Essays Episodes
The weekly tent-pole essay, plus Action Steps. 10/10, you're welcome.
March 5, 2021
Issue #220: Sunk Costs are Sinking Cities, Finally the Food Chain is Essential, & Putting the “AI” in “Racist”
This week: Miami kicks the can down the road, relief for farmworkers, poor Twitter, how not to waste food, how not to do ethical A.I. Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter Got feedba...
Feb. 26, 2021
Issue #219: The Social Cost of Carbon, Not Enough Nurses, & Even Trump’s Corporate Bailouts Were Racist
This week: the price of climate change, how to re-open your office, a new wave of nurses, bailing out Black farmers. Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter Got feedback? Email us at f...
Feb. 23, 2021
Do Better Better #16: The Hard Work Starts Yesterday
Synopsis: Where does America keep paying clean up costs, instead of doubling down on prevention? Do Better Better essays help you build mental models and ask questions about our changing world — for yourself, your family, and...
Feb. 19, 2021
Issue #218: How to Help Texas, Catching Our Breath, & Creating Equitable Education
This week: How to help Texas. Air pollution and infertility. A drastic life expectancy gap. A big test for higher education. And AI rethinks pesticides. Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/ne...
Feb. 12, 2021
Issue #217: Capitalism Gonna Capitalism, Vaccines Are Working, & The Secrets Hidden in Your Poop
This week: Your gas stove and water heater are hiding a dirty secret; where COVID goes from here; and all the good your poop can do. Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter Got feedbac...
Feb. 5, 2021
Issue #216: Downsides of Living in the Future, Sustainable and Enjoyable Retirements, & Why You Should Upgrade Your Mask
This week: The economic choices that have led us to a climate breaking point (and why the last year has prepared us to do something about it better than before, if we take action); what it will take to live a sustainable AND ...
Feb. 2, 2021
Do Better Better #15: Overwhelm The System
Synopsis: If we're going to defeat the systemic issues of today, we need to Overwhelm The System. Here's how. Do Better Better essays help you build mental models and ask questions about our changing world — for yourself, you...
Jan. 29, 2021
Issue #215: Biden isn’t Throwing Away His Shot, COVID-19 Version Control, & Climate Change Christmas
This week: Joe Biden has been president for about eight and a half days and the man’s not throwing away his shot when it comes to climate, environmental justice, COVID, or science in general; Santa’s packing EO’s and budget r...
Jan. 28, 2021
Do Better Better #14: A Safety Net for America
Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the first time. You’ll learn how to ask questions and think about our changing world, for yours...
Jan. 22, 2021
Issue #214: Some Honest-to-Goodness Optimism, Keeping Up With COVID, Giving Up the Vape
This week: Giving it all we got; 25 doses; Tobacco is the new tobacco; Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter Got feedback? Email us at funtalk@importantnotimportant.com Follow us on ...
Jan. 15, 2021
Issue #213: Our COVID predictions for 2021
This week: Why’s COVID so bad in Los Angeles?; How the next few months will go; Go deeper on clean tech; IVF might get a lot more effective thanks to AI; All the way down the food chain; Find links from this newsletter and mo...
Jan. 13, 2021
Do Better Better #13: Flailing, Perfected
Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the first time. You’ll learn how to ask questions and think about our changing world, for yours...
Jan. 8, 2021
Issue #212: How Ossoff and Warnock will help fight climate change
This week: Context is everything; Back to your regularly scheduled pandemic; COVID has rightfully distracted a lot of science funding, but the train hasn’t stopped entirely; Beef: It’s what’s destroying the Amazon; Read: "The...
Dec. 31, 2020
Do Better Better #12: 20% For the Future
This episode was originally published in print on December 14, 2020. For more information on 20% For The Future or to get involved, email us a questions@importantnotimportant.com. This is an open-source community-driven effor...
Dec. 30, 2020
Do Better Better #11: The Trick to Unlocking Every Problem
This episode was originally published in print on December 7, 2020. Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the first time. You’ll lear...