Friday, January 17, 2025

Less for more: Grocery prices have increased 25% since 2019, according to an NPR analysis

Grocery prices have increased 23% since 2019. (Unsplash photo)
Two hundred dollars on groceries used to mean you could eat very well. Now, going to the grocery store seems to come with a punch to your bank account at the checkout counter.

Over the past six years, NPR’s Alina Selyukh has been tracking Walmart’s prices to analyze just how much the cost os groceries has increased.

“Compared to 2019, prices on my list, on average, rose 25%... And that's not far from federal inflation data: Cumulatively, U.S. prices are up 23% since 2019,” according to Selyukh, who attributed the majority of price increases to issues related to COVID. “The pandemic shifts were seismic.”

While a Walmart representative wrote in a statement to NPR that the company is “committed to providing an Every Day Low Price experience both in stores and online," it has had to keep up with increases in shipping and manufacturing costs leading to a higher total at the checkout counter, wrote Selyukh and NPR's Juweek Adolphe.

Shipping cost increases led to more expensive fertilizer and paper for packaging, for example. Also, “U.S. companies are paying higher import fees — and passing some of that cost on to shoppers,” Selyukh and Apolphe wrote.

Not only are the items in the shopping cart growing more expensive, but Selyukh and Apolphe have noticed reductions in the quantity of some items. “Tide liquid laundry detergent now comes in a smaller container — 84 ounces instead of 100 ounces — but costs $1 more,” they wrote.

Earth's methane levels began to spike in 2020; a new study may have uncovered the 'culprit.'

Wetlands and cow stomachs have similar
environments. (Adobe Stock photo)
In 2020, Earth's methane levels started to climb the charts at an inexplicable rate, putting the planet on a crash course with greenhouse gases that could eventually heat oceans and land to life-threatening temperatures, reports Shannon Osaka of The Washington Post. Researchers have been baffled by the cause -- until now. Scientists say a study released last month reveals why methane levels are spiking.

"The culprits, scientists believe, are microbes — the tiny organisms that live in cows’ stomachs, agricultural fields and wetlands," Osaka writes. "That could mean a dangerous feedback loop — in which these emissions cause warming that releases even more greenhouse gases — is already underway."

Sylvia Michel, lead author of the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, told Osaka, "The changes that we saw in the last couple of years — and even since 2007 — are microbial." Oska adds. "The new paper points to microbes as the biggest source of the methane spike."

In clarifying the source of rising methane levels, the study ruled out fossil fuels and geological causes. Stanford University professor Rob Jackson, who is part of the Global Methane Budget, explained how cow stomachs and swampy places are alike. He told Osaka, "Methane forms biologically in warm, wet, low-oxygen environments. The wetlands of a rice paddy and the gut of the cow are all similar.”

Microbe methane output may be a chemical reaction to a warming planet. Osaka reports, "Michel says it’s too early to say whether this is the beginning of a vicious cycle. 'Are these coming from human-caused changes in freshwater systems, or are they a kind of scary climate feedback?' she said. 'I want to be careful about what we can and cannot say with this data.'"

An FDA proposed rule would force food manufacturers to add a 'nutritional info box' to the front of their packaging

The 'nutritional info box' would focus on saturated
fat, sodium and added sugars.
Warning labels for grocery items with salt, added sugar or saturated fat may become the federal government's newest tool aimed at educating U.S. consumers about their grocery choices. "Under a new rule proposed by the Food and Drug Administration, food manufacturers would be required to put new labels on the front of packages flagging key nutrition information," reports Jesse Newman of The Wall Street Journal. The current administration believes bold labeling could help Americans make healthier food choices.

Most packaged foods sold in the U.S. already have nutritional information on the back or side of the box. "The new labels, dubbed a 'nutrition info box,' would go on the front of packages," Newman explains. The box would flag foods as "high, medium or low in salt, added sugar and saturated fat, which the FDA has warned can lead to chronic diseases when consumed in excess."

