The Daily Valet. - 4/22/21, Thursday

✔️ It's Earth Day

April 22, 2021

Thursday, April 22nd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Please don’t print this email. Then again, who prints emails?

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

It’s Earth Day

What is it, really? And what have we learned?

For a long time, Americans didn’t think of our planet as a place to preserve. But then in the 1960s and ‘70s, we noticed acid rain falling from the sky and species going extinct, while enduring oil spills, polluted air and undrinkable water. Democrats and Republicans—with overwhelming public support—came together and Earth Day was born.

The day (and its nonprofit organization) is now the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet.

This year’s theme is Restore Our Earth and focuses on reviving the planet’s ecosystems through natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking. (Illustrated in today’s Google doodle.)

Over the past pandemic year, the reduction in travel and traffic (in general human activity, really) resulted in what some experts have dubbed the “Anthropause.” The lockdowns afforded researchers opportunities to observe the natural world like never before.

For instance, we saw just how quickly ocean noise pollution can drop, and how much that can help marine life. We saw that enough smoke can turn the sky orange. And scientists discovered a bunch of new species, but also got a much clearer picture of just how much wildlife we’re losing.

As for how we move forward, President Biden will host 40 world leaders today in discussions highlighting the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help vulnerable countries cope with unavoidable climate impacts. They’ll also examine the economic benefits of climate action.

↦ Watch: This year’s Earth Day TV specials include a Greta Thunberg documentary, a David Attenborough extravaganza, James Cameron on whales and Cher rescuing an elephant.

U.S. May Soon Reach a Vaccine Tipping Point

Here’s why that's concerning

The U.S. will probably run out of adults who are enthusiastic about getting vaccinated within the next two to four weeks, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“While timing may differ by state, we estimate that across the U.S. as a whole we will likely reach a tipping point on vaccine enthusiasm in the next 2 to 4 weeks,” the authors write.

Health officials—including Dr. Anthony Fauci—estimate that somewhere between 70% to 85% of the country needs to be immune to the virus (either through inoculation or previous infection) to suppress is spread. So far, roughly 40.1% of the population has gotten at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, according to the CDC.

That means officials will now face the challenge of having to figure out how to increase willingness to get vaccinated among those still on the fence. If the can't, experts say it could give new coronavirus variants the opportunity to continue to mutate, spread and set off new surges—delaying the country's return to a semblance of normalcy.

↦ FYI: The low number of breakthrough infections show how well the vaccines work.

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Do you take your coffee seriously? Then you're probably going to want to know about this.

Polaroid’s Got a Tiny New Camera

Instax Mini has a charming new rival

One of the hardest parts of the last year, amidst the uncertainty and lack of proximity to loved ones ... was all the missed opportunities and good times captured for posterity. But as the world slowly opens back up, we're all thinking about summer, right?

And Polaroid is ready to help you document it, in their signature style. The brand just unveiled its new Polaroid Go camera, which holds the title as the world's smallest analogue instant camera.

The Verge praised its modern additions like a selfie mirror and long-lasting battery, as well as the ability to do easy double exposures with just the click of a button.

The camera also caps an impressive comeback for Polaroid in recent years. Following its peak in the late 1970s, the company's instant film had to be rescued by The Impossible Project in the late 2000s. That project relaunched as Polaroid Originals, but is now back to being known simply as Polaroid again after the new company acquired the rights to the classic name.

↦ Pre-Sale: Order the camera now, before it officially goes on sale April 27th.

Turning Plastic Back Into Oil

A new technique offers some hope

There is way too much plastic in the world, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. And we're making more every day, even as we struggle to find a way to get rid of the old stuff.

Turns out, a lot of plastics aren't recyclable. But new research, published Wednesday in Science Advances, looks at a technique called pyrolysis, which essentially melts down polyolefin into its original form—oil and gas.

Polyolefins are a very common type of plastic in everyday items from drinking straws to packaging to thermal underwear to plastic cling wrap. It accounts for two-thirds of the world's plastic demand.

Of course, turning it into fuel is not exactly a remedy for all our environmental woes. It won't do much to curb climate change. Still, there's an urgent need to figure out what to do with all this plastic trash that's clogging up the planet.

↦ FYI: Single-use plastic makes up half of the 300 million tons of plastic produced worldwide each year.

In Other News

↦ Grim List of Deaths at Police Hands Grows Even After Verdict

↦ Underwater Volcanoes Generate Enough Energy to Power the Entire U.S., Study Finds

↦ ‘Jeopardy’ Guest Host Lineup Includes LeVar Burton, As It Should

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

These stylish tailor shops

A cooler way to sleep

WEY’s Cybertank 300

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The Day’s Most Important Drink

Blue Bottle Coffee knows great coffee is poetry in a cup

People who appreciate good coffee know it's as much of an art as it is a science. You've got to source the best beans, you need a skilled roaster and the proper grind. But then it turns more to alchemy: Pouring the water over the coffee grinds in just the right manner and doctoring it with the right amount of sweetener and cream to your tastes. There's something poetic and personal about this process.

Blue Bottle Coffee knows this. And for spring, they've created two limited-edition seasonal coffees—First Light Single Origin and Renewal Blend—and partnered with the Poetry Society of America to commission two new poems to pair with them. For us, you can't beat a good single origin, so our choice is the First Light with its notes of citrus, honey and green apple.

Of course, the brand has put deep—some might say fanatical—thought into creating the ideal preparation method. Two decades of research has culminated in the brand's signature ceramic pour over dripper and proprietary filters. The cup of coffee they produce is noticeably more delicate and complex.

Blue Bottle Spring Poetry Coffee set, $25

Blue Bottle Dripper with Blue Bottle Coffee Filters, $36

Blue Bottle Coffee x Kinto cup and saucer set, $40

↦ Learn More: about Blue Bottle Coffee