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Sustainable Asians

 South Korea recycles 98% of its food waste. What can it teach the world?

 Twenty years ago, South Korea sent 98% of its food waste straight to landfill. Today, the country recycles 97.5%.

The turn around came with tough rules: Separating waste became compulsory, throwing leftovers in landfills was banned and anyone who disposes of it wrongly pays a fine, which can exceed US$7,000 in the case of companies. Here's how it works:

• At home, people buy official bags to throw away their food waste.

• In newer buildings, disposal is done in machines with RFID technology, which charge the exact amount by weight. The idea is simple: the more you waste, the more you pay.

The system has worked so well that today the country recycles almost 4.5 million tons of waste a year, turning it all into animal feed, fertilizer or biogas.

As well as reducing waste and methane - a gas 80 times more potent than CO2 - the practice has become a habit. South Korea also relies on constant educational campaigns to keep the recycling rate high. A great example for us, right?

What else in on

• Vatican: Habemus Papam - American is chosen as new Catholic leader. With the name Leo XIV, he becomes the 267th pontiff in history and the first to come from the United States - a country that, until now, had seemed unlikely for the position.(Read)

• China & US: Both sides have agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs on one another by 115%: Chinese tariffs on US goods will drop from 125% to 10%, while the US will keep its baseline 10% levy and additional 20% fentanyl-related fee on Chinese goods, lowering its total tariff rate from 145% to 30%. (Read)

• Portugal: Portugal's interim government wants to deport 18,000 illegal immigrants before the early election. The operation will begin with voluntary notifications to 4,500 people to leave the country within 20 days. (Read)

• Israel: Under the pretext of security, Israel has given the green light for an operation to occupy Gaza and begin the removal of the Palestinian population. (Read)

• Ukraine: President Volodomyr Zelensky challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in Istanbul for direct talks to end the war. (Read)
  

 Coisas Naturais by Marina Sena: I’m not a superfan of Marina Sena — but I’m fan enough to stay curious. And right now, she’s one of the few Brazilian artists making music that actually matches my current vibe (which, as I mentioned in the last edition, is a little nostalgic, a little homesick).

If you’re looking for an album that will sweep you off your feet and just make you feel good, Coisas Naturais is it. It’s warm, cohesive, a little trippy, and full of personality. The bright trumpets, Brazilian rhythms, and playful production create a kind of sun-soaked joy that feels both modern and rooted.

Vocally, Marina isn’t a powerhouse in the traditional sense — but she knows exactly how to use her voice. She’s seductive, playful, a little irreverent. She gives you trendy trap-pop on “TOKITO” (with an unexpected feature from Gaia, one of my fav Italian artists), and then goes moody and atmospheric on “SENSEI.” Her ability to craft choruses that stick with you — and I mean really stick — is low-key masterful.

In short: This album is hot. Seductive in a subtle, stylish way — like someone flirting across a dancefloor without saying a word.

Best songs: Magico; Carnaval; Tokito; Ouro de Tolo (Rating 9/10)

Over the past year, I’ve received a certain kind of feedback more than once — usually after someone vents to me about a relationship, a fight with family, or a rough situation at work. The feedback goes something like this: “You always flip it back on me instead of just supporting my complaints.”

And honestly? Fair. Sometimes, you just want to complain and have someone listen. I get that. But it did make me think.

Whenever I can, I bring up self-responsibility — because to me, it’s the only real way to change any situation. And I’ve come to realize: that idea really bothers some people.

• We all want things to get better. We want to be treated better. We want our spouse to admire us, our boss to stop being toxic, our parents to accept our dreams. But the hard truth is — none of that is in our control.

What is in our control? Our actions. Our choices. What we tolerate. What we walk away from. That’s it. It’s not that I’m blaming you, dear tanameser — I’m holding you responsible. And there’s a big difference between guilt and responsibility.

The truth is, many people hold on to their pain because without it, they don’t know who they are. Suffering, anger, frustration — they become identity.
(But that’s a topic for another time.)

• When someone suggests that maybe the way forward isn’t waiting for the other person to change — but changing yourself — the first reaction is usually resistance. It’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. It can feel like giving up your indignation means saying everything that happened to you was “okay.”

But here’s the thing: it’s not okay. But that’s not the point.

The point is — continuing in that same cycle, waiting for something to change outside of you? That’s not the answer either.

You can stay stuck, feeding the idea that life has been unfair. Or you can do something different. That’s the choice. And if I seem too blunt when people come to me, that’s really all I’m trying to say:

You’re not to blame for what happened to you.
But you are responsible for what happens next.

People are going to disappoint you. Life is going to disappoint you. That’s a given.

What are you going to do about it?

With love,

M.

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