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PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
US Will Plant One Billion Trees to Combat Climate Change (Maria)
From Smithsonian Magazine: “To help revitalize millions of acres of burned and damaged forests across the American West, the US Department of Agriculture aims to plant more than one billion trees over the next decade. Wildfires and other issues have devastated US woodlands in recent years, and Forest Service arborists can’t keep up with replanting lost trees. They’ve reforested just 6% of land damaged by fires, pests and extreme weather events. … Now, with more federal resources and funding via the REPLANT Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the USDA’s Forest Service plans to close the gap.”
Red States Are Building a Nation Within a Nation (Russ)
The author writes, “It was a revealing sign of the times when the Supreme Court last [month], in response to a lawsuit from the Republican state attorneys general in Texas and Louisiana, blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from changing a key element of federal immigration policy. The case was just the latest example of how red states, supported by Republican-appointed judges, are engaging in a multi-front offensive to seize control of national policy even while Democrats hold the White House and nominally control both the House and Senate. The red states are moving social policy sharply to the right within their borders on issues from abortion to LGBTQ rights and classroom censorship, while simultaneously working to hobble the ability of either the federal government or their own largest metro areas to set a different course.”
States With Abortion Bans Are Among Least Supportive for Mothers and Children (Dana)
From The New York Times: “According to a New York Times analysis, the 24 states that have banned abortion (or probably will) fare worse on a broad range of outcomes than states where abortion will probably remain legal, including child and maternal mortality, teenage birthrates and the share of women and children who are uninsured. The states likely to ban abortion either have laws predating Roe that ban abortion; have recently passed stringent restrictions; or have legislatures that are actively considering new bans.”
Exiled Putin Critic Anatoly Chubais Rushed to Hospital With ‘Suspected Poisoning’ (Sean)
From EuroWeekly: “Several months after fleeing Russia and going into exile in protest over the war in Ukraine, a former key official of Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly been rushed to a hospital with suspected poisoning. Anatoly Chubais is believed to be in intensive care in an undisclosed location in Europe.”
Seattle Audubon Will Change Its Name, Severing Tie to Slave Owner (Reader Steve)
From The Seattle Times: “The Seattle chapter of the National Audubon Society has a new logo, at least for now: an elegant yellow bird, a pelagic cormorant to be exact, with a paintbrush in its beak and the word ‘Audubon’ crossed out. It marks a new era for the birdwatching and conservation group. Pointing to the racist actions and beliefs of its namesake John James Audubon, the local organization announced that it will change its name to better reflect its mission and values.”
Hereditary Factors That Increase the Likelihood of Cancer Mutations Detailed in New Study (Mili)
The author writes, “A study of 11,000 cancer patients reveals 42 hereditary genes which predispose individuals to a higher number of mutations that correlate with a greater probability of developing cancer. The research may lead to new personalized prevention and/or early detection strategies that assess a patient’s hereditary risk of developing different types of cancer.”
Passenger Fined $1,874 After Two Undeclared McMuffins Found in Luggage (Dana)
The author writes, “A passenger traveling from Bali, Indonesia to Australia has found themselves paying a hefty price for a McDonald’s breakfast. The unnamed traveler was handed a fine of 2,664 Australian dollars ($1,874) after two undeclared egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant were found in their luggage on arriving at Darwin Airport in the country’s Northern Territory last week.”
