Cancer incidence rising among adults under 50, new report says, leaving doctors searching for answers

CNN

Cancer incidence rising among adults under 50, new report says, leaving doctors searching for answers

Jacqueline Howard, CNN – January 17, 2024

Josh Herting was on a business trip in Vermont when he received a phone call from his doctor that would change his life. On that cold winter day — a decade ago this week — his doctor told him that he had colon cancer.

After hanging up the phone, Herting wanted to keep working.

“I was very focused on work, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to finish this work trip, and then I’ll be home,’ ” he said. “I didn’t understand the seriousness of it.”

But moments later, he picked up the phone again and called his girlfriend, Amber. When he told her the news, she said it was time to come home.

Herting drove five hours to Boston. He arrived home at 2 o’clock in the morning and had medical appointments beginning six hours later.

“I was 34 years old, in what I would consider incredible health. I worked out five to six days a week, very low body fat, ate really healthy, and was in no pain or anything, but I noticed some clotted blood in my stool on a few different occasions,” said Herting, who is now 44 and married to Amber. He added that his father was diagnosed with stage I colon cancer in his early 50s but said he had no other known family history of the disease.

Herting’s journey of battling early-onset cancer is an experience shared by a growing proportion of young adults.

Cancer patients are “increasingly shifting from older to middle-aged individuals,” according to a report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society.

Among adults 65 and older, adults 50 to 64 and those younger than 50, “people aged younger than 50 years were the only one of these three age groups to experience an increase in overall cancer incidence” from 1995 to 2020, says the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Even though the overall US population is aging, “we’re seeing a movement of cancer diagnosis into younger folks, despite the fact that there are more people that are in the older populations,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society.

“So cancer diagnoses are shifting earlier,” he said. “There’s something going on here.”

Herting’s diagnosis came after a gastroenterologist recommended that he get a colonoscopy due to the blood in his stool.

Herting had surgery, about a week and a half after his diagnosis, to remove the tumor and a foot of his colon. After the surgery and further testing, he said, his medical team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute estimated that the cancer had been in his system for about eight years and was stage IIIA. Stage III colon cancers are likely to have spread to nearby lymph nodes, but they have not yet spread to other parts of the body, according to the American Cancer Society.

Herting then had chemotherapy, and after five years of monitoring his recovery with CAT scans and blood work, his team declared him cancer-free. Amber remained by his side during his cancer treatments.

Josh Herting says he hopes cancer screenings are less intrusive by the time his children are grown. - Courtesy Josh Herting
Josh Herting says he hopes cancer screenings are less intrusive by the time his children are grown. – Courtesy Josh Herting

“But you’re never the same person,” Herting said of his cancer journey. He still has some fatigue and numbness in his fingertips and toes from chemotherapy, and he gets colonoscopies every three years – unless his doctor says otherwise – to make sure the cancer has not returned.

“Colonoscopies – I’ve had way more than I’d like to admit – they’re not fun. But at the same time, colon cancer and chemotherapy are a million times worse,” Herting said.

“There’s this stigma about colonoscopy. For people that have never had cancer, it’s kind of this taboo topic, and you’ve got to go through this process to prep for it, and that’s not fun,” he said. “But I can tell you firsthand, it is definitely worth doing.”

Among adults younger than 50, colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death in men and the second-leading cause in women, behind breast cancer, the new report says. In the late 1990s, it ranked fourth in both men and women younger than 50.

“It’s just different now than it used to be,” Dahut said. “This young adult trend is the thing that has me scratching my head the most.”

‘A call to arms’

Even though the rising cancer incidence among younger adults has been
“poorly understood” and raises more questions than answers, Dr. Scott Kopetz says he has seen the trend firsthand at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

“In our clinical practice, we’re seeing patients presenting younger and presenting before ages of screening for many cancers, so it’s certainly a continued concerning trend in the field,” said Kopetz, an associate vice president for translational integration and a professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

For instance, it’s recommended that all adults start screening for colon and rectal cancers at age 45, but more cases are emerging among people at even younger ages.

“When one looks at the totality of the data, it really is a call to arms to really better understand the changing epidemiology of cancer,” Kopetz said.

“Colorectal is the most prominent one, but we’re also seeing that in cancers that don’t have as clear-cut screening guidelines – so things like pancreas, gastric cancer – are also seeing trends towards earlier ages,” he said. “Pancreas cancer, and to some extent gastric cancer as well, are ones that we just don’t have good screening methodologies currently, but we’re seeing a lot of the same trends occurring.”

Kopetz worries that the rising incidence of cancer in young adults will grow into a rising incidence of cancer in older age.

“There’s a concern that, as the population ages, that what is currently an increase in young-onset disease will turn into increases in mid-onset and late-onset disease as well. So if the epidemiology of this is changing, this could be the beginning of a wave of increased cancers that may persist or may continue to increase over the next decades,” he said.

The new American Cancer Society report projects that there will be about 2 million new cancer cases in the United States this year, equivalent to more than 5,000 diagnoses each day. It’s also projected that there will be about 600,000 cancer deaths in 2024.

“This is a call to better understand what’s driving these increases,” Kopetz said. “And a call also to accelerate efforts for early detection approaches that may provide screening for multiple different tumor types.”

Herting, who now has a 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter, hopes that when his children are young adults, screening for cancers will be less intrusive, especially for colorectal cancer.

“I hope for the future that it’s made to be less invasive,” Herting said. “If we could find a way to make it less invasive, more and more people would be willing to do it, and most likely insurance might be more apt to cover it for more people.”

Other data has showed that the share of colorectal cancer diagnoses among adults younger than 55 in the US has been rising since the 1990s. Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer include changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, cramping or abdominal pain, weakness and fatigue, and unexplained weight loss.

report released last year by the American Cancer Society showed that the proportion of colorectal cancer cases among adults younger than 55 increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019. Yet the factors driving that rise remain a mystery.

Some of the things known to raise anyone’s risk of colorectal cancer are having a family history of the disease, having a certain genetic mutation, drinking too much alcohol, smoking cigarettes or having obesity.

“People point to exercise, diet, types of food,” Dahut said, but there’s probably more than just one cause — and sometimes, younger people diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer are otherwise healthy, with a history of working out and eating healthy diets, and don’t have a family history or genetic mutations.

Some scientists have been looking into whether a woman’s obesity during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in her offspring and whether that association could contribute to increasing incidence rates in younger adults — but more research is needed.

“The continuous sharp increase in colorectal cancer in younger Americans is alarming,” Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the new report, said in a news release.

“We need to halt and reverse this trend by increasing uptake of screening, including awareness of non-invasive stool tests with follow-up care, in people 45-49 years. Up to one-third of people diagnosed before 50 have a family history or genetic predisposition and should begin screening before age 45 years,” Jemal said. “We also need to increase investment to elucidate the underlying reasons for the rising incidence to uncover additional preventive measures.”

Cases climb as deaths decline

Overall, the number of people dying from cancer in the United States continues to decline, but the incidence rates for several types of cancer — including breast, prostate, uterine corpus, pancreas, oropharynx, liver in women, kidney, melanoma, and colorectal and cervical in young adults — remain on the rise, according to the new American Cancer Society report.

Cancer deaths continued to fall in the United States through 2021, leading to an overall drop of 33% since 1991, the report says, largely due to fewer people smoking, more people detecting cancer early and major improvements in treatments for cancer, such as immunotherapies and targeted therapies.

“We’re encouraged by the steady drop in cancer mortality as a result of less smoking, earlier detection for some cancers, and improved treatment,” Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, said in a news release. “But as a nation, we’ve dropped the ball on cancer prevention as incidence continues to increase for many common cancers — like breast, prostate, and endometrial, as well as colorectal and cervical cancers in some young adults.”

The report adds that “progress is lagging in cancer prevention,” as six of the top 10 cancers in the United States have had increases in incidence.

The cancers with red bars are increasing. - American Cancer Society
The cancers with red bars are increasing. – American Cancer Society

Among the top 10 cancers, based on cases projected in 2024, those that are increasing are breast, prostate, melanoma of the skin, kidney and renal, uterine corpus and pancreas.

The new report says that incidence rates increased from 2015 through 2019 by about 1% each year for breast, pancreas and uterine cancers and by up to 3% annually for prostate, liver in women, kidney and HPV-associated oral cancers and melanoma. Incidence rates also increased up to 2% annually for cervical cancers in ages 30 to 44 and colorectal cancers in adults younger than 55, according to the report.

