Are You Buying Smarter in 2025? Let’s Find Out. 🤔

^{Welcome to VITAMIN C ®, the newsletter exploring topics in food innovation, climate and everything in between. If you missed the last editions, check them out here.}

Read time today: 2 minutes 39 seconds

Hi friend,

It’s Friday morning. You are reading VITAMIN C 🍋. 

I hope your 2025 is off to a fantastic start!

My year started with some fireworks craziness - literally. My son woke up screaming, Berlin turned into a warzone, and the CO2 emissions from just this one night canceled out an entire month of climate progress. Tradition, they say.

But enough about that - new year, new goals!

My husband and I sat down at the end of December to map out our plans for life and work in 2025. One of my goals? Growing this newsletter from 1k to 2.5k subscribers. 

Why? Because food and climate are two of the most critical conversations of our time, and I believe more people should have access to insights that matter. 

If you want to help me hit that goal (and build up some good karma),please share this email with a food and climate-curious friend. 🙏

But now that the fireworks have settled, let’s dive into 2025 with fresh energy and some truly exciting insights:

1. [Good News] 🌳 Denmark Turns 10% of Farmland into Forests

Denmark has announced it will invest $6.1 billion to plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of its farmland into forests and natural habitats over the next two decades.

Why? Because forests create jobs, fight climate change, boost eco-tourism, and make the land more valuable.

Smart countries think like good investors—big upfront cost, massive long-term payoff.

PS: Wondering what happens to farmers with less land? They’ll adopt innovative tech like precision agriculture to maximize yields on what remains.

Read more about it here.

2. [Food for Thought] 😍The new VEGANUARY campaign is awesome

Ever thought about what's really inside a sausage?

Veganuary’s 2025 campaign nails it: ‘Sausages are literally pigs stuffed into their own intestines.’ Weird, right?

I’m a fan of bold messaging like this because it sparks real questions about what we eat.

If you haven’t checked out Veganuary yet, now’s the time!

3. [Study] 🍌 Sad Bananas Sell Better—Here’s Why

New research found that labeling lone bananas as ‘sad singles’ boosted sales by 58% compared to emotionless signs. Why? Because shoppers felt bad for them.

Turns out, a little emotional manipulation is a powerful way to tackle food waste.

Check it out here.

4. [Report] 🤯 The hidden cost of exploiting nature? $10-25 TRILLION a year.

Want to know how much ignoring nature is costing us? $10-25 TRILLION a year. Yep, trillion with a T.

That’s how much we’re losing by prioritizing short-term profits over long-term sustainability, according to the new Nexus Report from the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

But it’s not just about money.

Declines in biodiversity are hitting everything—food security, water quality, health, and climate resilience. And the worst part? The impacts aren’t evenly distributed - some populations are bearing the brunt.

The good news? We already have 70+ solutions identified to tackle these interconnected environmental, social, and economic crises (shown in this graph below 👇)

Get the full report report here.

 5. [Inspiration] 🤔 Is That Purchase Worth It? Here’s How to Decide.

Starting 2025 with a New Year’s resolution to spend smarter and be more conscious with your purchases?

This simple chart helps you determine if a purchase is worth it or not.

I would add one question to this infographic though:

What’s the climate impact of your purchase?

Every product has a footprint. From the raw materials to the energy used in manufacturing, packaging, and transportation—everything adds up.

For example, a cheap fast-fashion shirt might cost less in dollars but has a much bigger cost in terms of emissions, water usage, and waste.

By asking these questions, you’re not just thinking about your wallet—you’re considering the planet, too.

Have a great day,
Lia

If you liked this newsletter, you’ll love following along on LinkedIn. Or share this email with a food and climate-curious friend 🙌