To solve deep-seated inequality, we must grow poor regions from the bottom up
Concentrated poverty has long been a problem in urban centers and parts of the rural South, but these days it has spread across many parts of the country. Sadly enough, regional inequality has deepened and the middle class has declined—the result of a long history of class and racial division, Read More...
Being proactive and mindful: is that even possible?
Mindful means being in the moment, while proactive means thinking and working ahead. Both are important for your career, but they seem to contradict each other. Can you be mindful and proactive at the same time? The answer is a resounding yes! The problem with mindfulness is that it’s often Read More...
This is what happens when people win a basic income raffle
The rough premise of a basic income (BI) involves distributing small cash stipends to people, with no restrictions on how it can be spent. While some economists dismiss BI as inefficient and expensive, evidence shows it has real benefits. Recent experiments—in places as far flung Read More...
These four projects are stopping plastic from entering our oceans via rivers
Most ocean plastic starts off in rivers, so if we want to keep the ocean free of plastic, it’s essential we intercept river plastic before it enters the sea. Fortunately, there are already four projects that are doing a seriously good job of capturing plastic in rivers. Let’s take a look at Read More...
Are glass milk bottles making a comeback in the UK?
What happened to the days where the so-called “milkman” would come by your house and drop off glass bottles of milk? Well, single-use plastics and cheaper packaging came around and eliminated the demand for recyclable glass bottles. Soon enough, disposable milk packaging became the norm. But Read More...
Hurrah! The Mexican wolf has been removed from extinct species list
Conservation efforts to protect the lobo mexicano in Mexico and the United States are paying off. The Mexican wolf, which has been on the extinct species list for years, has been taken off the list thanks to conservation and breeding efforts that began in the late 1970s when former wolf trapper Roy Read More...
Only 12% of the banana plant is used. This process turns the rest into bioplastic
The growing of bananas is a particularly wasteful form of agriculture, with only 12 percent of the plant actually being used. The pseudostem makes up much of the rest, and while it can be composted or used in the production of textiles, it's usually just thrown away. In order to bring new value Read More...
Why the MTA flooded its own subway entrance in Brooklyn
A flooded subway entrance stopped Brooklyn commuters in their tracks. For four hours on Wednesday, the staircase leading down to Broadway Station in Williamsburg was blocked off and completely submerged. The sight was even stranger since it hadn’t rained in New York City that day. It turns Read More...
Doing these simple things will make you happier than buying stuff this Monday
More than 165 million Americans plan to shop over the holiday weekend from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. But have you considered . . . doing something else? Research suggests that your experiences—like hiking or having a meal with friends—are ultimately more satisfying than possessions. With Read More...
Why flight shaming should be directed at those funding pricey airport expansions
Before the Thanksgiving holiday, a record-breaking 31.6 million passengers were expected to fly on US airlines—a 3.7 percent increase over 2018. Airports had to brace for bigger crowds than ever, and that was no coincidence. Rather, it was by design: US airlines added an estimated 859 Read More...