Kombucha jackets are real? 😳

My top 5 food and climate insights this week

cover image of Vitamin C newsletter about food and climate innovation, written by Lia Carlucci

Welcome to VITAMIN C Ā®, the 3-minute newsletter that helps you stay ahead in food and climate innovation.

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Read time today: 2:03 min

Hi friend,

It’s Friday morning. You are reading VITAMIN C šŸ‹. 

There are 5M+ posts this week about food and climate. I hunted down the 5 that deserve your attention.

Here they are:

1. [Climate Heroes] 🌟 80% there: The city that almost beat climate change

Skyline of Copenhagen, one of the most ambitious climate-focused cities, showing renewable energy integration. From the vitamin-c newsletter written by Lia Carlucci.

In 2012, Copenhagen set out to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. The goal won’t be met—but the city still cut emissions by over 80%.

It built bike highways, modernized heating, and pioneered clean energy. Carbon capture tech fell through.

Copenhagen may have missed the final target, but cutting 80% of emissions while reimagining a city is meaningful progress.

Check full article here (in German, sorry to my non-German readers!)

2. [Science] ā³Food isn’t climate optimism. It’s a survival strategy.

Illustration showing Earth, microscope, and brain—representing the role of science in solving food and climate challenges. From the vitamin-c newsletter written by Lia Carlucci.

We’ve already crossed 6 out of 9 planetary boundaries—and if we stay on this path, things will only get worse by 2050.

But what if we got serious?

A new Nature study ran the numbers. Turns out: if we shift to the EAT-Lancet diet, cut food waste, decarbonize the industry, and optimize water and fertilizer use, we can drastically slow down the damage.

Not fix everything. But buy time.

It’s doable. But only if we move fast - and together.

Full study here.

3. [Nerdy Food Stuff] 🧄Your next jacket might come from kombucha

A person holds a jar of kombucha, exploring how food fermentation can shape the future of climate-conscious clothing. From the vitamin-c newsletter written by Lia Carlucci.

Imagine this: your clothes don’t come from cotton fields or oil refineries—but from tea and sugar.

That’s the vision behind a new material made from fermented kombucha. Bacterial cellulose, produced by the SCOBY, is ultralight, naturally antibacterial, and stronger than cotton.

The potential could be massive. But the challenge is still scaling it up sustainably - though the science is moving fast.

Could this be the next chapter in circular fashion?

Full article here.

4. [Science] šŸ‡Could your diet be the key to combating plastic toxicity?

Colorful fruits like blueberries and citrus shown next to microplastics—highlighting how food compounds can protect human health in a polluted climate. From the vitamin-c newsletter written by Lia Carlucci.

In a world increasingly polluted by microplastics, hope emerges from nature's palette.

Anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the rich red and purple colors in fruits and flowers, are showing promise in shielding our reproductive systems from plastic-induced harm.

This discovery bridges the gap between nutrition and environmental health, suggesting that the foods we choose can play a role in protecting us from the very pollutants we've unleashed.

As is often the case, solutions to modern problems lie in age-old wisdom.

Full article here.

 5. [Inspiration] šŸ“±The rise of climatemaxxing.

Young woman riding a bike while using a phone—capturing the shift toward climate-positive lifestyle choices. From the vitamin-c newsletter written by Lia Carlucci.

What if climate action felt less like a burden and more like a badge of honor?

Climatemaxxing is the emerging trend that reframes sustainability as a personal challenge. It's about embracing eco-friendly habits—not out of guilt, but as a form of self-empowerment.

From reducing waste to supporting local agriculture, climatemaxxing turns everyday choices into meaningful actions. And by sharing these efforts on social media, it fosters a community of like-minded individuals striving for a better planet.

Read more here.

Stay awesome,
Lia

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