🐯 Remarkable global conservation wins

Happy Friday morning! ☀️ We wanted to start off this week by thanking you — our readers — for your incredible support.

We started The Herbivore because we were frustrated and at a loss with all the news around wildfires, floods, and heatwaves… We wanted to change the narrative and share positive climate news stories and easy action items to help our community live more sustainably.

We’d love to hear what you think. Do you enjoy reading the Herbivore? Are there ways we can improve? Shoot us an email with your feedback — we promise we’ll personally respond to each and every one of you. 😊

P.s. stick around until the end for a quiz that will test your climate knowledge and give you a chance to win a gift card!

All aboard: Germany's affordable local trains 🚂

Public transportation just got even more affordable in Germany!

In May, Germany launched a €49 monthly 'Deutschlandticket' (aka the ‘D-Ticket’), allowing customers unlimited access to buses and local or regional trains across the country. (Can you imagine, a $50 a month unlimited Go Train and Via Rail pass? 😮)

And the eco-friendly initiative is proving to be a hit!

Since launching, the country has seen a 25% increase in passengers on local trains, with passengers using the trains for day-to-day travel and vacations to the coast and mountain regions.

While it's early days, the initial success showcases a promising trend — drawing nearly one million new riders in just three months — and a case study for other countries to invest in affordable public transportation.

A conservation triumph: Tigers are thriving again in India and Bhutan 🐅

Wild tiger populations are growing significantly in India and Bhutan, marking a massive conservation triumph! 👏

Why is this important? Tigers are an endangered species. Their population shrunk by 95% over the last 100 years, due to the loss of tiger habitats and illegal poaching. As a top predator, tigers are crucial in protecting and maintaining their forest ecosystems — the ecosystems which provide thousands of species and people with food, water, and shelter.

But conservation efforts are working! Bhutan's tiger population has risen by 27% since 2015, to 131 tigers. And India now hosts around 75% of the world's wild tigers (an avg. of 3,682 tigers) reflecting a 6% annual increase.

India and Bhutan's success show that we can work to restore critical ecosystems and bring back endangered species. What’s the secret sauce? Government backing, effective conservation strategies, strong ranger teams, and community collaboration.🐾

Remarkable restoration: Former Texas coal mine is now feeding thousands 👩‍🌾

If you didn’t know its history, you would never guess that a flourishing garden in Texas was once an industrial coal mine! ⚒

Managed by Texan by Nature, the NRG Dewey Prairie Garden has produced over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce for food pantries since its inception in April 2022. This one-acre oasis is part of a broader effort to restore a 35,000-acre lignite coal mine, showcasing the potential for industry and community collaboration.

Despite its former coal mining history, the garden has become a beacon of hope, serving approximately 2,000 people per month and exemplifying the power of restoration and coexistence between nature and communities.

🦕 Herby’s climate-friendly finds

This week: some of Herby’s fav sustainable travel essentials ✈

• Monos luggage — beautifully designed, quality luggage, by a Canadian, climate-neutral certified company 🧳

• Ethique’s solid shampoo bars — skip the liquid bag with these incredible quality, plastic-free shampoo bars 🚿

• Patagonia’s toiletry bag — made from 100% recycled fabrics, by a leader in the sustainability space 👝 

• Nakie’s beach towel — recycled, sand-free, compact, and Canadian; perfect for your next beach adventure 🏖

🍂 Herby’s weekly roundup

Some quick hits of interesting articles, books, and events this week

• Our hearts go out to the people of Hawaii. Here’s what we know about the cause of Maui’s wildfires so far & how you can help 🔥 

• The man who visited every country in the world without flying 🌎

• Scientists are using AI to protect dolphins in the Amazon 🐬

• Everything you need to know about algae blooms 🌱

• Do you have a home garden? Learn more about helpful pollinators 🐝 

• Tips to take your kids on their first camping trip 🏕

• How scientists use underwater microphones to protect sea life 🐠

• The best books to teach your kids about the ocean 🦑

• Starting to plan your wedding? 11 ways to make your wedding more sustainable 👰

🤓 This or That?

Last week’s ‘This or That’: Wine is almost 3x more carbon intensive to produce and ship (per L) vs. beer. Here’s more on the carbon footprint of your favourite alcoholic drinks.

🙏 Thank you for sharing!

A huge thank you to everyone who shared last week’s email. Thanks to you, we are 425 subscribers strong and are almooost at 500 subs!! We see you, and we appreciate you 🙏!