The report also highlights that racial disparities in cancer incidence and deaths continue, as people of color still face increased risks, and the report says this has “hampered” progress.

“Progress is also hampered by wide persistent cancer disparities; compared to White people, mortality rates are two‐fold higher for prostate, stomach and uterine corpus cancers in Black people and for liver, stomach, and kidney cancers in Native American people,” according to the report. “Continued national progress will require increased investment in cancer prevention and access to equitable treatment, especially among American Indian and Alaska Native and Black individuals.”

Colon cancer is killing more younger men and women than ever, new report finds

NBC News

Colon cancer is killing more younger men and women than ever, new report finds

Erika Edwards and Jessica Herzberg – January 17, 2024

Report shows colorectal cancer is deadliest cancer for men under age 50Scroll back up to restore default view.

Colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer for men under age 50 — and the second deadliest cancer among women in the same age group, behind breast cancer.

The incidence of colon cancer has been rising for at least the last two decades, when it was the fourth-leading cause of cancer death for both men and women under 50.

Among men and women of all ages, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. Prostate cancer is second for men, and breast cancer is second for women. Colorectal cancer is third, overall, for both sexes.

The diagnosis of late-stage colorectal cancer was a shock to Sierra Fuller, 33. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller )
The diagnosis of late-stage colorectal cancer was a shock to Sierra Fuller, 33. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller )

Even as overall cancer deaths continue to fall in the U.S., the American Cancer Society is reporting for the first time that colon and rectal cancers have become leading causes of cancer death in younger adults. The finding was published Wednesday in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Cancer is traditionally a disease among the elderly, although the percentage of new cases found in people 65 and older has fallen from 61% in 1995 to 58%. The decrease, attributed mainly to drops in prostate and smoking-related cancers, has occurred even though the proportion of people in that age group has grown from 13% to 17% in the general population.

In contrast, new diagnoses among adults ages 50 to 64 have increased since 1995, from 25% to 30%.

Rates of breast and endometrial cancer, as well as mouth and throat disease, have been on the rise. The report did not break down those diagnoses by age.

The findings reflect what cancer doctors have observed for years.

“For a couple of decades now, we have been noticing that the patients coming into our clinic seem to be younger and younger,” said Dr. Kimmie Ng, the director of the Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “What this report now cements for us is that these trends are real.” Ng was not involved with the new report.

Dr. William Dahut, the chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society, said younger people tend to be diagnosed at later stages, when the cancer is more aggressive.

“So it’s not only having a colorectal cancer — it’s colorectal cancer that’s more difficult to treat, which is why we’re seeing these changes in mortality,” Dahut said.

The diagnosis of late-stage colorectal cancer was a shock to Sierra Fuller, 33, of Acton, Massachusetts, just outside Boston.

It was around Christmas 2021 when Fuller noticed blood in her stool when she went to the bathroom. With no family history of colon cancer, she figured the problem was most likely an annoying hemorrhoid.

Weeks later, the blood deposits worsened, and she started having abdominal pain.

Sierra Fuller and her husband. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller)
Sierra Fuller and her husband. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller)

“It was a month from when I got the symptoms to when I sought help, and I realize that I was pushing it,” she said. Tests revealed she had stage 3b colorectal cancer. That usually means the cancer has started to spread through the colon and possibly to nearby lymph nodes, but not any farther, according to the American Cancer Society.

It was a blow to Fuller and her husband, who had just started talking about whether to try for a baby. They decided to freeze embryos before Fuller’s treatment protocol, which would include radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.

It is an example of how cancer uniquely affects young patients.

Sierra Fuller. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller)
Sierra Fuller. (Courtesy Sierra Fuller)

“People younger than 65 are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to be juggling family and careers,” Dahut said in a news release announcing the new report. “Also, men and women diagnosed younger have a longer life expectancy in which to suffer treatment-related side effects, such as second cancers.”

Just over a year later, Fuller is cancer-free but must get regular scans and blood tests. She said that she feels good but that she is “always going to have that worry” that her cancer will return.

“If I have to go through this again, whatever that looks like, I’ll cross that bridge if it comes,” Fuller said.

Why is cancer rising in younger people?

Doctors do not know why cancer, especially colorectal cancer, is becoming more common in younger adults. Some hypothesize that increasing obesity rates, sedentary behavior and unhealthy diets could be playing roles.

“But honestly, the patients we’re seeing in clinic often do not fit that profile,” said Dr. Kimmie Ng, the director of the Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “A lot of them are triathletes and marathon runners. I mean, super healthy people.”

Ng suspects something in the environment may be behind the rise.

“What we suspect may be happening is that whatever combination of environmental factors is responsible for this, that it’s likely changing our microbiomes or our immune systems, leading us to become more susceptible to these cancers at a younger age,” Ng said.

How to protect against colorectal cancer

Colonoscopy screening is generally recommended starting at age 45. People with family histories of the illness may need to begin screening earlier.

A person whose parent was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 50, for example, would need to start screening at age 40, Dahut said.

However, only about a third of people diagnosed with colon cancer have some kind of family history or predisposition to the cancer.

Maintaining a healthy body weight and minimizing red meat in the diet may help reduce risk, Ng said.

Signs that could signal a problem, Ng said, include blood in the stool, abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss and changes in bowel habits.

“If it’s getting worse, if it’s not going away, you know, that’s when somebody really needs to start paying attention and talk to their primary care doctor about what’s happening,” she said.

What Costco Doesn’t Want Customers To Know

Daily Meal

What Costco Doesn’t Want Customers To Know

Jacob Smith – January 14, 2024

Costco rotisserie chickens being prepared
Costco rotisserie chickens being prepared – Bloomberg/Getty Images

Costco boasts nearly 130 million members worldwide. The vast majority of these are found in the United States, but regardless of whether they’re shopping in the U.S. or abroad, customers turn to Costco for the same reason: the store’s shockingly low prices.

Bargains form the basis of Costco’s brand, and discounted products can be found everywhere in the store. Furthermore, some of the store’s most iconic products — such as the $4.99 rotisserie chicken or $1.50 hot dog and soda combo — have not experienced price increases for years. But while the prices of these products are widely and frequently celebrated, few customers are aware of the outsized social, environmental, and ethical costs associated with them.

In an effort to drive down prices and maximize profit, Costco has been linked with some rather unsavory business practices including rearing animals in horrible conditions, the use of illegal labor, and questionable product labeling. Although prices remain low, it appears that Costco’s well-loved bargains do not come cheap.

Costco’s Chickens Were Reared Inhumanely
Chickens at Costco farm
Chickens at Costco farm – mercyforanimals/YouTube

Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken is the store’s most celebrated product. In fact, the cheap chicken is so integral to the brand that Costco has spent $1 billion building an industry-leading chicken processing plant in Nebraska with the sole goal of streamlining its rotisserie chicken supply chain. That being said, a $4.99 chicken is never going to be far from controversy, and Costco’s rotisserie chicken has received its fair share of criticism in recent years.

The majority of these complaints stem from a 2021 investigation of a Costco-controlled poultry farm. Videos taken by nonprofit organization Mercy For Animals showed birds living in cramped, filthy conditions. Some were even suffering from open wounds. When confronted with the evidence, Costco claimed to the New York Times that much of the footage was unremarkable and also stated that the company adhered to standards laid out by trade associations (via CNN). Despite pressure, Costco has not followed the lead of many other food businesses and signed on to the Better Chicken Commitment, a welfare policy designed to improve the lives of industrially reared broiler chickens.

Following the Mercy For Animals investigation, two shareholders, represented by the litigation nonprofit Legal Impact for Chickens, launched a lawsuit against Costco. The lawsuit alleged that decisions made by Costco executives caused the company to neglect its livestock, meaning the fast-growing chickens were often unable to access food and water. The case was dismissed, but during the summer of 2023, Costco announced it was reviewing and investigating the issue. No actions have been reported.

Several Costco Products Have Been Linked With Child Labor
A Darigold plant
A Darigold plant – Ian Dewar Photography/Shutterstock

An article published by The New York Times at the end of 2023 alleged that numerous migrant children were and are working for the producers of various Costco products. According to the article, the vast majority of these children use forged documents to gain and keep employment. Lax checks and the huge workforces associated with many plants and factories mean that child workers are often missed by private auditors, while senior employees often turn a blind eye. What’s more, auditors rarely visit businesses during the night shift when child labor is most prevalent.

As part of its article, NYT interviewed Miguel Sanchez, a child migrant who works at Darigold, a milk supplier for Costco. In his interview, Sanchez detailed dangerous working conditions that resulted in him suffering from an injury. Other workers noted that minors were a common part of the workforce.

