When it comes to entertainment, climate is the elephant in the room: A new study from the Normal Lear Center for Media Impact found that only 2.8% of scripts touched on the subject, and only .6% used the term “climate change.” In related news, this initiative seeks to assess whether or not on-screen entertainment normalizes single-use plastic (bad) or reusable containers (good) – and honors the inimitable Ed Begley Jr. Time to green light these conversations, Hollywood! 

 

Just how much did environmentalism affect the election? Beforehand, 40% of students who said they planned to vote said climate change was their primary motivator. This gives me big feelings for the future.

 

In Texas, solar and wind saved consumers $28 billion over 12 years. Investments in the “battery belt” will game-change on jobs — and climate. And “Lula,” Brazil’s recycled president, could help curb deforestation in the Amazon: During his previous eight years in office, it fell more than 80%. 

 

Finally, the writer who five years ago predicted climate disaster from a five-degree jump by 2100 now estimates a much more manageable increase of three degrees, which means fewer massive floods and fires and millions of lives saved.

New research published in JAMA shows a massive increase in demand for abortion pills — will the morning-after pill be banned next? I tracked some of this in a new essay for Northwest Review. Super proud to be included in one of the oldest and most prestigious literary journals in the country – they ran Ken Kesey's first story in 1957! (And how gorgeous is this cover?)

Recent analysis showed that 70% of dry shampoos contain benzene, a potent carcinogen. Because manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients on labels, it may be difficult to determine if your dry shampoo is safe, so I've listed “red flag” ingredients on this post. 

I’ve had my eye on vertical farming for a while now, and this project checks all the boxes. It's partially solar-powered, requires 95% less water, eschews pesticides (because: no pests), distributes locally, dramatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and can grow 100 layers of crops on one hectare. When we talk about global population growth and the impacts of climate change on food supplies, we really need to factor in how quickly operations like this could scale. (Not sponsored.)