Happy Friday {{first name | my friend}},

See this week’s most stunning (and adorable) animal photos from all over the world, including cats in a bagel cart, a rhino strolling through town, and a snow-dusted yak! 📸

ECL TRIVIA: What is the name of the underground plant structure that stores energy and can sprout new growth, like in ginger? (Answer below)

🌎 ROBOTS FOR EARTH: These 4 teenagers from Egypt just created an amphibious-fish robot that can collect data on soil health and salinity on farms. An automated seed dispersal function is something they’re developing next— click HERE to read about their inspiring invention.

🚫 BILLBOARD CHANGES: Effective this month, THIS city (where I just returned from) is employing a ban on ads in public spaces for “meat, flights, petrol and diesel vehicles, and gas heating contracts,” despite last minute lobbying from the advertising industry.

🦋 BUTTERFLIES ARE BACK: After years of decline, eastern monarch butterflies are suddenly rebounding in Mexico, and scientists say this fragile comeback could reveal what actually helps endangered species recover. Find out which native plants support these butterflies HERE.

🩸 MULTIPLE PFAS: PFAS chemicals don’t break down, and this study of 10k blood samples reveals “individuals typically carry body burdens comprising five or more PFAS with differing bioaccumulation properties and half-lives,” and 98.8% of samples contained at least one PFAS. Here’s 10 ideas to reduce your PFAS exposure immediately.

🌾 ARIZONA BREADUCATION: Bread quality varies widely. “Ancient and heritage grains have a totally different protein structure. They haven’t been modified, which means (they are) lower inflammatory,” says award-winning Arizonan baker Don Guerra. Learn about the important links “between food systems, gut health and neurodegenerative disease” HERE.

🧼 WASHING MACHINE FILTER: According to this article, over one-third of all clothing “contains fossil fuel-based plastic textiles such as polyester, nylon and acrylic.” This sheds billions of fibers into the environment, but this washing machine microplastic filter device is a solution option that starts with us, in our own homes.

Here’s something that goes against what most of us were taught:

More breathing isn’t always better.

In fact, a lot of people are walking around slightly over-breathing all day… and it’s quietly working against them.

It comes down to CO2.

We’ve been told it’s just a waste gas to get rid of. But in reality, CO2 is what helps your body release oxygen into your cells. Without enough of it, oxygen stays stuck in the bloodstream instead of being delivered where you need it.

So you can be breathing plenty… and still feel tired, foggy, or wired.

This is known as the Bohr effect, and once you understand it, a lot of things start to click.

I’ve actually interviewed Ari Whitten personally, and he’s one of the more thoughtful people I’ve come across in this space. He’s teamed up with Patrick McKeown to put together a training on how to fix dysfunctional breathing patterns.

Inside, they break down:

If your energy has felt off and you can’t quite explain it, this is worth a look.

You can check out the training here

A rhizome. Rhizomes spread below the surface, helping plants survive tough seasons and propagate.