This is not the only instance of child labor linked with Costco. Underage workers have also been found to work in sanitation teams, cleaning slaughterhouses which supply Costco with meat. Packers Sanitation Services, the company that employed these minors, had over 100 underage workers on its payroll and was fined $1.5 million. In all these instances, Costco has said it was not aware of any child labor practices in its supply chain.

Customers’ Private Health Data Was Shared With Meta
Costco Pharmacy sign
Costco Pharmacy sign – Bloomberg/Getty Images

Costco boasts a pharmacy as part of its business. As with any pharmacy, Costco’s pharmacy frequently requires and receives customers’ private healthcare information, including their prescriptions and prior illnesses or conditions. This information is both private and sensitive, meaning it should be treated with the utmost care. Unfortunately, Costco has not always managed to do this.

According to The Seattle Times, a lawsuit raised against Costco in 2023 alleged that the company had shared millions of Americans’ medical information with Meta without customer consent. This was due to Costco’s improper use of Meta Pixel, a tracking code that is designed for use as a business tool. By having Meta Pixel active on the health care section of Costco’s website, any sensitive information that customers entered was automatically shared with Meta. Health-specific targeted ads were reported as a result of the illicit information sharing.

Meta itself has said that using Meta Pixel in this way is against company policy and claims that steps are taken to educate businesses on how to use Meta products properly. Costco has refused to comment on the issue, and the lawsuit is currently ongoing.

Terrible Conditions Were Reported At Costco’s Egg Suppliers
An egg-laying hen at a Costco farm
An egg-laying hen at a Costco farm – Direct Action Everywhere – DxE/YouTube

It’s not just Costco’s rotisserie chickens that have been victims of inhumane farming practices but the company’s egg-laying hens, too. Initially, calls to improve the chicken’s lifestyles centered upon the removal of battery cages from the company’s supply chain. These cages were shown to cause the birds immense suffering due to the chickens’ inability to move properly in such a small space. Celebrities such as Bill Maher and Brad Pitt called for the company to remove them in 2015, and Costco listened; 97% of Costco eggs were cage free by September 2022.

Unfortunately, the near complete removal of battery cages from Costco’s supply chain does not mean hens are reared in humane conditions. Videos recorded by a network of animal rights activists, Direct Action Everywhere, at a chicken farm that supplied eggs for Costco’s Kirkland brand showed appalling conditions. The barn the animals were kept in was filthy, and dead and rotting birds littered the floor. Many living chickens also bore injuries associated with the increased aggression the animals display in cage-free systems.

In a response to the video, reported by The Seattle Times, Costco said: “We have reinspected the barn and other operations of this supplier, and based on these inspections and prior audits, we are comfortable with the animal-welfare aspects of the operation.”

Costco Is Clamping Down On Membership Card Sharing
Costco member card being checked
Costco member card being checked – View Press/Getty Images

Costco runs a membership model wherein customers must pay an annual fee to shop at its stores. In order to ensure that non-members do not slip into the shop — and benefit from its low prices — all members are given a card they must display when prompted by cashiers or other staff members. These cards usually feature a photograph of the member, ensuring one card cannot be used by numerous people. However, savvy shoppers have frequently used the self-checkout lanes to get away with using another person’s membership card.

Costco committed to closing this loophole during the summer of 2023 by requiring all customers to show their membership cards when using the self-service checkouts. While an unpopular policy for those who have benefited from this loophole, many members think it is only fair that such a policy gets put in place. After all, they pay for access to discounted goods, so why shouldn’t others?

Some Costco members are not in favor of the crackdown. Many of these individuals are tired of being forced to prove they are members time and again. As one Redditor put it, “I think people are getting more annoyed when they’re getting accused of card sharing and have to jump through hoops to prove that it’s them. It doesn’t help that the picture quality on Costco’s cards is cra***.”

The Company’s Advertising Practices Have Been Challenged
Costco canned tuna in boxes
Costco canned tuna in boxes – The Image Party/Shutterstock

In 2023, it was announced that Costco was being taken to court over false and deceptive advertising and labeling practices. The product at the center of the lawsuit was Kirkland Signature White Albacore Tuna in Water. This product carried the “Dolphin Safe” label on its packaging. The plaintiff in the case, Melinda Wright, claimed that this label was directly misleading as the method in which tuna was caught is not dolphin safe.

The Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act lays out specific criteria tuna products need to achieve to be labeled as dolphin safe. Due to Costco supplier’s use of potentially harmful longline fishing techniques to catch tuna, the Kirkland Signature White Albacore Tuna cannot be defined as dolphin safe according to the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act. This suggests that Wright, and other customers like her, were deliberately misled by Costco, which sought to play up the product’s environmental credentials.

This is not the first time Costco has been accused of mislabeling seafood. Also in 2023, the grocery store brand was forced to pay $33,000 AUD after it sold imported Canadian lobsters in its Australian stores, per 9News. In this instance, it was not how the lobsters were caught that was misrepresented but where. Although hailing from Canada, the crustaceans were erroneously labeled as being from Australian waters.

Costco Accepted Illegal Kickbacks From Drug Companies
Tony Gagliese talking
Tony Gagliese talking – The Fifth Estate/YouTube

Kickbacks, often known as rebates, are payments drug companies make to pharmacy chains. These payments are made to ensure the pharmacy will stock the company’s drugs. Kickbacks are legal in some parts of Canada but not in Ontario, which outlawed the practice during 2013 in an effort to lower drug prices. Despite the law, two senior pharmacy executives at Costco in Ontario — Joseph Hanna and Lawrence Varga — demanded kickbacks from drug salesmen several years after 2013.

Tony Gagliese, a salesman for drug company Ranbaxy, secretly recorded Costco pharmacy executives asking for kickbacks in 2018. The Ontario government subsequently launched an investigation into the brand’s illegal kickback practices. It found Costco had accepted over $7.2 million in illegal kickbacks. In an email to CBC, Hanna said: “I genuinely believed at the time Ranbaxy made the payments in question that they were permissible. Neither I, nor Costco, would ever knowingly accept a payment that was prohibited.”

Costco was fined the amount it illegally earnt in kickbacks, around $7.25 million according to CBC. Hanna and Varga were ordered to pay $50,000 each in fines and costs. Neither pharmacy executive was fired.

Costco Underwent An Eight-Year Lawsuit With Tiffany
People by Costco jewlery case
People by Costco jewlery case – Bloomberg/Getty Images

Unlike many other grocery store brands, Costco often stocks an impressive range of jewelry. However, this aspect of the store took a hit when famous jewelry brand Tiffany and Co. launched a lawsuit against Costco on Valentine’s Day 2013. Once again, the lawsuit revolved around Costco’s advertising and labeling choices. In this instance, Costco used the name “Tiffany” to describe a range of diamond rings.

Costco defended this choice by stating that “Tiffany” was being used to describe the ring’s pronged setting and did not indicate any connection with the well-known jewelry brand. Tiffany and Co. begged to differ, alleging that Costco was deliberately misleading customers into believing the rings were made by or in association with the brand. Over 3,000 of the rings were sold.

In 2017, four years after the lawsuit was brought against Costco, a judge ruled that Costco had to pay Tiffany and Co. nearly $20 million in damages and punitive damages, per Reuters. Costco appealed the judgment and won. The two companies settled out of court in 2021, according to CNBC. No details regarding the settlement were released.

Multiple Employees Have Accused Costco Of Discrimination
Rae Ellis smiling
Rae Ellis smiling – Bloomberg/Getty Images

Costco has a reputation for being a good place to work. Employee pay and benefits are among the highest in the sector, and the company’s employee turnover is very low. That being said, Costco has also been accused of taking various discriminatory actions against employees. The most infamous of these resulted in over 700 women launching a class-action lawsuit against Costco.

The lawsuit, led by plaintiff Rae Ellis, alleged that Costco discriminated against women when it came to filling managerial positions. The lawsuit was initiated in 2004. At this time women made up half of Costco’s entire workforce, yet only 13% of Costco store managers were female. The lawsuit was settled in 2013, according to Public Justice. As part of the deal, Costco committed to changing its promotion procedures. These changes are working; at the end of the 2022 fiscal year 37.5% of Costco managers were female.