Most food companies oppose labeling foods with warnings, "The Consumer Brands Association, which represents big food manufacturers, said the rule doesn’t reflect the latest research," Newman reports. "The group said studies show the most effective labels include calories and nutrients to encourage, along with nutrients to limit."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is the incoming Trump administration's prospective next head of U.S. health policy, "has been outspoken about his view that U.S. food companies are partly to blame for sickening Americans," Newman writes. "Consumer advocacy groups and public health organizations cheered the rule." Some groups hope the Trump administration will support more specific labeling, which is used in Chile and Mexico.

The FDA is accepting public comments on its proposal until May 16. Newman adds, "If the rule is finalized after that, food manufacturers would be required to add the new labels to most packaged food products three to four years after it takes effect."

Food industry groups warned they could sue to overturn labeling mandates. Newman adds, "Such labels, they said, could threaten First Amendment rights — because companies could consider them a form of forced speech — and only Congress has the authority to require them."

Depite U.S. fireseason extremes, wildland firefighters eye deep paycuts as they wait for Congress to act

Wildland firefighters often deal with tremendous heat,
extreme weather and treacherous terrain. (Adobe Stock photo)
Federal firefighters work in heat, wind, fire, smoke and unpredictable weather. Despite their dedication to public safety, most wildland firefighters face deep pay cuts unless Congress intervenes, writes Robin Verble for The Conversation. "Continued uncertainty regarding federal pay and benefits, coupled with mental health risks and seasonal financial strain, make this a precarious time for wildland firefighters."

Roughly four years ago, Congress approved a "temporary retention bonus of $20,000 a year or 50% of the firefighter’s base pay, whichever amount was smaller," Verble explains. "However, wildland firefighters are still waiting for that raise to be codified." If Congress allows the pay raise to expire, "many firefighters will lose large percentages of their income. . . .These aren’t high-paying jobs. The starting pay is as low as $15 per hour."

The pay policies embedded in the "federal wildland fire system also incentivize overworking," Verble writes. "With starting pay so low, many wildland firefighters end up working an average of over 600 hours of overtime annually to pay their bills. . . . Many federal firefighters are temporary seasonal employees, so they need to reapply for positions every year."

When asked about federal firefighters' low pay, Tania Daffron, assistant fire chief for Bloomington, Ind., told The Rural Blog, "Fighting for decent wages is ridiculous, regardless of jurisdiction. Federal departments should be leading the way. No wonder personnel transfer or leave this 'ultra-hazardous' profession."

The U.S. Forest Service is grappling with constant employee turnover. "Over the past three years, 45% of the USFS wildland firefighting workforce has quit," Verble adds. "Retaining experienced firefighters amid longer and worsening fire seasons will require policymakers to improve health care, pay and the organizational structure itself, including how firefighters are hired and retained. Yet, the federal government continues to delay taking action."

Quick hits: Fast food's big-priced burgers; last-mile broadband; mapping the universe; the 'Siberian Express'

Once upon a time, fast food burgers were budget-
friendly. (Adobe Stock photo)

Fast food: reliable, tasty, cheap and right around the corner... or so you thought. While fast food is readily available, your bank account might not be prepared for the ever-increasing prices for the simplest of meals. "Late last year, customers labeled several popular restaurants as "overpriced," "expensive," and a "rip-off" in a national survey," said Megan Schaltegger for Delish. With the most expensive fast food basic burger ringing in at $12.89, the idea of cheap may have gone out the drive-through window.

U.S. farmers have the stinky and expensive job of managing "the hundreds of billions of pounds of waste produced by America’s dairy cows," reports Kenny Torrella of Vox. "Biodigesters," also known as "biogas," are the so-called panacea some farmers are using to turn cow poop into energy profits. However, "biodigester critics say that, at best, the process is a costly and inefficient use of America’s precious climate funding."

