Kristin Toussaint

Giving Tuesday: Everyone gets a tax break on the first $300 they donate to nonprofits in 2020

If you’re like most people and take the standard deduction, you usually don’t get any credit for your charitable deductions. But this year—thanks to the CARES Act—you will.

Giving Tuesday: Everyone gets a tax break on the first $300 they donate to nonprofits in 2020

This burger doesn’t require land or fresh water to produce: It’s made with kelp

Kelp farms are enormous carbon sinks, so kelp jerky company Akua is looking for ways to get people to eat more seaweed.

This burger doesn’t require land or fresh water to produce: It’s made with kelp

The 6 winners of the ‘Green Nobels’ for environmental activism show that change is possible

The Goldman Environmental Prize announced its 2020 winners, including an activist who used shareholder meetings to push back against financing coal mines and a beekeeper who took on Monsanto.

The 6 winners of the ‘Green Nobels’ for environmental activism show that change is possible

Will you need a COVID-19 vaccine to fly?

‘Immunity passports’ might be coming to air travel—but should they?

Will you need a COVID-19 vaccine to fly?

The real reason your company might not do COVID testing: The cost

Few employers are testing their workers regularly, according to new research—and it’s not because tests are hard to come by.

The real reason your company might not do COVID testing: The cost

Thanksgiving travel hits record numbers, despite COVID warnings

Despite the CDC’s urging to Americans to rethink their Thanksgiving travels, airport screenings have hit an eight-month high.

Thanksgiving travel hits record numbers, despite COVID warnings

Can a hike through a VR forest make people understand climate change?

Scientists are letting people walk through virtual Wisconsin trees and then showing them the effects of changing global temperatures.

Can a hike through a VR forest make people understand climate change?

We know it’s cold. But if there are walls and a roof, you’re not outdoor dining

Think of the virus like cigarette smoke. If where you’re eating would fill up with secondhand smoke if someone at the next table was smoking, then it’s filling up with potentially infected droplets.

We know it’s cold. But if there are walls and a roof, you’re not outdoor dining

These playing cards show gorgeous visions for what the world will look like in 2120

From Mars colonies to a submerged Statue of Liberty, each card of this deck shows a different artist’s vision for the future.

These playing cards show gorgeous visions for what the world will look like in 2120

How the Netherlands became a plant-based protein powerhouse

What can the U.S. learn from how the Dutch are growing their fake meat sector?

How the Netherlands became a plant-based protein powerhouse

This tableware made from bamboo and sugar waste biodegrades in 60 days

As importantly, it’s nearly as cheap as plastic.

This tableware made from bamboo and sugar waste biodegrades in 60 days

What environmental rule rollbacks will Trump try to sneak through before the end?

After four years of allowing more pollution and emissions, the Trump administration has 10 weeks left to accomplish its deregulatory agenda. The Midnight Watch Project is keeping a list, so it can all be fixed after.

What environmental rule rollbacks will Trump try to sneak through before the end?

6 innovative projects to improve health and safety for workers during the pandemic

Many businesses failed to protect their workers as COVID-19 struck. Now a series of grants is supporting worker-powered projects that help solve those issues.

6 innovative projects to improve health and safety for workers during the pandemic

Abolish the Electoral College? We could also just work around it

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is trying to create a coalition of states with 270 electoral votes to promise to support the presidential candidate who gets the most votes. Colorado voters seem to have confirmed the state would join.

Abolish the Electoral College? We could also just work around it

Airbnbee? This company lets you host a beehive in your backyard

Having a hive sounds fun, but taking care of it sounds complicated. Now there’s a solution.

Airbnbee? This company lets you host a beehive in your backyard

Massachusetts and Alaska are voting on a radical change to how we run elections

Both states are deciding whether to implement ranked choice voting, where voters rank their preferred candidates in order of preference. Advocates say it gives outsider candidates more of a chance—and depolarizes elections.

Massachusetts and Alaska are voting on a radical change to how we run elections

Sign up for this app and you’ll get weekly basic income (or help give one)

New app Comingle is creating a community-funded basic income for its members.

Sign up for this app and you’ll get weekly basic income (or help give one)

These mushroom balls turn your yard into a climate-change-fighting machine

Drop some mycelium spores into your watering can, and the next thing you know, your lawn is your own personal carbon offset.

These mushroom balls turn your yard into a climate-change-fighting machine

This is the unseen factor pushing the COVID-19 death count even higher

15% of global COVID-19 deaths could be linked to air pollution exposure.

This is the unseen factor pushing the COVID-19 death count even higher

Companies that make bold climate pledges keep donating to politicians with dismal environmental records

Does an aggressive corporate climate policy mean that much if the company doesn’t support those same policies through its political donations?

Companies that make bold climate pledges keep donating to politicians with dismal environmental records

Impact

14 countries launch a new plan to achieve a ‘sustainable ocean economy’

This lab-grown chicken just got the world’s first regulatory approval

Giving Tuesday: Everyone gets a tax break on the first $300 they donate to nonprofits in 2020

News

Salesforce is buying Slack for close to $28 billion

Read ‘Juno’ star Elliot Page’s letter coming out as trans and messages of support

Walmart beat Amazon on Black Friday by one small but important metric

Co.Design

Is working from home straining your eyes? These industrial designers have a solution

These ingenious masks won’t fog up your glasses

The affordable housing solution hiding in plain sight

Work Life

How to complete a group writing assignment over Zoom

3 ways gender ‘brain diversity’ can make Joe Biden and Kamala Harris better leaders

6 effective ways to use Instagram in your job search