Other lawsuits have accused Costco of disability discrimination. One such lawsuit was leveled against the company by Marisa Martinez. Martinez was the Mexico Buyer for Costco and was on a work trip to the country when she witnessed a car being held at gunpoint. Martinez developed anxiety after this event and did not feel able to travel to Mexico. In retaliation, Costco banned her from performing any other work-related travel and threatened to remove her from management if she did not travel to Mexico. In the ensuing court case, Costco was forced to pay Martinez $1.85 million in damages, per McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP.

Costco Was Found To Have Lax Pharmacy Controls
Employee working in Costco pharmacy
Employee working in Costco pharmacy – Bloomberg/Getty Images

In January 2017, it was announced that Costco would pay $11.75 million as a result of a number of its pharmacies improperly filling prescriptions. Lax controls were reported in multiple Costco pharmacies in locations including Washington, Michigan, and California. Among the alleged actions were the filling of incomplete prescriptions and the filling of prescriptions without valid Drug Enforcement Administration registration numbers.

After the settlement was reached, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker released a statement. In it she said: “These are not just administrative or paperwork violations — Costco’s failure to have proper controls in place in its pharmacies likely played a role in prescription drugs reaching the black market.”

In an effort to ensure such violations do not occur again, Costco invested in a new pharmacy management system. The chain also adopted an auditing system that involved the use of external auditors.

Many Of Costco’s Steaks Are Mechanically Tenderized
Costco meat
Costco meat – ARTYOORAN/Shutterstock

The process of mechanically tenderizing meat involves tiny holes being punctured into the meat by needle-like blades before packaging and selling. This process helps break down some of the meat’s fibers, making the meat feel more tender when it is eaten.

While there is no disputing that mechanically tenderizing steaks works, the process has drawn some criticism as it increases the risk of foodborne illnesses being transferred by the meat. The United States Department of Agriculture highlights that mechanical tenderizing increases the risk of foodborne illnesses, as any pathogens or bacteria that happen to be located on the meat’s surface will be driven into the center of the meat during the puncturing process. This makes the pathogens harder to kill during cooking, increasing the chances that a contaminated piece of meat makes a customer ill.

One way to mitigate this risk is to cook the steaks more thoroughly, raising their internal temperature to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and holding it there for three minutes, or making sure the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees as Costco recommends. Thankfully, Costco indicates on a steak’s label whether it has been mechanically tenderized, giving customers the knowledge they need to prepare and consume their steaks safely.

Costco’s Gold Ingots Are Not A Great Investment
Gold bought from Costco
Gold bought from Costco – goldeagleprice/X, formerly known as Twitter

Costco made headlines throughout 2023 due to the popularity of an unlikely grocery store product: 1-ounce gold bars. Costco repeatedly sold out of the product, with CFO Richard Galanti indicating in a company earnings call that after restocking, the product sold out in a few hours. The ingots do not come cheap; Costco has been selling them at around $2,000, and some customers have likely seen them as a worthwhile investment.

Although gold is known to hold its value in times of uncertainty, those looking to make some money are probably better off looking elsewhere. George Milling-Stanley, chief gold strategist at State Street Global Advisors, explained the reason for this in an interview with Investopedia: “There’s a premium of up to 5% when you go to buy it, and there’s often a discount of up to 5% when you want to sell it […] gold’s really got to go up 10% before you actually break even.”

Despite being known as a discount wholesaler, Costco has not waived the costs associated with gold. The price of the company’s gold ingots has hovered between 5% and 7% above the market value. This ensures that it’s Costco, and not the buyers, that are benefiting from this transaction the most.

Veterinary doctors disturbed by discoveries during autopsies of several cows

The Cool Down

Veterinary doctors disturbed by discoveries during autopsies of several cows

Leo Collis – December 13, 2023

The death of three cows in Kota, India, provides an alarming reminder about the impact of plastic pollution on the natural world.

What happened?

Veterinarians conducted a postmortem on cows that unexpectedly died at a cattle shelter in Bandha Dharampura and found polyethylene and plastic weighing around 40 kilograms, nearly 90 pounds, in the rumen — the largest of a cow’s stomach compartments — of each of the three bovines, according to the Times of India.

According to the outlet, the cow shelter, called a gaushala, had seen several unexplained deaths within a short period, so an investigation was made to understand the potential cause.

Why is this so concerning?

The find suggested that the cows had been eating the polyethylene and plastic material, which got stuck in their digestive systems and led to the animals’ deaths.

The plastic products were likely littered or disposed of inappropriately and ended up at the gaushala, where the cows ingested the plastic.

Plastic is a particular problem when entering the environment because it doesn’t break down naturally, meaning it can remain in ecosystems for years.

The presence of this material in the bodies of animals and humans is an increasing concern, not just because of choking hazards or digestive blockages but because of the harmful toxins plastic contains.

This is not the first time something like this has happened, either. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, plastic has been deemed responsible for the deaths of 1% of camels in the country.

Meanwhile, out at sea, a dugong in Thailand was found to have several pieces of plastic in its stomach after being rescued, which was eventually the cause of its death.

What can be done to stop plastic pollution?

While recycling and disposing of plastic items responsibly will help keep them out of ecosystems on both land and at sea, the most effective way to prevent further pollution is alternative solutions to replace this harmful material.

Opting for reusable bags and water bottles is one solution to avoid some of the most common single-use plastic items. Regarding the latter, the Container Recycling Institute says that 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away daily in the United States alone.

Otherwise, metal-handled toothbrushes and razors can prevent the volume of plastic pollution from the disposal of these products. Meanwhile, non-plastic sandwich bags can help reduce the use of these plastic single-use alternatives that are often not accepted at recycling facilities because they get caught up in machinery.

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Biden makes decision that will impact more than 10 million acres of land: ‘It is nearly impossible to overstate the importance of today’s announcements’

The Cool Down

Biden makes decision that will impact more than 10 million acres of land: ‘It is nearly impossible to overstate the importance of today’s announcements’

Tina Deines – December 12, 2023

In a win for wild lands and wildlife, President Joe Biden recently moved to protect more than 10 million acres of Alaska’s North Slope from oil development. The action permanently bans drilling across large swaths of this region.

In a separate move, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland also canceled drilling leases, which were issued under the Trump administration, inside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

These new policies didn’t come without criticisms from some lawmakers, like Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who threatened to sue.

On the other end of the spectrum, some environmentalists said the new protections were not enough to erase the administration’s March approval of the controversial ConocoPhillips Willow project, which is predicted to produce 576 million barrels of oil over the next 30 years.

This remote landscape in Alaska’s far north is home to polar bears, a porcupine caribou herd that is 200,000 strong, at least 36 types of fish, and more than 400 species of plants.

The Arctic Refuge is also a traditional territory for the Gwich’in, Athabaskan, and Iñupiat people. The Gwich’in call the refuge’s coastal plain “The Sacred Place Where Life Begins” and rely on its caribou herd for clothing and food, as well as to maintain a spiritual connection to the land, according to the environmental group Protect the Arctic.

“Drilling and climate change threaten the future of these vibrant communities and the environment they rely on,” notes the group’s website.

By and large, environmentalists praised the administration’s recent actions.

“Conservation is a very long game and takes decades,” Chris Wood, president of the conservation group Trout Unlimited, told The Washington Post. “It’s rare to have these big-stroke opportunities. So it’s terrific and heartening to see the administration demonstrate they have a bit of a bold streak when it comes to protecting our lands and waters.”

Jamie Williams, president of the Wilderness Society, told AP News, “It is nearly impossible to overstate the importance of today’s announcements for Arctic conservation. Once again, the Arctic Refuge is free of oil leases. Our climate is a bit safer and there is renewed hope for permanently protecting one of the last great wild landscapes in America.”

Health Benefits of Kiwi

Health

Health Benefits of Kiwi

Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD – December 11, 2023

<p>Cathy Scola / Getty Images</p>
Cathy Scola / Getty Images

Medically reviewed by Simone Harounian, MS

Kiwi, once called the Chinese gooseberry, is a small fruit with significant nutritional benefits. Native to the hillsides of Southwest China, kiwi is now a popular fruit grown in many areas of the world. It earned its name from New Zealand fruit exporters, who named it after the flightless kiwi bird based on similarities in appearance.

There are several kiwi species, but the two most commonly consumed are known under the scientific names Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis. The Actinidia deliciosa species is the typical green kiwi often seen in stores. However, no matter the type, kiwis offer many evidence-based health benefits. They are rich in vitamin C and can support digestive, heart, and eye health, among other health benefits.

Supports Digestive Health

Kiwis contain soluble and insoluble fiber, supporting health on many levels, starting in the digestive system. Soluble fiber supports a healthy gut microbiome, while insoluble fiber helps maintain regular bowel movements. Research has shown that the fiber found in kiwis can influence stool consistency and transit time through its water-retaining capabilities, more than fiber in other fruits.

