Environment and Health
Climate Change Is Now a Local Issue
It's not often that the physical world changes overnight. On January 20, though, it did. On that day — when Donald Trump was inaugurated — our national efforts to combat the causes of global warming were shelved, leaving Americans on their own to protect themselves...
Why This Price Is Wrong
For most people, prescription drugs are a lifeline. For Representative Tom Price, Donald Trump's health secretary nominee, they're a source of profits. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug and health corporation investments line the pockets of the Georgia...
All Women Deserve Access to Tampons, Period
For many women, getting a period for 3 to 8 days every month can be hellish — everything from bleeding, cramps, and fatigue to the humiliating march to the local store for tampons and pads. But these women are incredibly lucky compared to thousands of marginalized...
Crony Capitalism Made Rick Perry Our Energy Secretary
Rick Perry has taken quite a tumble since being governor of Texas. He was a twice-failed GOP presidential wannabe and then ended up being a rejected contestant on Dancing with the Stars, the television show for has-been celebrities. But now, having kissed the ring of...
Why Does Pet Care Cost So Much?
Anyone who owns a pet knows that the cost of caring for old Fluffy or Fido has gone up considerably over recent years. Economists from Stanford and MIT have just published some research that details how dramatic this increase has been. Between 1996 and 2013, they...
In Bleak Times, This City Is an Example for the World
A few days before Donald Trump's stunning upset, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe glowed green in Paris. France was celebrating the Paris Climate Agreement, which came into force on November 4. It was a remarkable achievement. Less than a year after 196 countries...
This Deal Could Save the World
While the U.S. was distracted by an election that felt like it would never end, the world did something wonderful. It sounds boring and requires a mini chemistry lesson, but it's huge. In October, nearly 200 nations signed a deal to phase out the potent greenhouse...
Victim Blaming the Planet
Why Our Kids Are Coming in Last Place
The United States, anyone could reasonably argue, has the most accomplished elite athletes in the world. The best evidence? In Rio this past summer, young American men and women finished at a comfortable first place in the Olympic final medal tally. But what if we...
The Climate Change Debate is Over
Earlier this month, Hurricane Hermine caused storm surges that flooded the Florida coast, killed one person, and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses. This is the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 2005's Category 3...
