As this month close to an end we can look back on it and shake our heads in disbelief….silliness in Congress….more war stuff…..Biden thumps his chest…..and yet another mass shooting this time in Maine.

And now for some real news….

Do you enjoy a trip to a local eatery?

If so there could be a change coming….

The new workers at restaurant chains like Sweetgreen require an entirely different type of employee training, and definitely won’t fit in the typical uniforms. The company is going fully in on automating their salad prep, the Wall Street Journal reports, and while depending on machines to handle soft and squishy ingredients might not seem like the most natural pairing, other restaurants are following suit. Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman says they are “100% in on automation,” with plans to mass produce the salad-making robot they launched this year at an Illinois location. “A lot of other companies are trying to figure out how to add automation to their experience and are not willing to start over,” he says. “I’m willing to blow the whole thing up.”

The journal notes that while some chains like McDonald’s abandoned an experimental robot fryer, other chains are testing the waters. White Castle has rolled out “Flippy,” a robot that fries food like potatoes and onions, to more locations, while Chipotle Mexican Grill is trying out an automated system that piles ingredients into their bowls and salads. Kura Sushi is trying to cut down on hiring and training sushi chefs by using a robot to spread rice on their rolls. “We know that it’s unrealistic for us to get 5-, 10-, 20-year trained sushi masters, so that’s why we use these robots to get the best possible results,” says Kura’s Benjamin Porten.

But Sweetgreen stands out. In 2021, they purchased Spyce Kitchen, a startup out of Boston created by MIT engineers who developed robotic makelines in the kitchen, according to the Spoon. They spent two years crafting a salad-making robot, which can whip up a meal in five minutes by shooting ingredients through various tubes (while their human counterparts typically take 15 minutes to fill an order). Along with efficiency, the company believes replacing workers will save money, though human supervision is still needed. Sweetgreen’s first robotic kitchen, dubbed Infinite Kitchen, opened in May, with plans to retrofit it into existing locations.

Are we losing the personal touch?

What about all this ‘plant based’ crap?

Eating less meat has long been recommended as a way to be kinder to the planet. But a new study has revealed just how important it could be for the climate and biodiversity.

Published in the Nature Communications journal, research has demonstrated how replacing half of meat products with plant-based alternatives could reduce pollution caused by global agriculture by as much as a third by 2050 (compared to 2020 levels), Phys.org reported. 

Furthermore, with associated reductions in land use, it could help to stop deforestation. 

“Plant-based meats are not just a novel food product but a critical opportunity for achieving food security and climate goals while also achieving health and biodiversity objectives worldwide,” study co-author Eva Wollenberg told Phys.org.

Among the agricultural areas most damaging to the environment is cow farming. Trees and forests are often torn down to make way for grazing sites, removing vital ecosystems that provide homes for many creatures crucial to biodiversity. 

Green spaces provide benefits in terms of carbon capture, absorbing harmful pollutants from the atmosphere that contribute to global heating. Meanwhile, cows produce methane through defecation and belching, and methane gas is around 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its planet-warming effects, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Study uncovers the shocking impact of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives: ‘Not just a novel food product’

My thought on this…..let’s say meat is taken off the menu…would that not require my farmland?  And that would require the cutting of trees….and then there is the extra amount of fertilizer and pesticide that would to put into the water table…just a few of my thoughts….add yours if you like.

Let’s stick with the environmental thing…..the coming of electric cars……there are so many questions this article could help answer those for you….

There’s no doubt about it: sustainability and climate change are two of today’s most pressing issues. From beauty industry waste to seemingly every company going “carbon neutral,” the buzz is real. So, it’s no surprise that car manufacturers have been hopping on board. (For example, every Volvo car made since 2019 has an electric motor.) Though electric vehicles have been around for a while (the first electric car was made in 1890 by chemist William Morrison), it was the launch of the hybrid Toyota Prius that brought the technology to the masses. With the splashy debut of the then-elusive and exclusive Tesla in 2006, electric vehicles had another surge in popularity, and they’ve been on the rise ever since. Today, there’s a plethora of options and ever-evolving technology that begs the question: How much does an electric vehicle actually cost, both financially and environmentally? From the car itself to electricity and IRS tax credits, there are plenty of factors to weigh. So, we spoke with several environmental experts to get the scoop on everything you need to know before you head to the dealership.

https://www.purewow.com/tech/electric-vehicles

Another successful week comes to an end….and I hope all my friends have a great Saturday and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”