The Sweet family has officially moved back to the big, bustling metropolis of Cville. I joke, but, compared to where we were, there is a lot going on here. Mabel and Pearl, both raised in the country, aren’t quite sure what to make of the sounds of neighbors. With every car door shutting, every small child laughing with glee, they are barking like crazy in response. Hopefully they will get used to the town sounds soon, but in the meantime, I am super thankful that right down the street is an entrance to the Rivanna Trail.
Oh the Rivanna Trail … huge shout out to the Rivanna Trails Foundation and it’s incredible team of volunteers who made this trail possible. How lucky are city residents to be able to walk around the town surrounded by trees, often by water, and escape into nature so easily? As I’ve mentioned before, Forest Bathing or shinrin-yoku, is scientifically proven to have an abundance of health benefits, perhaps even increasing anti-cancer proteins. Mentioning this again, in case you might be feeling a bit stressed these days. Forest bathing is not hiking, it is simply being in a place surrounded by trees. I noticed as I walked along the trail, that the lovely volunteers with the RTF have installed a lot of benches so people can sit, rest, and take some time to forest bathe.
Unfortunately Pearl and Mabel get a bit too excited by the smells along the trail to do any actual forest bathing, but it is still ever so lovely walking amongst the trees. The other day we happened upon a deer up ahead on the trail. In our old neck of the woods, as soon as hunting season started, our road would be filled with dogs and hunters, so as soon as we saw a deer, it would take off in the other direction. Not so much the case with this “city deer”. I waited for the deer to move along and it just looked at me like I was crazy. Finally the dogs noticed the deer and a strange thing happened.
Instead of running away from us, it started to come closer. Having lived on this planet as long as I have, never in my life have I seen anything like this. Pearl and Mabel didn’t know what to do. I briefly thought, can deer get rabies? Can this deer bite my dogs? But it wasn’t frothing out the mouth, and it didn’t move in a strange pattern, so I hoped for the best. The deer kept coming closer and closer as if to say hello to us. I wish I could have taken a photo of just how close this lovely creature was, but these dogs were absolutely losing their minds and it took everything I had to restrain Pearl. I finally turned around because I couldn’t control the dogs anymore, and then an even crazier thing happened. The deer started following us. Farmer Scrappy always gets on me for anthropomorphizing animals, but I am telling you, this deer generally seemed sad to see us go.
What a strange and wonderful experience this was. It got me thinking a lot about nature and awe. So much so that at our last Scrappy team meeting, I asked the group when the last time that they experienced wonder or awe. Nearly everyone mentioned something about nature. The natural world, our world, is an incredibly magical place and it is being destroyed at extraordinarily rapid rates due to humanity. But it is not too late. The heat has been unbearable lately, keeping most of us (who are lucky enough) indoors and away from nature. And now, the smoke is making the situation even more dire. I think it has many of us thinking a lot more about the climate crisis and feeling perhaps, a lot less hopeful about the future. It has for me at least. So I want to share just a bit of good news with you to remind you that, despite all the measures our current administration is taking to keep us dependent on fossil fuels, there is still so much good happening to keep our natural world full of beauty, wonder, and awe. And most of these are thanks to Jessica Craven- please check out the Sunday editions of her newsletter for SO much more good news.
In April of 2026, for the first time, wind and solar generated more electricity than gas worldwide.
The largest data center project ever proposed in the U.S.—to be built in Prince William County, VA—is officially dead.
The planning board of Jersey City, New Jersey banned the development of standalone data centers and “cyber hotels.”
Companies that derive a significant portion of profits from environmental solutions make up what’s known as the “green economy,” and a new report found that they just topped $10 trillion in market value.
A new update to Portland, Oregon’s electricity rates will increase bills for data centers and lower bills for residents.
Indianapolis International Airport is installing solar-covered parking lot canopies to power terminal operations, further expanding the airport’s solar capacity.
A new Yale Climate Communications poll found that Americans who think global warming is happening outnumber those who think it isn’t by a ratio of more than 4 to 1 (68% versus 16%).
136 news organizations across Japan are working together to remind people, through TV announcements and daily social media posts, that 89% of Japanese people support stronger climate action. Studies show that the more people talk about climate change, the more support for action on it grows.
Governor Greg Abbott called for banning new data center development in rural Texas neighborhoods, marking a significant policy shift for the Republican governor.
The global market for EVs is growing much faster than expected. In just six years, sales have increased tenfold, with around 21 million electric cars sold worldwide in 2025.
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest level in a decade during the first half of 2026. Thank you President Lula!
The war-caused geopolitical disruption of fertilizer markets is having an unexpected climate co-benefit: American farmers are using less synthetic nitrogen, reducing agricultural runoff that fuels dead zones in coastal waters and pollutes groundwater.
Ionna, the EV charging network founded by eight major automakers, is on track to build 30,000 high-speed stations across the country by 2030.
Bill Frist, the former Republican Senate majority leader, is now a climate activist.
A new MIT report predicts the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy legacy will continue even after the Trump administration repealed many of the law's incentives, with tons of renewable power still on track to get built through 2035.
Despite the Trump administration’s myriad attacks on clean energy, developers have continued building renewables “at a stunning pace” over the past year.
A new study found that since 2010, mangrove regrowth around the world has been outpacing losses. This study is more proof that when we protect nature, it can recover.
And now another way to reduce your stress and restore your calm- with an art class here at the Scrappy Elephant. Taking a moment to express a HUGE thank you to all of our teachers who take time to teach you something new. You guys are amazing!
In CVL:
It is almost time for the newest round of Artful Elephant artists! You have a few more weeks to enjoy this incredible round, but starting August 1st, we will have some awesome new artists for you to support!
The Charlottesville shop will be CLOSED on Wednesday July 29th and Thursday July 30th for a little shop refresh. That means we will be getting rid of some things, so feel free to stop by that Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning for all sorts of free treasures outside of the shop.
We will be having a public school TEACHER SALE at both locations August 1st- August 8th.
In Charlottesville, we will be celebrating our 6 year anniversary on Saturday, August 15th. We hope you can join us!
Six years?! This is all thanks to YOU! Thank you so much for your support of our little creative reuse center. We are so grateful to be here with you in Charlottesville and now Lynchburg. What a lovely and incredible journey this has been.
Sending all the love,light, and hope for a better future
Sarah Sweet
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