These digestive benefits can help those experiencing constipation find relief by adding bulk to stool and decreasing the time it spends in the digestive tract. Furthermore, a healthy gut microbiome can support many health goals. Research continues to point to its profound implications in health concerns, such as diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cardiovascular disease, and depression.

Excellent Source of Vitamin C

Kiwi is an excellent source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant essential to a healthy immune system. Vitamin C helps protect the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which are molecules or fragments of molecules with at least one set of unpaired electrons. The oxidative stress triggered by free radicals damages healthy cells and is thought to play a role in a variety of diseases. Just one kiwi provides 64 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, which is 71% of the recommended intake for men and 85% for women.

Research has shown that eating two kiwis daily for as little as four weeks can improve immune cell function in those with low serum vitamin C. These immune cells, called neutrophils, are white blood cells that help protect the body against infection.

May Benefit Heart Health

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help support heart health through several mechanisms, and the kiwi can be a contributing benefactor. For example, a study that examined kiwi intake and blood pressure found that participants who ate three kiwis daily experienced lower blood pressure than those who ate other fruits. Besides regular exercise, adding kiwi to a well-balanced diet can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Kiwi may also positively affect cholesterol. Research has shown a link between daily kiwi consumption and reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides. The study even connected kiwis with improved HDL cholesterol, the healthy cholesterol.

Supports Weight Management

Kiwis can be a nutritious addition to a well-balanced diet, especially for those aiming to lose weight. They’re deliciously sweet but low in calories, meaning they can satisfy cravings without adding excessive energy intake.

Kiwis also contain dietary fiber, which adds bulk to the diet without skewing calorie intake. Plus, fiber contributes to feelings of fullness, which can help prevent overeating. For reference, one kiwi provides around 42 calories and 2 g of fiber.

Still, it’s important to remember that sustainable weight management relies on a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Kiwis should be consumed mindfully with individualized nutrition needs in mind.

May Improve Eye Health

Interestingly, kiwis may also benefit eye health. Their impressive nutrient profile can help maintain optimal vision and reduce the risk of age-related eye concerns, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. The lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids found in kiwis can help reduce oxidation in the eye, which can ultimately lead to cataracts. Compared to other sources of carotenoids, kiwis offered a high bioavailability.

The vitamin C found in kiwis also plays a role in eye health and eye structure. As an antioxidant, it may help reduce inflammation and the resulting risk of common eye problems like macular degeneration. However, further research is needed better to understand the relationship between vitamin C and eye health.

While there is a need for a deeper understanding of kiwi and its role in the eyes, regular kiwi consumption may benefit those who want to be proactive with their eye health.

Low-Glycemic Index

Carbohydrates are essential to a healthy diet, but not all carbs are created equal. Some provide more nutritional value, while others cause significant blood sugar spikes. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on blood sugar levels. Foods are ranked on a scale from 0 to 100 based on how quickly they raise your blood glucose. The faster their effects, the higher their rank.

Kiwis have a high water content and are considered a low-glycemic index food. The green kiwi varieties have a glycemic index of around 39, and the golden types around 48. Because of its limited effects on blood sugar levels compared to other fruits, the kiwi may be a good choice for those with diabetes.

Nutrition of Kiwi

One kiwi with a 2-inch diameter, or approximately 69 g of the flesh of a raw green kiwi, provides:

  • Calories: 42.1
  • Fat: 0.36 g
  • Sodium: 2.07 milligrams (mg)
  • Carbohydrates: 10.1 g
  • Fiber: 2.07 g
  • Added sugars: 0 g
  • Protein: 0.79 g
  • Vitamin C: 64 mg
  • Vitamin K: 27.8 micrograms (mcg)
  • Copper: 0.09 mg

The kiwi is a powerhouse fruit, rich in many essential vitamins and minerals. One kiwi provides 10 g of carbs, supplying a boost of energy without causing a rollercoaster of blood sugar levels.

Kiwis are also rich in vitamin C, a potent nutrient for the immune system, and vitamin K, essential for blood clotting and bone health. Lastly, kiwis contain approximately 10% of the recommended daily intake of copper. The body uses copper to carry out many vital functions, including making energy, blood vessels, and connective tissue.

Risks of Kiwi

Kiwis are considered generally safe for the average healthy individual. However, they pose a significant risk for those who have a kiwifruit allergy. Kiwis contain many allergens, including actinidin, a major allergen.

Signs of a kiwi allergy include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Wheezing
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Generalized hives
  • Itchy throat and mouth
  • Facial swelling
Tips for Consuming Kiwi

The kiwi is a nutritious fruit that offers many health benefits in addition to its delicious flavor. Consider these tips for consuming kiwi:

  • To quickly peel a kiwi, cut it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon.
  • The peel can be eaten for an additional boost of fiber.
  • Once ripe, a kiwi should be refrigerated until eaten.
  • Kiwi can be found with green or golden flesh.
  • Combine kiwi chunks with mango, peppers, and cilantro to make a zesty salsa.
  • Layer kiwi slices with Greek yogurt and low-fat granola to make a nutrient-dense breakfast parfait.
  • Add kiwi slices to various smoothie recipes to add vitamin C and copper to a nutritious snack.
A Quick Review

Kiwi is a powerhouse fruit, rich in flavor and nutrients. Despite its small size, it provides a significant amount of the recommended daily intake of many vitamins and minerals. Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, copper, and vitamin K and contain smaller portions of many other important nutrients. Their impressive nutrition profile supports many avenues of health, including digestion, weight management, and blood sugar control. They also support heart and eye health and a healthy immune system.

Kiwis are generally considered safe, except for those with a known allergy to the fruit or any of its components. A registered dietitian nutritionist can help you incorporate kiwi and other nutritious fruits into a well-balanced diet to help meet your health and wellness goals.

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My Garden Was My Refuge. Then Climate Change Came for It.

The New Republic

My Garden Was My Refuge. Then Climate Change Came for It.

Melody Schreiber – December 11, 2023

When I first set out to report on climate change, I was convinced I knew what to do: I needed to show how climate change was going to be personal and deeply connected to our lives. People are selfish—or, put another way, strongly motivated by what affects us personally. The more intimately I could tie climate change to our well-being, I reasoned, the more driven we would be to change course.

So, eight years ago, I trundled off to the UN climate change conference known as COP21 in search of ways global warming was poised to affect our everyday lives, especially the threats to our mental health and the emergence of infectious diseases. I discovered, of course, that these close connections weren’t theoretical or futuristic; our lives were already being disrupted. And I realized that people already care plenty about climate change; a majority of Americans believe climate change is a threat, and one in 10 Americans are showing signs of climate anxiety. It’s just hard to know what to do about it, and sometimes our actions seem too insignificant to make a difference. Without action, we feel helpless. The problem looms ever more immense, and we start tuning out.

In 2023, for instance, we reached temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels for a record number of days—about one-third of the year. Scientists are warning that the planet is close to crossing five tipping points, with three more on the horizon.

The news comes amid the malicious obstructionism of this year’s conference, COP28. The state oil company of the United Arab Emirates has been privy to emails to and from the COP28 office. The conference president and head of that company, Sultan Al Jaber, who has used the event to push more oil trades, said there is “no science” behind phasing out fossil fuels to stop warming. It’s not just the leaders of COP pushing a pro-hydrocarbon agenda; four times more fossil-fuel lobbyists than ever before have descended on this year’s summit.

I don’t always know anymore how to get anxious people to tune into these kinds of stories, because I struggle myself. Evidence of our rapidly changing world and the failures of our leaders to do anything about it are everywhere, all the time, and nothing I do seems to stop it. A few years ago, I started to go the other direction—to dissociate from it. It was too big to process. The problems felt too immense and thus too far removed from my life.

The summer of 2020 was a particularly low point for me. The pandemic kept us home even as racial violence brought us out to the streets; wildfires and storms battered our neighborhoods even as the Trump administration exited the landmark Paris agreement; a heated presidential election grew increasingly chaotic and nerve-wracking. But most earth-shattering for me, my youngest brother died.

I felt surrounded by death, and I wanted more life. So I started collecting plants. I knew I was probably setting myself up for failure. I’d never been able to keep a plant alive for very long. I was probably going to get attached to yet another thing only to watch it die. (Like I said: a low place.)

