Iterate Weekly - Issue 19
A PBS for the internet, what to read if you're in need of something to read, vegan fish is having a moment, reusable trash bags, and the tragic story of Whitney Houston.
Welcome to issue 19 of the Iterate weekly newsletter!
Hope you’re all doing well. Let’s jump into it.
You’ll see that the content here is broken down into 4 categories.
Tech - This will be the main focus of the newsletter. I’m dedicated to helping people improve their relationships with technology.
Learning - I consider myself an autodidact and like to examine the concept of learning how to be a more productive learner.
Health - None of these other topics are important if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy them.
Grab Bag - This could be something personal, something silly, or something fun that doesn’t quite fit the other categories.
Finally, we’ll wrap things up with a quote of the week and a piece of content that I recommend you check out.
Tech
Does the internet need a PBS?
I’ve always been a fan of PBS. It’s good, wholesome entertainment that isn’t jam-packed with commercials. Sure, they may ask for donations all the time, but they also give you tote bags and DVD box sets of Ken Burns documentaries, so it all evens out!
Ok, it’s easy to poke fun at quite possibly the least sexy television network in the US, but PBS serves a very important purpose. It’s essentially a non-profit company that lives in one of the greediest industries we have. It’s the last bastion of innocence in an area that is constantly trying to suck more and more money out of the pockets of consumers. It’s one of the last forms of media that is really free. Although I did make a donation this year in order to unlock all of the on-demand content on the PBS app. So maybe they aren’t so pure after all…
But where else could we use a non-profit entity like PBS? Why on the internet of course! A recent Axios article points out the benefits that a government-funded property like PBS could have on the internet. Imagine if there was an app or website with the backing of the US government that could give us free, unbiased, educational, and entertaining content on-demand!
It may sound scary whenever government funding is involved, but PBS was undoubtedly a success. As a parent of a young child who loves Sesame Street and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, I can only hope for more facsimiles of PBS in whatever version of the digital landscape that exists in the future.
Learning
What to read if…
I jump at any chance to recommend the work of a fellow Substack writer. Keep your eye on this section of future newsletters as this may become a more common occurrence.
Today, I want to call out the wonderful “What to Read If” newsletter from Elizabeth Held. The title is pretty self-explanatory, but each issue gives you some new books to add to your reading list based on different criteria. For example, if You Know the Saratoga Racetrack is “The August Place To Be” (as someone who grew up in Upstate New York, this certainly applies to me) you may want to check out the book Blood Lines.
Elizabeth does a great job of coming up with clever connections between books and current events or nostalgic references. She’s a wonderful writer and I’m always looking for books to add to my reading list. If you’re also a book worm, be sure to signup for her newsletter. And let me know if you’d like me to feature more of my own book reviews/recommendations in this space of the newsletter.
Health
Do you want to eat plant-based fish?
Another day, another story about fake meat! You may be getting tired of these, but this one was too interesting to pass up.
The photo above shows an example of a tomato-based tuna alternative. I have had something similar at an all-vegan sushi spot before and I was very impressed. It’s pretty difficult to tell the difference visually. Of course, the taste will differ slightly, but it’s a great alternative. I have no doubt that these fish substitutes will only get better in the next few years.
A quick disclaimer, I was strictly vegan for about seven years of my life (in my 20s). I’ve dabbled with some sort of vegetarianism since the age of sixteen. These days, a “primarily-plant based, intermittent-fasting pescatarian” seems like an accurate albeit clunky label for my eating habits. So yes, fish do find their way into my current diet. Which makes me even more curious about the viability of plant-based fish.
This Bloomberg article talks about the surge of popularity in vegan fish products. I suppose plant-based fish has come a long way since the rubbery, crescent-shaped frozen konjac powder-based shrimp I used to get from Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco. But if these new products can get into more popular restaurants and grocery chains, it could mean a lot for the sustainability of our oceans. We all know that over-fishing is a problem. If even a tiny percentage of fish-eaters opt for a vegan alternative, it would really make a difference.
Grab Bag
Reusable trash bags
Oh you know I can’t resist talking about anything bag-related in the “grab bag” section of this newsletter!
Would you be open to reusing the same trash bag every time you empty the garbage? An Australian startup called TOMbag is hoping that enough people will get behind this idea to make their company viable. It’s an interesting question. On one hand, I think there are plenty of people (me included) who cringe at the sheer number of garbage bags you go through in a typical month. On the other hand, most people are grossed out by garbage. They don’t want to clean and reuse a bag even if it is better for the earth.
This Fast Company article goes a bit deeper into the thought process behind what the company is doing. Sasha and Johnathan Pestano are the husband-and-wife duo who started the company and they bring up some good points about our sometimes conflicting efforts to live a more sustainable life.
“Here we are bringing reusable metal straws and tote bags around with us, and yet we’re continuing to use multiple plastic trash bags every week,” Sasha says.
The bags themselves are made of recycled water bottles and come in two sizes to accommodate large and small waste bins. When your indoor bins are full, you just bring the bag outside and dump it into your municipal bin. Then you can either hose down the bag or toss it into the washing machine to clean and air dry before your next use.
Quite frankly, I think these would be a hard sell in my house. The effort is admirable, and I’ll keep my eye on the company. I wouldn’t be surprised if a more established brand in the waste management space starts selling a similar reusable product. At some point, even the big players in this industry will realize that we can’t keep operating as we have been with so much plastic waste in our society.
Quote of the Week
“The boundary to what we can accept is the boundary to our freedom” - Tara Brach
Content Recommendation
Whitney
This week my wife and I watched the documentary film “Whitney”
Yes, we’ve really been on a music documentary kick lately, but there are so many good ones out there! This movie isn’t brand new, it’s from 2018. But the story of Whitney Houston is both tragic and incredible.
The film looks at the rise and fall of Whitney as one of the most celebrated and influential musical artists of the last 40 years. It includes plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews with Whitney’s family and close friends.
Her tragic passing and fall from grace are sad to watch, but the movie does a fantastic job of exploring a complicated public figure from as many angles as possible. If you were alive in the early to mid-90s when Whitney Houston was arguably the most famous female musician in the world, you’ll love taking a closer look at her incredible story.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!