Episode Description

Today’s positive news:

Arielle talks about how the shipping industry is going old-school in the name of sustainability by bringing back good old-fashioned wind-powered cargo ships. Then, Karissa enlightens us with the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States every year from September 15th to October 15th.

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Transcript 

Theme music 

Karissa 

Hello and welcome to the Optimist Daily’s Weekly Round-up. I’m Karissa. 

Arielle 

And I’m Arielle. And we are working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement. 

Karissa 

Howdy, everyone! We’re back again with another episode of the pod to share the solutions from the Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing, Arielle? 

Arielle 

I am doing really well. Last weekend, I hosted girls’ night… 

Karissa 

Oooh! Very fun! 

Arielle 

…and that was really fun. I feel like I’ve just been on this positive wave ever since.  

Karissa 

Mm-hmm. 

Arielle 

So yeah, it was… It was really cute. It was a bit of a blast from the past because we watched The Lizzie McGuire Movie. (laughs)

Karissa 

Oh! (Laughs) 

Arielle 

Just a bunch of ladies in their late 20s and early 30s watching Lizzie McGuire. 

Karissa 

That’s awesome. 

Arielle 

So yeah! It’s been a good week since then. Uh, how about you, Karissa? 

Karissa 

I love it. Yeah. I kind of had similar experiences to that because I just returned from a trip to Idaho this past week.  

Arielle 

Oh yeah, that’s right. 

Karissa 

 And I saw my friends and family. And I was spending time with my best friends since first grade. And we also watched some old movies. One of my favorites, A Cinderella Story. 

Arielle 

Ouu! 

Karissa 

Also with Hillary Duff. 

Arielle 

Yeah!  

Both 

(Laugh) 

Karissa 

Yeah. So, we watched that one and you know, tapped into our creative side, made some clay magnets and such. So. 

Arielle 

Ah, that sounds so wholesome. 

Karissa 

Yeah! Looked at some old photos from when we were younger. So very nostalgic. And I’m also on this positive wave! 

Arielle 

Well, taking a walk down memory lane kind of links up to my article.  

Karissa 

Oh really? 

Arielle 

Yeah, it kind of links up to the solution just. Because what I chose takes us back to like, a bygone era. 

Karissa 

Ohh! 

Arielle 

But it simultaneously shoots us into the future in terms of sustainability.  

Karissa 

Interesting!  

Arielle 

Yeah. And these two, like opposite feelings, working together really caught my attention. And I hope it will fascinate our listeners as well. So, I hope you don’t mind if I just jump into my article. 

Karissa 

Yeah, please do. 

Arielle 

Okay, so the title is: The world’s largest wind-powered cargo ship makes her maiden transatlantic voyage. Yeah. And I know it sounds kind of like just another sustainability, uh, story… 

Karissa 

(Laughs) 

Arielle 

But if you think about it, it’s a cargo ship that’s powered almost entirely by wind, like the pirates who once sailed the seven seas!  

Karissa 

(Laughs)  

Arielle 

This wind-powered cargo ship just crossed the Atlantic. And it’s not a tiny sailboat. It’s like a legit high-tech cargo ship carrying loads of champagne, wine, and cognac, and it’s the first of its kind in over a century. 

Karissa 

Ohh huge cargo ship powered by wind? Not engines but actual wind? 

Arielle 

Yes, exactly. It’s the brainchild of this French startup called. TOWT, which stands for a trans-oceanic wind transport. So it’s T-O-W-T, TOWT. And their ship Anemos recently made its maiden voyage from France to New York, using mostly wind power. So, it’s like they’re bringing sailing back. But with a modern twist. 

Karissa 

Ah, I love this, going old-school theme.  

Arielle 

Mm-hmm.  

Karissa  

We were kind of talking about that last week on the pod with the weather-proofing housing materials from ancient civilizations.  

Arielle 

Yeah, exactly.  

Karissa 

But okay, so here, how can this going back to the old-school ways help with our modern-day expectations? How can wind keep up with engines? 

Arielle 

Yeah, that’s a good question. Anemos is actually far from an old-school sailing ship. It’s actually inspired by racing sailboats. So, as I said, it’s super high-tech. And the masts are made of carbon fiber, which makes them a lot lighter and taller than the old wooden ones. 

