12/20/24:📲 iPhone mining crime, transplanted memories, zombie cells revive

Happy Friday my friend,

Today we’re covering:

• Breaking News: EXPLORE Act pass

• Apple mining in the Congo

• An even bigger coral reef than previously thought

• Can organ transplants also transplant memories?

ECL TRIVIA: What is the most common type of blood in humans? (Answer below)

🌎 Planet Health

🔍 CONFLICT MINERALS: Apple faces criminal complaints in France and Belgium, accused of covering up war crimes by using conflict minerals in its supply chain. The Congo government alleges that Apple knowingly relies on minerals laundered through multiple sales and shell companies, potentially funding violent groups. Apple claims to have removed numerous smelters and refiners from its supply chain since 2009 for not meeting responsible sourcing requirements.

Breaking News

🏞️ EXPLORE ACT PASSES: As of yesterday the bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act has passed both chambers of Congress. This US legislation aims to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands and waters, improve access for underserved communities, and support local economies as well as Tribal Nations. The act includes provisions for modernizing recreation permitting processes, expanding outdoor recreation in schools, and creating more inclusive outdoor experiences.

🌊 COLOSSAL CORAL: Scientists recently thought they found the world's largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands… until last week, unveiling this new coral discovery off the coast of Bali. Covering an undersea area over 4k square meters, "initial findings are confident that this could be the biggest coral colony in the world."

🧑‍⚕️ Human Health

🧟 CELL REVIVAL: A groundbreaking study from The University of Tokyo reveals this new definition of cell death, mathematically based on "whether a potentially dead cell can return to a predefined 'representative state of living,'" or basically, return to being 'alive.' Surprisingly, death at a cellular level doesn't have a specific mathematic definition, so this work and exploring the "life-death boundary" through enzymatic reactions and thermodynamics may lead to a better understanding of reversing what we know about life… and death.

🍄 PSILOCYBIN PROGRESS: Oregon's pioneering psilocybin program completed its first full year in 2024, with 31 licensed service centers and 356 licensed facilitators. Approximately 8k clients received psilocybin therapy, including veterans, with minimal adverse effects reported. The industry plans to focus on fine-tuning the program and studying its impacts in 2025.

❤️ ORGAN MEMORY: Some heart transplant recipients report experiencing personality changes post-surgery, leading to speculation about how cellular memories transfer. While scientifically unproven, these anecdotal accounts of patients emerging from surgery with changes in everything from art, music, and sexual preferences to sudden phobias or food cravings (unknowingly related to the past organ owner's cause of death) raise intriguing questions about the nature of consciousness and the potential for organs to carry traits of their donors.

The birthplace of coffee

I'm excited to introduce a remarkable new limited release roast from my friends at Purity Coffee that combines rich flavor with an inspiring story: Ethiopian Medium Roast.

Crafted from exceptional-quality specialty-grade organic coffee beans in the historic Kaffa region—known as the birthplace of coffee—this medium roast delivers vibrant notes of cherry, apricot, cocoa, and black tea, along with an abundance of antioxidants.

But what makes this coffee truly special is the care behind every step of its production:

• Sustainably Grown: Shade-grown and sourced from one of only three Bird Friendly certified farms in Africa, ensuring biodiversity and a brighter future for the community.

• Traditionally Crafted: Natural processing techniques perfected over centuries to highlight the unique flavors of Ethiopian coffee.

• Community Empowerment: Produced by Asikana Coffee, a farm dedicated to uplifting its local community while protecting the environment.

• Limited time: this Purity Coffee is offered in whole bean only, caffeinated or decaf, in a 10oz bag.

Order Now and Taste the Difference

New customers can use code ECL at checkout for 20% off!

Don’t miss the chance to enjoy this exceptional, small-batch Purity Coffee release while it’s still available!

Photo of the week

Creature Feature

🦖 ANCIENT ANCESTOR: Researchers have discovered the world's oldest known mammalian fossil in Mallorca, dating back to 250-270M years ago. This saber-toothed predator, about one meter long, represents a crucial link in mammalian evolution. "The large number of bone remains is surprising. We have found everything from fragments of skull, vertebrae, and ribs to a very well-preserved femur," the article's author notes.

Nutrition 101

🌊 FUCOXANTHIN: This unique carotenoid, found primarily in brown seaweeds, offers a range of impressive health benefits. Fucoxanthin has shown potential in preventing chronic diseases like cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Its distinctive chemical structure contributes to its strong antioxidant capacity, allowing it to scavenge free radicals and singlet molecular oxygen. Fucoxanthin exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect against liver disease. Studies have demonstrated safety, though more research is needed on human consumption.

😊 Conscious Corner

Other earth-conscious stories you may have missed…

👕 FASHION WASTE SHAKEUP: Study calls for new approach to city textile waste management (more)

🍟 AIR FRYERS: Research finds what cooking method produces least indoor air pollution (more)

🌱 COMPOSTABLE POTS: New Zealand startup creates home-compostable bioplastic plant pots (more)

🐦 HAWAIIAN CROW COMEBACK: Scientists release five endangered Hawaiian crows on Maui (more)

💪 QUICK FITNESS BOOST: Brief bursts of daily activity could halve cardiovascular risk in women (more)

💬 Poll

⬅️ Last poll’s results

Are most health leaders influenced by corporate interests above public health?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ They're trying their best to promote health (10.7%)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 They're more often corrupted than not (89.3%)

Reader Replies:

Cassie: It is becoming more and more obvious that the people who have the power to make change, to take care of humanity and our planet, do not care about anything other than money and power.

Isabella: I feel like every time I see a health care provider they have limited time and are quick to prescribe medication instead of talking nutrition or diet and natural methods…It doesn't incentivize me to go to the doctor for anything other than when I am broken or bleeding. 

Brenda: It’s a few bad apples that unfortunately make a bad name for the whole industry. The sad thing is most don’t see any issue with the way things are or just turn a blind eye to it instead of speaking up. :(

Trivia Answer:

Type O is the most common blood type worldwide.

To a healing future,

— Rob

P.S. Don’t forget you can get our 48 Easy In-Home Earth Conscious Swap Guide (which serves as an awesome guide for presents this time of year 🎁) by just referring 1 friend to our newsletter! Share the link below in an email or on social media. Thank you for being part of the regenerative community. :)