader who installed a 10,000-watt system said the credits were an important factor: "My $5.00 monthly electricity bills are a joy. Without the 30 percent subsidies, I may have not proceeded." Others said the credits weren't the deciding factor. Utility bill savings, especially net metering in states where utilities pay homeowners for excess power, made the difference.
In some places, panels just don't pencil out. "We had two companies assess us for solar power in Oregon, knowing it'd be a breakeven case, but liking the thought of lowering our carbon footprint," wrote another reader. "I'm a finance professional and was truly amazed at the stupidity and opacity of the pricing proposals. … There was just no way to make it work with any reasonable return."
In New York City, new EV chargers are on lampposts 10 feet above the ground, writes Elektrek.
The White House is returning the Forest Service to its "timber plantation era," argues High Country News.
Global renewable energy investments surged last year, writes the Guardian.
As the world's coastal cities retreat, a federally funded relocation project in Louisiana is also on the rocks, reports Floodlight.
The fall harvest is at hand. David Hutchison of Beaverton, Oregon, used cardboard covered with compost to turn half of his front lawn into a garden. "Then we planted a few squash seeds," he wrote. "Results: 13 pumpkins, 17 delicata squash, and 5 kabocha!"
plus, great crafts and Great Books - From the trending to the timeless, Refine offers inspiring articles and the best advice in style, health, food, culture, relationships, and more.
Too cute! How to style your kids on a budget
Good news! Posh tots don't have to break the bank.
We bemoan the loss of real craftsmanship in the things we buy: in clothing, toys, and tools. Whatever happened to pride in our work? But there is a greater craft that gives meaning to all others, but whose loss we barely notice.
Want to take a train to the education station? Do you want to be a manlier man? You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a fancy degree. Simply open your browser and dive into these four free online resources for great books!
Your worth is not only in your doing. Your worth is also not only in your being. Your worth is in your belonging. Here's how to think of yourself in terms of whose you are.
Why not celebrate tomorrow's feast of St. Therese by making this straightforward French Apple Tarte Tatin? This caramelized apple tart is a simplified version of a traditional recipe that emulates the petals of a lovely rose.
Here's the story of Mildred Prevost, mother of Pope Leo and fantastic woman in her own right. She's a testament to the truth that, no matter how hidden and unimportant, your sacrifices matter. Your love is seen.
Fashion philosophy has become an extreme sport. Today, "modest" can mean any number of things, from being covered head to toe to showing only a little cleavage. So what is true modesty?
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