And that means they can hold bigger sails and catch more wind. And another huge advantage is the whole sail system is controlled by a remote. 

Karissa 

Oh, a remote. So, there’s no sailors climbing up on ropes and all that? 

Arielle 

Precisely! So the ship’s seven sails are handled with one remote, making it way easier to manage. And even though she’s huge, the Anemos only needs a crew of seven people. Plus, they’ve got some pretty cool software that helps them catch the wind as efficiently as possible. And they do have backup diesel-electric engines. But for 95% of the trip, it is all wind baby! 

Karissa 

Oh! So how did the trip go? 

Arielle 

Yeah. Okay… so, full disclosure, there were a few bumps at the start. They had some delays and had to use the engines a bit when leaving France. But for the last 10 days of the journey, it was all sails and wind.  

And when the ship’s going fast enough, the propellers can actually spin backward and generate energy from the ship’s wake to power everything on board. So the ship’s basically creating its own electricity while sailing. 

Karissa 

Oh, that’s so cool. And I’m guessing the ship isn’t hauling massive amounts of cargo like the huge container ships we’re used to seeing. 

Arielle 

Yeah, you’re right. It’s not about size… at least not yet. Anemos can carry around 1000 tons of cargo on pallets, which is way smaller than the 20,000-container capacity of modern container ships.  

But the real selling point here is sustainability. Brands are choosing this method because they want to lower their carbon footprint. Plus, TOWT offers long-term contracts with stable prices, which is great for companies trying to avoid the unpredictable costs of fuel. 

Karissa 

Yeah, that’s so true and makes a lot of sense because I bet companies love the idea of being able to say their products crossed the Atlantic on a wind-powered ship. 

Arielle 

Yeah, exactly. It’s great for green marketing. And TOWT even gives companies the option to add a QR code to their products that links to data showing how much CO2 was saved on the journey. So, basically, it’s transparency and sustainability in one package. None of that greenwashing stuff. 

Karissa 

So, I know there’s a lot of new green fuels that are developed and we’re hearing a lot about them. So why should we stick with wind over going to these new fuels? 

Arielle 

Le Grand, the co-founder of TOWT, says that wind is best for the moment because wind is here and it’s reliable. So, he’s a bit skeptical of other so-called green fuels like liquefied natural gas, which can cause methane leaks. Plus, he points out that while the shipping industry talks a big game about decarbonizing, they’re mostly waiting for some magic fuel to arrive or to be, like, fully developed. And that’s still in the process.  

Karissa 

Yeah.  

Arielle 

Wind, on the other hand, is free and abundant right now. 

Karissa 

Yeah, totally a solution we can use at the moment and it’s hard to argue with that. Yeah, I guess what’s next for TOWT? 

Arielle 

Hmm. Well, they are just getting started. They’ve already built a second ship and are planning to start monthly transatlantic trips. And after dropping off wine and spirits in the US, the ships will head to South America to pick up coffee and bring that back to Europe. And they’ve got six more ships on order for 2026 and have a long-term goal of building a whole fleet of wind-powered vessels. 

Karissa 

Oh, wow, that’s super ambitious. But I guess if they’re already pulling it off, why not go big? 

Arielle 

And they’re not just expanding the fleet. They’re also thinking about the future of the shipping industry as a whole. They’re working on formal training for a new kind of sailing cargo captain because right now that doesn’t really exist. 

Karissa 

Yeah, exactly. That’s really cool. And with these new… well, just new jobs in general or new green jobs, we need to prepare for the future careers that are out there.  

Arielle 

Mm-hmm.  

Karissa 

Yeah, it sounds like TOWT is basically trying to change the way we think about shipping altogether. 

Arielle 

Yeah, pretty much. And with the maritime industry under pressure to cut emissions. TOWT… I was saying TOWT (pronounced ‘tote’), but I think TOWT (pronounced ‘tout’) sounds better, so I’m gonna… I’m gonna adopt your version of it.  

Both 

(Laugh) 

Arielle 

So, TOWT’s wind-powered ships offer a real alternative, and they’re already proving that it works. So, with more ships in the pipeline, we could be seeing a lot more of these wind-powered voyages in the future. 