E-BRIDGE will help last-
mile projects. (A.S. photo)

Attract new business, support what already exists, and broaden the economic scope for communities. These are what are to come with increased broadband access in rural areas that was recently signed into law. “The E-BRIDGE Act removes hurdles for broadband projects under Economic Development Administration grants, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband deployment,” wrote Justin Harclerode in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s press release. Luckily the Act has been gaining support since its introduction on March 23, 2023. “In some cases, just completing that ‘last mile’ is what stands in the way of connecting people to a job they need. The E-BRIDGE Act will help spur projects that attract jobs and businesses to expand economic development and opportunity in rural and poor communities,” said Chairman Sam Graves.

Siberia is vast and frigid.
(Wikipedia photo)
A blast from "the coldest place on earth is set to blanket much of the U.S. . . temperatures could fall even lower than the previous round of cold," reports Tyne Morgan of Farm Journal. "We’re bracing for what’s called the 'Siberian Express.' What exactly is the Siberian Express? It’s when arctic air spills into the U.S., and it can have multiple sources, including Arctic Canada, Alaska, and in this case, Russia’s Siberia region, which is home to the coldest place on earth.

During his presidential term, Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the White House roof. He wanted the country to embrace a national energy plan based on conservation. While his vision did not come to pass -- Ronald Reagan had the panels removed in 1986 -- the life of the solar panels continued, reports Austyn Gaffney of The New York Times. "They were picked up at a bargain price by a small college in Maine, where they continued to generate power for years, and eventually ended up scattered around the United States and China. . ." 

It may look like a giant trumpet, but NASA's SPHEREx will create a colorful and dynamic
map of the universe. (NASA photo via The Conversation)

Space exploration fans around the globe will be treated to "a slate of exciting space missions in 2025," reports Zhenbo Wang for The Conversation. "NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative aims to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon using commercial landers. . . . .NASA has several CLPS missions planned, including deliveries by companies Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace. In February 2025, NASA plans to launch SPHEREx. . . . [It] will create a comprehensive map of the universe by surveying and collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies along with over 100 million stars in the Milky Way."

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Drinking raw milk can cause humans to contract diseases and infections, but the risks may not tell the full story

Maybe raw milk offers something unique.
(Photo by E. Aceron, Unsplash)
Despite raw milk's popularity with some consumers, many dairy experts warn against consuming raw milk products because of bacteria and disease risks. Raw milk proponents believe the benefits of raw milk products outweigh the concerns, reports Moises Velasquez-Manoff of The New York Times. "Should we take them more seriously?"

The U.S. raw milk movement began decades ago in "small, independent health-food stores," Velasquez-Manoff explains. The pandemic heightened interest in raw milk's benefits. "Mark McAfee, who heads Raw Farm in California, told me during the pandemic, people felt abandoned by medical professionals and began researching ways to care for their own immune systems. Many turned to raw milk, which he calls 'the first food of life.'"

Twenty-five years ago, when McAfee started selling raw milk, his customers were mostly "hippie 'nut-and-berry moms' and natural foodies, as he puts it. . . But as his sales have grown — about 30-fold since then, he estimates — his customers have diversified," Velasquez-Manoff explains. Today’s raw milk consumers come from vastly different backgrounds, with reasons for buying raw milk that range from political freedom to nutritional miracles.

American scientists and food nutrition experts have continually warned against drinking unpasteurized dairy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "unpasteurized dairy products are 840 times as likely as their pasteurized counterparts to lead to infection and illness," Velasquez-Manoff reports. The CDC's list of possible adverse health outcomes includes: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter.

But raw milk research isn't all about potential diseases humans could contract. In fact, recent studies suggest some positive preventative health benefits raw milk consumption might offer. Velasquez-Manoff writes, "There is also a wealth of epidemiological research, most of it from Europe, that suggests that drinking raw milk early in life can protect against the development of asthma and allergies later. . . . The basic notion animating the raw-milk movement — that something good and healthful is lost during processing — may have some validity to it."

While the health risks involved in raw milk consumption lead many dairy experts to adamantly push against drinking it, European studies might point the way toward resolving "what is often called the allergy epidemic," Velasquez-Manoff adds. "Scientists think that if they can identify what’s special about raw milk, and preserve it through treatment that makes it safe, maybe they can turn a widely consumed foodstuff into a powerful tool of preventive medicine."