Even so, I signed up for a plant subscription box, like a Wine of the Month club, that would start me off with something hard to kill and teach me how to care for it. Plants arrived every month. Some of them died, but most of them lived. A friend gave me a prayer plant; another gave me an amaryllis. Plants became a way to connect with friends in a tenuous time; they gave us something happy to talk about.

I started reading about native species, and how easy they are to maintain because they are perfectly adapted to my environment. (This summer, in the midst of drought, I didn’t need water my garden once.) I planted rows of phlox, goldenrod, asters; one of the most serene and accomplished moments of my year was spent watching a hummingbird bury its head amid the flowers of a turtlehead plant.

I knew my garden wouldn’t solve the biodiversity crisis, stop overdevelopment, or save pollinators single-handedly. But I could build those pollinators a little corner, offer a little respite for them and for me. I could do this small thing imperfectly, and I could keep striving to do it better.

I was, perhaps, too successful with my new gardening hobby. Now I have dozens of native species in my front yard, and (if you’re my husband, you can stop reading now) about 150 houseplants.

I learned to frequent native plant sales and local seed swaps, instead of buying plants at commercial nurseries that frequently use powerful insecticides and contribute to the spread of invasive species and plant diseases, which can further destabilize ecosystems. I started paying attention to what was happening outside my window, focusing on first and last frosts, on temperature highs and lows, on precipitation reports. I thought hard about when to bring plants outside for summer and inside for winter; I hustled to move them when strong storms swept the Doppler.

That’s why I noticed when the new U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hardiness Map, which I’d never heard of before I started this hobby, was updated for the first time in more than a decade. USDA hardiness zones are based on average annual minimum winter temperature and can help people figure out which plants will or won’t survive and thrive in their location.  

Because I’ve been paying closer attention to the vagaries of my local weather, I wasn’t surprised to learn from the recent update that my zone has changed from 7a to 7b, meaning the winter average minimum has risen from 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, to 5 to 10 degrees. These changes may seem small, but they make a huge difference with plants—and pollinators—needing exact temperatures and conditions to grow. Before I got into plants, I might have assumed warmer temperatures would simply expand the number of plants I could grow in my area, but it’s not that simple, particularly if the trend continues: these changes are being accompanied, for instance, by hotter and wetter summers in the region. What will that mean for pollination, seed dispersal, growing times, or the spread of plant pathogens? What about the species needing a certain number of winter “chill hours” in order to germinate and grow?

My area isn’t alone. About half the country moved into a warmer zone with this change. It’s part of a decades-long trend of warming temperatures across the nation that could disrupt both ecosystems and agriculture.

The news brought the specter of climate change into a passion project that was supposed to serve as a refuge. I braced myself for it to feel hopeless now, too. But surprisingly, given my original fears of failure when getting into plants, this news didn’t break my spirit.  I do wonder what my garden will look like in 10 or 20 or 50 years, and which species will make it through the gauntlet ahead. But at some point in the past few years, I’ve stopped worrying about killing every plant I cultivate. 

Instead, this change makes me think about climate in a new way. It’s something I can feel every day. I can push my hands into the earth; I can smell the flowers blooming in the yard, even now, in December. I now understand the way a small change in temperature or frost patterns can disrupt an entire crop. Plants have connected me in practical, daily, intimate ways to the earth and its changes—giving those changes a new significance, a deeper understanding, and simultaneously grounding my experience of nature in something calming, soul-nourishing, and refreshingly distant from the hard work of processing news, analyzing policy, and taking action. Plants also open up space for any backyard gardener to have conversations about the hyper-local effects of this crisis—conversations that can drive further change.

It’s a lesson I’m clinging to as the overwhelming reality of the climate crisis splashes across headlines this week, courtesy of COP28. Now, I’m searching out the sometimes-smaller but no less important wins at the conference: a new deal for a loss and damage fund; Colombia joining a the Fossil Fuel Nonproliferation Treaty; a bigger push to fund sustainable agriculture; and the possibility, though faint, of the newest agreement spelling out the end to fossil fuels. Despite the glacial pace of policy change, the steps we take in our own lives, though small and incremental, can transform our experience of the world around us. And before you know it, you have a life filled with new growth.

I came to gardening because I was mourning. Mourning, in a largely abstract way, the millions dead from pandemics, wildfires, storms. Mourning, in a painfully specific way, my baby brother, who was supposed to be an inextricable part of my future until the day he left it.

When we mourn, we sit with our loss. We let it weigh on us with its full heft. We examine the dearly held beliefs of how we thought these lives of ours would go, what we’d hoped to do, and we undergo a swift and shattering reorientation of those hopes and dreams. When we mourn, philosopher and author Thomas Attig writes, we “relearn” the world. Mourning is a painful and absolutely crucial process of reacting to a new reality and continuing, despite and because of that pain, to inhabit that reality.

There is a plant that reminds me of my brother: a Hoya kerrii, a vining plant with thick, heart-shaped leaves. I was nervous to acquire it—I’ve grown less precious about killing plants, but if this one were to die on my watch, it would be a pointed blow. But I screwed up my courage and posted a query in a gardening group, expecting to buy a small propagation or seedling. Instead, I ended up with a monster with thick vines as tall as I am, one of the largest plants in my collection, a plant that I instantly fell in love with because of its very wildness and abundance. Taking care of it feels like taking care of my brother; and, in the meditative time spent nurturing, it has begun to feel like he is taking care of me.

It’s a small thing, watering these plants and watching them grow leaf by leaf. But that’s how actions are. If you’d told me when I received my first plant in the mail that my collection would grow to 150, I would’ve laughed at you—and perhaps I would have failed in my new hobby, because of the pressure to do too much too fast. In the face of seemingly impossible goals, it’s hard to know where to start. So I went plant by plant, caring for whatever I had the capacity to care for.

Somehow, my desperate instinct in 2020, my Hail-Mary pass with plants, was right. Surrounding myself with life keeps death—and dread, and despair, and immobility—at bay. Plants make you stop, slow down, and care for each one. It’s an antidote to the crushing immensity of the big picture. It’s a radical act of joy.

‘His curiosity is unbounded’: What it’s like to work with David Attenborough at 97

Independent

‘His curiosity is unbounded’: What it’s like to work with David Attenborough at 97

Ellie Harrison – December 11, 2023

Friends in the Arctic: David Attenborough and Mike Gunton ((Provided))
Friends in the Arctic: David Attenborough and Mike Gunton ((Provided))

Thirty-six years ago, when Mike Gunton joined the BBC’s Natural History Unit as a keen young producer at the start of his career, he was told that he’d be working on David Attenborough’s last-ever programme. It was The Trials of Life, a study in animal behaviour, and Attenborough, in his sixties then, thought it was time to stop. “Well, that seems hilarious now,” says Gunton. “I don’t know how many series he’s done since, but it must be 20 at least. Long may it last.”

The pair have worked together for almost four decades – Gunton is now 66 and Attenborough 97 – and their latest project is Planet Earth III, which airs its final episode tonight. Just like its two predecessors, which were broadcast in 2006 and 2016, the series has shown us spectacular stories from across the animal kingdom – from a minutes-old ostrich hatchling searching for its mother in the Namib desert to a group of courageous seals driving away great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. But a new element to the show, and one that is increasingly present in Attenborough’s other programmes, is its message: this series is all about how animals are being forced to adapt, to survive the challenges they face in a world changed by humans.

“I’ve done a lot of shows in my life,” says Gunton, “but this is definitely a really important one. It still feels like we’re getting the Planet Earth tingle, in that it’s giving us wonderful stuff about nature, but we’re also saying something about being sensitive to how heavily we tread on our planet.” Planet Earth III certainly demonstrates our negative impact on animal life (turtles on Australia’s Raine Island, for example, are dying en masse as temperatures rise). Yet it also shows how we are innovating to make things better (while the right whale was hunted to near extinction 40 years ago, a ban on commercial whaling has restored numbers to around 12,000). “It’s a very intriguing time to be observing the natural world at the moment, and it’s slightly worrying as well. But there are parts of it that make you hopeful, and that has to be reflected in the programmes.”

In some ways, a lot has changed since Gunton and Attenborough started working together. Attenborough was not a fan of drones when they first arrived on the scene. They would constantly malfunction, and he would have to do countless takes walking through a meadow or a jungle as the camera on the drone zoomed off to reveal him on location. “He’s now a convert, and he absolutely thinks the drone is the key, the breakthrough, in the perspective it can give you on what happens in nature,” says Gunton. The advances in technology have been huge over the decades. “He is astounded by the leap we have taken in the way we use robotic cameras,” Gunton adds. “We can take audiences beyond where the human eye can.”

