The Daily Valet. - 4/22/22, Friday

✔️ What's This All About?

April 22, 2022

Friday, April 22nd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Try to pick up some litter when you see it today and I’ll do the same.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

What Is Earth Day, Really?

Everything you need to know, its history and 2022’s theme

Every year on April 22, people around the globe come together in the name of conservation for Earth Day. This year’s theme is “Invest In Our Planet.” Which, admittedly, isn’t unlike last year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth.” But contrary to the kumbaya good vibes, this isn’t just some bullshit holiday.

Earth Day got its start in the United States in 1970 with what was originally billed as a demonstration for change. Two senators and environmental advocate Denis Hayes (then a young activist) organized nationwide teach-ins at college campuses.

According to EarthDay.org, it inspired more than 20 million Americans to “demonstrate against the harmful impacts of industrial development on both the planet and human health.”

The impact of the very first Earth Day was huge. Less than one year later, 25% of Americans vocally supported protecting the environment. It led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and some of our most important environmental laws being passed: The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and more.

By 1990, it became a global event with 200 million people in 141 countries coming together to volunteer or make their voices heard in their communities. Demonstrations on Earth Day help to signal to our elected leaders how important action on environmental issues is to their constituents.

While scientists nurture nature to help slow the effects of climate change, activists continue to raise the alarm. Earlier this month, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a report warning of the dangers of rising global warming levels that could be “beyond reach” if significant emission reductions across all sectors are not taken immediately.

↦ FYI: Today, ground will be broken for the world’s largest wildlife overpass. The bridge is being built over California’s 101 freeway.

Streaming Wars Start to Buffer

Streaming hits all-time high ... but some companies are stumbling

Media companies both old and new had pinned their hopes on riding a wave of interest in streaming well into the future. And even though streaming is at an all-time high, there may be only so far the new technology can go.

On Thursday, CNN announced it was shutting down its new CNN+ service, only four weeks after its buzzy launch. This follows Netflix's disclosure on Tuesday that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter and expects to lose 2 million more in months to come.

It seems to have set the industry on edge, reports Variety, not because Netflix is a barometer of entertainment-sector health, but because it is furthest along the path that rivals ranging from Apple to HBO are all treading.

The New York Times asks, is there such a thing as too many streaming options? How many people are really willing to pay for them? Another concern, some analysts say, is the so-called “churn rate.” As people grow warier of rising prices, they're more likely to cancel a service when a favorite show comes to an end.

↦ Save: How-To Geek has compiled the best ways to save money on streaming in 2022.

Partner

She doesn't ask for much. So get her something useful, something that elevates her everyday experience and something built to last.

Lululemon Debuts Monthly Membership

Memberships will include early access to new products and classes with top fitness studios

Lululemon is launching membership plans in an effort to boost customer loyalty ... and sell more workout gear, I'm sure.

One plan will be free and will give members early access to new products, though details are still being worked out, according to the Wall Street Journal. Another will cost $39 a month and have additional perks, such as in-person events and online workout classes with top fitness studios.

We're talking about Rumble boxing gym, Y7 yoga studios, Pure Barre and the DogPound. These are exclusive, high-end gyms where you could certainly get your money's worth for that $39 fee.

CNBC says it will make the retailer a closer rival to a company like ClassPass, which lets users sign up for workout classes from a number of boutique studios as well as national chains. However, offering memberships to shoppers doesn't always work out for apparel brands. Under Armour bought nutrition app MyFitnessPlan in 2015 and ended up selling it five years later after losing about $100 million.

↦ Meanwhile: Lululemon will debut a trade-in and resale option for its gently used clothing later this month.

A Weekend Pairing

‘The Flight Attendant’ + Sparkling Minna Tea

Kaley Cuoco's lovable Cassie Bowden is not the sloppy gal we met in the debut season of The Flight Attendant. Gone are the single-serve vodka bottles and blackout-drunk hookups; this Cassie is sober, in a stable relationship with a nice guy and crushing it in her dual jobs as flight attendant and secret CIA civilian asset. But the second season, now streaming on HBO Max, won't be all smooth sailing.

In fact, Variety says the show excels at “getting you inside the head of someone constantly on the edge of a panic attack.” Without the promise of oblivion that alcohol once gave her, Cassie keeps subconsciously finding herself chasing thrills to the point that she, once again, ends up at the center of a wild conspiracy that seems to get more dangerous by the minute. Of course, there was never supposed to be a second season (the limited series was based on a book). And while not all reviews are raves, The Wrap says Season 2 works overtime to avoid the sophomore slump, and Polygon says if you haven't already, now is the time to get on board.

↦ Your Pairing:Cassie is now sober, so we're going booze-free for the pairing as well. This sparkling green tea is brightened up with the flavors of fresh peaches and tart yuzu. The slight sweetness of the fruit perfectly complements the grassiness of the tea. Plus, it's all organic and sugar-free.

In Other News

↦ Florida Bill Dissolving Disney’s Self-Governing Status Heads to Governor for Signature

↦ The World’s Coastal Cities Are Sinking, But Not for the Reason You Think

↦ ‘Severance’ and ‘Abbott Elementary’ Are Big Hits—and Reveal Our Complicated Feelings About Work

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Mike Tyson

The dangers of espresso martinis

The legacy of ‘The Simpsons’

Partner

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