When residents in a small Indiana town discuss an immigrant welcome center, clashing views take center stage

President-elect Donald Trump promised mass deportations of illegal immigrants would begin during his first 30 days in office. For many residents in the small town of Seymour, Indiana, the expulsions "can't start soon enough," reports Arian Campo-Flores of The Wall Street Journal. "Seymour is one of many cities across the U.S. feeling the effects of a historic wave of immigration, where residents seeking to integrate migrants are clashing with others calling for them to be rooted out and sent home."

Historically, most immigrants who came to Seymour settled peacefully until a proposal for an immigrant welcome center circulated in the spring of 2024. The plan incensed residents who feared the center would bring even more immigrants. "Such residents have complained for years that a flood of unauthorized migrants. . . strained schools, hospitals and housing," Campo-Flores explains. "With President-elect Donald Trump promising to conduct mass deportations . . . . They are organizing opposition to illegal immigration."

Location of Seymour, Ind.
(Wikipedia photo)
Seymour has a population of roughly 22,000 people, many of who have voted Republican for decades. Unemployment is low and jobs are plentiful, making it attractive to migrants who "began arriving in significant numbers in the 1990s," Campo-Flores writes. "For most of the period since, the flow of arrivals was manageable and generated few flashpoints, residents say."

But at the March city council meeting the welcome center proposal "proved to be the spark that ignited simmering frustration over illegal immigration," Campo-Flores adds. "At the meeting, speakers fumed about migrants allegedly failing to assimilate, committing crimes and crowding multiple families into small homes. . . . Republican state Rep. Jim Lucas, who is from Seymour, said at the meeting that the city welcomed immigrants who arrive legally and are properly vetted."

Seymour resident Tim Smallwood supports Trump's planned deportations. Campo-Flores writes, "He thinks the Trump administration should first target unauthorized migrants with criminal records and then pressure other migrants to 'self-deport.' He told Campo-Flores, "It’s the only way they’ll solve this problem. You’ve got to make it hard enough on them that they don’t want to come here in the first place.”

Looking back through history, Americans weren't healthier than they are now. 'The past was actually much worse.'

During many decades in U.S. history, rich men smoked and
heavy alcohol consumption was 'the norm.' (Adobe Stock photo)
The American diet was once dominated by vegetables and dried fruits, but also salted pork and heavy alcohol consumption. Lifestyle practices in the United States have never been particularly healthy. Any models that promote "making America healthy again" aren't taking the country's health history into account, reports Gina Kolata of The New York Times. "The word 'again' presumes a time in the country’s past when Americans were in better health. Was there ever really a time when America was healthier?"

Medicine historians have "a short answer," Kolata writes. "'No,' said Nancy Tomes, a historian at Stony Brook University. . . . John Harley Warner, a historian at Yale, said, 'It’s hard for me to think of a time when America, with all the real health disparities that characterize our system, was healthier.'"

Going back in time, the vision of a more vibrant and healthy America evaporates. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, "rich men smoked cigarettes and cigars, the poor chewed tobacco. Heavy drinking was the norm," Kolata adds. "Fresh fruits and vegetables were in short supply because they were difficult to ship and because growing seasons were so short. As for protein, Americans were relying on salted pork."

Even when beef became part of the U.S. diet, Americans did not get healthier. Many people were underweight and their health suffered because of it. "The start of the 20th century saw public health improvements (cleaner water, for example, and posters advising parents not to give their babies beer), but the disease was rampant," Kolata reports. "When the 1918 flu struck the nation, no one knew the cause — the flu virus had not been discovered."

During the 1950s and 1960s, the "American pharmaceutical industry pumped out new medical advances: antibiotics, antipsychotics, drugs for high blood pressure and vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, measles and polio," Kolata writes. "Despite that progress, those years were terrible for health," Dr. Jeremy Greene, a historian at Johns Hopkins University, said, "with 'a tremendous amount of heart attacks and strokes.'. . . In part, that was because nearly everyone smoked."

