Chicago, Illinois —

Welcome back to The Planet You Save. I'm Taylor Kate Brown and while I said the newsletter would be skipping a week because of travel, I started to see too many stories I wanted to share. I'm bringing you this slimmed down, links-only version while I'm on the road. See a climate story in your backyard? Reply to this email to tell me about it.

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• Faux sustainability as a luxury on Florida's 30A: "In any other location—and at another price point—the beautiful, 'sustainable' high-end developments of Alys Beach would be a good thing."

• Why is Xcel keeping part of a coal plant online until 2040? Colorado's biggest greenhouse gas polluter plant doesn't power homes in the community it pollutes.

• Would be the nation’s largest buffer zone between oil wells and communities: California’s oil and gas regulator proposes the state ban new oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of schools, homes and hospitals to protect public health.

• Hey look, a net-zero story in a wild: New Mexico's governor says state's net-zero 2050 goal should be put into law.

• The who's-a-stakeholder question: Massachusetts asked for a blueprint of a gas-free future. Why are the utilities writing the first draft?

• Imagine a city where driving requires paying a per-mile fee but riding public transit is free. One city is suggesting it.

• Hawaii has a one-year deadline to ditch coal — and gas is not an option. Can it keep the lights on?

• Non-local bonus: What exactly is COP26 and what can you expect from next week's international climate conference?