If somebody ever asked me, ‘What are your memories of him?’, one of the top things I would say is us rolling around laughing, sometimes about the absurdity of the world and the absurdity of what we do

In other ways, nothing has changed at all. Attenborough has always had “a penchant for bird courtship” stories on his shows, and he always will. “There’s a sequence in Planet Earth III with the tragopan, which is a very strange bird that lives in China and has a very complex and bizarre courtship display,” says Gunton. “I think it’s never been filmed in the wild. And of all the things that we showed David, it was that which made his eyes light up.” And Attenborough has always been “hilarious”, says Gunton. “If somebody ever asked me, ‘What are your memories of him?’, one of the top things I would say is us rolling around laughing, sometimes about the absurdity of the world and the absurdity of what we do. He’s a brilliant raconteur.”

So is Gunton. We far-exceed our time slot on Zoom and I can tell he would happily tell stories about his and Attenborough’s adventures for hours (I hear about him sending Attenborough into battle with warrior-like termites Nigeria, and the pair of them sitting, surrounded by butterflies in Kent’s Downe Bank nature reserve). Gunton didn’t always think he would go into natural history – he initially wanted to be a social documentary filmmaker – but during his time as a zoology student at the University of Bristol, a palaeontology professor took him under his wing and he became an “obsessive” student. After going to Cambridge to do a PhD in zoology, he returned to Bristol to work at the BBC’s Natural History Unit, where he is now creative director.

Attenborough and Gunton inspecting wildlife decades ago (Provided)
Attenborough and Gunton inspecting wildlife decades ago (Provided)

He says that, over the years, Attenborough’s “curiosity has absolutely continued to be unbounded”. When Gunton visits Attenborough’s house in Richmond, “there’ll be a stack of books on the piano that he’s reading, working his way through. He’ll say, ‘Have you read this? Have you seen this?’ It’s that kind of constant scholarship. He’s so busy. It’s bonkers. He’s away at this event and that event and at some library here, and the energy is astonishing.”

He tells me a story to prove the point. During the filming of The Green Planet, which came out last year, there was a sequence where Attenborough was presenting from a rowing boat on a lake in Croatia. Gunton, three decades Attenborough’s junior, was meant to be doing most of the rowing when the cameras weren’t rolling, but Attenborough wasn’t having any of it. He jumped into the rowing seat at the first opportunity. “I’ll row. No, no, I’ll do it. I’ll do it,” Gunton remembers him insisting. “We started getting competitive because he was a rower at university [in Cambridge] and so was I. I was saying, ‘Look, come on, I’m a rower.’ He said, ‘No, we could row just as well as you row.’ So, as a 94-year-old, he basically rowed that boat about a mile, and it was a big heavy boat. Working with him in his nineties is not that hard, because he can do almost anything.”

Gunton and Attenborough become competitive in a boat in Croatia (Provided)
Gunton and Attenborough become competitive in a boat in Croatia (Provided)

While Attenborough tends to go out in the field less and less these days, Gunton says his influence on the series goes far beyond his narration. “This has been his format, ever since he made Life on Earth [in 1979]. So these shows are effectively modifying or twiddling around the edges of that format, with his DNA there all the time.” Gunton says that with every shot, every storyline in the series, he’s thinking, “How is this going to be told by David?” He will bounce ideas off Attenborough, too, and seek his advice on trickier scenes.

Attenborough is the right man to ask. He has been the single biggest influence on nature programming in, well, forever. His playful storytelling has had us gripped by the antics of everything from spindly weeds in the ground to tiny sea angels in the ocean. Seeing nature in this awe-inspiring way has taught us all about the wonders of the world and the need to protect them. And many others – most recently Morgan Freeman, who presented the inferior Life on Our Planet on Netflix – have failed to replicate his magic.

Attenborough during the filming of ‘Planet Earth III’ (BBC, Mark Harrison)
Attenborough during the filming of ‘Planet Earth III’ (BBC, Mark Harrison)

The last time Attenborough properly went out on location on a series, doing hardcore expeditions, was for The Green Planet. “We went to Costa Rica and across America and to [its] deserts,” says Gunton. “And we went to just outside the Arctic Circle in Finland, and to Croatia. He loved it. Beforehand, we were talking about how many days we’d have, and we said, you know, maybe three weeks or something in total. And his daughter was there, who he works with a lot, and she said, ‘Look, you’ve got to be careful, don’t do too many days.’ And when she nipped out to go and make us a cup of tea, he turned to me and whispered, ‘Actually, let’s do another couple of days!’ That sums him up, actually. He was 94.”

Gunton struggles to envisage a future without Attenborough guiding us through the natural world. “Forty years ago, I was a new boy at the Natural History Unit,” he says. “And they said, ‘Of course, this is David’s last series, so we ought to be thinking about who’s going to take over.’ And that is something that people have been talking about ever since. I think it’s one of those things where we cross that bridge when we come to it, but at the moment, he seems to be going on six cylinders.”

He laughs as he admits he “cheekily” asked Attenborough if he’ll ever retire. Attenborough’s response? “I don’t know what that word means.”

The final episode of ‘Planet Earth III’ will air at 6.20pm on BBC One on Sunday 10 December

Texas is about to follow Arizona through the immigration gates of hell

AZ Central – The Arizona Republic – Opinion

Texas is about to follow Arizona through the immigration gates of hell

Phil Boas, Arizona Republic – December 4, 2023

To say the U.S.-Mexico border is in chaos is to actually understate the problem.

Some 2.5 million migrants have been encountered trying to illegally cross the border in fiscal 2023, topping the record of the year before.

As quickly as the state of Texas can put up razor wire to stop the influx, the federal government is cutting it down.

Democratic governors and big-city mayors in Illinois, New York and Massachusetts have screamed at the Democratic White House to get control as migrants flood their social services.

Even Jesse Jackson — yes, Jesse Jackson — is scolding the feds for failing to secure the U.S.-Mexico line.

“Laws need to be enforced at the border,” the long-time civil rights leader said, as reported by Politico on Thursday.

Texas mimics Arizona’s immigration law

Today in Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will temporarily close their crossing at Lukeville to free up agents to help manage the rising level of migrant encounters between ports of entry, reports Arizona Republic writer José Ignacio Castañeda Perez.

But the real madness comes from Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott is poised to walk through the gates of hell by signing a bill that looks very much like Arizona’s notorious Senate Bill 1070, signed into law in 2010.

Texas Senate Bill 4 would make it a misdemeanor for a person from a foreign nation to illegally enter or attempt to enter Texas at a location other than a lawful port of entry.

“If a police officer has probable cause to believe a person crossed the Rio Grande, that person could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a punishment of up to six months in jail, Texas Tribune reporter Uriel J. García explained.

“If the person has been previously convicted of entering Texas illegally under SB 4, the charge could be increased to a second-degree felony, which carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.”

Those convicted of the law would then be returned to a port of entry and ordered to return to Mexico. If they refuse, they could face a felony charge, Garcia explained.

Arizona Republicans argued this before

Tell me where you’ve heard this before:

SB 4 merely follows federal immigration law, the bill’s sponsor in the Texas House, Republican David Spiller, said.

That was the reigning argument when Arizona Republicans passed and signed into law SB 1070, meant to shrink the size of Arizona’s undocumented immigrant population through aggressive state enforcement of the federal law.

In time, much of that Arizona law was gutted by the federal court.

Spiller argues that SB 4 is significantly different than Arizona’s controversial law in that it would focus exclusively on people who have recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally into Texas, not the undocumented who have been living illegally in Texas for years.

The opponents of SB 4 are lining up to legally challenge the State of Texas if and when the bill becomes law. And they are not appreciating the distinctions Texas makes from Arizona’s beleaguered SB 1070.

“(This is) one of the country’s most radical anti-immigrant laws — EVER,” the ACLU of Texas said. “If Gov. Abbott signs #SB4 into law, we’ll sue.”

“Senate Bill 4 is the broadest, most invasive piece of legislation to ever potentially challenge the very nature of our federal and state power,” said Texas state Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, a Dallas Democrat and chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

“The power to enforce immigration is unquestionably, exclusively a federal power.”

The biggest problem with Arizona’s SB 1070

The problem with Arizona’s SB 1070 was that it opened fissures between the white and Latino communities in a border state where the Latino population is a significant and growing part of the community.

No matter how many assurances Arizona Republicans offered that SB 1070 would not target legal citizens, Latino citizens and their allies were unconvinced.