Karissa 

Yeah, totally. It’s really genius and a solution we can use at the moment because using something that’s free and that’s been around forever is just a smarter way. 

Arielle 

Yeah, it’s a nod to the past, but with all the modern tech to make it efficient, and I suppose just controllable. So, I apologize for the pun, but the winds of change… 

Karissa 

(Laughs) 

Arielle 

…quite literally, are here! 

Karissa 

Totally! Well, that’s awesome. That makes seem pretty optimistic for the future of cargo shipping, so. 

Arielle 

Yeah, it’s a big problem right now and it is difficult to find a solution to lowering these carbon emissions, especially now everyone is much more into online shopping. So, we’re shipping a lot just personally these days as well. 

Karissa 

Well, very cool. 

Arielle 

Yeah. I did mention that the ships are heading to South America to pick up coffee, and I know that your solution kind of has something to do with that part of the world in a way? 

Karissa 

Yeah, because this month in the United States is Hispanic Heritage Month. So, I’m diving into part one of our two-part series that we shared on the Optimist Daily this week. And in this part, we’re understanding the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month.  

Arielle 

Nice.  

Karissa 

I chose this solution because I myself have Hispanic heritage, so it’s very important for me. And education is always an important solution. So, I think it’s great for all of us to take a look at.  

Arielle 

Mm-hmm. 

Karissa 

Especially in the United States, we all come from different backgrounds.  

And it’s very fascinating to understand, for me, my own background. And you know, everyone else’s as well.  

Every year from September 15th to October 15th, Hispanic Heritage Month encourages people around the United States to honor the Hispanic and Latino population’s rich history, culture, and contributions. President Ronald Reagan extended the weeklong commemoration that began in 1968 under President Lyndon B Johnson to a full month in 1988.  

So today it’s time to recognize the amazing contributions Hispanic Americans have made in shaping the United States. Latinas and Latinos have made a lot of contributions in business, science, public service, the arts, and more. And according to the US Census Bureau, Hispanics are the country’s largest ethnic or racial minority group with a population of more than 60 million. In other words, 18.9% of the total population. And their influence has been integral to U.S. history since the colonial era, and their continued contributions in modern times helped fuel the economy and shape the cultural landscape. 

Arielle

Okay. Before we go any further, I know that Hispanic and Latino are often terms that we see used interchangeably, but is there an actual difference? 

Karissa 

Yeah. So, there is a little bit of a difference here. And as you said, they are used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings.  

So Hispanic traditionally refers to those having ancestors in Spanish-speaking countries, but Latino is a broader term that embraces people from Latin America as well. So, it includes non-Spanish-speaking countries such as Brazil. According to the National Museum of the American Latino, the term Latino encompasses a wide range of racial heritages, including Black, Indigenous, Asian, and European ancestry, allowing for a more inclusive view of Latin American identity. Understanding these distinctions is critical for honoring the community’s diversity this month. It’s something that a lot of people get confused about, but here is the clarification. 

Arielle 

Yeah. Nice. I do have another question though. So, I think this is the only heritage month that begins in the middle of a month and goes to a middle of another month. So, is there a reason why it starts mid-September? 

Karissa 

Yeah, you’re right. So, this is a unique feature of the month starting in the middle. But it’s no coincidence because September 15th is the Independence Day of five Central American countries. And that’s Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. And Mexico’s Independence Day falls on September 16th, while Chile’s is on September 18th. So, it’s all been in this past week! These dates are rooted in the spirit of independence and strength, and they nicely complement the month’s themes of pride and resilience. 

Arielle 

This is definitely a month to be proud of. Can you share more about the importance behind celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month? 

Karissa 

Yeah. Well, as I kind of touched on, Latinos and Latinas have made huge contributions to the United States and they’ve taken key roles in everything from the Revolutionary War to the civil rights movement. Hispanic Heritage Month is important not only because it honors the past, but because it also gives voices to the Hispanic community in the present. You know, representation is critical, especially because one in every four children in the United States is of Hispanic or Latino origin. 

Arielle 

Okay. Yeah, that’s a really interesting statistic. With such a large Hispanic and Latino population in the States, of course, it’s important to celebrate this month. 

