This week I spent some time camping in a van, my first time ever! We went to Forks (cue Twilight jokes), and spent some time in the Hoh Rainforest and La Push. I'll be posting some of the photos on my Instagram if you'd like to see what the Pacific Northwest has to offer nature-wise. (Spoiler alert: it's gorgeous)
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design
For years now I've followed the transformation of Paris from a car-first city to a people-first city. Every time I see new articles or pictures I repeat this phrase to myself, like a hymn, my own urban refrain: You can build for people or you can build for cars, but you cannot build for both.
In 2015 in Paris, Mayor Mary Hidalgo launched Le Plan Vélo, which aimed to transform the inner city of Paris into a more cycle-friendly city. By 2021 they had 1,100 km (683 miles) of bike lanes. And now, cycling accounts for 11% of journeys into the inner city, vs. 4% that use cars. And they're not done yet. After the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, 72 km (45 miles) of added bike lanes will remain in place.
As with any major change, there have been setbacks and issues. Some bike lanes don't feel safe enough against the stream of cars. Others don't easily connect, making the ride less safe and enjoyable. But Paris is at least on a path forward. Cycling (and public transit) are necessary transformations of our cities where transportation is the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide in Europe (and the first in the USA).
Studies have shown that increasing cycling in cities reduces air pollution and makes those who cycle happier. In a warming world we need to have a "yes and" mentality, meaning we must add as many positive levers of change into the system as possible. Pedestrianize streets, add safe cycling routes, improve public transportation—all of these things need to happen in dense urban areas to decrease single vehicle use, reduce pollution, and improve the quality of life of the people living within a city.
nature
This week's nature section checks all the boxes for me. It's about fungus. It's about evolution. And it's about cheese.
I'm going to start with a bit of a downer though, which is the Camembert cheese that you know and love (and eat) might be going extinct. It's okay, don't run around in a panic just yet. The reason is really quite fascinating.
Camembert, like all blue cheese, is made with mold, and mold is a type of fungus. If you've read any of my newsletters, you may see that I have quite a proclivity for talking, learning, reading, and generally telling anyone who will listen, about fungus. It's a fascinating pillar of life.
So, what's all this about blue cheese being endangered? Cheesemakers have historically inoculated milk with different mold strains to create blue cheese. For the last 100 years, they've been using the albino strain Penicillium camemberti for brie and Camembert cheese. It's specifically this strain that gives Camembert its distinctive look, smell, and taste.
But P. camemberti cannot reproduce on its own, and for years cheesemakers have been cloning and reusing the strain. But the cloning has taken its toll, mutations started developing, and now the strain is losing its ability to produce asexual spores. Without the spores, the strain can't be cloned, and this cheese as we know it won't continue.
There's a similar issue with Roquefort and Gorgonzola cheese. The mold strains that have been used to create these are now considered "domesticated" because cheesemakers have narrowed down specific mold strains to create consistency with the look, aroma, and flavor of these cheeses. This domestication has led to decreased genetic diversity which has left the mold strains nearly infertile.
I was fascinated reading about this emerging problem with blue cheese because it shows why biodiversity is so important. Biodiversity creates resilience within a system. When we have limited genetic diversity, we get monocultures like these fungal strains that are at risk of collapse.
As an alternative, cheesemakers have an option of inoculating milk with other Penicillium biforme molds. These molds are similar to P. camemberti, but are wild, still capable of reproducing. In the future maybe our blue cheeses might look and taste a bit different, but maybe we can come to appreciate it like we appreciate different wines. With each season the mold strains produce similar, if not identical, flavors that we appreciate for their differences and novelty rather than their consistency.
reimagine
This week I wanted to share one of my favorite artists, Phoebe Cummings, who continues to amaze me with her ability to create beautifully delicate petals, flowers, and blades of grass. Every time I see her work I'm absolutely fascinated by what she's able to create with clay. Her work is delicate and in some ways a bit whimsical and otherworldly.