When it comes to optimum health, the United States is nowhere near the promised land, but the number of smokers has steeply declined while treatments for diseases have multiplied. "Researchers are quick to acknowledge that Americans’ health is not as good as it can be. And they bemoan the huge disparities in health care in this country," Kolata adds. "But, historians say, the past was actually much worse."

Opinion: Gleaning facts can be a 'slippery' business. Even when the truth is messy, 'good journalism offers a way.'

Adobe Stock photo
Getting the facts right may sound like Journalism 110 class, but gathering and verifying a story can be like walking on shifting sands, writes Fergus McIntosh of The New Yorker. "Journalists put more stress on accuracy than ever before. The problem is, accuracy is a slippery idea."

Like many professions, journalism has a before and after social media story. Before Americans became absorbed in Facebook, Twitch, TikTok and podcasts, they listened to and read mainstream media. But once social media siphoned huge audiences, "people stopped paying attention to the news, or decided that they didn’t believe it anymore," McIntosh adds. "This story is not unsupported. Trust in many institutions has fallen over the years, but in journalism, it has plummeted."

Examining how little journalists are trusted, makes "fake news"and the harm it does to the news-consumer trust equation that much more worrisome. "'Many Americans now register displeasure with inaccurate or unverified information on social media, and a majority now think that somebody . . .should do something about it," McIntosh explains. "Despite endemic skepticism and distraction, there is an enduring thirst for reliable information. The question is, where can it be found, and how can its purveyors make themselves heard amid the noise?"

CBS and BBC have branded themselves as singular "purveyors" of the facts using an "'only we can provide accuracy' model," McIntosh writes. "For the first Presidential debate of 2024, The New York Times tasked 29 staffers with combing through the candidates’ statements in real time." Even with aggressive fact-checking, "the provision of facts does not, in itself, engender trust. . . . What is more certain is that, from time to time, every journalist, no matter how well-meaning, gets something wrong, or misses the point."

"Because The New Yorker, like many publications, trades on its reputation for accuracy, readers can easily feel cheated, even betrayed, when an error slips in," McIntosh explains. "In such circumstances, it becomes difficult to know what is true, and, consequently, to make decisions. Good journalism offers a way through, but only if readers are willing to follow. . . . Gaining and holding that trust is hard. But failure is not inevitable. . . . Any solution must acknowledge the messiness of truth, the requirements of attention, the way we squint to see more clearly. It must tell you to say what you mean, and know that you mean it."

Natural disaster recovery is harder for rural schools. Early preparation and strategies ensure students keep learning.

Early planning is key to  rural school disaster
strategies. (Photo by D. Leon, Unsplash)
When natural disasters strike rural schools, many struggle for months to find and implement recovery resources. "Fortunately, there are solutions," writes Lee Ann Rawlins Williams for The Conversation. "Based on my professional research on emergency preparedness – and my experience working in educational settings – I’ve identified several strategies that may help."

Unlike their urban counterparts, rural schools have "unique disaster challenges," including a "lack of access to temporary sites for classes after a disaster, weaker local funding streams, and student transportation struggles," Williams explains. With those issues in mind, "preparing for a disaster in a rural area should occur earlier and take into account the specific needs of the community."

Developing a practical rural school natural disaster plan can begin with these strategies:
  • Plan to teach with learning materials that "do not require internet access," Williams suggests. "I have found that many teachers focus on electronic resources, such as smartphones and Apple watches, and overlook the use of old-fashioned methods."

  • Remember that mobile technology can help bridge learning disruption gaps. "If [cell phone] service is available, students and teachers can communicate by phone," Williams explains. "When internet access is unavailable, schools can use mobile learning hubs. These are vehicles equipped with Wi-Fi, computers and other educational tools. These mobile hubs can travel to rural areas to provide students with access to digital resources."

  • Use an adaptive and flexible school work model. Williams adds, "After Hurricane Helene downed power lines and closed roads in Beaufort County, South Carolina, students who were without power or internet were given five days to complete their work and other considerations. This flexibility helps ensure students do not fall too far behind. It may even help students better manage stress and maintain their mental well-being."

  • Make strengthening rural roads a priority.