They saw SB 1070 as a target on the back of every person with brown complexion. Feelings were raw. And many Latino citizens talked about leaving the state.

Then-President Barack Obama stood with then Mexican President Felipe Calderón to oppose Arizona’s law.

“In the United States of America, no law-abiding person — be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico — should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like.”

The times have changed on immigration

Already, the office of Mexico Foreign Minister has said in a statement that the proposed Texas law “categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to detain and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory.”

Good luck trying to send detained migrants back to Mexico, immigration experts tell the Texas Tribune. Mexico is under no obligation to receive those people.

“In fiscal year 2023, about 83% of the 1 million immigrants encountered by Border Patrol on the Texas-Mexico border were not Mexican citizens,” the news organization reported. “Many are coming from Central and South America, Asia or Eastern European countries.”

Without a doubt the earth is shifting on immigration.

During the 2010s when SB 1070 made Arizona a national flash point, you did not hear the howls of Democrats worried about unchecked immigration.

Democratic cities were lining up to boycott Arizona, along with national conventions and arts and entertainment, including Kanye West and Rage Against the Machine.

The real damage was eroded trust

But the boycotts never did real damage to Arizona. The real damage was the erosion of trust between Latinos and the majority white population.

Much of the white business establishment had begun to see this too late and tried to fend it off, but the damage was done. I remember this newspaper entertaining a delegation of some of the most distinguished Latinos in our state speaking to us with real anguish and fear.

The federal court would dispense with much of the law, and it was never enforced. But both parties would work for a decade to avoid the wrenching emotions of that time.

Gallego is proof: Border politics have reached a tipping point

For a decade after, Arizona’s GOP-dominated Legislature and governor’s office steered cleared of similar iron-fist immigration measures.

Many of the politicians who pushed SB 1070 would eventually be driven from office, and the author of the bill, Russell Pearce, would see his gambit to follow SB 1070 with roughly a half-dozen follow-up bills unravel.

Working behind the scenes to help Arizona’s moderate Republican lawmakers dismantle those follow-up Pearce bills was a retired judge of some note — former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Learn from us, Texas. Don’t go there

Texas Republicans, like Arizona Republicans, aren’t likely to care about what Mexican officials think about our state immigration laws. They can thump sand.

They’re not likely to flinch at rock bands canceling concerts, or California cities boycotting them.

But they will feel the sting of their fellow Arizonans and Texans — Latinos who are their friends, colleagues, neighbors and family members — who feel betrayed by laws that no matter how you write them are likely to distinguish by race.

The Texas governor would be wise to learn from Arizona and its encounter with the abyss.

So far, President Joe Biden and his immigration officials have not commented on the Texas bill.

They may be waiting for the Texas governor to generously take from the White House the lightning rod that is illegal immigration.

Phil Boas is an editorial columnist.

This number will shape Earth’s future as the climate changes. You’ll be hearing about it.

USA Today

This number will shape Earth’s future as the climate changes. You’ll be hearing about it.

Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY – November 30, 2023

Consider that 3 degrees Fahrenheit is the difference between a raging fever and a healthy toddler. Between a hockey rink and a swimming pool. Between food going bad or staying at a safe temperature.

Now consider that Earth is about 2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter on average than it was in the 1800s. It’s little wonder that has already led to measurable shifts in the climate: The last eight years have been the hottest in recorded history and 2023 is expected to be the hottest yet.

But there’s a looming threshold that will dictate the future of planet Earth. It could have cascading effects on how hot the planet gets, how much seas rise and how significantly normal daily life as we now know it will change.

The number is 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

World leaders at an annual gathering beginning Thursday will be spending considerable energy pondering that number, although they will use the Celsius version: 1.5 degrees.

“We can still make a big difference and every single tenth of a degree is enormously important,” said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

Representatives and negotiators from 197 nations are gathering at an event called COP (Conference of the Parties) in the United Arab Emirates, a 13-day meeting that comes at what scientists say is a critical moment in the fight to keep the already dangerous effects of climate change from tipping over into the catastrophic.

Research published last month estimated humanity has only six or so more years before so much carbon dioxide has been pumped into the atmosphere that there’s only a 50% chance of staying below the threshold.

Why 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit is so important

In 2016, the United States and 195 other parties signed the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change aimed at lowering the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to keep global warming at bay.

All the nations that signed the Agreement pledged to try as hard as possible to keep the global average temperature increase below 2.7 degrees, and to definitely keep it below a 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit rise. (Only the Agreement said it in Celsius, which comes out to the smoother-sounding 2.0 degrees Celsius and 1.5 degrees Celsius.)

The numbers sound pretty small – but they aren’t.

A few degrees is a big deal

The difference between 65 degrees and 67.7 degrees (that critical 2.7-degree difference) isn’t even worth carrying a sweater. So why does it worry climate scientists?

It’s because they’re thinking about global temperature averages, and when the global average goes up, the extremes go way up.

The Earth is already 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in the 1800s, about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. And it’s warming fast.

Ocean surface temperatures were the highest ever recorded this year, causing fish die-offs and increasing red tides.

People across America are already noticing the effects. Storms are more extreme, drenching areas with more water that’s causing an increasing number of devastating flash floods. Dozens of people in VermontTennessee and Pennsylvania are only the most recent victims.

These aren’t just normal storms, these are deluges where four months of rain falls in one day.

We’re also experiencing more devastating droughts catastrophic wildfires and wetter hurricanes.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg takes part in a press conference at the UNFCCC SB58 Bonn Climate Change Conference on June 13 in Bonn, Germany. The conference lays the groundwork for the adoption of decisions at the upcoming COP28 climate conference in Dubai in December.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg takes part in a press conference at the UNFCCC SB58 Bonn Climate Change Conference on June 13 in Bonn, Germany. The conference lays the groundwork for the adoption of decisions at the upcoming COP28 climate conference in Dubai in December.
Why is it important to not let the Earth warm an extra degree?

The difference between an aspiration of no more than 2.7 degrees warming and a serious commitment to no more than 3.6 degrees might not seem large.

But multiply the extremes and their effects, and each results in a vastly different world. One is difficult, resulting in a less reliable and more chaotic climate than the one we live with today. The other verges on a movie cataclysm.

At their heart, the 13 days of COP28 negotiations are the place global governments sit down to hammer out just how much each will lower its carbon emissions, though many other climate change topics are on the table as well.

Using published research and reports from the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Carbon Brief laid out the likely measurable difference between a world that is 2.7 degrees warmer and one that is 3.6 degrees warmer:

◾ Sea level rise by 2100 of 18 inches vs. 22 inches

◾ Ice-free Arctic summer chance of 10% vs. 80%

◾ Central U.S. warm spells last 10 days vs. 21 days

◾ Percentage of people facing at least one severe heat wave in five years is 14% vs. 37%

Why is this all about fossil fuels?

Before the Industrial Revolution, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – which is what’s causing global warming – was 280 parts per million.

The current measurement is 421.47 parts per million.

NASA graph showing the rise of carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere from 800,000 years ago to today.
NASA graph showing the rise of carbon dioxide levels in the Earth’s atmosphere from 800,000 years ago to today.

The change has been underway for decades, but the extent of the shift is only now becoming clearly evident. In the 1980s, the country experienced on average a $1 billion, adjusted for inflation, disaster every four months. It now experiences one every three weeks. This year, the country has set a new record with 25 billion-dollar disasters.

The Earth crossed a key warming threshold in 2023, with one-third of the days so far having an average temperature at least 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than preindustrial levels. On Nov. 17, it reached 2.07 degrees above. This year is expected to be the warmest in recorded history, warmer than any other in 125,000 years.

What is COP28?

COP28 is the annual United Nations meeting of the 197 parties that have agreed to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, originally adopted in 1992. The meeting is the decision-making body of the countries that signed onto the U.N. framework. It is held to assess how well nations are dealing with climate change and set agendas and goals.

How important is this COP?

In a major report, the UN’s climate change body said earlier this month that global greenhouse gas emissions need to fall by 45% by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Things are not going in the right direction. Instead, emissions are set to rise by 9%.

COP28 is where changes can be made.

Scientists say humanity has about a decade to dramatically reduce heat-trapping gas emissions before thresholds are passed that may make recovery from climate collapse impossible.

To do so will require cutting nearly two-thirds of carbon pollution by 2035, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said. That means ending new fossil fuel exploration and weaning wealthy nations away from coal, oil and gas by 2040.

“Humanity is on thin ice – and that ice is melting fast,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the spring. “Our world needs climate action on all fronts – everything, everywhere, all at once.”