Karissa 

Yeah, but despite the large and expanding population, Latino history is often missing from high school texts and curricula. So, the omission underscores the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month as more than just a celebration, but an opportunity for education, representation, and recognition of the community’s tremendous effect on American history and culture.  

And one interesting fact is that Latino’s economic production ranks 5th in the world when considered an autonomous economy.  

Arielle 

Wow.  

Karissa 

And their impact is growing, making the history and stories even more significant than ever. An example of this are in sports. That’s an area that the Latino community is making such a huge impact in. So, for example, Latinos have had a revolutionary impact on Major League Baseball, with roughly 30% of the league’s players identifying as Hispanic or Latino as of 2023. 

And legends such as Roberto Clemente, a trailblazer on and off the field, and current players such as Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez have built a name for themselves not only through athletics but also through advocacy and philanthropic work.  

And Latinas have also torn down barriers in the field of sports over the years. For example, Linda Alvarado bought the Colorado Rockies in the 1990s, making her the first Hispanic woman to own a Major League Baseball team. I did not know that. So that’s a very cool fact indeed.  

So yeah, overall, Hispanic Heritage Month is a powerful reminder of the immeasurable contributions that Latinas and Latinos have made to the fabric of the United States. From shaping the nation’s history to transforming industries like sports, business, and the arts, their influence has been and continues to be, undeniable. 

Arielle 

Yeah, this is really a great time to use education, celebration, and reflection to appreciate the diverse voices and cultures that make up… um, well. I was going to say our country, but I’m actually Canadian.  

Karissa 

(Laughs) 

Arielle 

The great country of the United States (laughs). 

Karissa 

Yeah, exactly. And even though this is a United States celebration, I mean, Latinos are all over the world. 

Arielle 

Yeah. 

Karissa 

So it’s great no matter where you are. And if you’re, you know, a reader/ listener of the Optimist Daily, I’d definitely highly encourage you to take a look at this article and also Part 2 of the Hispanic Heritage Month series, which we published this week. Where we go over more key figures of Hispanic history and heritage, so definitely worth the read, but you can go check that out on our website optimistdaily.com. 

Arielle 

We wish everyone a really happy Hispanic Heritage Month. Actually, I should say it in Spanish.  

Both 

(Laugh) 

Karissa 

Yeah! 

Arielle  

Yeah. Les deseamos un feliz Hispanic Heritage Month! I actually don’t know how to say heritage in Spanish, but yeah, okay, that was my best shot! (Laughs) 

Karissa 

Yes. Well, thank you for the attempt, Arielle. That was great. 

Arielle 

Well, that was a great roundup of solutions. We have some other great solutions from this week you can find on our website optimistdaily.com including: 

Karissa 

So, we have: How the nation’s largest electric school bus fleet will also power the grid. More sustainable transportation this week for you. Five key questions to ask yourself before dating after heartbreak. Getting ready for autumn: five ways to celebrate the autumnal equinox, which was this past… Or no, it’s coming up.  

Arielle 

Mm-hm, yes, it’s coming up (laughs). 

Karissa 

(Laughs). So get ready for fall! And Steam-powered seed treatment gains popularity as a chemical-free alternative in agriculture. 

Arielle 

We also have: Learning how to identify and defend against medical gaslighting. Of course, we have the second part of the Hispanic Heritage Month: honoring key figures of Hispanic heritage and history. Superior squats: challenge both mind and muscles with wobbly squats. And Savoring: the happiness hack you didn’t know you needed. 

Karissa 

And if you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox. 

Arielle 

We also have a lot more on our social channels. You can find us @OptimistDaily on all of our platforms, including threads and Pinterest. The only different one is on X. On there we are @OdeToOptimism. 

Karissa 

And we’re a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news. If we want to support our mission of putting optimism into the world, click on the link in the show notes to find out how. 

Arielle 

And support doesn’t always have to be financial. You could just recommend our podcast to a friend, leave a positive review on Apple or Spotify, forward a link to a loved one, or share a solution on your socials, anything like that would be a big help for us. 

Karissa 

Well, as always, Arielle, it was so great to share these solutions from the Optimist Daily this week and I’m looking forward to next week and sharing some more. 

Arielle 

Yes, I feel exactly the same. Until next week. We wish you a very happy weekend.  

Both 

Bye!